Maternal vitamin D, DNA methylation at imprint regulatory regions and offspring weight at birth, 1 year and 3 years

Dietary nutrients during gestation cause obesity and related metabolic changes by altering DNA methylation in the offspring

Growing evidence shows that maternal nutrition from preconception until lactation has an important effect on the development of non-communicable diseases in the offspring. Biological responses to environmental stress during pregnancy, including undernutrition or overnutrition of various nutrients, are transmitted in part by DNA methylation. The aim of the present narrative review is to summarize literature data on altered DNA methylation patterns caused by maternal macronutrient or vitamin intake and its association with offspring's phenotype (obesity and related metabolic changes). With our literature search, we found evidence for the association between alterations in DNA methylation pattern of different genes caused by maternal under- or overnutrition of several nutrients (protein, fructose, fat, vitamin D, methyl-group donor nutrients) during 3 critical periods of programming (preconception, pregnancy, lactation) and the development of obesity or related metabolic changes (glucose, insulin, lipid, leptin, adiponectin levels, blood pressure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) in offspring. The review highlights that maternal consumption of several nutrients could individually affect the development of offspring's obesity and related metabolic changes via alterations in DNA methylation.

The Gestational Effects of Maternal Bone Marker Molecules on Fetal Growth, Metabolism and Long-Term Metabolic Health: A Systematic Review

Fetal exposure in adverse environmental factors during intrauterine life can lead to various biological adjustments, affecting not only in utero development of the conceptus, but also its later metabolic and endocrine wellbeing. During human gestation, maternal bone turnover increases, as reflected by molecules involved in bone metabolism, such as vitamin D, osteocalcin, sclerostin, sRANKL, and osteoprotegerin; however, recent studies support their emerging role in endocrine functions and glucose homeostasis regulation. Herein, we sought to systematically review current knowledge on the effects of aforementioned maternal bone biomarkers during pregnancy on fetal intrauterine growth and metabolism, neonatal anthropometric measures at birth, as well as on future endocrine and metabolic wellbeing of the offspring. A growing body of literature converges on the view that maternal bone turnover is likely implicated in fetal growth, and at least to some extent, in neonatal and childhood body composition and metabolic wellbeing. Maternal sclerostin and sRANKL are positively linked with fetal abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat deposition, contributing to greater birthweights. Vitamin D deficiency correlates with lower birthweights, while research is still needed on intrauterine fetal metabolism, as well as on vitamin D dosing supplementation during pregnancy, to diminish the risks of low birthweight or SGA neonates in high-risk populations.

Vitamin D: Before, during and after Pregnancy: Effect on Neonates and Children

A worldwide high prevalence of vitamin D (VD) deficiency has become of growing concern because of potential adverse effects on human health, including pregnant women and their offsprings. Beyond its classical function as a regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism, together with its fundamental role in bone health in every stage of life, its deficiency has been associated to multiple adverse health effects. The classic effects of VD deficiency in pregnancy and neonates have been late hypocalcemia and nutritional rickets. Nevertheless, recent studies have linked VD to fertility and 25(OH)D with several clinical conditions in pregnancy: preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, higher incidence of cesarean section and preterm birth, while in infants, the clinical conditions are low birth weight, lower bone mass and possible relationship with the development of such diseases as bronchiolitis, asthma, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and autism included as VD non-classical actions. The supplementation with Vitamin D and achievement of optimal levels reduce maternal-fetal and newborn complications. Supplementation in children with VD deficiency reduces the risk of respiratory infections and possibly autoimmune diseases and autism. This review emphasizes the roles of Vitamin D deficiency and the consequences of intervention from preconception to infancy.

Maternal tobacco smoke exposure is associated with increased DNA methylation at human metastable epialleles in infant cord blood

Metastable epialleles (MEs) are genomic regions that are stochastically methylated prior to germ layer specification and exhibit high interindividual but low intra-individual variability across tissues. ME methylation is vulnerable to environmental stressors, including diet. Tobacco smoke (TS) exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse impacts on fetal health and maternal micronutrient levels as well as altered methylation. Our objective was to determine if maternal smoke exposure impacts methylation at MEs. Consistent with prior studies, we observed reductions in one-carbon pathway micronutrients with gestational TS exposure, including maternal folate (P = 0.02) and vitamins B6 (P = 0.05) and B12 (P = 0.007). We examined putative MEs BOLA3, PAX8, and ZFYVE28 in cord blood specimens from 85 Newborn Epigenetics STudy participants. Gestational TS exposure was associated with elevated DNA methylation at PAX8 (+5.22% average methylation; 95% CI: 0.33% to 10.10%; P = 0.037). In human conceptal kidney tissues, higher PAX8 transcription was associated with lower methylation (R s = 0.55; P = 0.07), suggesting that the methylation levels established at MEs, and their environmentally induced perturbation, may have meaningful, tissue-specific functional consequences. This may be particularly important because PAX8 is implicated in several cancers, including pediatric kidney cancer. Our data are the first to indicate vulnerability of human ME methylation establishment to TS exposure, with a general trend of increasing levels of methylation at these loci. Further investigation is needed to determine how TS exposure-mediated changes in DNA methylation at MEs, and consequent expression levels, might affect smoking-related disease risk.

Vitamin D and its Effects on DNA Methylation in Development, Aging, and Disease

DNA methylation is increasingly being recognized as a mechanism through which environmental exposures confer disease risk. Several studies have examined the association between vitamin D and changes in DNA methylation in areas as diverse as human and animal development, genomic stability, chronic disease risk, and malignancy. In many cases, they have demonstrated clear associations between vitamin D and DNA methylation in candidate disease pathways. Despite this, a clear understanding of the mechanisms by which these factors interact is unclear. This paper reviews the current understanding of the effects of vitamin D on DNA methylation. In light of current knowledge in the field, the potential mechanisms mediating vitamin D effects on DNA methylation are discussed, as are the limiting factors and future avenues for research into this exciting area.

Vitamin D deficiency serves as a precursor to stunted growth and central adiposity in zebrafish

Emerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D (1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) levels during early life stage development with deficiencies associated with long-term effects into adulthood. While vitamin D has traditionally been associated with mineral ion homeostasis, accumulating evidence suggests non-calcemic roles for vitamin D including metabolic homeostasis. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during early life stage development precedes metabolic disruption. Three dietary cohorts of zebrafish were placed on engineered diets including a standard laboratory control diet, a vitamin D null diet, and a vitamin D enriched diet. Zebrafish grown on a vitamin D null diet between 2–12 months post fertilization (mpf) exhibited diminished somatic growth and enhanced central adiposity associated with accumulation and enlargement of visceral and subcutaneous adipose depots indicative of both adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia. VDD zebrafish exhibited elevated hepatic triglycerides, attenuated plasma free fatty acids and attenuated lipoprotein lipase activity consistent with hallmarks of dyslipidemia. VDD induced dysregulation of gene networks associated with growth hormone and insulin signaling, including induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling. These findings indicate that early developmental VDD impacts metabolic health by disrupting the balance between somatic growth and adipose accumulation.

Maternal vitamin D deficiency and developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is metabolized in the body to generate an active metabolite (1,25(OH)2D) with hormone-like activity and highly diverse roles in cellular function. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a prevalent but easily preventable nutritional disturbance. Emerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D concentrations during fetal life with deficiencies leading to long-term effects into adulthood. Here, we provide a detailed review and perspective of evidence for the role of maternal VDD in offspring long term health, particularly as it relates to Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). We focus on roles in neurobehavioral and cardiometabolic disorders in humans and highlight recent findings from zebrafish and rodent models that probe potential mechanisms linking early life VDD to later life health outcomes. Moreover, we explore evidence implicating epigenetic mechanisms as a mediator of this link. Gaps in our current understanding of how maternal VDD might result in deleterious offspring outcomes later in life are also addressed.

Racial and ethnic differences in predictors of vitamin D among pregnant women in south-eastern USA

Insufficient vitamin D during pregnancy increases risk of adverse outcomes, with known differences by race/ethnicity. We sought to determine whether predictors of vitamin D insufficiency vary by race/ethnicity in an ethnically diverse pregnancy cohort. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and patient characteristics were measured at first prenatal visit to prenatal clinics in south-eastern USA between 2009 and 2011 (n 504). Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95 % CI were estimated using multivariable regression to quantify predictors of vitamin D insufficiency, overall and by race/ethnicity. In race/ethnicity-stratified models, season was most associated with vitamin D insufficiency among non-Hispanic white women; PR for winter v. summer were 3·58 (95 % CI 1·64, 7·81) for non-Hispanic white, 1·52 (95 % CI 1·18, 1·95) for Hispanic and 1·14 (95 % CI 0·99, 1·30) for non-Hispanic black women. Although women with darker skin tones are most vulnerable to prenatal vitamin D insufficiency, season may be more strongly associated with insufficiency among women with lighter skin tones.

Effects of Maternal Vitamin D Supplementation on the Maternal and Infant Epigenome

INTRODUCTION

Mothers and infants are at high risk for inadequate vitamin D status. Mechanisms by which vitamin D may affect maternal and infant DNA methylation are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

This study quantified the effects of vitamin D₃ supplementation on DNA methylation in pregnant and lactating women and their breastfed infants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this randomized controlled pilot study, pregnant women received vitamin D₃ 400 international units (IU) (n = 6; control) or 3,800 IU (n = 7; intervention) daily from late second trimester through 4-6 weeks postpartum. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation was quantified in leukocytes collected from mothers at birth and mother-infant dyads at 4-6 weeks postpartum.

RESULTS

At birth, intervention group mothers showed DNA methylation gain and loss at 76 and 89 cytosine-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides, respectively, compared to controls. Postpartum, methylation gain was noted at 200 and loss at 102 CpGs. Associated gene clusters showed strongest biologic relevance for cell migration/motility and cellular membrane function at birth and cadherin signaling and immune function at postpartum. Breastfed 4-6-week-old infants of intervention mothers showed DNA methylation gain and loss in 217 and 213 CpGs, respectively, compared to controls. Genes showing differential methylation mapped most strongly to collagen metabolic processes and regulation of apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and lactation alters DNA methylation in mothers and breastfed infants. Additional work is needed to fully elucidate the short- and long-term biologic effects of vitamin D supplementation at varying doses, which could hold important implications for establishing clinical recommendations for prenatal and offspring health promotion.