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Exercise during pregnancy and its impact on mothers and offspring in humans and mice

Part of: Advancing the DOHaD Agenda in Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2017

N. Ferrari ,
I. Bae-Gartz ,
C. Bauer ,
R. Janoschek ,
I. Koxholt ,
E. Mahabir ,
S. Appel ,
M. A. Alejandre Alcazar ,
N. Grossmann  and
C. Vohlen
...Show all authors
N. Ferrari*
Affiliation:
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood and Youth, Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Department for Physical Activity in Public Health, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
I. Bae-Gartz
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
C. Bauer
Affiliation:
Department for Physical Activity in Public Health, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
R. Janoschek
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
I. Koxholt
Affiliation:
Comparative Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
E. Mahabir
Affiliation:
Comparative Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
S. Appel
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
M. A. Alejandre Alcazar
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
N. Grossmann
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
C. Vohlen
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
K. Brockmeier
Affiliation:
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood and Youth, Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
J. Dötsch
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
E. Hucklenbruch-Rother
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
C. Graf
Affiliation:
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood and Youth, Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Department for Physical Activity in Public Health, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
*
*Address for correspondence: N. Ferrari, Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood and Youth, Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany. (Email nina.ferrari@uk-koeln.de)
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Abstract

Exercise during pregnancy has beneficial effects on maternal and offspring’s health in humans and mice. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This comparative study aimed to determine the long-term effects of an exercise program on metabolism, weight gain, body composition and changes in hormones [insulin, leptin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)]. Pregnant women (n=34) and mouse dams (n=44) were subjected to an exercise program compared with matched controls (period I). Follow-up in the offspring was performed over 6 months in humans, corresponding to postnatal day (P) 21 in mice (period II). Half of the mouse offspring was challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks between P70 and P112 (period III). In period I, exercise during pregnancy led to 6% lower fat content, 40% lower leptin levels and an increase of 50% BDNF levels in humans compared with controls, which was not observed in mice. After period II in humans and mice, offspring body weight did not differ from that of the controls. Further differences were observed in period III. Offspring of exercising mouse dams had significantly lower fat mass and leptin levels compared with controls. In addition, at P112, BDNF levels in offspring were significantly higher from exercising mothers while this effect was completely blunted by HFD feeding. In this study, we found comparable effects on maternal and offspring’s weight gain in humans and mice but different effects in insulin, leptin and BDNF. The long-term potential protective effects of exercise on biomarkers should be examined in human studies.

Keywords

brain-derived neurotrophic factorcomparative studyhigh-fat feedingleptinphysical activity
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 9 , Issue 1: Themed Issue: DOHaD AFRICA , February 2018 , pp. 63 - 76
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2017 

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Footnotes

†

Nina Ferrari and Inga Bae-Gartz contributed equally to this work.

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