Aerobic exercise training during pregnancy improves mitocohondrial function in human placenta.

BUSTAMANTE, J.; RAMÍREZ-VELEZ, R.; AGUILAR DE PLATA, A.C.; CZERNIZYNIEC, A.; LORES-ARNAIZ, S.

San Francisco

Congreso; 59th Annual Meeting and 3rd World Congress on Exercise in Medicine, San Francisco; 2012

American College of Sports Medicine

Introduction: Aerobic exercise enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and performance, favoring tighter coupling between â-oxidation and trichloroacetic acid cycle, and may concomitantly improve mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. In other tissues, aerobic exercise in non-pregnant women affects mitochondrial function however; it is not known whether exercise produces the same effect in human placental mitochondria.  Objectives: To determine the effects of aerobic exercise training in the second half of pregnancy on mitochondrial function from human placenta.  Methods: This was a randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial of 20 healthy primigravid women between 16 and 20 weeks´ gestation. The training group (n=10) took part in aerobic exercise at an intensity of 50-65% of their maximum heart rate for 60 min, three times a week for 16 weeks. The control group (n=10) undertook their usual physical activity. Oxygen consumption, enzyme activity of respiratory complexes, and hydrogen peroxide production were measured as mitochondrial function parameters.  Results: Oxygen consumption was not significantly affected by training. Activity of complex I-III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain was increased by 29% in human placental mitochondria from exercised women, as compared with control subjects (p<0.05). Also, significant increases of 45% and 27%, (p<0.05) were observed in complexes II-III and in complex IV respectively in placental mitochondria from exercised women, as compared with the controls. Mitochondrial H2O2 production rate was decreased by 27% in placental mitochondria from exercised women, as compared with control subjects (p<0.05).  Conclusion: Aerobic training improves mitochondrial function in human placenta by increasing mitochondrial respiratory complexes activity and decreasing H2O2 production. This intervention favors fetal oxygenation and substrate delivery and could help protection on gestational disorders associated to impaired mitochondrial function. Trial registration. NCT00741312.