Diabetes risk begins in utero.

Woo, Melissa; Patti, Mary-Elizabeth · Cell Metab · 2008

review · Level V

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Abstract

Both intrauterine and postnatal environments contribute to diabetes risk. A recent paper highlights epigenetic mechanisms underlying beta cell dysfunction associated with intrauterine growth retardation, including repressive histone modification and DNA methylation during postnatal life. Thus, intrauterine stress can initiate a disturbing epigenetic cascade of progressive transcriptional repression linked to beta cell failure.

Medical subject headings