Nutrigenetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Maternal Nutrition–Induced Glucolipid Metabolism Changes in the Offspring.

This article focuses on how maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences offspring glucolipid metabolism through nutrigenetic and epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs. It reviews evidence that both maternal overnutrition (e.g., high-fat diets) and undernutrition (e.g., protein or feed restriction) induce long-lasting metabolic changes in offspring by altering gene expression in key tissues such as liver, adipose tissue, muscle, and hypothalamus. The article highlights that targeted maternal supplementation with nutrients like polyunsaturated fatty acids, methyl donor nutrients (e.g., choline, betaine, methionine), and lycopene can mitigate adverse metabolic outcomes in offspring by modulating epigenetic marks and signaling pathways involved in glucolipid homeostasis. It also notes sex- and tissue-specific effects and calls for further research to optimize maternal nutritional interventions and explore epigenetic therapies to improve offspring metabolic health.