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Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and COVID-19 Susceptibility of Offspring: The “Thrifty Phenotype Hypothesis” Connection

Journal of Tropical Life Science : International Journal of Theoretical, Experimental, and Applied Life Sciences · Vol. 11 No. 1 (2021)

DOI
10.11594/jtls.11.01.07
ISSN
2527-4376, 2087-5517
Published
2021-02-14
Publisher
Journal of Tropical Life Science
Language
eng

Abstract

There is accumulating evidence suggesting that ACE2, the host cell receptor for the spike (S) protein of the SARS-CoV-2, mediates viral entry and infection, is under epigenetic control. Here, we discuss studies suggesting a nutritional strategy for down-regulating ACE2 expression in tissues of offspring through the phenomenon of maternal epigenomic reprogramming mediated by maternal diet. The "thrifty hypothesis" was first proposed by Hales and Barker, which posits that specific genes are programmed based on early-life experience to promote efficient fat deposition and storage in adulthood. Our analysis of the proposed mechanism for "early life programming" in this paper via nutritional modulation of histone acetylation and DNA methylation goes beyond the physiological consequence of boosting the innate cellular resistance to a viral transmission. During the pandemic, where there is still no specific antiviral drug or a widely disseminated vaccine for COVID-19, we hypothesize that an epigenomic nutrition approach may be a practical approach to help mitigate viral transmission offspring.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

17 authors · 37 co-authorship links · 1 across different organisations

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • University of Brawijaya
  • Indonesia University of Education
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Maria A. EndrigaAffiliation unknown2
Elmer-Rico E. MojicaAffiliation unknown2
Aldrich Ivan Lois D. BurogAffiliation unknown1
Denise Lauren V. DalmacionAffiliation unknown1
Victoria Karenina R. de la PazAffiliation unknown1
Jezreel Marie G. SazonAffiliation unknown1
Elisa L. CoAffiliation unknown1
Nashi WidodoUniversity of Brawijaya1
Didik PriyandokoIndonesia University of Education1
Renu WadhwaAffiliation unknown1
Sunil C. KaulAffiliation unknown1
Rodyl J. LaysonAffiliation unknown1
Maria Criselda A. RodilAffiliation unknown1
Jozlyn M CharlandAffiliation unknown1
Jose Rene L MicorAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) http://jtrolis.ub.ac.id/index.php/jtrolis/oai, first harvested 9 Nov 2026, last seen 9 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and COVID-19 Susceptibility of Offspring: The “Thrifty Phenotype Hypothesis” Connection</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Deocaris, Custer C</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Alinsug, Malona V</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">SARS-Cov-2</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">COVID-19</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">ACE2</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Maternal reprogramming</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">nutrition epigenomics</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">perinatal</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">plant-based diet</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">high-fat diet effects</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">thrifty phenotype hypothesis</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">There is accumulating evidence suggesting that ACE2, the host cell receptor for the spike (S) protein of the SARS-CoV-2, mediates viral entry and infection, is under epigenetic control. Here, we discuss studies suggesting a nutritional strategy for down-regulating ACE2 expression in tissues of offspring through the phenomenon of maternal epigenomic reprogramming mediated by maternal diet. The "thrifty hypothesis" was first proposed by Hales and Barker, which posits that specific genes are programmed based on early-life experience to promote efficient fat deposition and storage in adulthood. Our analysis of the proposed mechanism for "early life programming" in this paper via nutritional modulation of histone acetylation and DNA methylation goes beyond the physiological consequence of boosting the innate cellular resistance to a viral transmission. During the pandemic, where there is still no specific antiviral drug or a widely disseminated vaccine for COVID-19, we hypothesize that an epigenomic nutrition approach may be a practical approach to help mitigate viral transmission offspring.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Journal of Tropical Life Science</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2021-02-14</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://jtrolis.ub.ac.id/index.php/jtrolis/article/view/1501</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.11594/jtls.11.01.07</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Journal of Tropical Life Science; Vol. 11 No. 1 (2021)</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2527-4376</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2087-5517</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://jtrolis.ub.ac.id/index.php/jtrolis/article/view/1501/pdf</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2021 Journal of Tropical Life Science</dc:rights>
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