Effect of environmental factors during pregnancy on lipid metabolism and growth among of children through epigenetic modification

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19245
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Miyashita Chihiro 北海道大学, 環境健康科学研究教育センター, 特任准教授 (70632389)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 疫学 / エピゲノム / 肥満度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Associations between concentrations of fatty acids in maternal blood during pregnancy (log2) and the obesity index of elementary school children were evaluated in the regression analysis adjusted by maternal BMI, smoking and alcohol drinking during pregnancy, and inshore fish intake. The obesity index of 5th and 6th grade elementary school children were significantly decreased with increased concentration of maternal palmitoleic acid. Associations between DNA methylations of IGF-2, H19 and LINE-1 in cord blood (log2) and the obesity index of elementary school children were evaluated in the regression analysis. No obesity index of children was associated with DNA methylations. This study suggests that DNA modification of IGF-2, H19 and LINE-1 at birth may slightly affect on associations between maternal fatty acid during pregnancy on growth of elementary school children.

Free Research Field

疫学、分子遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は母の妊娠中の栄養や環境と，その児の小学生の肥満度との関係に，臍帯血中DNAメチル化率がどのように関与するか国内で初めて検討した。胎児期や生後の早期の栄養および環境が成長後の児の発育や疾病発生に影響を及ぼす生体機序に関して，後天的遺伝子修飾であるDNAメチル化はその生体機序の一つであると示唆されている。しかしヒト集団を用いて疫学データとDNAメチル化率との関連を検討した報告はわずかで，本研究はヒトのDNAメチル化と生体影響について貴重な知見を提供した。