Annual Congress Vienna 2009

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Early life origins of asthma and atopy: is epigenetics the key?

Hot topics
Chairs: I. M. Adcock (London, United Kingdom), J. O. Warner (London, United Kingdom)
Aims: Participants will become familiar with the meaning of epigenetics, especially DNA methylation, and data will be presented from animal experiments which elegantly demonstrate the potential of the prenatal environment to influence phenotype and disease risk through epigenetic mechanisms. Epidemiological data will be presented which implicate the prenatal environment in the aetiology of childhood asthma, and the evidence to date suggesting that epigenetics may play a role will be summarised. The symposium will also address the challenges of bringing epigenetics into epidemiological studies, and possible implications for future interventions aimed at primary prevention.

In utero supplementation with methyl donors enhances allergic airway disease in mice I. V. Yang (Denver, United States of America)
The role of DNA methylation in Th1/Th2 differentiation P. Sly (Perth, Australia)
Prenatal dietary modification and asthma risk in an animal model J. Hollingsworth (Durham, United States of America)