Danielle Steele

110163046

The dangers of excessive alcohol consumption with a central focus on the development of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. There are many dangers involved with overexposure to alcohol. One issue is the negative effect it has on the reproductive system with regards to fertility and development of birth defects. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a disorder induced by excessive consumption of alcohol by both parents before and during a pregnancy, which affects the development of the fetus causing a multitude of complications. Attributes of the syndrome comprise of mental and behavioural issues, characteristic facial and body disfigurements and finally retardation on physical growth. (May, 2007) The distinctive facial abnormalities present in a child with FAS include palpebral fissures and a smooth philtrum. Head circumference is also significantly smaller, which is due to of reduced brain growth. Low intelligence and behavioural disorders are also associated with children known to have the syndrome. (May, 2007) Research shows susceptibility to alcohol is particularly prevalent in the epigenetic reprogramming stage in preconception, (Kobor, 2011) the period prior to conception. The chemical changes that occur can go on to cause alterations to the gene expression which result in teratogenic effects in prenatal progress. There is evidence that alcohol promotes a reduction in the expression of the enzyme DNA methyltransferase 1 in the DNA of sperm, which decreases the addition of methyl groups to the nucleotide bases that make up DNA. (Kobor, 2011) This alters the structure of the promoter region of the gene in a strand of DNA which either influences the transcription of RNA and translation into a protein from DNA information or affects a different regulatory region of a gene. This creates an epigenetic change as new proteins will be produced and the epigenetic change will be then passed on in fertilization (Kobor, 2011) and therefore are able to alter the gene expression in the fetus. The different proteins expressed by the faulty genes inherited by the fetus will then cause problems with development and are thought to induce the symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The prenatal period of gastrulation during weeks three to eight is when the fetus is most vulnerable as teratogenic effects can occur to the organs which are forming from differentiating cells. (Kobor, 2011) A study on pregnant mice showed that maternal consumption of alcohol had detrimental effects on growth as well as other problems in the heart and neural tube. (Liu, Y;Balaraman, Y; Wang, G; ET AL. 2009) The effects were thought to be from hypomethylation of the promoter region of genes associated with growth and cell cycles. This correlated with the hypothesis that hypomethylation results in changes in gene expression causing the production of different proteins that encourage the abnormalities associated with FAS. (Kobor, 2011) The theories on epigenetic mechanisms are one scientific answer to how alcohol causes fetal alcohol syndrome. There is no cure yet for the disorder but recent research has shown that choline supplements may reduce the severity of the damage alcohol causes. At present, prevention can only be achieved by avoiding consumption of alcohol when trying to conceive and during pregnancy.

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Danielle Steele

110163046

References 1. Kobor, M, 2011. EPIGENETICS AND FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS [Online] Available at: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh341/29-37.pdf. [Accessed 03 May 2012]. 2. May, P, 2007. THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME AND PARTIAL FAS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, [Online]. 88 , 259-271. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037687160600425X [Accessed 15 May 2012]. 3. Liu, Y.; Balaraman, Y.; Wang, G.; ET AL. 2009 Alcohol exposure alters DNA methylation profiles in mouse embryos at early neurulation. Epigenetics 4:500511, 2009.

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