DNA methylation as a mediator of the association between prenatal adversity and risk factors for metabolic disease in adulthood

Authors: Elmar W. Tobi, Roderick C. Slieker, René Luijk, Koen F. Dekkers, Aryeh D. Stein, K. Xu, P. Eline Slagboom, Erik W. van Zwet, L. H. Lumey, Bastiaan T. Heijmans - Science Advances 2018 cited by 294

(adipogenesis). DNAm at the CpGs involved was associated with gene expression in an external data set and correlated with DNAm levels in fat depots in additional postmortem data. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms mediate the influence of transient adverse environmental factors in early life on long-term metabolic health. The specific mechanism awaits elucidation.