BackgroundMaternal nutrition during pregnancy and infant nutrition in the early postnatal period (lactation) are critically involved in the development and health of the newborn infant. The Maternal Nutrition and Offspring’s Epigenome (MANOE) study was set up to assess the effect of maternal methyl-group donor intake (choline, betaine, folate, methionine) on infant DNA methylation. Maternal intake of dietary methyl-group donors was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Before and during pregnancy, we evaluated maternal methyl-group donor intake through diet and supplementation (folic acid) in relation to gene-specific (IGF2 DMR, DNMT1, LEP, RXRA) buccal epithelial cell DNA methylation in 6 months old infants (n = 114) via pyrosequencing. In the early postnatal period, we determined the effect of maternal choline intake during lactation (in mothers who breast-fed for at least 3 months) on gene-specific buccal DNA methylation (n = 65).ResultsMaternal dietary and supplemental intake of methyl-group donors (folate, betaine, folic acid), only in the periconception period, was associated with buccal cell DNA methylation in genes related to growth (IGF2 DMR), metabolism (RXRA), and appetite control (LEP). A negative association was found between maternal folate and folic acid intake before pregnancy and infant LEP (slope = −1.233, 95% CI −2.342; −0.125, p = 0.0298) and IGF2 DMR methylation (slope = −0.706, 95% CI −1.242; −0.107, p = 0.0101), respectively. Positive associations were observed for maternal betaine (slope = 0.875, 95% CI 0.118; 1.633, p = 0.0241) and folate (slope = 0.685, 95% CI 0.245; 1.125, p = 0.0027) intake before pregnancy and RXRA methylation. Buccal DNMT1 methylation in the infant was negatively associated with maternal methyl-group donor intake in the first and second trimester of pregnancy and negatively in the third trimester. We found no clear association between maternal choline intake during lactation and buccal infant DNA methylation.ConclusionsThis study suggests that maternal dietary and supplemental intake of methyl-group donors, especially in the periconception period, can influence infant’s buccal DNA methylation in genes related to metabolism, growth, appetite regulation, and maintenance of DNA methylation reactions.

Objective: To determine whether pre-pregnancy BMI influences breast-feeding practice.Design: Retrospective epidemiological study. Setting: University Hospital Leuven, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium. Subjects: Two hundred women (median age 29 years, interquartile range (IQR) 4; 52 % nulliparae) were grouped into four categories according to pre-pregnancy BMI using WHO cut-offs. Results: The incidence of intention and initiation of breast-feeding was significantly lower in underweight (64 %) and obese women (68 %) compared with normal weight (92 %) and overweight women (80 %). Initiation was also related to parity (OR 5 0?582; 95 % CI 0?400, 0?846), but not to gestational weight gain, method of delivery or hypertensive disorders. Fifty-two per cent of underweight, 70 % of normal weight and 56 % of overweight women were exclusively breastfeeding their infant during the first month of life. This incidence was significantly lower in the obese group (34 %; P 5 0?030). Only 40 % of all infants were exclusively breast-fed at 3 months of age, with the lowest prevalence among women with obesity (P 5 0?0 0 1). The median duration of any breast-feeding in the obese group (1?8 months, IQR 3?4) was significantly shorter than in the underweight (3?0 months, IQR 3?1), normal weight (3?0 months, IQR 2?4) and overweight group (3?0 months, IQR 3?5; P 5 0?024). Reasons given for ceasing breast-feeding in the obese group were maternal complications (29 %), insufficient milk supply (23 %), sucking problems (21 %) and work resumption (21 %). Conclusions: Breast-feeding practice in the total population, but especially among women with obesity, fell short of global WHO recommended standards. Policy initiatives and local interventions should continue to support breast-feeding, but also prevent maternal obesity.

Maternal nutrition is critically involved in the development and health of the fetus. We evaluated maternal methyl-group donor intake through diet (methionine, betaine, choline, folate) and supplementation (folic acid) before and during pregnancy in relation to global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation and gene specific (IGF2 DMR, DNMT1, LEP, RXRA) cord blood methylation. A total of 115 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the MAternal Nutrition and Offspring's Epigenome (MANOE) study. The intake of methylgroup donors was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire. LC-MS/MS and pyrosequencing were used to measure global and gene specific methylation, respectively. Dietary intake of methyl-groups before and during pregnancy was associated with changes in LEP, DNMT1, and RXRA cord blood methylation. Statistically significant higher cord blood LEP methylation was observed when mothers started folic acid supplementation more than 6 months before conception compared with 3-6 months before conception (34.6 § 6.3% vs. 30.1 § 3.6%, P D 0.011, LEP CpG1) or no folic acid used before conception (16.2 § 4.4% vs. 13.9 § 3%, P D 0.036 for LEP CpG3 and 24.5 § 3.5% vs. 22.2 § 3.5%, P D 0.045 for LEP mean CpG). Taking folic acid supplements during the entire pregnancy resulted in statistically significantly higher cord blood RXRA methylation as compared with stopping supplementation in the second trimester (12.3 § 1.9% vs. 11.1 § 2%, P D 0.008 for RXRA mean CpG). To conclude, long-term folic acid use before and during pregnancy was associated with higher LEP and RXRA cord blood methylation, respectively. To date, pregnant women are advised to take a folic acid supplement of 400 mg/day from 4 weeks before until 12 weeks of pregnancy. Our results suggest significant epigenetic modifications when taking a folic acid supplement beyond the current advice.