Perinatal manipulation of α‐linolenic acid intake induces epigenetic changes in maternal and offspring livers

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that the intake of α-linolenic acid (ALA) can alter the concentration of both ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids in both mother and offspring, with consequences on postnatal brain development. This study describes the association between maternal ALA availability during gestation and lactation, and alterations in the Fads2 DNA methylation in both maternal and offspring livers, at the end of lactation period. Both Fads2 promoter and intron 1 DNA methylation were increased in the groups receiving postnatal flaxseed oil containing 50% ALA (mothers or pups), while bivariate analysis indicated a significant association of the Fads2 epigenetic status in the liver between each mother and its offspring. In addition, Fads2 expression was negatively correlated with promoter methylation at the individual level in maternal livers (P<0.05). This study also indicated that the interplay between ALA availability during gestation and lactation can differentially alter the expression of desaturases and elongases involved in ω-6 and ω-3 metabolic pathways. In summary, when considering the perinatal dietary ALA requirements in mice, both gestation and lactation periods should be considered as having distinct roles in modulating the metabolism of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids in maternal mouse livers.

Epigenome-wide analysis of neonatal CD4+T-cell DNA methylation sites potentially affected by maternal fish oil supplementation

“…16,17 One such study reported differing levels of FADS2 promoter methylation in the liver tissue from offspring exposed to linoleic acid during gestation. 17 This was replicated in a rat model in which dietary fatty acid exposure during gestation was associated with differential methylation of 4 CpG dinucleotides within the FADS2 promoter. 16 In humans, the evidence for these effects on the neonatal epigenome are lacking, and certainly our own study did not reproduce these findings in animal models.…”

“…15 Of greatest relevance here, emerging data from animal studies support a role for maternal intake of PUFA in pregnancy in the modulation of offspring epigenetic profile. 16,17 In a recent study involving pregnant women who had been supplemented with DHA or placebo from the second trimester until delivery, Lee et al measured the DNA methylation changes in genes associated with Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T-cell development, as well as LINE1 repetitive elements of cord blood mononuclear cells. 18 Although there were no significant differences in DNA methylation pattern in genes when comparing the treatment and the placebo groups, overall n-3 supplementation modified effects on methylation in the subgroup of neonates whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.…”

Proceedings of the 5th annual symposium of the German Society for Paleo Nutrition held in 2017

“…Omega-3 supplementation is associated with a lower risk of spontaneous preterm delivery in smokers and low birth weight is also less frequent in smokers receiving omega-3 supplementation [60]. In addition, the maternal ALA availability during gestation and lactation induces epigenetic changes like alterations in the Fads2 DNA methylation in both maternal and offspring livers, at the end of the lactation period [61]. A recent study showed that toddler methylation status was related to immediate memory performance, whereas maternal methylation status was related to delayed memory performance.…”

Epigenetics—Potential for Programming Fish for Aquaculture?

“…Supplementation of broodstock diets with higher proportions of fish oil has been shown to influence survival rate of 3 day post-hatching larvae, egg diameter, length of fry, oil globule diameter of hatchlings, egg protein content, lipid content and the morphology and metabolism of adipocytes in sea bream [90,91]. Research in humans has shown that perinatal manipulation of alpha-linolenic acid uptake induces epigenetic changes in the liver of offspring [92] and that some fatty acids act as hormones and control the activity of transcription factors [93]. With the production of salmon for harvesting at 3-5 kg, fish have been shown to develop typical life-style related symptoms, such as arteriosclerosis, abnormal fat deposition in liver and heart which results in impaired organ function and various circulation problems [94,95].…”