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High maternal folic acid intake around conception alters mouse blastocyst lineage allocation and expression of key developmental regulatory genes

Folate, a cofactor for the supply of one‐carbon groups, is required by epigenetic processes to regulate cell lineage determination during development. The intake of folic acid (FA), the synthetic form of folate, has increased significantly over the past decade, but the effects of high periconceptional FA intake on cell lineage determination in the early embryo remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of maternal high FA (HFA) intake on blastocyst development and expression of key regulatory genes. C57BL/6 adult female mice were fed either Control diet (1 mg FA) for 4 weeks before conception and during the preimplantation period (Con‐Con); Control diet for 4 weeks preconception, followed by HFA (5 mg FA) diet during preimplantation (Con‐HFA); or HFA diet for 4 weeks preconception and during preimplantation (HFA‐HFA). At E3.5, blastocyst cell number, protein, and mRNA expression were measured. In HFA‐HFA blastocysts, trophectoderm cell numbers and expression of CDX2, Oct‐4, and Nanog were reduced compared with Con‐Con blastocysts; Con‐HFA blastocysts showed lower CDX2 and Oct‐4 expression than Con‐Con blastocysts. These findings suggest periconceptional HFA intake induces changes in key regulators of embryo morphogenesis with potential implications for subsequent development.