Epigenetic effects of Assisted Reproductive Technologies – CARE

Millions of children have been born worldwide via assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Yet, the safety of these techniques is not fully demonstrated. ART are associated with numerous complications, including imprinting disorders, likely because ART coincide with epigenetic reprogramming events. Animal experiments have revealed that ART can impact epigenetic regulation of key developmental genes. However, knowledge about this phenomenon is totally lacking in humans. We propose to study the interactions between the human embryo and the in vitro “milieu” and their short- and long-term consequences on the epigenetic regulation of imprinted genes, transposable elements and the genome in toto, through three important times of development (preimplantation, birth, and childhood). This ambitious project is based on a unique collection of human preimplantation embryos and post-natal biological material , combined with state-of-the-art technologies.