Early Environmental Effects on Epigenetic Regulation in Humans - Essay Example

The paper 'Early Environmental Effects on Epigenetic Regulation in Humans" is a wonderful example of genetics research.
The article ‘Early environmental effects on epigenetic regulation in humans’ seeks to analyze and discuss studies on epigenetic changes and how they would be relevant to humans transposed from the study of environmental impact on the development of organisms e.g. rodents. A study was done seeking to determine epigenetic changes associated with early famine exposure.  While looking at DNA isolated from the whole blood, they assessed DNA methylation at a differentially methylated region (DMR) within the imprinted IGF2 gene and found that IGF2 DMR was slightly less methylated in individuals exposed to famine periconceptionally as opposed to their unexposed siblings. They also found out that famine exposure during late fetal development was not associated with altered methylation at the IGF2 DMR in leukocyte DNA, providing evidence that the period of susceptibility is limited to early embryonic development. (Waterland, 2009)

Another study of DNA methylation of 15 candidate genes implicated in metabolic and cardiovascular disease was done with similar results. The study went further to investigate the effect of exposure during late gestation in eight genes where it was seen that only the imprinted GNASA locus showed an effect which was reduced methylation in exposed individuals. (Waterland, 2009)

Epidemiologic studies have shown that children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have a higher risk for rare developmental syndromes involving dysregulation of imprinted genes, suggesting that the process of in vitro fertilization and subsequent culture of the early embryo may interfere with epigenetic reprogramming. (Waterland, 2009)

A study conducted to determine whether embryo culture can affect epigenetic regulation at imprinted and non-imprinted loci contradicted the hypotheses that imprinted loci are especially sensitive to environmental influences on developmental establishment or maintenance of epigenetic regulation. Associations between in vitro conception and DNA methylation could be explained not only by the effect of early environment on epigenetic programming but also by inheritance of genetic or epigenetic defects. (Waterland, 2009)

Conclusion

While it is appreciated that there is a correlation between rodent models of environmental epigenomics and human epigenomics, it is important to realize that a lot more research and study has to be done into the behavior of human genes and what triggers would cause such behavior. The studies in the article focused on the environment as a trigger to biological alterations of human DNA.

As a clinical nutritionist who is faced with a client who is curious as to the causes of biological alterations in human DNA, you could use the studies to educate them on how best they are to conduct themselves and to what they should not expose themselves to. In a situation where your client is an expectant woman, you could advise them to eat healthily and on the reliance of the results of these studies, you could then educate them on the dangers of what not feeding properly poses to their unborn child. Generally, as a clinical nutritionist, you should use the findings of the studies to afford better services to your clients.