Periconceptional environment predicts leukocyte telomere length in a cross-sectional study of 7-9 year old rural Gambian children

Association Between Maternal Prepregnancy and Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Children's Telomere Length: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Telomeres maintain chromosome stability and mark cellular aging, and their shortening with age compromises genomic stability.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of existing evidence to evaluate the relationship between the maternal pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and children's telomere length (TL).

DATA SOURCE

Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were systematically searched from their inception to August 27, 2023, for pertinent observational studies.

DATA EXTRACTION

The random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on eligible studies that investigated the linear relationship between exposure and the outcomes of interest, utilizing the reported β-coefficient. Cochran's Q test and I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity.

DATA ANALYSIS

A significant association was observed between maternal pregnancy BMI and children's TL (32 studies, pooled effect size [ES]: -0.04; 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.01; I2 = 47.51%, P < .001) and maternal prepregnancy BMI and children's TL at birth (16 studies; pooled ES: -0.05; 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.02; I2 = 53.49%, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate an inverse association between maternal prepregnancy BMI and TL in infants, which is evident within the normal to obese BMI range. This underscores the significance of maternal weight status before pregnancy as a determinant of offspring TL.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023466425.

Environmental Exposures around Conception: Developmental Pathways Leading to Lifetime Disease Risk

Environment around conception can influence the developmental programme with lasting effects on gestational and postnatal phenotype and with consequences for adult health and disease risk. Peri-conception exposure comprises a crucial part of the 'Developmental Origins of Health and Disease' (DOHaD) concept. In this review, we consider the effects of maternal undernutrition experienced during the peri-conception period in select human models and in a mouse experimental model of protein restriction. Human datasets indicate that macronutrient deprivation around conception affect the epigenome, with enduring effects on cardiometabolic and neurological health. The mouse model, comprising maternal low protein diet exclusively during the peri-conception period, has revealed a stepwise progression in altered developmental programming following induction through maternal metabolite deficiency. This progression includes differential effects in extra-embryonic and embryonic cell lineages and tissues, leading to maladaptation in the growth trajectory and increased chronic disease comorbidities. The timeline embraces an array of mechanisms across nutrient sensing and signalling, cellular, metabolic, epigenetic and physiological processes with a coordinating role for mTORC1 signalling proposed. Early embryos appear active participants in environmental sensing to optimise the developmental programme for survival but with the trade-off of later disease. Similar adverse health outcomes may derive from other peri-conception environmental experiences, including maternal overnutrition, micronutrient availability, pollutant exposure and assisted reproductive treatments (ART) and support the need for preconception health before pregnancy.