Washington, May 26 : Proving the adage, ”You are, what your mother eats” correct beyond doubt, researchers from Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland of Oregon have found the correlation between a mother’s nutrition habits and metabolism, which directly impacts the growth of her child.
In a study published online in Nature Communications, the research team, led by Jae W Lee, PhD, demonstrated that two neurons key to growth and metabolism – GHRH and AgRP – are developmentally interconnected.
Located in hypothalamus region of the brain, within a grouping of neurons known as the arcuate nucleus, GHRH, or growth hormone-release hormone, neurons orchestrate body growth and maturation. Meanwhile, AgRP, or Agouti-related peptide, neurons stimulate feeding and suppress energy usage.
According to Dr Lee, professor of pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, “We found that one specific protein called DLX1 is critical for GHRH neuron development. However, it also suppresses the development of AgRP neuron. When DLX1 was removed, the mouse’s growth was stunted, yet it appears obese.”
Additionally, DLX1 was found to suppress the development of OTP-labeled cells that become AgRP neurons. This would suggest normal growth development, but limited blockage of energy use, resulting in a trim figure.
“For the first time, these findings prove the intimate relationship between GHRH and AgRP neurons in developmental lineage. Further, the development of both neurons can be artificially preset in controlling postnatal growth,” Dr Lee told the Science Daily.
Your eating habits greatly impact your child’s growth in womb
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