Drosophila melanogaster: An emerging model of transgenerational effects of maternal obesity

• Maternal obesity is a rapidly growing health concern for both mother and offspring.
• Epigenetics, the ER, and mitochondria are avenues of potential impact on progeny.
• Molecular mechanisms that connect maternal overnutrition to these avenues are unknown.
• Drosophila has provided insight into obesity and other human metabolic diseases.
• A maternal obesity fly model mirrors findings in mammals and may aid in mechanistic insight.

The prevalence of obesity in the world is endemic with one rapidly growing health concern being maternal obesity. Obesity during pregnancy increases the risk of gestational diabetes, miscarriage, and preeclampsia, while rendering offspring susceptible to developmental anomalies and long-term metabolic complications including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Several studies in humans and rodents demonstrate a correlation between the risks of maternal overnutrition and factors such as epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, ER stress, and immune system disruption. At present, the molecular mechanisms connecting these factors to maternal obesity are unknown. This review focuses on the use of Drosophila melanogaster to study human metabolic diseases, including obesity, and its emerging use to elucidate the mechanisms of maternal overnutrition and the impact on offspring.