Late-in-life Exercise Ameliorates the Aging Trajectory Metabolism Programmed by Maternal Obesity in Rats: It is Never Too Late

Abstract

Background: Maternal obesity (MO) has been shown to adversely affect metabolic, oxidative, reproductive, and cognitive function in offspring. However, it is unclear whether lifestyle modification can ameliorate the metabolic and organ dysfunction programmed by MO and prevent the effects of metabolic syndrome in adulthood. This study aimed to evaluate whether moderate voluntary exercise in the offspring of rats born to obese mothers can ameliorate the adverse effects of MO programming on metabolism and liver function in mid-adulthood.

Methods: Offspring of control (CF1) and MOF1 mothers were fed with a control diet from weaning. Adult males and females participated in 15 min exercise sessions five days/week. Metabolic parameters were analyzed before and after the exercise intervention. Liver oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes were analyzed before and after the intervention.

Results: Males showed that CF1_ex ran more than MOF1_ex and increased the distance covered. In contrast, females in both groups ran similar distances and remained constant but ran more distance than males. At PND 300 and 450, male and female MOF1 had higher leptin, triglycerides, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels than CF1. However, male MOF1_ex had lower triglycerides, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels than MOF1. Improvements in liver fat and antioxidant enzymes were observed in CF1_ex and MOF1_ex males and females compared to their respective CF1 and MOF1 groups.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that moderate voluntary exercise, even when started in mid-adulthood, can improve metabolic outcomes and delay accelerated metabolic aging in MO-programmed rats in a sex-dependent manner.

Keywords: Aging; Exercise intervention; Maternal obesity; Metabolism; Oxidative stress.