Abstract
The effects of nonmutagenic environmental exposures can sometimes be transmitted for several generations, suggesting transgenerational inheritance of induced epigenetic variation. Methyl donor supplementation of female mice during pregnancy induces CpG hypermethylation at the agouti viable yellow (Avy) allele in Avy/a offspring. Epigenetic inheritance occurs at Avy; when passed through the female germ line, A vy epigenotype is not completely "reset." We therefore tested whether diet-induced epigenetic alterations at Avy are inherited transgenerationally. Female Avy/a mice were weaned onto either control (n=6) or a methyl-supplemented diet (n=5). These F0 dams were mated with a/a males. All F1 and F2 Avy/a females were weaned onto the same diet as their mothers, then mated with a/a males. F1, F2, and F3 A vy/a offspring were classified for coat color, an indicator of A vy methylation. In total, 62 F1, 98 F2, and 209 F3 Avy/a mice were studied. As expected, average Avy/a coat color was darker in the supplemented group (P<0.01). However, there was no cumulative effect of supplementation across successive generations. These results suggest that, in the female germ line, diet-induced Avy hypermethylation occurs in the absence of additional epigenetic modifications that normally confer transgenerational epigenetic inheritance at the locus.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3380-3385 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | FASEB Journal |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 1 2007 |
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Keywords
- DNA methylation
- Methyl supplementation
- Nutrition
- Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
Cite this
Diet-induced hypermethylation at agouti viable yellow is not inherited transgenerationally through the female. / Waterland, Robert A.; Travisano, Michael; Tahiliani, Kajal G.
In: FASEB Journal, Vol. 21, No. 12, 01.10.2007, p. 3380-3385.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Diet-induced hypermethylation at agouti viable yellow is not inherited transgenerationally through the female
AU - Waterland, Robert A.
AU - Travisano, Michael
AU - Tahiliani, Kajal G.
PY - 2007/10/1
Y1 - 2007/10/1
N2 - The effects of nonmutagenic environmental exposures can sometimes be transmitted for several generations, suggesting transgenerational inheritance of induced epigenetic variation. Methyl donor supplementation of female mice during pregnancy induces CpG hypermethylation at the agouti viable yellow (Avy) allele in Avy/a offspring. Epigenetic inheritance occurs at Avy; when passed through the female germ line, A vy epigenotype is not completely "reset." We therefore tested whether diet-induced epigenetic alterations at Avy are inherited transgenerationally. Female Avy/a mice were weaned onto either control (n=6) or a methyl-supplemented diet (n=5). These F0 dams were mated with a/a males. All F1 and F2 Avy/a females were weaned onto the same diet as their mothers, then mated with a/a males. F1, F2, and F3 A vy/a offspring were classified for coat color, an indicator of A vy methylation. In total, 62 F1, 98 F2, and 209 F3 Avy/a mice were studied. As expected, average Avy/a coat color was darker in the supplemented group (P<0.01). However, there was no cumulative effect of supplementation across successive generations. These results suggest that, in the female germ line, diet-induced Avy hypermethylation occurs in the absence of additional epigenetic modifications that normally confer transgenerational epigenetic inheritance at the locus.
AB - The effects of nonmutagenic environmental exposures can sometimes be transmitted for several generations, suggesting transgenerational inheritance of induced epigenetic variation. Methyl donor supplementation of female mice during pregnancy induces CpG hypermethylation at the agouti viable yellow (Avy) allele in Avy/a offspring. Epigenetic inheritance occurs at Avy; when passed through the female germ line, A vy epigenotype is not completely "reset." We therefore tested whether diet-induced epigenetic alterations at Avy are inherited transgenerationally. Female Avy/a mice were weaned onto either control (n=6) or a methyl-supplemented diet (n=5). These F0 dams were mated with a/a males. All F1 and F2 Avy/a females were weaned onto the same diet as their mothers, then mated with a/a males. F1, F2, and F3 A vy/a offspring were classified for coat color, an indicator of A vy methylation. In total, 62 F1, 98 F2, and 209 F3 Avy/a mice were studied. As expected, average Avy/a coat color was darker in the supplemented group (P<0.01). However, there was no cumulative effect of supplementation across successive generations. These results suggest that, in the female germ line, diet-induced Avy hypermethylation occurs in the absence of additional epigenetic modifications that normally confer transgenerational epigenetic inheritance at the locus.
KW - DNA methylation
KW - Methyl supplementation
KW - Nutrition
KW - Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35248840160&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=35248840160&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1096/fj.07-8229com
DO - 10.1096/fj.07-8229com
M3 - Article
C2 - 17551099
AN - SCOPUS:35248840160
VL - 21
SP - 3380
EP - 3385
JO - FASEB Journal
JF - FASEB Journal
SN - 0892-6638
IS - 12
ER -