Paternal metabolic and cardiovascular programming of their offspring: A systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND: There is lots of evidence that maternal peri-gestational metabolic, genomic and environmental conditions are closely linked to metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes in their offspring later in life. Moreover, there is also lotsof evidence that underlining mechanisms, such as molecular as well as epigenetic changes may alter the intrauterine environment leading to cardio-metabolic diseases in their offspring postnatal. But, there is also increasing evidence that cardio-metabolic diseases may be closely linked to their paternal metabolic risk factors, such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the evidence as well as specific risk factors of paternal trans-generational programming of cardio-metabolic diseases in their offspring. METHODS: Within a systematic scoping review, we performed a literature search in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE databases in August 2020 considering original research articles (2000–2020) that examined the impact of paternal programming on metabolic and cardiovascular offspring health. Epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies as well as human and animal model studies were included. RESULTS: From n = 3.199 citations, n = 66 eligible studies were included. We selected n = 45 epidemiological as well as clinical studies and n = 21 experimental studies. In brief, pre-conceptional paternal risk factors, such as obesity, own birth weight, high-fat and low-protein diet, undernutrition, diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, advanced age, smoking as well as environmental chemical exposure affect clearly metabolic and cardiovascular health of their offspring later in life. CONCLUSIONS: There is emerging evidence that paternal risk factors, such as paternal obesity, diabetes mellitus, nutritional habits, advanced age and exposure to environmental chemicals or cigarette smoke, are clearly associated with adverse effects in metabolic and cardiovascular health in their offspring. Compared to maternal programming, pre-conceptional paternal factors might also have also a substantial effect in the sense of trans-generational programming of their offspring and need further research.