title: Post-weaning selenium and folate supplementation affects gene and protein expression and global DNA methylation in mice fed high-fat diets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Consumption of high-fat diets has negative impacts on health and well-being, some of which may be epigenetically regulated. Selenium and folate are two compounds which influence epigenetic mechanisms. We investigated the hypothesis that post-weaning supplementation with adequate levels of selenium and folate in offspring of female mice fed a high-fat, low selenium and folate diet during gestation and lactation will lead to epigenetic changes of potential importance for long-term health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female offspring of mothers fed the experimental diet were either maintained on this diet (HF-low-low), or weaned onto a high-fat diet with sufficient levels of selenium and folate (HF-low-suf), for 8 weeks. Gene and protein expression, DNA methylation, and histone modifications were measured in colon and liver of female offspring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adequate levels of selenium and folate post-weaning affected gene expression in colon and liver of offspring, including decreasing Slc2a4 gene expression. Protein expression was only altered in the liver. There was no effect of adequate levels of selenium and folate on global histone modifications in the liver. Global liver DNA methylation was decreased in mice switched to adequate levels of selenium and folate, but there was no effect on methylation of specific CpG sites within the Slc2a4 gene in liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-weaning supplementation with adequate levels of selenium and folate in female offspring of mice fed high-fat diets inadequate in selenium and folate during gestation and lactation can alter global DNA methylation in liver. This may be one factor through which the negative effects of a poor diet during early life can be ameliorated. Further research is required to establish what role epigenetic changes play in mediating observed changes in gene and protein expression, and the relevance of these changes to health.
authors.affiliation: Food Nutrition & Health Team, Food & Bio-based Products Group, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Emma N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Bermingham
authors.forename: Shalome A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bassett
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Warren C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: McNabb
authors.forename: Janine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: Di T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Brewster
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Laing
authors.forename: Matthew P G
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Barnett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006657:Histones; D020543:Proteome; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse; D005492:Folic Acid; D012643:Selenium