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Shi Z, Zhang C, Zhou M, Zhen S, Taylor AW. Exposure to the Chinese famine in early life and the risk of anaemia in adulthood. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:904. [PMID: 24079608 PMCID: PMC3849930 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Famine exposure during the early stage of life is related to a number of adulthood diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the association of early life exposure to the famine in China (1959–1961) with the risk of anaemia in adulthood. Methods We used the data of 2007 adults born between 1954 and 1964 in Jiangsu province from the 2002 Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin concentration <12 g/dl in women and <13 g/dl in men. Results Prevalence of anaemia in adulthood in nonexposed, fetal-exposed, early-childhood, mid-childhood, and late-childhood exposed to famine groups were 26.0%, 33.8%, 28.1%, 28.2% and 29.7%, respectively. Overall, fetal-exposed to famine was associated with 37% increased risk of anaemia as compared with those non-exposed after adjusting for income, education, place of residence, smoking, alcohol drinking, job, hypertension and BMI; relative risk (95% confidence interval) (RR (95% CI)) was 1.37 (1.09, 1.71). In general, this association appeared to be stronger among men, those who were currently overweight or obese, or those of lower educational levels. Corresponding RR (95% CI) was 1.87 (1.21-2.87), 1.75 (1.20-2.56), and 2.07 (1.37-3.12), respectively. Conclusions Fetal exposure to the Chinese famine was associated with an increased risk of anaemia in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zumin Shi
- Department of Nutrition and Foodborne Disease Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China.
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252
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Hunter RG, McEwen BS. Stress and anxiety across the lifespan: structural plasticity and epigenetic regulation. Epigenomics 2013; 5:177-94. [PMID: 23566095 DOI: 10.2217/epi.13.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain is the central organ of the body's response to and perception of stress. Both the juvenile and the adult brain show a significant capacity for lasting physiological, structural and behavioral plasticity as a consequence of stress exposure. The hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms might lie behind the lasting effects of stress upon the brain has proven a fruitful one. In this review, we examine the growing literature showing that stress has a direct impact on epigenetic marks at all life history stages thus far examined and how, in turn, epigenetic mechanisms play a role in altering stress responsiveness, anxiety and brain plasticity across the lifespan and beyond to succeeding generations. In addition, we will examine our own recent findings that stress interacts with the epigenome to regulate the expression of transposable elements in a regionally specific fashion, a finding with significant implications for a portion of the genome which is tenfold larger than that occupied by the genes themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Hunter
- Harold & Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA.
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253
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Vandraas KF, Vikanes AV, Vangen S, Magnus P, Støer NC, Grjibovski AM. Hyperemesis gravidarum and birth outcomes-a population-based cohort study of 2.2 million births in the Norwegian Birth Registry. BJOG 2013; 120:1654-60. [PMID: 24021026 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study associations between hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and birth outcomes. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Norway. SAMPLE Singleton births in the Norwegian Birth Registry, 1967-2009 (n = 2 270 363). METHODS Multiple logistic regression was applied to study associations between HG and dichotomous outcomes; multiple linear regression to study associations between HG, birthweight and gestational length. Generalised estimating equations were applied to obtain valid standard errors. Sub-analysis on data with available information on smoking was conducted (1999-2009). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Small and large for gestational age (SGA/LGA), Apgar score after 5 minutes, very preterm and preterm birth (VPTB/PTB), perinatal death, stillbirth, neonatal death, birthweight and gestational length. RESULTS No associations between HG and adverse pregnancy outcomes were observed in crude analyses, except for VPTB (odds ratio [OR] 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93). In adjusted analysis, HG was associated with perinatal death (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.08-1.48). Inverse associations were observed between HG and VPTB (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68-0.94) and LGA (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Sub-analyses showed no associations between HG and perinatal death (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.91-1.83). The inverse associations between HG, VPTB and LGA were strengthened (OR 0.66, 95% CI, 0.48-0.91 and OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.93, respectively). Exposed babies had reduced birthweight and gestational length compared with unexposed, adjusted difference - 21.4 g and - 0.5 days, respectively. Adjustment for smoking slightly strengthened the impact of HG on birthweight. CONCLUSIONS Inverse associations for HG and VPTB and LGA were observed. HG was associated with slight reductions in birthweight and gestational age.
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Affiliation(s)
- K F Vandraas
- Department of Genes and Environment, Division for Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Resource Centre for Women's Health, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
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Ryan JM, Rice GE, Mitchell MD. The role of gangliosides in brain development and the potential benefits of perinatal supplementation. Nutr Res 2013; 33:877-87. [PMID: 24176227 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2013.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The maternal diet provides critical nutrients that can influence fetal and infant brain development and function. This review highlights the potential benefits of maternal dietary ganglioside supplementation on fetal and infant brain development. English-language systematic reviews, preclinical studies, and clinical studies were obtained through searches on PubMed. Reports were selected if they included benefits and harms of maternal ganglioside supplementation during pregnancy or ganglioside-supplemented formula after pregnancy. The potential benefits of ganglioside supplementation were explored by investigating the following: (1) their role in neural development, (2) their therapeutic use in neural injury and disease, (3) their presence in human breast milk, and (4) their use as a dietary supplement during or after pregnancy. Preclinical studies indicate that ganglioside supplementation at high doses (1% of total dietary intake) can significantly increase cognitive development and body weight when given prenatally. However, lower ganglioside supplementation doses have no beneficial cognitive effects, even when given throughout pregnancy and lactation. In human clinical trials, infants given formula supplemented with gangliosides showed increased cognitive development and an increase in ganglioside content. Ganglioside supplementation may promote brain development and function in offspring when administered at the optimum dosage. We propose that prenatal maternal dietary supplementation with gangliosides throughout pregnancy may promote greater long-term effects on brain development and function. Before this concept can be encouraged in preconception clinics, future research and clinical trials are needed to confirm the ability of dietary gangliosides to improve cognitive development, but available results already encourage this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Ryan
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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255
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Hyperemesis gravidarum and pregnancy outcomes in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort - a cohort study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2013; 13:169. [PMID: 24004605 PMCID: PMC3844599 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2393-13-169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) characterized by excessive nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, is reported to be associated with increased risks for low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and perinatal death. Conflicting results in previous studies underline the necessity to study HG’s potential effect on pregnancy outcomes using large cohorts with valid data on exposure and outcome measures, as well as potential confounders. This study aims to investigate associations between HG and adverse pregnancy outcomes using the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Methods All singleton pregnancies in MoBa from 1998 to 2008 were included. Multivariable regression was used to estimate relative risks, approximated by odds ratios, for PTB, LBW, SGA and perinatal death. Linear regression was applied to assess differences in birthweight and gestational age for children born to women with and without HG. Potential confounders were adjusted for. Results Altogether, 814 out of 71,468 women (or 1.1%) had HG. In MoBa HG was not associated with PTB, LBW or SGA. Babies born to women with HG were born on average 1 day earlier than those born to women without HG; (−0.97 day (95% confidence intervals (CI): -1.80 - -0.15). There was no difference in birthweight when maternal weight gain was adjusted for; (23.42 grams (95% CI: -56.71 - 9.86). Babies born by women with HG had lower risk for having Apgar score < 7 after 1 minute (crude odds ratio was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43 - 0.95)). No differences between the groups for Apgar score < 7 after 5 minutes were observed. Time-point for hospitalisation slightly increased differences in gestational age according to maternal HG status. Conclusions HG was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancies complicated with HG had a slightly shorter gestational length. There was no difference in birth weight according to maternal HG-status. HG was associated with an almost 40% reduced risk for having Apgar score < 7 after 1 minute, but not after 5 minutes. The clinical importance of these statistically significant findings is, however, rather limited.
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256
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Perinatal programming of adult hippocampal structure and function; emerging roles of stress, nutrition and epigenetics. Trends Neurosci 2013; 36:621-31. [PMID: 23998452 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2013.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Early-life stress lastingly affects adult cognition and increases vulnerability to psychopathology, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this Opinion article, we propose that early nutritional input together with stress hormones and sensory stimuli from the mother during the perinatal period act synergistically to program the adult brain, possibly via epigenetic mechanisms. We hypothesize that stress during gestation or lactation affects the intake of macro- and micronutrients, including dietary methyl donors, and/or impairs the dam's metabolism, thereby altering nutrient composition and intake by the offspring. In turn, this may persistently modulate gene expression via epigenetic programming, thus altering hippocampal structure and cognition. Understanding how the combination of stress, nutrition, and epigenetics shapes the adult brain is essential for effective therapies.
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257
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Vandraas KF, Vikanes ÅV, Støer NC, Vangen S, Magnus P, Grjibovski AM. Is hyperemesis gravidarum associated with placental weight and the placental weight-to-birth weight ratio? A population-based Norwegian cohort study. Placenta 2013; 34:990-4. [PMID: 23993392 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies have suggested a link between placental weight, placental weight-to-birth weight ratio (PW/BW) and adult health. Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) may also have implications for adult health. No studies on HG and placental characteristics have been identified. We therefore explored the relationship between HG, placental weight and the PW/BW-ratio in a population-based cohort. METHODS Singleton births to primiparous women between 1999 and 2009 with data on HG, placental weight and birth weight in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) comprised the study base (n = 200,390). HG was defined through ICD-10 code 021.0, 021.1 and 021.9. Gender and gestational age specific percentile curves for placenta weight and PW/BW ratio were used to define those below the 10th and above the 90th percentile of both outcomes. Associations between HG and dichotomous outcomes were studied by multiple logistic regression. Multiple linear regression was applied to study placental weight as a continuous variable. Male and female offspring were analyzed separately. RESULTS The prevalence of HG was 1.2%. Women with HG and female offspring had significantly higher risk of a PW/BW-ratio above the 90th percentile (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.34). HG and PW/BW-ratio below the 10th percentile were inversely associated (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.89). For male offspring no association was observed for HG and PW/BW-ratio below the 10th or above the 90th percentile. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS We observed positive associations between HG and high PW/BW ratio limited to female offspring only. The high PW/BW-ratio suggests that there may be a possible link between HG and adult health.
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Affiliation(s)
- K F Vandraas
- Division for Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Resource Centre for Women's Health, Oslo Universitetssykehus HF, Rikshospitalet, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
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258
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Argue KJ, Neckameyer WS. Temporally dimorphic recruitment of dopamine neurons into stress response circuitry in Drosophila. Behav Neurosci 2013; 127:725-33. [PMID: 23895060 DOI: 10.1037/a0033602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have pointed to vulnerability to stress and stress-related pathologies at different timepoints during an individual's life span. These sensitive windows are usually during periods of neural development, such as embryogenesis, infancy, and adolescence. It is critical to understand how neural circuitry may change as an individual ages in ways that could affect susceptibility to stress. Here we compare two stages in Drosophila melanogaster: sexual immaturity and sexual maturity. We used the genetic resources available in Drosophila to manipulate pre- and postsynaptic dopamine signaling in sexually immature and mature animals that were then assayed for heart rate and locomotor behavior in response to starvation and oxidative stress. Our results show significant differences in the stress response for sexually immature and mature animals for heart rate, periods of high mobility, mean velocity, and several other parameters of locomotor behavior. Our data show that dopamine neurons are differentially recruited into the stress response circuitry for sexually immature and mature individuals. By observing behaviors that have been previously shown in mammalian models to be affected by stress and altered in models of affective disorders, we provide a genetically tractable model for development and maintenance of the stress response circuitry during sexual maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J Argue
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine
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259
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Epigenetic signatures and vascular risk in type 2 diabetes: a clinical perspective. Atherosclerosis 2013; 230:191-7. [PMID: 24075743 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Risk of diabetic complications continues to escalate overtime despite a multifactorial intervention with glucose-lowering drugs, anti-hypertensive agents and statins. In this perspective, a mechanisms-based therapeutic approach to vascular disease in diabetes represents a major challenge. Epigenetic signatures are emerging as important determinants of vascular disease in this setting. Methylation and acetylation of DNA and histones is a reversible process leading to dysregulation of oxidant and inflammatory genes such as mitochondrial adaptor p66(Shc) and transcription factor NF-kB p65. Epigenetic modifications associated with diabetes may contribute to the early identification of high risk individuals. Ongoing epigenomic analyses will be instrumental in identifying the epigenetic variations that are specifically associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes. Here, we describe a complex scenario of epigenetic changes and their putative link with diabetic vascular disease. Pharmacological reprogramming of diabetes-induced epigenetic signatures may be a promising option to dampen oxidative stress and inflammation, and thus prevent cardiovascular complications in this setting.
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260
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Gomes MVDM, Pelosi GG. Epigenetic vulnerability and the environmental influence on health. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2013; 238:859-65. [PMID: 23828586 DOI: 10.1177/1535370213490630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence has drawn the attention of the scientific community by indicating the potential vulnerability to environmental changes of epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression. Being critical components of normal development, the importance of epigenetic mechanisms for normal biology is illustrated by the fact that abnormal epigenetic patterns have increasingly been linked to the aetiology of various diseases including cancer, paediatric syndromes, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders and even the molecular process of ageing. It is estimated that the degree of vulnerability to changes in epigenetic patterns is high during early embryonic development, a period of life in which epigenetic patterns are established and cell differentiation is intense. Moreover, increasing amounts of relevant data and information reveal that the environment might potentially impact on epigenetic patterns at every period of life. Within this context, in this study we will review the principles of epigenetic vulnerability to environmental changes, the impacts on development, the association with the origin of common diseases and also speculate about the potential of lifestyle changes to modulate epigenetic patterns and contribute to preventing common diseases.
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261
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DelCurto H, Wu G, Satterfield MC. Nutrition and reproduction: links to epigenetics and metabolic syndrome in offspring. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2013; 16:385-91. [PMID: 23703295 DOI: 10.1097/mco.0b013e328361f96d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Inappropriate exposure of gametes and/or products of conception to nutritional imbalance alters critical metabolic set points in the offspring and increases propensity to disease. This review will focus on recent findings highlighting clear links to epigenetic modifications in response to dietary manipulations as well as nutritional strategies with the potential to mitigate the effects of an otherwise poor nutritional environment. RECENT FINDINGS Maternal nutritional imbalance, either through global nutritional manipulation or deficiencies in select nutrients, predisposes the offspring to metabolic disease. Disease susceptibility is linked to global and/or specific modifications of the epigenome at key metabolic regulatory genes. Paternal nutritional imbalance also increases the likelihood of metabolic disease in offspring through similar epigenetic mechanisms. Finally, dietary intervention with select nutrients has been shown to ameliorate postnatal disease phenotypes in offspring, although the exact molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. SUMMARY Select nutrients, such as amino acids and vitamins, not only serve as building blocks for growth but also mediate a myriad of physiological functions, including providing substrates for DNA synthesis. These nutrients hold great promise as intervention strategies to combat a suboptimal developmental environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah DelCurto
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843–2471, USA
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262
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Wehkalampi K, Muurinen M, Wirta SB, Hannula-Jouppi K, Hovi P, Järvenpää AL, Eriksson JG, Andersson S, Kere J, Kajantie E. Altered Methylation of IGF2 Locus 20 Years after Preterm Birth at Very Low Birth Weight. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67379. [PMID: 23840686 PMCID: PMC3686716 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction People born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW, ≤1500g) have higher rates of risk factors for adult-onset diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. These risks may be mediated through epigenetic modification of genes that are critical to normal growth and development. Methods We measured the methylation level of an imprinted insulin-like-growth-factor 2 (IGF2) locus (IGF2/H19) in young adults born preterm at VLBW and in their peers born at term. We studied 158 VLBW and 161 control subjects aged 18 to 27 years from the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults. Methylation fraction at two IGF2 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) – IGF2 antisense transcript (IGF2AS, also known as IGF2 DMR0) and last exon of IGF2 (IGF2_05, also known as IGF2 DMR2) – were measured with Sequenom Epityper. We used linear regression and adjustment for covariates to compare methylation fractions at these DMRs between VLBW and control subjects. Results At one IGF2AS CpG site, methylation was significantly lower in VLBW than in control subjects, mean difference −0.017 (95% CI; −0.028, −0.005), P = 0.004. Methylation at IGF2_05 was not different between the groups. Conclusions Methylation of IGF2AS is altered 20 years after preterm birth at VLBW. Altered methylation may be a mechanism of later increased disease risk but more data are needed to indicate causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoliina Wehkalampi
- Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
| | - Mari Muurinen
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sara Bruce Wirta
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center for Biosciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katariina Hannula-Jouppi
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petteri Hovi
- Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Johan G. Eriksson
- Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Unit of General Practice, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sture Andersson
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Kere
- Research Programs Unit, Molecular Medicine Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Center for Biosciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eero Kajantie
- Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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263
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Susser E, Ananth CV. Invited commentary: is prenatal fasting during Ramadan related to adult health outcomes? A novel and important question for epidemiology. Am J Epidemiol 2013; 177:737-40. [PMID: 23486310 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwt024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this issue of the Journal, Van Ewijk et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2013;177(8):729-736) report intriguing associations between prenatal exposure to the religious month of Ramadan and body anthropometry among adult Muslims in Indonesia. They categorized prenatal exposure according to the relative timing of Ramadan and the individual's birth date. Because the data were derived from a study of adults, they could not determine whether an individual's mother had fasted during Ramadan or not. Therefore, they used an intention-to-treat analysis to compare the outcomes for groups categorized as unexposed with the outcomes for groups categorized as exposed during specified periods of gestation. Periconceptional exposure to Ramadan was associated with a 0.8-cm reduction in average adult height. Exposure in mid- or late gestation was associated with slightly lower adult weight. We address 5 questions raised by this study: 1) Can Ramadan fasting be considered a mild form of acute starvation?; 2) Are the findings consistent with other knowledge about prenatal nutrition and offspring outcomes?; 3) Are there other explanations for the associations that were found?; 4) Are the results internally coherent and robust enough to support the 2 main findings?; and 5) What strategies could be used to further advance this important field of research?
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezra Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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264
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Susiarjo M, Sasson I, Mesaros C, Bartolomei MS. Bisphenol a exposure disrupts genomic imprinting in the mouse. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003401. [PMID: 23593014 PMCID: PMC3616904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to endocrine disruptors is associated with developmental defects. One compound of concern, to which humans are widely exposed, is bisphenol A (BPA). In model organisms, BPA exposure is linked to metabolic disorders, infertility, cancer, and behavior anomalies. Recently, BPA exposure has been linked to DNA methylation changes, indicating that epigenetic mechanisms may be relevant. We investigated effects of exposure on genomic imprinting in the mouse as imprinted genes are regulated by differential DNA methylation and aberrant imprinting disrupts fetal, placental, and postnatal development. Through allele-specific and quantitative real-time PCR analysis, we demonstrated that maternal BPA exposure during late stages of oocyte development and early stages of embryonic development significantly disrupted imprinted gene expression in embryonic day (E) 9.5 and 12.5 embryos and placentas. The affected genes included Snrpn, Ube3a, Igf2, Kcnq1ot1, Cdkn1c, and Ascl2; mutations and aberrant regulation of these genes are associated with imprinting disorders in humans. Furthermore, the majority of affected genes were expressed abnormally in the placenta. DNA methylation studies showed that BPA exposure significantly altered the methylation levels of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) including the Snrpn imprinting control region (ICR) and Igf2 DMR1. Moreover, exposure significantly reduced genome-wide methylation levels in the placenta, but not the embryo. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations revealed that these epigenetic defects were associated with abnormal placental development. In contrast to this early exposure paradigm, exposure outside of the epigenetic reprogramming window did not cause significant imprinting perturbations. Our data suggest that early exposure to common environmental compounds has the potential to disrupt fetal and postnatal health through epigenetic changes in the embryo and abnormal development of the placenta. BPA is a widely used compound to which humans are exposed, and recent studies have demonstrated the association between exposure and adverse developmental outcomes in both animal models and humans. Unfortunately, exact mechanisms of BPA–induced health abnormalities are unclear, and elucidation of these relevant biological pathways is critical for understanding the public health implication of exposure. Recently, increasing data have demonstrated the ability of BPA to induce changes in DNA methylation, suggesting that epigenetic mechanisms are relevant. In this work, we study effects of BPA exposure on expression and regulation of imprinted genes in the mouse. Imprinted genes are regulated by differential DNA methylation, and they play critical roles during fetal, placental, and postnatal development. We have found that fetal exposure to BPA at physiologically relevant doses alters expression and methylation status of imprinted genes in the mouse embryo and placenta, with the latter tissue exhibiting the more significant changes. Additionally, abnormal imprinting is associated with defective placental development. Our data demonstrate that BPA exposure may perturb fetal and postnatal health through epigenetic changes in the embryo as well as through alterations in placental development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Susiarjo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Isaac Sasson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Clementina Mesaros
- Centers for Cancer Pharmacology and Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Marisa S. Bartolomei
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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265
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Hart R, Norman RJ. The longer-term health outcomes for children born as a result of IVF treatment: Part I--General health outcomes. Hum Reprod Update 2013; 19:232-43. [PMID: 23449642 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dms062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several million children have been born from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, but limited data exist regarding their health and development beyond the first year of life. It has been alleged that IVF may lead to long-term adverse consequences, in addition to the documented worse perinatal outcome and increased risk of congenital abnormalities in children born resulting from IVF treatment. METHODS A search strategy restricted to studies relating to the medical condition of children of at least 1 year of age born as a result of IVF treatment was performed to include case series, data linkage and prospective studies published 1 January 2000-1 April 2012. RESULTS Limited long-term follow-up data suggest that there is potentially an increase in the incidence of raised blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose, increase in total body fat composition, advancement of bone age and potentially subclinical thyroid disorder in the IVF offspring. Whether these potential associations are related to the IVF treatment per se, the adverse obstetric outcomes associated with IVF treatment or are related to the genetic origin of the children is yet to be determined. CONCLUSIONS This review provides evidence to suggest that the short-term health outcome for children born from IVF treatment is positive. However, it is expected that the cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors found in childhood and tracking into adulthood could be worse in later life, and may be responsible for chronic cardiometabolic disease. These observations need to be addressed by further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Hart
- School of Women's and Infant's Health, University of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital, 374 Bagot Road, Subiaco, Perth, WA 6008, Australia.
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Zucchi FCR, Yao Y, Ward ID, Ilnytskyy Y, Olson DM, Benzies K, Kovalchuk I, Kovalchuk O, Metz GAS. Maternal stress induces epigenetic signatures of psychiatric and neurological diseases in the offspring. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56967. [PMID: 23451123 PMCID: PMC3579944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The gestational state is a period of particular vulnerability to diseases that affect maternal and fetal health. Stress during gestation may represent a powerful influence on maternal mental health and offspring brain plasticity and development. Here we show that the fetal transcriptome, through microRNA (miRNA) regulation, responds to prenatal stress in association with epigenetic signatures of psychiatric and neurological diseases. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were assigned to stress from gestational days 12 to 18 while others served as handled controls. Gestational stress in the dam disrupted parturient maternal behaviour and was accompanied by characteristic brain miRNA profiles in the mother and her offspring, and altered transcriptomic brain profiles in the offspring. In the offspring brains, prenatal stress upregulated miR-103, which is involved in brain pathologies, and downregulated its potential gene target Ptplb. Prenatal stress downregulated miR-145, a marker of multiple sclerosis in humans. Prenatal stress also upregulated miR-323 and miR-98, which may alter inflammatory responses in the brain. Furthermore, prenatal stress upregulated miR-219, which targets the gene Dazap1. Both miR-219 and Dazap1 are putative markers of schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder in humans. Offspring transcriptomic changes included genes related to development, axonal guidance and neuropathology. These findings indicate that prenatal stress modifies epigenetic signatures linked to disease during critical periods of fetal brain development. These observations provide a new mechanistic association between environmental and genetic risk factors in psychiatric and neurological disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola C. R. Zucchi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mato Grosso State, Caceres, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Youli Yao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Isaac D. Ward
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yaroslav Ilnytskyy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - David M. Olson
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karen Benzies
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Olga Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gerlinde A. S. Metz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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267
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Sengpiel V, Elind E, Bacelis J, Nilsson S, Grove J, Myhre R, Haugen M, Meltzer HM, Alexander J, Jacobsson B, Brantsæter AL. Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy is associated with birth weight but not with gestational length: results from a large prospective observational cohort study. BMC Med 2013; 11:42. [PMID: 23421532 PMCID: PMC3606471 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-11-42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnant women consume caffeine daily. The aim of this study was to examine the association between maternal caffeine intake from different sources and (a) gestational length, particularly the risk for spontaneous preterm delivery (PTD), and (b) birth weight (BW) and the baby being small for gestational age (SGA). METHODS This study is based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. A total of 59,123 women with uncomplicated pregnancies giving birth to a live singleton were identified. Caffeine intake from different sources was self-reported at gestational weeks 17, 22 and 30. Spontaneous PTD was defined as spontaneous onset of delivery between 22+0 and 36+6 weeks (n = 1,451). As there is no consensus, SGA was defined according to ultrasound-based (Marsal, n = 856), population-based (Skjaerven, n = 4,503) and customized (Gardosi, n = 4,733) growth curves. RESULTS The main caffeine source was coffee, but tea and chocolate were the main sources in women with low caffeine intake. Median pre-pregnancy caffeine intake was 126 mg/day (IQR 40 to 254), 44 mg/day (13 to 104) at gestational week 17 and 62 mg/day (21 to 130) at gestational week 30. Coffee caffeine, but not caffeine from other sources, was associated with prolonged gestation (8 h/100 mg/day, P <10-7). Neither total nor coffee caffeine was associated with spontaneous PTD risk. Caffeine intake from different sources, measured repeatedly during pregnancy, was associated with lower BW (Marsal-28 g, Skjaerven-25 g, Gardosi-21 g per 100 mg/day additional total caffeine for a baby with expected BW 3,600 g, P <10-25). Caffeine intake of 200 to 300 mg/day increased the odds for SGA (OR Marsal 1.62, Skjaerven 1.44, Gardosi 1.27, P <0.05), compared to 0 to 50 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS Coffee, but not caffeine, consumption was associated with marginally increased gestational length but not with spontaneous PTD risk. Caffeine intake was consistently associated with decreased BW and increased odds of SGA. The association was strengthened by concordant results for caffeine sources, time of survey and different SGA definitions. This might have clinical implications as even caffeine consumption below the recommended maximum (200 mg/day in the Nordic countries and USA, 300 mg/day according to the World Health Organization (WHO)) was associated with increased risk for SGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Sengpiel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, SE-416 85 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Elind
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Exposure and Risk Assessment, Division of Environmental Medicine, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonas Bacelis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, SE-416 85 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Staffan Nilsson
- Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jakob Grove
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, and Bioinformatics Research Centre (BiRC), Aarhus University, CF Møllers Allé 8, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ronny Myhre
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Genes and Environment, Division of Epidemiology, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Margaretha Haugen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Exposure and Risk Assessment, Division of Environmental Medicine, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Helle Margrete Meltzer
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Exposure and Risk Assessment, Division of Environmental Medicine, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan Alexander
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Office of the Director-General, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, SE-416 85 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Genes and Environment, Division of Epidemiology, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne-Lise Brantsæter
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Exposure and Risk Assessment, Division of Environmental Medicine, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
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Brenseke B, Prater MR, Bahamonde J, Gutierrez JC. Current thoughts on maternal nutrition and fetal programming of the metabolic syndrome. J Pregnancy 2013; 2013:368461. [PMID: 23476780 PMCID: PMC3586494 DOI: 10.1155/2013/368461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Although the metabolic syndrome has been defined in various ways, the ultimate importance of recognizing this combination of disorders is that it helps identify individuals at high risk for both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Evidence from observational and experimental studies links adverse exposures in early life, particularly relating to nutrition, to chronic disease susceptibility in adulthood. Such studies provide the foundation and framework for the relatively new field of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). Although great strides have been made in identifying the putative concepts and mechanisms relating specific exposures in early life to the risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood, a complete picture remains obscure. To date, the main focus of the field has been on perinatal undernutrition and specific nutrient deficiencies; however, the current global health crisis of overweight and obesity demands that perinatal overnutrition and specific nutrient excesses be examined. This paper assembles current thoughts on the concepts and mechanisms behind the DOHaD as they relate to maternal nutrition, and highlights specific contributions made by macro- and micronutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Brenseke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Pathology, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA
| | - M. Renee Prater
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Javiera Bahamonde
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - J. Claudio Gutierrez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Forman MR, Mangini LD, Thelus-Jean R, Hayward MD. Life-course origins of the ages at menarche and menopause. Adolesc Health Med Ther 2013; 4:1-21. [PMID: 24600293 PMCID: PMC3912848 DOI: 10.2147/ahmt.s15946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A woman's age at menarche (first menstrual period) and her age at menopause are the alpha and omega of her reproductive years. The timing of these milestones is critical for a woman's health trajectory over her lifespan, as they are indicators of ovarian function and aging. Both early and late timing of either event are associated with risk for adverse health and psychosocial outcomes. Thus, the search for a relationship between age at menarche and menopause has consequences for chronic disease prevention and implications for public health. This article is a review of evidence from the fields of developmental biology, epidemiology, nutrition, demography, sociology, and psychology that examine the menarche-menopause connection. Trends in ages at menarche and menopause worldwide and in subpopulations are presented; however, challenges exist in constructing trends. Among 36 studies that examine the association between the two sentinel events, ten reported a significant direct association, two an inverse association, and the remainder had null findings. Multiple factors, including hormonal and environmental exposures, socioeconomic status, and stress throughout the life course are hypothesized to influence the tempo of growth, including body size and height, development, menarche, menopause, and the aging process in women. The complexity of these factors and the pathways related to their effects on each sentinel event complicate evaluation of the relationship between menarche and menopause. Limitations of past investigations are discussed, including lack of comparability of socioeconomic status indicators and biomarker use across studies, while minority group differences have received scant attention. Suggestions for future directions are proposed. As research across endocrinology, epidemiology, and the social sciences becomes more integrated, the confluence of perspectives will yield a richer understanding of the influences on the tempo of a woman's reproductive life cycle as well as accelerate progress toward more sophisticated preventive strategies for chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele R Forman
- Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
| | - Lauren D Mangini
- Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
| | | | - Mark D Hayward
- Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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270
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Fetal programming of CVD and renal disease: animal models and mechanistic considerations. Proc Nutr Soc 2013; 72:317-25. [DOI: 10.1017/s0029665112003035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis postulates that exposure to a less than optimal maternal environment during fetal development programmes physiological function, and determines risk of disease in adult life. Much evidence of such programming comes from retrospective epidemiological cohorts, which demonstrate associations between birth anthropometry and non-communicable diseases of adulthood. The assertion that variation in maternal nutrition drives these associations is supported by studies using animal models, which demonstrate that maternal under- or over-nutrition during pregnancy can programme offspring development. Typically, the offspring of animals that are undernourished in pregnancy exhibit a relatively narrow range of physiological phenotypes that includes higher blood pressure, glucose intolerance, renal insufficiency and increased adiposity. The observation that common phenotypes arise from very diverse maternal nutritional insults has led to the proposal that programming is driven by a small number of mechanistic processes. The remodelling of tissues during development as a consequence of maternal nutritional status being signalled by endocrine imbalance or key nutrients limiting processes in the fetus may lead to organs having irreversibly altered structures that may limit their function with ageing. It has been proposed that the maternal diet may impact upon epigenetic marks that determine gene expression in fetal tissues, and this may be an important mechanism connecting maternal nutrient intakes to long-term programming of offspring phenotype. The objective for this review is to provide an overview of the mechanistic basis of fetal programming, demonstrating the critical role of animal models as tools for the investigation of programming phenomena.
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271
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Abstract
Adverse environments during the fetal and neonatal development period may permanently program physiology and metabolism, and lead to increased risk of diseases in later life. Programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the key mechanisms that contribute to altered metabolism and response to stress. Programming of the HPA axis often involves epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene promoter, which influences tissue-specific GR expression patterns and response to stimuli. This review summarizes the current state of research on the HPA axis and programming of health and disease in the adult, focusing on the epigenetic regulation of GR gene expression patterns in response to fetal and neonatal stress. Aberrant GR gene expression patterns in the developing brain may have a significant negative impact on protection of the immature brain against hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in the critical period of development during and immediately after birth.
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Ekström TJ, Lavebratt C, Schalling M. The importance of epigenomic studies in schizophrenia. Epigenomics 2012; 4:359-62. [PMID: 22920175 DOI: 10.2217/epi.12.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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273
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Lavezzi JR, Thorn SR, O'Meara MC, LoTurco D, Brown LD, Hay WW, Rozance PJ. Increased fetal insulin concentrations for one week fail to improve insulin secretion or β-cell mass in fetal sheep with chronically reduced glucose supply. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2012; 304:R50-8. [PMID: 23135788 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00413.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy and placental insufficiency are characterized by impaired development of fetal pancreatic β-cells. Prolonged reduced glucose supply to the fetus is a feature of both. It is unknown if reduced glucose supply, independent of other complications of maternal undernutrition and placental insufficiency, would cause similar β-cell defects. Therefore, we measured fetal insulin secretion and β-cell mass following prolonged reduced fetal glucose supply in sheep. We also tested whether restoring physiological insulin concentrations would correct any β-cell defects. Pregnant sheep received either a direct saline infusion (CON = control, n = 5) or an insulin infusion (HG = hypoglycemic, n = 5) for 8 wk in late gestation (75 to 134 days) to decrease maternal glucose concentrations and reduce fetal glucose supply. A separate group of HG fetuses also received a direct fetal insulin infusion for the final week of the study with a dextrose infusion to prevent a further fall in glucose concentration [hypoglycemic + insulin (HG+I), n = 4]. Maximum glucose-stimulated insulin concentrations were 45% lower in HG fetuses compared with CON fetuses. β-Cell, pancreatic, and fetal mass were 50%, 37%, and 40% lower in HG compared with CON fetuses, respectively (P < 0.05). Insulin secretion and β-cell mass did not improve in the HG+I fetuses. These results indicate that chronically reduced fetal glucose supply is sufficient to reduce pancreatic insulin secretion in response to glucose, primarily due to reduced pancreatic and β-cell mass, and is not correctable with insulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinny R Lavezzi
- Perinatal Research Center, Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, USA
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Burghardt KJ, Pilsner JR, Bly MJ, Ellingrod VL. DNA methylation in schizophrenia subjects: gender and MTHFR 677C/T genotype differences. Epigenomics 2012; 4:261-8. [PMID: 22690662 DOI: 10.2217/epi.12.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM In schizophrenia, metabolic syndrome incidence is double that of the general population, with women having a higher incidence. Pharmacogenetically regulated folic acid may be related to this risk. DNA methylation and metabolic syndrome within this group has not been previously studied. METHODS Metabolic syndrome was evaluated with fasting laboratory measurements, and dietary and lifestyle assessments. Methylation analysis used a peripheral sample for the LINE-1 assay. DNA was also genotyped for MTHFR 677C/T. RESULTS This analysis included 133 subjects. We found a significant relationship between LINE-1 methylation, and an interaction between MTHFR and gender, controlling for serum folate (p = 0.008). Females with the 677TT genotype had the lowest methylation (56%) compared with the other groups (75%). CONCLUSION TT genotype females had the lowest methylation, which may explain metabolic syndrome gender differences in schizophrenia. Folate supplementation may be a suggested intervention within schizophrenia; however, additional work is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Burghardt
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Social & Administrative Sciences, University of Michigan, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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275
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Yang W, Zhao W, Xiao J, Li R, Zhang P, Kissimova-Skarbek K, Schneider E, Jia W, Ji L, Guo X, Shan Z, Liu J, Tian H, Chen L, Zhou Z, Ji Q, Ge J, Chen G, Brown J. Medical care and payment for diabetes in China: enormous threat and great opportunity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e39513. [PMID: 23049727 PMCID: PMC3458850 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Diabetes Impact Study followed up a large national population-based screening study to estimate the use of and expenditures for medical care caused by diabetes in China and to ascertain the use and cost of essential basic medicines and care. Methods In 2009–10, the study team interviewed 1482 adults with diabetes and 1553 adults with glucose tolerance in the normal range from population-based random samples at 12 sites in China. The response rate was 67%. Findings After adjusting for age, sex, and urban/rural location, people with diabetes received 1.93 times more days of inpatient treatment, 2.40 times more outpatient visits, and 3.35 times more medications than people with normal glucose tolerance (all p<0.05). Adjusted expenditures for medical care were 3.38 times higher among people with diabetes than among people with normal glucose tolerance (p<0.01, unadjusted 3.97). Persons who were diagnosed with ≥10 years prior to the survey paid 3.75 times as much for medical care as those with ≤5 years of diagnosed diabetes. Among persons with diabetes, 45.2% took medication to control blood sugar, 21.1% took an antihypertensive medicine, 22.4% took daily aspirin, and 1.8% took a statin. Over the three months before the interview, 46.1% of persons with diabetes recalled seeing a doctor, 48.9% recalled a blood pressure measurement, and 54.5% recalled a blood sugar test. Over the year preceding the interview, 32.1% recalled a retinal screening and 17.9% recalled a foot examination. Conclusions In China, health care use and costs were dramatically higher for people with diabetes than for people with normal glucose tolerance and, in relative terms, much higher than in industrialized countries. Low-cost generic medicines that would reduce diabetes expenditures were not fully used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenying Yang
- Chinese-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhui Zhao
- Chinese-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianzhong Xiao
- Chinese-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Li
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ping Zhang
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Katarzyna Kissimova-Skarbek
- Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- International Diabetes Federation, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Erin Schneider
- International Diabetes Federation, Brussels, Belgium
- National Bureau of Asian Research, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Weiping Jia
- Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Linong Ji
- Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Guo
- Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyan Shan
- First Affiliated Hospital, Chinese Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoling, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Liu
- Shanxi Province People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoming Tian
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Chen
- Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiguang Zhou
- Xiangya Second Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuhe Ji
- Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiapu Ge
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's Hospital, Urmqi, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Chen
- Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jonathan Brown
- International Diabetes Federation, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Imai CM, Halldorsson TI, Gunnarsdottir I, Gudnason V, Aspelund T, Jonsson G, Birgisdottir BE, Thorsdottir I. Effect of birth year on birth weight and obesity in adulthood: comparison between subjects born prior to and during the great depression in Iceland. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44551. [PMID: 22957081 PMCID: PMC3434126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many epidemiological studies have linked small size at birth to adverse adult health outcomes but the relative influence of environmental exposures is less well established. Methods The authors investigated the impact of prenatal environmental exposure by comparing 2750 participants born before (1925–1929) and during (1930–1934) the Great Depression in Reykjavik, Iceland. Calendar year served as proxy for environmental effects. Anthropometric measurements at birth and school-age (8–13 years) were collected from national registries. Participants were medically examined as adults (33–65 years). Results Mean birth weight, adjusted for maternal age and parity, decreased by 97 g (95% confidence interval (CI): 39, 156) for men and 70 g (95% CI: 11, 129) for women from 1925 to 1934; growth at school-age was significantly reduced for participants growing during the Depression. As adults, women prenatally exposed to the Depression had higher body mass index (Δ0.6 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.1), higher fasting blood glucose levels (Δ0.16 mmol/L, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.23) and greater odds of being obese 1.43 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.02) compared to unexposed counterparts. Non-significant associations were observed in men. Conclusion Reduction in birth weight due to rapid shifts in the economic environment appears to have a modest but significant association with later obesity for women while male offspring appear to be less affected by these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Mari Imai
- Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
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Lahdenperä M, Gillespie DOS, Lummaa V, Russell AF. Severe intergenerational reproductive conflict and the evolution of menopause. Ecol Lett 2012; 15:1283-1290. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01851.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mirkka Lahdenperä
- Section of Ecology; Department of Biology; University of Turku; FIN-20014 Turku Finland
| | | | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Animal & Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield S10 2TN UK
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin; Institute for Advanced Study; Wallotstraße 19 D-14193 Berlin Germany
| | - Andrew F. Russell
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation; College of Life & Environmental Sciences; University of Exeter; Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS USR 2936; 09200 Moulis France
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278
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Carroll D, Ginty AT, Painter RC, Roseboom TJ, Phillips AC, de Rooij SR. Systolic blood pressure reactions to acute stress are associated with future hypertension status in the Dutch Famine Birth Cohort Study. Int J Psychophysiol 2012; 85:270-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Eating disorders are complex psychiatric disorders in which genes, environment, and gene-environment interactions (G×E) have a role. Such G×E may occur in adulthood or during development. They may also be modified by factors such as (mal)nutrition or stress and this may result in acute or long-term epigenetic modifications. This review discusses the potential for recent developments in epigenetics to address ongoing aetiological issues in eating disorders. RECENT FINDINGS Epigenetic studies in eating disorders have focussed on the DNA methylation status of promoter regions of candidate genes: differences have been reported between people with eating disorders and healthy controls, and between subtypes of eating disorders. Animal studies related to eating disorders have focussed on understanding the acute and long-term effects of environmental manipulation on epigenetic changes and on the resultant phenotypes: these studies are promising, but they have also identified some of the complexity of epigenetic processing. SUMMARY Because of the difficulties in obtaining brain samples, epigenetic studies in eating disorders (like in other psychiatric illnesses) have used peripheral tissues, usually blood: this raises various problems. It is likely, therefore, that in the immediate future, animal, rather than human studies will guide the progress in epigenetics studies of eating disorders and other psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eneda Pjetri
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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280
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Nicotinamide, NAD(P)(H), and Methyl-Group Homeostasis Evolved and Became a Determinant of Ageing Diseases: Hypotheses and Lessons from Pellagra. Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res 2012; 2012:302875. [PMID: 22536229 PMCID: PMC3318212 DOI: 10.1155/2012/302875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Compartmentalized redox faults are common to ageing diseases. Dietary constituents are catabolized to NAD(H) donating electrons producing proton-based bioenergy in coevolved, cross-species and cross-organ networks. Nicotinamide and NAD deficiency from poor diet or high expenditure causes pellagra, an ageing and dementing disorder with lost robustness to infection and stress. Nicotinamide and stress induce Nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase (NNMT) improving choline retention but consume methyl groups. High NNMT activity is linked to Parkinson's, cancers, and diseases of affluence. Optimising nicotinamide and choline/methyl group availability is important for brain development and increased during our evolution raising metabolic and methylome ceilings through dietary/metabolic symbiotic means but strict energy constraints remain and life-history tradeoffs are the rule. An optimal energy, NAD and methyl group supply, avoiding hypo and hyper-vitaminoses nicotinamide and choline, is important to healthy ageing and avoids utilising double-edged symbionts or uncontrolled autophagy or reversions to fermentation reactions in inflammatory and cancerous tissue that all redistribute NAD(P)(H), but incur high allostatic costs.
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281
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Krajmalnik-Brown R, Ilhan ZE, Kang DW, DiBaise JK. Effects of gut microbes on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. Nutr Clin Pract 2012; 27:201-14. [PMID: 22367888 DOI: 10.1177/0884533611436116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 477] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Malnutrition may manifest as either obesity or undernutrition. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays an important role in the harvest, storage, and expenditure of energy obtained from the diet. The composition of the gut microbiota has been shown to differ between lean and obese humans and mice; however, the specific roles that individual gut microbes play in energy harvest remain uncertain. The gut microbiota may also influence the development of conditions characterized by chronic low-level inflammation, such as obesity, through systemic exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide derived from the gut microbiota. In this review, the role of the gut microbiota in energy harvest and fat storage is explored, as well as differences in the microbiota in obesity and undernutrition.
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282
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Roth LW, Polotsky AJ. Can we live longer by eating less? A review of caloric restriction and longevity. Maturitas 2012; 71:315-9. [PMID: 22281163 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Accepted: 12/23/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Caloric restriction, decreasing caloric intake by 20-30%, was first shown to extend life in rats nearly 80 years ago. Since that time, limiting food intake for longevity has been investigated in species from yeast to humans. In yeast and lower animals, caloric restriction has repeatedly been demonstrated to lengthen the life span. Studies of caloric restriction in non-human primates and in humans are ongoing and initial results suggest prolongation of life as well as prevention of age-related disease. There is also data in rodents suggesting that short term caloric restriction has beneficial effects on fertility. Although caloric restriction has many positive effects on health and longevity, quality of life on a restricted diet as well as the ability to maintain that diet long term are concerns that must be considered in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren W Roth
- University of Colorado, Denver, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, 12631 East 17th Avenue, B-189-3 Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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Chen M, Macpherson A, Owens J, Wittert G, Heilbronn LK. Obesity alone or with type 2 diabetes is associated with tissue specific alterations in DNA methylation and gene expression of PPARGC1A and IGF2. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.7243/2050-0866-1-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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