Sex-specific differences and developmental programming for diseases in later life

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 2085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepali P. Sundrani ◽  
Suchitra S. Roy ◽  
Anjali T. Jadhav ◽  
Sadhana R. Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Fetal Outcome ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Placental Development ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function

Epidemiological data indicate that developmental programming of various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) occurs as a consequence of altered maternal metabolic and physiological status due to a number of environmental insults during pregnancy. Sex-specific differences have also been reported in most NCDs. Evidence suggests that beginning from conception, the maternal and neonatal metabolic environment, including hormones, contributes to sex-specific placental development. The placenta then regulates the sex-specific differences in NCDs via the epigenetic mechanisms that are further affected by hormones. Male and female embryos have been reported to exhibit sex-specific transcriptional regulation, and it is suggested that their development can be considered as separate processes beginning from conception. This review summarises various animal and human studies examining sex-specific differences in NCDs due to differential placental epigenetic developmental programming. An overview of possible mechanisms underlying this is also discussed. Further, the review describes sex-specific changes in the structure and function of the placenta in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia and preterm birth. Thus, because sex-specific differences are associated with fetal outcome and survival, future studies need to take into consideration the sex of the fetus while explaining the concept of the developmental origins of health and disease.

Searching the web: a survey on the quality of advice on postnatal sequelae of intrauterine growth restriction and the implication of developmental origins of health and disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 604-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Perzel ◽  
H. Huebner ◽  
W. Rascher ◽  
C. Menendez-Castro ◽  
A. Hartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intrauterine Growth Restriction ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Growth Restriction ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Intrauterine Growth ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The Individual

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are pregnancy complications associated with morbidity in later life. Despite a growing body of evidence from current research on developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), little information is currently provided to parents on long-term metabolic, cardiovascular and neurologic consequences. As parents strongly rely on internet-based health-related information, we examined the quality of information on IUGR/FGR sequelae and DOHaD in webpages used by laypersons. Simulating non-clinicians experience, we entered the terms ‘IUGR consequences’ and ‘FGR consequences’ into Google and Yahoo search engines. The quality of the top search-hits was analyzed with regard to the certification through the Health On the Net Foundation (HON), currentness of cited references, while reliability of information and DOHaD-related consequences were assessed via the DISCERN Plus score (DPS). Overall the citation status was not up-to-date and only a few websites were HON-certified. The results of our analysis showed a dichotomy between the growing body of evidence regarding IUGR/FGR-related sequelae and lack of current guidelines, leaving parents without clear directions. Furthermore, detailed information on the concept of DOHaD is not provided. These findings emphasize the responsibility of the individual physician for providing advice on IUGR/FGR-related sequelae, monitoring and follow-up.

scholarly journals Perinatal Use of Melatonin for Offspring Health: Focus on Cardiovascular and Neurological Diseases

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 5681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien-Ning Hsu ◽  
Li-Tung Huang ◽  
You-Lin Tain
Keyword(s):  
Fetal Development ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Offspring Health ◽  
In Pregnancy

Cardiovascular and neurological diseases can originate in early life. Melatonin, a biologically active substance, acts as a pleiotropic hormone essential for pregnancy and fetal development. Maternal melatonin can easily pass the placenta and provide photoperiodic signals to the fetus. Though melatonin uses in pregnant or lactating women have not yet been recommended, there is a growing body of evidence from animal studies in support of melatonin as a reprogramming strategy to prevent the developmental programming of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Here, we review several key themes in melatonin use in pregnancy and lactation within offspring health and disease. We have particularly focused on the following areas: the pathophysiological roles of melatonin in pregnancy, lactation, and fetal development; clinical uses of melatonin in fetal and neonatal diseases; experimental evidence supporting melatonin as a reprogramming therapy to prevent cardiovascular and neurological diseases; and reprogramming mechanisms of melatonin within developmental programming. The targeting of melatonin uses in pregnancy and lactation will be valuable in the prevention of various adult chronic diseases in later life, and especially cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

scholarly journals Developmental Programming of the Metabolic Syndrome: Can We Reprogram with Resveratrol?

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 2584 ◽  
Author(s):  
You-Lin Tain ◽  
Chien-Ning Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Molecular Targets ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Polyphenolic Compound ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Health And Disease

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a mounting epidemic worldwide. MetS can start in early life, in a microenvironment that is now known as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). The concept of DOHaD also offers opportunities for reprogramming strategies that aim to reverse programming processes in early life. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound has a wide spectrum of beneficial effects on human health. In this review, we first summarize the epidemiological and experimental evidence supporting the developmental programming of MetS. This review also presents an overview of the evidence linking different molecular targets of resveratrol to developmental programming of MetS-related disorders. This will be followed by studies documenting resveratrol as a reprogramming agent to protect against MetS-related disorders. Further clinical studies are required in order to bridge the gap between animal models and clinical trials in order to establish the effective dose and therapeutic duration for resveratrol as a reprogramming therapy on MetS disorders from developmental origins.

scholarly journals Developmental Origins of Disease - Crisis Precipitates Change

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 919-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Reichetzeder ◽  
Sulistyo Emantoko Dwi Putra ◽  
Jian Li ◽  
Berthold Hocher
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Noncommunicable Disease ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Developmental Origins Of Disease ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Early Life Events ◽  
The Impact

The concept of developmental origins of diseases has gained a huge interest in recent years and is a constantly emerging scientific field. First observations hereof originated from epidemiological studies, linking impaired birth outcomes to adult chronic, noncommunicable disease. By now there is a considerable amount of both epidemiological and experimental evidence highlighting the impact of early life events on later life disease susceptibility. Albeit far from being completely understood, more recent studies managed to elucidate underlying mechanisms, with epigenetics having become almost synonymous with developmental programming. The aim of this review was to give a comprehensive overview of various aspects and mechanisms of developmental origins of diseases. Starting from initial research foci mainly centered on a nutritionally impaired intrauterine environment, more recent findings such as postnatal nutrition, preterm birth, paternal programming and putative interventional approaches are summarized. The review outlines general underlying mechanisms and particularly discusses mechanistic explanations for sexual dimorphism in developmental programming. Furthermore, novel hypotheses are presented emphasizing a non-mendelian impact of parental genes on the offspring's phenotype.

scholarly journals Intestinal microbiota during early life – impact on health and disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotta Nylund ◽  
Reetta Satokari ◽  
Seppo Salminen ◽  
Willem M. de Vos
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Life Impact ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

In the first years after birth, the intestinal microbiota develops rapidly both in diversity and complexity while being relatively stable in healthy adults. Different life-style-related factors as well as medical practices have an influence on the early-life intestinal colonisation. We address the impact of some of these factors on the consecutive microbiota development and later health. An overview is presented of the microbial colonisation steps and the role of the host in that process. Moreover, new early biomarkers are discussed with examples that include the association of microbiota and atopic diseases, the correlation of colic and early development and the impact of the use of antibiotics in early life. Our understanding of the development and function of the intestinal microbiota is constantly improving but the long-term influence of early-life microbiota on later life health deserves careful clinical studies.

scholarly journals Health in Transition: Translating developmental origins of health and disease science to improve future health in Africa

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Health And Disease

At STIAS, the ‘Health in Transition’ theme includes a programme to address the epidemic rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, coronary heart disease and stroke in Africa. The aim is to advance awareness, research capacity and knowledge translation of science related to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) as a means of preventing NCDs in future generations. Application of DOHaD science is a promising avenue for prevention, as this field is identifying how health and nutrition from conception through the first 1 000 days of life can dramatically impact a developing individual’s future life course, and specifically predicate whether or not they are programmed in infancy to develop NCDs in later life. Prevention of NCDs is an essential strategy as, if unchecked, the burden of caring for a growing and ageing population with these diseases threatens to consume entire health budgets, as well as negatively impact the quality of life of millions. Africa in particular needs specific, focussed endeavors to realize the maximal preventive potential of DOHaD science, and a means of generating governmental and public awareness about the links between health in infancy and disease in adult life. This volume summarizes the expertise and experience of a leading group of international scientists led by Abdallah Daar brought together at STIAS as part of the ‘Health in Transition’ programme.

scholarly journals Periconceptional environment and the developmental origins of disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 242 (1) ◽  
pp. T33-T49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A Velazquez ◽  
Tom P Fleming ◽  
Adam J Watkins
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Critical Question ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Maternal Undernutrition ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Developmental Origins Of Disease ◽  
Developmental Programme ◽  
And Function ◽  
Maternal Overnutrition

The concept emerging from Professor David Barker’s seminal research on the developmental origins of later-life disease has progressed in many directions since it was first published. One critical question being when during gestation might environment alter the developmental programme with such enduring consequences. Here, we review the growing consensus from clinical and animal research that the period around conception, embracing gamete maturation and early embryogenesis might be the most vulnerable period. We focus on four types of environmental exposure shown to modify periconceptional reproduction and offspring development and health: maternal overnutrition and obesity; maternal undernutrition; paternal diet and health; and assisted reproductive technology. These conditions may act through diverse epigenetic, cellular and physiological mechanisms to alter gene expression and cellular signalling and function in the conceptus affecting offspring growth and metabolism leading to increased risk for cardiometabolic and neurological disease in later life.

scholarly journals Maternal vitamin D deficiency and developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)

2019 ◽  
Vol 241 (2) ◽  
pp. R65-R80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Folami Y Ideraabdullah ◽  
Anthony M Belenchia ◽  
Cheryl S Rosenfeld ◽  
Seth W Kullman ◽  
Megan Knuth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fetal Life ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Cardiometabolic Disorders ◽  
Health And Disease

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is metabolized in the body to generate an active metabolite (1,25(OH)2D) with hormone-like activity and highly diverse roles in cellular function. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a prevalent but easily preventable nutritional disturbance. Emerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D concentrations during fetal life with deficiencies leading to long-term effects into adulthood. Here, we provide a detailed review and perspective of evidence for the role of maternal VDD in offspring long-term health, particularly as it relates to developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). We focus on the roles in neurobehavioral and cardiometabolic disorders in humans and highlight recent findings from zebrafish and rodent models that probe potential mechanisms linking early life VDD to later life health outcomes. Moreover, we explore evidence implicating epigenetic mechanisms as a mediator of this link. Gaps in our current understanding of how maternal VDD might result in deleterious offspring outcomes later in life are also addressed.

scholarly journals Population DNA methylation studies in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Felix ◽  
C. A. M. Cecil
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Health And Disease

AbstractEpigenetic changes represent a potential mechanism underlying associations of early-life exposures and later life health outcomes. Population-based cohort studies starting in early life are an attractive framework to study the role of such changes. DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mechanism in population research. We discuss the application of DNA methylation in early-life population studies, some recent findings, key challenges and recommendations for future research. Studies into DNA methylation within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease framework generally either explore associations between prenatal exposures and offspring DNA methylation or associations between offspring DNA methylation in early life and later health outcomes. Only a few studies to date have integrated prospective exposure, epigenetic and phenotypic data in order to explicitly test the role of DNA methylation as a potential biological mediator of environmental effects on health outcomes. Population epigenetics is an emerging field which has challenges in terms of methodology and interpretation of the data. Key challenges include tissue specificity, cell type adjustment, issues of power and comparability of findings, genetic influences, and exploring causality and functional consequences. Ongoing studies are working on addressing these issues. Large collaborative efforts of prospective cohorts are emerging, with clear benefits in terms of optimizing power and use of resources, and in advancing methodology. In the future, multidisciplinary approaches, within and beyond longitudinal birth and preconception cohorts will advance this complex, but highly promising, the field of research.

Adolescent education: an opportunity to create a Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) circuit breaker

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Bay ◽  
M. H. Vickers
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Circuit Breaker ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Adolescent Education ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Non Communicable Disease

Health before conception, and periconceptional nutritional environments, contribute to conditioning of later-life health and disease. Health behaviors developed during adolescence continue into adulthood. Thus, even when the gap between pregnancy and adolescence is substantial, behaviors developed during adolescence influence later-life non-communicable disease (NCD) vulnerability in offspring. Consequently, adolescence is an important life phase where development of positive health behaviors can contribute to disruption of transgenerational cycles of NCD risk. Schooling is a core activity during adolescence. Modern curricula focus on development of capabilities associated with critical, engaged citizenship, empowering learning that supports action-based engagement in complex issues. Contexts relevant to adolescents and their communities, such as the NCD epidemic, are used to facilitate learning. Thus, engaging the education sector as participants in the work of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease community offers an important strategy to capture the potential of adolescence as a life stage for transgenerational primary prevention of obesity and NCD risk.

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