Developmental plasticity, epigenetics and human health

The unrelenting rise in global rates of non-communicable disease has necessitated a thorough re-evaluation of the current use of adult- and lifestyle-based strategies to curb the growing epidemic. There is a rapidly emerging set of epidemiological, experimental and clinical data suggesting that developmental factors play a considerable role in determining individual disease risk later in life. This phenomenon is known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Developmental factors, such as maternal and paternal nutrition, gestational diabetes mellitus, and even the normative range of developmental experiences, may evoke the processes of developmental plasticity which enable an organism to change its developmental trajectory in response to environmental cues. However in the event of a mismatch between the early and mature environment, such anticipatory responses may become maladaptive and lead to elevated risk of disease. The evo-devo and eco-evo-devo framework for DOHaD has more recently been supported by mechanistic insights enabled by rapid advances in epigenetic research. Increasing evidence suggests that developmental plasticity may be effected by epigenetically mediated modulation of the expression of specific genes. These mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications and noncoding RNA activity. A growing number of animal studies also point towards the transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic marks, which may have implications for the perpetuation of ill-health. However early-life epigenotyping may find utility as a prognostic marker of metabolic dysfunction for identification and treatment of at-risk individuals