We’re thrilled to share a peer-reviewed publication in Frontiers in Nutrition – Nutrigenomics, co-authored by Dr. Samantha N. Fessler, Director of Scientific Affairs at Needed, in collaboration with lead author Dr. Lucia Aronica, PhD, a Stanford scientist and epigenetics expert; Emily Stone Rydbom, BCHN, CNP, a board-certified holistic and perinatal nutritionist; and Dr. Randy Jirtle, PhD, widely recognized as the father of epigenetics.
The paper, “Perinatal nutrition as a key regulator of genomic imprinting: a new paradigm for maternal–child health,” explores how maternal nutrition shapes genomic imprinting—a form of epigenetic inheritance that connects early-life nutrition to lifelong health outcomes.
At Needed Labs, we’re proud to support groundbreaking research at the intersection of nutrition, epigenetics, and maternal health.
Advancing our understanding of genomic imprinting marks a powerful step toward personalized nutrition strategies and more proactive approaches to improving outcomes for mothers and babies.
Read the full open-access paper here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1681847/full
What are Imprinted Genes?
Imprinted genes are special genes where only one copy is active - either the copy from your mother OR the copy from your father, but not both. This is different from most genes, where both copies (one from each parent) are active. Think of it like having two light switches, but one is permanently taped over - only one switch can control the light. The latest research shows that humans have about 100 imprinted genes, while mice have about 150. These genes primarily affect growth, development, and brain function.
The first evidence of this came from an interesting observation: when you breed a female horse with a male donkey, you get a mule. But when you breed a male horse with a female donkey, you get a hinny - and they look different! This showed that genes from mom and dad can behave differently.
Why is this Important?
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Disease Vulnerability: Having only one working copy of a gene (instead of two) makes us more vulnerable to problems. It's like having no backup system - if that one copy goes wrong, there's no spare to take over.
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Brain Development and Behavior: Imprinted genes play a crucial role in brain development and behavior.
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Growth and Development: These genes are vital for normal growth and development, especially during pregnancy and early life.
Understanding imprinted genes is crucial because:
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They're particularly sensitive to environmental influences
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Changes can be passed down to children
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They affect crucial aspects of development and health
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Problems with these genes can't be compensated for by the backup copy (since it's inactive)
The field highlights how our health isn't just about our own lifestyle and genes - it's also influenced by our parents' experiences and environment before we were even conceived.
The Parent-Environment Connection
Here's where it gets really interesting - the environment parents experience can affect their children's health through these imprinted genes. For example:
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Famine Effects: Studies show that people whose mothers experienced famine during pregnancy had:
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Increased risks of certain cardiometabolic and mental health conditions
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Diet Impacts: Current research is also exploring how modern, calorie-rich Western diets might be influencing health outcomes.
What Is The Imprintome?
The imprintome is much broader than just imprinted genes - it's the complete set of control switches (called Imprint Control Regions or ICRs) that regulate these genes. Scientists have now identified 1,488 of these control regions in humans. These ICRs contain 22,157 specific DNA sites (CpG sites) that can be modified by environmental factors. Think of ICRs as the control panel that determines which parental copy of a gene gets turned on or off. Each ICR can range from very small (10 base pairs) to quite large (4,000 base pairs), with most being around 248 base pairs long.
Why Is Characterizing The Imprintome During Pregnancy Important?
Understanding the imprintome during pregnancy is crucial because:
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These control switches are established very early in development, before tissues start forming
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Once set, they remain stable throughout life in all tissues
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They're sensitive to environmental factors during pregnancy (nutrition, stress, toxins)
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Problems with these switches can impact health outcomes
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They act as a biological record of early environmental exposures
New technological advancements are enabling more research on the importance of genomic imprinting and factors which influence this critical process. Researchers, us included!, hope to examine imprinting to better understand how environmental and lifestyle factors during pregnancy affect fetal development and child health outcomes. Improving this understanding will also support intervention research towards optimizing outcomes.
