Chronic prenatal hypoxia induces epigenetic programming of PKC{epsilon} gene repression in rat hearts.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Epidemiological studies demonstrate a clear association of adverse intrauterine environment with an increased risk of ischemic heart disease in adulthood. Hypoxia is a common stress to the fetus and results in decreased protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon) expression in the heart and increased cardiac vulnerability to ischemia and reperfusion injury in adult offspring in rats.

Objectives

The present study tested the hypothesis that fetal hypoxia-induced methylation of cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotides at the PKCepsilon promoter is repressive and contributes to PKCepsilon gene repression in the heart of adult offspring.

Methods and results

Hypoxic treatment of pregnant rats from days 15 to 21 of gestation resulted in significant decreases in PKCepsilo

SUBMITTER: Patterson AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2919213 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature