Maternal epigenetics and methyl supplements affect agouti gene expression in A{sup vy}/a mice
- National Center for Toxicological Research/Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR (United States)
- Bionetics Corp., Jefferson, AR (United States)
Viable yellow (A{sup vy}/a) mice are larger, obese, hyperinsulinemic, more susceptible to cancer, and, on average, shorter lived than their non-yellow siblings. They are epigenetic mosaics ranging from a yellow phenotype with maximum ectopic agouti overexpression, through a continuum of mottled agouti/yellow phenotypes with partial agouti overexpression, to a pseudoagouti phenotype with minimal ectopic expression. Pseudoagouti A{sup vy}/a mice are lean, healthy, and longer lived than their yellow siblings. Here the authors report that feeding pregnant black a/a dams methyl-supplemented diets alters epigenetic regulation of agouti expression in their offspring, as indicated by increased agouti/black mottling in the direction of the pseudoagouti phenotype. They also present confirmatory evidence that epigenetic phenotypes are maternally heritable. Thus A{sup vy} expression, already known to be modulated by imprinting, strain-specific modification, and maternal epigenetic inheritance, is also modulated by maternal diet. These observations suggest, at least in this special case, that maternal dietary supplementation may positively affect health and longevity of the offspring. Therefore, this experimental system should be useful for identifying maternal factors that modulate epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation, in developing embryos.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 658999
- Journal Information:
- FASEB Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 11; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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