Time to take epigenetic inheritance seriously

Épigénomique nutritionnelle du syndrome métabolique

The importance of epigenetic alterations has been acknowledged in cancer for about two decades by an increasing number of molecular oncologists who contributed to deciphering the epigenetic codes and machinery and opened the road for a new generation of drugs now in clinical trials. However, the relevance of epigenetics to common diseases such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease was less conspicuous. This review focuses on converging data supporting the hypothesis that, in addition to "thrifty genotype" inheritance, individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS)--combining disturbances in glucose and insulin metabolism, excess of predominantly abdominally distributed weight, mild dyslipidemia and hypertension, with the subsequent development of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD)--have suffered improper "epigenetic programming" during their fetal/postnatal development due to maternal inadequate nutrition and metabolic disturbances and also during their lifetime. Moreover, as seen for obesity and T2D, MetS tends to appear earlier in childhood, to be more severe from generation to generation and to affect more pregnant women. Thus, in addition to maternal effects, MetS patients may display "transgenerational effects" via the incomplete erasure of epigenetic marks endured by their parents and grandparents. We highlight the susceptibility of epigenetic mechanisms controlling gene expression to environmental influences due to their inherent malleability, emphasizing the participation of transposable elements and the potential role of imprinted genes during critical time windows in epigenetic programming, from the very beginning of development throughout life. Increasing our understanding on epigenetic patterns significance and small molecules (nutrients, drugs) that reverse epigenetic (in)activation should provide us with the means to "unlock" silenced (enhanced) genes, and to "convert" the obsolete human thrifty genotype into a "squandering" phenotype.

DNA methylation 40 years later: Its role in human health and disease

A long path, initiated more than 40 years ago, has led to a deeper understanding of the complexity of gene regulation in eukaryotic genomes. In addition to genetic mechanisms, the imbalance in the epigenetic control of gene expression may profoundly alter the finely tuned machinery leading to gene regulation. Here, we review the impact of the studies on DNA methylation, the "primadonna" in the epigenetic scenario, on the understanding of basic phenomena, such as X inactivation and genomic imprinting. The effect of deregulation of DNA methylation on human health, will be also discussed. Finally, an attempt to predict future directions of this rapidly evolving field has been proposed, with the certainty that, fortunately, science is always better than predictions.

Epigenetic germline inheritance

Our increased knowledge of epigenetic reprogramming supports the idea that epigenetic marks are not always completely cleared between generations. Incomplete erasure at genes associated with a measurable phenotype can result in unusual patterns of inheritance from one generation to the next. It is also becoming clear that the establishment of epigenetic marks during development can be influenced by environmental factors. In combination, these two processes could provide a mechanism for a rapid form of adaptive evolution.

Epigenetics and human disease

Epigenetics is comprised of the stable and heritable (or potentially heritable) changes in gene expression that do not entail a change in DNA sequence. The role of epigenetics in the etiology of human disease is increasingly recognized with the most obvious evidence found for genes subject to genomic imprinting. Mutations and epimutations in imprinted genes can give rise to genetic and epigenetic phenotypes, respectively; uniparental disomy and imprinting defects represent epigenetic disease phenotypes. There are also genetic disorders that affect chromatin structure and remodeling. These disorders can affect chromatin in trans or in cis, as well as expression of both imprinted and nonimprinted genes. Data from Angelman and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndromes and other disorders indicate that a monogenic or oligogenic phenotype can be caused by a mixed epigenetic and genetic and mixed de novo and inherited (MEGDI) model. The MEGDI model may apply to some complex disease traits and could explain negative results in genome-wide genetic scans.

Type 2 diabetes in grandparents and birth weight in offspring and grandchildren in the ALSPAC study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between a history of type 2 diabetes and birth weight of offspring and grandchildren.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study. Diabetic status, as reported by mothers (F1 generation) was collected on grandparents (F0) of babies (F2) born to mothers (F1) who participated in a study of maternal and child health. Associations between risk of grandparental diabetes and birth weight in mothers (F1) and grandchildren (F2) were analysed using linear and logistic regression.

SETTING

Avon: comprising of the city of Bristol and surrounding areas.

PARTICIPANTS

12 076 singleton babies (F2), their parents (F1) and maternal and paternal grandparents (F0).

RESULTS

Women (F1) who had no parents with type 2 diabetes had lower birth weights than women with one or two diabetic parents, after controlling for the age of both parents. There was a U shaped association between maternal birth weight and grandmaternal diabetes, but no evidence of an association with grandpaternal diabetes. The grandchildren of maternal grandparents with type 2 diabetes were more likely to be in the top tertile of birth weight than grandchildren of non-diabetics. There was evidence for an inverted U shaped association between birth weight of grandchildren and diabetes in paternal grandmothers.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to show intergenerational associations between type 2 diabetes in one generation and birth weight in the subsequent two generations. While the study has limitations mainly because of missing data, the findings nevertheless provide some support for the role of developmental intrauterine effects and genetically determined insulin resistance in impaired insulin mediated growth in the fetus.

Genetic epidemiology: some special contributions of birth cohorts

Birth cohorts that collect detailed phenotypic and environmental information, particularly if multigenerational, have an important contribution to make as we seek to understand the genetic and environmental determinants of common disease. Provided such multigenerational population cohorts are unselected by disease, trait or exposure, they can also contribute important information that is needed for optimal statistical analysis in genetic epidemiology generally. One example of this added value is an assessment, at specified loci, of whether or not there is distortion of the expected Mendelian 50 : 50 transmission of alleles to study subjects (e.g. due to differential loss of embryos of one genotype). Another example is to test for heterosis, i.e. whether heterozygotes have a greater or lesser effect than either homozygote. Finally, phenome scans (a fixed format analysis of the associations between a genotype of interest and thousands of outcome variables from the cohort database) could be used as a screening tool to test whether certain classes of genetic variation have more impact than others on human health and development, and so inform genotyping strategies generally.