Identification of potential gene coding sequences within large cloned DNA arrays : analysis of zinc finger motif

Imperial Users onl

Patient attitudes to sternotomy and thoracotomy scars

Young adults with congenital heart defects expressed dissatisfaction with their surgical scar. The impact extended to their social life and ability to form close relationships, and has implications for holistic practice. Presented at Association for European Paediatric Cardiology conference in Munich

Developmental epigenetics: phenotype and the flexible epigenome

International audienc

Imprinted genes and the regulation of placental endocrine function: pregnancy and beyond

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic process responsible for the monoallelic expression of a subset of genes in mammals. Imprinted genes have been demonstrated to play important functions prenatally regulating fetal growth and placental development with some functions persisting beyond pregnancy to influence both metabolism and behaviour in adults. This review focuses on the function of imprinted genes in regulating placental hormones, and the probability that these functions manifest their impact beyond pregnancy

In support of the placental programming hypothesis: Placental endocrine insufficiency programs atypical behaviour in mothers and their offspring

Prenatal adversity, which is estimated to impact more than half of all pregnancies in the UK, compromises fetal growth and increases the chances of stillbirth, prematurity and infant mortality. Beyond these immediate and highly visible problems, infants that survive carry the invisible burden of increased risk of some of the most common and pervasive diseases that impact human populations. In utero exposure to depression and anxiety is one adversity that has been linked to these poorer outcomes, suggesting that maternal mood disorders drive the outcomes. However, recent studies in animal models suggest that both the maternal mood disorders and the detrimental outcomes for children could be the result of the same underlying placental pathology. In these studies, genetically wild-type rodent mothers exposed to placental endocrine insufficiency engaged in less pup-focused behaviours and less self-care. Genetically wild-type rodent offspring raised in this abnormal environment exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviours, with male offspring additionally exhibiting deficits in cognition and atypical social behaviour, with some evidence of depressive-like symptoms. This work establishes experimentally that placental endocrine insufficiency alone is sufficient to drive atypical behaviour in both mothers and their offspring. Although there are some data to suggest that this phenomenon is relevant to human pregnancy, considerably more work is required

Prenatal adversity modulates the quality of maternal care via the exposed offspring

Adversities in pregnancy, including poor diet and stress, are associated with increased risk of developing both metabolic and mental health disorders later in life, a phenomenon described as fetal programming or developmental origins of disease. Predominant hypotheses proposed to explain this relationship suggest that the adversity imposes direct changes to the developing fetus which are maintained after birth resulting in an increased susceptibility to ill health. However, during pregnancy the mother, the developing fetus, and the placenta are all exposed to the adversity. The same adversities linked to altered offspring outcome can also result in suboptimal maternal care, which is considered an independent adverse exposure for the offspring. Recent key experiments in mice reveal the potential of prenatal adversity to drive alterations in maternal care through abnormal maternal–pup interactions and via alterations in placental signaling. Together, these data highlight the critical importance of viewing fetal programming holistically paying attention to the intimate, bidirectional, and reiterative relationship between mothers and their offspring