Molecular mechanisms of obesity: Association among gestacional mellitus diabetes, fetal epigenome and obesity predisposition

• Grant number: 12/17504-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Daisy Maria Favero Salvadori
• Grantee: João Paulo de Castro Marcondes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial disease, involving complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. However, the increased incidence, early onset, and severity of this disease are still not well understood. Several findings havedemonstrated that in utero stressors (such as gestational diabetes anddeficient nutritional status) promote genomic changes in the embryo cells, predisposing to later disease development. Therefore, this study aims to identify genetic (high throughput gene expression analysis and microRNA expression) and epigenetic (gene methylation) events promoted by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in placenta (fetal and maternal side) and peripheral blood cells which can be associated to increased risk of newborns to develop obesity.The study will include pregnant women with GDM (Group 1, n = 15) and their respective newborns (Group 2, n = 15), and healthy pregnant women (Group 3, n = 15) and their newborns (Group 4, n = 15).Additionally, adult obese (Group 5, n = 15) and eutrophic (Group 6, n = 15) subjects will be included as a reference population. It is expected the results may contribute for elucidating the molecular changes induced by gestational diabetes,in order to establish strategies for preventing or reducing future risk for obesity.