Endocrinology Unit, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013 Jun;78(6):814-22. doi: 10.1111/cen.12164.
Development in utero is now recognized as crucial to determining later life disease susceptibility. Whilst mechanisms are poorly understood, there has been considerable interest in the potential role of epigenetic processes in intra-uterine programming of disease. Epigenetic modifications include various mechanisms that influence chromatin structure and gene expression. Here, we review emerging data from human studies that altered DNA methylation links intra-uterine events with later life disease. Further research in this field is needed to determine whether altered DNA methylation in target tissues can be used as a biomarker for the early identification of and intervention in individuals most at risk of later life disease.
子宫内发育现在被认为对决定后期生命疾病易感性至关重要。尽管机制尚不清楚，但人们对表观遗传过程在子宫内疾病编程中的潜在作用产生了浓厚的兴趣。表观遗传修饰包括影响染色质结构和基因表达的各种机制。在这里，我们回顾了来自人类研究的新数据，这些数据表明 DNA 甲基化的改变将子宫内事件与后期生活中的疾病联系起来。需要进一步研究这一领域，以确定目标组织中 DNA 甲基化的改变是否可以用作早期识别和干预最易患后期疾病的个体的生物标志物。
