title: Prenatal physical activity and diet composition affect the expression of nutrient transporters and mTOR signaling molecules in the human placenta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate nutrient delivery to the fetus is essential for optimal growth. Differences in prenatal physical activity level and diet quality influence maternal energy balance and these factors may alter placental nutrient transport. We investigated the associations between meeting physical activity guidelines and the quality of maternal diet on the expression of genes involved in fatty acid, amino acid and glucose transport, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and insulin signaling in the placenta from 16 term pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical activity was directly measured with accelerometry, diet composition was assessed with 24 h dietary recalls, and gene expression was measured with custom polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who met physical activity guidelines had lower gene expression of fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and the beta non-catalytic subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and a higher expression of SNAT2. There was a strong positive correlation observed between total sugar intake and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) (r = 0.897, p = 0.000, n = 12), and inverse correlations between total sugar and mTOR and IGF1 expression. Percentage of total calories from protein was inversely related to insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) (r = -0.605, p = 0.028, n = 13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variations in maternal physical activity and diet composition altered the expression of genes involved in fatty acid, amino acid and glucose transport and mTOR signaling. Future research on placental nutrient transport should include direct measures of maternal PA and dietary habits to help eliminate confounding factors.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address: kebrett@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Brett
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada. Electronic address: zach.ferraro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biomedicine Program, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, 5 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address: martin@arc.cheo.ca.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holcik
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, 5 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address: kadamo@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Adamo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000235:genetics; D004032:Diet; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Diet; Nutrient transport; Physical activity; Placenta; mTOR