Summary

To test whether paternal tobacco smoking results in an increased incidence of de novo mutations or epigenetic changes in the offspring and to protect the new-born child from disease caused by father's lifestyle. Genetic and epigenetic consequences of paternal environmental exposure will be studied by advanced genetic (next generation sequencing) and epigenetic methods (miRNA and DNA-methylation). We will extend our recent and ground-breaking results from analysis of minisatellite mutations in a small cohort BraMiljø (J. O. Linschooten et al., FASEB J. (2013)), to whole genome sequencing of triads of 20 mothers, fathers (10 smokers + 10 non-smokers) and their children, selected from the MoBa study. Further, the objective is to confirm that mutations from the father due to his smoking are transmitted to the child. From our recent animal in vitro fertilization findings, we will also explore whether epigenetic modifications in the child are associated with father's exposures. Our ambition is to identify paternal factors of major importance for the health of the child, thereby preventing health risk of new generations.

See the full project description at Cristin for more information about results, researchers, contact information etc.

Project participants

Project leader

Kristine Bjerve Gützkow, Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Project participants

Kristine Bjerve Gützkow, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Roger W.L. Godschalk, Maastricht University
Andrew Schoenrock, Health Canada
Andrea Rowan-Carroll, Health Canada
Francesco Marchetti, Health Canada
Carole Yauk, Health Canada
Gunnar Brunborg, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Nur Duale, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Ann-Karin Hardie Olsen, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health