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Yaskolka Meir A, Wang G, Hong X, Hu FB, Wang X, Liang L. Newborn DNA methylation age differentiates long-term weight trajectories: the Boston Birth Cohort. BMC Med 2024; 22:373. [PMID: 39256781 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03568-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational age (GEAA) estimated by newborn DNA methylation (GAmAge) is associated with maternal prenatal exposures and immediate birth outcomes. However, the association of GAmAge with long-term overweight or obesity (OWO) trajectories is yet to be determined. METHODS GAmAge was calculated for 831 children from a US predominantly urban, low-income, multi-ethnic birth cohort based on cord blood DNA methylation profile using Illumina EPIC array. Repeated anthropometric measurements aligned with pediatric primary care schedule allowed us to calculate body-mass-index percentiles (BMIPCT) at specific age and to define long-term weight trajectories from birth to 18 years. RESULTS GAmAge was associated with BMIPCT trajectories, defined by 4 groups: stable (consistent OWO: "early OWO"; constant normal weight: "NW") or non-stable (OWO by year 1 of follow-up: "late OWO"; OWO by year 6 of follow-up: "NW to very late OWO"). GAmAge differentiated between the group with consistently normal BMIPCT pattern and the non-stable groups with late and very late OWO development. Such differentiation was observed in the age periods of birth to 1year, 3years, 6years, 10years, and 14years (p < 0.05 for all). The findings persisted after adjusting for GEAA, maternal smoking, delivery method, and child's sex in multivariate models. Birth weight was a mediator for the GAmAge effect on OWO status for specific groups at multiple age periods. CONCLUSIONS GAmAge is associated with BMIPCT trajectories from birth to age 18 years, independent of GEAA and birth weight. If further confirmed, GAmAge may serve as an early biomarker for predicting BMI trajectory to inform early risk assessment and prevention of OWO. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03228875).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Yaskolka Meir
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Guoying Wang
- Center On Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Center On Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Frank B Hu
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospitaland, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center On Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Liming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Dye CK, Alschuler DM, Wu H, Duarte C, Monk C, Belsky DW, Lee S, O’Donnell K, Baccarelli AA, Scorza P. Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Biological Aging During Pregnancy and in Newborns. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2427063. [PMID: 39120899 PMCID: PMC11316241 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.27063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), potentially traumatic experiences occurring before the age of 18 years, are associated with epigenetic aging later in life and may be transmitted across generations. Objective To test evidence of the transmission of biological embedding of life experience across generations by analyzing maternal ACEs and epigenetic clocks measured in mothers during pregnancy and in their children at birth. Design, Setting, and Participants For this cross-sectional study, data from the Accessible Resource for Integrated Epigenomic Studies (ARIES) substudy of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were analyzed. The ALSPAC study recruited 14 541 women who gave birth in the Avon Health District in the UK between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992. The ARIES substudy comprised 1018 mother-offspring dyads based on the availability of DNA samples profiled in 2014. Epigenetic age was estimated using DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks (including Horvath, Hannum, GrimAge, PhenoAge, and DunedinPACE) in mothers during pregnancy and the Knight and Bohlin cord blood epigenetic clocks in newborns. Analyses were performed between October 1, 2022, and November 30, 2023. Exposures A composite measure of maternal ACEs was the primary exposure in both maternal and offspring models; as a secondary analysis, individual ACEs were measured separately. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to investigate depression during pregnancy as an exposure. Main Outcomes and Measures Changes in epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) were investigated as the primary outcome in maternal models during pregnancy. Changes in epigenetic gestational age acceleration (GAA) were the primary outcome in offspring analyses. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the association between maternal ACEs and both outcomes. Results This study included 883 mother-child dyads. The mean (SD) maternal age at delivery was 29.8 (4.3) years. Pregnant women with higher ACE scores exhibited higher GrimAge EAA (β, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.33] years; P < .001). Maternal ACEs were not associated with GAA in newborns using P < .05 as a cutoff to determine statistical significance. Depression was associated with higher GrimAge EAA (β, 0.06 [95% CI, 0.02 to 0.10] years; P = .01) in mothers during pregnancy, but not in newborns, and did not mediate the association between ACEs and EAA. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that maternal ACEs may be associated with epigenetic aging later in life, including during pregnancy, supporting a role for maternal ACEs in offspring development and health later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian K. Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | | | - Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Cristiane Duarte
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Catherine Monk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Daniel W. Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology, Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Kieran O’Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Pamela Scorza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, New York
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3
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Zheng Z, Li J, Liu T, Fan Y, Zhai QC, Xiong M, Wang QR, Sun X, Zheng QW, Che S, Jiang B, Zheng Q, Wang C, Liu L, Ping J, Wang S, Gao DD, Ye J, Yang K, Zuo Y, Ma S, Yang YG, Qu J, Zhang F, Jia P, Liu GH, Zhang W. DNA methylation clocks for estimating biological age in Chinese cohorts. Protein Cell 2024; 15:575-593. [PMID: 38482631 PMCID: PMC11259550 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic clocks are accurate predictors of human chronological age based on the analysis of DNA methylation (DNAm) at specific CpG sites. However, a systematic comparison between DNA methylation data and other omics datasets has not yet been performed. Moreover, available DNAm age predictors are based on datasets with limited ethnic representation. To address these knowledge gaps, we generated and analyzed DNA methylation datasets from two independent Chinese cohorts, revealing age-related DNAm changes. Additionally, a DNA methylation aging clock (iCAS-DNAmAge) and a group of DNAm-based multi-modal clocks for Chinese individuals were developed, with most of them demonstrating strong predictive capabilities for chronological age. The clocks were further employed to predict factors influencing aging rates. The DNAm aging clock, derived from multi-modal aging features (compositeAge-DNAmAge), exhibited a close association with multi-omics changes, lifestyles, and disease status, underscoring its robust potential for precise biological age assessment. Our findings offer novel insights into the regulatory mechanism of age-related DNAm changes and extend the application of the DNAm clock for measuring biological age and aging pace, providing the basis for evaluating aging intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zikai Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaming Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tianzi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yanling Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiao-Cheng Zhai
- Division of Orthopaedics, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
- The Joint Innovation Center for Engineering in Medicine, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Muzhao Xiong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiao-Ran Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi-Wen Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shanshan Che
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Beier Jiang
- The Joint Innovation Center for Engineering in Medicine, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Quan Zheng
- The Joint Innovation Center for Engineering in Medicine, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Cui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lixiao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiale Ping
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Si Wang
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
- Aging Translational Medicine Center, International Center for Aging and Cancer, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
- Aging Biomarker Consortium, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Dan-Dan Gao
- The Joint Innovation Center for Engineering in Medicine, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Jinlin Ye
- The Joint Innovation Center for Engineering in Medicine, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Kuan Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuesheng Zuo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuai Ma
- Aging Biomarker Consortium, Beijing 100101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yun-Gui Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Qu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Aging Biomarker Consortium, Beijing 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Division of Orthopaedics, Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Peilin Jia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Guang-Hui Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
- Aging Translational Medicine Center, International Center for Aging and Cancer, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
- Aging Biomarker Consortium, Beijing 100101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Aging Biomarker Consortium, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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4
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Pilkay SR, Knight AK, Bush NR, LeWinn K, Davis RL, Tylavsky F, Smith AK. Poverty and neighborhood opportunity effects on neonate DNAm developmental age. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306452. [PMID: 38995877 PMCID: PMC11244791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children from families with low socioeconomic status (SES), as determined by income, experience several negative outcomes, such as higher rates of newborn mortality and behavioral issues. Moreover, associations between DNA methylation and low income or poverty status are evident beginning at birth, suggesting prenatal influences on offspring development. Recent evidence suggests neighborhood opportunities may protect against some of the health consequences of living in low income households. The goal of this study was to assess whether neighborhood opportunities moderate associations between household income (HI) and neonate developmental maturity as measured with DNA methylation. METHODS Umbilical cord blood DNA methylation data was available in 198 mother-neonate pairs from the larger CANDLE cohort. Gestational age acceleration was calculated using an epigenetic clock designed for neonates. Prenatal HI and neighborhood opportunities measured with the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) were regressed on gestational age acceleration controlling for sex, race, and cellular composition. RESULTS Higher HI was associated with higher gestational age acceleration (B = .145, t = 4.969, p = 1.56x10-6, 95% CI [.087, .202]). Contrary to expectation, an interaction emerged showing higher neighborhood educational opportunity was associated with lower gestational age acceleration at birth for neonates with mothers living in moderate to high HI (B = -.048, t = -2.08, p = .03, 95% CI [-.092, -.002]). Female neonates showed higher gestational age acceleration at birth compared to males. However, within males, being born into neighborhoods with higher social and economic opportunity was associated with higher gestational age acceleration. CONCLUSION Prenatal HI and neighborhood qualities may affect gestational age acceleration at birth. Therefore, policy makers should consider neighborhood qualities as one opportunity to mitigate prenatal developmental effects of HI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie R Pilkay
- School of Social Work, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kaja LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Robert L Davis
- Health and Science Center, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Frances Tylavsky
- Health and Science Center, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta Georgia, United States of America
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5
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Murgatroyd C, Salontaji K, Smajlagic D, Page C, Sanders F, Jugessur A, Lyle R, Tsotsi S, Haftorn K, Felix J, Walton E, Tiemeier H, Cecil C, Bekkhus M. Prenatal stress and gestational epigenetic age: No evidence of associations based on a large prospective multi-cohort study. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4257223. [PMID: 39011115 PMCID: PMC11247928 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4257223/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Psychological stress during pregnancy is known to have a range of long-lasting negative consequences on the development and health of offspring. Here, we tested whether a measure of prenatal early-life stress was associated with a biomarker of physiological development at birth, namely epigenetic gestational age, using foetal cord-blood DNA-methylation data. Longitudinal cohorts from the Netherlands (Generation R Study [Generation R], n = 1,396), the UK (British Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children [ALSPAC], n = 642), and Norway (Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study [MoBa], n1 = 1,212 and n2 = 678) provided data on prenatal maternal stress and genome-wide DNA methylation from cord blood and were meta-analysed (pooled n = 3,928). Measures of epigenetic age acceleration were calculated using three different gestational epigenetic clocks: "Bohlin", "EPIC overlap" and "Knight". Prenatal stress exposure, examined as an overall cumulative score, was not significantly associated with epigenetically-estimated gestational age acceleration or deceleration in any of the clocks, based on the results of the pooled meta-analysis or those of the individual cohorts. No significant associations were identified with specific domains of prenatal stress exposure, including negative life events, contextual (socio-economic) stressors, parental risks (e.g., maternal psychopathology) and interpersonal risks (e.g., family conflict). Further, no significant associations were identified when analyses were stratified by sex. Overall, we find little support that prenatal psychosocial stress is associated with variation in epigenetic age at birth within the general paediatric population.
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Martínez-Magaña JJ, Hurtado-Soriano J, Rivero-Segura NA, Montalvo-Ortiz JL, Garcia-delaTorre P, Becerril-Rojas K, Gomez-Verjan JC. Towards a Novel Frontier in the Use of Epigenetic Clocks in Epidemiology. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:103033. [PMID: 38955096 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2024.103033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Health problems associated with aging are a major public health concern for the future. Aging is a complex process with wide intervariability among individuals. Therefore, there is a need for innovative public health strategies that target factors associated with aging and the development of tools to assess the effectiveness of these strategies accurately. Novel approaches to measure biological age, such as epigenetic clocks, have become relevant. These clocks use non-sequential variable information from the genome and employ mathematical algorithms to estimate biological age based on DNA methylation levels. Therefore, in the present study, we comprehensively review the current status of the epigenetic clocks and their associations across the human phenome. We emphasize the potential utility of these tools in an epidemiological context, particularly in evaluating the impact of public health interventions focused on promoting healthy aging. Our review describes associations between epigenetic clocks and multiple traits across the life and health span. Additionally, we highlighted the evolution of studies beyond mere associations to establish causal mechanisms between epigenetic age and disease. We explored the application of epigenetic clocks to measure the efficacy of interventions focusing on rejuvenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Jaime Martínez-Magaña
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neuroscience Division, West Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Janitza L Montalvo-Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neuroscience Division, West Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Paola Garcia-delaTorre
- Unidad de Investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud, Área de Envejecimiento, Centro Médico Nacional, Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
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7
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Short AK, Weber R, Kamei N, Wilcox Thai C, Arora H, Mortazavi A, Stern HS, Glynn L, Baram TZ. Individual longitudinal changes in DNA-methylome identify signatures of early-life adversity and correlate with later outcome. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100652. [PMID: 38962694 PMCID: PMC11219970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Adverse early-life experiences (ELA) affect a majority of the world's children. Whereas the enduring impact of ELA on cognitive and emotional health is established, there are no tools to predict vulnerability to ELA consequences in an individual child. Epigenetic markers including peripheral-cell DNA-methylation profiles may encode ELA and provide predictive outcome markers, yet the interindividual variance of the human genome and rapid changes in DNA methylation in childhood pose significant challenges. Hoping to mitigate these challenges we examined the relation of several ELA dimensions to DNA methylation changes and outcome using a within-subject longitudinal design and a high methylation-change threshold. DNA methylation was analyzed in buccal swab/saliva samples collected twice (neonatally and at 12 months) in 110 infants. We identified CpGs differentially methylated across time for each child and determined whether they associated with ELA indicators and executive function at age 5. We assessed sex differences and derived a sex-dependent 'impact score' based on sites that most contributed to methylation changes. Changes in methylation between two samples of an individual child reflected age-related trends and correlated with executive function years later. Among tested ELA dimensions and life factors including income to needs ratios, maternal sensitivity, body mass index and infant sex, unpredictability of parental and household signals was the strongest predictor of executive function. In girls, high early-life unpredictability interacted with methylation changes to presage executive function. Thus, longitudinal, within-subject changes in methylation profiles may provide a signature of ELA and a potential predictive marker of individual outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel K. Short
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, ersity of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ryan Weber
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Noriko Kamei
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, ersity of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christina Wilcox Thai
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Hina Arora
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ali Mortazavi
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Hal S. Stern
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Laura Glynn
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92866, USA
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, ersity of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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8
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Creasey N, Leijten P, Overbeek G, Tollenaar MS. Incredible years parenting program buffers prospective association between parent-reported harsh parenting and epigenetic age deceleration in children with externalizing behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 165:107043. [PMID: 38593711 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Harsh parenting has been shown to increase the risk of physical and mental health problems in later life. To improve our understanding of these risks and how they can be mitigated, we investigated associations of harsh parenting with a clinically relevant biomarker, epigenetic age deviation (EAD), using data from a randomized-control trial of the Incredible Years (IY) parenting program. This study included 281 children aged 4-8 years who were screened for heightened externalizing behavior and whose parents were randomly allocated to either IY or care-as-usual (CAU). Parents reported on their own parenting practices and their child's externalizing behavior at baseline and at a follow-up assessment approximately three years later. Epigenetic age, based on the Pediatric Buccal Epigenetic (PedBE) clock, was estimated from child DNA methylation derived from saliva collected at the follow-up assessment. PedBE clock estimates were regressed on chronological age as a measure of EAD. Moderation analyses using multiple regression revealed that harsher parenting at baseline predicted epigenetic age deceleration in children that received CAU (b = -.21, 95% CI[-0.37, -0.05]), but no association was found in children whose parents were allocated to IY (b = -.02, 95% CI [-0.13, 0.19]). These results highlight a prospective association between harsh parenting and children's EAD and indicate a potential ameliorating effect of preventive intervention. Future work is needed to replicate these findings and understand individual differences in children's responses to harsh parenting in relation to epigenetic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Patty Leijten
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geertjan Overbeek
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
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9
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Kuula J, Czamara D, Hauta-Alus H, Lahti J, Hovi P, Miettinen ME, Ronkainen J, Eriksson JG, Andersson S, Järvelin MR, Sebert S, Räikkönen K, Binder EB, Kajantie E. Epigenetic signature of very low birth weight in young adult life. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03354-6. [PMID: 38898107 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03354-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, one in ten babies is born preterm (<37 weeks), and 1-2% preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g). As adults, they are at increased risk for a plethora of health conditions, e.g., cardiometabolic disease, which may partly be mediated by epigenetic regulation. We compared blood DNA methylation between young adults born at VLBW and controls. METHODS 157 subjects born at VLBW and 161 controls born at term, from the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults, were assessed for peripheral venous blood DNA methylation levels at mean age of 22 years. Significant CpG-sites (5'-C-phosphate-G-3') were meta-analyzed against continuous birth weight in four independent cohorts (pooled n = 2235) with cohort mean ages varying from 0 to 31 years. RESULTS In the discovery cohort, 66 CpG-sites were differentially methylated between VLBW adults and controls. Top hits were located in HIF3A, EBF4, and an intergenic region nearest to GLI2 (distance 57,533 bp). Five CpG-sites, all in proximity to GLI2, were hypermethylated in VLBW and associated with lower birth weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSION We identified differentially methylated CpG-sites suggesting an epigenetic signature of preterm birth at VLBW present in adult life. IMPACT Being born preterm at very low birth weight has major implications for later health and chronic disease risk factors. The mechanism linking preterm birth to later outcomes remains unknown. Our cohort study of 157 very low birth weight adults and 161 controls found 66 differentially methylated sites at mean age of 22 years. Our findings suggest an epigenetic mark of preterm birth present in adulthood, which opens up opportunities for mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juho Kuula
- Population Health Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
- HUS Medical Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Helena Hauta-Alus
- Population Health Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petteri Hovi
- Population Health Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maija E Miettinen
- Population Health Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Justiina Ronkainen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Johan G Eriksson
- Folkhälsan Research Centre, Topeliusgatan 20, 00250, Helsinki, Finland
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sture Andersson
- Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marjo-Riitta Järvelin
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Eero Kajantie
- Population Health Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Clinical Medicine Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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10
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Deng WQ, Pigeyre M, Azab SM, Wilson SL, Campbell N, Cawte N, Morrison KM, Atkinson SA, Subbarao P, Turvey SE, Moraes TJ, Mandhane P, Azad MB, Simons E, Pare G, Anand SS. Consistent cord blood DNA methylation signatures of gestational age between South Asian and white European cohorts. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:74. [PMID: 38840168 PMCID: PMC11155053 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-024-01684-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm) in cord blood, are an important biological marker of how external exposures during gestation can influence the in-utero environment and subsequent offspring development. Despite the recognized importance of DNAm during gestation, comparative studies to determine the consistency of these epigenetic signals across different ethnic groups are largely absent. To address this gap, we first performed epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of gestational age (GA) using newborn cord blood DNAm comparatively in a white European (n = 342) and a South Asian (n = 490) birth cohort living in Canada. Then, we capitalized on established cord blood epigenetic GA clocks to examine the associations between maternal exposures, offspring characteristics and epigenetic GA, as well as GA acceleration, defined as the residual difference between epigenetic and chronological GA at birth. RESULTS Individual EWASs confirmed 1,211 and 1,543 differentially methylated CpGs previously reported to be associated with GA, in white European and South Asian cohorts, respectively, with a similar distribution of effects. We confirmed that Bohlin's cord blood GA clock was robustly correlated with GA in white Europeans (r = 0.71; p = 6.0 × 10-54) and South Asians (r = 0.66; p = 6.9 × 10-64). In both cohorts, Bohlin's clock was positively associated with newborn weight and length and negatively associated with parity, newborn female sex, and gestational diabetes. Exclusive to South Asians, the GA clock was positively associated with the newborn ponderal index, while pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain were strongly predictive of increased epigenetic GA in white Europeans. Important predictors of GA acceleration included gestational diabetes mellitus, newborn sex, and parity in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the consistent DNAm signatures of GA and the utility of Bohlin's GA clock across the two populations. Although the overall pattern of DNAm is similar, its connections with the mother's environment and the baby's anthropometrics can differ between the two groups. Further research is needed to understand these unique relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Q Deng
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
| | - Marie Pigeyre
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Population Health Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sandi M Azab
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Samantha L Wilson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Natalie Campbell
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Nathan Cawte
- Population Health Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada
| | | | | | - Padmaja Subbarao
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Program in Translational Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stuart E Turvey
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children's Hospital, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Theo J Moraes
- Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Program in Translational Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Piush Mandhane
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Meghan B Azad
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Elinor Simons
- Section of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Guillaume Pare
- Population Health Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sonia S Anand
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Population Health Research Institute, David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada.
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
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11
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Xu Z, Niu L, Kresovich JK, Taylor JA. methscore: a comprehensive R function for DNA methylation-based health predictors. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae302. [PMID: 38702768 PMCID: PMC11105949 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION DNA methylation-based predictors of various biological metrics have been widely published and are becoming valuable tools in epidemiologic studies of epigenetics and personalized medicine. However, generating these predictors from original source software and web servers is complex and time consuming. Furthermore, different predictors were often derived based on data from different types of arrays, where array differences and batch effects can make predictors difficult to compare across studies. RESULTS We integrate these published methods into a single R function to produce 158 previously published predictors for chronological age, biological age, exposures, lifestyle traits and serum protein levels using both classical and principal component-based methods. To mitigate batch and array differences, we also provide a modified RCP method (ref-RCP) that normalize input DNA methylation data to reference data prior to estimation. Evaluations in real datasets show that this approach improves estimate precision and comparability across studies. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The function was included in software package ENmix, and is freely available from Bioconductor website (https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/ENmix.html).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongli Xu
- Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, United States
| | - Liang Niu
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, United States
| | - Jacob K Kresovich
- Departments of Cancer Epidemiology & Breast Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, United States
| | - Jack A Taylor
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, United States
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12
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Holuka C, Menta G, Caro JC, Vögele C, D'Ambrosio C, Turner JD. Developmental epigenomic effects of maternal financial problems. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38654405 DOI: 10.1017/s095457942400083x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Early-life adversity as neglect or low socioeconomic status is associated with negative physical/mental health outcomes and plays an important role in health trajectories through life. The early-life environment has been shown to be encoded as changes in epigenetic markers that are retained for many years.We investigated the effect of maternal major financial problems (MFP) and material deprivation (MD) on their children's epigenome in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort. Epigenetic aging, measured with epigenetic clocks, was weakly accelerated with increased MFP. In subsequent EWAS, MFP, and MD showed strong, independent programing effects on children's genomes. MFP in the period from birth to age seven was associated with genome-wide epigenetic modifications on children's genome visible at age 7 and partially remaining at age 15.These results support the hypothesis that physiological processes at least partially explain associations between early-life adversity and health problems later in life. Both maternal stressors (MFP/MD) had similar effects on biological pathways, providing preliminary evidence for the mechanisms underlying the effects of low socioeconomic status in early life and disease outcomes later in life. Understanding these associations is essential to explain disease susceptibility, overall life trajectories and the transition from health to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrielle Holuka
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Immune Endocrine Epigenetics Research Group, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Giorgia Menta
- Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Juan Carlos Caro
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Universidad de Concepcion, Talcahuano, Chile
| | - Claus Vögele
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Conchita D'Ambrosio
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Immune Endocrine Epigenetics Research Group, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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13
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Salontaji K, Haftorn KL, Sanders F, Page CM, Walton E, Felix JF, Bekkhus M, Bohlin J, Tiemeier H, Cecil CAM. Gestational epigenetic age and ADHD symptoms in childhood: a prospective, multi-cohort study. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02544-2. [PMID: 38561466 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02544-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), defined as the difference between chronological age and epigenetically predicted age, was calculated from multiple gestational epigenetic clocks (Bohlin, EPIC overlap, and Knight) using DNA methylation levels from cord blood in three large population-based birth cohorts: the Generation R Study (The Netherlands), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (United Kingdom), and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (Norway). We hypothesized that a lower EAA associates prospectively with increased ADHD symptoms. We tested our hypotheses in these three cohorts and meta-analyzed the results (n = 3383). We replicated previous research on the association between gestational age (GA) and ADHD. Both clinically measured gestational age as well as epigenetic age measures at birth were negatively associated with ADHD symptoms at ages 5-7 years (clinical GA: β = -0.04, p < 0.001, Bohlin: β = -0.05, p = 0.01; EPIC overlap: β = -0.05, p = 0.01; Knight: β = -0.01, p = 0.26). Raw EAA (difference between clinical and epigenetically estimated gestational age) was positively associated with ADHD in our main model, whereas residual EAA (raw EAA corrected for clinical gestational age) was not associated with ADHD symptoms across cohorts. Overall, findings support a link between lower gestational age (either measured clinically or using epigenetic-derived estimates) and ADHD symptoms. Epigenetic age acceleration does not, however, add unique information about ADHD risk independent of clinically estimated gestational age at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Salontaji
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Centre, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kristine L Haftorn
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Faye Sanders
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Physical Health and Ageing, Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Esther Walton
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Janine F Felix
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mona Bekkhus
- Promenta research centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jon Bohlin
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department for methods development and analysis, section for modeling and bioinformatics, Division for infectious diseases, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Centre, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Centre, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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14
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Bradburn E, Conde-Agudelo A, Roberts NW, Villar J, Papageorghiou AT. Accuracy of prenatal and postnatal biomarkers for estimating gestational age: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 70:102498. [PMID: 38495518 PMCID: PMC10940947 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Knowledge of gestational age (GA) is key in clinical management of individual obstetric patients, and critical to be able to calculate rates of preterm birth and small for GA at a population level. Currently, the gold standard for pregnancy dating is measurement of the fetal crown rump length at 11-14 weeks of gestation. However, this is not possible for women first presenting in later pregnancy, or in settings where routine ultrasound is not available. A reliable, cheap and easy to measure GA-dependent biomarker would provide an important breakthrough in estimating the age of pregnancy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of prenatal and postnatal biomarkers for estimating gestational age (GA). Methods Systematic review prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020167727) and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-DTA. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS, and other databases were searched from inception until September 2023 for cohort or cross-sectional studies that reported on the accuracy of prenatal and postnatal biomarkers for estimating GA. In addition, we searched Google Scholar and screened proceedings of relevant conferences and reference lists of identified studies and relevant reviews. There were no language or date restrictions. Pooled coefficients of correlation and root mean square error (RMSE, average deviation in weeks between the GA estimated by the biomarker and that estimated by the gold standard method) were calculated. The risk of bias in each included study was also assessed. Findings Thirty-nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 20 studies (2,050 women) assessed prenatal biomarkers (placental hormones, metabolomic profiles, proteomics, cell-free RNA transcripts, and exon-level gene expression), and 19 (1,738,652 newborns) assessed postnatal biomarkers (metabolomic profiles, DNA methylation profiles, and fetal haematological components). Among the prenatal biomarkers assessed, human chorionic gonadotrophin measured in maternal serum between 4 and 9 weeks of gestation showed the highest correlation with the reference standard GA, with a pooled coefficient of correlation of 0.88. Among the postnatal biomarkers assessed, metabolomic profiling from newborn blood spots provided the most accurate estimate of GA, with a pooled RMSE of 1.03 weeks across all GAs. It performed best for term infants with a slightly reduced accuracy for preterm or small for GA infants. The pooled RMSEs for metabolomic profiling and DNA methylation profile from cord blood samples were 1.57 and 1.60 weeks, respectively. Interpretation We identified no antenatal biomarkers that accurately predict GA over a wide window of pregnancy. Postnatally, metabolomic profiling from newborn blood spot provides an accurate estimate of GA, however, as this is known only after birth it is not useful to guide antenatal care. Further prenatal studies are needed to identify biomarkers that can be used in isolation, as part of a biomarker panel, or in combination with other clinical methods to narrow prediction intervals of GA estimation. Funding The research was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-000368). ATP is supported by the Oxford Partnership Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre with funding from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funding scheme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK National Health Service, the NIHR, the Department of Health, or the Department of Biotechnology. The funders of this study had no role in study design, data collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, in writing the paper or the decision to submit for publication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Bradburn
- Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Agustin Conde-Agudelo
- Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nia W. Roberts
- Bodleian Health Care Libraries, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jose Villar
- Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Aris T. Papageorghiou
- Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Maternal & Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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de Lima Camillo LP. pyaging: a Python-based compendium of GPU-optimized aging clocks. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae200. [PMID: 38603598 PMCID: PMC11058068 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Aging is intricately linked to diseases and mortality. It is reflected in molecular changes across various tissues which can be leveraged for the development of biomarkers of aging using machine learning models, known as aging clocks. Despite advancements in the field, a significant challenge remains: the lack of robust, Python-based software tools for integrating and comparing these diverse models. This gap highlights the need for comprehensive solutions that can handle the complexity and variety of data in aging research. RESULTS To address this gap, I introduce pyaging, a comprehensive open-source Python package designed to facilitate aging research. pyaging harmonizes dozens of aging clocks, covering a range of molecular data types such as DNA methylation, transcriptomics, histone mark ChIP-Seq, and ATAC-Seq. The package is not limited to traditional model types; it features a diverse array, from linear and principal component models to neural networks and automatic relevance determination models. Thanks to a PyTorch-based backend that enables GPU acceleration, pyaging is capable of rapid inference, even when dealing with large datasets and complex models. In addition, the package's support for multi-species analysis extends its utility across various organisms, including humans, various mammals, and Caenorhabditis elegans. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION pyaging is accessible on GitHub, at https://github.com/rsinghlab/pyaging, and the distribution is available on PyPi, at https://pypi.org/project/pyaging/. The software is also archived on Zenodo, at https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10335011.
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16
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Lumour-Mensah T, Lemos B. Evidence of reduced gestational age in response to in utero arsenic exposure and implications for aging trajectories of the newborn. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108566. [PMID: 38461780 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Arsenic exposure is associated with a plethora of age-related health outcomes of disparate etiology. However, evidence of the impact of arsenic on aging remains limited. Here, we investigated the utility of epigenetic clocks in two different populations and the impact of maternal arsenic exposure during pregnancy on epigenetic gestational age at birth. To do this, we examined publicly available DNA methylation data and estimated gestational age across five gestational clocks in two unrelated human populations. These populations also differ in the extent of arsenic exposure and the targeted tissue of analysis (cord blood and placental tissue). Our results indicate that same-tissue clocks produce gestational age estimates that are more highly correlated with clinical gestational age. Interestingly, our results also indicate that arsenic exposure is associated with gestational age, with higher arsenic exposures associated with decreased gestational age. We also applied two pediatric clocks to evaluate infant biological age in the same samples. The data is suggestive of higher pediatric age in infants exposed to higher arsenic levels during gestation. Taken altogether, our findings are consistent with past work indicating that that in utero arsenic exposure is associated with decreased gestational maturity as characterized by infant outcomes such as low birthweight and lung underdevelopment and dysfunction in arsenic exposed infants. The findings are also consistent with arsenic exposure setting infants on a trajectory of accelerated epigenetic aging that starts at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabitha Lumour-Mensah
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bernardo Lemos
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; Coit Center for Longevity and Neurotherapeutics, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.
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17
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Bozack AK, Rifas-Shiman SL, Baccarelli AA, Wright RO, Gold DR, Oken E, Hivert MF, Cardenas A. Associations of prenatal one-carbon metabolism nutrients and metals with epigenetic aging biomarkers at birth and in childhood in a US cohort. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:3107-3136. [PMID: 38412256 PMCID: PMC10929819 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic gestational age acceleration (EGAA) at birth and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in childhood may be biomarkers of the intrauterine environment. We investigated the extent to which first-trimester folate, B12, 5 essential, and 7 non-essential metals in maternal circulation are associated with EGAA and EAA in early life. Bohlin EGAA and Horvath pan-tissue and skin and blood EAA were calculated using DNA methylation measured in cord blood (N=351) and mid-childhood blood (N=326; median age = 7.7 years) in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort. A one standard deviation increase in individual essential metals (copper, manganese, and zinc) was associated with 0.94-1.2 weeks lower Horvath EAA at birth, and patterns of exposures identified by exploratory factor analysis suggested that a common source of essential metals was associated with Horvath EAA. We also observed evidence nonlinear associations of zinc with Bohlin EGAA, magnesium and lead with Horvath EAA, and cesium with skin and blood EAA at birth. Overall, associations at birth did not persist in mid-childhood; however, arsenic was associated with greater EAA at birth and in childhood. Prenatal metals, including essential metals and arsenic, are associated with epigenetic aging in early life, which might be associated with future health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K. Bozack
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andrea A. Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032, USA
| | - Robert O. Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY 10029, USA
| | - Diane R. Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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18
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Laubach ZM, Bozack A, Aris IM, Slopen N, Tiemeier H, Hivert MF, Cardenas A, Perng W. Maternal prenatal social experiences and offspring epigenetic age acceleration from birth to mid-childhood. Ann Epidemiol 2024; 90:28-34. [PMID: 37839726 PMCID: PMC10842218 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Investigate associations of maternal social experiences with offspring epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) from birth through mid-childhood among 205 mother-offspring dyads of minoritized racial and ethnic groups. METHODS We used linear regression to examine associations of maternal experiences of racial bias or discrimination (0 = none, 1-2 = intermediate, or 3+ = high), social support (tertile 1 = low, 2 = intermediate, 3 = high), and socioeconomic status index (tertile 1 = low, 2 = intermediate, 3 = high) during the prenatal period with offspring EAA according to Horvath's Pan-Tissue, Horvath's Skin and Blood, and Intrinsic EAA clocks at birth, 3 years, and 7 years. RESULTS In comparison to children of women who did not experience any racial bias or discrimination, those whose mothers reported highest levels of racial bias or discrimination had lower Pan-Tissue clock EAA in early (-0.50 years; 90% CI: -0.91, -0.09) and mid-childhood (-0.75 years; -1.41, -0.08). We observed similar associations for the Skin and Blood clock and Intrinsic EAA. Maternal experiences of discrimination were not associated with Pan-Tissue EAA at birth. Neither maternal social support nor socioeconomic status predicted offspring EAA. CONCLUSIONS Children whose mothers experienced higher racial bias or discrimination exhibited slower EAA. Future studies are warranted to confirm these findings and establish associations of early-life EAA with long-term health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Laubach
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO), University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Anne Bozack
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Izzuddin M Aris
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse (CORAL), Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Natalie Slopen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse (CORAL), Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Wei Perng
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD Center), Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO.
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19
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Knight AK, Spencer JB, Smith AK. DNA methylation as a window into female reproductive aging. Epigenomics 2024; 16:175-188. [PMID: 38131149 PMCID: PMC10841041 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
People with ovaries experience reproductive aging as their reproductive function and system declines. This has significant implications for both fertility and long-term health, with people experiencing an increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders after menopause. Reproductive aging can be assessed through markers of ovarian reserve, response to fertility treatment or molecular biomarkers, including DNA methylation. Changes in DNA methylation with age associate with poorer reproductive outcomes, and epigenome-wide studies can provide insight into genes and pathways involved. DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks can quantify biological age in reproductive tissues and systemically. This review provides an overview of hallmarks and theories of aging in the context of the reproductive system, and then focuses on studies of DNA methylation in reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jessica B Spencer
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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20
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Viola TW, Danzer C, Mardini V, Szobot C, Chrusciel JH, Stertz L, Schmitz JM, Walss-Bass C, Fries GR, Grassi-Oliveira R. Prenatal cocaine exposure and its influence on pediatric epigenetic clocks and epigenetic scores in humans. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1946. [PMID: 38253635 PMCID: PMC10803757 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52433-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The investigation of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on offspring has been inconsistent, with few studies investigating biological outcomes in humans. We profiled genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) of umbilical cord blood (UCB) from newborns with (n = 35) and without (n = 47) PCE. We used DNAm data to (1) assess pediatric epigenetic clocks at birth and (2) to estimate epigenetic scores (ES) for lifetime disorders. We generated gestational epigenetic age estimates (DNAmGA) based on Knight and Bohlin epigenetic clocks. We also investigated the association between DNAmGA and UCB serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Considering the large-scale DNAm data availability and existing evidence regarding PCE as a risk for health problems later in life, we generated ES for tobacco smoking, psychosis, autism, diabetes, and obesity. A gene ontology (GO) analysis on the CpGs included in the ES with group differences was performed. PCE was associated with lower DNAmGA in newborns, and this effect remained significant when controlling for potential confounders, such as blood cell type composition predicted by DNAm and obstetric data. DNAmGA was negatively correlated with BDNF levels in the serum of UCB. Higher tobacco smoking, psychosis, and diabetes ES were found in the PCE group. The GO analysis revealed GABAergic synapses as a potential pathway altered by PCE. Our findings of decelerated DNAmGA and ES for adverse phenotypes associated with PCE, suggest that the effects of gestational cocaine exposure on the epigenetic landscape of human newborns are detectable at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Wendt Viola
- School of Medicine, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Christina Danzer
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 11, A701-129, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Victor Mardini
- Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Claudia Szobot
- Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - João Henrique Chrusciel
- School of Medicine, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Laura Stertz
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Translational Psychiatry Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Joy M Schmitz
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Translational Psychiatry Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Translational Psychiatry Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Gabriel R Fries
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Translational Psychiatry Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- School of Medicine, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 11, A701-129, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark.
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21
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Dutta S, Goodrich JM, Dolinoy DC, Ruden DM. Biological Aging Acceleration Due to Environmental Exposures: An Exciting New Direction in Toxicogenomics Research. Genes (Basel) 2023; 15:16. [PMID: 38275598 PMCID: PMC10815440 DOI: 10.3390/genes15010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological clock technologies are designed to assess the acceleration of biological age (B-age) in diverse cell types, offering a distinctive opportunity in toxicogenomic research to explore the impact of environmental stressors, social challenges, and unhealthy lifestyles on health impairment. These clocks also play a role in identifying factors that can hinder aging and promote a healthy lifestyle. Over the past decade, researchers in epigenetics have developed testing methods that predict the chronological and biological age of organisms. These methods rely on assessing DNA methylation (DNAm) levels at specific CpG sites, RNA levels, and various biomolecules across multiple cell types, tissues, and entire organisms. Commonly known as 'biological clocks' (B-clocks), these estimators hold promise for gaining deeper insights into the pathways contributing to the development of age-related disorders. They also provide a foundation for devising biomedical or social interventions to prevent, reverse, or mitigate these disorders. This review article provides a concise overview of various epigenetic clocks and explores their susceptibility to environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudipta Dutta
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (J.M.G.); (D.C.D.)
| | - Dana C. Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (J.M.G.); (D.C.D.)
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Douglas M. Ruden
- C. S. Mott Center for Human Health and Development, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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22
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Short AK, Weber R, Kamei N, Thai CW, Arora H, Mortazavi A, Stern HS, Glynn L, Baram TZ. Within-subject changes in methylome profile identify individual signatures of early-life adversity, with a potential to predict neuropsychiatric outcome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.16.571594. [PMID: 38187766 PMCID: PMC10769190 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.16.571594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Background Adverse early-life experiences (ELA), including poverty, trauma and neglect, affect a majority of the world's children. Whereas the impact of ELA on cognitive and emotional health throughout the lifespan is well-established, it is not clear how distinct types of ELA influence child development, and there are no tools to predict for an individual child their vulnerability or resilience to the consequences of ELAs. Epigenetic markers including DNA-methylation profiles of peripheral cells may encode ELA and provide a predictive outcome marker. However, the rapid dynamic changes in DNA methylation in childhood and the inter-individual variance of the human genome pose barriers to identifying profiles predicting outcomes of ELA exposure. Here, we examined the relation of several dimensions of ELA to changes of DNA methylation, using a longitudinal within-subject design and a high threshold for methylation changes in the hope of mitigating the above challenges. Methods We analyzed DNA methylation in buccal swab samples collected twice for each of 110 infants: neonatally and at 12 months. We identified CpGs differentially methylated across time, calculated methylation changes for each child, and determined whether several indicators of ELA associated with changes of DNA methylation for individual infants. We then correlated select dimensions of ELA with methylation changes as well as with measures of executive function at age 5 years. We examined for sex differences, and derived a sex-dependent 'impact score' based on sites that most contributed to the methylation changes. Findings Setting a high threshold for methylation changes, we discovered that changes in methylation between two samples of an individual child reflected age-related trends towards augmented methylation, and also correlated with executive function years later. Among the tested factors and ELA dimensions, including income to needs ratios, maternal sensitivity, body mass index and sex, unpredictability of parental and household signals was the strongest predictor of executive function. In girls, an interaction was observed between a measure of high early-life unpredictability and methylation changes, in presaging executive function. Interpretation These findings establish longitudinal, within-subject changes in methylation profiles as a signature of some types of ELA in an individual child. Notably, such changes are detectable beyond the age-associated DNA methylation dynamics. Future studies are required to determine if the methylation profile changes identified here provide a predictive marker of vulnerabilities to poorer cognitive and emotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel K. Short
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697
- Brain Tumour Research Program, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia, 6009 (current)
- Division of Paediatrics/Centre for Child Health Research, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia, 6009 (current)
| | - Ryan Weber
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Noriko Kamei
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Christina Wilcox Thai
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Hina Arora
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697
| | - Ali Mortazavi
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Hal S. Stern
- Department of Statistics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697
| | - Laura Glynn
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92866
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697
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23
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Song AY, Bulka CM, Niemiec SS, Kechris K, Boyle KE, Marsit CJ, O’Shea TM, Fry RC, Lyall K, Fallin MD, Volk HE, Ladd-Acosta C. Accelerated epigenetic age at birth and child emotional and behavioura development in early childhood: a meta-analysis of four prospective cohort studies in ECHO. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2254971. [PMID: 37691382 PMCID: PMC10496525 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2254971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: 'Epigenetic clocks' have been developed to accurately predict chronologic gestational age and have been associated with child health outcomes in prior work.Methods: We meta-analysed results from four prospective U.S cohorts investigating the association between epigenetic age acceleration estimated using blood DNA methylation collected at birth and preschool age Childhood Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores.Results: Epigenetic ageing was not significantly associated with CBCL total problem scores (β = 0.33, 95% CI: -0.95, 0.28) and DSM-oriented pervasive development problem scores (β = -0.23, 95% CI: -0.61, 0.15). No associations were observed for other DSM-oriented subscales.Conclusions: The meta-analysis results suggest that epigenetic gestational age acceleration is not associated with child emotional and behavioural functioning for preschool age group. These findings may relate to our study population, which includes two cohorts enriched for ASD and one preterm birth cohort.; future work should address the role of epigenetic age in child health in other study populations.Abbreviations: DNAm: DNA methylation; CBCL: Child Behavioral Checklist; ECHO: Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes; EARLI: Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation; MARBLES: Markers of Autism Risk in Babies - Learning Early Signs; ELGAN: Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns; ASD: autism spectrum disorder; BMI: body mass index; DSM: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Y. Song
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Sierra S. Niemiec
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Katerina Kechris
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kristen E. Boyle
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Heather E. Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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24
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Marques I, Santos S, Monasso GS, Fossati S, Vrijheid M, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Jaddoe VWV, Felix JF. Associations of green and blue space exposure in pregnancy with epigenetic gestational age acceleration. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2165321. [PMID: 36628941 PMCID: PMC9980449 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2165321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life is seen as a particularly sensitive period for environmental exposures. Natural space exposure during pregnancy has been associated with offspring health. Epigenetic gestational age acceleration, a discrepancy between clinical and DNA methylation-based gestational age, may underlie these associations. In 1359 mother-newborn pairs from the population-based Generation R Study, we examined the associations of natural space exposure, defined as surrounding greenness, distance to major green and blue (water) space, and size of the blue space during pregnancy with offspring epigenetic gestational age acceleration. Natural space exposure was based on participants' geocoded addresses, and epigenetic gestational age acceleration was calculated from cord blood DNA methylation using Bohlin's and Knight's epigenetic clocks. Sensitivity analyses were conducted in a subgroup of newborns with optimal pregnancy dating, based on last menstrual period. Surrounding greenness, measured in normalized difference vegetation index values, was intermediate (median 0.4, IQR 0.2), and 84% and 56% of the participants had a major green or blue space near their home address, respectively. We did not observe associations of natural space availability during pregnancy with offspring epigenetic gestational age acceleration. This could imply that epigenetic gestational age acceleration in cord blood does not underlie the effects of residential natural space availability in pregnancy on offspring health. Future studies could investigate whether residential natural space availability during pregnancy is associated with offspring differential DNA methylation at other CpGs than those included in the epigenetic gestational clocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Marques
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Susana Santos
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Giulietta S Monasso
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Serena Fossati
- ISGlobal, Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- ISGlobal, Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Janine F Felix
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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25
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Bulka CM, Everson TM, Burt AA, Marsit CJ, Karagas MR, Boyle KE, Niemiec S, Kechris K, Davidson EJ, Yang IV, Feinberg JI, Volk HE, Ladd-Acosta C, Breton CV, O’Shea TM, Fry RC. Sex-based differences in placental DNA methylation profiles related to gestational age: an NIH ECHO meta-analysis. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2179726. [PMID: 36840948 PMCID: PMC9980626 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2179726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The placenta undergoes many changes throughout gestation to support the evolving needs of the foetus. There is also a growing appreciation that male and female foetuses develop differently in utero, with unique epigenetic changes in placental tissue. Here, we report meta-analysed sex-specific associations between gestational age and placental DNA methylation from four cohorts in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Programme (355 females/419 males, gestational ages 23-42 weeks). We identified 407 cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs) in females and 794 in males where placental methylation levels were associated with gestational age. After cell-type adjustment, 55 CpGs in females and 826 in males were significant. These were enriched for biological processes critical to the immune system in females and transmembrane transport in males. Our findings are distinct between the sexes: in females, associations with gestational age are largely explained by differences in placental cellular composition, whereas in males, gestational age is directly associated with numerous alterations in methylation levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M. Bulka
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Todd M. Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amber A. Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kristen E. Boyle
- Section of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Colorado School of Public Health, The Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sierra Niemiec
- Colorado School of Public Health, The Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Katerina Kechris
- Colorado School of Public Health, The Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Biostatistics & Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Ivana V. Yang
- Colorado School of Public Health, The Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jason I. Feinberg
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, ML, USA
| | - Heather E. Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, ML, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, ML, USA
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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26
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Katrinli S, Smith AK, Drury SS, Covault J, Ford JD, Singh V, Reese B, Johnson A, Scranton V, Fall P, Briggs-Gowan M, Grasso DJ. Cumulative stress, PTSD, and emotion dysregulation during pregnancy and epigenetic age acceleration in Hispanic mothers and their newborn infants. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2231722. [PMID: 37433036 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2231722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy can exacerbate or prompt the onset of stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is associated with heightened stress responsivity and emotional dysregulation, as well as increased risk of chronic disorders and mortality. Further, maternal PTSD is associated with gestational epigenetic age acceleration in newborns, implicating the prenatal period as a developmental time period for the transmission of effects across generations. Here, we evaluated the associations between PTSD symptoms, maternal epigenetic age acceleration, and infant gestational epigenetic age acceleration in 89 maternal-neonatal dyads. Trauma-related experiences and PTSD symptoms in mothers were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy. The MethylationEPIC array was used to generate DNA methylation data from maternal and neonatal saliva samples collected within 24 h of infant birth. Maternal epigenetic age acceleration was calculated using Horvath's multi-tissue clock, PhenoAge and GrimAge. Gestational epigenetic age was estimated using the Haftorn clock. Maternal cumulative past-year stress (GrimAge: p = 3.23e-04, PhenoAge: p = 9.92e-03), PTSD symptoms (GrimAge: p = 0.019), and difficulties in emotion regulation (GrimAge: p = 0.028) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age in mothers. Maternal PTSD symptoms were associated with lower gestational epigenetic age acceleration in neonates (p = 0.032). Overall, our results suggest that maternal cumulative past-year stress exposure and trauma-related symptoms may increase the risk for age-related problems in mothers and developmental problems in their newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyma Katrinli
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy S Drury
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Julian D Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Vijender Singh
- Computational Biology Core, University of Connecticut, School of Medicine, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Bo Reese
- Center for Genome Innovation, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Amy Johnson
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Victoria Scranton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Pamela Fall
- Clinical Research Center Core Laboratory, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Margaret Briggs-Gowan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Damion J Grasso
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
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McKenna BG, Knight AK, Smith AK, Corwin EJ, Carter SE, Palmer RHC, Dunlop AL, Brennan PA. Infant epigenetic aging moderates the link between Black maternal childhood trauma and offspring symptoms of psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37771149 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423001232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Although offspring of women exposed to childhood trauma exhibit elevated rates of psychopathology, many children demonstrate resilience to these intergenerational impacts. Among the variety of factors that likely contribute to resilience, epigenetic processes have been suggested to play an important role. The current study used a prospective design to test the novel hypothesis that offspring epigenetic aging - a measure of methylation differences that are associated with infant health outcomes - moderates the relationship between maternal exposure to childhood adversity and offspring symptomatology. Maternal childhood adversity was self-reported during pregnancy via the ACEs survey and the CTQ, which assessed total childhood trauma as well as maltreatment subtypes (i.e., emotional, physical, and sexual abuse). Offspring blood samples were collected at or shortly after birth and assayed on a DNA methylation microarray, and offspring symptomatology was assessed with the CBCL/1.5-5 when offspring were 2-4 years old. Results indicated that maternal childhood trauma, particularly sexual abuse, was predictive of offspring symptoms (ps = 0.003-0.03). However, the associations between maternal sexual abuse and offspring symptomatology were significantly attenuated in offspring with accelerated epigenetic aging. These findings further our understanding of how epigenetic processes may contribute to and attenuate the intergenerational link between stress and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Anne L Dunlop
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Fang F, Zhou L, Perng W, Marsit CJ, Knight AK, Cardenas A, Aung MT, Hivert MF, Aris IM, Goodrich JM, Smith AK, Gaylord A, Fry RC, Oken E, O'Connor G, Ruden DM, Trasande L, Herbstman JB, Camargo CA, Bush NR, Dunlop AL, Dabelea DM, Karagas MR, Breton CV, Ober C, Everson TM, Page GP, Ladd-Acosta C. Evaluation of pediatric epigenetic clocks across multiple tissues. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:142. [PMID: 37660147 PMCID: PMC10475199 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01552-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for assessing biological age. We assessed the accuracy of pediatric epigenetic clocks in gestational and chronological age determination. RESULTS Our study used data from seven tissue types on three DNA methylation profiling microarrays and found that the Knight and Bohlin clocks performed similarly for blood cells, while the Lee clock was superior for placental samples. The pediatric-buccal-epigenetic clock performed the best for pediatric buccal samples, while the Horvath clock is recommended for children's blood cell samples. The NeoAge clock stands out for its unique ability to predict post-menstrual age with high correlation with the observed age in infant buccal cell samples. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide valuable guidance for future research and development of epigenetic clocks in pediatric samples, enabling more accurate assessments of biological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA.
| | - Linran Zhou
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | - Wei Perng
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Max T Aung
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Populace Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Izzuddin M Aris
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Abigail Gaylord
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George O'Connor
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie B Herbstman
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana M Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Carrie V Breton
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Populace Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carole Ober
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Grier P Page
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Fransquet PD, Macdonald JA, Ryan J, Greenwood CJ, Olsson CA. Exploring perinatal biopsychosocial factors and epigenetic age in 1-year-old offspring. Epigenomics 2023; 15:927-939. [PMID: 37905426 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the determinants of epigenetic aging in pediatric populations. Methods: Epigenetic age was estimated from 258 1-year-olds, using pediatric buccal epigenetic and Horvath clocks. We explored associations between epigenetic age and maternal indicators of mental and relational health, substance use and general physical health assessed during trimester three. Results: Higher anxiety and stress, BMI and higher parent-parent relationship quality were associated with pediatric buccal epigenetic clock differences. High blood pressure during pregnancy was associated with Horvath age acceleration. Third-trimester smoking and pre-pregnancy weight were associated with acceleration and deceleration respectively, and concordant across clocks. Conclusion: A broad range of maternal factors may shape epigenetic age in infancy; further research is needed to explore the possible effects on health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Fransquet
- Deakin University, Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacqui A Macdonald
- Deakin University, Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Population Studies of Adolescents, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne Ryan
- School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Christopher J Greenwood
- Deakin University, Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Population Studies of Adolescents, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Craig A Olsson
- Deakin University, Centre for Social & Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Population Studies of Adolescents, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Vasileva D, Greenwood CMT, Daley D. A Review of the Epigenetic Clock: Emerging Biomarkers for Asthma and Allergic Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1724. [PMID: 37761864 PMCID: PMC10531327 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) is a dynamic, age-dependent epigenetic modification that can be used to study interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Environmental exposures during critical periods of growth and development may alter DNAm patterns, leading to increased susceptibility to diseases such as asthma and allergies. One method to study the role of DNAm is the epigenetic clock-an algorithm that uses DNAm levels at select age-informative Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) dinucleotides to predict epigenetic age (EA). The difference between EA and calendar age (CA) is termed epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and reveals information about the biological capacity of an individual. Associations between EAA and disease susceptibility have been demonstrated for a variety of age-related conditions and, more recently, phenotypes such as asthma and allergic diseases, which often begin in childhood and progress throughout the lifespan. In this review, we explore different epigenetic clocks and how they have been applied, particularly as related to childhood asthma. We delve into how in utero and early life exposures (e.g., smoking, air pollution, maternal BMI) result in methylation changes. Furthermore, we explore the potential for EAA to be used as a biomarker for asthma and allergic diseases and identify areas for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denitsa Vasileva
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia and Saint Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada;
| | - Celia M. T. Greenwood
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada;
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Denise Daley
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia and Saint Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada;
- Department of Medicine, Respiratory Division, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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31
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Niemiec SS, Kechris K, Pattee J, Yang IV, Adgate JL, Calafat AM, Dabelea D, Starling AP. Prenatal exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and epigenetic aging in umbilical cord blood: The Healthy Start study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116215. [PMID: 37224946 PMCID: PMC10330919 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, environmentally persistent chemicals, and prenatal exposures have been associated with adverse child health outcomes. Prenatal PFAS exposure may lead to epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), defined as the discrepancy between an individual's chronologic and epigenetic or biological age. OBJECTIVES We estimated associations of maternal serum PFAS concentrations with EAA in umbilical cord blood DNA methylation using linear regression, and a multivariable exposure-response function of the PFAS mixture using Bayesian kernel machine regression. METHODS Five PFAS were quantified in maternal serum (median: 27 weeks of gestation) among 577 mother-infant dyads from a prospective cohort. Cord blood DNA methylation data were assessed with the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array. EAA was calculated as the residuals from regressing gestational age on epigenetic age, calculated using a cord-blood specific epigenetic clock. Linear regression tested for associations between each maternal PFAS concentration with EAA. Bayesian kernel machine regression with hierarchical selection estimated an exposure-response function for the PFAS mixture. RESULTS In single pollutant models we observed an inverse relationship between perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) and EAA (-0.148 weeks per log-unit increase, 95% CI: -0.283, -0.013). Mixture analysis with hierarchical selection between perfluoroalkyl carboxylates and sulfonates indicated the carboxylates had the highest group posterior inclusion probability (PIP), or relative importance. Within this group, PFDA had the highest conditional PIP. Univariate predictor-response functions indicated PFDA and perfluorononanoate were inversely associated with EAA, while perfluorohexane sulfonate had a positive association with EAA. CONCLUSIONS Maternal mid-pregnancy serum concentrations of PFDA were negatively associated with EAA in cord blood, suggesting a pathway by which prenatal PFAS exposures may affect infant development. No significant associations were observed with other PFAS. Mixture models suggested opposite directions of association between perfluoroalkyl sulfonates and carboxylates. Future studies are needed to determine the importance of neonatal EAA for later child health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra S Niemiec
- Center for Innovative Design and Analysis, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Katerina Kechris
- Center for Innovative Design and Analysis, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jack Pattee
- Center for Innovative Design and Analysis, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ivana V Yang
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Haftorn KL, Romanowska J, Lee Y, Page CM, Magnus PM, Håberg SE, Bohlin J, Jugessur A, Denault WRP. Stability selection enhances feature selection and enables accurate prediction of gestational age using only five DNA methylation sites. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:114. [PMID: 37443060 PMCID: PMC10339624 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01528-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation (DNAm) is robustly associated with chronological age in children and adults, and gestational age (GA) in newborns. This property has enabled the development of several epigenetic clocks that can accurately predict chronological age and GA. However, the lack of overlap in predictive CpGs across different epigenetic clocks remains elusive. Our main aim was therefore to identify and characterize CpGs that are stably predictive of GA. RESULTS We applied a statistical approach called 'stability selection' to DNAm data from 2138 newborns in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort study. Stability selection combines subsampling with variable selection to restrict the number of false discoveries in the set of selected variables. Twenty-four CpGs were identified as being stably predictive of GA. Intriguingly, only up to 10% of the CpGs in previous GA clocks were found to be stably selected. Based on these results, we used generalized additive model regression to develop a new GA clock consisting of only five CpGs, which showed a similar predictive performance as previous GA clocks (R2 = 0.674, median absolute deviation = 4.4 days). These CpGs were in or near genes and regulatory regions involved in immune responses, metabolism, and developmental processes. Furthermore, accounting for nonlinear associations improved prediction performance in preterm newborns. CONCLUSION We present a methodological framework for feature selection that is broadly applicable to any trait that can be predicted from DNAm data. We demonstrate its utility by identifying CpGs that are highly predictive of GA and present a new and highly performant GA clock based on only five CpGs that is more amenable to a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine L Haftorn
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Julia Romanowska
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Yunsung Lee
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Department of Physical Health and Aging, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per M Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jon Bohlin
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Modelling, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - William R P Denault
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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Peng G, Sosnowski DW, Murphy SK, Johnson SB, Skaar D, Schleif WS, Hernandez RG, Monforte H, Zhao H, Hoyo C. An epigenetic clock for gestational age based on human umbilical vein endothelial cells from a diverse population of newborns. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3112428. [PMID: 37461438 PMCID: PMC10350106 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3112428/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Epigenetic clocks are emerging as a useful tool in many areas of research. Many epigenetic clocks have been developed for adults; however, there are fewer clocks focused on newborns and most are trained using blood from European ancestry populations. In this study, we built an epigenetic clock based on primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells from a racially and ethnically diverse population. Results Using human umbilical vein endothelial cell [HUVEC]-derived DNA, we calculated epigenetic gestational age using 83 CpG sites selected through elastic net regression. In this study with newborns from different racial/ethnic identities, epigenetic gestational age and clinical gestational age were more highly correlated (r = 0.85), than epigenetic clocks built from adult and other pediatric populations. The correlation was also higher than clocks based on blood samples from newborns with European ancestry. We also found that birth weight was positively associated with epigenetic gestational age acceleration (EGAA), while NICU admission was associated with lower EGAA. Newborns self-identified as Hispanic or non-Hispanic Black had lower EGAA than self-identified as non-Hispanic White. Conclusions Epigenetic gestational age can be used to estimate clinical gestational age and may help index neonatal development. Caution should be exercised when using epigenetic clocks built from adults with children, especially newborns. We highlight the importance of cell type-specific epigenetic clocks and general pan tissue epigenetic clocks derived from a large racially and ethnically diverse population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Peng
- Indiana University School of Medicine
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Gaylord A, Cohen A, Kupsco A. Biomarkers of aging through the life course: A Recent Literature Update. CURRENT OPINION IN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 2:7-17. [PMID: 38130910 PMCID: PMC10732539 DOI: 10.1097/pxh.0000000000000018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of review The development of biomarkers of aging has greatly advanced epidemiological studies of aging processes. However, much debate remains on the timing of aging onset and the causal relevance of these biomarkers. In this review, we discuss the most recent biomarkers of aging that have been applied across the life course. Recent findings The most recently developed aging biomarkers that have been applied across the life course can be designated into three categories: epigenetic clocks, epigenetic markers of chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial DNA copy number. While these have been applied at different life stages, the development, validation, and application of these markers has been largely centered on populations of older adults. Few studies have examined trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. As the wealth of molecular and biochemical data increases, emerging biomarkers may be able to capture complex and system-specific aging processes. Recently developed biomarkers include novel epigenetic clocks; clocks based on ribosomal DNA, transcriptomic profiles, proteomics, metabolomics, and inflammatory markers; clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential gene mutations; and multi-omics approaches. Summary Attention should be placed on aging at early and middle life stages to better understand trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. Additionally, novel biomarkers will provide greater insight into aging processes. The specific mechanisms of aging reflected by these biomarkers should be considered when interpreting results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Gaylord
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alan Cohen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- PRIMUS Research Group, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Research Center on Aging and Research Center of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Allison Kupsco
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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Protsenko E, Wolkowitz OM, Yaffe K. Associations of stress and stress-related psychiatric disorders with GrimAge acceleration: review and suggestions for future work. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:142. [PMID: 37130894 PMCID: PMC10154294 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02360-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The notion of "biological aging" as distinct from chronological aging has been of increasing interest in psychiatry, and many studies have explored associations of stress and psychiatric illness with accelerated biological aging. The "epigenetic clocks" are one avenue of this research, wherein "biological age" is estimated using DNA methylation data from specific CpG dinucleotide sites within the human genome. Many iterations of the epigenetic clocks have been developed, but the GrimAge clock continues to stand out for its ability to predict morbidity and mortality. Several studies have now explored associations of stress, PTSD, and MDD with GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA). While stress, PTSD, and MDD are distinct psychiatric entities, they may share common mechanisms underlying accelerated biological aging. Yet, no one has offered a review of the evidence on associations of stress and stress-related psychopathology with GrimAA. In this review, we identify nine publications on associations of stress, PTSD, and MDD with GrimAA. We find that results are mixed both within and across each of these exposures. However, we also find that analytic methods - and specifically, the choice of covariates - vary widely between studies. To address this, we draw upon popular methods from the field of clinical epidemiology to offer (1) a systematic framework for covariate selection, and (2) an approach to results reporting that facilitates analytic consensus. Although covariate selection will differ by the research question, we encourage researchers to consider adjustment for tobacco, alcohol use, physical activity, race, sex, adult socioeconomic status, medical comorbidity, and blood cell composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Protsenko
- Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
- Department Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Owen M Wolkowitz
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kristine Yaffe
- Department Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Malin KJ, Gondwe KW, Fial AV, Moore R, Conley Y, White-Traut R, Griffith T. Scoping Review of Early Toxic Stress and Epigenetic Alterations in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Nurs Res 2023; 72:218-228. [PMID: 37084322 PMCID: PMC10278559 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm infants are uniquely vulnerable to early toxic stress exposure while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and also being at risk for suboptimal neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, the complex biological mechanisms responsible for variations in preterm infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes because of early toxic stress exposure in the NICU remain unknown. Innovative preterm behavioral epigenetics research offers a possible mechanism and describes how early toxic stress exposure may lead to epigenetic alterations, potentially affecting short- and long-term outcomes. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to review the relationships between early toxic stress exposures in the NICU and epigenetic alterations in preterm infants. The measurement of early toxic stress exposure in the NICU and effect of epigenetic alterations on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants were also examined. METHODS We conducted a scoping review of the literature published between January 2011 and December 2021 using databases PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrance Library, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Primary data-based research that examined epigenetics, stress, and preterm infants or NICU were included. RESULTS A total of 13 articles from nine studies were included. DNA methylations of six specific genes were studied in relation to early toxic stress exposure in the NICU: SLC6A4, SLC6A3, OPRMI, NR3C1, HSD11B2, and PLAGL1. These genes are responsible for regulating serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol. Poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes were associated with alterations in DNA methylation of SLC6A4, NR3C1, and HSD11B2. Measurements of early toxic stress exposure in the NICU were inconsistent among the studies. DISCUSSION Epigenetic alterations secondary to early toxic stress exposures in the NICU may be associated with future neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Common data elements of toxic stress exposure in preterm infants are needed. Identification of the epigenome and mechanisms by which early toxic stress exposure leads to epigenetic alterations in this vulnerable population will provide evidence to design and test individualized intervention.
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Abstract
Epigenetic alterations during ageing are manifested with altered gene expression linking it to lifespan regulation, genetic instability, and diseases. Diet and epigenetic modifiers exert a profound effect on the lifespan of an organism by modulating the epigenetic marks. However, our understanding of the multifactorial nature of the epigenetic process during ageing and the onset of disease conditions as well as its reversal by epidrugs, diet, or environmental factors is still mystifying. This review covers the key findings in epigenetics related to ageing and age-related diseases. Further, it holds a discussion about the epigenetic clocks and their implications in various age-related disease conditions including cancer. Although, epigenetics is a reversible process how fast the epigenetic alterations can revert to normal is an intriguing question. Therefore, this paper touches on the possibility of utilizing nutrition and MSCs secretome to accelerate the epigenetic reversal and emphasizes the identification of new therapeutic epigenetic modifiers to counter epigenetic alteration during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Sharma
- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, 429164, Bangalore, India;
| | - Ramesh Bhonde
- Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth University, 121766, Pune, Maharashtra, India;
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Polinski KJ, Robinson SL, Putnick DL, Guan W, Gleason JL, Mumford SL, Sundaram R, Mendola P, London S, Yeung EH. Epigenetic gestational age and the relationship with developmental milestones in early childhood. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:1565-1574. [PMID: 36617164 PMCID: PMC10117157 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Shorter gestational age (GA) is a risk factor of developmental delay. GA is usually estimated clinically from last menstrual period and ultrasound. DNA methylation (DNAm) estimates GA using sets of cytosine-guanine-sites coupled with a clock algorithm. Therefore, DNAm-estimated GA may better reflect biological maturation. A DNAm GA greater than clinical GA, known as gestational age acceleration (GAA), may indicate epigenetic maturity and holds potential as an early biomarker for developmental delay risk. We used data from the Upstate KIDS Study to examine associations of DNAm GA and developmental delay within the first 3 years based on the Ages & Stages Questionnaire® (n = 1010). We estimated DNAm GA using two clocks specific to the Illumina Methylation EPIC 850K, the Haftorn clock and one developed from the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction study, in which women were followed to detect pregnancy at the earliest time possible. Among singletons, each week increase in DNAm GA was protective for overall delay (odds ratio:0.74; 95% confidence interval:0.61-0.90) and delay in all domains except for problem-solving skills. Among twins, we observed similar point estimates but lower precision. Results were similar for clinical GA. GAA was largely not associated with developmental delays. In summary, either DNAm GA or clinical GA at birth, but not epigenetic maturity (i.e. GAA), was associated with decreased odds of developmental delay in early childhood. Our study does not support using DNAm GA or GAA as separate risk factors for future risk of developmental delay within the first 3 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen J Polinski
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Sonia L Robinson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Diane L Putnick
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Weihua Guan
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jessica L Gleason
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Sunni L Mumford
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rajeshwari Sundaram
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Stephanie London
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Edwina H Yeung
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
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Bozack AK, Rifas-Shiman SL, Gold DR, Laubach ZM, Perng W, Hivert MF, Cardenas A. DNA methylation age at birth and childhood: performance of epigenetic clocks and characteristics associated with epigenetic age acceleration in the Project Viva cohort. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:62. [PMID: 37046280 PMCID: PMC10099681 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01480-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and epigenetic gestational age acceleration (EGAA) are biomarkers of physiological development and may be affected by the perinatal environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate performance of epigenetic clocks and to identify biological and sociodemographic correlates of EGAA and EAA at birth and in childhood. In the Project Viva pre-birth cohort, DNA methylation was measured in nucleated cells in cord blood (leukocytes and nucleated red blood cells, N = 485) and leukocytes in early (N = 120, median age = 3.2 years) and mid-childhood (N = 460, median age = 7.7 years). We calculated epigenetic gestational age (EGA; Bohlin and Knight clocks) and epigenetic age (EA; Horvath and skin & blood clocks), and respective measures of EGAA and EAA. We evaluated the performance of clocks relative to chronological age using correlations and median absolute error. We tested for associations of maternal-child characteristics with EGAA and EAA using mutually adjusted linear models controlling for estimated cell type proportions. We also tested associations of Horvath EA at birth with childhood EAA. RESULTS Bohlin EGA was strongly correlated with chronological gestational age (Bohlin EGA r = 0.82, p < 0.001). Horvath and skin & blood EA were weakly correlated with gestational age, but moderately correlated with chronological age in childhood (r = 0.45-0.65). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with higher skin & blood EAA at birth [B (95% CI) = 1.17 weeks (- 0.09, 2.42)] and in early childhood [0.34 years (0.03, 0.64)]. Female newborns and children had lower Bohlin EGAA [- 0.17 weeks (- 0.30, - 0.04)] and Horvath EAA at birth [B (95% CI) = - 2.88 weeks (- 4.41, - 1.35)] and in childhood [early childhood: - 0.3 years (- 0.60, 0.01); mid-childhood: - 0.48 years (- 0.77, - 0.18)] than males. When comparing self-reported Asian, Black, Hispanic, and more than one race or other racial/ethnic groups to White, we identified significant differences in EGAA and EAA at birth and in mid-childhood, but associations varied across clocks. Horvath EA at birth was positively associated with childhood Horvath and skin & blood EAA. CONCLUSIONS Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child sex were associated with EGAA and EAA at multiple timepoints. Further research may provide insight into the relationship between perinatal factors, pediatric epigenetic aging, and health and development across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K Bozack
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Research Park, 1701 Page Mill Road, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diane R Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zachary M Laubach
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Wei Perng
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health and Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Research Park, 1701 Page Mill Road, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Dye CK, Wu H, Monk C, Belsky DW, Alschuler D, Lee S, O’Donnell K, Scorza P. Mother's childhood adversity is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging in pregnancy and in male newborns. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.02.530806. [PMID: 36945654 PMCID: PMC10028804 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.02.530806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are correlated with accelerated epigenetic aging, but it is not clear whether altered epigenetic aging from childhood adversities persists into adulthood and can be transmitted to the next generation. Thus, we tested whether mothers' childhood adversity is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging during pregnancy and in their newborn offspring. Methods Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) sub-study, Accessible Resource for Integrated Epigenomic Studies (ARIES). Women provided retrospective self-reports during pregnancy of ACE exposure. DNA methylation was measured in mothers during pregnancy and cord blood at birth. Estimates of epigenetic age acceleration were calculated using Principal Components of Horvath, Hannum skin & blood, GrimAge, PhenoAge, and DunedinPACE epigenetic clocks for mothers; and the Knight and Bohlin cord blood clocks for newborns. Associations between a cumulative maternal ACE score and epigenetic age acceleration were estimated using linear regression models, adjusting for maternal age at pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy, education, and pre-pregnancy BMI. Models for offspring were stratified by sex and additionally adjusted for gestation age. Results Mothers' total ACE score was positively associated with accelerated maternal PhenoAge and GrimAge. In newborn offspring, mothers' total ACE score was positively associated with accelerated epigenetic aging in males using the Bohlin clock, but not in females using either epigenetic clock. We found male offsprings' epigenetic age was accelerated in those born to mothers exposed to neglect using the Knight clock; and parental substance abuse using the Bohlin clock. Conclusion Our results show that mothers' ACE exposure is associated with DNAm age acceleration in male offspring, supporting the notion that DNAm age could be a marker of intergenerational biological embedding of mothers' childhood adversity. This is consistent with findings on vulnerability of male fetuses to environmental insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian K. Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Catherine Monk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel W. Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology & Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Alschuler
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kieran O’Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Pamela Scorza
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Haftorn KL, Denault WRP, Lee Y, Page CM, Romanowska J, Lyle R, Næss ØE, Kristjansson D, Magnus PM, Håberg SE, Bohlin J, Jugessur A. Nucleated red blood cells explain most of the association between DNA methylation and gestational age. Commun Biol 2023; 6:224. [PMID: 36849614 PMCID: PMC9971030 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04584-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Determining if specific cell type(s) are responsible for an association between DNA methylation (DNAm) and a given phenotype is important for understanding the biological mechanisms underlying the association. Our EWAS of gestational age (GA) in 953 newborns from the Norwegian MoBa study identified 13,660 CpGs significantly associated with GA (pBonferroni<0.05) after adjustment for cell type composition. When the CellDMC algorithm was applied to explore cell-type specific effects, 2,330 CpGs were significantly associated with GA, mostly in nucleated red blood cells [nRBCs; n = 2,030 (87%)]. Similar patterns were found in another dataset based on a different array and when applying an alternative algorithm to CellDMC called Tensor Composition Analysis (TCA). Our findings point to nRBCs as the main cell type driving the DNAm-GA association, implicating an epigenetic signature of erythropoiesis as a likely mechanism. They also explain the poor correlation observed between epigenetic age clocks for newborns and those for adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine L Haftorn
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - William R P Denault
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Yunsung Lee
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Physical Health and Ageing, Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Julia Romanowska
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, , University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Robert Lyle
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øyvind E Næss
- Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dana Kristjansson
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per M Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jon Bohlin
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Modelling, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, , University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Mendez EF, Grimm SL, Stertz L, Gorski D, Movva SV, Najera K, Moriel K, Meyer TD, Fries GR, Coarfa C, Walss-Bass C. A human stem cell-derived neuronal model of morphine exposure reflects brain dysregulation in opioid use disorder: Transcriptomic and epigenetic characterization of postmortem-derived iPSC neurons. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1070556. [PMID: 36873219 PMCID: PMC9978009 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1070556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Human-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of brain promise to advance our understanding of neurotoxic consequences of drug use. However, how well these models recapitulate the actual genomic landscape and cell function, as well as the drug-induced alterations, remains to be established. New in vitro models of drug exposure are needed to advance our understanding of how to protect or reverse molecular changes related to substance use disorders. Methods We engineered a novel induced pluripotent stem cell-derived model of neural progenitor cells and neurons from cultured postmortem human skin fibroblasts, and directly compared these to isogenic brain tissue from the donor source. We assessed the maturity of the cell models across differentiation from stem cells to neurons using RNA cell type and maturity deconvolution analyses as well as DNA methylation epigenetic clocks trained on adult and fetal human tissue. As proof-of-concept of this model's utility for substance use disorder studies, we compared morphine- and cocaine-treated neurons to gene expression signatures in postmortem Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) brains, respectively. Results Within each human subject (N = 2, 2 clones each), brain frontal cortex epigenetic age parallels that of skin fibroblasts and closely approximates the donor's chronological age; stem cell induction from fibroblast cells effectively sets the epigenetic clock to an embryonic age; and differentiation of stem cells to neural progenitor cells and then to neurons progressively matures the cells via DNA methylation and RNA gene expression readouts. In neurons derived from an individual who died of opioid overdose, morphine treatment induced alterations in gene expression similar to those previously observed in OUD ex-vivo brain tissue, including differential expression of the immediate early gene EGR1, which is known to be dysregulated by opioid use. Discussion In summary, we introduce an iPSC model generated from human postmortem fibroblasts that can be directly compared to corresponding isogenic brain tissue and can be used to model perturbagen exposure such as that seen in opioid use disorder. Future studies with this and other postmortem-derived brain cellular models, including cerebral organoids, can be an invaluable tool for understanding mechanisms of drug-induced brain alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily F. Mendez
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sandra L. Grimm
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Laura Stertz
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Damian Gorski
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Mitchell Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sai V. Movva
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Katherine Najera
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Karla Moriel
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Thomas D. Meyer
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Gabriel R. Fries
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Ladd-Acosta C, Vang E, Barrett ES, Bulka CM, Bush NR, Cardenas A, Dabelea D, Dunlop AL, Fry RC, Gao X, Goodrich JM, Herbstman J, Hivert MF, Kahn LG, Karagas MR, Kennedy EM, Knight AK, Mohazzab-Hosseinian S, Morin A, Niu Z, O’Shea TM, Palmore M, Ruden D, Schmidt RJ, Smith AK, Song A, Spindel ER, Trasande L, Volk H, Weisenberger DJ, Breton CV. Analysis of Pregnancy Complications and Epigenetic Gestational Age of Newborns. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e230672. [PMID: 36826815 PMCID: PMC9958528 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.0672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes, the most common pregnancy complications, are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in mothers and children. Little is known about the biological processes that link the occurrence of these pregnancy complications with adverse child outcomes; altered biological aging of the growing fetus up to birth is one molecular pathway of increasing interest. Objective To evaluate whether exposure to each of these 3 pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia) is associated with accelerated or decelerated gestational biological age in children at birth. Design, Setting, and Participants Children included in these analyses were born between 1998 and 2018 and spanned multiple geographic areas of the US. Pregnancy complication information was obtained from maternal self-report and/or medical record data. DNA methylation measures were obtained from blood biospecimens collected from offspring at birth. The study used data from the national Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) multisite cohort study collected and recorded as of the August 31, 2021, data lock date. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to December 2022. Exposures Three pregnancy conditions were examined: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Main Outcomes and Measures Accelerated or decelerated biological gestational age at birth, estimated using existing epigenetic gestational age clock algorithms. Results A total of 1801 child participants (880 male [48.9%]; median [range] chronological gestational age at birth, 39 [30-43] weeks) from 12 ECHO cohorts met the analytic inclusion criteria. Reported races included Asian (49 participants [2.7%]), Black (390 participants [21.7%]), White (1026 participants [57.0%]), and other races (92 participants [5.1%]) (ie, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, multiple races, and other race not specified). In total, 524 participants (29.0%) reported Hispanic ethnicity. Maternal ages ranged from 16 to 45 years of age with a median of 29 in the analytic sample. A range of maternal education levels, from less than high school (260 participants [14.4%]) to Bachelor's degree and above (629 participants [34.9%]), were reported. In adjusted regression models, prenatal exposure to maternal gestational diabetes (β, -0.423; 95% CI, -0.709 to -0.138) and preeclampsia (β, -0.513; 95% CI, -0.857 to -0.170), but not gestational hypertension (β, 0.003; 95% CI, -0.338 to 0.344), were associated with decelerated epigenetic aging among exposed neonates vs those who were unexposed. Modification of these associations, by sex, was observed with exposure to preeclampsia (β, -0.700; 95% CI, -1.189 to -0.210) and gestational diabetes (β, -0.636; 95% CI, -1.070 to -0.200), with associations observed among female but not male participants. Conclusions and Relevance This US cohort study of neonate biological changes related to exposure to maternal pregnancy conditions found evidence that preeclampsia and gestational diabetes delay biological maturity, especially in female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth Vang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Catherine M. Bulka
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Xingyu Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Julie Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Linda G. Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Elizabeth M. Kennedy
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna K. Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sahra Mohazzab-Hosseinian
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Andréanne Morin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zhongzheng Niu
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
| | - Meredith Palmore
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Douglas Ruden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health Sciences and the MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ashley Song
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eliot R. Spindel
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Heather Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel J. Weisenberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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Accelerated epigenetic aging at birth interacts with parenting hostility to predict child temperament and subsequent psychological symptoms. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:109-118. [PMID: 34620266 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to elucidate new factors that may contribute to developmental psychopathology, the current study examined whether accelerated epigenetic aging at birth related to children's differential susceptibility to the effects of aversive parenting on early emerging mental health risk. Using data from a multiethnic birth cohort, the interaction between Horvath's methylation age in umbilical cord blood and hostile parenting behaviors was examined in relation to perceptions of infant's temperament at 6 months and to children's psychological symptoms at 3 years in 154 families. Results broadly revealed that children with higher levels of accelerated methylation aging evinced more unpredictable temperaments and more psychological symptoms if their mothers reported more hostile parenting, but showed fewer difficulties if mothers engaged in less hostile parenting; children with lower levels of accelerated methylation age did not show associations between hostility and temperament or psychological symptoms. Effects were not accounted for by gestational age at birth, demographic factors, or the distribution of cell subtypes. These findings suggest that accelerated epigenetic age may function as a form of differential susceptibility, signaling increased risk for psychopathology in more aversive contexts but decreased risk in less aversive early environments. Taken together, they point to a novel biological process to consider within risk for psychopathology.
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Alfano R, Zugna D, Barros H, Bustamante M, Chatzi L, Ghantous A, Herceg Z, Keski-Rahkonen P, de Kok TM, Nawrot TS, Relton CL, Robinson O, Roumeliotaki T, Scalbert A, Vrijheid M, Vineis P, Richiardi L, Plusquin M. Cord blood epigenome-wide meta-analysis in six European-based child cohorts identifies signatures linked to rapid weight growth. BMC Med 2023; 21:17. [PMID: 36627699 PMCID: PMC9831885 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02685-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid postnatal growth may result from exposure in utero or early life to adverse conditions and has been associated with diseases later in life and, in particular, with childhood obesity. DNA methylation, interfacing early-life exposures and subsequent diseases, is a possible mechanism underlying early-life programming. METHODS Here, a meta-analysis of Illumina HumanMethylation 450K/EPIC-array associations of cord blood DNA methylation at single CpG sites and CpG genomic regions with rapid weight growth at 1 year of age (defined with reference to WHO growth charts) was conducted in six European-based child cohorts (ALSPAC, ENVIRONAGE, Generation XXI, INMA, Piccolipiù, and RHEA, N = 2003). The association of gestational age acceleration (calculated using the Bohlin epigenetic clock) with rapid weight growth was also explored via meta-analysis. Follow-up analyses of identified DNA methylation signals included prediction of rapid weight growth, mediation of the effect of conventional risk factors on rapid weight growth, integration with transcriptomics and metabolomics, association with overweight in childhood (between 4 and 8 years), and comparison with previous findings. RESULTS Forty-seven CpGs were associated with rapid weight growth at suggestive p-value <1e-05 and, among them, three CpGs (cg14459032, cg25953130 annotated to ARID5B, and cg00049440 annotated to KLF9) passed the genome-wide significance level (p-value <1.25e-07). Sixteen differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified as associated with rapid weight growth at false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted/Siddak p-values < 0.01. Gestational age acceleration was associated with decreasing risk of rapid weight growth (p-value = 9.75e-04). Identified DNA methylation signals slightly increased the prediction of rapid weight growth in addition to conventional risk factors. Among the identified signals, three CpGs partially mediated the effect of gestational age on rapid weight growth. Both CpGs (N=3) and DMRs (N=3) were associated with differential expression of transcripts (N=10 and 7, respectively), including long non-coding RNAs. An AURKC DMR was associated with childhood overweight. We observed enrichment of CpGs previously reported associated with birthweight. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence of the association between cord blood DNA methylation and rapid weight growth and suggest links with prenatal exposures and association with childhood obesity providing opportunities for early prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Alfano
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Daniela Zugna
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Henrique Barros
- Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Institute of Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Leda Chatzi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Akram Ghantous
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Zdenko Herceg
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Pekka Keski-Rahkonen
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Theo M de Kok
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Caroline L Relton
- Μedical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Oliver Robinson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Well-being, The School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Augustin Scalbert
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69008, Lyon, France
| | - Paolo Vineis
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lorenzo Richiardi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
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Caro JC, Holuka C, Menta G, Turner JD, Vögele C, D'Ambrosio C. Children's internalizing behavior development is heterogeneously associated with the pace of epigenetic aging. Biol Psychol 2023; 176:108463. [PMID: 36436681 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internalizing behaviors are an indicator of children's psychological and emotional development, predicting future mental disorders. Recent studies have identified associations between DNA methylation (DNAm) and internalizing behaviors. This prospective study aimed at exploring the associations between pace of biological aging and the developmental trajectories of internalizing behaviors. METHODS Participants were children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort (N = 974). Measures of DNA methylation were collected at birth, age 7 and ages 15-17. The pace of aging was estimated using the DunedinPoAm algorithm (PoAm). Internalizing behaviors reported by caregivers between ages 4 and 16 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. To explore heterogeneity in the association between PoAm and internalizing behaviors we use Poisson quantile regression in cross-section heterogeneity and longitudinal latent class analysis over the childhood and adolescence. RESULTS Internalizing behavior trajectories were identified: low-risk, childhood limited, late onset and early onset (persistent). Accelerated aging at birth was negatively associated with internalizing behaviors in early childhood but positively correlated during adolescence. Higher PoAm at birth increased chance of low-risk profile, while decreasing likelihood of childhood limited trajectory. PoAm at age 15 was negatively associated with childhood limited profile and positively linked to late onset trajectories. Associations were larger at higher values of internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneity in the association between biological age acceleration and internalizing behaviors suggests a complex dynamic relationship, particularly in children with high or increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Caro
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Cyrielle Holuka
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg; Faculty of Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Giorgia Menta
- Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg
| | - Claus Vögele
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Conchita D'Ambrosio
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
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Joustra V, Li Yim AYF, Hageman I, Levin E, Adams A, Satsangi J, de Jonge WJ, Henneman P, D'Haens G. Long-term Temporal Stability of Peripheral Blood DNA Methylation Profiles in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:869-885. [PMID: 36581079 PMCID: PMC9972576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS There is great current interest in the potential application of DNA methylation alterations in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) as biomarkers of susceptibility, progression, and treatment response in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the intra-individual stability of PBL methylation in IBD has not been characterized. Here, we studied the long-term stability of all probes located on the Illumina HumanMethylation EPIC BeadChip array. METHODS We followed a cohort of 46 adult patients with IBD (36 Crohn's disease [CD], 10 ulcerative colitis [UC]; median age, 44 years; interquartile range [IQR] 27-56 years; 50% female) that received standard care follow-up at the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. Paired PBL samples were collected at 2 time points with a median of 7 years (range, 2-9 years) in between. Differential methylation and intra-class correlation (ICC) analyses were used to identify time-associated differences and temporally stable CpGs, respectively. RESULTS Around 60% of all EPIC array loci presented poor intra-individual stability (ICC <0.50); 78.114 (≈9%) showed good (ICC, 0.75-0.89), and 41.274 (≈5%) showed excellent (ICC ≥0.90) stability, between both measured time points. Focusing on previously identified consistently differentially methylated positions indicated that 22 CD-, 11 UC-, and 24 IBD-associated loci demonstrated high stability (ICC ≥0.75) over time; of these, we observed a marked stability of CpG loci associated to the HLA genes. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide insight into the long-term stability of the PBL DNA methylome within an IBD context, facilitating the selection of biologically relevant and robust IBD-associated epigenetic biomarkers with increased potential for independent validation. These data also have potential implications in understanding disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Joustra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew Y F Li Yim
- Genome Diagnostics Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ishtu Hageman
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Evgeni Levin
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Horaizon BV, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Alex Adams
- Oxford University- Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust- John Radcliffe Hospital, Translational Gastroenterology Unit- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Satsangi
- Oxford University- Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust- John Radcliffe Hospital, Translational Gastroenterology Unit- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Wouter J de Jonge
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Henneman
- Genome Diagnostics Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geert D'Haens
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Li Piani L, Vigano' P, Somigliana E. Epigenetic clocks and female fertility timeline: A new approach to an old issue? Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1121231. [PMID: 37025178 PMCID: PMC10070683 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1121231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide increase in life expectancy has boosted research on aging. Overcoming the concept of chronological age, higher attention has been addressed to biological age, which reflects a person's real health state, and which may be the resulting combination of both intrinsic and environmental factors. As epigenetics may exert a pivotal role in the biological aging, epigenetic clocks were developed. They are based on mathematical models aimed at identifying DNA methylation patterns that can define the biological age and that can be adopted for different clinical scopes (i.e., estimation of the risks of developing age-related disorders or predicting lifespan). Recently, epigenetic clocks have gained a peculiar attention in the fertility research field, in particular in the female counterpart. The insight into the possible relations between epigenetic aging and women's infertility might glean additional information about certain conditions that are still not completely understood. Moreover, they could disclose significant implications for health promotion programs in infertile women. Of relevance here is that the impact of biological age and epigenetics may not be limited to fertility status but could translate into pregnancy issues. Indeed, epigenetic alterations of the mother may transfer into the offspring, and pregnancy itself as well as related complications could contribute to epigenetic modifications in both the mother and newborn. However, even if the growing interest has culminated in the conspicuous production of studies on these topics, a global overview and the availability of validated instruments for diagnosis is still missing. The present narrative review aims to explore the possible bonds between epigenetic aging and fertility timeline. In the "infertility" section, we will discuss the advances on epigenetic clocks focusing on the different tissues examined (endometrium, peripheral blood, ovaries). In the "pregnancy" section, we will discuss the results obtained from placenta, umbilical cord and peripheral blood. The possible role of epigenetic aging on infertility mechanisms and pregnancy outcomes represents a question that may configure epigenetic clock as a bond between two apparently opposite worlds: infertility and pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Li Piani
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Letizia Li Piani,
| | - Paola Vigano'
- Infertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Edgardo Somigliana
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Infertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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49
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Somers JA, Luecken LJ. Prenatal Programming of Behavior Problems via Second-by-Second Infant Emotion Dynamics. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:2027-2039. [PMID: 36206269 PMCID: PMC10068505 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221116816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal adaptations to prenatal maternal stress may confer high risk for childhood behavior problems, potentially operating via dynamic fluctuations in infants' emotions during mother-infant interactions. These fluctuations over time may give rise to behavior problems. Among a sample of 210 low-income mothers of Mexican origin and their 24-week-old infants, dynamic structural equation modeling was used to examine whether within-infant second-by-second emotion processes were predicted by maternal prenatal stress and predicted behavior problems at 36 and 54 months. The mean level around which infant negative affect fluctuated was related to prenatal stress, but not to childhood behavior problems. The volatility in infant negative affect, reflecting greater ebb and flow in infant negative affect during playful interaction, was predicted by prenatal stress and predicted enduring behavior problems in childhood. Results highlight a potential child-driven pathway linking prenatal exposure with childhood behavior problems via infant negative emotional volatility.
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50
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Appleton AA, Lin B, Kennedy EM, Holdsworth EA. Maternal depression and adverse neighbourhood conditions during pregnancy are associated with gestational epigenetic age deceleration. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1905-1919. [PMID: 35770941 PMCID: PMC9665127 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2090657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Gestational epigenetic age (GEA) acceleration and deceleration can indicate developmental risk and may help elucidate how prenatal exposures lead to offspring outcomes. Depression and neighbourhood conditions during pregnancy are well-established determinants of birth and child outcomes. Emerging research suggests that maternal depression may contribute to GEA deceleration. It is unknown whether prenatal neighbourhood adversity would likewise influence GEA deceleration. This study examined whether maternal depression and neighbourhood conditions independently or jointly contributed to GEA deceleration, and which social and environmental neighbourhood conditions were associated with GEA. Participants were from the Albany Infant and Mother Study (n = 204), a prospective non-probability sampled cohort of higher risk racial/ethnic diverse mother/infant dyads. GEA was estimated from cord blood. Depressive symptoms and census-tract level neighbourhood conditions were assessed during pregnancy. Maternal depression (β = -0.03, SE = 0.01, p = 0.008) and neighbourhood adversity (β = -0.32, SE = 0.14, p = 0.02) were independently associated with GEA deceleration, controlling for all covariates including antidepressant use and cell type proportions. Neighbourhood adversity did not modify the association of maternal depression and GEA (β = 0.003, SE = 0.03, p = 0.92). igher levels of neighbourhood poverty, public assistance, and lack of healthy food access were each associated with GEA deceleration; higher elementary school test scores (an indicator of community tax base) were associated with GEA acceleration (all p < 0.001). The results of this study indicated that maternal depression and neighbourhood conditions were independently and cumulatively associated GEA in this diverse population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A. Appleton
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY, USA,CONTACT Allison A. Appleton Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer12144
| | - Betty Lin
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany College of Arts and Sciences, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Kennedy
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
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