Lee HS, Barraza-Villarreal A, Hernandez-Vargas H, Sly PD, Biessy C, Ramakrishnan U, Romieu I, Herceg Z. Modulation of DNA methylation states and infant immune system by dietary supplementation with ω-3 PUFA during pregnancy in an intervention study.
Am J Clin Nutr 2013;
98:480-7. [PMID:
23761484 PMCID:
PMC3712555 DOI:
10.3945/ajcn.112.052241]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Early-life exposures to tobacco smoke and some dietary factors have been identified to induce epigenetic changes in genes involved in allergy and asthma development. Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake during pregnancy could modulate key cytokines and T helper (Th) cell maturation; however, little is known about the mechanism by which ω-3 PUFA could have a beneficial effect in preventing inflammatory disorders.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to test whether prenatal dietary supplementation with ω-3 PUFA during pregnancy may modulate epigenetic states in the infant immune system.
DESIGN
This study was based on a randomized intervention trial conducted in Mexican pregnant women supplemented daily with 400 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or a placebo from 18 to 22 wk of gestation to parturition. We applied quantitative profiling of DNA methylation states in Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T-relevant genes as well as LINE1 repetitive elements of cord blood mononuclear cells (n = 261).
RESULTS
No significant difference in promoter methylation levels was shown between ω-3 PUFA-supplemented and control groups for the genes analyzed; however, ω-3 PUFA supplementation was associated with changes in methylation levels in LINE1 repetitive elements (P = 0.03) in infants of mothers who smoked during pregnancy. Furthermore, an association between the promoter methylation levels of IFNγ and IL13 was modulated by ω-3 PUFA supplementation (P = 0.06).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that maternal supplementation with ω-3 PUFA during pregnancy may modulate global methylation levels and the Th1/Th2 balance in infants. Therefore, the epigenetic mechanisms could provide attractive targets for prenatal modulation and prevention of inflammatory disorders and potentially other related diseases in childhood and adulthood.
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