Maternal obesity and diabetes may cause DNA methylation alteration in the spermatozoa of offspring in mice.
BACKGROUND
The adverse effects on offspring of diabetic and/or obese mothers can be passed to the next generation. However, the mechanisms behind this are still unclear. Epigenetics may play a key role during this process.


METHODS
To confirm the hypothesis, we investigated the DNA methylation of several imprinted genes in spermatozoa of offspring from diabetic and/or obese mothers utilizing streptozotocin (STZ)- and high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse models.


RESULTS
We found that the DNA methylation of Peg3 was significantly increased in spermatozoa of offspring of obese mothers compared to that in spermatozoa of offspring of normal mothers. The DNA methylation of H19 was significantly higher in spermatozoa of offspring of diabetic mothers than that in spermatozoa of offspring of non-diabetic mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that pre-gestational diabetes and/or obesity can alter DNA methylation in offspring spermatozoa.
Zhao-Jia
ZJ
Ge
Qiu-Xia
QX
Liang
Yi
Y
Hou
Zhi-Ming
ZM
Han
Heide
H
Schatten
Qing-Yuan
QY
Sun
Reproductive Medicine Center, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, Henan Province, P,R, China. zcl6086@gmail.com.
Cui-Lian
CL
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000502:physiology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*