Maternal Energetics and the Developmental Origins of Prostate Cancer in Offspring

Abstract

In 2014, Prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the Western world, but few modifiable risk factors exist for this disease. Many studies have examined the association between obesity and prostate cancer incidence, producing conflicting results. However, maternal energetics during periconception and gestation has barely been considered as a potential risk factor, despite the fact that prostate tissue patterning and early development occur in utero. Maternal diabetes and obesity dramatically affect health at the time of pregnancy, and rodent and human studies demonstrate that the effects manifest in a variety of noncommunicable conditions in offspring, including early initiation of mammary tumors. Importantly, maternal diabetes and obesity directly alter the health of the early embryo and the maternal germ cell, or oocyte. Obesity-exposed oocytes exhibit alterations in size, gene expression, chromosome structure, and metabolism, and adult offspring present with defects including hyperplastic prostate tissues. We propose here that maternal obesity alters epigenetic and metabolic functions in the oocyte, which are passed to offspring, sensitizing them to precancerous conditions. Such an in utero environment could provide a "first hit" for prostate cancer development and should be considered when making dietary recommendations for expectant mothers.