Chemicals and additives that enter our bodies can also affect the epigenome. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound used to make polycarbonate plastic. It is in many consumer products, including water bottles and tin cans. When controversial reports questioning the safety of BPA came out in 2008, some merchants ceased to carry products made with BPA. When pregnant yellow agouti mothers were fed BPA, more yellow, unhealthy babies were born than normal. Exposure to BPA during early development had caused decreased methylation of the agouti gene. However, when BPA-exposed, pregnant yellow mice were fed methyl-rich foods, the offspring were predominantly brown. The maternal nutrient supplementation had counteracted the negative effects of exposure. learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/nutrition/
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 18:30:10 +0000
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