Download Non-genetic inheritance of diet-induced obesity in mice

Non-genetic inheritance of diet-induced
obesity in mice
Embargo
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London: Monday 14 March 2016 16:00 (GMT)
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New York: Monday 14 March 2016 12:00 (EDT)
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Tokyo: Tuesday 15 March 2016 01:00 (JST)
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Sydney: Tuesday 15 March 2016 03:00 (AEDT)
Epigenetic factors transmitted in mice through the sperm and eggs (gametes) predispose the
offspring of obese parents to diet-induced obesity, reports a paper published online this week
inNature Genetics. The study shows a direct role for epigenetic effects without the confounding
effects of environment.
In addition to passing on genetic information to their offspring in the form of DNA, parents may
also pass on epigenetic modifications to their genetic material — reversible alterations that affect
gene expression but do not change the DNA sequence — that they acquire throughout their
lives. Epidemiological and model organism studies suggest that an individual’s risk of developing
obesity can be increased through inherited epigenetic factors. However, whether environmental
conditions, such as the mother’s diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding, molecules present in
the father’s seminal fluid or parental microbiomes, are responsible for the inheritance of these
epigenetic factors has not yet been established.
Peter Huypens, Johannes Beckers and colleagues fed genetically identical mice a high-fat, lowfat or normal diet for six weeks. Mice fed a high-fat diet developed obesity and glucose
intolerance, as expected. The authors then produced embryos using combinations of sperm and
eggs from the mice fed different diets and implanted the embryos into healthy surrogate mothers,
which allowed the authors to separate environmental factors from epigenetic factors present only
within the sperm or eggs. The adult offspring were then fed a high-fat diet. Offspring with two
obese parents gained significantly more weight on a high-fat diet than those with only one obese
parent. Offspring of two lean parents gained the least weight on a high-fat diet. The authors
observed similar patterns for glucose intolerance and conclude that epigenetic factors in gametes
have an important role in the transmission of obesity and diabetes risk from parents to offspring.
Article and author details
1. Epigenetic germline inheritance of diet-induced obesity and
insulin resistance
Corresponding Authors
Peter Huypens, Neuherberg
Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
Email: [email protected]
Johannes Beckers, Neuherberg
Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
Email: [email protected], Tel: +49 89 3187 3513
DOI
10.1038/ng.3527
Online paper*
http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/ng.3527
* Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).
Geographical listings of authors
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Germany