title: Transmission of programming effects across generations.
abstract: Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to an adverse environment in early life is associated with a substantially increased risk of later disease; a phenomenon termed 'early life programming'. There is increasing evidence that these effects may not be limited to the first, directly exposed generation but may also be transmissible to subsequent generations through non-genomic mechanisms. There are a number of mechanisms which may underpin the intergenerational transmission of the programmed phenotype, including persistence of the abnormal environment across generations, programmed effects on maternal physiology and the transmission of epigenetic information through the germline. In this review we discuss the evidence for these mechanisms in human and animal studies and the potential importance of this field for child health.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. mandy.drake@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Seckl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*