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Vidal AC, Sosnowski DW, Marchesoni J, Grenier C, Thorp J, Murphy SK, Johnson SB, Schlief W, Hoyo C. Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and offspring imprinted gene DMR methylation at birth. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2293412. [PMID: 38100614 PMCID: PMC10730185 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2293412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to numerous negative health outcomes across the life course and across generations. Here, we extend prior work by examining the association of maternal ACEs, and their interaction with financial stress and discrimination, with methylation status within eight differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in imprinted domains in newborns. ACEs, financial stress during pregnancy, and experience of discrimination were self-reported among 232 pregnant women. DNA methylation was assessed at PEG10/SGCE, NNAT, IGF2, H19, PLAGL1, PEG3, MEG3-IG, and DLK1/MEG3 regulatory sequences using pyrosequencing. Using multivariable linear regression models, we found evidence to suggest that financial stress was associated with hypermethylation of MEG3-IG in non-Hispanic White newborns; discrimination was associated with hypermethylation of IGF2 and NNAT in Hispanic newborns, and with hypomethylation of PEG3 in non-Hispanic Black newborns. We also found evidence that maternal ACEs interacted with discrimination to predict offspring PLAGL1 altered DMR methylation, in addition to interactions between maternal ACEs score and discrimination predicting H19 and SGCE/PEG10 altered methylation in non-Hispanic White newborns. However, these interactions were not statistically significant after multiple testing corrections. Findings from this study suggest that maternal ACEs, discrimination, and financial stress are associated with newborn aberrant methylation in imprinted gene regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana C. Vidal
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David W. Sosnowski
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joddy Marchesoni
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Carole Grenier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - John Thorp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health, UNC Gillings School of Public Health, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Susan K. Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sara B. Johnson
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William Schlief
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Pediatric Biorepository, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Tartour AI, Chivese T, Eltayeb S, Elamin FM, Fthenou E, Seed Ahmed M, Babu GR. Prenatal psychological distress and 11β-HSD2 gene expression in human placentas: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107060. [PMID: 38677195 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107060] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta acts as a buffer to regulate the degree of fetal exposure to maternal cortisol through the 11-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase isoenzyme type 2 (11-β HSD2) enzyme. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of prenatal psychological distress (PPD) on placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression and explore the related mechanistic pathways involved in fetal neurodevelopment. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo®, and ProQuest Dissertations for observational studies assessing the association between PPD and 11-β HSD2 expression in human placentas. Adjusted regression coefficients (β) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled based on three contextual PPD exposure groups: prenatal depression, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. RESULTS Of 3159 retrieved records, sixteen longitudinal studies involving 1869 participants across seven countries were included. Overall, exposure to PPD disorders showed weak negative associations with the placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression as follows: prenatal depression (β -0.01, 95% CI 0.05-0.02, I2=0%), anxiety symptoms (β -0.02, 95% CI 0.06-0.01, I2=0%), and perceived stress (β -0.01 95% CI 0.06-0.04, I2=62.8%). Third-trimester PPD exposure was more frequently associated with lower placental 11-β HSD2 levels. PPD and placental 11-β HSD2 were associated with changes in cortisol reactivity and the development of adverse health outcomes in mothers and children. Female-offspring were more vulnerable to PPD exposures. CONCLUSION The study presents evidence of a modest role of prenatal psychological distress in regulating placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression. Future prospective cohorts utilizing larger sample sizes or advanced statistical methods to enhance the detection of small effect sizes should be planned. Additionally, controlling for key predictors such as the mother's ethnicity, trimester of PPD exposure, mode of delivery, and infant sex is crucial for valid exploration of PPD effects on fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angham Ibrahim Tartour
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Tawanda Chivese
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Safa Eltayeb
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Fatima M Elamin
- Office of Research Ethics and Integrity, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Eleni Fthenou
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammed Seed Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Giridhara Rathnaiah Babu
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
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Lamadé EK, Pedraz-Petrozzi B, Lindner O, Meininger P, Pisters A, Gilles M, Witt SH, Rietschel M, Dukal H, Schunk F, Coenen M, Wudy SA, Hellweg R, Deuschle M. Stress in pregnancy - Implications for fetal BDNF in amniotic fluid at birth. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100658. [PMID: 39100725 PMCID: PMC11294724 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction At the maternal-fetal interface in pregnancy, stress during pregnancy can lead to an increased vulnerability to later psychopathology of the fetus. Potential mediators of this association have scarcely been studied and may include early alterations of fetal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Amniotic fluid is of particular interest for effects on fetal endocrine alterations, as the assessment in amniotic fluid allows for measurements over a time integral. This study hypothesized that maternal psychometrics, socioeconomic status and glucocorticoids are related to BDNF levels in amniotic fluid at birth. The association of fetal BDNF with newborn anthropometrics was tested. Methods Women near term who underwent elective cesarean section and their newborns were investigated (n = 37). Maternal psychometrics, socioeconomic status and glucocorticoids (the sum of cortisol and cortisone) in amniotic fluid at birth were analyzed for an association with fetal BDNF in amniotic fluid at birth. Newborn anthropometrics were assessed by length, weight, head circumference and gestational age at birth. Results In bivariate analysis, maternal psychometrics and socioeconomic status were not related to fetal BDNF in amniotic fluid at birth. The sum of cortisol and cortisone related to increased fetal BDNF in amniotic fluid at birth (r = 0.745, p < 0.001). BDNF in amniotic fluid was associated negatively with fetal birth weight per gestational age (r = -0.519, p < 0.001), length per gestational age (r = -0.374, p = 0.023), head circumference per gestational age (r = -0.508, p = 0.001), but not with gestational age at birth. In multiple regression analysis, the sum of cortisol and cortisone (p < 0.001) and birth weight per gestational age (p = 0.012) related to higher fetal BDNF levels in amniotic fluid at birth (R2 = 0.740, p < 0.001) when controlling for fetal sex and maternal age. Head circumference per gestational age predicted fetal BDNF with borderline significance (p = 0.058) when controlling for confounders. Conclusion Glucocorticoids in amniotic fluid were positively associated with high fetal BDNF at birth, which may be an adaptive fetal response. Maternal psychological variables and socioeconomic status did not link to fetal BDNF. Birth weight and head circumference per gestational age were inversely associated with fetal BDNF at birth, which may represent a compensatory upregulation of BDNF in fetuses with low anthropometrics. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the role of stress during pregnancy on later offspring development. The analysis of additional fetal growth factors and inflammation upon maternal stress in further biomaterials such as the placenta is warranted, to understand mechanistic alterations of how maternal stress links to fetal development and an increased vulnerability for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kathrin Lamadé
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
| | - Bruno Pedraz-Petrozzi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
| | - Ole Lindner
- Center for Child and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics, University Hospital of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pascal Meininger
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Westpfalz-Klinikum, 67665, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Antonia Pisters
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
| | - Maria Gilles
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
| | - Stephanie H. Witt
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Center for Innovative Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Research (ZIPP), Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Center for Innovative Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Research (ZIPP), Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Helene Dukal
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Center for Innovative Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Research (ZIPP), Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Fabian Schunk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
| | - Michaela Coenen
- Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology - IBE, Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan A. Wudy
- Laboratory for Translational Hormone Analytics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Center of Child and Adolescent Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rainer Hellweg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and the Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Deuschle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Germany
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Khan Y, Davis CN, Jinwala Z, Feuer KL, Toikumo S, Hartwell EE, Sanchez-Roige S, Peterson RE, Hatoum AS, Kranzler HR, Kember RL. Combining Transdiagnostic and Disorder-Level GWAS Enhances Precision of Psychiatric Genetic Risk Profiles in a Multi-Ancestry Sample. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.09.24307111. [PMID: 38766259 PMCID: PMC11100926 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.24307111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The etiology of substance use disorders (SUDs) and psychiatric disorders reflects a combination of both transdiagnostic (i.e., common) and disorder-level (i.e., independent) genetic risk factors. We applied genomic structural equation modeling to examine these genetic factors across SUDs, psychotic, mood, and anxiety disorders using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of European- (EUR) and African-ancestry (AFR) individuals. In EUR individuals, transdiagnostic genetic factors represented SUDs (143 lead single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]), psychotic (162 lead SNPs), and mood/anxiety disorders (112 lead SNPs). We identified two novel SNPs for mood/anxiety disorders that have probable regulatory roles on FOXP1, NECTIN3, and BTLA genes. In AFR individuals, genetic factors represented SUDs (1 lead SNP) and psychiatric disorders (no significant SNPs). The SUD factor lead SNP, although previously significant in EUR- and cross-ancestry GWAS, is a novel finding in AFR individuals. Shared genetic variance accounted for overlap between SUDs and their psychiatric comorbidities, with second-order GWAS identifying up to 12 SNPs not significantly associated with either first-order factor in EUR individuals. Finally, common and independent genetic effects showed different associations with psychiatric, sociodemographic, and medical phenotypes. For example, the independent components of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder had distinct associations with affective and risk-taking behaviors, and phenome-wide association studies identified medical conditions associated with tobacco use disorder independent of the broader SUDs factor. Thus, combining transdiagnostic and disorder-level genetic approaches can improve our understanding of co-occurring conditions and increase the specificity of genetic discovery, which is critical for psychiatric disorders that demonstrate considerable symptom and etiological overlap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousef Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Christal N. Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Zeal Jinwala
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kyra L. Feuer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Sylvanus Toikumo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Emily E. Hartwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Sandra Sanchez-Roige
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, United States
- Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Roseann E. Peterson
- Institute for Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Genomics in Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States
| | - Alexander S. Hatoum
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Rachel L. Kember
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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5
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Saeed H, Wu J, Tesfaye M, Grantz KL, Tekola-Ayele F. Placental accelerated aging in antenatal depression. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2024; 6:101237. [PMID: 38012987 PMCID: PMC10843762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antenatal maternal depression is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and long-term effects on the offspring. Previous studies have identified links between antenatal depression and placental DNA methylation and between placental epigenetic aging and poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm labor and preeclampsia. The relationship between antenatal depression and poor pregnancy outcomes may be partly mediated via placental aging. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate whether antenatal depressive symptoms are associated with placental epigenetic age acceleration, an epigenetic aging clock measure derived from the difference between methylation age and gestational age at delivery. STUDY DESIGN The study included 301 women who provided placenta samples at delivery as part of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies - Singletons that recruited participants from diverse race and ethnic groups at 12 US clinical sites (2009-2013). Women underwent depression screening using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale up to 6 times across the 3 trimesters of pregnancy. Depressive symptoms status was determined for each pregnancy trimester using an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score, in which a score of ≥10 was defined as having depressive symptoms and a score of <10 was defined as not having depressive symptoms. Placental DNA methylation was profiled from placenta samples. Placental epigenetic age was estimated using a methylation-based age estimator (placental "epigenetic clock") that has previously been found to have high placental gestational age prediction accuracy for uncomplicated term pregnancies. Placental age acceleration was defined to be the residual upon regressing the estimated epigenetic age on gestational age at delivery. Associations between an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of ≥10 and an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of <10 in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy (ie, depressive symptoms vs none in each trimester) and placental age acceleration were tested using multivariable linear regression adjusting for maternal age, parity, race and ethnicity, and employment. RESULTS There were 31 (10.3%), 48 (16%), and 49 (16.4%) women with depressive symptoms (ie, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of ≥10) in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Of these women, 21 (7.2%) had sustained first- and second-trimester depressive symptoms, 19 (7%) had sustained second- and third-trimester depressive symptoms, and 12 (4.8%) had sustained depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy. Women with depressive symptoms in the second trimester of pregnancy had 0.41 weeks higher placental age acceleration than women without depressive symptoms during the second trimester of pregnancy (β=0.21 weeks [95% confidence interval, -0.17 to 0.58; P=.28] during the first trimester of pregnancy; β=0.41 weeks [95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.71; P=.009] during the second trimester of pregnancy; β=0.17 weeks [95% confidence interval, -0.14 to 0.47; P=.29] during the third trimester of pregnancy). Sustained first- and second-trimester depressive symptoms were associated with 0.72 weeks higher placental age acceleration (95% confidence interval, 0.29-1.15; P=.001) than no depressive symptom in the 2 trimesters. The association between second-trimester depressive symptoms and higher placental epigenetic age acceleration strengthened in the analysis of pregnancies with male fetuses (β=0.53 weeks; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-1.08; P=.03) but was not significant in pregnancies with female fetuses. CONCLUSION Antenatal depressive symptoms during the second trimester of pregnancy were associated with an average of 0.41 weeks of increased placental age acceleration. Accelerated placental aging may play an important role in the underlying mechanism linking antenatal depression to pregnancy complications related to placental dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleema Saeed
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (Dr Saeed); Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC (Drs Saeed)
| | - Jing Wu
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (Drs Wu, Grantz, and Tekola-Ayele)
| | - Markos Tesfaye
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Dr Tesfaye); Department of Psychiatry, St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Dr Tesfaye)
| | - Katherine L Grantz
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (Drs Wu, Grantz, and Tekola-Ayele)
| | - Fasil Tekola-Ayele
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (Drs Wu, Grantz, and Tekola-Ayele).
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6
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Kotsakis Ruehlmann A, Sammallahti S, Cortés Hidalgo AP, Bakulski KM, Binder EB, Campbell ML, Caramaschi D, Cecil CAM, Colicino E, Cruceanu C, Czamara D, Dieckmann L, Dou J, Felix JF, Frank J, Håberg SE, Herberth G, Hoang TT, Houtepen LC, Hüls A, Koen N, London SJ, Magnus MC, Mancano G, Mulder RH, Page CM, Räikkönen K, Röder S, Schmidt RJ, Send TS, Sharp G, Stein DJ, Streit F, Tuhkanen J, Witt SH, Zar HJ, Zenclussen AC, Zhang Y, Zillich L, Wright R, Lahti J, Brunst KJ. Epigenome-wide meta-analysis of prenatal maternal stressful life events and newborn DNA methylation. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5090-5100. [PMID: 36899042 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02010-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal maternal stressful life events are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. Biological mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unknown, but DNA methylation likely plays a role. This meta-analysis included twelve non-overlapping cohorts from ten independent longitudinal studies (N = 5,496) within the international Pregnancy and Childhood Epigenetics consortium to examine maternal stressful life events during pregnancy and DNA methylation in cord blood. Children whose mothers reported higher levels of cumulative maternal stressful life events during pregnancy exhibited differential methylation of cg26579032 in ALKBH3. Stressor-specific domains of conflict with family/friends, abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional), and death of a close friend/relative were also associated with differential methylation of CpGs in APTX, MyD88, and both UHRF1 and SDCCAG8, respectively; these genes are implicated in neurodegeneration, immune and cellular functions, regulation of global methylation levels, metabolism, and schizophrenia risk. Thus, differences in DNA methylation at these loci may provide novel insights into potential mechanisms of neurodevelopment in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kotsakis Ruehlmann
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sara Sammallahti
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrea P Cortés Hidalgo
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Megan Loraine Campbell
- University of Cape Town, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Doretta Caramaschi
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Linda Dieckmann
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - John Dou
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Janine F Felix
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Josef Frank
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gunda Herberth
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thanh T Hoang
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, 27709, NC, USA
| | - Lotte C Houtepen
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anke Hüls
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nastassja Koen
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa; and UCT Neuroscience Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Stephanie J London
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, 27709, NC, USA
| | - Maria C Magnus
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Centre for Fertility and Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Giulia Mancano
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa H Mulder
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefan Röder
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- University of California-Davis, School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tabea S Send
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gemma Sharp
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Dan J Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa; and UCT Neuroscience Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Johanna Tuhkanen
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heather J Zar
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health & SA-MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ana C Zenclussen
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yining Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lea Zillich
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rosalind Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Kravis Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, 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
| | - Jari Lahti
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kelly J Brunst
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Azar N, Booij L. DNA methylation as a mediator in the association between prenatal maternal stress and child mental health outcomes: Current state of knowledge. J Affect Disord 2022; 319:142-163. [PMID: 36113690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal stress is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for offspring mental health challenges. DNA methylation may be a mechanism, but few studies directly tested mediation. These few integrative studies are reviewed along with studies from three research areas: prenatal maternal stress and child mental health, prenatal maternal stress and child DNA methylation, and child mental health and DNA methylation. METHODS We conducted a narrative review of articles in each research area and the few published integrative studies to evaluate the state of knowledge. RESULTS Prenatal maternal stress was related to greater offspring internalizing and externalizing symptoms and to greater offspring peripheral DNA methylation of the NR3C1 gene. Youth mental health problems were also related to NR3C1 hypermethylation while epigenome-wide studies identified genes involved in nervous system development. Integrative studies focused on infant outcomes and did not detect significant mediation by DNA methylation though methodological considerations may partially explain these null results. LIMITATIONS Operationalization of prenatal maternal stress and child mental health varied greatly. The few published integrative studies did not report conclusive evidence of mediation by DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS DNA methylation likely mediates the association between prenatal maternal stress and child mental health. This conclusion still needs to be tested in a larger number of integrative studies. Key empirical and statistical considerations for future research are discussed. Understanding the consequences of prenatal maternal stress and its pathways of influence will help prevention and intervention efforts and ultimately promote well-being for both mothers and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Azar
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada.
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Schrott R, Song A, Ladd-Acosta C. Epigenetics as a Biomarker for Early-Life Environmental Exposure. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:604-624. [PMID: 35907133 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00373-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There is interest in evaluating the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) which emphasizes the role of prenatal and early-life environments on non-communicable health outcomes throughout the life course. The ability to rigorously assess and identify early-life risk factors for later health outcomes, including those with childhood onset, in large population samples is often limited due to measurement challenges such as impractical costs associated with prospective studies with a long follow-up duration, short half-lives for some environmental toxicants, and lack of biomarkers that capture inter-individual differences in biologic response to external environments. RECENT FINDINGS Epigenomic patterns, and DNA methylation in particular, have emerged as a potential objective biomarker to address some of these study design and exposure measurement challenges. In this article, we summarize the literature to date on epigenetic changes associated with specific prenatal and early-life exposure domains as well as exposure mixtures in human observational studies and their biomarker potential. Additionally, we highlight evidence for other types of epigenetic patterns to serve as exposure biomarkers. Evidence strongly supports epigenomic biomarkers of exposure that are detectable across the lifespan and across a range of exposure domains. Current and future areas of research in this field seek to expand these lines of evidence to other environmental exposures, to determine their specificity, and to develop predictive algorithms and methylation scores that can be used to evaluate early-life risk factors for health outcomes across the life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Schrott
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashley Song
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Lapehn S, Paquette AG. The Placental Epigenome as a Molecular Link Between Prenatal Exposures and Fetal Health Outcomes Through the DOHaD Hypothesis. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:490-501. [PMID: 35488174 PMCID: PMC9363315 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00354-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis posits that the perinatal environment can impact fetal and later life health. The placenta is uniquely situated to assess prenatal exposures in the context of DOHaD because it is an essential ephemeral fetal organ that manages the transport of oxygen, nutrients, waste, and endocrine signals between the mother and fetus. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent studies that evaluated the DOHaD hypothesis in human placentas using epigenomics, including DNA methylation and transcriptomic studies of mRNA, lncRNA, and microRNAs. Recent Findings Between 2016 and 2021, 28 articles evaluated associations between prenatal exposures and placental epigenomics across broad exposure categories including maternal smoking, psychosocial stressors, chemicals, air pollution, and metals. Sixteen of these studies connected exposures to health outcome such as birth weight, fetal growth, or infant neurobehavior through mediation analysis, identification of shared associations between exposure and outcome, or network analysis. These aspects of infant and childhood health serve as a foundation for future studies that aim to use placental epigenetics to understand relationships between the prenatal environment and perinatal complications (such as preterm birth or fetal growth restriction) or later life childhood health. Summary Placental DNA methylation and RNA expression have been linked to numerous prenatal exposures, such as PM2.5 air pollution, metals, and maternal smoking, as well as infant and childhood health outcomes, including fetal growth and birth weight. Placental epigenomics provides a unique opportunity to expand the DOHaD premise, particularly if research applies novel methodologies such as multi-omics analysis, sequencing of non-coding RNAs, mixtures analysis, and assessment of health outcomes beyond early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Lapehn
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1900 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Alison G Paquette
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1900 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Tesfaye M, Chatterjee S, Zeng X, Joseph P, Tekola-Ayele F. Impact of depression and stress on placental DNA methylation in ethnically diverse pregnant women. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1485-1496. [PMID: 34585950 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antenatal depression and stress during pregnancy. Methods: We examined the association between placental genome-wide DNA methylation (n = 301) and maternal depression and stress assessed at six gestation periods during pregnancy. Correlation between DNA methylation at the significantly associated CpGs and expression of nearby genes in the placenta was tested. Results: Depression and stress were associated with methylation of 16 CpGs and two CpGs, respectively, at a 5% false discovery rate. Methylation levels at two of the CpGs associated with depression were significantly associated with expression of ADAM23 and CTDP1, genes implicated in neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric diseases. Conclusion: Placental epigenetic changes linked to antenatal depression suggest potential fetal brain programming. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00912132 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Markos Tesfaye
- Section of Sensory Science & Metabolism (SenSMet), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Suvo Chatterjee
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7004, USA
| | - Xuehuo Zeng
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Paule Joseph
- Section of Sensory Science & Metabolism (SenSMet), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fasil Tekola-Ayele
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7004, USA
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