Maternal nutrient supplementation counteracts bisphenol A-induced DNA hypomethylation in early development
By Pete Myers, Environmental Health News
30 July 2007: New results published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirm that exposure to bisphenol A in the womb changes gene behavior in mice and thereby causes genetically identical animals to develop differently. The new findings focus on BPA's ability to remove 'protective molecules' that normally prevent genes from being turned on at the wrong time or in the wrong tissue.
The research team, from Dr. Randy Jirtle's laboratory at Duke University, also reports that the effect can be counteracted by supplementing the maternal diet during pregnancy with genistein, a phytoestrogen found in soy.
