1
|
Tang K, Zhu X, Xie S, Lang Z, Zhu JK. Transgenerational increases in DNA methylation in Arabidopsis plants defective in active DNA demethylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320468121. [PMID: 38768356 PMCID: PMC11145202 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320468121] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous gain or loss of DNA methylation occurs in plant and animal genomes, and DNA methylation changes can lead to meiotically stable epialleles that generate heritable phenotypic diversity. However, it is unclear whether transgenerational epigenetic stability may be regulated by any cellular factors. Here, we examined spontaneously occurring variations in DNA methylation in wild-type and ros1 mutant Arabidopsis plants that were propagated for ten generations from single-seed descent. We found that the ros1 mutant, which is defective in active DNA demethylation, showed an increased transgenerational epimutation rate. The ros1 mutation led to more spontaneously gained methylation than lost methylation at individual cytosines, compared to the wild type which had similar numbers of spontaneously gained and lost methylation cytosines. Consistently, transgenerational differentially methylated regions were also biased toward hypermethylation in the ros1 mutant. Our results reveal a genetic contribution of the ROS1 DNA demethylase to transgenerational epigenetic stability and suggest that ROS1 may have an unexpected surveillance function in preventing transgenerational DNA methylation increases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Tang
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN47907
| | - Xiaohong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng475004, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Henan University, Kaifeng475004, China
| | - Shaojun Xie
- Bioinformatics Core, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN47907
| | - Zhaobo Lang
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
What explains the large disparity in child stunting in the Philippines? A decomposition analysis. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:2995-3007. [PMID: 34602121 PMCID: PMC9991861 DOI: 10.1017/s136898002100416x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE About one-third of under-five Filipino children are stunted, with significant socio-economic inequality. This study aims to quantify factors that explain the large gap in stunting between poor and non-poor Filipino children. DESIGN Using the 2015 Philippine National Nutrition Survey, we conducted a linear probability model to examine the determinants of child stunting and then an Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition to explain the factors contributing to the gap in stunting between poor and non-poor children. SETTING Philippines. PARTICIPANTS 1881 children aged 6-23 months participated in this study. RESULTS The overall stunting prevalence was 38·5 % with a significant gap between poor and non-poor (45·0 % v. 32·0 %). Maternal height, education and maternal nutrition status account for 26 %, 18 % and 17 % of stunting inequality, respectively. These are followed by quality of prenatal care (12 %), dietary diversity (12 %) and iron supplementation in children (5 %). CONCLUSIONS Maternal factors account for more than 50 % of the gap in child stunting in the Philippines. This signifies the critical role of maternal biological and socio-economic circumstances in improving the linear growth of children.
Collapse
|
3
|
Parsons CM, Carter SA, Ward K, Syddall HE, Clynes MA, Cooper C, Dennison EM. Intergenerational effect of early-life growth on offspring height: Evidence from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2020; 34:29-35. [PMID: 31960473 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous intergenerational (parent to child) and transgenerational (grandparent to grandchild) studies have shown there is a link between parental and offspring birthweight. OBJECTIVES The aim was to explore the association between the early-life weight gain of an individual and the adult height of their children and grandchildren. METHODS Study participants across three generations of the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS) were included in this study. Health visitors recorded the birthweight (kg) and weight at 1 year (kg) of the original (F0 generation) HCS participants when they were born in Hertfordshire between 1931 and 1939. A conditional infant weight gain score for F0 participants was calculated using birthweight and weight at 1 year, and self-reported height (cm) of their children (F1 generation) and their grandchildren (F2 generation) was obtained from postal questionnaires. Due to the lack of clustering within family lines, linear regression analysis was used to compare intergenerational relationships. RESULTS Data were available from 139 F0, 148 F1, and 198 F2 participants. A positive association was found between parental birthweight (F0) and offspring adult height; on average, a 1 kg increase in F0 birthweight was associated with a 2.04 cm increase in F1 adult height (beta 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.03, 4.10). A positive association was found between F0 conditional weight gain during the first year of life and offspring (beta 1.53, 95% CI 0.45, 2.62) and grandchild height (beta 1.06, 95% CI 0.03, 2.10). Positive associations were also found between F0 weight at 1 year and offspring (beta 1.83, 95% CI 0.79, 2.87) and grandchild height (beta 0.91, 95% CI -0.10, 1.91). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates an association between grandparental weight gain in early life and the heights of their children and grandchildren. The results of these analyses highlight the importance of early-life weight gain on the adult stature of subsequent offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camille M Parsons
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Sarah A Carter
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Kate Ward
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,MRC Nutrition and Bone Health Research Group, Cambridge, UK
| | - Holly E Syddall
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Michael A Clynes
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Cyrus Cooper
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.,NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elaine M Dennison
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Townsend ML, Kelly MA, Pickard JA, Larkin TA, Flood VM, Caputi P, Wright IM, Jones A, Grenyer BFS. Illawarra Born cross-generational health study: feasibility of a multi-generational birth cohort study. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2019; 5:32. [PMID: 30834141 PMCID: PMC6390311 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-019-0418-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a strong interest in the concept of developmental origins of health and disease and their influence on various factors “from cradle to grave”. Despite the increasing appreciation of this lifelong legacy across the human life course, many gaps remain in the scientific understanding of mechanisms influencing these formative phases. Cross-generational susceptibility to health problems is emerging as a focus of research in the context of birth cohort studies. The primary aim of the Illawarra Born study is to make scientific discoveries associated with improving health and wellbeing across the lifespan, with a particular focus on preventable chronic diseases, especially mental health. This birth cohort study will follow and collect data from three cohorts representing different stages across the lifespan: infants, adults (parents) and older adults (grandparents). The multi-generational, cross-sectional and longitudinal design of this birth cohort study supports a focus on the contributions of genetics, environment and lifestyle on health and wellbeing. The feasibility of conducting a multi-generational longitudinal birth cohort project was conducted through a small pilot study. Methods/design The purpose of this paper is to report on the feasibility and acceptability of the research protocol for a collaborative cross-generation health study in the community and test recruitment and outcome measures for the main study. This feasibility study included pregnant women who were intending to give birth in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region in Eastern Australia. The area includes a large, regional referral hospital, with capacity to treat specialist and complex cases. Pregnant women were asked to participate in five data collection waves beginning at 22 weeks gestation and ending with a 6-month post-partum appointment. Recruitment was then extended, via the pregnant women, to also include fathers and maternal grandmothers. Discussion This feasibility study focused on the perinatal period and collected data across three multi-disciplinary domains including mental health, diet, exposures to toxins and the role of these in maternal and infant outcomes. Forty-one families participated in extensive data collection from 22 weeks gestation to 6-months post-partum. Factors impacting on viability and feasibility including recruitment solutions provide the basis for a large-scale study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Townsend
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,2School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Megan A Kelly
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,7School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Judy A Pickard
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,2School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Theresa A Larkin
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,3Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Victoria M Flood
- 5Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825 Australia.,6St Vincent's Hospital, 390 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - Peter Caputi
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,2School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Ian M Wright
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,3Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,4Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, NSW Health, Locked Mail Bag 8808, South Coast Mail Centre, North Sydney, NSW 2521 Australia
| | - Alison Jones
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,3Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Brin F S Grenyer
- 1Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia.,2School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gibberd AJ, Simpson JM, McNamara BJ, Eades SJ. Maternal fetal programming of birthweight among Australian Aboriginal infants: a population-based data linkage study. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2019; 7:e523-e532. [PMID: 30799143 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30561-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low birthweight, which is common among Australian Aboriginal infants, has been found to persist across generations because of shared genetic and environmental factors and possibly fetal programming. Fetal programming refers to the response of a fetus to hostile uterine conditions with lifelong effects and possibly, in turn, providing a poorer uterine environment for future offspring. Fetal programming might have a greater effect in populations that have undergone rapid lifestyle transitions-for example, Indigenous populations. Disentangling causal effects is difficult, but family-based approaches could provide insights. We explored whether poor maternal fetal growth caused low birthweight in Aboriginal infants. METHODS In this data linkage study, we used linked administrative health records of 12 865 singleton Aboriginal infants born in Western Australia between 1980 and 2010 and their relatives (including siblings born in 2011). Electronic birth records included all births since 1980 with at least 20 weeks completed gestation or a birthweight of 400 g. We compared parental-offspring birthweight associations using three approaches-a regression analysis of the complete sample, adjusting for confounding variables; a comparison of the maternal-offspring and paternal-offspring associations; and a within-cousin group comparison. We used binary and continuous measures of birthweight. We categorised infants and their parents as small for gestational age (SGA) if their birthweight was below the first decile of birthweights for all singleton livebirths of the same sex and gestational age in Australia between 1998 and 2007. FINDINGS The relative risk (RR) of SGA birth was higher for infants with SGA mothers than for those with non-SGA mothers (RR 1·65, 95% CI 1·49 to 1·83), after adjusting for grandmaternal parity. After additional adjustment for maternal height, the risk remained higher for those with non-SGA mothers (RR 1·51, 1·36 to 1·68). The maternal birthweight Z score coefficient was 0·17 (95% CI 0·14 to 0·20), compared with 0·13 (0·10 to 0·16) for paternal birthweight, a difference of 0·03 (-0·01 to 0·08). In the cousin analysis, the maternal-offspring association was fully attenuated (0·00, 95% CI -0·05 to 0·06). Conditions in the current pregnancy were strongly associated with offspring birthweight Z score. Smoking was associated with a mean decrease of 0·39 (95% CI -0·45 to -0·34) in offspring birthweight Z score, drug misuse with a decrease of 0·31 (-0·43 to -0·20), and diabetes with an increase of 0·58 (0·39 to 0·77). INTERPRETATION We found little support for maternal fetal programming causing low offspring birthweight. The similar maternal and paternal influence on birthweight and our cousin analysis suggested transmission of genetic and environmental factors could explain much of the maternal-offspring birthweight association. Compared with other risk factors in the current pregnancy, fetal programming appears to have little or no role in the high numbers of infants with low birthweight among Aboriginal populations. FUNDING National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and Bellberry Ltd.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Gibberd
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Judy M Simpson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bridgette J McNamara
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Aboriginal Health Domain, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sandra J Eades
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Aboriginal Health Domain, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Żelaźniewicz A, Pawłowski B. Maternal hand grip strength in pregnancy, newborn sex and birth weight. Early Hum Dev 2018; 119:51-55. [PMID: 29558661 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM Hand grip strength (HGS) is a non-invasive measure of physical strength, overall health, and nutritional status. The aim of the study was to test if HGS and its changes in pregnancy are related with offspring sex and birth weight. METHODS We conducted longitudinal study on 95 healthy pregnant women (mean age 29.57 ± 3.43). HGS was measured in each trimester. A woman's height and changes in weight in pregnancy were also measured. The information on a child's sex, birth weight and the pregnancy week at delivery were derived from hospital records. Fifty one women delivered a boy, and forty four women delivered a girl. RESULTS HGS decreased from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy (F(2,188) = 15.94, p < 0.001). Women with greater HGS in each trimester were more likely to give birth to a boy (p < 0.05), and the decrease in HGS in pregnancy was comparable in the two groups of mothers (F(2,186) = 1.39, p = 0.25). HGS in pregnancy was related with offspring birth weight when controlled for a child's sex and week at delivery (F(2,182) = 3.15, p = 0.04). Maternal height also important predictor of HGS in pregnancy, and the decrease in HGS was only observed in shorter women. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that HGS is a sensitive marker, differentiating the variation in physical condition in healthy, well-fed pregnant women in affluent population and pregnancy outcome (offspring sex and birth weight). Also, the result indicates that relatively taller women bear lower cost of pregnancy and are able to invest more in developing foetus.
Collapse
|
7
|
|
8
|
Vaiserman AM, Koliada AK, Jirtle RL. Non-genomic transmission of longevity between generations: potential mechanisms and evidence across species. Epigenetics Chromatin 2017; 10:38. [PMID: 28750655 PMCID: PMC5531095 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-017-0145-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating animal and human data indicate that environmental exposures experienced during sensitive developmental periods may strongly influence risk of adult disease. Moreover, the effects triggered by developmental environmental cues can be transgenerationally transmitted, potentially affecting offspring health outcomes. Increasing evidence suggests a central role of epigenetic mechanisms (heritable alterations in gene expression occurring without changes in underlying DNA sequence) in mediating these effects. This review summarizes the findings from animal models, including worms, insects, and rodents, and also from human studies, indicating that lifespan and longevity-associated characteristics can be transmitted across generations via non-genetic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Vaiserman
- D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, NAMS, Vyshgorodskaya st. 67, Kiev, 04114, Ukraine.
| | - Alexander K Koliada
- D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, NAMS, Vyshgorodskaya st. 67, Kiev, 04114, Ukraine
| | - Randy L Jirtle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.,Department of Oncology, McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Chen E, Shalowitz MU, Story RE, Ehrlich KB, Manczak EM, Ham PJ, Le V, Miller GE. Parents' childhood socioeconomic circumstances are associated with their children's asthma outcomes. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; 140:828-835.e2. [PMID: 28089871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous literature documents associations between low socioeconomic status (SES) and poor health outcomes, including asthma. However, this literature has largely focused on the effects of current family circumstances. OBJECTIVE We sought to test an intergenerational hypothesis, that the childhood SES that parents experience will be associated with asthma outcomes in their children, independent of effects of current family SES. Second, we aimed to test whether this association is in part due to difficulties in current parent-child relationships. METHODS This was an observational study, whereby 150 parents were interviewed about their childhood SES and their children (physician-diagnosed asthma, ages 9-17 years) were interviewed about current family stress. Asthma control was assessed by parent report and child report (primary outcome), and blood was collected from children to measure cytokine production relevant to asthma (secondary outcomes). RESULTS To the degree that parents had lower childhood SES, their offspring showed worse asthma outcomes across multiple indicators. This included lower asthma control scores (parent and child report, Ps < .05), and greater stimulated production of TH2 and TH1 cytokines by PBMCs (Ps < .05). These associations were independent of current family SES. Mediation analyses were consistent with a scenario wherein parents with low childhood SES had current family relationships that were more stressful, and these difficulties, in turn, related to worse asthma control and greater cytokine production in children. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest the potential "long reach" of low SES across generations, and the importance of expanding theories of how the social environment can affect childhood asthma to include characteristics of earlier generations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith Chen
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
| | | | | | - Katherine B Ehrlich
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill
| | - Erika M Manczak
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill
| | - Paula J Ham
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill
| | - Van Le
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Aiken CE, Tarry-Adkins JL, Ozanne SE. Transgenerational effects of maternal diet on metabolic and reproductive ageing. Mamm Genome 2016; 27:430-9. [PMID: 27114382 PMCID: PMC4935748 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-016-9631-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The early-life environment, in particular maternal diet during pregnancy, influences a wide range of organs and systems in adult offspring. Mounting evidence suggests that developmental programming can also influence health and disease in grand-offspring. Transgenerational effects can be defined as those persisting into an F2 generation, where the F0 mother experiences suboptimal diet during her pregnancy. In this review, we critically examine evidence for transgenerational developmental programming effects in human populations, focusing on metabolic and reproductive outcomes. We discuss evidence from historical cohorts suggesting that grandchildren of women exposed to famine and other dietary alterations during pregnancy may experience increased rates of later health complications than their control counterparts. The methodological difficulties with transgenerational studies in human cohorts are explored. In particular, the problems with assessing reproductive outcomes in human populations are discussed. In light of the relative paucity of evidence available from human cohorts, we consider key insights from transgenerational experimental animal models of developmental programming by maternal diet; data are drawn from a range of rodent models, as well as the guinea-pig and the sheep. The evidence for different potential mechanisms of transgenerational inheritance or re-propagation of developmental programming effects is evaluated. Transgenerational effects could be transmitted through methylation of the gametes via the paternal and maternal lineage, as well as other possible mechanisms via the maternal lineage. Finally, future directions for exploring these underlying mechanisms further are proposed, including utilizing large, well-characterized, prospective pregnancy cohorts that include biobanks, which have been established in various populations during the last few decades.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Aiken
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Rosie Hospital and NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Box 223, Cambridge, CB2 0SW, UK
| | - Jane L Tarry-Adkins
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pembrey M, Saffery R, Bygren LO. Human transgenerational responses to early-life experience: potential impact on development, health and biomedical research. J Med Genet 2014; 51:563-72. [PMID: 25062846 PMCID: PMC4157403 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2014-102577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian experiments provide clear evidence of male line transgenerational effects on health and development from paternal or ancestral early-life exposures such as diet or stress. The few human observational studies to date suggest (male line) transgenerational effects exist that cannot easily be attributed to cultural and/or genetic inheritance. Here we summarise relevant studies, drawing attention to exposure sensitive periods in early life and sex differences in transmission and offspring outcomes. Thus, variation, or changes, in the parental/ancestral environment may influence phenotypic variation for better or worse in the next generation(s), and so contribute to common, non-communicable disease risk including sex differences. We argue that life-course epidemiology should be reframed to include exposures from previous generations, keeping an open mind as to the mechanisms that transmit this information to offspring. Finally, we discuss animal experiments, including the role of epigenetic inheritance and non-coding RNAs, in terms of what lessons can be learnt for designing and interpreting human studies. This review was developed initially as a position paper by the multidisciplinary Network in Epigenetic Epidemiology to encourage transgenerational research in human cohorts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Pembrey
- School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Lars Olov Bygren
- Department of Biosciences and Rehabilitation, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Burton T, Metcalfe NB. Can environmental conditions experienced in early life influence future generations? Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20140311. [PMID: 24807254 PMCID: PMC4024293 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The consequences of early developmental conditions for performance in later life are now subjected to convergent interest from many different biological sub-disciplines. However, striking data, largely from the biomedical literature, show that environmental effects experienced even before conception can be transmissible to subsequent generations. Here, we review the growing evidence from natural systems for these cross-generational effects of early life conditions, showing that they can be generated by diverse environmental stressors, affect offspring in many ways and can be transmitted directly or indirectly by both parental lines for several generations. In doing so, we emphasize why early life might be so sensitive to the transmission of environmentally induced effects across generations. We also summarize recent theoretical advancements within the field of developmental plasticity, and discuss how parents might assemble different 'internal' and 'external' cues, even from the earliest stages of life, to instruct their investment decisions in offspring. In doing so, we provide a preliminary framework within the context of adaptive plasticity for understanding inter-generational phenomena that arise from early life conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Burton
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, , Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Is the growth of the fetus of a non-smoking mother influenced by the smoking of either grandmother while pregnant? PLoS One 2014; 9:e86781. [PMID: 24504157 PMCID: PMC3913581 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There are animal data that indicate that prenatal environmental exposures have sex-specific effects on subsequent generations. In humans, an increase in birthweight has been reported if the maternal grandmother had smoked in the pregnancy giving rise to the mother. Here we assess whether prenatal exposure of either parent to cigarette smoke has a sex-specific effect on the grandchild's birth measurements. Methods Information from 12707 maternal and 9677 paternal grandmothers of children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) concerned whether they had smoked while expecting the study parent. Study children were weighed and measured at birth. Analyses to test effects of grandmaternal prenatal smoking used multiple regression allowing for several potential confounders; analyses were restricted to births to non-smoking study mothers. Findings After adjustment, the average birthweight, birth length and BMI measurements of the grandsons (but not granddaughters) were greater if the maternal grandmother smoked prenatally: birthweight = +61 [95% CI +30, +92] g; birth length = +0·19 [95% CI +0·02, +0·35] cm; BMI = +1·6 [95% CI +0·6, +2·6] g/m2. Similar effects were seen in births to primiparae and multiparae. Additional allowance for maternal birthweight resulted in an average increase in boys to +100 g [95% CI +61, +140] g. There were no fetal growth differences if the paternal grandmother had smoked prenatally. Conclusions The evidence from this study suggests that when the mother does not smoke in pregnancy the maternal grandmother's smoking habit in pregnancy has a positive association with her grandson's fetal growth.
Collapse
|
14
|
Addo OY, Stein AD, Fall CH, Gigante DP, Guntupalli AM, Horta BL, Kuzawa CW, Lee N, Norris SA, Prabhakaran P, Richter LM, Sachdev HS, Martorell R. Maternal height and child growth patterns. J Pediatr 2013; 163:549-54. [PMID: 23477997 PMCID: PMC3711792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine associations between maternal height and child growth during 4 developmental periods: intrauterine, birth to age 2 years, age 2 years to mid-childhood (MC), and MC to adulthood. STUDY DESIGN Pooled analysis of maternal height and offspring growth using 7630 mother-child pairs from 5 birth cohorts (Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa). We used conditional height measures that control for collinearity in height across periods. We estimated associations between maternal height and offspring growth using multivariate regression models adjusted for household income, child sex, birth order, and study site. RESULTS Maternal height was associated with birth weight and with both height and conditional height at each age examined. The strongest associations with conditional heights were for adulthood and 2 years of age. A 1-cm increase in maternal height predicted a 0.024 (95% CI: 0.021-0.028) SD increase in offspring birth weight, a 0.037 (95% CI: 0.033-0.040) SD increase in conditional height at 2 years, a 0.025 (95% CI: 0.021-0.029 SD increase in conditional height in MC, and a 0.044 (95% CI: 0.040-0.048) SD increase in conditional height in adulthood. Short mothers (<150.1 cm) were more likely to have a child who was stunted at 2 years (prevalence ratio = 3.20 (95% CI: 2.80-3.60) and as an adult (prevalence ratio = 4.74, (95% CI: 4.13-5.44). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by site or sex. CONCLUSION Maternal height influences offspring linear growth over the growing period. These influences likely include genetic and non-genetic factors, including nutrition-related intergenerational influences on growth that prevent the attainment of genetic height potential in low- and middle-income countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Yaw Addo
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Susser E, Ananth CV. Invited commentary: is prenatal fasting during Ramadan related to adult health outcomes? A novel and important question for epidemiology. Am J Epidemiol 2013; 177:737-40. [PMID: 23486310 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwt024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this issue of the Journal, Van Ewijk et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2013;177(8):729-736) report intriguing associations between prenatal exposure to the religious month of Ramadan and body anthropometry among adult Muslims in Indonesia. They categorized prenatal exposure according to the relative timing of Ramadan and the individual's birth date. Because the data were derived from a study of adults, they could not determine whether an individual's mother had fasted during Ramadan or not. Therefore, they used an intention-to-treat analysis to compare the outcomes for groups categorized as unexposed with the outcomes for groups categorized as exposed during specified periods of gestation. Periconceptional exposure to Ramadan was associated with a 0.8-cm reduction in average adult height. Exposure in mid- or late gestation was associated with slightly lower adult weight. We address 5 questions raised by this study: 1) Can Ramadan fasting be considered a mild form of acute starvation?; 2) Are the findings consistent with other knowledge about prenatal nutrition and offspring outcomes?; 3) Are there other explanations for the associations that were found?; 4) Are the results internally coherent and robust enough to support the 2 main findings?; and 5) What strategies could be used to further advance this important field of research?
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ezra Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dauncey MJ. Genomic and epigenomic insights into nutrition and brain disorders. Nutrients 2013; 5:887-914. [PMID: 23503168 PMCID: PMC3705325 DOI: 10.3390/nu5030887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence links many neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders with multiple complex interactions between genetics and environmental factors such as nutrition. Mental health problems, autism, eating disorders, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and brain tumours are related to individual variability in numerous protein-coding and non-coding regions of the genome. However, genotype does not necessarily determine neurological phenotype because the epigenome modulates gene expression in response to endogenous and exogenous regulators, throughout the life-cycle. Studies using both genome-wide analysis of multiple genes and comprehensive analysis of specific genes are providing new insights into genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying nutrition and neuroscience. This review provides a critical evaluation of the following related areas: (1) recent advances in genomic and epigenomic technologies, and their relevance to brain disorders; (2) the emerging role of non-coding RNAs as key regulators of transcription, epigenetic processes and gene silencing; (3) novel approaches to nutrition, epigenetics and neuroscience; (4) gene-environment interactions, especially in the serotonergic system, as a paradigm of the multiple signalling pathways affected in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Current and future advances in these four areas should contribute significantly to the prevention, amelioration and treatment of multiple devastating brain disorders.
Collapse
|