Detailed study of epigenetic programming induced by low protein diets during pregnancy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02136
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kagawa Nutrition University (2023); The University of Tokyo (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Kato Hisanori 女子栄養大学, 栄養学部, 教授 (40211164)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: タンパク質栄養 / 妊娠期 / 高血圧 / エピジェネティクス / DNAメチル化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nutritional status during gestation has a strong influence on the risk of disease at later stages of life. This is often explained by epigenetic changes, which include the way DNA is modified by the addition of methyl groups. We have shown that hypertensive rat models fed a low-protein diet during gestation further exacerbate the elevated blood pressure in the offspring. In this study, we sought to investigate more extensively which genes are affected by a low-protein diet during gestation and to gain a deeper understanding of its mechanism as well as the possibility of the recovery by diets after weaning.

Free Research Field

分子栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

妊娠期の栄養状態が子の成長後の健康に強いインパクトを及ぼすことがわかり、社会的に大きな問題となっている。本研究では、高血圧のラットが妊娠中にタンパク質が少ない餌を摂取すると、高血圧が悪化することについて、その機構の一端を明らかにした。妊娠中のタンパク質栄養の悪化による悪影響は、生後のタンパク質栄養を変化させることによってある程度改善できることを示し、妊娠期と出生後の栄養状態の相互作用を明確にしたものである。