Nutrition in early life and age-associated diseases.
The prevalence of age-associated disease is increasing at a striking rate globally. It is known that a strong association exists between a suboptimal maternal and/or early-life environment and increased propensity of developing age-associated disease, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), type-2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. The dissection of underlying molecular mechanisms to explain this phenomenon, which is known as 'developmental programming' is still emerging; however three common mechanisms have emerged in many models of developmental programming. These mechanisms are (a) changes in tissue structure, (b) epigenetic regulation and (c) accelerated cellular ageing. This review will examine the epidemiological evidence and the animal models of suboptimal maternal environments, focusing upon these molecular mechanisms and will discuss the progress being made in the development of safe and effective intervention strategies which ultimately could target those 'programmed' individuals who are known to be at-risk of age-associated disease.
University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Level 4, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 OQQ, UK. Electronic address: janeadkins@googlemail.com.
Jane L
JL
Tarry-Adkins
University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Level 4, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 OQQ, UK. Electronic address: seo10@cam.ac.uk.
Susan E
SE
Ozanne
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
Age-associated disease; Developmental programming; Mechanism; Oxidative stress; Sub-optimal nutrition