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Jankovic-Rankovic J, Panter-Brick C. Physiological and genomic signatures of war and displacement: A comprehensive literature review and future directions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107084. [PMID: 38788460 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107084] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
There are now 108.4 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, many of whom endure adversities that result in trauma, toxic stress, and potentially, altered epigenetic development. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current literature on the biological signatures of war and forced migration among refugee populations. To consolidate evidence and identify key concerns and avenues for future research, we reviewed 36 publications and one article under review, published since 2000, most of which focused on refugees relocated in Europe and the Middle East. This body of work - including cross-sectional, observational, and experimental studies - reveals heterogenous findings regarding human biological responses to war-related adversities and their associations with health outcomes. We conclude with four main observations, regarding why genomic and physiological biomarkers are valuable, what study designs advance understanding of causality and health-promoting interventions, how to prepare for ethical challenges, and why theoretical frameworks and research procedures need more detailed consideration in scientific publications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Panter-Brick
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Jackson School of Global Affairs, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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2
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Yaussy SL. Using craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry to examine the effects of sex, socioeconomic status, and early life experiences on adult age at death in industrial England. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24907. [PMID: 38380869 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Historical evidence from 18th- and 19th-century England suggests that industrialization's impacts on health were largely negative, especially among marginalized groups. However, available documentary evidence is often biased toward adult men and rarely sheds light on the experiences of other members of the population, such as women and children. Craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry (FA) can serve as a proxy measurement of developmental instability and stress during development. This study examines the associations among age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and FA in skeletal samples from industrial-era England. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample for this study comes from four industrial-era cemeteries from England (A.D. 1711-1857). Geometric morphometric analyses of three-dimensional landmark coordinate data were used to generate a measure of FA for each individual (Mahalanobis distance). A three-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the impacts of sex, SES, and FA scores on adult age at death (n = 168). RESULTS Significant associations existed between age at death and SES (p = 0.004) and FA scores (p = 0.094). Comparisons of the estimated means indicated that age at death was consistently higher among high SES individuals and individuals with FA scores less than one standard deviation from the mean. CONCLUSIONS This study supports findings from previous studies that have suggested that the differences in resource access and environmental buffering generated by socioeconomic inequality can impact longevity and patterns of mortality among socioeconomic status groups. Likewise, stress in early life-evinced by craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry-can influence observed patterns of longevity in adults decades later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Yaussy
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
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Chou PC, Huang YC, Yu S. Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:98. [PMID: 38255713 PMCID: PMC10817356 DOI: 10.3390/life14010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes debilitating functional impairment in patients. Observations from survivors of traumatic historical events solidify that this disease is not only associated with personal experiences but can also be inherited from familial traumas. Over the past decades, researchers have focused on epigenetic inheritance to understand how responses to adverse experiences can be passed down to future generations. This review aims to present recent findings on epigenetic markers related to PTSD and research in the intergenerational inheritance of trauma. By understanding the information, we hope that epigenetic markers can act as biochemical measurements for future clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Chen Chou
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Chi Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan;
| | - Sebastian Yu
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan
- Master of Public Health Degree Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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4
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Quinn EB, Hsiao CJ, Maisha FM, Mulligan CJ. Prenatal maternal stress is associated with site-specific and age acceleration changes in maternal and newborn DNA methylation. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2222473. [PMID: 37300821 PMCID: PMC10259347 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2222473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal maternal stress has a negative impact on child health but the mechanisms through which maternal stress affects child health are unclear. Epigenetic variation, such as DNA methylation, is a likely mechanistic candidate as DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental insults and can regulate long-term changes in gene expression. We recruited 155 mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the effects of maternal stress on DNA methylation in mothers and newborns. We used four measures of maternal stress to capture a range of stressful experiences: general trauma, sexual trauma, war trauma, and chronic stress. We identified differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with general trauma, sexual trauma, and war trauma in both mothers and newborns. No DMPs were associated with chronic stress. Sexual trauma was positively associated with epigenetic age acceleration across several epigenetic clocks in mothers. General trauma and war trauma were positively associated with newborn epigenetic age acceleration using the extrinsic epigenetic age clock. We tested the top DMPs for enrichment of DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHS) and found no enrichment in mothers. In newborns, top DMPs associated with war trauma were enriched for DHS in embryonic and foetal cell types. Finally, one of the top DMPs associated with war trauma in newborns also predicted birthweight, completing the cycle from maternal stress to DNA methylation to newborn health outcome. Our results indicate that maternal stress is associated with site-specific changes in DNAm and epigenetic age acceleration in both mothers and newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward B. Quinn
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Chu J. Hsiao
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Felicien M. Maisha
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Democratic Republic of Congo, HEAL Africa Hospital, Goma, USA
- Democratic Republic of Congo, Maisha Institute, Goma, USA
| | - Connie J. Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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5
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Smagulova F. [Multigenerational epigenetic inheritance in human: the past, present and perspectives]. Biol Aujourdhui 2023; 217:233-243. [PMID: 38018951 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2023032] [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: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, a growing body of evidence suggests that the developmental programs of each individual could be modified. The acquired new phenotypic changes could be persistent throughout the individual's life and even transmitted to the next generation. While the exact mechanism for that preservation is not well understood yet, there are many evidences showing that epigenetic alterations, which are robust and dynamic in response to the influence of the environmental factors, could be responsible for that inheritance. A growing number of external factors such as social stress, environmental pollution and climate changes make adaptation to these environmental changes rather challenging. According to the Developmental Origin of Human Disease theory, formulated by David Barker, environmental conditions experienced during the first phases of development can have long term effects on later phases of life. This phenomenon is linked to the biological plasticity of development, which allows reprogramming of physiological functions in response to different stimuli. Consequently, in utero exposure to environmental pollutants can increase predisposition to different pathologies that can occur both in early and later phases of life not only in the living generation but also in subsequent ones. Here, we have summarised some findings in human epigenetic research studies performed for the past few years which address the question whether transgenerational effects observed in model organisms could also occur in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Smagulova
- Univ. Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, 9 avenue Léon Bernard, 35000 Rennes, France
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6
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Dutton CL, Maisha FM, Quinn EB, Morales KL, Moore JM, Mulligan CJ. Maternal Psychosocial Stress Is Associated with Reduced Diversity in the Early Infant Gut Microbiome. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11040975. [PMID: 37110398 PMCID: PMC10142543 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The developing infant gut microbiome is highly sensitive to environmental exposures, enabling its evolution into an organ that supports the immune system, confers protection from infection, and facilitates optimal gut and central nervous system function. In this study, we focus on the impact of maternal psychosocial stress on the infant gut microbiome. Forty-seven mother-infant dyads were recruited at the HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Extensive medical, demographic, and psychosocial stress data were collected at birth, and infant stool samples were collected at six weeks, three months, and six months. A composite maternal psychosocial stress score was created, based on eight questionnaires to capture a diverse range of stress exposures. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were generated. Infants of mothers with high composite stress scores showed lower levels of gut microbiome beta diversity at six weeks and three months, as well as higher levels of alpha diversity at six months compared to infants of low stress mothers. Longitudinal analyses showed that infants of high stress mothers had lower levels of health-promoting Lactobacillus gasseri and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum at six weeks compared to infants of low stress mothers, but the differences largely disappeared by three to six months. Previous research has shown that L. gasseri can be used as a probiotic to reduce inflammation, stress, and fatigue, as well as to improve mental state, while B. pseudocatenulatum is important in modulating the gut-brain axis in early development and in preventing mood disorders. Our finding of reduced levels of these health-promoting bacteria in infants of high stress mothers suggests that the infant gut microbiome may help mediate the effect of maternal stress on infant health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Dutton
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, 1115 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117305, Gainesville, FL 32611-7305, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610-3610, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 220 Bartram Hall, P.O. Box 118525, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA
| | - Felicien Masanga Maisha
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, 1115 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117305, Gainesville, FL 32611-7305, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610-3610, USA
- HEAL Africa Hospital, Rue Lyn Lusi No. 111, Goma BP 319, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Edward B Quinn
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, 1115 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117305, Gainesville, FL 32611-7305, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610-3610, USA
| | - Katherine Liceth Morales
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, 1115 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117305, Gainesville, FL 32611-7305, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610-3610, USA
| | - Julie M Moore
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Room V3-111B, P.O. Box 110880, Gainesville, FL 32611-4111, USA
| | - Connie J Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, 1115 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117305, Gainesville, FL 32611-7305, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, P.O. Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32610-3610, USA
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7
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Uwizeye G, Rutherford JN, Thayer ZM. Associations between duration of first trimester intrauterine exposure to genocide against the Tutsi and health outcomes in adulthood. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 36866929 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were conceived during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, including thousands conceived by genocidal rape. We explore whether the duration of first trimester exposure to the genocide is associated with variation in adult mental health outcomes in individuals exposed to varying degrees of genocide-related stress in utero. MATERIALS AND METHODS We recruited 30 Rwandans conceived via genocidal rape, 31 Rwandans conceived by genocide survivors not raped, and 30 individuals of Rwandan-descent who were conceived outside of Rwanda at the time of the genocide (control group). Individuals were age- and sex-matched across groups. Adult mental health was assessed through standardized questionnaires for vitality, anxiety, and depression. RESULTS Among the genocide only group, a longer duration of first trimester prenatal exposure was associated with higher anxiety scores and lower vitality (both p < 0.010), and higher depression scores (p = 0.051). Duration of first trimester exposure was not associated with any measures of mental health among the genocidal rape or control group. DISCUSSION Duration of exposure to genocide in the first trimester of gestation was associated with variation in adult mental health among the genocide only group. The lack of association between duration of first trimester exposure to genocide and adult mental health in the genocidal rape group may reflect the fact that stress associated with conception through rape persisted beyond the genocide period itself, encompassing all of gestation and likely beyond. Geopolitical and community interventions are needed in the context of extreme events during pregnancy to mitigate adverse intergenerational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glorieuse Uwizeye
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julienne N Rutherford
- Biobehavioral Health Sciences Division, College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Zaneta M Thayer
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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8
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Wiley KS, Camilo C, Gouveia G, Euclydes V, Panter-Brick C, Matijasevich A, Ferraro AA, Fracolli LA, Chiesa AM, Miguel EC, Polanczyk GV, Brentani H. Maternal distress, DNA methylation, and fetal programing of stress physiology in Brazilian mother-infant pairs. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22352. [PMID: 36567654 PMCID: PMC9792831 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal psychosocial stress is associated with adverse hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) function among infants. Although the biological mechanisms influencing this process remain unknown, altered DNA methylation is considered to be one potential mechanism. We investigated associations between maternal prenatal psychological distress, infant salivary DNA methylation, and stress physiology at 12 months. Mother's distress was measured via depression and anxiety in early and late pregnancy in a cohort of 80 pregnant adolescents. Maternal hair cortisol was collected during pregnancy. Saliva samples were collected from infants at 12 months to quantify DNA methylation of three stress-related genes (FKBP5, NR3C1, OXTR) (n = 62) and diurnal cortisol (n = 29). Multivariable linear regression was used to test for associations between prenatal psychological distress, and infant DNA methylation and cortisol. Hair cortisol concentrations in late pregnancy were negatively associated with two sites of FKBP5 (site 1: B = -22.33, p = .003; site 2: B = -15.60, p = .012). Infants of mothers with elevated anxiety symptoms in late pregnancy had lower levels of OXTR2 CpG2 methylation (B = -2.17, p = .03) and higher evening salivary cortisol (B = 0.41, p = .03). Furthermore, OXTR2 methylation was inversely associated with evening cortisol (B = -0.14, p-value ≤ .001). Our results are, to our knowledge, the first evidence that the methylation of the oxytocin receptor may contribute to the regulation of HPAA during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle S. Wiley
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Caroline Camilo
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gisele Gouveia
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Verônica Euclydes
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alicia Matijasevich
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Archanjo Ferraro
- Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lislaine Aparecida Fracolli
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna Maria Chiesa
- Departamento de Enfermagem Em Saúde Coletiva da Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Euripedes Constantino Miguel
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V. Polanczyk
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Wei L, Ying X, Zhai M, Li J, Liu D, Liu X, Yu B, Yan H. The association between peritraumatic distress, perceived stress, depression in pregnancy, and NR3C1 DNA methylation among Chinese pregnant women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown. Front Immunol 2022; 13:966522. [PMID: 36091061 PMCID: PMC9453447 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.966522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stress can affect pregnant women in an epigenetic way during the critical period of conception of their offspring. The study aims to investigate the relationship between peritraumatic distress, prenatal perceived stress, depression, and glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) DNA methylation among pregnant women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown in China. Study data were collected from 30 pregnant women in Wuhan and Huanggang, China. The Peritraumatic Distress Inventory was used to measure peritraumatic distress, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms, and the Perceived Stress Scale was used to measure perceived stress. DNA methylation in the exon 1F promoter region of NR3C1 gene from the venous blood mononuclear cell genome was characterized by bisulfite sequencing. Correlation and linear regression were used for data analysis. The mean level of peritraumatic distress, perceived stress, and depression was 6.30 (SD = 5.09), 6.50 (SD = 5.41), and 6.60 (SD = 4.85), respectively, with 23.33% of pregnant women being depressed. The mean NR3C1 methylation was 0.65 (SD = 0.22). Prenatal depression was positively correlated with the degree of methylation in venous blood from the mother (r = 0.59, p = 0.001), and depression predicted methylation of NR3C1 gene at the CpG 8 site (β = 0.05, p = 0.03). No association was found between peritraumatic distress as well as perceived stress and methylation of NR3C1. NR3C1 gene was susceptible to epigenetic modification of DNA methylation in the context of prenatal stress, and maternal depression was associated with increased NR3C1 methylation among women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqing Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaohong Ying
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengxi Zhai
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiayu Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Population and Health Research Center, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Yan
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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10
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Camerota M, Graw S, Everson TM, McGowan EC, Hofheimer JA, O'Shea TM, Carter BS, Helderman JB, Check J, Neal CR, Pastyrnak SL, Smith LM, Dansereau LM, DellaGrotta SA, Marsit CJ, Lester BM. Prenatal risk factors and neonatal DNA methylation in very preterm infants. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:171. [PMID: 34507616 PMCID: PMC8434712 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01164-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Prenatal risk factors are related to poor health and developmental outcomes for infants, potentially via epigenetic mechanisms. We tested associations between person-centered prenatal risk profiles, cumulative prenatal risk models, and epigenome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) in very preterm neonates. Methods We studied 542 infants from a multi-center study of infants born < 30 weeks postmenstrual age. We assessed 24 prenatal risk factors via maternal report and medical record review. Latent class analysis was used to define prenatal risk profiles. DNAm was quantified from neonatal buccal cells using the Illumina MethylationEPIC Beadarray. Results We identified three latent profiles of women: a group with few risk factors (61%) and groups with elevated physical (26%) and psychological (13%) risk factors. Neonates born to women in higher risk subgroups had differential DNAm at 2 CpG sites. Higher cumulative prenatal risk was associated with methylation at 15 CpG sites, 12 of which were located in genes previously linked to physical and mental health and neurodevelopment. Conclusion We observed associations between prenatal risk factors and DNAm in very preterm infants using both person-centered and cumulative risk approaches. Epigenetics offers a potential biological indicator of prenatal risk exposure. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01164-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Camerota
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA.
| | - Stefan Graw
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Julie A Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brian S Carter
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Jennifer B Helderman
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Check
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Charles R Neal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Steven L Pastyrnak
- Department of Pediatrics, Spectrum Health-Helen DeVos Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Lynne M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Lynne M Dansereau
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA
| | - Sheri A DellaGrotta
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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11
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Taki F, de Melo-Martin I. Conducting epigenetics research with refugees and asylum seekers: attending to the ethical challenges. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:105. [PMID: 33964970 PMCID: PMC8106224 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01092-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
An increase in global violence has forced the displacement of more than 70 million people, including 26 million refugees and 3.5 asylum seekers. Refugees and asylum seekers face serious socioeconomic and healthcare barriers and are therefore particularly vulnerable to physical and mental health risks, which are sometimes exacerbated by immigration policies and local social discriminations. Calls for a strong evidence base for humanitarian action have encouraged conducting research to address the barriers and needs of refugees and asylum seekers. Given the role of epigenetics factors to mediate the effect of psychological and environmental exposures, epigenetic modifications have been used as biomarkers for life adversity and disease states. Therefore, epigenetic research can be potentially beneficial to address some of the issues associated with refugees and asylum seekers. Here, we review the value of previous and ongoing epigenetic studies with traumatized populations, explore some of the ethical challenges associated with epigenetic research with refugees and asylees and offer suggestions to address or mitigate some of these challenges. Researchers have an ethical responsibility to implement strategies to minimize the harms and maximize the short and long-term benefits to refugee and asylee participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faten Taki
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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12
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Lock M, Argentieri MA, Shields AE. The contribution of ethnography to epigenomics research: toward a new bio-ethnography for addressing health disparities. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1771-1786. [PMID: 33653089 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2020-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes ethnography as a research method and outlines how it excels in capturing the salient experiences of individuals among diverse communities in their own words. We argue that the integration of ethnographic findings into epigenomics will significantly improve disparities-focused study designs within environmental epigenomics by identifying and contextualizing the most salient dimensions of the 'environment' that are affecting local communities. Reciprocally, epigenetic findings can enhance anthropological understanding of human biological variation and embodiment. We introduce the term bio-ethnography to refer to research designs that integrate both of these methodologies into a single research project. Emphasis is given in this article, through the use of case studies, to socially disadvantaged communities that are often underrepresented in scientific literature. The paper concludes with preliminary recommendations for how ethnographic methods can be integrated into epigenomics research designs in order to elucidate the manner in which disadvantage translates into disparities in the burden of illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Lock
- Department of Social Studies of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal H3A 1X1, Canada
| | - M Austin Argentieri
- School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6PE, UK.,Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Gaining a deeper understanding of social determinants of preterm birth by integrating multi-omics data. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:336-343. [PMID: 33188285 PMCID: PMC7898277 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01266-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the US, high rates of preterm birth (PTB) and profound Black-White disparities in PTB have persisted for decades. This review focuses on the role of social determinants of health (SDH), with an emphasis on maternal stress, in PTB disparity and biological embedding. It covers: (1) PTB disparity in US Black women and possible contributors; (2) the role of SDH, highlighting maternal stress, in the persistent racial disparity of PTB; (3) epigenetics at the interface between genes and environment; (4) the role of the genome in modifying maternal stress-PTB associations; (5) recent advances in multi-omics studies of PTB; and (6) future perspectives on integrating multi-omics with SDH to elucidate the Black-White disparity in PTB. Available studies have indicated that neither environmental exposures nor genetics alone can adequately explain the Black-White PTB disparity. Preliminary yet promising findings of epigenetic and gene-environment interaction studies underscore the value of integrating SDH with multi-omics in prospective birth cohort studies, especially among high-risk Black women. In an era of rapid advancements in biomedical sciences and technologies and a growing number of prospective birth cohort studies, we have unprecedented opportunities to advance this field and finally address the long history of health disparities in PTB. IMPACT: This review provides an overview of social determinants of health (SDH) with a focus on maternal stress and its role on Black-White disparity in preterm birth (PTB). It summarizes the available literature on the interplay of maternal stress with key biological layers (e.g., individual genome and epigenome in response to environmental stressors) and significant knowledge gaps. It offers perspectives that such knowledge may provide deeper insight into how SDH affects PTB and why some women are more vulnerable than others and underscores the critical need for integrating SDH with multi-omics in prospective birth cohort studies, especially among high-risk Black women.
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14
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Quade L, Chazot PL, Gowland R. Desperately seeking stress: A pilot study of cortisol in archaeological tooth structures. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:532-541. [PMID: 33026108 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone produced through activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. It is known as the "stress hormone" for its primary role in the body's stress response and has been the focus of much modern clinical research. Within archaeology, only a few studies have analyzed cortisol in human remains and these have been restricted to hair (Webb et al., 2010; Webb, White, van Uum, & Longstaffe, 2015a; Webb, White, van Uum, & Longstaffe, 2015b). This study examines the utility of dentine and enamel, which survive well archaeologically, as possible reservoirs for detectable levels of cortisol. MATERIALS AND METHODS Then, 69 teeth from 65 individuals from five Roman and Post-Roman sites in France were tested via competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess and quantify the cortisol concentrations present within tooth dentine and enamel. RESULTS In both tooth dentine and enamel, detectable concentrations of cortisol were identified in multiple teeth. However, concentrations were low and not all teeth yielded results that were measurable through cortisol ELISA. Differences in cortisol values between dentine and enamel could suggest different uptake mechanisms or timing. DISCUSSION These results suggest that cortisol is incorporated within tooth structures and merits further investigation in both modern and archaeological contexts. Analysis of the results through liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometry would verify current results and might yield values that could be better integrated with published cortisol studies. Future studies of cortisol in tooth structures would greatly expand the research potential of cortisol in the past and could have implications for studies of human stress across deep time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Quade
- Department of Archaeology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Paul L Chazot
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK
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15
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Hoke MK, Schell LM. Doing biocultural anthropology: Continuity and change. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 32:e23471. [PMID: 32681558 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocultural anthropology has long represented an important approach in the study of human biology. However, despite demonstrated utility, its somewhat amorphous identity leaves some scholars questioning just what it means to be biocultural. In this article, rather than providing proscriptive doctrine, we contribute to these conversations about the nature of biocultural anthropology by considering what biocultural research does. We begin with a consideration of some of the foundational themes of biocultural work including recognition of the dialectical nature of sociocultural and biological forces, interest in inequality, and incorporation of both evolutionary and political economic perspectives. To emphasize the consistency of biocultural work over time, we also trace these themes from originating work to their appearance in current research. We then identify some of the key actions of the biocultural approach, noting that biocultural work can execute any number though rarely all of these actions simultaneously. We then offer brief introductions to the articles that make up this special issue, highlighting the ways in which each piece undertakes key biocultural actions. Following these introductions, we provide a discussion of some of the types of biocultural work that are not present in this special issue, recognizing the breadth of biocultural research across multiple subfields of anthropology. Finally, we point to some potentially fruitful directions for future biocultural research. In the end, we conclude that while biocultural anthropology may not have a cohesive or set agenda, it does have a clear and recognizable form of content and methodology illuminated by its actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan K Hoke
- Department of Anthropology & Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Anthropology, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, & the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
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16
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Liczbińska G, Králík M. Body size at birth in babies born during World War II: The evidence from Poland. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 32:e23421. [PMID: 32293764 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to determine whether exposure of pregnant women to stresses caused by World War II (WWII) negatively affected pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. METHODS Individual medical documents deposited in the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Clinic of Medical University, Poznań (1934-1943; N = 7058) were evaluated. These were divided into two birth cohorts: before WWII and during it. Frequency tables were constructed for the numbers of pregnancy outcomes: miscarriages, stillbirths, live births, and neonatal deaths, according to the period of birth and sex of a child. The numbers of recorded days were standardized and the numbers of cases per day were computed. Statistical differences in the averages (medians) between periods and years under study were tested. Birth weight, length, and body mass index (BMI) were compared according to the periods related to WWII. RESULTS Significant differences in proportions of males, females, and subjects with unknown sex were found between the periods: a higher proportion of males and different structure of/within negative outcomes were found during WWII. Children born during WWII were heavier and longer than those born before it. CONCLUSIONS As an explanation, adverse conditions of WWII, related to the psychological stress and food shortages, could have influenced greater elimination of fetuses and neonates of male sex during pregnancy and shortly after delivery. Higher average body size in newborns recorded during WWI could be explained by a hidden process of increased early prenatal mortality of weaker individuals, differences in average gestation length between the periods, differences in parity, or some undocumented differences in social/ethnic composition of the sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Liczbińska
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.,Laboratory of Morphology and Forensic Anthropology (LaMorFA), Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Králík
- Laboratory of Morphology and Forensic Anthropology (LaMorFA), Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Ryan CP, Kuzawa CW. Germline epigenetic inheritance: Challenges and opportunities for linking human paternal experience with offspring biology and health. Evol Anthropol 2020; 29:180-200. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Calen P. Ryan
- Department of AnthropologyNorthwestern University Evanston Illinois USA
| | - Christopher W. Kuzawa
- Department of AnthropologyNorthwestern University Evanston Illinois USA
- Institute for Policy Research Northwestern University Evanston Illinois USA
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18
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Syme KL, Hagen EH. Mental health is biological health: Why tackling "diseases of the mind" is an imperative for biological anthropology in the 21st century. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 171 Suppl 70:87-117. [PMID: 31762015 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The germ theory of disease and the attendant public health initiatives, including sanitation, vaccination, and antibiotic treatment, led to dramatic increases in global life expectancy. As the prevalence of infectious disease declines, mental disorders are emerging as major contributors to the global burden of disease. Scientists understand little about the etiology of mental disorders, however, and many of the most popular psychopharmacological treatments, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, have only moderate-to-weak efficacy in treating symptoms and fail to target biological systems that correspond to discrete psychiatric syndromes. Consequently, despite dramatic increases in the treatment of some mental disorders, there has been no decrease in the prevalence of most mental disorders since accurate record keeping began. Many researchers and theorists are therefore endeavoring to rethink psychiatry from the ground-up. Anthropology, especially biological anthropology, can offer critical theoretical and empirical insights to combat mental illness globally. Biological anthropologists are unique in that we take a panhuman approach to human health and behavior and are trained to address each of Tinbergen's four levels of analysis as well as culture. The field is thus exceptionally well-situated to help resolve the mysteries of mental illness by integrating biological, evolutionary, and sociocultural perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Syme
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Edward H Hagen
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
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Abstract
Armed conflict regularly presents extremely adverse circumstances not only for combatants, but also for civilians. In fact, estimates from various wars over the past 70 years suggest that noncombatants comprise the majority of casualties. For survivors, war's effects are often embodied, leaving long-term effects on health and biology. Some of these effects, such as injuries and psychological trauma, are well known. Yet other effects may be subtle and may be elucidated by a developmental biological perspective. In early life, when growth rates are highest, conditions of war may have their greatest impact. Depending on local circumstances, a developing embryo, infant, or child growing in a place embroiled in armed conflict is likely to face—directly or indirectly—various stressors, including malnutrition, infectious disease, and/or psychological stress. Thus, the conditions of war and forced displacement may become embodied, getting under the skin for fundamental biological reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick F. Clarkin
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts 02125-3393, USA
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20
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Heise L, Greene ME, Opper N, Stavropoulou M, Harper C, Nascimento M, Zewdie D. Gender inequality and restrictive gender norms: framing the challenges to health. Lancet 2019; 393:2440-2454. [PMID: 31155275 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)30652-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 434] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gender is not accurately captured by the traditional male and female dichotomy of sex. Instead, it is a complex social system that structures the life experience of all human beings. This paper, the first in a Series of five papers, investigates the relationships between gender inequality, restrictive gender norms, and health and wellbeing. Building upon past work, we offer a consolidated conceptual framework that shows how individuals born biologically male or female develop into gendered beings, and how sexism and patriarchy intersect with other forms of discrimination, such as racism, classism, and homophobia, to structure pathways to poor health. We discuss the ample evidence showing the far-reaching consequences of these pathways, including how gender inequality and restrictive gender norms impact health through differential exposures, health-related behaviours and access to care, as well as how gender-biased health research and health-care systems reinforce and reproduce gender inequalities, with serious implications for health. The cumulative consequences of structured disadvantage, mediated through discriminatory laws, policies, and institutions, as well as diet, stress, substance use, and environmental toxins, have triggered important discussions about the role of social injustice in the creation and maintenance of health inequities, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines. This Series paper raises the parallel question of whether discrimination based on gender likewise becomes embodied, with negative consequences for health. For decades, advocates have worked to eliminate gender discrimination in global health, with only modest success. A new plan and new political commitment are needed if these global health aspirations and the wider Sustainable Development Goals of the UN are to be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Heise
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | - Neisha Opper
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maria Stavropoulou
- Programme on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Overseas Development Institute, London, UK
| | - Caroline Harper
- Programme on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Overseas Development Institute, London, UK
| | - Marcos Nascimento
- Programa de Posgraduação em Saúde da Criança e da Mulher, Instituto Fernandes Figueira-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Debrework Zewdie
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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Wikenius E, Myhre AM, Page CM, Moe V, Smith L, Heiervang ER, Undlien DE, LeBlanc M. Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and infant DNA methylation: a longitudinal epigenome-wide study. Nord J Psychiatry 2019; 73:257-263. [PMID: 31070508 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2019.1613446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background: Prenatal maternal stress increases the risk of offspring developmental and psychological difficulties. The biological mechanisms behind these associations are mostly unknown. One explanation suggests that exposure of the fetus to maternal stress may influence DNA methylation. However, this hypothesis is largely based on animal studies, and human studies of candidate genes from single timepoints. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate if prenatal maternal stress, in the form of maternal depressive symptoms, was associated with variation in genome-wide DNA methylation at two timepoints. Methods: One-hundred and eighty-four mother-child dyads were selected from a population of pregnant women in the Little-in-Norway study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) measured maternal depressive symptoms. It was completed by the pregnant mothers between weeks 17 and 32 of gestation. DNA was obtained from infant saliva cells at two timepoints (age 6 weeks and 12 months). DNA methylation was measured in 274 samples from 6 weeks (n = 146) and 12 months (n = 128) using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation 450 BeadChip. Linear regression analyses of prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and infant methylation were performed at 6 weeks and 12 months separately, and for both timepoints together using a mixed model. Results: The analyses revealed no significant genome-wide association between maternal depressive symptoms and infant DNA methylation in the separate analyses and for both timepoints together. Conclusions: This sample of pregnant women and their infants living in Norway did not reveal associations between maternal depressive symptoms and infant DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Wikenius
- a Faculty of Medicine , Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.,b Child & Adolescent Mental Health Research Unit , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway
| | - Anne Margrethe Myhre
- a Faculty of Medicine , Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.,b Child & Adolescent Mental Health Research Unit , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway
| | - Christian Magnus Page
- c Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway.,d Centre for Fertility and Health , Norwegian Institute of Public Health , Oslo , Norway
| | - Vibeke Moe
- e The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.,f Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health , Eastern and Southern Norway (RBUP) , Oslo , Norway
| | - Lars Smith
- e The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway
| | - Einar Røshol Heiervang
- a Faculty of Medicine , Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.,b Child & Adolescent Mental Health Research Unit , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway
| | - Dag Erik Undlien
- a Faculty of Medicine , Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.,g Department of Medical Genetics , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway
| | - Marissa LeBlanc
- c Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology , Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway
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Temple DH. Bioarchaeological evidence for adaptive plasticity and constraint: Exploring life‐history trade‐offs in the human past. Evol Anthropol 2018; 28:34-46. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H. Temple
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology George Mason University Fairfax Virginia
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23
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Insights from epigenetic studies on human health and evolution. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2018; 53:36-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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24
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Watkeys OJ, Kremerskothen K, Quidé Y, Fullerton JM, Green MJ. Glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) DNA methylation in association with trauma, psychopathology, transcript expression, or genotypic variation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:85-122. [PMID: 30176278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is a critical component of the stress response system. Cytosine methylation of NR3C1 has been repeatedly associated with trauma and mental disorders, including major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and personality disorders, suggesting that NR3C1 methylation may play a role in stress-related psychopathology. We systematically reviewed 55 studies examining NR3C1 DNA methylation in association with trauma exposure, psychopathology, gene expression, and/or common genetic variants. Overall, a number of NR3C1 CpG sites were significantly associated with trauma or psychopathology, but significant findings were often inconsistent across studies. This lack of consistency is likely influenced by significant methodological variability - experimentally and analytically - across studies. Selected common genetic variants show no significant effect on NR3C1 CpG methylation. In contrast, there was ample evidence linking increased methylation of NR3C1 to reduced expression of this gene. The inverse association between methylation and gene expression shown across eight out of ten studies supports the notion that methylation in the promoter region of NR3C1 is associated with transcriptional silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Watkeys
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Kyle Kremerskothen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Yann Quidé
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Janice M Fullerton
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Wallace Wurth Building, 18 High Street, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Melissa J Green
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
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25
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Brunst KJ, Tignor N, Just A, Liu Z, Lin X, Hacker MR, Bosquet Enlow M, Wright RO, Wang P, Baccarelli AA, Wright RJ. Cumulative lifetime maternal stress and epigenome-wide placental DNA methylation in the PRISM cohort. Epigenetics 2018; 13:665-681. [PMID: 30001177 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1497387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolving evidence links maternal stress exposure to changes in placental DNA methylation of specific genes regulating placental function that may have implications for the programming of a host of chronic disorders. Few studies have implemented an epigenome-wide approach. Using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450K), we investigated epigenome-wide placental DNA methylation in relation to maternal experiences of traumatic and non-traumatic stressors over her lifetime assessed using the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R) survey (n = 207). We found differential DNA methylation at epigenome-wide statistical significance (FDR = 0.05) for 112 CpGs. Additionally, we observed three clusters that exhibited differential methylation in response to high maternal lifetime stress. Enrichment analyses, conducted at an FDR = 0.20, revealed lysine degradation to be the most significant pathway associated with maternal lifetimes stress exposure. Targeted enrichment analyses of the three largest clusters of probes, identified using the gap statistic, were enriched for genes associated with endocytosis (i.e., SMAP1, ANKFY1), tight junctions (i.e., EPB41L4B), and metabolic pathways (i.e., INPP5E, EEF1B2). These pathways, also identified in the top 10 KEGG pathways associated with maternal lifetime stress exposure, play important roles in multiple physiological functions necessary for proper fetal development. Further, two genes were identified to exhibit multiple probes associated with maternal lifetime stress (i.e., ANKFY1, TM6SF1). The methylation status of the probes belonging to each cluster and/or genes exhibiting multiple hits, may play a role in the pathogenesis of adverse health outcomes in children born to mothers with increased lifetime stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Brunst
- a Department of Environmental Health , University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Nicole Tignor
- b Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai One Gustave L. Levy Place , New York , NY , USA
| | - Allan Just
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- d Department of Biostatistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Xihong Lin
- d Department of Biostatistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michele R Hacker
- e Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.,f Department of Obstetrics , Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- g Department of Psychiatry, Program for Behavioral Science, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
| | - Pei Wang
- b Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai One Gustave L. Levy Place , New York , NY , USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- h Department of Environmental Health Sciences , Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.,i Department of Pediatrics , Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
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The Effects of Trauma, with or without PTSD, on the Transgenerational DNA Methylation Alterations in Human Offsprings. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8050083. [PMID: 29738444 PMCID: PMC5977074 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8050083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to psychological trauma is a strong risk factor for several debilitating disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Besides the impact on mental well-being and behavior in the exposed individuals, it has been suggested that psychological trauma can affect the biology of the individuals, and even have biological and behavioral consequences on the offspring of exposed individuals. While knowledge of possible epigenetic underpinnings of the association between exposure to trauma and risk of PTSD has been discussed in several reviews, it remains to be established whether trauma-induced epigenetic modifications can be passed from traumatized individuals to subsequent generations of offspring. The aim of this paper is to review the emerging literature on evidence of transgenerational inheritance due to trauma exposure on the epigenetic mechanism of DNA methylation in humans. Our review found an accumulating amount of evidence of an enduring effect of trauma exposure to be passed to offspring transgenerationally via the epigenetic inheritance mechanism of DNA methylation alterations and has the capacity to change the expression of genes and the metabolome. This manuscript summarizes and critically reviews the relevant original human studies in this area. Thus, it provides an overview of where we stand, and a clearer vision of where we should go in terms of future research directions.
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Leonard WR. Centennial perspective on human adaptability. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:813-833. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William R. Leonard
- Department of Anthropology; Northwestern University; Evanston Illinois 60208
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Sosnowski DW, Booth C, York TP, Amstadter AB, Kliewer W. Maternal prenatal stress and infant DNA methylation: A systematic review. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 60:127-139. [PMID: 29344930 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal stress has been linked to a variety of infant postnatal outcomes, partially through alterations in fetal HPA axis functioning; yet the underlying pathobiology remains elusive. Current literature posits DNA methylation as a candidate mechanism through which maternal prenatal stress can influence fetal HPA axis functioning. The goal of this systematic review was to summarize the literature examining the associations among maternal prenatal stress, DNA methylation of commonly studied HPA axis candidate genes, and infant HPA axis functioning. Results from the review provided evidence for a link between various maternal prenatal stressors, NR3C1 methylation, and infant stress reactivity, but findings among other genes were limited, with mixed results. An original study quality review tool revealed that a majority of studies in the review are adequate, and emphasizes the need for future research to consider study quality when interpreting research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Sosnowski
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Carolyn Booth
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Timothy P York
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Ananda B Amstadter
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Wendy Kliewer
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
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Palma-Gudiel H, Cirera F, Crispi F, Eixarch E, Fañanás L. The impact of prenatal insults on the human placental epigenome: A systematic review. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 66:80-93. [PMID: 29307795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is the first human organ to reach full development during pregnancy. It serves as a barrier but also as an interchange surface. Epigenetic changes observed in placental tissue may reflect intrauterine insults while also pointing to physiological pathways altered under exposure to such environmental threats. By means of a systematic search of the literature, 39 papers assessing human placental epigenetic signatures in association with either (i) psychosocial stress, (ii) maternal psychopathology, (iii) maternal smoking during pregnancy, and (iv) exposure to environmental pollutants, were identified. Their findings revealed placental tissue as a unique source of epigenetic variability that does not correlate with epigenetic patterns observed in maternal or newborn blood, tissues which are typically analyzed regarding prenatal stress. Studies regarding prenatal stress and psychopathology during pregnancy were scarce and exploratory in nature revealing inconsistent findings. Of note, there was a marked tendency towards placental hypomethylation in studies assessing either tobacco use during pregnancy or exposure to environmental pollutants suggesting the interaction between contaminant-derived metabolites and epigenetic machinery. This review highlights the need for further prospective longitudinal studies assessing long-term health effects of placental epigenetic signatures derived from exposure to several prenatal stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Palma-Gudiel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Flors Cirera
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Fátima Crispi
- Fetal i+D Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), Barcelona, Spain; Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisenda Eixarch
- Fetal i+D Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), Barcelona, Spain; Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lourdes Fañanás
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
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30
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Isgut M, Smith AK, Reimann ES, Kucuk O, Ryan J. The impact of psychological distress during pregnancy on the developing fetus: biological mechanisms and the potential benefits of mindfulness interventions. J Perinat Med 2017; 45:999-1011. [PMID: 28141546 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2016-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The in utero environment plays an essential role in shaping future growth and development. Psychological distress during pregnancy has been shown to perturb the delicate physiological milieu of pregnancy, and has been associated with negative repercussions in the offspring, including adverse birth outcomes, long-term defects in cognitive development, behavioral problems during childhood and high baseline levels of stress-related hormones. Fetal epigenetic programming, involving epigenetic processes, may help explain the link between maternal prenatal stress and its negative effects on the child. Given the potential long-term effects of early-life stress on a child's health, it is crucial to minimize maternal distress during pregnancy. A number of recent studies have examined the usefulness of mindfulness-based programs to reduce prenatal psychological stress and improve maternal psychological health, and these are reviewed here. Overall, the findings are promising, but more research is needed with large studies using randomized controlled study designs. It remains unclear whether or not such interventions could also improve child health outcomes, and whether these changes are modulated at the epigenetic level during fetal development. Further studies in this area are needed.
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Clukay CJ, Hughes DA, Rodney NC, Kertes DA, Mulligan CJ. DNA methylation of methylation complex genes in relation to stress and genome-wide methylation in mother-newborn dyads. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 165:173-182. [PMID: 29028111 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Early life stress is known to have enduring biological effects, particularly with respect to health. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, are a possible mechanism to mediate the biological effect of stress. We previously found correlations between maternal stress, newborn birthweight, and genome-wide measures of DNA methylation. Here we investigate ten genes related to the methylation/demethylation complex in order to better understand the impact of stress on health. MATERIALS AND METHODS DNA methylation and genetic variants at methylation/demethylation genes were assayed. Mean methylation measures were constructed for each gene and tested, in addition to genetic variants, for association with maternal stress measures based on interview and survey data (chronic stress and war trauma), maternal venous, and newborn cord genome-wide mean methylation (GMM), and birthweight. RESULTS After cell type correction, we found multiple pairwise associations between war trauma, maternal GMM, maternal methylation at DNMT1, DNMT3A, TET3, and MBD2, and birthweight. CONCLUSIONS The association of maternal GMM and maternal methylation at DNMT1, DNMT3A, TET3, and MBD2 is consistent with the role of these genes in establishing, maintaining and altering genome-wide methylation patterns, in some cases in response to stress. DNMT1 produces one of the primary enzymes that reproduces methylation patterns during DNA replication. DNMT3A and TET3 have been implicated in genome-wide hypomethylation in response to glucocorticoid hormones. Although we cannot determine the directionality of the genic and genome-wide changes in methylation, our results suggest that altered methylation of specific methylation genes may be part of the molecular mechanism underlying the human biological response to stress.
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Associations between maternal prenatal stress, methylation changes in IGF1 and IGF2, and birth weight. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2017; 9:215-222. [PMID: 29017633 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174417000800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Maternal stress has been linked to low birth weight in newborns. One potential pathway involves epigenetic changes at candidate genes that may mediate the effects of prenatal maternal stress on birth weight. This relationship has been documented in stress-related genes, such as NR3C1. There is less literature exploring the effect of stress on growth-related genes. IGF1 and IGF2 have been implicated in fetal growth and development, though via different mechanisms as IGF2 is under imprinting control. In this study, we tested for associations between prenatal stress, methylation of IGF1 and IGF2, and birth weight. A total of 24 mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo were enrolled. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with mothers at delivery to gather culturally relevant war-related and chronic stressors. DNA methylation data were generated from maternal venous, cord blood and placental tissue samples. Multivariate regressions were used to test for associations between stress measures, DNA methylation and birth weight in each of the three tissue types. We found an association between IGF2 methylation in maternal blood and birth weight. Previous literature on the relationship between IGF2 methylation and birth weight has focused on methylation at known differentially methylated regions in cord blood or placental samples. Our findings indicate there may be links between the maternal epigenome and low birth weight that rely on mechanisms outside known imprinting pathways. It thus may be important to consider the effect of maternal exposures and epigenetic profiles on birth weight even in the setting of maternally imprinted genes such as IGF2.
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Ryan J, Mansell T, Fransquet P, Saffery R. Does maternal mental well-being in pregnancy impact the early human epigenome? Epigenomics 2017; 9:313-332. [PMID: 28140666 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable interest in the potential nongenetic transmission of a suite of mental health conditions across generations, with epigenetics emerging as a candidate mediator of such effects. This review summarizes findings from 22 studies measuring candidate gene DNA methylation and seven epigenome-wide association studies of offspring epigenetic profile in women with adverse mental wellbeing measures (stress, depression or anxiety) in pregnancy. Despite some compelling evidence to suggest an association, there is a lack of reproducible findings, potentially linked to a number of limitations to this research and the field more broadly. Large cohorts with well characterized exposures across pregnancy are now needed. There is exciting potential that epigenetics may help explain some of the link between maternal wellbeing and child health outcomes, thereby informing novel interventions, but future studies must address current limitations to advance translational knowledge in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Ryan
- Department of Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Hospital, & Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.,Inserm U1061, Hopital La Colombiere, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Toby Mansell
- Department of Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Hospital, & Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Fransquet
- Department of Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Hospital, & Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Department of Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Hospital, & Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Kertes DA, Kamin HS, Hughes DA, Rodney NC, Bhatt S, Mulligan CJ. Prenatal Maternal Stress Predicts Methylation of Genes Regulating the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical System in Mothers and Newborns in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Child Dev 2016; 87:61-72. [PMID: 26822443 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to stress early in life permanently shapes activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and the brain. Prenatally, glucocorticoids pass through the placenta to the fetus with postnatal impacts on brain development, birth weight (BW), and HPA axis functioning. Little is known about the biological mechanisms by which prenatal stress affects postnatal functioning. This study addresses this gap by examining the effect of chronic stress and traumatic war-related stress on epigenetic changes in four key genes regulating the HPA axis in neonatal cord blood, placenta, and maternal blood: CRH, CRHBP, NR3C1, and FKBP5. Participants were 24 mother-newborn dyads in the conflict-ridden region of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. BW data were collected at delivery and maternal interviews were conducted to assess culturally relevant chronic and war-related stressors. Chronic stress and war trauma had widespread effects on HPA axis gene methylation, with significant effects observed at transcription factor binding (TFB) sites in all target genes tested. Some changes in methylation were unique to chronic or war stress, whereas others were observed across both stressor types. Moreover, stress exposures impacted maternal and fetal tissues differently, supporting theoretical models that stress impacts vary according to life phase. Methylation in several NR3C1 and CRH CpG sites, all located at TFB sites, was associated with BW. These findings suggest that prenatal stress exposure impacts development via epigenetic changes in HPA axis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David A Hughes
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie J. Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610-3610;
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36
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Goodrich JM, Reddy P, Naidoo RN, Asharam K, Batterman S, Dolinoy DC. Prenatal exposures and DNA methylation in newborns: a pilot study in Durban, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2016; 18:908-17. [PMID: 27359112 PMCID: PMC4945397 DOI: 10.1039/c6em00074f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The in utero environment has the potential to influence epigenetic programming and subsequently the health of offspring. Even though pregnant women living in urban Africa are exposed to multiple chemicals and infectious agents that may impact their developing children, the neonatal epigenome has not been studied in these regions. We assessed whether prenatal exposures to air pollution and maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are associated with changes to DNA methylation throughout the epigenome using a pilot sample from the Mother and Child Environmental (MACE) birth cohort, of which 36% of the mothers are HIV positive. Families living in a high air pollution region (south Durban, n = 11) and a low air pollution region (north Durban, n = 11) with comparable socioeconomic characteristics were selected for analysis. DNA methylation was quantified in cord blood plasma DNA at >430 000 CpG sites using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Sites associated with living in south Durban or maternal HIV infection (p < 0.001) were more likely to be hypomethylated and located in CpG islands. Top differentially methylated sites by region of Durban were enriched in pathways related to xenobiotic metabolism, oxygen and gas transport, and sensory perception of chemical stimuli when performing gene set enrichment testing with LRpath. Differentially methylated sites by maternal HIV status were enriched in cytochrome P450s, pathways involved in detection of chemical stimuli, metabolic processes, and viral regulation and processing. Given the small sample size of the study, future work examining the impact of prenatal exposures to air pollution, maternal infection, and antiviral treatment on the epigenome and downstream health implications is merited in Sub-Saharan African populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Poovendhree Reddy
- Department of Community Health Studies, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Rajen N Naidoo
- Discipline of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Kareshma Asharam
- Discipline of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Stuart Batterman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Dana C Dolinoy
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. and Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Malhi RS, Bader AC. ENGAGING NATIVE AMERICANS IN GENOMICS RESEARCH. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2015; 117:743-744. [PMID: 27799658 DOI: 10.1111/aman.12369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Ramo-Fernández L, Schneider A, Wilker S, Kolassa IT. Epigenetic Alterations Associated with War Trauma and Childhood Maltreatment. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2015; 33:701-721. [PMID: 26358541 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Survivors of war trauma or childhood maltreatment are at increased risk for trauma-spectrum disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, traumatic stress has been associated with alterations in the neuroendocrine and the immune system, enhancing the risk for physical diseases. Traumatic experiences might even affect psychological as well as biological parameters in the next generation, i.e. traumatic stress might have transgenerational effects. This article outlines how epigenetic processes, which represent a pivotal biological mechanism for dynamic adaptation to environmental challenges, might contribute to the explanation of the long-lasting and transgenerational effects of trauma. In particular, epigenetic alterations in genes regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis as well as the immune system have been observed in survivors of childhood and adult trauma. These changes could result in enduring alterations of the stress response as well as the physical health risk. Furthermore, the effects of parental trauma could be transmitted to the next generation by parental distress and the pre- and postnatal environment, as well as by epigenetic marks transmitted via the germline. While epigenetic research has a high potential of advancing our understanding of the consequences of trauma, the findings have to be interpreted with caution, as epigenetics only represent one piece of a complex puzzle of interacting biological and environmental factors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Schneider
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Ulm University, Germany
| | - Sarah Wilker
- Clinical and Biological Psychology, Ulm University, Germany
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39
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Non AL, Thayer ZM. Epigenetics for anthropologists: An introduction to methods. Am J Hum Biol 2015; 27:295-303. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 11/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amy L. Non
- Department of Anthropology; Vanderbilt University; Nashville Tennessee 37235-7703
| | - Zaneta M. Thayer
- Department of Anthropology; University of Colorado Denver; Denver Colorado 80217-3364
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40
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Engström K, Rydbeck F, Kippler M, Wojdacz TK, Arifeen S, Vahter M, Broberg K. Prenatal lead exposure is associated with decreased cord blood DNA methylation of the glycoprotein VI gene involved in platelet activation and thrombus formation. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2015; 1:dvv007. [PMID: 29492281 PMCID: PMC5804686 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvv007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Early-life lead exposure impairs neurodevelopment and later exposure affects the cardiovascular system. Lead has been associated with reduced global 5-methylcytosine DNA methylation, suggesting that lead toxicity acts through epigenetic mechanisms. The objective of this study is to clarify how early-life lead exposure alters DNA methylation of specific genes, using an epigenomic approach. We measured lead concentrations in urine [gestational week (GW), 8] and erythrocytes (GW 14), using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, for 127 pregnant mothers recruited in the MINIMat food and supplementation cohort in rural Bangladesh. Cord blood DNA methylation was analyzed with the Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip, and top sites were validated by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melt curve analysis. Maternal urinary lead concentrations (divided into quartiles) showed significant (after adjustment for false discovery rate) inverse associations with methylation at nine CpGs. Three of these sites were in the 5'-end, including the promoter, of glycoprotein IV (GP6); cg18355337 (q = 0.029, β = -0.30), cg25818583 (q = 0.041, β = -0.18), and cg23796967 (q = 0.047, β = -0.17). The methylation in another CpG site in GP6 was close to significant (cg05374025, q = 0.057, β = - 0.23). The erythrocyte lead concentrations (divided into quartiles) were also inversely associated with CpG methylation in GP6, although this was not statistically significant after false discovery rate adjustments. Eight CpG sites in GP6 constituted a differentially methylated region in relation to urinary lead (P = 0.005, q = 0.48) and erythrocyte lead (P = 0.007, q = 0.46). In conclusion, we found that moderate prenatal lead exposure appears to epigenetically affect GP6, a key component of platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, suggesting a novel link between early lead exposure and cardiovascular disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Engström
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Filip Rydbeck
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Kippler
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomasz K. Wojdacz
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shams Arifeen
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka,
Bangladesh
| | - Marie Vahter
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Broberg
- Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- *Correspondence address. Unit of Metals and Health, Institute of
Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Tel:
+46737823750; Fax: +468336981; E-mail:
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41
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Daskalakis NP, Yehuda R. Site-specific methylation changes in the glucocorticoid receptor exon 1F promoter in relation to life adversity: systematic review of contributing factors. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:369. [PMID: 25484853 PMCID: PMC4240065 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been recent interest in epigenetics in psychiatry since it offers a means of understanding how stressful life experiences, in interaction with the genotype, result in epigenetic changes that result in altered gene expression, ultimately affecting the risk for mental disorders. Many studies focused on methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor exon 1F promoter following an initial observation that changes in this region could be modulated by the environment. This review examines all published studies that have attempted to measure methylation in this region using different techniques, several tissue types, populations at different behavioral state and stages of development. Methodological issues have been raised with the aim of attempting to understand methylation quantification and site of action. We propose that it is useful to examine whether methylation at specific sites within the promoter region may be particularly relevant to psychiatric vulnerability to stress-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos P Daskalakis
- Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA ; Mental Health Patient Care Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center Bronx, New York, NY, USA ; Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Traumatic Stress Studies Division, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA ; Mental Health Patient Care Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center Bronx, New York, NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
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