It is becoming increasingly clear that the genetically determined program of an organism is modified in response to variable environmental conditions operating during its development. Experimental results from animal studies as well as clinical data indicate that especially the prenatal and early postnatal events can initiate long-term changes in the expression of the genetic program which persist, or may only become apparent, later in the individual’s life. The effects of early-life events are often viewed in light of pathology, as they can increase the risk for a particular disease. But alternatively, the knowledge concerning developmental plasticity may be effectively utilized in targeted programming of phenotypic properties in effort to prevent the manifestation of particular disease state in subjects with significant genetic predisposition. This review describes some of the basic mechanisms of developmental plasticity and its possible application in pharmacological prevention of hypertension development in young individuals genetically predisposed to high blood pressure.
