Epigenetics and In Utero Acquired Predisposition to Metabolic Disease

Epidemiological evidence has shown an association between prenatal malnutrition and a higher risk of developing metabolic disease in adult life. An inadequate intrauterine milieu affects both growth and development, leading to a permanent programming of endocrine and metabolic functions. Programming may be due to the epigenetic modification of genes implicated in the regulation of key metabolic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNAs (miRNAs). The expression of miRNAs in organs that play a key role in metabolism is influenced by in utero programming, as demonstrated by both experimental and human studies. miRNAs modulate multiple pathways such as insulin signaling, immune responses, adipokine function, lipid metabolism, and food intake. Liver is one of the main target organs of programming, undergoing structural, functional, and epigenetic changes following the exposure to a suboptimal intrauterine environment. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of exposure to an adverse in utero milieu on epigenome with a focus on the molecular mechanisms involved in liver programming.