Fetuses would use a copy of a gene inherited from their father to force their mother to feed more during pregnancy.
- The IGF2 gene regulates metabolism, protein synthesis and hormonal secretion in expectant mothers.
- Its suppression impairs maternal adaptation in pregnant mice and reduces the availability of maternal glucose and lipids for fetal growth.
- Fetuses with an abnormal Igf2 gene may be oversized or stunted.
“In mammals, interactions between mother and offspring involve both cooperation and conflict. The fetus has evolved ways to manipulate maternal physiology to enhance the transfer of nutrients to the placenta, but the mechanisms involved are not known. not yet clear, wrote researchers from the University of Cambridge (England) in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
In this work, scientists examined how the placenta communicates with the mother through the release of hormones so that she adapts to the growth of her baby. In pregnant mice, they selectively altered signaling cells in the placenta that tell mothers to give nutrients to their developing fetus.
A gene inherited from the father manipulates maternal resources to benefit the fetus
According to the findings, fetuses use a copy of a gene, called ‘Igf2’, inherited from their father to manipulate their mother’s metabolism and trick them into giving them more food during pregnancy. This allows babies to grow and develop properly. “It is thought that the genes in the mother that limit the growth of the fetus are a way for the mother to ensure her survival, so that she does not have a baby that absorbs all the nutrients and is too big and difficult. to bring into the world”, said Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, author of the work, in a statement.
The gene controls the hormones responsible for reducing insulin sensitivity in the mother
The team also studied the consequences of the deletion of the Igf2 gene in the signaling cells of the placenta. She found that it affects the production of other hormones that modulate insulin production by the mother’s pancreas, as well as the response of the liver and other metabolic organs. “If the father’s Igf2 function is disabled in the signaling cells, the mother does not produce enough glucose and lipids. Therefore, these nutrients reach the fetus in insufficient quantities and the fetus does not develop properly”, explained Dr. Jorge Lopez-Tello, co-author of the study.
Growth retardation in babies with an abnormal Igf2 gene
According to research, babies with an abnormality in the Igf2 gene may be overweight or stunted. “Until now, we didn’t know that part of the role of the Igf2 gene was to regulate the signals sent to the mother to allocate nutrients to the fetus,” clarified Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri. The mice studied were smaller at birth and their offspring showed early signs of diabetes and obesity later in life. “Our research highlights the importance of controlled nutrient delivery to the fetus for the health of the offspring throughout life, as well as the direct role of the placenta,” she concluded.
