Dissertation
Apelin-APJ signaling in mediating the beneficial effects of maternal exercise on placenta and fetal intestinal development
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005003
Abstract
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. and worldwide. Importantly, an overwhelming body of data supports the inheritable link between maternal obesity (MO) and offspring metabolic dysfunctions. Maternal Exercise (ME), on the other hand, has a preventative effect by improving the metabolic capacity of offspring. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be defined. The placenta, meanwhile, is one of the key organs mediating nutrient and oxygen delivering to the fetus, so for the intestine, which is critical for nutrient absorption after birth. We hypothesized that ME improves the development of placenta and fetal intestine impaired by MO. We found that the placental vascularization/angiogenesis and nutrient transport activities impaired by MO was prevented by exercise during pregnancy. Notably, apelin, a hormone known to stimulate angiogenesis, was downregulated by MO but remarkably recovered by ME. Similarly, we found that ME improved fetal intestinal development, which had been compromised by MO. The villus length and epithelial proliferation markers were decreased due to MO, but recovered by ME. Consistently, ME also facilitated oxidative metabolism in offspring that were suppressed by MO. These data suggest that ME is an accessible therapeutic approach for protecting programming effects of MO on offspring metabolic diseases. Moreover, apelin injection mirrored the effect of ME on intestine and exercise-induced apelin/APJ signaling (APJ; apelin receptor), improving metabolic capacities of intestine. In summary, MO impairs placental and fetal intestinal development, which can be prevented by ME. Apelin/APJ signaling has a critical role in mediating the beneficial effects of ME on placenta and fetal intestinal development, improving the metabolic health of offspring.
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Details
- Title
- Apelin-APJ signaling in mediating the beneficial effects of maternal exercise on placenta and fetal intestinal development
- Creators
- Songah Chae
- Contributors
- Min Du (Advisor)Meijun Zhu (Committee Member)Michael Phelps (Committee Member)Robert Catena (Committee Member)Zhihua Jiang (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Animal Sciences
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 174
- Identifiers
- 99901019237001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation