Paternal nutritional programming of lipid metabolism is propagated through sperm and seminal plasma
Samuel Furse1,2,3, Adam J Watkins4, Huw E L Williams5
1Core Metabolomics and Lipidomics Laboratory, Wellcome Trust-MRL Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Keith Day Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK. sf615@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
Background:
The paternal diet affects lipid metabolism in offspring for at least two generations through nutritional programming. However, we do not know how this is propagated to the offspring.
Objectives:
We tested the hypothesis that the changes in lipid metabolism that are driven by paternal diet are propagated through spermatozoa and not seminal plasma.
Methods:
We applied an updated, purpose-built computational network analysis tool to characterise control of lipid metabolism systemically (Lipid Traffic Analysis v2.3) on a known mouse model of paternal nutritional programming.
Results:
The analysis showed that the two possible routes for programming effects, the sperm (genes) and seminal plasma (influence on the uterine environment), both have a distinct effect on the offspring's lipid metabolism. Further, the programming effects in offspring suggest that changes in lipid distribution are more important than alterations in lipid biosynthesis.
Conclusions:
These results show how the uterine environment and genes both affect lipid metabolism in offspring, enhancing our understanding of the link between parental diet and metabolism in offspring.
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