Epigenetic effects of male obesity on sperm and offspring

Abstract

While the influence of maternal environmental exposures on offspring long-term health is well recognized, paternal contributions are often overlooked. Recently, a growing body of evidence has revealed the relationship between paternal obesity and the phenotype of offspring. This review is focused on findings of the effects of paternal obesity upon sperm function and offspring health, and whether these effects can be reversed in human and animal studies. Furthermore, we also provide evidence that epigenetic modifications in sperm, including DNA methylation, chromatin histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, are potential mechanistic candidates for intergenerational inheritance from father to offspring.