Early prevention and treatment mechanism of intrauterine growth retardation and adult hypertriglyceridemia
Extensive epidemiological data have confirmed that intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)is closely related to adult metabolic syndrome(including hyperglycemia,hyperlipidemia,hypertension,etc.),and its mechanism is probably going to influence the methylation of certain important tissue cell gene promoter regions like the promoter region of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα),which will lead to aberrant expression of PPARα,abnormal oxidative catabolism of fatty acids,and adult metabolic syndrome.Folic acid is an essential methyl donor in the body,involved in nucleotide biosynthesis and methylation,and its nutritional status can influence the expression of several genes.Early folic acid supplementation as a methyl donor may partially undo the methylation alterations in the PPARα promoter region,offering a novel approach to the early prevention and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in adult IUGR patients.