Genetic Link Discovered Between Intrauterine Growth and Diseases in Adulthood
Scientists have identified four new genetic regions that influence birth weight. Experts of the University of Turku have been part of the international collaboration project.
Growth-regulating genes begin to take effect at a very early stage. The results of a major international research project shed important light on the mechanisms that affect intrauterine growth. Eventually these results may lead to a better understanding of how to manage growth problems during pregnancy.
One of the new genetic regions is associated with blood pressure in adulthood, and three of them are also linked to adult metabolism. This is the first time that evidence has been presented of a genetic link between birth weight and blood pressure measured in adulthood. Two of the gene regions are known to be associated with adult height. The genetic link to metabolism goes some way towards explaining why lower-weight babies have higher rates of chronic disease later in life.
- Previously, the connection between a child´s birth weight and certain diseases later in live has been registered. The mechanisms behind these things are known quite poorly. We observed the connections from a large data and found genetic areas, which affect the birth weight and are connected among other things to adult metabolism, says Academy Professor Olli Raitakari, who works in the University of Turku.
Genetic Research Requires Extensive Data
The project analysed almost 70,000 individuals of European descent in 43 different studies of pregnancy and birth. As well as identifying the four new genetic regions, the project team also confirmed three regions previously identified as influencing birth weight.
So far scientists have identified three genetic regions that affect birth weight, and two of these regions have also been linked with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
- You must have very large examination groups in this kind of research. Often, genetic influences are weak and there are millions of genetic variables. If the birth weight is correlated with million variables, the results must be confirmed with extensive data, Raitakari explains.
Birth weight is also heavily influenced by many environmental factors. That is why the research teams were surprised to see that the discovered genes, taken together, have a similar impact on birth weight as regular maternal smoking in pregnancy, which is known to lead to lower birth weight babies.
The Finnish contributions to the international project include the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study; two Northern Finland Birth Cohort studies NFBC (1966 and 1985–1986); the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study HBCS; the Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project STRIP; and the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children project PANIC.
Funding for the research in Finland has been provided by The Academy of Finland, Biocentrum Helsinki, the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, the European Union, the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Medical Research Council (UK), the University of Oulu and Biocenter Oulu, the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, the Turku University Foundation, the Wellcome Trust (UK), the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, and the University Hospitals of Kuopio, Oulu, Tampere and Turku.
Additional information
The article in the Nature Genetics
The press release of the Academy of Finland
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