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Epigenetic mechanisms of perinatal programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function and health

Michael J Meaney1, Moshe Szyf, Jonathan R Seckl

  • 1McGill Program for Study of Genes, Environment and Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. michael.meaney@mcgill.ca

Trends in Molecular Medicine
|June 5, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Maternal stress and undernutrition impact offspring health by affecting fetal growth and programming the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These environmental factors influence birth weight and long-term metabolic and cardiovascular risks.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Developmental neuroscience
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Environmental factors during pregnancy significantly influence maternal-fetal interactions.
  • Maternal undernutrition and stress are linked to adverse birth outcomes like low birth weight.
  • Low birth weight is a predictor of long-term metabolic and cardiovascular disease in offspring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in mediating the effects of maternal adversity on offspring health.
  • To elucidate how maternal physiological and behavioral changes program fetal HPA axis activity.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on the mechanisms linking maternal environmental exposures to fetal development and HPA axis programming.
  • Analysis involves understanding the role of adrenal glucocorticoids in mediating fetal growth responses to maternal stress.
  • Investigates how maternal physiology and behavior alterations influence offspring HPA axis activity.

Main Results:

  • Maternal adversity negatively impacts fetal growth, partly mediated by adrenal glucocorticoids.
  • Environmental adversities alter maternal physiology and behavior.
  • These maternal changes are implicated in programming the offspring's HPA axis activity.

Conclusions:

  • The HPA axis is a key mediator of how maternal environmental factors affect offspring health outcomes.
  • Maternal stress and undernutrition can lead to lasting health risks in offspring through developmental programming.
  • Understanding these pathways is crucial for developing interventions to improve long-term health trajectories.

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