Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
Parental obesity can induce metabolic phenotypes in offspring independent of the inherited DNA sequence. Here we asked whether such non-genetic acquired metabolic traits can be passed on to a second generation that has never been exposed to obesity, even as germ cells.Methods
We examined the F1, F2, and F3 a/a offspring derived from F0 matings of obese prediabetic A (vy) /a sires and lean a/a dams. After F0, only lean a/a mice were used for breeding.Results
We found that F1 sons of obese founder males exhibited defects in glucose and lipid metabolism, but only upon a post-weaning dietary challenge. F1 males transmitted these defects to their own male progeny (F2) in the absence of the dietary challenge, but the phenotype was largely attenuated by F3. The sperm of F1 males exhibited changes in the abundance of several small RNA species, including the recently reported diet-responsive tRNA-derived fragments.Conclusions
These data indicate that induced metabolic phenotypes may be propagated for a generation beyond any direct exposure to an inducing factor. This non-genetic inheritance likely occurs via the actions of sperm noncoding RNA.
SUBMITTER: Cropley JE
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5021672 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Cropley Jennifer E JE Eaton Sally A SA Aiken Alastair A Young Paul E PE Giannoulatou Eleni E Ho Joshua W K JWK Buckland Michael E ME Keam Simon P SP Hutvagner Gyorgy G Humphreys David T DT Langley Katherine G KG Henstridge Darren C DC Martin David I K DIK Febbraio Mark A MA Suter Catherine M CM
Molecular metabolism 20160623 8
<h4>Objective</h4>Parental obesity can induce metabolic phenotypes in offspring independent of the inherited DNA sequence. Here we asked whether such non-genetic acquired metabolic traits can be passed on to a second generation that has never been exposed to obesity, even as germ cells.<h4>Methods</h4>We examined the F1, F2, and F3 a/a offspring derived from F0 matings of obese prediabetic A (vy) /a sires and lean a/a dams. After F0, only lean a/a mice were used for breeding.<h4>Results</h4>We f ...[more]