Dads and Alcohol

Paternal Alcohol Exposure Affects Sperm Cytosine Methyltransferase Messenger RNA Levels

Dawn M. Bielawski; Fadi M. Zaher; David M. Svinarich; Ernest L. Abel. From Hutzel Hospital and the Departments of Pediatrics (DMB, FMZ, DMS), Obstetrics/Gynecology (FMZ, DMS, ELA), and Psychology (DMB, ELA), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

Background: Although paternal alcohol exposure has been shown to affect the growth and behavior of offspring, the mechanisms underlying these effects still remain to be elucidated. This study examines one possible mechanism, namely, altered genomic imprinting as reflected by changes in sperm cytosine methyltransferase messenger RNA (mRNA) levels.

Results: Alcohol did not affect mating, fecundity, or litter size, but it did result in significantly decreased mean fetal weight, increased fetal runt incidence in offspring, and decreased cytosine methyltransferase mRNA levels in paternal sperm, compared with pair-fed and ad libitum controls.

Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2002 March;26(3):347-351 Published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

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