title: Assisted reproduction treatment and epigenetic inheritance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The subject of epigenetic risk of assisted reproduction treatment (ART), initiated by reports on an increase of children with the Beckwith-Wiedemann imprinting disorder, is very topical. Hence, there is a growing literature, including mouse studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to gain information on transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and epigenetic effects induced by ART, literature databases were searched for papers on this topic using relevant keywords.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the level of genomic imprinting involving CpG methylation, ART-induced epigenetic defects are convincingly observed in mice, especially for placenta, and seem more frequent than in humans. Data generally provide a warning as to the use of ovulation induction and in vitro culture. In human sperm from compromised spermatogenesis, sequence-specific DNA hypomethylation is observed repeatedly. Transmittance of sperm and oocyte DNA methylation defects is possible but, as deduced from the limited data available, largely prevented by selection of gametes for ART and/or non-viability of the resulting embryos. Some evidence indicates that subfertility itself is a risk factor for imprinting diseases. As in mouse, physiological effects from ART are observed in humans. In the human, indications for a broader target for changes in CpG methylation than imprinted DNA sequences alone have been found. In the mouse, a broader range of CpG sequences has not yet been studied. Also, a multigeneration study of systematic ART on epigenetic parameters is lacking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The field of epigenetic inheritance within the lifespan of an individual and between generations (via mitosis and meiosis, respectively) is growing, driven by the expansion of chromatin research. ART can induce epigenetic variation that might be transmitted to the next generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. aafke.van.montfoort@mumc.nl
authors.forename: A P A
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: van Montfoort
authors.forename: L L P
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hanssen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Sutter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viville
authors.forename: J P M
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Geraedts
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Boer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001506:Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D025063:Chromosome Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018392:Genomic Imprinting / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D023421:Models, Animal; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects*