California, USA (CU)_ According to Marshall University scientists, a maternal nutrient high in Omega-3 fatty acids saves offspring from developing breast cancer. Researchers found a significant difference in mice from mothers who were fed a diet rich in canola oil compared to mothers who were fed a diet rich in maize oil, in a latest study published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. A maternal Omega 3-rich nutrient had an effect on offspring’s genome-wide epigenetic landscape modifications and modified gene expression patterns.
The research team was headed by Dr. Ata Abbas, a former postdoctoral research fellow in Marshall’s Department of Biological Sciences, under the direction of Dr. Philippe Georgel in the College of Science. The research was carried out at Marshall’s Cell Differentiation and Development Center in collaboration with Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology led by Dr. W. Elaine Hardman.
According to the researchers, mice whose mothers were given canola oil instead of maize oil died three weeks later. Although the early delay in death rate was significantly different, the total survival rate was not. All of the mice ultimately acquired tumors; however, those fed canola oil had tumors that grew more slowly and were smaller than those fed corn oil. The duration of the protective effect connected to the maternal diet would last several months when translated to a human time scale.
This research is part of a larger body of work by Marshall University experts and others analyzing the connection between Omega-3 fatty acids and lower incidence of cancers such as Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. The National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense Health Program provided funds for the research.
Georgel, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Marshall said, “The issue of parental diet and intergenerational transmission has become an important field of research; however, the mode of action often remains partially elusive. The MU research group focused on ‘epigenetic’ aspects of trans-generational transmission to explain the reported role of Omega-3 fatty acids. Epigenetics involves changes in gene expression which are not linked to changes in genetic sequences. These results have the potential to promote the design of simple changes in diet which would allow for reduced onset of various types of cancer, not only for the individuals using that diet but also for their offspring.”
