Epigenetics

According to a study published in Nature Communications, a mothers diet before conception can affect how her child’s genes function. A child gets their genes from their parents, but how the certain genes become expressed is controlled by epigenetic modifications to the DNA.  An example of this would be a modification which involves tagging gene regions with chemical compounds called methyl groups resulting in silencing of genes. The addition of these compounds requires key nutrients such as folate, vitamins B2, B6 and B12, choline and methionine. Animals have already been experimented on to show that there is a correlation between what a mother eats before conception and the affects it has on the baby’s genes. It was found that in rats a females diet can change the offspring’s fur color by modifying the DNA methylation.1 It was unknown if the same affects would be shown in humans until a study was done in rural Gambia, where the population's dependence on own grown foods and a markedly seasonal climate have a significant difference in people's dietary patterns between rainy and dry seasons.  Researchers from the MRC International Nutrition Group, based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and MRC Unit conducted an experiment using 2,000 women. They enrolled 84 pregnant women who conceived at the peak of the rainy season and 83 women who conceived at the peak of the dry season. The concentrations of nutrients in their blood were measured, and later blood and hair follicle samples from their 2-8 month old infants were also analyzed. It was found that infants conceived during the rainy season’s dietary patterns had higher rates of methyl groups present in the six genes that they studied. Two compounds in particular, homocysteine and cysteine, were found to have strong associations with this diet. However, while these epigenetic effects were observed it is still unclear as to their specific function.
As mentioned earlier methylation and a mother’s diet are also strongly related. Methylation is a tag that can coat the DNA to turn certain genes on or off. It was shown that when vitamin B2 was at lower levels the six genes had less methylation. The same results were found when the mothers BMI were studied. Heavier women also had less methylation. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140429125733.htm

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/04/29/307787984/moms-diet-right-before-pregnancy-can-alter-babys-genes

Credit: Felicia Webb