Diet and Exercise Modulate the Sperm Epigenome in Men
This project will test our hypotheses that overweight and inactive lifestyle result in epimutations in the sperm epigenome relative to the normal epigenetic programming in lean and active men and that diet and exercise modulation leads to reversal of these epimutations resulting in both a healthier “phenotype” and “epigenotype” which may persist after stopping the interventions.
Project Leader
Dr. Harry Rossiter
Dr. Rachelle Bross
Dr. Yanhe Lue
Co-Investigator
Dr. Ronald S. Swerdloff
Dr. Christina C. Wang
Significance
This study is timely and important because prevalence of obesity and inactivity may result in metabolic disturbances of the offspring through the sperm epigenome propagating a vicious cycle. Healthy eating and regular exercise may reverse sperm epimutations to a normal regulation of gene expression and disrupt the vicious cycle of the concept of “unhealthy” fathers, “unhealthy” epigenome and “unhealthy” children.
