57: Effect of in utero alcohol exposure on DNA methylation in promoter regions of antioxidant enzymes in a mouse model of fetal alcohol syndrome

Abstract

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most common non genetic cause of mental retardation. We have shown that prenatal alcohol exposure decreases the expression of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT). These antioxidant enzymes are located in the brain and have promoter regions that can be genomically silenced by epigenetic mechanisms, specifically DNA hypermethylation. Our objective was to evaluate if the decreased expression of antioxidant enzymes in the brains of fetal mice was a function of DNA hypermethylation.