Paternal Nicotine Exposure Alters Mouse Metabolism
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- Male mice given nicotine in their drinking water produced offspring with altered glucose metabolism and liver function.
- Female offspring of nicotine‑exposed fathers displayed lower insulin levels and lower fasting glucose compared with controls.
- Male offspring of nicotine‑exposed fathers showed reduced blood glucose levels and changes in liver function.
- Raquel Chamorro‑Garcia of UC Santa Cruz said the findings suggest paternal tobacco use may increase descendants’ diabetes risk.
- The study isolated pure nicotine, showing the metabolic changes were not due to other cigarette by‑products or e‑cigarette additives.
- Funding came from NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, UC’s Tobacco‑related Disease Research Program, and UC Santa Cruz start‑up funds.
Why it matters: The finding gives public‑health officials a new target for diabetes prevention, emphasizing that men’s tobacco use before conception can affect children’s metabolic health, potentially increasing the burden on families, raising healthcare costs, and prompting inclusion of paternal health in preconception counseling.
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