Two weeks of exercise alters neuronal extracellular vesicle insulin signaling proteins and pro-BDNF in older adults with prediabetes

Adults with prediabetes are at risk for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD). While exercise may lower ADRD risk, the exact mechanism is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that short-term exercise would raise neuronal insulin signaling and pro-BDNF in neuronal extracellular vesicles (nEVs) in prediabetes. Twenty-one older adults (18F, 60.0 ± 8.6 yrs.; BMI: 33.5 ± 1.1 kg/m²) with prediabetes (ADA criteria; 75 g OGTT) were randomized to 12 supervised work-matched continuous (n = 13, 70% HR_peak) or interval (n = 8, 90% HR_peak and 50% HR_peak for 3 min each) sessions over 2-wks for 60 min/d. Aerobic fitness (VO₂peak) and body weight were assessed. After an overnight fast, whole-body glucose tolerance (total area under the curve, tAUC) and insulin sensitivity (SIis) were determined from a 120 min 75 g OGTT. nEVs were acquired from 0 and 60 min time-points of the OGTT, and levels of insulin signaling proteins (i.e., p-IRS-1, total−/p-Akt, pERK1/2, pJNK1/2, and pp38) and pro-BNDF were measured. OGTT stimulatory effects were calculated from protein differences (i.e., OGTT 60-0 min). Adults were collapsed into a single group as exercise intensity did not affect nEV outcomes. Exercise raised VO₂peak (+1.4 ± 2.0 mL/kg/min, p = 0.008) and insulin sensitivity (p = 0.01) as well as decreased weight (−0.4 ± 0.9 kg, p = 0.04) and whole-body glucose tAUC_120min (p = 0.02). Training lowered 0-min pro-BDNF (704.1 ± 1019.0 vs. 414.5 ± 533.5, p = 0.04) and increased OGTT-stimulated tAkt (−51.8 ± 147.2 vs. 95 ± 204.5 a.u., p = 0.01), which was paralleled by reduced pAkt/tAkt at 60 min of the OGTT (1.3 ± 0.2 vs. 1.2 ± 0.1 a.u., p = 0.04). Thus, 2 weeks of exercise altered neuronal insulin signaling responses to glucose ingestion and lowered pro-BNDF among adults with prediabetes, thereby potentially lowering ADRD risk.