In mice, mothers with metabolic syndrome can 'turn on' offspring's liver disease

New research from North Carolina State University has found that an imprinted gene associated with development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is switched on in mice who nurse from mothers with metabolic syndrome, even when those mice are not biologically related. The finding supports the hypothesis that imprinted genes play important roles in this metabolic disease, and could lead to the development of preventative treatments.