Enriched environment-induced maternal weight loss reprograms metabolic gene expression in mouse offspring

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Metabolic Health
• Epigenetics

Background:

• Global weight loss prevalence is rising, particularly among young women.
• The impact of maternal weight loss on offspring health and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of maternal weight loss on offspring health and metabolism.
• To explore the epigenetic mechanisms and transgenerational inheritance of these changes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an enriched environment (EE)-induced weight loss model in mice.
• Assessed offspring health, metabolic parameters, gene expression, and cytosine methylation.
• Conducted embryo transfer studies to evaluate the role of oocytes.

Main Results:

• Maternal weight loss led to improved offspring health, reduced adiposity, and enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.
• Offspring liver gene expression showed down-regulation of lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis pathways.
• Epigenomic profiling revealed heritable changes in DNA methylation patterns in offspring, linked to maternal metabolic status.

Conclusions:

• Maternal weight loss confers metabolic benefits to offspring through epigenetic reprogramming.
• These epigenetic alterations are heritable for at least two generations, with oocyte quality playing a significant role.
• This research provides a molecular basis for how maternal lifestyle modifications influence offspring metabolic health.