The Effect of 14-Week Endurance Training and Injection of Silver Nanoparticles during Pregnancy on Maternal Serum Troponin T Level and Fetal Heart Histopathological Index of Laboratory Mice

Due to the prevalence of congenital heart diseases, this study was performed to evaluate the effect of endurance training and silver nanoparticle injection on maternal serum troponin T level and fetal histopathological index in the mice.

In this experimental study, 40 female laboratory mice with the average weight of 30 ± 5 g were randomly divided in four equal groups of endurance training, silver nanoparticle injection, endurance training together with silver nanoparticle injection, and the control. The endurance-training group did exercises by running on a treadmill before pregnancy for 11 weeks, 5 sessions per week (with the intensity of 30-65 percent of the maximum capability of the mice) from 5 to 50 minutes. After becoming pregnant, these mice continued exercising by running on the treadmill for 3 more weeks with the intensity of 20 to 60 percent of the maximum capability of the mice. The second group received silver nanoparticles intraperitoneally from the second day of pregnancy at a dose of 400 mg per kilogram body weight. The third group had the exercise and received the injections similar to the other two groups. The control group had no activities. Maternal blood sampling was taken on the 19th</sup> day of pregnancy, as well as the evaluation of histopathological changes and staining with hematoxylin-eosin. Then, the maternal serum troponin T levels were measured.

Troponin T levels decreased in the experimental groups (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between silver nanoparticles and endurance training group. The least amount of fetal heart tissue damage was seen in endurance training group, and the highest damage was observed in the control group.

 Endurance training reduces the serum troponin T level, and minimizes the tissue damage to fetal heart tissue in laboratory mice. Silver nanoparticles also reduce troponin T level and the damage to fetal heart tissue of mice.