Maternal voluntary physical exercise in the adult rat: evidence of exercise-associated differences in maternal food intake, and in brain effects on the progeny.

Objectives: Maternal physical activity may impact behavioral and electrophysiological aspects of brain function, with short- and long-term effects on pre- and postnatal neurodevelopment of the offspring. This study evaluated in the rat the effects of maternal voluntary physical activity (MVPA) on food intake and weight gain in the dams, as well as anxiety-like behavior, short-term memory and the brain excitability-related phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD) on the mother-pup dyad.Methods: Female Wistar rats (n=33) were individually housed in cages containing a running wheel for a 30-days adaptation period before mating. Rats were classified as inactive (I); active (A) or very active (VA) according to the distance spontaneously travelled daily. During gestation, the dams continued to have access to the running wheel. Mothers and their respective pups (1 pup per mother) were evaluated in the open field test (OFT), object recognition test (ORT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and the CSD propagation features.Results: MVPA was directly associated with increased food intake and weight gain during gestation, and maternal anxiolytic-like behavioral responses in the OFT. Pups from VA mothers showed a high discrimination index for shape recognition memory (ORT) and decreased propagation velocities of CSD, when compared with the inactive group.Discussion: The data suggest that MVPA during the gestational period induces neuroplasticity and may modulate the brain functions in the mother-infant dyad in the rat.

Cardiometabolic Effects of Postnatal High-Fat Diet Consumption in Offspring Exposed to Maternal Protein Restriction In Utero.

In recent decades, the high incidence of infectious and parasitic diseases has been replaced by a high prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases. Concomitantly, there have been profound changes in the behavior and eating habits of families around the world, characterizing a "nutritional transition" phenomenon, which refers to a shift in diet in response to modernization, urbanization, or economic development from undernutrition to the excessive consumption of hypercaloric and ultra-processed foods. Protein malnutrition that was a health problem in the first half of the 20th century has now been replaced by high-fat diets, especially diets high in saturated fat, predisposing consumers to overweight and obesity. This panorama points us to the alarming coexistence of both malnutrition and obesity in the same population. In this way, individuals whose mothers were undernourished early in pregnancy and then exposed to postnatal hyperlipidic nutrition have increased risk factors for developing metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. Thus, our major aim was to review the cardiometabolic effects resulting from postnatal hyperlipidic diets in protein-restricted subjects, as well as to examine the epigenetic repercussions occasioned by the nutritional transition.

Effects of maternal protein restriction on central and peripheral renin-angiotensin systems in male rat offspring.

AIMS: We investigated the involvement of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) on the cardiorespiratory control in rats from dams fed with a low-protein diet. MAIN METHODS: Male offspring were obtained from dams fed a normoprotein diet (NP, 17% casein) and low-protein diet (LP, 8% casein) during pregnancy and lactation. Direct measurements of arterial pressure (AP), heart rate (HR) and respiratory frequency (RF) were recorded in awake 90-day-old at resting and after losartan potassium through either intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinjections or intravenous (IV) administration. Cardiovascular variability was evaluated by spectral analysis. Peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity was assessed through the potassium cyanide (KCN; 40 µg/0.1 ml/rat, IV). Gene expression was evaluated by qPCR, and MAPK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase) expression was evaluated by western blot. KEY FINDINGS: The LP offspring had higher mean AP (MAP) and RF than NP offspring. In the spectral analysis, the LP rats also showed higher low frequency of systolic AP (NP: 2.7 ± 0.3 vs. LP: 5.0 ± 1.0 mmHg). After ICV losartan, MAP and RF in LP rats remained higher than those in NP rats, but without changes in HR. The peripheral chemoreflex was similar between the groups. LP group had lower gene expression of Rac1 (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1) (NP: 1.13 ± 0.06 vs. LP: 0.88 ± 0.08). Peripherally, LP rats had larger delta of MAP after IV losartan (NP: -9.8 ± 2 vs. LP: -23 ± 6 mmHg), without changes in HR and RF. SIGNIFICANCE: In rats, the RAS participates peripherally, but not centrally, in the maintenance of arterial hypertension in male offspring induced by maternal protein restriction.

Efeitos do estresse agudo de contenção, do estresse crônico de natação e da administração de glutamina sobre a liberação de superóxido por macrófagos alveolares de ratos / Effects of acute restraint stress, chronic swim stress and glutamine administration on the release of superoxide from alveolar macrophages of rats

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a liberação de ânion superóxido por macrófagos alveolares em ratos submetidos ou não ao estresse agudo, ao exercício físico de natação e à suplementação com glutamina. MÉTODOS: Quarenta e dois ratos machos da linhagem Wistar com idade em torno de 62 (desvio-padrão=3) dias de idade foram divididos em grupos controle, treino, estresse e glutamina. Após a intervenção, macrófagos alveolares foram coletados e estimulados com acetato de formol miristato para a avaliação da liberação de ânion superóxido. RESULTADOS: Em comparação à primeira hora (controle=26,2, desvio-padrão=4,2; treino=28,7, desvio-padrão=5,1; estresse=20,3, desvio-padrão=4,4; glutamina=26,2, desvio-padrão=4,2), houve aumento (p<0,001) da liberação de superóxido em todos os grupos experimentais na segunda hora (controle=38,4, desvio-padrão=4,9; treino=40,7, desvio-padrão=6,1; estresse=30,2, desvio-padrão=5,6; glutamina=39,2, desvio-padrão=5,2) de observação. O treinamento e a suplementação com glutamina não provocaram diferenças na liberação de superóxido em macrófagos alveolares quando comparados ao grupo controle. Apenas nos ratos submetidos a estresse houve redução da liberação de superóxido tanto na primeira (20,3, desvio-padrão=4,4; p<0,05) quanto na segunda hora (30,2, desvio-padrão=5,6; p<0,05) de observação. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados sugerem que o estresse pode ser um dos fatores implicados na imunossupressão, uma vez que a redução da produção de ânion superóxido por macrófagos pode levar à diminuição de sua capacidade microbicida. No entanto, o protocolo de treinamento físico de natação usado e a suplementação com glutamina, na quantidade e na forma administrada, não alteraram a liberação de superóxido por macrófagos alveolares.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the release of superoxide anion from alveolar macrophages of rats submitted or not to acute restraint stress, forced swimming and glutamine supplementation. METHODS: Forty-two male Wistar rats aging roughly 62 days (standard deviation=3) were randomly divided into four groups: control, training, stress and glutamine. After the intervention, alveolar macrophages were collected and stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate to assess the release of superoxide anion. RESULTS: When compared with the first hour (control=26.2, standard deviation=4.2; training=28.7, standard deviation=5.1; stress=20.3 , standard deviation=4.4; glutamine=26.2, standard deviation=4.2), the release of superoxide increased (p<0.001) in all experimental groups in the second hour (control=38.4, standard deviation=4.9; training=40.7, standard deviation=6.1; stress=30.2, standard deviation=5.6; glutamine=39.2, standard deviation=5.2) of observation. Training and glutamine supplementation did not induce differences in the release of superoxide from alveolar macrophages when compared with the control group. Only the rats submitted to stress showed a reduction in the release of superoxide in both the first (20.3, standard deviation=4.4; p<0.05) and second hours (30.2, standard deviation=5.6; p<0.05) of observation. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that stress can be one of the factors associated with immunosuppression since reduced release of superoxide anion from macrophages can lead to reduced microbicidal capacity. On the other hand, the swimming protocol we used and the amount and route of glutamine supplementation did not change the release of superoxide from alveolar macrophages.