The association of preterm birth with obesity and metabolic syndrome later in life is well
established. Although the biological mechanism for this association is poorly understood,
epigenetic alterations of metabolic-related genes in early life may have important roles in
metabolic dysfunction. Thus, we investigated the associations of DNA methylations of
melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) with
metabolic profiles in cord blood of term and preterm infants.