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SUMMARY:Mechanisms underlying the developmental origins of health and dise
 ase - Dr Sue Ozanne
DTSTART:20130228T160000Z
DTEND:20130228T170000Z
UID:TALK42205@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Annabel Griffiths
DESCRIPTION:It is over twenty years since epidemiological studies revealed
  that there was a relationship between patterns of early growth and risk o
 f developing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes in later life. Stu
 dies of identical twins\, individuals who were in utero during periods of 
 famine and animal models have provided strong evidence that the early envi
 ronment\, including early nutrition\, plays an important role in mediating
  this relationship. The concept of “early life programming” is therefo
 re widely accepted. However the mechanisms by which a phenomenon that occu
 rs in early life can have long-term effects on the function of a cell and 
 therefore metabolism of an organism many years later are still emerging. T
 hese include: (1) Permanent structural changes in an organ due to exposure
  to suboptimal levels of essential hormones or nutrients (2) Permanent eff
 ects on regulation of cellular ageing through increases in oxidative stres
 s and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to DNA damage and telomere shorten
 ing. (3) Persistent alterations in epigenetic modifications (including DNA
  methylation\, histone modifications and miRNAs) leading to changes in gen
 e expression. Several transcription factors have been shown to be suscepti
 ble to programmed changes in gene expression through such epigenetic mecha
 nisms. These are conceptually attractive targets of programmed epigenetic 
 regulation\, as through regulation of their expression a network of other 
 genes will be regulated. Further understanding of the extent and nature of
  these programming mechanisms could enable the development of preventative
  and intervention strategies to combat the burden of diseases such as type
  2 diabetes.\n
LOCATION:Hodgkin Huxley Seminar Room\, Physiology Building\, Downing Site
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