Study on maintenance of descendant's health by non-nutritional food components through epigenetics

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H02905
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Sclence and Technology (2017); Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Yasuoka Akihito 地方独立行政法人神奈川県立産業技術総合研究所, 食品機能性評価グループ, 研究員(任期有) (10453028)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KONDHO Takashi 理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 上級研究員 (40333299) ; OKADA Shinji 東京大学, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 准教授 (50376563)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス / 食品ポリフェノール / トランスクリプトーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There are emerging evidences for epigenetic inheritance of metabolic stresses in the parental generation to the offsprings. Part of these stresses can be ameliorated by dietary polyphenols. We have found that co-administration of trans-resveratrol (RSV) could reduce alcoholic fatty liver in male mice. We then crossed these males with normal females and found that serum triacylglycerol level was higher in the offsprings of ethanol treated (E) males than in those of control (C) males, while it was unchanged in those of ethanol + RSV treated (ER) males. The offsprings' liver exhibited transcriptomic segregation between C- and E-groups but not between C- and ER-groups. Then we analyzed genome-wide cytosine methylation in the fathers' sperm and in the offsprings' liver. There were significant differences in methylated cytosine distribution among C-, E- and ER- groups. It is possible that these epigenetic modifications can be transduced to the next generation to cause metabolic phenotypes.

Free Research Field

栄養エピジェネティクス