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Fan J, Yin M. Offspring of women with hyperemesis gravidarum are more likely to have cardiovascular abnormalities. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:119. [PMID: 38331740 PMCID: PMC10854153 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting affecting 0.3-2.3% of pregnancies, which can lead to fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, and weight loss, and is usually severe enough to require hospitalization. Abnormally elevated urinary ketones are commonly seen in patients with HG, and ketone bodies are free to pass through the placenta, and maternal hyperketonemia, with or without acidosis, is associated with an increased rate of stillbirth, an increased incidence of congenital anomalies, and impaired neurophysiologic development of the infant. This study investigates the obstetric outcomes of patients with HG and whether HG increases the incidence of cardiovascular disease in the offspring. METHODS This study included 1020 pregnant women who were hospitalized in our hospital for HG and ultimately delivered in our hospital as well as pregnant women without HG in early gestation and delivered in our hospital from January 2019-January 2020, and we collected and followed up the clinical information of the pregnant women and their offspring. RESULTS Pregnant women with HG were more likely to have severe urinary ketones, the rate of early miscarriage and mid-term miscarriage was significantly higher in women with HG compared to pregnant women without HG. Fetal and neonatal head and abdominal circumferences were smaller in HG group than in control group. Neonatal birth weight and length were also lower in the HG group and cardiovascular anomalies were more likely to occur in the offspring of women with HG when all births were followed up for 3 years. CONCLUSIONS HG may cause poor obstetric outcomes and was associated with the development of cardiovascular disease in the offspring of women with HG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Fan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minghong Yin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Hull HR, Gajewski BJ, Sullivan DK, Carson SE. Growth and adiposity in newborns study (GAINS): The influence of prenatal DHA supplementation protocol. Contemp Clin Trials 2023; 132:107279. [PMID: 37406769 PMCID: PMC10852997 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity and central fat mass (FM) accrual drive disease development and are related to greater morbidity and mortality. Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) increases fetal fat accretion resulting in greater offspring FM across the lifespan. Studies associate greater maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels with lower offspring FM and lower visceral adipose tissue during childhood, however, most U.S. pregnant women do not consume an adequate amount of DHA. We will determine if prenatal DHA supplementation is protective for body composition changes during infancy and toddlerhood in offspring exposed to excessive GWG. METHODS AND DESIGN Infants born to women who participated in the Assessment of DHA on Reducing Early Preterm Birth randomized controlled trial (ADORE; NCT02626299) will be invited to participate. Women were randomized to either a high 1000 mg or low 200 mg daily prenatal DHA supplement starting in the first trimester of pregnancy. Offspring body composition and adipose tissue distribution will be measured at 2 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Maternal GWG will be categorized as excessive or not excessive based on clinical guidelines. DISCUSSION Effective strategies to prevent obesity development are lacking. Exposures during the prenatal period are important in the establishment of the offspring phenotype. However, it is largely unknown which exposures can be successfully targeted to have a meaningful impact. This study will determine if prenatal DHA supplementation modifies the relationship between maternal weight gain and offspring FM and FM distribution at 24 months of age. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The University of Kansas Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the study protocol (STUDY00140895). The results of the trial will be disseminated at conferences and in peer reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03310983.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly R Hull
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America.
| | - Byron J Gajewski
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America
| | - Debra K Sullivan
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America
| | - Susan E Carson
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States of America
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Jordan JM, Webster AK, Chen J, Chitrakar R, Ryan Baugh L. Early-life starvation alters lipid metabolism in adults to cause developmental pathology in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 223:iyac172. [PMID: 36449523 PMCID: PMC9910403 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life malnutrition increases adult disease risk in humans, but the causal changes in gene regulation, signaling, and metabolism are unclear. In the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, early-life starvation causes well-fed larvae to develop germline tumors and other gonad abnormalities as adults. Furthermore, reduced insulin/IGF signaling during larval development suppresses these starvation-induced abnormalities. How early-life starvation and insulin/IGF signaling affect adult pathology is unknown. We show that early-life starvation has pervasive effects on adult gene expression which are largely reversed by reduced insulin/IGF signaling following recovery from starvation. Early-life starvation increases adult fatty-acid synthetase fasn-1 expression in daf-2 insulin/IGF signaling receptor-dependent fashion, and fasn-1/FASN promotes starvation-induced abnormalities. Lipidomic analysis reveals increased levels of phosphatidylcholine in adults subjected to early-life starvation, and supplementation with unsaturated phosphatidylcholine during development suppresses starvation-induced abnormalities. Genetic analysis of fatty-acid desaturases reveals positive and negative effects of desaturation on development of starvation-induced abnormalities. In particular, the ω3 fatty-acid desaturase fat-1 and the Δ5 fatty-acid desaturase fat-4 inhibit and promote development of abnormalities, respectively. fat-4 is epistatic to fat-1, suggesting that arachidonic acid-containing lipids promote development of starvation-induced abnormalities, and supplementation with ARA enhanced development of abnormalities. This work shows that early-life starvation and insulin/IGF signaling converge on regulation of adult lipid metabolism, affecting stem-cell proliferation and tumor formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Jordan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Amy K Webster
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jingxian Chen
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Rojin Chitrakar
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - L Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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4
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Shaul NC, Jordan JM, Falsztyn IB, Ryan Baugh L. Insulin/IGF-dependent Wnt signaling promotes formation of germline tumors and other developmental abnormalities following early-life starvation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2023; 223:iyac173. [PMID: 36449574 PMCID: PMC9910406 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis postulates that early-life stressors can predispose people to disease later in life. In the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, prolonged early-life starvation causes germline tumors, uterine masses, and other gonad abnormalities to develop in well-fed adults. Reduction of insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling (IIS) during larval development suppresses these starvation-induced abnormalities. However, molecular mechanisms at play in formation and suppression of starvation-induced abnormalities are unclear. Here we describe mechanisms through which early-life starvation and reduced IIS affect starvation-induced abnormalities. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that expression of genes in the Wnt signaling pathway is upregulated in adults starved as young larvae, and that knockdown of the insulin/IGF receptor daf-2/InsR decreases their expression. Reduction of Wnt signaling through RNAi or mutation reduced starvation-induced abnormalities, and hyperactivation of Wnt signaling produced gonad abnormalities in worms that had not been starved. Genetic and reporter-gene analyses suggest that Wnt signaling acts downstream of IIS in the soma to cell-nonautonomously promote germline hyperproliferation. In summary, this work reveals that IIS-dependent transcriptional regulation of Wnt signaling promotes starvation-induced gonad abnormalities, illuminating signaling mechanisms that contribute to adult pathology following early-life starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan C Shaul
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - James M Jordan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ivan B Falsztyn
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - L Ryan Baugh
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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5
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Zhou J, Dai Y, Zuo Z, Liu T, Li S. Famine Exposure during Early Life and Risk of Cancer in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Nutr Health Aging 2023; 27:550-558. [PMID: 37498102 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-023-1947-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Emerging evidences have explored the association between famine exposure during early life and cancer risk in adulthood, but the results remain controversial and inconsistent. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive evidence on the relation of famine exposure to later cancer risk. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS Relevant reports published up to March, 2022 were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of sciences and Medline databases. Pooled relative ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the effect famine exposure on cancer risk. RESULTS Totally, 18 published articles with 6,061,147 subjects were included in this study. Compared with unexposed group, early life famine exposure dramatically increased the risk of cancer in adulthood (RR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.22). The pooled RRs were different in terms of sex, exposure severity, exposure period, famine type, study design type and cancer location. A remarkably elevated risk for cancer was discerned in women exposed to famine (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.00-1.18), severe exposure (RR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.22) and adolescence exposure (RR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.02-2.50), Chinese famine exposure (RR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.29-1.82) and cohort studies (RR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.13-1.42). Moreover, a significant association of early-life famine exposure with increased risk of breast (RR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.27) and stomach cancers (RR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.24-2.54) was observed. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis suggests that exposure to famine during early life may increase the risk of cancer in adulthood. The above-mentioned association is pronounced in women exposed to famine, severe exposure, adolescence exposure, Chinese famine, cohort studies, breast and stomach cancers. It is essential for decision-makers to take targeted measures for improving population awareness regarding the long-term effect of early life nutritional status.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Zhou
- Suyi Li, Department of Oncology, Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, No. 107 Huanhu East Road, Hefei, Anhui, China. ; Ting Liu, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
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Zheng Y, Luo L, Lambertz IU, Conti CJ, Fuchs-Young R. Early Dietary Exposures Epigenetically Program Mammary Cancer Susceptibility through Igf1-Mediated Expansion of the Mammary Stem Cell Compartment. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162558. [PMID: 36010633 PMCID: PMC9406400 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet is a critical environmental factor affecting breast cancer risk, and recent evidence shows that dietary exposures during early development can affect lifetime mammary cancer susceptibility. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we used our established crossover feeding mouse model, where exposure to a high-fat and high-sugar (HFHS) diet during defined developmental windows determines mammary tumor incidence and latency in carcinogen-treated mice. Mammary tumor incidence is significantly increased in mice receiving a HFHS post-weaning diet (high-tumor mice, HT) compared to those receiving a HFHS diet during gestation (low-tumor mice, LT). The current study revealed that the mammary stem cell (MaSC) population was significantly increased in mammary glands from HT compared to LT mice. Igf1 expression was increased in mammary stromal cells from HT mice, where it promoted MaSC self-renewal. The increased Igf1 expression was induced by DNA hypomethylation of the Igf1 Pr1 promoter, mediated by a decrease in Dnmt3b levels. Mammary tissues from HT mice also had reduced levels of Igfbp5, leading to increased bioavailability of tissue Igf1. This study provides novel insights into how early dietary exposures program mammary cancer risk, demonstrating that effective dietary intervention can reduce mammary cancer incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanning Zheng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Linjie Luo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Isabel U. Lambertz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Claudio J. Conti
- Department of Bioengineering, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Group (TERMeG), Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28903 Madrid, Spain
| | - Robin Fuchs-Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-979-436-0778
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7
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Arage G, Belachew T, Abate KH. Early life famine exposure and anthropometric profile in adulthood: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. BMC Nutr 2022; 8:36. [PMID: 35459231 PMCID: PMC9028079 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-022-00523-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous famine studies reported the association between early life famine exposure and adulthood anthropometric profile. However, the findings were variable. Thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the association of famine exposure in early life with the anthropometric profiles in adults. Methods Potentially relevant studies were searched through Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar and Google for gray literature and reference lists of previous studies. The random effects model (REM) and I2 test was used to adapt the pooling method and assess heterogeneity, respectively. Results Prenatal famine exposure was associated with increased risk of body mass index [SMD = 0.10 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.18)], waist circumference [SMD = 0.21 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.31)] in adults. Likewise, famine exposure during prenatal life was associated with decreased adult height [SMD) = − 0.26 (95% CI: − 0.44, − 0.09)]. Moreover, famine exposure during early childhood was associated with increased risk of waist circumference [SMD = 0.09 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.16)] and decreased adult height [SMD = − 0.16 (95% CI: − 0.27, − 0.04)]. Conclusion Our finding indicates that exposure to famine during early life was associated with the anthropometric profile of adults. In terms of public health significance, the results of the study further underscore the importance of improving the nutritional status of mothers and children to prevent adulthood diseases in the long run. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO CRD42020168424 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40795-022-00523-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Getachew Arage
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia. .,Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
| | - Tefera Belachew
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Kalkidan Hassen Abate
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Bleker LS, de Rooij SR, Painter RC, Ravelli AC, Roseboom TJ. Cohort profile: the Dutch famine birth cohort (DFBC)- a prospective birth cohort study in the Netherlands. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e042078. [PMID: 33664071 PMCID: PMC7934722 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The Dutch famine birth cohort study was set up to investigate the effects of acute maternal undernutrition of the 1944-1945 Dutch famine during the specific stages of gestation on later health, with a particular focus on chronic cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, ageing and mental health. PARTICIPANTS The Dutch famine birth cohort consists of 2414 singletons born alive and at term in the Wilhelmina Gasthuis in Amsterdam around the time of the Dutch famine (1943-1947) whose birth records have been kept. The cohort has been traced and studied since 1994, when the first data collection started. The cohort has been interviewed and physically examined in several waves of data collection since that time, allowing repeated measures of a wide range of phenotypic information as well as the collection of biological samples (blood, urine, buccal swabs), functional testing (of heart, lungs, kidney, HPA axis) and imaging of the brain (MRI) and vasculature (ultrasound). Additionally, genetic and epigenetic information was collected. Through linkage with registries, mortality and morbidity information of the entire cohort has been obtained. FINDINGS TO DATE Prenatal famine exposure had lasting consequences for health in later life. The effects of famine depended on its timing during the gestation and the organs and tissues developing at that time, with most effects after exposure to famine in early gestation. The effects of famine were widespread and affected the structure and function of many organs and tissues, resulted in altered behaviour and increased risks of chronic degenerative diseases and increased mortality. The effects of famine were independent of size at birth, which suggests that programming may occur without altering size at birth. FUTURE PLANS As the cohort ages, we will be assessing the effects of prenatal undernutrition on (brain) ageing, cognitive decline and dementia, as well as overall morbidity and mortality. REGISTRATION The Dutch famine birth cohort is not linked to a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Bleker
- Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne R de Rooij
- Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca C Painter
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anita Cj Ravelli
- Medical Informatics; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa J Roseboom
- Epidemiology and Data Science; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Qu Z, Ji S, Zheng S. Glucose and cholesterol induce abnormal cell divisions via DAF-12 and MPK-1 in C. elegans. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:16255-16269. [PMID: 32857726 PMCID: PMC7485695 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
People exposed to starvation have a high risk of developing cancer later in life, and prior studies have shown these individuals have high insulin and cholesterol levels and are sensitive to glucose. Using C. elegans as a model, we found that glucose and cholesterol can promote survival and cause starved L1 diapause worms to undergo abnormal neuronal cell divisions. Starvation has also been shown to promote long-term survival; however, we found that the functions of glucose and cholesterol in relation to these cell divisions are distinct from their effects on survival. We demonstrate that glucose functions in a DAF-16/FOXO-independent IIS pathway to activate the MAPK ontogenetic signaling to induce neuronal Q-cell divisions, and cholesterol works through DAF-12/steroidogenic pathways to promote these cell divisions. daf-12 and mpk-1/MAPK mutants suppress the function of glucose and cholesterol in these divisions, and a fully functioning dpMPK-1 requires the steroid hormone receptor DAF-12 for these divisions to occur. These afflictions also can be passed on to the immediate progeny. This work indicates a possible link between glucose and cholesterol in starved animals and an increased risk of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Qu
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
| | - Shaoping Ji
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
| | - Shanqing Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China.,Medical School, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, China
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10
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Chen ACH, Lee KF, Yeung WSB, Lee YL. Human embryonic stem cells as an in vitro model for studying developmental origins of type 2 diabetes. World J Stem Cells 2020; 12:761-775. [PMID: 32952857 PMCID: PMC7477660 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i8.761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The developmental origins of health and diseases (DOHaD) is a concept stating that adverse intrauterine environments contribute to the health risks of offspring. Since the theory emerged more than 30 years ago, many epidemiological and animal studies have confirmed that in utero exposure to environmental insults, including hyperglycemia and chemicals, increased the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). These NCDs include metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and complications such as diabetic cardiomyopathy. Studying the effects of different environmental insults on early embryo development would aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms by which these insults promote NCD development. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have also been utilized by researchers to study the DOHaD. ESCs have pluripotent characteristics and can be differentiated into almost every cell lineage; therefore, they are excellent in vitro models for studying early developmental events. More importantly, human ESCs (hESCs) are the best alternative to human embryos for research because of ethical concerns. In this review, we will discuss different maternal conditions associated with DOHaD, focusing on the complications of maternal diabetes. Next, we will review the differentiation protocols developed to generate different cell lineages from hESCs. Additionally, we will review how hESCs are utilized as a model for research into the DOHaD. The effects of environmental insults on hESC differentiation and the possible involvement of epigenetic regulation will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Chun-Hang Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kai Fai Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, Guangdong Province, China
| | - William Shu Biu Yeung
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yin Lau Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, Guangdong Province, China
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da Cruz RS, Chen E, Smith M, Bates J, de Assis S. Diet and Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance of Breast Cancer: The Role of the Paternal Germline. Front Nutr 2020; 7:93. [PMID: 32760734 PMCID: PMC7373741 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decade has made evident that in addition to passing their genetic material at conception, parents also transmit a molecular memory of past environmental experiences, including nutritional status, to their progeny through epigenetic mechanisms. In the 1990s, it was proposed that breast cancer originates in utero. Since then, an overwhelming number of studies in human cohorts and animal models have provided support for that hypothesis. It is becoming clear, however, that exposure in the parent generation can lead to multigenerational and transgenerational inheritance of breast cancer. Importantly, recent data from our lab and others show that pre-conception paternal diets reprogram the male germline and modulate breast cancer development in offspring. This review explores the emerging evidence for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of breast cancer focusing on studies associated with ancestral nutritional factors or related markers such as birth weight. We also explore paternal factors and the epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance through the male germline while also reviewing the existing literature on maternal exposures in pregnancy and its effects on subsequent generations. Finally, we discuss the importance of this mode of inheritance in the context of breast cancer prevention, the challenges, and outstanding research questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Santana da Cruz
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Elaine Chen
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Megan Smith
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jaedus Bates
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sonia de Assis
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
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12
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Epigenetic Biomarkers for Environmental Exposures and Personalized Breast Cancer Prevention. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17041181. [PMID: 32069786 PMCID: PMC7068429 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17041181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Environmental and lifestyle factors are believed to account for >80% of breast cancers; however, it is not well understood how and when these factors affect risk and which exposed individuals will actually develop the disease. While alcohol consumption, obesity, and hormone therapy are some known risk factors for breast cancer, other exposures associated with breast cancer risk have not yet been identified or well characterized. In this paper, it is proposed that the identification of blood epigenetic markers for personal, in utero, and ancestral environmental exposures can help researchers better understand known and potential relationships between exposures and breast cancer risk and may enable personalized prevention strategies.
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Meng R, Yu C, Guo Y, Bian Z, Si J, Nie J, Yang L, Chen Y, Du H, Zhou L, Liu Y, Chen J, Chen Z, Li L, Lv J. Early famine exposure and adult disease risk based on a 10-year prospective study of Chinese adults. Heart 2020; 106:213-220. [PMID: 31704783 PMCID: PMC6968949 DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2019-315750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To comprehensively examine the potential impacts of prenatal experience of the Chinese Great Famine on chronic disease risks in the middle age. METHODS This study included 92 284 participants aged 39-51 years from China Kadoorie Biobank born around the famine period and without major chronic diseases at baseline. We categorised participants into non-famine births (born between 1 October 1956 and 30 September 1958, and 1 October 1962 and 30 September 1964) and famine births (born between 1 October 1959 and 30 September 1961). The outcomes were incident cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory system disease. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted HR and 95% CI for famine exposure. Subgroup analyses were performed according to baseline characteristics. RESULTS During a median 10.1 years of follow-up, we identified 4626 incident ischaemic heart disease (IHD) cases, 7332 cerebrovascular disease cases, 3111 cancer cases and 16 081 respiratory system disease cases. In the whole population, prenatal famine exposure was not statistically associated with the risks of developing any chronic diseases in adulthood. However, for urban participants, compared with non-famine births, famine births had a higher risk of cerebrovascular disease (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.28); such association was not shown for rural participants (p for interaction <0.001). Also, we observed the associations of prenatal famine exposure with IHD (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.26) and cerebrovascular disease (HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.21) in participants with lower physical activity level, but not in those with higher ones (all p for interaction=0.003). CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine might be associated with an increased cardiovascular risk and such risk may be modified by adult lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruogu Meng
- Center for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Canqing Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Guo
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Bian
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Si
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Nie
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yiping Chen
- Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Huaidong Du
- Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Liyuan Zhou
- Liu Zhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Liuzhou, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Liu Zhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Liuzhou, China
| | - Junshi Chen
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengming Chen
- Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Liming Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Lv
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
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14
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Desmettre T. [Epigenetics in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - French translation of the article]. J Fr Ophtalmol 2018; 41:981-990. [PMID: 30454959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial condition involving multiple genetic, environmental and constitutional factors. Inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism seem to be the most important factors in the pathogenesis of the disease. The importance of genetic factors has mainly been revealed with the influence of histocompatibility complement factor H (CFH) variations and the ARSM2 susceptibility gene. Another component, epigenetics, could help to explain some of the relationships between environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetics is defined as the study of modulations of gene activity that can be transmitted over cell divisions without involving mutation of the DNA sequence. The molecules that are involved in these mechanisms are referred to as the epigenome. The mechanisms involve DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and gene inhibition by non-coding RNA. Epigenetics could explain how the environment may induce relatively stable changes in traits or even diseases, possibly inheritable over several generations. Epigenetic traits established during development, and/or acquired under the influence of nutritional factors or other environmental factors, could influence the interactions between genes and the environment. Several authors have recently shown the influence of epigenetic factors in the pathogenesis of ocular diseases such as cataract, dry eye, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and more recently AMD. A better understanding of the involvement of genetic variants at risk, their relationship with epigenetics and environmental factors would certainly help to better assess the risk of developing AMD or better understand recent changes in the incidence of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Desmettre
- Centre de rétine médicale, 187, rue de Menin, 59520 Marquette-Lez-Lille, France; London International Medical Centre, 18-22 Queen Anne Street, London, W1G 8HU, Royaume-Uni.
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15
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Desmettre TJ. Epigenetics in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). J Fr Ophtalmol 2018; 41:e407-e415. [PMID: 30458925 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial condition involving multiple genetic, environmental and constitutional factors. Inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism seem to be the most important factors in the pathogenesis of the disease. The importance of genetic factors has mainly been revealed with the influence of histocompatibility complement factor H (CFH) variations and the ARSM2 susceptibility gene. Another component, epigenetics, could help to explain some of the relationships between environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetics is defined as the study of modulations of gene activity that can be transmitted over cell divisions without involving mutation of the DNA sequence. The molecules that are involved in these mechanisms are referred to as the epigenome. The mechanisms involve DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and gene inhibition by non-coding RNA. Epigenetics could explain how the environment may induce relatively stable changes in traits or even diseases, possibly inheritable over several generations. Epigenetic traits established during development, and/or acquired under the influence of nutritional factors or other environmental factors, could influence the interactions between genes and the environment. Several authors have recently shown the influence of epigenetic factors in the pathogenesis of ocular diseases such as cataract, dry eye, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and more recently AMD. A better understanding of the involvement of genetic variants at risk, their relationship with epigenetics and environmental factors would certainly help to better assess the risk of developing AMD or better understand recent changes in the incidence of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Desmettre
- Centre de rétine médicale, 187, rue de Menin, 59520 Marquette-Lez-Lille, France; London International Medical Centre, 18-22 Queen Anne Street, London, W1G 8HU, United Kingdom.
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16
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Tang HM, Tang HL. Anastasis: recovery from the brink of cell death. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:180442. [PMID: 30839720 PMCID: PMC6170572 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Anastasis is a natural cell recovery phenomenon that rescues cells from the brink of death. Programmed cell death such as apoptosis has been traditionally assumed to be an intrinsically irreversible cascade that commits cells to a rapid and massive demolition. Interestingly, recent studies have demonstrated recovery of dying cells even at the late stages generally considered immutable. Here, we examine the evidence for anastasis in cultured cells and in animals, review findings illuminating the potential mechanisms of action, discuss the challenges of studying anastasis and explore new strategies to uncover the function and regulation of anastasis, the identification of which has wide-ranging physiological, pathological and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Man Tang
- Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Ho Lam Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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17
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da Cruz RS, Carney EJ, Clarke J, Cao H, Cruz MI, Benitez C, Jin L, Fu Y, Cheng Z, Wang Y, de Assis S. Paternal malnutrition programs breast cancer risk and tumor metabolism in offspring. Breast Cancer Res 2018; 20:99. [PMID: 30165877 PMCID: PMC6117960 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-018-1034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While many studies have shown that maternal factors in pregnancy affect the cancer risk for offspring, few studies have investigated the impact of paternal exposures on their progeny’s risk of this disease. Population studies generally show a U-shaped association between birthweight and breast cancer risk, with both high and low birthweight increasing the risk compared with average birthweight. Here, we investigated whether paternal malnutrition would modulate the birthweight and later breast cancer risk of daughters. Methods Male mice were fed AIN93G-based diets containing either 17.7% (control) or 8.9% (low-protein (LP)) energy from protein from 3 to 10 weeks of age. Males on either group were mated to females raised on a control diet. Female offspring from control and LP fathers were treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to initiate mammary carcinogenesis. Mature sperm from fathers and mammary tissue and tumors from female offspring were used for epigenetic and other molecular analyses. Results We found that paternal malnutrition reduces the birthweight of daughters and leads to epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of their mammary tissue and tumors. Daughters of LP fathers have higher rates of mammary cancer, with tumors arising earlier and growing faster than in controls. The energy sensor, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, is suppressed in both mammary glands and tumors of LP daughters, with consequent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Furthermore, LP mammary tumors show altered amino-acid metabolism with increased glutamine utilization. These changes are linked to alterations in noncoding RNAs regulating those pathways in mammary glands and tumors. Importantly, we detect alterations in some of the same microRNAs/target genes found in our animal model in breast tumors of women from populations where low birthweight is prevalent. Conclusions Our study suggests that ancestral paternal malnutrition plays a role in programming offspring cancer risk and phenotype by likely providing a metabolic advantage to cancer cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13058-018-1034-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Santana da Cruz
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Elissa J Carney
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Johan Clarke
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Hong Cao
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - M Idalia Cruz
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Carlos Benitez
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Lu Jin
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Yi Fu
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Research Center, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Zuolin Cheng
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Research Center, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Yue Wang
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Research Center, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Sonia de Assis
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, The Research Building, Room E410, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.
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Clarke MA, Joshu CE. Early Life Exposures and Adult Cancer Risk. Epidemiol Rev 2018; 39:11-27. [PMID: 28407101 DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxx004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Very little is known about the influence of early life exposures on adult cancer risk. The purpose of this narrative review was to summarize the epidemiologic evidence relating early life tobacco use, obesity, diet, and physical activity to adult cancer risk; describe relevant theoretical frameworks and methodological strategies for studying early life exposures; and discuss policies and research initiatives focused on early life. Our findings suggest that in utero exposures may indirectly influence cancer risk by modifying biological pathways associated with carcinogenesis; however, more research is needed to firmly establish these associations. Initiation of exposures during childhood and adolescence may impact cancer risk by increasing duration and lifetime exposure to carcinogens and/or by acting during critical developmental periods. To expand the evidence base, we encourage the use of life course frameworks, causal inference methods such as Mendelian randomization, and statistical approaches such as group-based trajectory modeling in future studies. Further, we emphasize the need for objective exposure biomarkers and valid surrogate endpoints to reduce misclassification. With the exception of tobacco use, there is insufficient evidence to support the development of new cancer prevention policies; however, we highlight existing policies that may reduce the burden of these modifiable risk factors in early life.
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Preston JD, Reynolds LJ, Pearson KJ. Developmental Origins of Health Span and Life Span: A Mini-Review. Gerontology 2018; 64:237-245. [PMID: 29324453 DOI: 10.1159/000485506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A vast body of research has demonstrated that disease susceptibility and offspring health can be influenced by perinatal factors, which include both paternal and maternal behavior and environment. Offspring disease risk has the potential to affect the health span and life span of offspring. KEY FINDINGS Various maternal factors, such as environmental toxicant exposure, diet, stress, exercise, age at conception, and longevity have the potential to influence age-associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer risk in offspring. Paternal factors such as diet, age at conception, and longevity can potentially impact offspring health span and life span-reducing traits as well. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Continued research could go a long way toward defining mechanisms of the developmental origins of life span and health span, and eventually establishing regimens to avoid negative developmental influences and to encourage positive interventions to potentially increase life span and improve health span in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Preston
- Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
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20
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Epigenetics and primary care. Br J Gen Pract 2017; 68:8-9. [PMID: 29284617 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp17x693977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
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21
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He D, Fang Y, Gunter MJ, Xu D, Zhao Y, Zhou J, Fang H, Xu WH. Incidence of breast cancer in Chinese women exposed to the 1959-1961 great Chinese famine. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:824. [PMID: 29207944 PMCID: PMC5718143 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3794-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association of malnutrition in early life with breast cancer risk has been studied in Europe by investigating survivors of the Dutch Hunger Winter Famine, but not in China. We evaluated the effect of exposure to the 1959-1961 Great Leap Forward famine on subsequent breast cancer risk in Chinese women. METHODS A total of 59,060 women born in 1955~1966 were recruited from Minhang district, Shanghai, China, during the period 2008 to 2012. A baseline survey was conducted to collect demographic characteristics and known risk factors for breast cancer. Incident breast cancers were identified by conducting record linkage with the Shanghai Cancer Registry up to June 30, 2015, and confirmed through medical records. Cumulative probabilities of cancer incidence were evaluated after adjusting for age, educational level and other confounders. Cox regression models were applied to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of breast cancer. RESULTS The overall crude incidence of in situ and invasive breast cancer were 19.2 and 115.0 per 100,000, respectively, in women conceived or born during the famine (1959-1962), slightly higher than those in women born before (1955-1958) (13.2 and 109.8/100,000) and after (1963-1966) (10.4 and 101.5/100,000). Particularly, at age group of 50-52 years when all participants contributed person-year of observations, the age-specific incidence of invasive breast cancer was higher in pre-natal exposed women (123.7/100,000, 95%CI: 94.5-161.9/100,000) than in post-natal exposed (109.6/100,000, 95%CI: 69.1-174.0/100,000) and unexposed women (82.7/100,000, 95%CI: 46.9-145.7/100,000). However, the incidence of cancer in situ was slightly lower in pre-natal exposed women at the age group. Adjusted cumulative probabilities of breast cancer incidence, both in-situ and invasive, were also observed to be higher in women exposed to the famine, however, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Our results suggest a possible adverse, but limited, impact of exposure to the Great famine on the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan He
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Minhang District, 965 Zhong Yi Road, Shanghai, 201101 China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Marc J. Gunter
- Section of Nutrition and Metabolism, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Dongli Xu
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Minhang District, 965 Zhong Yi Road, Shanghai, 201101 China
| | - Yanping Zhao
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Minhang District, 965 Zhong Yi Road, Shanghai, 201101 China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Minhang District, 965 Zhong Yi Road, Shanghai, 201101 China
| | - Hong Fang
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Minhang District, 965 Zhong Yi Road, Shanghai, 201101 China
| | - Wang Hong Xu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education (Fudan University), 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032 China
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Soubry A. Epigenetics as a Driver of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: Did We Forget the Fathers? Bioessays 2017; 40. [PMID: 29168895 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
What are the effects of our environment on human development and the next generation? Numerous studies have provided ample evidence that a healthy environment and lifestyle of the mother is important for her offspring. Biological mechanisms underlying these environmental influences have been proposed to involve alterations in the epigenome. Is there enough evidence to suggest a similar contribution from the part of the father? Animal models provide proof of a transgenerational epigenetic effect through the paternal germ line, but can this be translated to humans? To date, literature on fathers is scarce. Human studies do not always incorporate appropriate tools to evaluate paternal influences or epigenetic effects. In reviewing the literature, I stress the need to explore and recognize paternal contributions to offspring's health within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis, and coin this new concept the Paternal Origins of Health and Disease paradigm (POHaD). A better understanding of preconceptional origins of disease through the totality of paternal exposures, or the paternal exposome, will provide evidence-based public health recommendations for future fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelheid Soubry
- Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Wang X, Wan L, Weng X, Xie J, Zhang A, Liu Y, Dong M. Alteration in methylation level at differential methylated regions of MEST and DLK1 in fetus of preeclampsia. Hypertens Pregnancy 2017; 37:1-8. [PMID: 29157033 DOI: 10.1080/10641955.2017.1397689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Offspring born to preeclamptic women are at high risk for metabolic diseases in later life, but the mechanisms are not known. The purposes of the current investigation were to clarify the changes in DNA methylation at MEST and DLK1 DMRs in fetus of preeclampsia and to explore the possible mechanisms behind the high risk of adult diseases in the offspring of preeclampsia. METHODS Fetal lymphocytes were isolated from umbilical cord blood of 78 women with preeclampsia and 95 women with normal pregnancy. Genomic DNA was extracted and then DNA methylation levels of MEST and DLK1 DMRs were determined by MassARRAY quantitative methylation analysis. RESULTS The methylation levels were detected in 20 CpG sites of MEST DMR and 16 sites of DLK1 DMR. Methylation changes were significantly different at CPG1, 3, 4, 7.8, 15, 18.19, and 20 of MEST between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy (P = 0.014, 0.001, <0.001, <0.001, = 0.001, = 0.005, and = 0.003, respectively). Significant differences were also observed at CPG 3 and 9 of DLK1 (P = 0.002 and 0.027, respectively). However, overall methylation at these DMRs were not affected. CONCLUSION We conclude methylation changes at some CpG sites of MEST and DLK DMRs in preeclamptic group. This may be among the mechanisms behind the high risk of adult diseases in the later life of offspring born to preeclamptic pregnancies. ABBREVIATIONS DMR: Differentially Methylated Region; MEST: Mesoderm Specific Transcript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Wang
- a Women's Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University.,b Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital , Ningbo , China
| | - Liuxia Wan
- a Women's Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University
| | - Xiaoling Weng
- a Women's Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University
| | - Jiamin Xie
- a Women's Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University
| | - Aiping Zhang
- c Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University , Shanghai , China
| | - Yun Liu
- d Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Fudan University Shanghai Medical College , Shanghai , China.,e Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Ministry of Education, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College
| | - Minyue Dong
- a Women's Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University
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Stevens AJ, Rucklidge JJ, Kennedy MA. Epigenetics, nutrition and mental health. Is there a relationship? Nutr Neurosci 2017; 21:602-613. [PMID: 28553986 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2017.1331524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many aspects of human development and disease are influenced by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Understanding how our genes respond to the environment is central to managing health and disease, and is one of the major contemporary challenges in human genetics. Various epigenetic processes affect chromosome structure and accessibility of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to the enzymatic machinery that leads to expression of genes. One important epigenetic mechanism that appears to underlie the interaction between environmental factors, including diet, and our genome, is chemical modification of the DNA. The best understood of these modifications is methylation of cytosine residues in DNA. It is now recognized that the pattern of methylated cytosines throughout our genomes (the 'methylome') can change during development and in response to environmental cues, often with profound effects on gene expression. Many dietary constituents may indirectly influence genomic pathways that methylate DNA, and there is evidence for biochemical links between nutritional quality and mental health. Deficiency of both macro- and micronutrients has been associated with increased behavioural problems, and nutritional supplementation has proven efficacious in treatment of certain neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review we examine evidence from the fields of nutrition, developmental biology, and mental health that supports dietary impacts on epigenetic processes, particularly DNA methylation. We then consider whether such processes could underlie the demonstrated efficacy of dietary supplementation in treatment of mental disorders, and whether targeted manipulation of DNA methylation patterns using controlled dietary supplementation may be of wider clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Stevens
- a Department of Pathology , University of Otago , P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch , New Zealand
| | - Julia J Rucklidge
- b Department of Psychology , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , New Zealand
| | - Martin A Kennedy
- a Department of Pathology , University of Otago , P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch , New Zealand
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Romanus S, Neven P, Soubry A. Extending the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease theory: does paternal diet contribute to breast cancer risk in daughters? Breast Cancer Res 2016; 18:103. [PMID: 27729090 PMCID: PMC5059907 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-016-0760-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory focuses on the consequences of periconceptional and in utero exposures. A wide range of environmental conditions during early development are now being investigated as a driving force for epigenetic disruptions that enhance disease risk in later life, including cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and mental disorders and even breast cancer. Most studies involve mother–child dyads, with less focus on environmental influences through the father. Over the last few years, however, new insights have been introduced on paternal effects and the plasticity of the epigenome of developing sperm cells have been proposed to underlie inheritable changes from ancestral exposures. The field is evolving rapidly and study results from animal models are promising. Although caution should be taken in translating animal data to humans, epidemiological findings also suggest a prominent role of the father. Therefore, we here propose an extension to the DOHaD theory to include also paternally inheritable influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Romanus
- Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Neven
- Division of Gynaecological Oncology, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adelheid Soubry
- Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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Garcia-Mantrana I, Collado MC. Obesity and overweight: Impact on maternal and milk microbiome and their role for infant health and nutrition. Mol Nutr Food Res 2016; 60:1865-75. [PMID: 27159888 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201501018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Obesity, particularly in infants, is becoming a significant public health problem that has reached "epidemic" status worldwide. Obese children have an increased risk of developing obesity-related diseases, such as metabolic syndromes and diabetes, as well as increased risk of mortality and adverse health outcomes later in life. Experimental data show that maternal obesity has negative effects on the offspring's health in the short and long term. Increasing evidence suggests a key role for microbiota in host metabolism and energy harvest, providing novel tools for obesity prevention and management. The maternal environment, including nutrition and microbes, influences the likelihood of developing childhood diseases, which may persist and be exacerbated in adulthood. Maternal obesity and weight gain also influence microbiota composition and activity during pregnancy and lactation. They affect microbial diversity in the gut and breast milk. Such microbial changes may be transferred to the offspring during delivery and also during lactation, affecting infant microbial colonisation and immune system maturation. Thus, an adequate nutritional and microbial environment during the peri-natal period may provide a window of opportunity to reduce the risk of obesity and overweight in our infants using targeted strategies aimed at modulating the microbiota during early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izaskun Garcia-Mantrana
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
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de Rooij SR, van Pelt AMM, Ozanne SE, Korver CM, van Daalen SKM, Painter RC, Schwab M, Viegas MH, Roseboom TJ. Prenatal undernutrition and leukocyte telomere length in late adulthood: the Dutch famine birth cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr 2015; 102:655-60. [PMID: 26178721 DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.115.112326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Energy restriction in prenatal life has detrimental effects on later life health and longevity. Studies in rats have shown that the shortening of telomeres in key tissues plays an important role in this association. OBJECTIVE The aim of the current study was to investigate leukocyte telomere length in relation to prenatal famine exposure. DESIGN The Dutch famine birth cohort consists of 2414 term singleton men and women who were born between 1943 and 1947 in Amsterdam around the time of the famine. At a mean age of 68 y, telomere length and the percentage of short telomeres was assessed in a subsample of 131 cohort members, of whom 45 were born before the famine (control), 41 were exposed to famine during early gestation, and 45 were conceived after the famine (control). Median telomere length was determined in peripheral blood leukocytes by a high-throughput quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization-based technology. RESULTS Leukocyte telomere length and the percentage of short telomeres did not differ between those exposed to famine during early gestation and those unexposed during gestation. A lower socioeconomic status at birth, frequent consumption of alcohol (specifically consumption of spirits), a history of cancer, and a lower self-reported health status were significantly associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length (all P ≤ 0.03). Currently having a job was significantly associated with a smaller percentage of short telomeres (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION The results of the current study suggest that prenatal exposure to famine is not associated with the shortening of telomeres in peripheral blood leukocytes at age 68 y.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ans M M van Pelt
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, and
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Cindy M Korver
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, and
| | | | - Rebecca C Painter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Medical Centre at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; and
| | | | - Tessa J Roseboom
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Medical Centre at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Saulnier DD, Brolin K. A systematic review of the health effects of prenatal exposure to disaster. Int J Public Health 2015; 60:781-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00038-015-0699-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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Soubry A. Epigenetic inheritance and evolution: A paternal perspective on dietary influences. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 118:79-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Ekamper P, van Poppel F, Stein AD, Bijwaard GE, Lumey LH. Prenatal famine exposure and adult mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other causes through age 63 years. Am J Epidemiol 2015; 181:271-9. [PMID: 25632050 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwu288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutritional conditions in early life may affect adult health, but prior studies of mortality have been limited to small samples. We evaluated the relationship between pre-/perinatal famine exposure during the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945 and mortality through age 63 years among 41,096 men born in 1944-1947 and examined at age 18 years for universal military service in the Netherlands. Of these men, 22,952 had been born around the time of the Dutch famine in 6 affected cities; the remainder served as unexposed controls. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios for death from cancer, heart disease, other natural causes, and external causes. After 1,853,023 person-years of follow-up, we recorded 1,938 deaths from cancer, 1,040 from heart disease, 1,418 from other natural causes, and 523 from external causes. We found no increase in mortality from cancer or cardiovascular disease after prenatal famine exposure. However, there were increases in mortality from other natural causes (hazard ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.49) and external causes (hazard ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.97) after famine exposure in the first trimester of gestation. Further follow-up of the cohort is needed to provide more accurate risk estimates of mortality from specific causes of death after nutritional disturbances during gestation and very early life.
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Nye MD, Hoyo C, Murphy SK. In vitro lead exposure changes DNA methylation and expression of IGF2 and PEG1/MEST. Toxicol In Vitro 2015; 29:544-50. [PMID: 25596546 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Revised: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic processes, such as changes in DNA methylation, likely mediate the link between environmental exposures in utero and altered gene expression. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that regulate imprinted genes may be especially vulnerable to environmental exposures since imprinting is established and maintained largely through DNA methylation, resulting in expression from only one parental chromosome. We used the human embryonic kidney cell line, HEK-293, to investigate the effects of exposure to physiologically relevant doses of lead acetate (Pb) on the methylation status of nine imprinted gene DMRs. We assessed mean methylation after seventy-two hours of Pb exposure (0-25 μg/dL) using bisulfite pyrosequencing. The PEG1/MEST and IGF2 DMRs had maximum methylation decreases of 9.6% (20 μg/dL; p<0.005) and 3.8% (25 μg/dL; p<0.005), respectively. Changes at the MEG3 DMRs had a maximum decrease in methylation of 2.9% (MEG3) and 1.8% (MEG3-IG) at 5 μg/dL Pb, but were not statistically significant. The H19, NNAT, PEG3, PLAGL1, and SGCE/PEG10 DMRs showed a less than 0.5% change in methylation, across the dose range used, and were deemed non-responsive to Pb in our model. Pb exposure below reportable/actionable levels increased expression of PEG1/MEST concomitant with decreased methylation. These results suggest that Pb exposure can stably alter the regulatory capacity of multiple imprinted DMRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica D Nye
- Duke University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, B225 LSRC, Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Susan K Murphy
- Duke University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, B225 LSRC, Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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Beinder L, Faehrmann N, Wachtveitl R, Winterfeld I, Hartner A, Menendez-Castro C, Rauh M, Ruebner M, Huebner H, Noegel SC, Doerr HG, Rascher W, Fahlbusch FB. Detection of expressional changes induced by intrauterine growth restriction in the developing rat mammary gland via exploratory pathways analysis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100504. [PMID: 24955840 PMCID: PMC4067350 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is thought to lead to fetal programming that in turn contributes to developmental changes of many organs postnatally. There is evidence that IUGR is a risk factor for the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease later in life. A higher incidence of breast cancer was also observed after IUGR. This could be due to changes in mammary gland developmental pathways. We sought to characterise IUGR-induced alterations of the complex pathways of mammary development at the level of the transcriptome in a rat model of IUGR, using pathways analysis bioinformatics. Methodology/Principal Findings We analysed the mammary glands of Wistar rats with IUGR induced by maternal low protein (LP) diet at the beginning (d21) and the end (d28) of pubertal ductal morphogenesis. Mammary glands of the LP group were smaller in size at d28, however did not show morphologic changes. We identified multiple differentially expressed genes in the mammary gland using Agilent SurePrint arrays at d21 and d28. In silico analysis was carried out using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis. In mammary gland tissue of LP rats at d21 of life a prominent upregulation of WT1 and CDKN1A (p21) expression was observed. Differentially regulated genes were associated with the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK)-1/-2 pathway. Western Blot analysis showed reduced levels of phosphorylated ERK-1/-2 in the mammary glands of the LP group at d21. To identify possible changes in circulating steroid levels, serum LC-Tandem mass-spectrometry was performed. LP rats showed higher serum progesterone levels and an increased corticosterone/dehydrocorticosterone-ratio at d28. Conclusions/Significance Our data obtained from gene array analysis support the hypothesis that IUGR influences pubertal development of the rat mammary gland. We identified prominent differential regulation of genes and pathways for factors regulating cell cycle and growth. Moreover, we detected new pathways which appear to be programmed by IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Beinder
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nina Faehrmann
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rainer Wachtveitl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ilona Winterfeld
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrea Hartner
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carlos Menendez-Castro
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Manfred Rauh
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hanna Huebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stephanie C. Noegel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Helmuth G. Doerr
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rascher
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian B. Fahlbusch
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Matusiak K, Barrett HL, Callaway LK, Nitert MD. Periconception weight loss: common sense for mothers, but what about for babies? J Obes 2014; 2014:204295. [PMID: 24804085 PMCID: PMC3996361 DOI: 10.1155/2014/204295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity in the childbearing population is increasingly common. Obesity is associated with increased risk for a number of maternal and neonatal pregnancy complications. Some of these complications, such as gestational diabetes, are risk factors for long-term disease in both mother and baby. While clinical practice guidelines advocate for healthy weight prior to pregnancy, there is not a clear directive for achieving healthy weight before conception. There are known benefits to even moderate weight loss prior to pregnancy, but there are potential adverse effects of restricted nutrition during the periconceptional period. Epidemiological and animal studies point to differences in offspring conceived during a time of maternal nutritional restriction. These include changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, body composition, glucose metabolism, and cardiovascular function. The periconceptional period is therefore believed to play an important role in programming offspring physiological function and is sensitive to nutritional insult. This review summarizes the evidence to date for offspring programming as a result of maternal periconception weight loss. Further research is needed in humans to clearly identify benefits and potential risks of losing weight in the months before conceiving. This may then inform us of clinical practice guidelines for optimal approaches to achieving a healthy weight before pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Matusiak
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Helen L. Barrett
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- The UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, RBWH Campus, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
- The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Leonie K. Callaway
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Marloes Dekker Nitert
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- The UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, RBWH Campus, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
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Jang H, Serra C. Nutrition, epigenetics, and diseases. Clin Nutr Res 2014; 3:1-8. [PMID: 24527414 PMCID: PMC3921290 DOI: 10.7762/cnr.2014.3.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 12/21/2013] [Accepted: 12/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing epidemiological evidence suggests that maternal nutrition and environmental exposure early in development play an important role in susceptibility to disease in later life. In addition, these disease outcomes seem to pass through subsequent generations. Epigenetic modifications provide a potential link between the nutrition status during critical periods in development and changes in gene expression that may lead to disease phenotypes. An increasing body of evidence from experimental animal studies supports the role of epigenetics in disease susceptibility during critical developmental periods, including periconceptional period, gestation, and early postnatal period. The rapid improvements in genetic and epigenetic technologies will allow comprehensive investigations of the relevance of these epigenetic phenomena in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeran Jang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carlo Serra
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Soubry A, Hoyo C, Jirtle RL, Murphy SK. A paternal environmental legacy: evidence for epigenetic inheritance through the male germ line. Bioessays 2014; 36:359-71. [PMID: 24431278 PMCID: PMC4047566 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Literature on maternal exposures and the risk of epigenetic changes or diseases in the offspring is growing. Paternal contributions are often not considered. However, some animal and epidemiologic studies on various contaminants, nutrition, and lifestyle-related conditions suggest a paternal influence on the offspring's future health. The phenotypic outcomes may have been attributed to DNA damage or mutations, but increasing evidence shows that the inheritance of environmentally induced functional changes of the genome, and related disorders, are (also) driven by epigenetic components. In this essay we suggest the existence of epigenetic windows of susceptibility to environmental insults during sperm development. Changes in DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs are viable mechanistic candidates for a non-genetic transfer of paternal environmental information, from maturing germ cell to zygote. Inclusion of paternal factors in future research will ultimately improve the understanding of transgenerational epigenetic plasticity and health-related effects in future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelheid Soubry
- Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Abstract
Epigenetic processes play a central role in regulating the tissue-specific expression of genes. Alterations in these processes can lead to profound changes in phenotype and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases including human cancer. There is growing evidence that the environment, particularly variations in diet, during specific developmental periods can induce changes in the epigenome, which are then stably maintained throughout life influencing susceptibility to cancer in later life. This chapter will review the evidence that alterations in early life nutritional exposure can affect breast cancer risk through the altered epigenetic regulation of genes and discuss how detection of such altered epigenetic marks in early life may provide biomarkers to detect individuals at increased risk of disease.
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Soubry A, Murphy SK, Wang F, Huang Z, Vidal AC, Fuemmeler BF, Kurtzberg J, Murtha A, Jirtle RL, Schildkraut JM, Hoyo C. Newborns of obese parents have altered DNA methylation patterns at imprinted genes. Int J Obes (Lond) 2013; 39:650-7. [PMID: 24158121 PMCID: PMC4048324 DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2013.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Revised: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated associations between periconceptional environmental exposures and health status of the offspring in later life. Although these environmentally related effects have been attributed to epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation shifts at imprinted genes, little is known about the potential effects of maternal and paternal preconceptional overnutrition or obesity. Objective: We examined parental preconceptional obesity in relation to DNA methylation profiles at multiple human imprinted genes important in normal growth and development, such as: maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST), paternally expressed gene 3 (PEG3), pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 1 (PLAGL1), epsilon sarcoglycan and paternally expressed gene 10 (SGCE/PEG10) and neuronatin (NNAT). Methods: We measured methylation percentages at the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) by bisulfite pyrosequencing in DNA extracted from umbilical cord blood leukocytes of 92 newborns. Preconceptional obesity, defined as BMI ⩾30 kg m−2, was ascertained through standardized questionnaires. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders and cluster effects, paternal obesity was significantly associated with lower methylation levels at the MEST (β=−2.57; s.e.=0.95; P=0.008), PEG3 (β=−1.71; s.e.=0.61; P=0.005) and NNAT (β=−3.59; s.e.=1.76; P=0.04) DMRs. Changes related to maternal obesity detected at other loci were as follows: β-coefficient was +2.58 (s.e.=1.00; P=0.01) at the PLAGL1 DMR and −3.42 (s.e.=1.69; P=0.04) at the MEG3 DMR. Conclusion: We found altered methylation outcomes at multiple imprint regulatory regions in children born to obese parents, compared with children born to non-obese parents. In spite of the small sample size, our data suggest a preconceptional influence of parental life-style or overnutrition on the (re)programming of imprint marks during gametogenesis and early development. More specifically, the significant and independent association between paternal obesity and the offspring's methylation status suggests the susceptibility of the developing sperm for environmental insults. The acquired imprint instability may be carried onto the next generation and increase the risk for chronic diseases in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Soubry
- 1] Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA [2] Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S K Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - F Wang
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Z Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - A C Vidal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Clinical and Epidemiologic Research and Cancer Prevention, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - B F Fuemmeler
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - J Kurtzberg
- Carolinas Cord Blood Bank, Robertson Cell and Translational Therapy Program, Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - A Murtha
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - R L Jirtle
- Department of Oncology, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - J M Schildkraut
- 1] Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA [2] Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - C Hoyo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Clinical and Epidemiologic Research and Cancer Prevention, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Schmidt CW. Uncertain inheritance transgenerational effects of environmental exposures. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2013; 121:A298-303. [PMID: 24218659 PMCID: PMC3801462 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.121-a298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
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Soubry A, Schildkraut JM, Murtha A, Wang F, Huang Z, Bernal A, Kurtzberg J, Jirtle RL, Murphy SK, Hoyo C. Paternal obesity is associated with IGF2 hypomethylation in newborns: results from a Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST) cohort. BMC Med 2013; 11:29. [PMID: 23388414 PMCID: PMC3584733 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-11-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 260] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data from epidemiological and animal model studies suggest that nutrition during pregnancy may affect the health status of subsequent generations. These transgenerational effects are now being explained by disruptions at the level of the epigenetic machinery. Besides in vitro environmental exposures, the possible impact on the reprogramming of methylation profiles at imprinted genes at a much earlier time point, such as during spermatogenesis or oogenesis, has not previously been considered. In this study, our aim was to determine associations between preconceptional obesity and DNA methylation profiles in the offspring, particularly at the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the imprinted Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene. METHODS We examined DNA from umbilical cord blood leukocytes from 79 newborns, born between July 2005 and November 2006 at Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC. Their mothers participated in the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST) during pregnancy. Parental characteristics were obtained via standardized questionnaires and medical records. DNA methylation patterns at two DMRs were analyzed by bisulfite pyrosequencing; one DMR upstream of IGF2 (IGF2 DMR), and one DMR upstream of the neighboring H19 gene (H19 DMR). Multiple regression models were used to determine potential associations between the offspring's DNA methylation patterns and parental obesity before conception. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m². RESULTS Hypomethylation at the IGF2 DMR was associated with paternal obesity. Even after adjusting for several maternal and newborn characteristics, we observed a persistent inverse association between DNA methylation in the offspring and paternal obesity (β-coefficient was -5.28, P = 0.003). At the H19 DMR, no significant associations were detected between methylation patterns and paternal obesity. Our data suggest an increase in DNA methylation at the IGF2 and H19 DMRs among newborns from obese mothers, but a larger study is warranted to further explore the potential effects of maternal obesity or lifestyle on the offspring's epigenome. CONCLUSIONS While our small sample size is limited, our data indicate a preconceptional impact of paternal obesity on the reprogramming of imprint marks during spermatogenesis. Given the biological importance of imprinting fidelity, our study provides evidence for transgenerational effects of paternal obesity that may influence the offspring's future health status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelheid Soubry
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center 2715, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Veenendaal MVE, Painter RC, de Rooij SR, Bossuyt PMM, van der Post JAM, Gluckman PD, Hanson MA, Roseboom TJ. Transgenerational effects of prenatal exposure to the 1944-45 Dutch famine. BJOG 2013; 120:548-53. [PMID: 23346894 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We previously showed that maternal under-nutrition during gestation is associated with increased metabolic and cardiovascular disease in the offspring. Also, we found increased neonatal adiposity among the grandchildren of women who had been undernourished during pregnancy. In the present study we investigated whether these transgenerational effects have led to altered body composition and poorer health in adulthood in the grandchildren. DESIGN Historical cohort study. SETTING Web-based questionnaire. POPULATION The adult offspring (F2) of a cohort of men and women (F1) born around the time of the 1944-45 Dutch famine. METHODS We approached the F2 adults through their parents. Participating F2 adults (n = 360, mean age 37 years) completed an online questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Weight, body mass index (BMI), and health in F2 adults, according to F1 prenatal famine exposure. RESULTS Adult offspring (F2) of prenatally exposed F1 fathers had higher weights and BMIs than offspring of prenatally unexposed F1 fathers (+4.9 kg, P = 0.03; +1.6 kg/m(2), P = 0.006). No such effect was found for the F2 offspring of prenatally exposed F1 mothers. We observed no differences in adult health between the F2 generation groups. CONCLUSIONS Offspring of prenatally undernourished fathers, but not mothers, were heavier and more obese than offspring of fathers and mothers who had not been undernourished prenatally. We found no evidence of transgenerational effects of grandmaternal under-nutrition during gestation on the health of this relatively young group, but the increased adiposity in the offspring of prenatally undernourished fathers may lead to increased chronic disease rates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M V E Veenendaal
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Pasternak Y, Aviram A, Poraz I, Hod M. Maternal nutrition and offspring's adulthood NCD's: a review. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2012; 26:439-44. [PMID: 23130606 DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2012.745505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Overnutrition and undernutrition during pregnancy are closely related to pregnancy outcome as well as neonatal and perinatal outcomes. This and more, from various published data it seems that the effect of maternal nutrition during fetal life stretches far beyond the neonatal period, and influences health issues in adulthood, from cardiovascular and metabolic disorders through mental illnesses. The purpose of this review is to update about overnutrition and undernutrition during pregnancy and their effect on noncommunicable adulthood diseases, and about leading theories on the subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Pasternak
- Soroka Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beer Sheva, Israel
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Vin-Raviv N, Barchana M, Linn S, Keinan-Boker L. Severe caloric restriction in young women during World War II and subsequent breast cancer risk. Int J Clin Pract 2012; 66:948-58. [PMID: 22994329 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2012.02966.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM The objective of the study was to examine the impact of WWII-related caloric restriction (CR) on subsequent breast cancer (BC) risk based on individual exposure experiences and whether this effect was modified by age at exposure. METHODOLOGY We compared 65 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2005-2010 to 200 controls without breast cancer who were all members of various organizations for Jewish WWII survivors in Israel. All participants were Jewish women born in Europe prior to 1945 who lived at least 6 months under Nazi rule during WWII and immigrated to Israel after the war. We estimated CR using a combined index for hunger and used logistic regression models to estimate the association between CR and BC, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS Women who were severely exposed to hunger had an increased risk of BC (OR=5.0, 95% CI= 2.3-10.8) compared to women who were mildly exposed. The association between CR and BC risk was stronger for women who were exposed at a younger age (0-7 years) compared to the risk of BC in women exposed at ≥ 14 years (OR= 2.8, 95% CI=1.3-6.3). CONCLUSIONS Severe exposure to CR is associated with a higher risk for BC decades later, and may be generalized to other cases of severe starvation during childhood that may have long-term effects on cancer in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Vin-Raviv
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel Israel.
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Murphy SK, Huang Z, Hoyo C. Differentially methylated regions of imprinted genes in prenatal, perinatal and postnatal human tissues. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40924. [PMID: 22808284 PMCID: PMC3396645 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic plasticity in relation to in utero exposures may mechanistically explain observed differences in the likelihood of developing common complex diseases including hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease through the cumulative effects of subtle alterations in gene expression. Imprinted genes are essential mediators of growth and development and are characterized by differentially methylated regulatory regions (DMRs) that carry parental allele-specific methylation profiles. This theoretical 50% level of methylation provides a baseline from which endogenously- or exogenously-induced deviations in methylation can be detected. We quantified DNA methylation at imprinted gene DMRs in a large panel of human conceptal tissues, in matched buccal cell specimens collected at birth and at one year of age, and in the major cell fractions of umbilical cord blood to assess the stability of methylation at these regions. DNA methylation was measured using validated pyrosequencing assays at seven DMRs regulating the IGF2/H19, DLK1/MEG3, MEST, NNAT and SGCE/PEG10 imprinted domains. DMR methylation did not significantly differ for the H19, MEST and SGCE/PEG10 DMRs across all conceptal tissues analyzed (ANOVA p>0.10). Methylation differences at several DMRs were observed in tissues from brain (IGF2 and MEG3-IG DMRs), liver (IGF2 and MEG3 DMRs) and placenta (both DLK1/MEG3 DMRs and NNAT DMR). In most infants, methylation profiles in buccal cells at birth and at one year of age were comparable, as was methylation in the major cell fractions of umbilical cord blood. Several infants showed temporal deviations in methylation at multiple DMRs. Similarity of inter-individual and intra-individual methylation at some, but not all of the DMRs analyzed supports the possibility that methylation of these regions can serve as useful biosensors of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan K Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
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Prenatal famine exposure, health in later life and promoter methylation of four candidate genes. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2012; 3:450-7. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174412000396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Poor nutrition during fetal development can permanently alter growth, cardiovascular physiology and metabolic function. Animal studies have shown that prenatal undernutrition followed by balanced postnatal nutrition alters deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation of gene promoter regions of candidate metabolic control genes in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate whether methylation status of the proximal promoter regions of four candidate genes differed between individuals exposed to the Dutch famine in utero. In addition, we determined whether methylation status of these genes was associated with markers of metabolic and cardiovascular disease and adult lifestyle. Methylation status of the GR1-C (glucocorticoid receptor), PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma), lipoprotein lipase and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase p85 proximal promoters was investigated in DNA isolated from peripheral blood samples of 759 58-year-old subjects born around the time of the 1944–45 Dutch famine. We observed no differences in methylation levels of the promoters between exposed and unexposed men and women. Methylation status of PPARγ was associated with levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides as well as with exercise and smoking. Hypomethylation of the GR promoter was associated with adverse adult lifestyle factors, including higher body mass index, less exercise and more smoking. The previously reported increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease after prenatal famine exposure was not associated with differences in methylation status across the promoter regions of these candidate genes measured in peripheral blood. The adult environment seems to affect GR and PPARγ promoter methylation.
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Huidobro C, Fernandez AF, Fraga MF. Aging epigenetics: causes and consequences. Mol Aspects Med 2012; 34:765-81. [PMID: 22771540 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2012.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Growth and development of higher organisms are regulated by the orchestrated change of epigenetic marks over time. In addition, there is also an epigenetic variation without any apparent role in development that is thought to be the result of the stochastic accumulation of epigenetic errors. The process depends on genetic and environmental factors and, when it takes place in adult stem cells, it could play an important role in aging, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Covadonga Huidobro
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), HUCA, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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Abstract
Gene-environment interactions have been traditionally understood to promote the acquisition of mutations that drive multistage carcinogenesis, and, in the case of inherited defects in tumour suppressor genes, additional mutations are required for cancer development. However, the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD) hypothesis provides an alternative model whereby environmental exposures during development increase susceptibility to cancer in adulthood, not by inducing genetic mutations, but by reprogramming the epigenome. We hypothesize that this epigenetic reprogramming functions as a new type of gene-environment interaction by which environmental exposures target the epigenome to increase cancer susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Lyn Walker
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 2121 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Thangaratinam S, Rogozinska E, Jolly K, Glinkowski S, Roseboom T, Tomlinson JW, Kunz R, Mol BW, Coomarasamy A, Khan KS. Effects of interventions in pregnancy on maternal weight and obstetric outcomes: meta-analysis of randomised evidence. BMJ 2012; 344:e2088. [PMID: 22596383 PMCID: PMC3355191 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.e2088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 544] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of dietary and lifestyle interventions in pregnancy on maternal and fetal weight and to quantify the effects of these interventions on obstetric outcomes. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES Major databases from inception to January 2012 without language restrictions. STUDY SELECTION Randomised controlled trials that evaluated any dietary or lifestyle interventions with potential to influence maternal weight during pregnancy and outcomes of pregnancy. DATA SYNTHESIS Results summarised as relative risks for dichotomous data and mean differences for continuous data. RESULTS We identified 44 relevant randomised controlled trials (7278 women) evaluating three categories of interventions: diet, physical activity, and a mixed approach. Overall, there was 1.42 kg reduction (95% confidence interval 0.95 to 1.89 kg) in gestational weight gain with any intervention compared with control. With all interventions combined, there were no significant differences in birth weight (mean difference -50 g, -100 to 0 g) and the incidence of large for gestational age (relative risk 0.85, 0.66 to 1.09) or small for gestational age (1.00, 0.78 to 1.28) babies between the groups, though by itself physical activity was associated with reduced birth weight (mean difference -60 g, -120 to -10 g). Interventions were associated with a reduced the risk of pre-eclampsia (0.74, 0.60 to 0.92) and shoulder dystocia (0.39, 0.22 to 0.70), with no significant effect on other critically important outcomes. Dietary intervention resulted in the largest reduction in maternal gestational weight gain (3.84 kg, 2.45 to 5.22 kg), with improved pregnancy outcomes compared with other interventions. The overall evidence rating was low to very low for important outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preterm delivery. CONCLUSIONS Dietary and lifestyle interventions in pregnancy can reduce maternal gestational weight gain and improve outcomes for both mother and baby. Among the interventions, those based on diet are the most effective and are associated with reductions in maternal gestational weight gain and improved obstetric outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Thangaratinam
- Women's Health Research Unit, Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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Roseboom TJ. Undernutrition during fetal life and the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Future Cardiol 2012; 8:5-7. [PMID: 22185440 DOI: 10.2217/fca.11.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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van Abeelen AFM, Veenendaal MVE, Painter RC, de Rooij SR, Dijkgraaf MGW, Bossuyt PMM, Elias SG, Grobbee DE, Uiterwaal CSPM, Roseboom TJ. Survival effects of prenatal famine exposure. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 95:179-83. [PMID: 22170371 DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.111.022038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse intrauterine conditions are known to be associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases in adult life. Previously, we showed that prenatal famine exposure increased the incidence of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in adulthood. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between prenatal famine exposure and adult mortality. DESIGN We studied adult mortality among 1991 term singletons from the Dutch Famine Birth Cohort. We compared overall and cause-specific adult mortality among people exposed to famine in late, mid, and early gestation with those unexposed to famine in utero by using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS A total of 206 persons (10%) had died by the end of follow-up. Compared with unexposed women, women exposed to famine in early gestation had a significantly higher risk of overall adult mortality (HR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1, 3.4), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 4.6; 95% CI: 1.2, 17.7), cancer mortality (HR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.7), and breast cancer mortality (HR: 8.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 63.0). In men exposed to famine in early gestation, these associations were as follows compared with unexposed men: overall adult mortality (HR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2, 1.1), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.3, 3.1), and cancer mortality (HR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.0, 1.9). CONCLUSIONS Women exposed to famine in early gestation had a higher overall adult, cardiovascular, cancer, and breast cancer mortality risk than did women not exposed to famine. No such effects were observed in men exposed to famine in early gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annet F M van Abeelen
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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