Study in embryo original diseases

In Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, our team is focusing on the effect of adverse intrauterine environment on the health in offspring. The ‘Barker hypothesis’ indicated that intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, and premature birth have a causal relationship to the origins of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes in adult. Actually, in addition to fetus, the abnormal development of early embryo, even gamete, may induce health issue after birth. Therefore, we should shift the focus of adult disease occurrence and pathogenesis further back to gametogenesis and embryonic stage.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Intrauterine hyperglycemia is the main characteristics. Previous studies have shown that intrauterine exposure to diabetes is associated with increased risk of abnormal glucose homeostasis in offspring. We established the GDM mouse model and found the growth, development and glucose metabolism with parental genetic characteristics and sex differences in offspring, the abnormal function and the abnormal expression of imprinted genes of islet cells. Further, we investigated the epigenetic mechanism for the increased risk of diabetes in the offspring born from intrauterine hyperglycemia environment.

In recent years, in addition to chronic diseases such as metabolic diseases and cardiovascular diseases, the effects of adverse intrauterine environment on the neurodevelopment and cognitive function of offspring have been gradually taken into account. Maternal diabetes mellitus has a potential impact on neurodevelopment in offspring, but the mechanism is still unclear. We will use the GDM mouse model to further investigate the effect of intrauterine hyperglycemia on neurodevelopment in offspring and mechanism involved.