Latha Ramalingam (NFS-NSD) PI, Investigating the Role of Fish oil in Altering the Genetic Markers in Sperm of Obese Mice
Maternal obesity has been a primary focus in the study of early-life nutrition and children’s health. The effect of paternal obesity and the epigenetic mechanisms involved, however, has been largely overlooked. Moreover, obesity in fathers appears to initiate changes in sperm genetics, including alterations in gene regulators. Fish oil (FO) derived from fatty fish contains omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and is beneficial in regulating body weight and lowering inflammation. The overall objective of this proposal is to identify the epigenetic regulators in the sperm that are altered by FO. These results are expected to provide strong scientific evidence for fish or FO consumption in fathers to improve their metabolic health and ultimately reduce the rates of childhood obesity.