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Epigenetic regulation of transcription: a mechanism for inducing variations in phenotype (fetal programming) by differences in nutrition during early life?

Epigenetic regulation of transcription: a mechanism for inducing variations in phenotype (fetal programming) by differences in nutrition during early life?
Epigenetic regulation of transcription: a mechanism for inducing variations in phenotype (fetal programming) by differences in nutrition during early life?
There is considerable evidence for the induction of different phenotypes by variations in the early life environment, including nutrition, which in man is associated with a graded risk of metabolic disease; fetal programming. It is likely that the induction of persistent changes to tissue structure and function by differences in the early life environment involves life-long alterations to the regulation of gene transcription. This view is supported by both studies of human subjects and animal models. The mechanism which underlies such changes to gene expression is now beginning to be understood. In the present review we discuss the role of changes in the epigenetic regulation of transcription, specifically DNA methylation and covalent modification of histones, in the induction of an altered phenotype by nutritional constraint in early life. The demonstration of altered epigenetic regulation of genes in phenotype induction suggests the possibility of interventions to modify long-term disease risk associated with unbalanced nutrition in early life.
epigenetic regulation, fetal programming, metabolic disease, DNA methylation, DNA methyltransferase
0007-1145
1036-1046
Burdge, G.C.
09d60a07-8ca1-4351-9bf1-de6ffcfb2159
Hanson, M.A.
1952fad1-abc7-4284-a0bc-a7eb31f70a3f
Slater-Jefferies, J.L.
e46c711a-9d4c-436a-b853-828df69bb4d7
Lillycrop, K.A.
eeaaa78d-0c4d-4033-a178-60ce7345a2cc
Burdge, G.C.
09d60a07-8ca1-4351-9bf1-de6ffcfb2159
Hanson, M.A.
1952fad1-abc7-4284-a0bc-a7eb31f70a3f
Slater-Jefferies, J.L.
e46c711a-9d4c-436a-b853-828df69bb4d7
Lillycrop, K.A.
eeaaa78d-0c4d-4033-a178-60ce7345a2cc

Burdge, G.C., Hanson, M.A., Slater-Jefferies, J.L. and Lillycrop, K.A. (2007) Epigenetic regulation of transcription: a mechanism for inducing variations in phenotype (fetal programming) by differences in nutrition during early life? British Journal of Nutrition, 97 (6), 1036-1046. (doi:10.1017/S0007114507682920).

Record type: Article

Abstract

There is considerable evidence for the induction of different phenotypes by variations in the early life environment, including nutrition, which in man is associated with a graded risk of metabolic disease; fetal programming. It is likely that the induction of persistent changes to tissue structure and function by differences in the early life environment involves life-long alterations to the regulation of gene transcription. This view is supported by both studies of human subjects and animal models. The mechanism which underlies such changes to gene expression is now beginning to be understood. In the present review we discuss the role of changes in the epigenetic regulation of transcription, specifically DNA methylation and covalent modification of histones, in the induction of an altered phenotype by nutritional constraint in early life. The demonstration of altered epigenetic regulation of genes in phenotype induction suggests the possibility of interventions to modify long-term disease risk associated with unbalanced nutrition in early life.

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More information

Published date: 7 March 2007
Keywords: epigenetic regulation, fetal programming, metabolic disease, DNA methylation, DNA methyltransferase

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 56147
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/56147
ISSN: 0007-1145
PURE UUID: 9ab2f761-4dab-43b4-98a1-f909d57202f5
ORCID for G.C. Burdge: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7665-2967
ORCID for M.A. Hanson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6907-613X
ORCID for J.L. Slater-Jefferies: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8325-1320
ORCID for K.A. Lillycrop: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7350-5489

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 07 Aug 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:50

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