![]() |
|
|

,2
* Development and Cell Biology,
Institute of Human Nutrition, and
** Developmental Origins of Health and Adult Disease Division, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
2To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: g.c.burdge{at}soton.ac.uk.
Environmental constraints during early life result in phenotypic changes that can be associated with increased disease risk in later life. This suggests persistent alteration of gene transcription. DNA methylation, which is largely established in utero, provides a causal mechanism by which unbalanced prenatal nutrition results in such altered gene expression. We investigated the effect of unbalanced maternal nutrition on the methylation status and expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) genes in rat offspring after weaning. Dams were fed a control protein (C; 180 g/kg protein plus 1 mg/kg folic acid), restricted protein (R; 90 g/kg casein plus 1 mg/kg folic acid), or restricted protein plus 5 mg/kg folic acid (RF) diet throughout pregnancy. Pups were killed 6 d after weaning (n = 10 per group). Gene methylation was determined by methylation-sensitive PCR and mRNA expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR. PPAR
gene methylation was 20.6% lower (P < 0.001) and expression 10.5-fold higher in R compared with C pups. GR gene methylation was 22.8% lower (P < 0.05) and expression 200% higher (P < 0.01) in R pups than in C pups. The RF diet prevented these changes. PPAR
methylation status and expression did not differ among the groups. Acyl-CoA oxidase expression followed that of PPAR
. These results show that unbalanced prenatal nutrition induces persistent, gene-specific epigenetic changes that alter mRNA expression. Epigenetic regulation of gene transcription provides a strong candidate mechanism for fetal programming.
KEY WORDS: fetal programming epigenetic regulation transcription factor
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
R. Morley, R. Saffery, D. F. Hacking, and J. M. Craig Epigenetics and Neonatology: The Birth of a New Era NeoReviews, August 1, 2009; 10(8): e387 - e395. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. C. Burdge, K. A. Lillycrop, E. S. Phillips, J. L. Slater-Jefferies, A. A. Jackson, and M. A. Hanson Folic Acid Supplementation during the Juvenile-Pubertal Period in Rats Modifies the Phenotype and Epigenotype Induced by Prenatal Nutrition J. Nutr., June 1, 2009; 139(6): 1054 - 1060. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. L. Foley, J. M. Craig, R. Morley, C. J. Olsson, T. Dwyer, K. Smith, and R. Saffery Prospects for Epigenetic Epidemiology Am. J. Epidemiol., February 15, 2009; 169(4): 389 - 400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. J. Howie, D. M. Sloboda, T. Kamal, and M. H. Vickers Maternal nutritional history predicts obesity in adult offspring independent of postnatal diet J. Physiol., February 15, 2009; 587(4): 905 - 915. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. S. Gilbert and M. J. Nijland Sex differences in the developmental origins of hypertension and cardiorenal disease Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2008; 295(6): R1941 - R1952. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. K. Ong, B. Diderholm, G. Salzano, D. Wingate, I. A. Hughes, J. MacDougall, C. L. Acerini, and D. B. Dunger Pregnancy Insulin, Glucose, and BMI Contribute to Birth Outcomes in Nondiabetic Mothers Diabetes Care, November 1, 2008; 31(11): 2193 - 2197. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. L. Rodford, C. Torrens, R. C. M. Siow, G. E. Mann, M. A. Hanson, and G. F. Clough Endothelial dysfunction and reduced antioxidant protection in an animal model of the developmental origins of cardiovascular disease J. Physiol., October 1, 2008; 586(19): 4709 - 4720. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. D. Gluckman, M. A. Hanson, C. Cooper, and K. L. Thornburg Effect of In Utero and Early-Life Conditions on Adult Health and Disease N. Engl. J. Med., July 3, 2008; 359(1): 61 - 73. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. O Shaheen Prenatal nutrition and asthma: hope or hype? Thorax, June 1, 2008; 63(6): 483 - 485. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Bertram, O. Khan, S. Ohri, D. I. Phillips, S. G. Matthews, and M. A. Hanson Transgenerational effects of prenatal nutrient restriction on cardiovascular and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function J. Physiol., April 15, 2008; 586(8): 2217 - 2229. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A D. Smith, Y.-I. Kim, and H. Refsum Is folic acid good for everyone? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2008; 87(3): 517 - 533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. D. Sinclair, C. Allegrucci, R. Singh, D. S. Gardner, S. Sebastian, J. Bispham, A. Thurston, J. F. Huntley, W. D. Rees, C. A. Maloney, et al. DNA methylation, insulin resistance, and blood pressure in offspring determined by maternal periconceptional B vitamin and methionine status PNAS, December 4, 2007; 104(49): 19351 - 19356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. A Ross and J. A Milner Epigenetic modulation and cancer: effect of metabolic syndrome? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2007; 86(3): 872S - 877S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. L. Miles, P. L. Hofman, J. Peek, M. Harris, D. Wilson, E. M. Robinson, P. D. Gluckman, and W. S. Cutfield In Vitro Fertilization Improves Childhood Growth and Metabolism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2007; 92(9): 3441 - 3445. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. S. Wyrwoll, P. J. Mark, and B. J. Waddell Developmental Programming of Renal Glucocorticoid Sensitivity and the Renin-Angiotensin System Hypertension, September 1, 2007; 50(3): 579 - 584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. D. Gluckman, K. A. Lillycrop, M. H. Vickers, A. B. Pleasants, E. S. Phillips, A. S. Beedle, G. C. Burdge, and M. A. Hanson Metabolic plasticity during mammalian development is directionally dependent on early nutritional status PNAS, July 31, 2007; 104(31): 12796 - 12800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. M. Reynolds, K. M. Godfrey, M. Barker, C. Osmond, and D. I. W. Phillips Stress Responsiveness in Adult Life: Influence of Mother's Diet in Late Pregnancy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2007; 92(6): 2208 - 2210. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. K. Cleal, K. R. Poore, J. P. Boullin, O. Khan, R. Chau, O. Hambidge, C. Torrens, J. P. Newman, L. Poston, D. E. Noakes, et al. Mismatched pre- and postnatal nutrition leads to cardiovascular dysfunction and altered renal function in adulthood PNAS, May 29, 2007; 104(22): 9529 - 9533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Thamotharan, M. Garg, S. Oak, L. M. Rogers, G. Pan, F. Sangiorgi, P. W. N. Lee, and S. U. Devaskar Transgenerational inheritance of the insulin-resistant phenotype in embryo-transferred intrauterine growth-restricted adult female rat offspring Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, May 1, 2007; 292(5): E1270 - E1279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J. Nijland, N. E. Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, G. B. Hubbard, P. W. Nathanielsz, and L. A. Cox Non-human primate fetal kidney transcriptome analysis indicates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central nutrient-responsive pathway J. Physiol., March 15, 2007; 579(3): 643 - 656. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M. Nuyt and M. Szyf Developmental Programming Through Epigenetic Changes Circ. Res., March 2, 2007; 100(4): 452 - 455. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Bogdarina, S. Welham, P. J. King, S. P. Burns, and A. J.L. Clark Epigenetic Modification of the Renin-Angiotensin System in the Fetal Programming of Hypertension Circ. Res., March 2, 2007; 100(4): 520 - 526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. D. Taylor and L. Poston Developmental programming of obesity in mammals Exp Physiol, March 1, 2007; 92(2): 287 - 298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. C. Mathers and J. E. Hesketh The Biological Revolution: Understanding the Impact of SNPs on Diet-Cancer Interrelationships J. Nutr., January 1, 2007; 137(1): 253S - 258S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P D Gluckman and M A Hanson Adult disease: echoes of the past Eur. J. Endocrinol., November 1, 2006; 155(suppl_1): S47 - S50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
The ESHRE Capri Workshop Group Hormones and cardiovascular health in women Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2006; 12(5): 483 - 497. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. D. Rees, F. A. Wilson, and C. A. Maloney Sulfur Amino Acid Metabolism in Pregnancy: The Impact of Methionine in the Maternal Diet J. Nutr., June 1, 2006; 136(6): 1701S - 1705S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Torrens, L. Brawley, F. W. Anthony, C. S. Dance, R. Dunn, A. A. Jackson, L. Poston, and M. A. Hanson Folate Supplementation During Pregnancy Improves Offspring Cardiovascular Dysfunction Induced by Protein Restriction Hypertension, May 1, 2006; 47(5): 982 - 987. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. A. Cox, N. Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, G. B. Hubbard, M. J. Nijland, T. J. McDonald, and P. W. Nathanielsz Gene expression profile differences in left and right liver lobes from mid-gestation fetal baboons: a cautionary tale J. Physiol., April 1, 2006; 572(1): 59 - 66. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. L. Fowden, D. A. Giussani, and A. J. Forhead Intrauterine Programming of Physiological Systems: Causes and Consequences Physiology, February 1, 2006; 21(1): 29 - 37. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. A. Jackson Integrating the Ideas of Life Course across Cellular, Individual, and Population Levels in Cancer Causation J. Nutr., December 1, 2005; 135(12): 2927S - 2933S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||