Our guest is Dr. Christine Sers, from the Institute of Pathology at Berlin's University Clinic

"What we know is that there are certain external things that can influence epigenetic modifications - for example smoking. Green tea is assumed to do some epigenetic modifications, and heavy metals are known as poisons and we know that they influence epigenetic modifications."
DW-TV: There has been a relatively quick change in our genetic blue print within a few thousand years. Even quicker changes in our genetic makeup are possible. How does that work?


Christine Sers: This depends on the mechanism. Of course there are also quick changes in genetics - mutations or alterations in the sequence. This can happen during diseases, for example. But the major mechanism that can happen quite rapidly is called an epigenetic mechanism. This does not influence the sequence of our genomic material, but these are chemical modifications that are placed on top of it.


DW-TV: That means we keep our genetic code and turn on or turn off certain genes?


Christine Sers: Exactly! This is what usually happens. It influences the activity of the gene - we also call it "fine tuning." It very often switches off genes, but in the meantime we also know it can switch on genes.


DW-TV: And which genes are we actually talking about?


Christine Sers: This depends on the situation. In a tumour situation you need to switch off genes which normally stops its growth. When we are grown up our cells still need to grow. So these genes are activley switched off. When these epigenetic mechanisms or alterations are removed, then the genes are turned on and the cell starts to divide while it shouldn't..


DW-TV: OK. Nobody wants to get cancer or a tumour, so how can we influence this epigenetic mutation?


Chistine Sers: This is the question that we would also like to answer as scientists. What we know is that there are certain external things that can influence epigenetic modifications - for example smoking. Green tea is assumed to do some epigenetic modifications, and heavy metals are known as poisons and we know that they influence epigenetic modifications.



DW-TV: So nutrition, for example, has an influence. Is there also a chance to maybe reset this genetic pattern.


Christine Sers: In principle there is one. We know that during development in the uterus, the foetus gets a reset of the epigenetic modifications, and at the same time certain modifications are set there which are then given to the child. The girls have the egg cells, of course, and here the epigenetic modifications are placed during development and then they go on when the child is born.


DW-TV: That means also the behaviour of the mother has a certain influence on the development of the child, of course.


Christine Sers: This is very hard to put scientifically in more detail. What we know is that after the Second World War there was a shortage in nutrition, so the mothers were hungry. One or two generations later, we saw an early onset of certain diseases such as diabetes. This is now traced back to this phase where there was a shortage of nutrition.


DW-TV: So we actually learn from this: eat less, and your grandchildren will be healthier!


Christine Sers: It could be like that. We know already know that eat less means live longer, and we know assume this has to do with epigenetic modification.


Interview: Ingolf Baur