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Juvinao-Quintero DL, Künzel RG, Larrabure-Torrealva G, Duncan L, Kirschbaum C, Sanchez SE, Gelaye B. Characterization of hair cortisol concentration pre-conception and during pregnancy. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 167:107089. [PMID: 38850884 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107089] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is a system involved in stress and pregnancy regulation, and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a promising biomarker of its activity. Assessing factors that influence HCC in the prenatal period is critical to understand whether and how HPA axis (dys-)regulation influences maternal health and child development, particularly in high-risk populations from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). AIMS This study aimed at characterizing preconception and pregnancy HCC with respect to multiple sociodemographic, pregnancy-related, and hair-related factors. METHODS In a sample of N = 2581 pregnant women in Perú, participants from two cohort studies provided a 6 cm scalp hair sample at three prenatal timepoints. Each hair sample was cut into two segments of 3 cm that represent cortisol secretion at four times: preconception, first-, second- and third trimester of pregnancy. Hair cortisol was extracted using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Spearman correlations, paired t-tests, and ANOVA were used to assess differences in log-transformed values of HCC (logHCC) across maternal sociodemographic, pregnancy-related, and hair-related factors. Multivariable linear regressions were used to examine independent associations of HCCs with selected correlates. RESULTS Mean logHCC values showed an increase across the four prenatal periods. Preconception BMI was consistently associated with HCC in all three trimesters, while difficulty accessing basic foods, education, hair dyeing, and infant sex showed time-specific associations with HCCs. In sensitivity analyses, we detected no substantial segment effects in the associations of HCCs with maternal characteristics. CONCLUSION This study is the largest to characterize HCC in pregnant women from a LMIC. Our findings provide a foundation for the use of HCC as a biomarker of prenatal HPA axis activity for future studies. This foundation may contribute to finding valid biomarkers of stress-response systems to promote maternal and child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L Juvinao-Quintero
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Richard G Künzel
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ostenstraße 26, Eichstätt 85072, Germany.
| | - Gloria Larrabure-Torrealva
- Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima 15024, Peru; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas, Lima 15081, Peru
| | - Laramie Duncan
- Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 19, Dresden 01069, Germany
| | - Sixto E Sanchez
- Universidad de San Martin de Porres, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Instituto de Investigacion, Lima 15024, Peru; Asociación Civil PROESA, Lima 15024, Peru
| | - Bizu Gelaye
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 500, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, The Chester M. Pierce, M.D. Division of Global Psychiatry, 151 Merrimac Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Duarte M, Pedrosa SS, Khusial PR, Madureira AR. Exploring the interplay between stress mediators and skin microbiota in shaping age-related hallmarks: A review. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 220:111956. [PMID: 38906383 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2024.111956] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Psychological stress is a major contributing factor to several health problems (e.g., depression, cardiovascular disease). Around 35 % of the world's population suffers from it, including younger generations. Physiologically, stress manifests through neuroendocrine pathways (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary (SAM) system) which culminate in the production of stress mediators like cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Stress and its mediators have been associated to body aging, through molecular mechanisms such as telomere attrition, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis, among others. Regarding its impact in the skin, stress impacts its structural integrity and physiological function. Despite this review focusing on several hallmarks of aging, emphasis was placed on skin microbiota dysbiosis. In this line, several studies, comprising different age groups, demographic contexts and body sites, have reported skin microbiota alterations associated with aging, and some effects of stress mediators on skin microbiota have also been reviewed in this paper. From a different perspective, since it is not a "traditional" stress mediator, oxytocin, a cortisol antagonist, has been related to glucorticoids inhibition and to display positive effects on cellular aging. This hormone dysregulation has been associated to psychological issues such as depression, whereas its upregulation has been linked to positive social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Duarte
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Santos Pedrosa
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal
| | - P Raaj Khusial
- Amyris Biotech INC, 5885 Hollis St Ste 100, Emeryville, CA 94608-2405, USA
| | - Ana Raquel Madureira
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, Porto 4169-005, Portugal.
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3
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Mustonen P, Kortesluoma S, Scheinin NM, Perasto L, Kataja EL, Tervahartiala K, Tuulari JJ, Coimbra B, Carter AS, Rodrigues AJ, Sousa N, Paavonen EJ, Korja R, Karlsson H, Karlsson L. Negative associations between maternal prenatal hair cortisol and child socioemotional problems. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 162:106955. [PMID: 38232530 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106955] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal distress can participate in the programming of offspring development, in which exposure to altered maternal long-term cortisol levels as measured by hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) may contribute. Yet, studies investigating whether and how maternal prenatal HCC associates with problems in child socioemotional development are scarce. Furthermore, questions remain regarding the timing and potential sex-specificity of fetal exposure to altered cortisol levels and whether there are interactions with maternal prenatal distress, such as depressive symptoms. The subjects were drawn from those FinnBrain Birth Cohort families that had maternal reports of child socioemotional problems (the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment [BITSEA] at 2 years and/or the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] at 5 years) as follows: HCC1 population: maternal mid-pregnancy HCC measured at gestational week 24 with 5 cm segments to depict cortisol levels from the previous five months (n = 321); and HCC2 population: end-of-pregnancy HCC measured 1-3 days after childbirth (5 cm segment; n = 121). Stepwise regression models were utilized in the main analyses and a sensitivity analysis was performed to detect potential biases. Negative associations were observed between maternal HCC2 and child BITSEA Total Problems at 2 years but not with SDQ Total difficulties at 5 years, and neither problem score was associated with HCC1. In descriptive analyses, HCC2 was negatively associated with Internalizing problems at 2 years and SDQ Emotional problems at 5 years. A negative association was observed among 5-year-old girls between maternal HCC1 and SDQ Total Difficulties and the subscales of Conduct and Hyperactivity/inattentive problems. When interactions were also considered, inverse associations between HCC2 and BITSEA Internalizing and Dysregulation Problems were observed in subjects with elevated prenatal depressive symptoms. It was somewhat surprising that only negative associations were observed between maternal HCC and child socioemotional problems. However, there are previous observations of elevated end-of-pregnancy cortisol levels associating with better developmental outcomes. The magnitudes of the observed associations were, as expected, mainly modest. Future studies with a focus on the individual changes of maternal cortisol levels throughout pregnancy as well as studies assessing both maternal and child HPA axis functioning together with child socioemotional development are indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Mustonen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland.
| | - Susanna Kortesluoma
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Satakunta Wellbeing Services County, Sairaalantie 3, 28500 Pori, Finland
| | - Laura Perasto
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Eeva-Leena Kataja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Assistentinkatu 7, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Katja Tervahartiala
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Seminaarinkatu 15, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Bárbara Coimbra
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, R. da Universidade, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Alice S Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, R. da Universidade, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; Clinical Academic Center-Braga (2CA), Hospital de Braga, Lugar de Sete Fontes, S. Victor, 4710-243 Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, R. da Universidade, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - E Juulia Paavonen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Mannerheimintie 166, 00271 Helsinki, Finland; Pediatric Research Center, Child Psychiatry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Assistentinkatu 7, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Medisiina A, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Savitehtaankatu 5, 20520 Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Medicine, Unit of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Savitehtaankatu 5, 20520 Turku, Finland
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Bosquet Enlow M, De Vivo I, Petty CR, Nelson CA. Temperament and sex as moderating factors of the effects of exposure to maternal depression on telomere length in early childhood. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38426330 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Individual differences in sensitivity to context are posited to emerge early in development and to influence the effects of environmental exposures on a range of developmental outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine the hypothesis that temperament characteristics and biological sex confer differential vulnerability to the effects of exposure to maternal depression on telomere length in early childhood. Telomere length has emerged as a potentially important biomarker of current and future health, with possible mechanistic involvement in the onset of various disease states. Participants comprised a community sample of children followed from infancy to age 3 years. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected at infancy, 2 years, and 3 years. Maternal depressive symptoms and the child temperament traits of negative affectivity, surgency/extraversion, and regulation/effortful control were assessed via maternal report at each timepoint. Analyses revealed a 3-way interaction among surgency/extraversion, sex, and maternal depressive symptoms, such that higher surgency/extraversion was associated with shorter telomere length specifically among males exposed to elevated maternal depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that temperament and sex influence children's susceptibility to the effects of maternal depression on telomere dynamics in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Immaculata De Vivo
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carter R Petty
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA, USA
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5
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Ahlers NE, Lin J, Weiss SJ. WITHDRAWN: Exposure to Ambient Particulate Matter during Pregnancy: Implications for Infant Telomere Length. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2023.09.17.23295692. [PMID: 37790308 PMCID: PMC10543047 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.17.23295692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
This manuscript has been withdrawn by the authors as it was submitted and made public without the full consent of all the authors. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author. The authors have an approved version for citation that is peer reviewed. Ahlers, N.E.; Lin, J.; Weiss, S.J. Exposure to Ambient Particulate Matter during Pregnancy: Implications for Infant Telomere Length. Air 2024, 2, 24-37. https://doi.org/10.3390/air2010002.
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Merced-Nieves FM, Eitenbichler S, Goldson B, Zhang X, Klein DN, Bosquet Enlow M, Curtin P, Wright RO, Wright RJ. Associations between a metal mixture and infant negative affectivity: Effect modification by prenatal cortisol and infant sex. Child Dev 2024; 95:e47-e59. [PMID: 37610319 PMCID: PMC10840921 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
In-utero exposures interact in complex ways that influence neurodevelopment. Animal research demonstrates that fetal sex moderates the impact of joint exposure to metals and prenatal stress measures, including cortisol, on offspring socioemotional outcomes. Further research is needed in humans. We evaluated the joint association of prenatal exposures to a metal mixture and cortisol with infant negative affectivity, considering sex differences. Analyses included 226 (29% White, Non-Hispanic) mother-infant pairs with data on exposures and negative affectivity assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised in 6-month-olds. Results showed that girls whose mothers had higher cortisol had significantly higher scores of Fear and Sadness with greater exposure to the mixture. Examining higher-order interactions may better elucidate the effects of prenatal exposure to metals and cortisol on socioemotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francheska M Merced-Nieves
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Brandon Goldson
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel N Klein
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul Curtin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Gold NM, Okeke MN, He Y. Involvement of Inheritance in Determining Telomere Length beyond Environmental and Lifestyle Factors. Aging Dis 2023:AD.2023.1023. [PMID: 37962459 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
All linear chromosomal ends have specific DNA-protein complexes called telomeres. Telomeres serve as a "molecular clock" to estimate the potential length of cell replication. Shortening of telomere length (TL) is associated with cellular senescence, aging, and various age-related diseases in humans. Here we reviewed the structure, function, and regulation of telomeres and the age-related diseases associated with telomere attrition. Among the various determinants of TL, we highlight the connection between TL and heredity to provide a new overview of genetic determinants for TL. Studies across multiple species have shown that maternal and paternal TL influence the TL of their offspring, and this may affect life span and their susceptibility to age-related diseases. Hence, we reviewed the linkage between TL and parental influences and the proposed mechanisms involved. More in-depth studies on the genetic mechanism for TL attrition are needed due to the potential application of this knowledge in human medicine to prevent premature frailty at its earliest stage, as well as promote health and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naheemat Modupeola Gold
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic, Evolution and Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Michael Ngozi Okeke
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Center for Nanomedical Technology Research, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yonghan He
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic, Evolution and Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Prasad A, Lin J, Jelliffe-Pawlowski L, Coleman-Phox K, Rand L, Wojcicki JM. Sub-optimal maternal gestational gain is associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length at birth in a predominantly Latinx cohort of newborns. Matern Health Neonatol Perinatol 2023; 9:14. [PMID: 37919818 PMCID: PMC10623801 DOI: 10.1186/s40748-023-00167-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess in utero exposures associated with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) at birth and maternal LTL in a primarily Latinx birth cohort. STUDY DESIGN Mothers and newborns were recruited postnatally before 24 h of life. Newborn LTL was collected via heelstick at birth and maternal LTL was collected postnatally. LTL was determined by quantitative PCR. Using a longitudinal design, we evaluated associations between neonatal and maternal LTL and appropriate maternal gestational gain as indicated by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). RESULT Mean infant LTL was 2.02 ± 0.30 T/S (n = 386) and maternal LTL was 1.54 ± 0.26 T/S (n = 58). Independent risk factors for shorter LTL at birth included longer gestational duration (Coeff:-0.03, 95%CI: -0.05-0.01;p < 0.01) and maternal gestational weight gain below ACOG recommendations (Coeff:-0.10, 95%CI: -0.18 - -0.02; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION Gestational weight gain below ACOG recommendations may adversely impact neonatal health in Latinx infants as indicated by shorter LTL at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Prasad
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Laura Jelliffe-Pawlowski
- Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Kimberley Coleman-Phox
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Larry Rand
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Janet M Wojcicki
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
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Mayer SE, Guan J, Lin J, Hamlat E, Parker JE, Brownell K, Price C, Mujahid M, Tomiyama AJ, Slavich GM, Laraia BA, Epel ES. Intergenerational effects of maternal lifetime stressor exposure on offspring telomere length in Black and White women. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6171-6182. [PMID: 36457292 PMCID: PMC10235210 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although maternal stressor exposure has been associated with shorter telomere length (TL) in offspring, this literature is based largely on White samples. Furthermore, timing of maternal stressors has rarely been examined. Here, we examined how maternal stressors occurring during adolescence, pregnancy, and across the lifespan related to child TL in Black and White mothers. METHOD Mothers (112 Black; 110 White; Mage = 39) and their youngest offspring (n = 222; Mage = 8) were part of a larger prospective cohort study, wherein mothers reported their stressors during adolescence (assessed twice during adolescence for the past year), pregnancy (assessed in midlife for most recent pregnancy), and across their lifespan (assessed in midlife). Mother and child provided saliva for TL measurement. Multiple linear regression models examined the interaction of maternal stressor exposure and race in relation to child TL, controlling for maternal TL and child gender and age. Race-stratified analyses were also conducted. RESULTS Neither maternal adolescence nor lifespan stressors interacted with race in relation to child TL. In contrast, greater maternal pregnancy stressors were associated with shorter child TL, but this effect was present for children of White but not Black mothers. Moreover, this effect was significant for financial but not social pregnancy stressors. Race-stratified models revealed that greater financial pregnancy stressors predicted shorter telomeres in offspring of White, but not Black mothers. CONCLUSIONS Race and maternal stressors interact and are related to biological aging across generations, but these effects are specific to certain races, stressors, and exposure time periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie E. Mayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Joanna Guan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Elissa Hamlat
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Jordan E. Parker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kristy Brownell
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Candice Price
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mahasin Mujahid
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - A. Janet Tomiyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - George M. Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barbara A. Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
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10
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Juvinao-Quintero DL, Künzel RG, Larabure-Torrealva G, Duncan L, Kirschbaum C, Sanchez SE, Gelaye B. Correlates of preconception and pregnancy hair cortisol concentrations. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3349003. [PMID: 37790441 PMCID: PMC10543434 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3349003/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Assessing factors that influence chronic stress biomarkers like hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) in pregnancy is critical to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes. Thus, we aimed to identify correlates of HCC preconception and during pregnancy. 2,581 pregnant women participated in the study. HCC was available at four time periods: pre-pregnancy (0-3 months preconception, n = 1,023), and in the first (1-12 weeks, n = 1,734), second (13-24 weeks, n = 1,534), and third (25-36 weeks, n = 835) trimesters. HCC was assessed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Sociodemographic, pregnancy- and hair-related characteristics, and measures of psychosocial stress, were interrogated as potential correlates of HCC. Spearman correlations, paired t-tests, and ANOVA were used to assess differences in log-transformed values of HCC (logHCC) across maternal characteristics. Multivariable linear regressions were used to identify the correlates of HCCs after adjusting for confounders. Mean logHCC values increased across the four prenatal periods (P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, pre-pregnancy BMI was consistently associated with all HCCs, while gestational age, economic hardship, hair dyeing, and depression, showed time-specific associations with HCC. In conclusion, this study showed evidence of factors influencing HCC levels before and during pregnancy. The most consistent association was seen with pre-pregnancy BMI. Depression was also associated with HCC concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard G Künzel
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
| | | | - Laramie Duncan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University
| | | | - Sixto E Sanchez
- Universidad de San Martin de Porres, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Instituto de Investigacion
| | - Bizu Gelaye
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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11
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Sulyok E, Farkas B, Bodis J. Pathomechanisms of Prenatally Programmed Adult Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1354. [PMID: 37507894 PMCID: PMC10376205 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on epidemiological observations Barker et al. put forward the hypothesis/concept that an adverse intrauterine environment (involving an insufficient nutrient supply, chronic hypoxia, stress, and toxic substances) is an important risk factor for the development of chronic diseases later in life. The fetus responds to the unfavorable environment with adaptive reactions, which ensure survival in the short run, but at the expense of initiating pathological processes leading to adult diseases. In this review, the major mechanisms (including telomere dysfunction, epigenetic modifications, and cardiovascular-renal-endocrine-metabolic reactions) will be outlined, with a particular emphasis on the role of oxidative stress in the fetal origin of adult diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endre Sulyok
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balint Farkas
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Jozsef Bodis
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
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12
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Duffy KA, Sammel MD, Johnson RL, Kim DR, Wang EY, Ewing G, Hantsoo L, Kornfield SL, Bale TL, Epperson CN. Maternal adverse childhood experiences impact fetal adrenal volume in a sex-specific manner. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:7. [PMID: 36803442 PMCID: PMC9936707 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00492-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms by which parental early life stress can be transmitted to the next generation, in some cases in a sex-specific manner, are unclear. Maternal preconception stress may increase susceptibility to suboptimal health outcomes via in utero programming of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. METHODS We recruited healthy pregnant women (N = 147), dichotomized into low (0 or 1) and high (2+) adverse childhood experience (ACE) groups based on the ACE Questionnaire, to test the hypothesis that maternal ACE history influences fetal adrenal development in a sex-specific manner. At a mean (standard deviation) of 21.5 (1.4) and 29.5 (1.4) weeks gestation, participants underwent three-dimensional ultrasounds to measure fetal adrenal volume, adjusting for fetal body weight (waFAV). RESULTS At ultrasound 1, waFAV was smaller in high versus low ACE males (b = - 0.17; z = - 3.75; p < .001), but females did not differ significantly by maternal ACE group (b = 0.09; z = 1.72; p = .086). Compared to low ACE males, waFAV was smaller for low (b = - 0.20; z = - 4.10; p < .001) and high ACE females (b = - 0.11; z = 2.16; p = .031); however, high ACE males did not differ from low (b = 0.03; z = .57; p = .570) or high ACE females (b = - 0.06; z = - 1.29; p = .196). At ultrasound 2, waFAV did not differ significantly between any maternal ACE/offspring sex subgroups (ps ≥ .055). Perceived stress did not differ between maternal ACE groups at baseline, ultrasound 1, or ultrasound 2 (ps ≥ .148). CONCLUSIONS We observed a significant impact of high maternal ACE history on waFAV, a proxy for fetal adrenal development, but only in males. Our observation that the waFAV in males of mothers with a high ACE history did not differ from the waFAV of females extends preclinical research demonstrating a dysmasculinizing effect of gestational stress on a range of offspring outcomes. Future studies investigating intergenerational transmission of stress should consider the influence of maternal preconception stress on offspring outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korrina A. Duffy
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA ,grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 N. Revere Court, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Mary D. Sammel
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA ,grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health – Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA
| | - Rachel L. Johnson
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health – Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA
| | - Deborah R. Kim
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Eileen Y. Wang
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Grace Ewing
- grid.266826.e0000 0000 9216 5478University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Biddeford, ME USA
| | - Liisa Hantsoo
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Sara L. Kornfield
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Tracy L. Bale
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA
| | - C. Neill Epperson
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA ,grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine – Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO USA
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13
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Perinatal and early childhood biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:956-965. [PMID: 35091705 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-01933-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The human brain develops through a complex interplay of genetic and environmental influences. During critical periods of development, experiences shape brain architecture, often with long-lasting effects. If experiences are adverse, the effects may include the risk of mental and physical disease, whereas positive environments may increase the likelihood of healthy outcomes. Understanding how psychosocial stress and adverse experiences are embedded in biological systems and how we can identify markers of risk may lead to discovering new approaches to improve patient care and outcomes. Biomarkers can be used to identify specific intervention targets and at-risk children early when physiological system malleability increases the likelihood of intervention success. However, identifying reliable biomarkers has been challenging, particularly in the perinatal period and the first years of life, including in preterm infants. This review explores the landscape of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. We highlight potential benefits and challenges of identifying risk clinically and different sub-signatures of stress, and in their ability to inform targeted interventions. Finally, we propose that the combination of preterm birth and adversity amplifies the risk for abnormal development and calls for a focus on this group of infants within the field of psychosocial stress and adverse experience biomarkers. IMPACT: Reviews the landscape of biomarkers of psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in the perinatal period and early childhood and highlights the potential benefits and challenges of their clinical utility in identifying risk status in children, and in developing targeted interventions. Explores associations between psychosocial stress and adverse experiences in childhood with prematurity and identifies potential areas of assessment and intervention to improve outcomes in this at-risk group.
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14
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Polsky LR, Rentscher KE, Carroll JE. Stress-induced biological aging: A review and guide for research priorities. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 104:97-109. [PMID: 35661679 PMCID: PMC10243290 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to chronic adverse conditions, and the resultant activation of the neurobiological response cascade, has been associated with an increased risk of early onset of age-related disease and, recently, with an older biological age. This body of research has led to the hypothesis that exposure to stressful life experiences, when occurring repeatedly or over a prolonged period, may accelerate the rate at which the body ages. The mechanisms through which chronic psychosocial stress influences distinct biological aging pathways to alter rates of aging likely involve multiple layers in the physiological-molecular network. In this review, we integrate research using animal, human, and in vitro models to begin to delineate the distinct pathways through which chronic psychosocial stress may impact biological aging, as well as the neuroendocrine mediators (i.e., norepinephrine, epinephrine, and glucocorticoids) that may drive these effects. Findings highlight key connections between stress and aging, namely cellular metabolic activity, DNA damage, telomere length, cellular senescence, and inflammatory response patterns. We conclude with a guiding framework and conceptual model that outlines the most promising biological pathways by which chronic adverse conditions could accelerate aging and point to key missing gaps in knowledge where future research could best answer these pressing questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian R Polsky
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Kelly E Rentscher
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, United States.
| | - Judith E Carroll
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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15
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Malecki KMC, Andersen JK, Geller AM, Harry GJ, Jackson CL, James KA, Miller GW, Ottinger MA. Integrating Environment and Aging Research: Opportunities for Synergy and Acceleration. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:824921. [PMID: 35264945 PMCID: PMC8901047 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.824921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite significant overlaps in mission, the fields of environmental health sciences and aging biology are just beginning to intersect. It is increasingly clear that genetics alone does not predict an individual’s neurological aging and sensitivity to disease. Accordingly, aging neuroscience is a growing area of mutual interest within environmental health sciences. The impetus for this review came from a workshop hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in June of 2020, which focused on integrating the science of aging and environmental health research. It is critical to bridge disciplines with multidisciplinary collaborations across toxicology, comparative biology, epidemiology to understand the impacts of environmental toxicant exposures and age-related outcomes. This scoping review aims to highlight overlaps and gaps in existing knowledge and identify essential research initiatives. It begins with an overview of aging biology and biomarkers, followed by examples of synergy with environmental health sciences. New areas for synergistic research and policy development are also discussed. Technological advances including next-generation sequencing and other-omics tools now offer new opportunities, including exposomic research, to integrate aging biomarkers into environmental health assessments and bridge disciplinary gaps. This is necessary to advance a more complete mechanistic understanding of how life-time exposures to toxicants and other physical and social stressors alter biological aging. New cumulative risk frameworks in environmental health sciences acknowledge that exposures and other external stressors can accumulate across the life course and the advancement of new biomarkers of exposure and response grounded in aging biology can support increased understanding of population vulnerability. Identifying the role of environmental stressors, broadly defined, on aging biology and neuroscience can similarly advance opportunities for intervention and translational research. Several areas of growing research interest include expanding exposomics and use of multi-omics, the microbiome as a mediator of environmental stressors, toxicant mixtures and neurobiology, and the role of structural and historical marginalization and racism in shaping persistent disparities in population aging and outcomes. Integrated foundational and translational aging biology research in environmental health sciences is needed to improve policy, reduce disparities, and enhance the quality of life for older individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. C. Malecki
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Kristen M. C. Malecki,
| | | | - Andrew M. Geller
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Durham, NC, United States
| | - G. Jean Harry
- Division of National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Chandra L. Jackson
- Division of Intramural Research, Department of Health and Human Services, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Katherine A. James
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Gary W. Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mary Ann Ottinger
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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16
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Stout-Oswald SA, Glynn LM, Bisoffi M, Demers CH, Davis EP. Prenatal exposure to maternal psychological distress and telomere length in childhood. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22238. [PMID: 35050506 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a biological marker of cellular aging, and shorter TL in adulthood is associated with increased morbidity and mortality risk. It is likely that these differences in TL are established long before adulthood, and there is growing evidence that TL can reflect prenatal experiences. Although maternal prenatal distress predicts newborn TL, it is unknown whether the relation between prenatal exposure to maternal distress and child TL persists through childhood. The purpose of the current longitudinal, prospective study is to examine the relation between prenatal exposure to maternal distress (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, pregnancy-related anxiety) and TL in childhood. Participants included 102 children (54 girls) and their mothers. Mothers' distress was assessed five times during pregnancy, at 12 weeks postpartum, and at the time of child telomere measurement between 6 and 16 years of age. Maternal distress during pregnancy predicted shorter offspring TL in childhood, even after accounting for postnatal exposure to maternal distress and other covariates. These findings indicate that maternal mental health predicts offspring TL biology later in childhood than previously observed. This study bolsters claims that telomere biology is subject to fetal programming and highlights the importance of supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura M Glynn
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Marco Bisoffi
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
- School of Pharmacy, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Catherine H Demers
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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17
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Lin J, Epel E. Stress and telomere shortening: Insights from cellular mechanisms. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 73:101507. [PMID: 34736994 PMCID: PMC8920518 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Short telomeres confer risk of degenerative diseases. Chronic psychological stress can lead to disease through many pathways, and research from in vitro studies to human longitudinal studies has pointed to stress-induced telomere damage as an important pathway. However, there has not been a comprehensive model to describe how changes in stress physiology and neuroendocrine pathways can lead to changes in telomere biology. Critically short telomeres or the collapse of the telomere structure caused by displacement of telomere binding protein complex shelterin elicit a DNA damage response and lead to senescence or apoptosis. In this narrative review, we summarize the key roles glucocorticoids, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria, and inflammation play in mediating the relationship between psychological stress and telomere maintenance. We emphasis that these mediators are interconnected and reinforce each other in positive feedback loops. Telomere length has not been studied across the lifespan yet, but the initial setting point at birth appears to be the most influential point, as it sets the lifetime trajectory, and is influenced by stress. We describe two types of intergenerational stress effects on telomeres - prenatal stress effects on telomeres during fetal development, and 'telotype transmission" -the directly inherited transmission of short telomeres from parental germline. It is clear that the initial simplistic view of telomere length as a mitotic clock has evolved into a far more complex picture of both transgenerational telomere influences, and of interconnected molecular and cellular pathways and networks, as hallmarks of aging where telomere maintenance is a key player interacting with mitochondria. Further mechanistic investigations testing this comprehensive model of stress mediators shaping telomere biology and the telomere-mitochondrial nexus will lead to better understanding from cell to human lifespan aging, and could lead to anti-aging interventions.
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Gonete AT, Alemu TG, Mekonnen EG, Takele WW. Malnutrition and contributing factors among newborns delivered at the University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e053577. [PMID: 34740934 PMCID: PMC8573658 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of various indicators of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, low birth weight, concurrent stunting and wasting, overweight/obesity and double burden malnutrition) among newborns and to investigate factors associated with these nutritional disorders. METHODS A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 March through to May 2020. A total of 419 newborns were recruited into the study to estimate the prevalence of low birth weight and stunting. After excluding 28 newborns whose length was less than 45 cm, 394 newborn-mother dyads were approached to estimate wasting and overweight/obesity. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select participants. All independent variables were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model and variables that had significant associations were identified based on a p value. RESULTS A very small proportion of the newborns 2.5% (0.9% to 4.1%) were concurrently wasted and stunted. The prevalence rates of low birth weight and wasting were 20.8% (16.8% to 24.6%) and 10.9% (7.82% to 14.01%), respectively. The magnitude of overweight/obesity was 12.7% (9.3% to 15.9%) where 2.8% (1.1% to 4.4%) of newborns have the double burden of malnutrition. Having a father with a primary level of education 2.82 (1.19 to 6.65) and being stunted at birth 3.17 (1.6 to 6.0) were variables that were associated with increased odds of low birth weight. The odds of being overweight/obese are significantly higher among newborns born to mothers who are urban dwellers 0.35 (0.12 to 0.99). CONCLUSIONS The study underscores that malnutrition is a pressing public health concern that demands due emphasis. Fathers' educational status (low level) and being stunted are associated with a high burden of low birth weight. Mothers' residency (being urban) is associated with an elevated risk of overweight/obesity among newborns. Thus, improving the health literacy of fathers and preventing stunting at birth are recommended to mitigate low birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almaz Tefera Gonete
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tewodros Getaneh Alemu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Eskedar Getie Mekonnen
- Reproductive Health, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
| | - Wubet Worku Takele
- Department of Community Health Nursing, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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19
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Su X, Yu Y, Meng L, Duan T, Zhao Y, László KD, Valdimarsdóttir UA, Hua J, Li J. Prenatal Maternal Bereavement and Its Association With Intellectual Disability in the Offspring. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:887-893. [PMID: 34334730 PMCID: PMC8505139 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the association of a mother's loss of a close relative before or during pregnancy with intellectual disability (ID) in the offspring. METHODS We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study based on Danish national registries. All live-born singletons born in Denmark during the 1978-2016 period (n = 2,216,601) were followed up starting from birth to 38 years of age. Log-linear Poisson regression was used to estimate the association between maternal bereavement (the death of an older child, a partner, or a parent 1 year before or during pregnancy) and the risk of ID in the offspring. RESULTS Maternal bereavement during or before pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of ID (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-1.28). The risk of ID was increased by 27% when maternal bereavement occurred during pregnancy (IRR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.08-1.49). When stratifying on the child's sex, we also observed an increased risk of ID associated with maternal bereavement during pregnancy both for male (IRR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.02-1.53) and for female (IRR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.02-1.69), respectively. The IRRs for unnatural death of a relative were also elevated (IRR = 1.22; 95% CI = 0.91-1.64) in general, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that prenatal stress due to maternal loss of a close relative may increase the risk of offspring's ID of both sexes, in particular when the loss happened during pregnancy.
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20
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Telomeres: New players in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases? J Autoimmun 2021; 123:102699. [PMID: 34265700 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the ends of linear chromosomes that preserve the integrity and stability of the genome. Telomere dysfunctions due to short telomeres or altered telomere structures can ultimately lead to replicative cellular senescence and chromosomal instability, both mechanisms being hallmarks of ageing. Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and finally telomere length (TL) dynamics have been shown to be involved in various age-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), including affections such as inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and uveitis belong to this group of age-related NCDs. Although in recent years, we have witnessed the emergence of studies in the literature linking these IMIDs to TL dynamics, the causality between these diseases and telomere attrition is still unclear and controversial. In this review, we provide an overview of available studies on telomere dynamics and discuss the utility of TL measurements in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Andhavarapu M, Orwa J, Temmerman M, Musana JW. Maternal Sociodemographic Factors and Antenatal Stress. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18136812. [PMID: 34201920 PMCID: PMC8297233 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal stress has been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Understanding key determinants of stress in a vulnerable pregnant population has the potential of informing development of targeted cost-effective interventions to mitigate against these adverse birth outcomes. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 150 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at a rural referral hospital in Kenya. The participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and gave a hair sample for cortisol and cortisone analysis. The association between selected sociodemographic predictors (age, parity, marital status, maternal education, household income, polygyny, and intimate partner violence) and outcomes (hair cortisol, hair cortisone, and PSS score) was examined using univariate, bivariate and multivariate models. We found a negative association between PSS scores and household income (β = −2.40, p = 0.016, 95% CI = −4.36, −0.45). There was a positive association of the ratio of hair cortisone to cortisol with Adolescent age group (β = 0.64, p = 0.031, 95% CI = 0.06, 1.22), and a negative association with Cohabitation (β = −1.21, p = 0.009, 95% CI = −2.11, −0.31). We conclude that household income influenced psychological stress in pregnancy. Adolescence and cohabitation may have an influence on biological stress, but the nature of this effect is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maheshwari Andhavarapu
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +254-720-885527
| | - James Orwa
- Department of Population Health, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;
| | - Marleen Temmerman
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
| | - Joseph Wangira Musana
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Aga Khan University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; (M.T.); (J.W.M.)
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22
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Bi J, Wu M, Liu Y, Song L, Wang L, Liu Q, Chen K, Xiong C, Li Y, Xia W, Xu S, Zhou A, Wang Y. Association between maternal urinary manganese concentrations and newborn telomere length: Results from a birth cohort study. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 213:112037. [PMID: 33609998 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Telomere length (TL) is a biomarker for biological aging, and the initial setting of TL at birth is a determinant factor of TL in later life. Newborn TL is sensitive to maternal metals concentrations, while study about the association between maternal manganese (Mn) concentrations and newborn TL was not found. Our study aimed to investigate whether newborn TL is related to maternal Mn concentrations. METHODS Data were collected from a birth cohort study of 762 mother-newborn pairs conducted from November 2013 to March 2015 in Wuhan, China. We measured the Mn concentrations in spot urine samples collected during three trimesters by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and relative cord blood TL by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). We applied multiple informant models to investigate the associations between maternal Mn concentrations and cord blood TL. RESULTS The geometric mean of creatinine-corrected urinary Mn concentrations were 1.58 μg/g creatinine, 2.53 μg/g creatinine, and 2.62 μg/g creatinine in the first, second, and third trimester, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, a doubling of maternal urinary Mn concentration during the second trimester was related to a 2.10% (95% CI: 0.25%, 3.99%) increase in cord blood TL. Mothers with the highest tertile of urinary Mn concentrations during the second trimester had a 9.67% (95% CI: 2.13%, 17.78%) longer cord blood TL than those with the lowest tertile. This association was more evident in male infants. No relationship was found between maternal urinary Mn concentrations and cord blood TL during the first and third trimesters in our study. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that maternal Mn concentration during the second trimester was positively associated with newborn TL. These results might provide an epidemiology evidence on the protective role of maternal Mn for newborn TL and offer clues for the early prevention of telomere shortening related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Bi
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingyang Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yunyun Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulu Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulin Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Xiong
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Aifen Zhou
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Youjie Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, 430030 Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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23
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Cho J, Chien LC, Holditch-Davis D. Associations Between Hormonal Biomarkers and Preterm Infant Health and Development During the First 2 Years After Birth. Biol Res Nurs 2021; 23:188-197. [PMID: 32700638 PMCID: PMC8264856 DOI: 10.1177/1099800420942893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Testosterone levels have been used to examine infant boys' vulnerability to health and developmental problems, following the general theories of gender differences and the theory of extreme male brain of autism. OBJECTIVES As testosterone is a representative androgen hormone and is higher in preterm than full-term infants, we used this steroid to determine if hypothalamic pituitary hormones, testosterone, and cortisol, were related to physical growth, health, and development of very-low-birthweight (VLBW, BW < 1,500 g) infants. METHOD For this comparative longitudinal study, 40 VLBW infants were recruited from a neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary medical center. Data were collected from medical record reviews, questionnaires, and assessments of infant development at 6, 12, and 24 months. We collected saliva at the three time points and measured hormones using enzyme-immunoassays. RESULTS General and generalized mixed models showed that a 1pg/ml increment of testosterone was related to a -0.42% decrease in body weight, a -0.18% decrease in length, and a -0.10% decrease in head circumference. Cortisol levels were not associated with any outcome variable. The interactions between testosterone and time on physical growth and socioemotional development also occurred. DISCUSSION Elevated testosterone levels can be a biological risk factor for poor infant growth and development. Theories about the effects of elevated prenatal testosterone could be useful in predicting health and developmental outcomes among VLBW infants. Research beyond the first 2 years will be needed as infants show more socioemotional and behavioral problems as they grow older.
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Affiliation(s)
- June Cho
- School of Nursing, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Lung-Chang Chien
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics program, Department of Environmental
and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas,
NV, USA
| | - Diane Holditch-Davis
- Marcus E. Hobbs Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing, Duke University, DUMC, Durham, NC, USA
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy S Drury
- Children's Hospital New Orleans, Tulane Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, and Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Laboratory, Tulane University, New Orleans
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25
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Gonete AT, Kassahun B, Mekonnen EG, Takele WW. Stunting at birth and associated factors among newborns delivered at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245528. [PMID: 33471862 PMCID: PMC7817059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stunting at birth is a chronic form of undernutrition majorly attributable to poor prenatal nutrition, which could persist in children’s later life and impact their physical and cognitive health. Although multiple studies have been conducted in Ethiopia to show the magnitude of stunting and factors, all are concentrated on children aged between 6 to 59 months. Therefore, this study was done to determine the prevalence and associated factors of stunting at birth among newborns delivered at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital, Northwest, Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 26th to April 25th/2020. A systematic random sampling technique was used, to select a total of 422 newborn-mother pairs. The binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with stunting and all independent variables were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model to adjust for confounders. Variables that had significant association were identified based on p-value < 0.05 and the adjusted odds ratio with its respective 95% confidence interval was applied to determine the strength as well as the direction of the association. Results About 30.5% (95% CI: 26.3%, 35.1%) of newborns were stunted at birth. Being male [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.9(1.62, 5.21)], newborns conceived in Kiremt(rainy season) [AOR = 2.7(1.49, 4.97)], being low birth weight [AOR = 3.1(1.64, 6.06)] were factors associated with stunting at birth. Likewise, newborns born to short stature mothers [AOR = 2.8(1.21, 6.62)] and chronically malnourished mothers [AOR = 15.3(8.12, 29.1)] were at greater risk of being stunted. Conclusion Just under a third of newborns are stunted at birth, implying a pressing public health problem. Newborns born to chronically malnourished and short stature mothers were more stunted. Besides, stunting was prevalently observed among male neonates, newborns conceived in Kiremet, and being low birth weight. Thus, policymakers and nutrition programmers should work on preventing maternal undernutrition through nutrition education to reduce the burden of low birth weight and stunting. Further, paying due attention to newborns conceived in Kiremet season to improve nutritional status is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almaz Tefera Gonete
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Bogale Kassahun
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Eskedar Getie Mekonnen
- Department of Reproductive and Child Health, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Wubet Worku Takele
- Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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26
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Hair cortisol levels in pregnancy as a possible determinant of fetal sex: a longitudinal study. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 12:902-907. [PMID: 33407972 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420001300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy has been widely studied and associated to different variables, usually with negative results for the health of the mother and the newborn, such as having a higher risk of suffering postpartum depression, premature birth, obstetrics complications or low birthweight, among others. However, there are not many lines of research that study the role that the sex of the baby plays on this specific stress and vice versa. Thus, the main objective was to analyse the relationship between the sex of the offspring and the stress of the mothers in the first trimester of pregnancy. In order to achieve this, 108 women had their biological stress measured (trough hair cortisol levels) and psychological stress evaluated (the Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PSS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PDQ) and the Stress Vulnerability Inventory (IVE)). The results revealed significant differences in maternal hair cortisol levels in the first trimester based on the sex of the baby they had given birth to (t = -2.04; P < 0.05): the concentration of the hormone was higher if the baby was a girl (164.36:54.45-284.87 pg/mg) than if it was a boy (101.13:37.95-193.56 pg/mg). These findings show that the sex of the future baby could be conditioned, among many other variables, by the mother´s stress levels during conception and first weeks of pregnancy. Further research is needed in this area to support our findings.
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27
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Bosquet Enlow M, Petty CR, Hacker MR, Burris HH. Maternal psychosocial functioning, obstetric health history, and newborn telomere length. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 123:105043. [PMID: 33176222 PMCID: PMC7732207 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in elucidating the determinants of newborn telomere length, given its potential as a biomarker of lifetime disease risk affected by prenatal exposures. There is limited evidence that increased maternal stress during pregnancy predicts shorter newborn telomere length. However, the few studies published to date have been conducted primarily with small samples utilizing inconsistent definitions of maternal stress. Moreover, the potential influence of fetal sex as a moderator of maternal stress effects on newborn telomere length has been largely ignored despite compelling evidence of likely impact. In a prospective cohort study of pregnant women seeking routine prenatal care, we tested whether a range of maternal measures of stressor exposures, subjective feelings of stress, and mental health (depression, anxiety) were associated with newborn telomere length assessed from cord blood among 146 pregnant women and their newborn infants. We further examined whether the pattern of associations differed by infant sex. Sociodemographic and maternal and newborn health indicators were considered as potential covariates. When examined within the whole sample, none of the maternal psychosocial measures were associated with newborn telomere length. Among potential covariates, maternal history of smoking and preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy were negatively associated with newborn telomere length. In adjusted linear regression analyses that considered potential sex-specific effects, maternal depression, general anxiety, and pregnancy-specific anxiety symptoms were positively associated with newborn telomere length among males. Overall, the findings provide some evidence for an association between maternal psychosocial wellbeing in pregnancy and newborn telomere length in males, although in the opposite direction than previously reported. Maternal smoking and obstetric history prior to conception may be associated with shorter offspring telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Carter R. Petty
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michele R. Hacker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heather H. Burris
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA,Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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28
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Colicino E, Cowell W, Bozack A, Foppa Pedretti N, Joshi A, Niedzwiecki MM, Bollati V, Berin C, Wright RO, Wright RJ. Association between prenatal immune phenotyping and cord blood leukocyte telomere length in the PRISM pregnancy cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110113. [PMID: 32841635 PMCID: PMC7883408 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposures including air pollutants, toxic metals, and psychosocial stress have been associated with shorter telomere length (TL) in newborns. These exposures have in turn been linked to an enhanced inflammatory immune response. Increased inflammation during pregnancy may be a central biological pathway linking environmental factors with reduced TL at birth. Approaches that more comprehensively characterize the prenatal inflammatory milieu rather than targeting specific individual cytokines in relation to newborn TL may better elucidate inflammatory mechanisms. METHODS Analyses included 129 mother-child dyads enrolled in the PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) pregnancy cohort. We measured 92 inflammation related proteins during pregnancy in maternal serum using the Olink protein array and quantified cord blood relative leukocyte TL (rLTL) via qPCR. We leveraged a tree-based machine learning algorithm to select the most important inflammatory related proteins jointly associated with rLTL. We then evaluated the combined association between the selected proteins with rLTL using Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) Regression. Analyses were adjusted for gestational week of serum collection, maternal race/ethnicity, age, and education, and fetal sex. We evaluated major biological function of the identified proteins by using the UniProtKB, a centralized repository of curated functional information. RESULTS Three proteins were negatively and linearly associated with rLTL (CASP8 β: -0.22 p = 0.008, BNGF β: -0.43 p = 0.033, TRANCE β: 0.38 p = 0.004). Results from BWQS regression showed a significant overall decrease in rLTL (β: -0.26 95%CrI: -0.43, -0.07) per quartile increase of the mixture, with CASP8 contributing the greatest weight (CASP8 50%; BNGF 27%, and TRANCE 23%). The identified proteins were involved in the regulation of apoptotic processes and cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS This proteomics approach identifies novel maternal prenatal inflammatory protein biomarkers associated with shortened rLTL in newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - W Cowell
- Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - A Bozack
- Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - N Foppa Pedretti
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - A Joshi
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - M M Niedzwiecki
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - C Berin
- Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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29
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Marceau K, Wang W, Robertson O, Shirtcliff EA. A systematic review of hair cortisol during pregnancy: Reference ranges and methodological considerations. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 122:104904. [PMID: 33080521 PMCID: PMC8634732 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The present study systematically reviewed 56 articles that assessed hair cortisol concentrations during pregnancy collected from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science on 8/9/19 and updated on 6/29/20. Our goals were to establish reference ranges by trimester based on published studies. The majority of any given sample (e.g., 70 %, the range of -1SD to +1SD) is expected to fall between 0 and 34.15 pg/mg in trimester 1 and 2, and between 8.59 and 44 pg/mg in trimester 3, with very wide ranges (e.g., values of >250 pg/mg) and substantially higher values (e.g., averages of 200's-300's reaching as high as 768 pg/mg) coming out of one specific lab. Delineating a reference range for hair cortisol concentrations across pregnancy is challenging because of known factors like differences in values returned by different laboratories and assay types. We observed inconsistency in descriptions of the data and data preparation steps post-assay. Key findings include that only half of the studies examining all three trimesters showed a constant increase in mean levels (most retrospectively assessed via segmenting), with considerable variability in patterns of change. None of the studies reported individual patterns of change. Examining within-person changes are an important next step for the field. We conclude that researchers should more clearly report decisions around outliers, units, and specifics of data transformations in the future in order to improve our ability to compare findings across studies, to understand differences in HCC values reported, and potentially to understand differences in reported associations of HCC with other phenotypes in the literature.
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30
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Braithwaite EC, Pickles A, Wright N, Sharp H, Hill J. Sex differences in foetal origins of child emotional symptoms: a test of evolutionary hypotheses in a large, general population cohort. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:1194-1202. [PMID: 32196666 PMCID: PMC8641379 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on previous findings from the Wirral Child Health and Development Study (WCHADS), and on evolutionary hypotheses, we preregistered analyses of data from a large epidemiological sample (https://osf.io/fn5g9/register/564d31db8c5e4a7c9694b2be), to test for sex-dependent moderation by prenatal maternal depressive symptoms of the association between postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and child emotional problems. METHODS A total of 8,354 mothers and children were followed from pregnancy to 3.5 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Self-report measures of prenatal and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms, and maternal report of child emotional symptoms were administered. RESULTS There was a three-way interaction between maternal prenatal and postnatal depression, and child sex (Coeff .042 95% CI 0.015 to 0.068, p = .002). This arose from moderation by prenatal depression, in opposite directions in boys and in girls. In boys, the association between postnatal depression and child emotional symptoms was weaker following lower prenatal depressive symptoms (interaction term coeff = .030, p = .001), and in girls, to a lesser extent, the association was stronger following lower prenatal depressive symptoms (interaction term coeff = -.012, p = .221). CONCLUSIONS We replicated the finding from the WCHADS that prenatal depression modifies the association between postnatal depression and children's emotional problems in a sex-dependent fashion. In ALSPAC, the sex difference was explained mainly by a protective effect of low prenatal depression in boys, while in WCHADS, it arose from greater vulnerability of girls to postnatal depression following low prenatal depression. In the light of these findings, in evaluating and implementing early interventions, there is need to consider that risks associated with postnatal depression may vary depending on maternal mood during pregnancy and may differ between boys and girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C. Braithwaite
- Department of PsychologyFaculty of Health, Psychology and Social CareManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Andrew Pickles
- Department of Biostatistics and Health InformaticsInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Nicola Wright
- Department of Biostatistics and Health InformaticsInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Helen Sharp
- Department of Psychological SciencesFaculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Jonathan Hill
- School for Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
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31
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Lulkiewicz M, Bajsert J, Kopczynski P, Barczak W, Rubis B. Telomere length: how the length makes a difference. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:7181-7188. [PMID: 32876842 PMCID: PMC7561533 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05551-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Telomerase is perceived as an immortality enzyme that might provide longevity to cells and whole organisms. Importantly, it is generally inactive in most somatic cells of healthy, adult men. Consequently, its substrates, i.e. telomeres, get shorter in most human cells with time. Noteworthy, cell life limitation due to telomere attrition during cell divisions, may not be as bad as it looks since longer cell life means longer exposition to harmful factors. Consequently, telomere length (attrition rate) becomes a factor that is responsible for inducing the signaling that leads to the elimination of cells that lived long enough to acquire severe damage. It seems that telomere length that depends on many different factors (including telomerase activity but also genetic factors, a hormonal profile that reflects sex, etc.) might become a useful marker of aging and exposition to stress. Thus in the current paper, we review the factors that affect telomere length in human cells focusing on sex that all together with different environmental and hormonal regulations as well as parental aspect affect telomere attrition rate. We also raise some limitations in the assessment of telomere length that hinders a trustworthy meta-analysis that might lead to acknowledgment of the real value of this parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lulkiewicz
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355, Poznan, Poland
| | - J Bajsert
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355, Poznan, Poland
| | - P Kopczynski
- Centre for Orthodontic Mini-Implants at the Department and Clinic of Maxillofacial Orthopedics and Orthodontics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-812, Poznan, Poland
| | - W Barczak
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 61-866, Poznan, Poland.,Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics, The Greater Poland Cancer Centre, 61-866, Poznan, Poland
| | - B Rubis
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 49 Przybyszewskiego St., 60-355, Poznan, Poland.
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Oaks BM, Adu-Afarwuah S, Kumordzie S, Laudenslager ML, Smith DL, Lin J, Young RR, Arnold CD, Bentil H, Okronipa H, Ocansey M, Dewey KG. Impact of a nutritional supplement during gestation and early childhood on child salivary cortisol, hair cortisol, and telomere length at 4-6 years of age: a follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Stress 2020; 23:597-606. [PMID: 32063089 PMCID: PMC7497284 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1728528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of the stress response can occur early in life and may be affected by nutrition. Our objective was to evaluate the long-term effect of nutritional supplementation during gestation and early childhood on child cortisol and buccal telomere length (a marker of cellular aging) at 4-6 years of age. We conducted a follow-up study of children born to women who participated in a nutritional supplementation trial in Ghana. In one group, a lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) was provided to women during gestation and the first 6 months postpartum and to their infants from age 6 to 18 months. The control groups received either iron and folic acid (IFA) during gestation or multiple micronutrients during gestation and the first 6 months postpartum, with no infant supplementation. At age 4-6 years, we measured hair cortisol, buccal telomere length, and salivary cortisol before and after a stressor. Salivary cortisol was available for 364 children across all three trial arms and hair cortisol and telomere length were available for a subset of children (n = 275 and 278, respectively) from the LNS and IFA groups. Telomere length, salivary cortisol, and hair cortisol did not differ by supplementation group. Overall, these findings suggest that nutritional supplementation given during gestation and early childhood does not have an effect on child stress response or chronic stress in children at 4-6 years. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00970866.Lay SummaryThis study addressed a research gap about whether improved nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood impacts telomere length and cortisol in preschool children. There was no difference in child telomere length or cortisol between two trial arms of a nutritional supplementation trial that began during pregnancy. The research outcomes indicate lipid-based nutrient supplements, a relatively new form of supplementation, do not have an effect on markers of stress or cellular aging measured in later childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brietta M Oaks
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Seth Adu-Afarwuah
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Sika Kumordzie
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Mark L Laudenslager
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dana L Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca R Young
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Charles D Arnold
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Helena Bentil
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Harriet Okronipa
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Maku Ocansey
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn G Dewey
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Barrero-Castillero A, Morton SU, Nelson CA, Smith VC. Psychosocial Stress and Adversity: Effects from the Perinatal Period to Adulthood. Neoreviews 2020; 20:e686-e696. [PMID: 31792156 DOI: 10.1542/neo.20-12-e686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Early exposure to stress and adversity can have both immediate and lasting effects on physical and psychological health. Critical periods have been identified in infancy, during which the presence or absence of experiences can alter developmental trajectories. There are multiple explanations for how exposure to psychosocial stress, before conception or early in life, has an impact on later increased risk for developmental delays, mental health, and chronic metabolic diseases. Through both epidemiologic and animal models, the mechanisms by which experiences are transmitted across generations are being identified. Because psychosocial stress has multiple components that can act as stress mediators, a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between multiple adverse or beneficial experiences and their ultimate effects on health is essential to best identify interventions that will improve health and outcomes. This review outlines what is known about the biology, transfer, and effects of psychosocial stress and early life adversity from the perinatal period to adulthood. This information can be used to identify potential areas in which clinicians in neonatal medicine could intervene to improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Barrero-Castillero
- Division of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sarah U Morton
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA
| | - Vincent C Smith
- Division of Neonatology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston University, Boston, MA
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34
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Maternal stress or sleep during pregnancy are not reflected on telomere length of newborns. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13986. [PMID: 32814800 PMCID: PMC7438332 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71000-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres play an important role in maintaining chromosomal integrity. With each cell division, telomeres are shortened and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has therefore been considered a marker for biological age. LTL is associated with various lifetime stressors and health-related outcomes. Transgenerational effects have been implicated in newborns, with maternal stress, depression, and anxiety predicting shorter telomere length at birth, possibly reflecting the intrauterine growth environment. Previous studies, with relatively small sample sizes, have reported an effect of maternal stress, BMI, and depression during pregnancy on the LTL of newborns. Here, we attempted to replicate previous findings on prenatal stress and newborn LTL in a sample of 1405 infants using a qPCR-based method. In addition, previous research has been expanded by studying the relationship between maternal sleep quality and LTL. Maternal prenatal stress, anxiety, depression, BMI, and self-reported sleep quality were evaluated with self-reported questionnaires. Despite sufficient power to detect similar or even considerably smaller effects than those previously reported in the literature, we were unable to replicate the previous correlation between maternal stress, anxiety, depression, or sleep with LTL. We discuss several possible reasons for the discrepancies between our findings and those previously described.
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35
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Lee AG, Cowell W, Kannan S, Ganguri HB, Nentin F, Wilson A, Coull BA, Wright RO, Baccarelli A, Bollati V, Wright RJ. Prenatal particulate air pollution and newborn telomere length: Effect modification by maternal antioxidant intakes and infant sex. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 187:109707. [PMID: 32474316 PMCID: PMC7844769 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence links gestational exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) with changes in leukocyte telomere length in cord blood with some studies showing sex-specific effects. PM2.5 exposure in utero increases oxidative stress, which can impact telomere biology. Thus, maternal antioxidant intakes may also modify the particulate air pollution effects. METHODS We examined associations among prenatal PM2.5 exposure and newborn relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL), and the modifying effects of maternal antioxidant intake and infant sex. We estimated daily PM2.5 exposures over gestation using a validated spatiotemporally resolved satellite-based model. Maternal dietary and supplemental antioxidant intakes over the prior three months were ascertained during the second trimester using the modified Block98 food frequency questionnaire; high and low antioxidant intakes were categorized based on a median split. We employed Bayesian distributed lag interaction models (BDLIMs) to identify both sensitive windows of exposure and cumulative effect estimates for prenatal PM2.5 exposure on newborn rLTL, and to examine effect modification by maternal antioxidant intakes. A 3-way interaction between PM2.5, maternal antioxidant intake and infant sex was also explored. RESULTS For the main effect of PM2.5, BDLIMs identified a sensitive window at 12-20 weeks gestation for the association between increased prenatal PM2.5 exposure and shorter newborn rLTL and a cumulative effect of PM2.5 over gestation on newborn telomere length [cumulative effect estimate (CEE) = -0.29 (95% CI -0.49 to -0.10) per 1μg/m3 increase in PM2.5]. In models examining maternal antioxidant intake effects, BDLIMs found that children born to mothers reporting low antioxidant intakes were most vulnerable [CEE of low maternal antioxidant intake = -0.31 (95% CI -0.55 to -0.06) vs high maternal antioxidant intake = -0.07 (95% CI -0.34 to 0.17) per 1μg/m3 increase in PM2.5]. In exploratory models examining effect modification by both maternal antioxidant intakes and infant sex, the cumulative effect remained significant only in boys whose mothers reported low antioxidant intakes [CEE = -0.38 (95% CI -0.80 to -0.004)]; no sensitive windows were identified in any group. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal PM2.5 exposure in mid-gestation was associated with reduced infant telomere length. Higher maternal antioxidant intakes mitigated these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison G Lee
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Whitney Cowell
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Srimathi Kannan
- Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Farida Nentin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ander Wilson
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea Baccarelli
- Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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36
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Telomere erosion as a placental clock: From placental pathologies to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placenta 2020; 97:101-107. [PMID: 32792055 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The placenta provides nutritional and gas exchange between fetus and mother. Early in pregnancy, placental trophoblasts proliferate rapidly and invade aggressively. As pregnancy progresses, placental cells begin to age. Indeed, pregnancy itself has a tightly regulated duration, determined in large part by placental lifespan. Late in pregnancy, placental cells reach a senescent apoptotic state, activated by a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including oxidative stress (OS), and DNA damage. Pregnancy complications, stillbirths and neonatal deaths have been related to OS and abnormal placental aging. Telomeres, the protective nucleoprotein structures at the ends of linear chromosomes, shorten both from cell replication and from exposure to OS. When telomeres become critically short they trigger cell cycle arrest and eventually cell death. Telomere attrition thus provide an intrinsic mechanism to explain tissue senescence and aging. Mounting evidence suggests that senescence of placental and fetal membrane cells results from telomere attrition. We review the studies that have addressed the role of telomere length (TL) in placentas from normal and complicated pregnancies, including pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, gestational diabetes, and stillbirth. To date studies have uncovered associations between TL and a number of obstetrical complications. Future research is needed to determine whether these associations are causative, i.e. whether these clinical conditions result from telomere dysfunction, and whether particular features of telomeres, e.g. mean or shortest length, etc. could serve as clinically useful biomarkers of placental health.
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37
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Patterns of change in telomere length over the first three years of life in healthy children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 115:104602. [PMID: 32120019 PMCID: PMC7183438 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the use of telomere length as a biomarker of health and a predictor of later morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about developmentally expected telomere erosion over the first years of life. This gap hinders our ability to interpret the meaning of relative telomere length and rate of attrition in relation to risk factors and health outcomes. The overall goal of this study was to examine the rate of relative telomere length attrition in a large, normative sample of healthy children (N = 630) followed from infancy to three years of age. A secondary goal was to explore associations between sociodemographic characteristics and telomere erosion over this time period. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected in infancy (M = 8.6 months), age 2 years (M = 25.2 months), and age 3 years (M = 38.3 months). In the sample as a whole, relative telomere length decreased from infancy to 2 years but remained stable from 2 years to 3 years. Notably, increases in relative telomere length were observed in 29 % of children between infancy and 2 years of age and in 46 % of children between 2 and 3 years of age; 62 % of children showed both increases and decreases in relative telomere length across the study period. Females showed longer relative telomere length than males, regardless of timepoint. There was some evidence that parental age and family finances were associated with changes in child relative telomere length across time. Overall, the findings suggest that telomere length attrition is not uniform across the early years of life, with the most rapid attrition occurring during the first two years, and that increases as well as decreases in telomere length during this period are commonly observed.
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38
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Conradt E, Shakiba N, Ostlund B, Terrell S, Kaliush P, Shakib JH, Crowell SE. Prenatal maternal hair cortisol concentrations are related to maternal prenatal emotion dysregulation but not neurodevelopmental or birth outcomes. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:758-767. [PMID: 32002996 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hair cortisol concentrations measured during pregnancy have emerged as a novel biomarker for prenatal stress exposure. However, associations between prenatal stress and distress, broadly defined, and hair cortisol concentrations during pregnancy are inconsistent. We examined relations among hair cortisol concentrations during the third trimester with (a) emotion dysregulation and (b) detailed measures of maternal prenatal stress. We also examined the predictive validity of maternal hair cortisol during pregnancy for adverse newborn health outcomes. Cortisol concentrations were derived from 6 cm of hair during the third trimester of pregnancy. Mothers reported on their emotion dysregulation and stress at this time. A standardized newborn neurobehavioral exam was conducted shortly after birth and newborn birth weight and gestational age were assessed from medical records. All hypotheses were preregistered on the Open Science Framework (osf.io/279ng). High levels of emotion dysregulation, but not stress, were predictive of high hair cortisol concentrations. Maternal prenatal BMI mediated the relation between maternal prenatal emotion dysregulation and hair cortisol concentrations. There was no association between hair cortisol and infant birth outcomes. This research supports the notion that transdiagnostic markers of psychopathology are important correlates of hair cortisol concentrations during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of OB/GYN, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Nila Shakiba
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Brendan Ostlund
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sarah Terrell
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Parisa Kaliush
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Julie H Shakib
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sheila E Crowell
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of OB/GYN, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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39
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Verhulst S. Improving comparability between qPCR-based telomere studies. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 20:11-13. [PMID: 31680455 PMCID: PMC6973063 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Comparability of findings from qPCR‐based telomere studies is hampered by such measurement results being assay‐specific, precluding a direct quantitative comparisons of observed differences and/or slopes of associations between studies. It is proposed that this can be partially alleviated by expressing qPCR‐based telomere data as Z‐scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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40
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Wright N, Pickles A, Braithwaite EC, Sharp H, Hill J. Sex-dependent associations between maternal prenatal cortisol and child callous-unemotional traits: Findings from the Wirral Child Health and Development Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 109:104409. [PMID: 31446327 PMCID: PMC6857434 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated maternal glucocorticoids during pregnancy may impact on fetal development in a sex-dependent way, leading to increased amygdala activation and increased risk for internalising disorders in females. Based on evidence implicating reduced amygdala activation in callous-unemotional (CU) traits, we predicted that elevated maternal cortisol in pregnancy would be associated with lower CU traits and elevated anxious-depressed symptoms, only in girls. METHODS Participants were 225 members of a stratified subsample within an epidemiological longitudinal cohort (WCHADS). Salivary cortisol was measured over two days at 32 weeks gestation (on waking, 30-min post-waking and during the evening) and the log of the area under the curve (LogAUC) was calculated as an index of diurnal cortisol. Mothers reported on child CU traits and anxious-depressed symptoms at 2.5, 3.5 and 5.0 years of age. RESULTS As predicted there was a sex of child by cortisol interaction (p < .001) whereby elevated maternal cortisol was associated with lower child CU traits, explaining 25% of the variance, in girls, but not in boys. This effect remained when controlling for relevant confounders and anxious-depressed symptoms. By contrast, elevated maternal cortisol did not predict higher anxious-depressed symptoms in girls. CONCLUSIONS The study adds to growing evidence for sex-dependent effects of elevated maternal cortisol during pregnancy on early child psychopathology, consistent with mediation by elevated amygdala activation. The conditions under which, in girls, this is associated with heightened responsiveness to others' distress characteristic of low CU traits, or with increased affective symptoms, require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Wright
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.
| | - Andrew Pickles
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Helen Sharp
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Life and Human Sciences, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Jonathan Hill
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
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