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How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health
Ayazhan Akhatova, Céline Jones, Kevin Coward, Marc Yeste. Clinical Epigenetics, 2025-01-16
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Recent studies support the influence of paternal lifestyle and diet before conception on the health of the offspring via epigenetic inheritance through sperm DNA methylation, histone modification, and small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) expression and regulation. Smoking may induce DNA hypermethylation in genes related to anti-oxidation and insulin resistance. Paternal diet and obesity are associated with greater risks of metabolic dysfunction in offspring via epigenetic alterations in the sperm. Metabolic changes, such as high blood glucose levels and increased body weight, are commonly observed in the offspring of fathers subjected to chronic stress, in addition to an enhanced risk of depressive-like behaviour and increased sensitivity to stress in both the F0 and F1 generations. DNA methylation is correlated with alterations in sperm quality and the ability to fertilise oocytes, possibly via a differentially regulated MAKP81IP3 signalling pathway. Paternal exposure to toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is also linked to the transgenerational transmission of increased predisposition to disease, infertility, testicular disorders, obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in females through epigenetic changes during gametogenesis. As the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) is also affected by paternal diet, BMI, and alcohol consumption, its outcomes could be improved by modifying factors that are dependent on male lifestyle choices and environmental factors. This review discusses the importance of epigenetic signatures in sperm-including DNA methylation, histone retention, and sncRNA-for sperm functionality, early embryo development, and offspring health. We also discuss the mechanisms by which paternal lifestyle and environmental factors (obesity, smoking, EDCs, and stress) may impact the sperm epigenome.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Akhatova, A., Jones, C., Coward, K., & Yeste, M. (2025). How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health. Clinical Epigenetics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01815-1
Vancouver
Akhatova A, Jones C, Coward K, Yeste M. How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health. Clinical Epigenetics. 2025. doi:10.1186/s13148-025-01815-1. PMID: 39819375.
BibTeX
@article{akhatova2025-39819375,
author = {Akhatova, Ayazhan and Jones, Céline and Coward, Kevin and Yeste, Marc},
title = {{How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health}},
journal = {Clinical Epigenetics},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s13148-025-01815-1},
pmid = {39819375},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01815-1}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Paternal diet and obesity are associated with greater risks of metabolic dysfunction in offspring via epigenetic alterations in the sperm.
Why it matters
This review is about how paternal lifestyle and environmental factors affect the sperm epigenome and offspring health and contains no information on Alzheimer's disease. It reports no findings relevant to treating, curing or preventing dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Clinical Epigenetics) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Clinical Epigenetics: journal h-index 114 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 66 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 46.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 66 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Marc Yeste: h-index 52 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39819375) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s13148-025-01815-1
- PubMed: 39819375
- Original source →
- Free full text: Clinical Epigenetics →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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