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Brown ER, Gettler LT, Rosenbaum S. Effects of social environments on male primate HPG and HPA axis developmental programming. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22491. [PMID: 38698633 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22491] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is particularly important for humans and other primates because of our extended period of growth and maturation, during which our phenotypes adaptively respond to environmental cues. The hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes are likely to be principal targets of developmental "programming" given their roles in coordinating fitness-relevant aspects of the phenotype, including sexual development, adult reproductive and social strategies, and internal responses to the external environment. In social animals, including humans, the social environment is believed to be an important source of cues to which these axes may adaptively respond. The effects of early social environments on the HPA axis have been widely studied in humans, and to some extent, in other primates, but there are still major gaps in knowledge specifically relating to males. There has also been relatively little research examining the role that social environments play in developmental programming of the HPG axis or the HPA/HPG interface, and what does exist disproportionately focuses on females. These topics are likely understudied in males in part due to the difficulty of identifying developmental milestones in males relative to females and the general quiescence of the HPG axis prior to maturation. However, there are clear indicators that early life social environments matter for both sexes. In this review, we examine what is known about the impact of social environments on HPG and HPA axis programming during male development in humans and nonhuman primates, including the role that epigenetic mechanisms may play in this programming. We conclude by highlighting important next steps in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella R Brown
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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2
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Yao A, Nishitani S, Yamada Y, Oshima H, Sugihara Y, Makita K, Takiguchi S, Kawata NYS, Fujisawa TX, Okazawa H, Inatani M, Tomoda A. Subclinical structural atypicality of retinal thickness and its association with gray matter volume in the visual cortex of maltreated children. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11465. [PMID: 38769421 PMCID: PMC11106279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62392-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment is reportedly associated with atypical gray matter structures in the primary visual cortex (V1). This study explores the hypothesis that retinal structures, the sensory organs of vision, are associated with brain atypicality and child maltreatment and examines their interrelation. General ophthalmologic examinations, visual cognitive tasks, retinal imaging, and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were conducted in children and adolescents aged 9-18 years with maltreatment experiences (CM) and typically developing (TD) children. The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), the most superficial of the ten distinct retinal layers, was found to be significantly thinner in both eyes in CM. While whole-brain analysis using Voxel-based morphometry revealed a significantly larger gray matter volume (GMV) in the thalamus in CM, no significant correlation with RNFL thickness was observed. However, based on region-of-interest analysis, a thinner RNFL was associated with a larger GMV in the right V1. Although it cannot be ruled out that this outcome resulted from maltreatment alone, CM demonstrated subclinical structural atypicality in the retina, which may also correlate with the immaturity of V1 development. Examination of retinal thickness offers a novel clinical approach to capturing characteristics associated with childhood maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Yao
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Shota Nishitani
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
| | - Yutaka Yamada
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Oshima
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Yuka Sugihara
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Kai Makita
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Takiguchi
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan
| | - Natasha Y S Kawata
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Takashi X Fujisawa
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Okazawa
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Biomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Masaru Inatani
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Akemi Tomoda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, Osaka, Japan.
- Life Science Innovation Center, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan.
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Coe JL, Daniels T, Huffhines L, Seifer R, Marsit CJ, Kao HT, Porton B, Parade SH, Tyrka AR. Examining the Biological Impacts of Parent-Child Relationship Dynamics on Preschool-Aged Children who have Experienced Adversity. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22463. [PMID: 38601953 PMCID: PMC11003752 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22463] [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: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Parent-child relationship dynamics have been shown to predict socioemotional and behavioral outcomes for children, but little is known about how they may affect biological development. The aim of this study was to test if observational assessments of parent-child relationship dynamics (cohesion, enmeshment, and disengagement) were associated with three biological indices of early life adversity and downstream health risk: (1) methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), (2) telomere attrition, and (3) mitochondrial biogenesis, indexed by mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), all of which were measured in children's saliva. We tested hypotheses using a sample of 254 preschool-aged children (M age = 51.04 months) with and without child welfare-substantiated maltreatment (52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) who were racially and ethnically diverse (17% Black, 40% White, 23% biracial, and 20% other races; 45% Hispanic) and from primarily low-income backgrounds (91% qualified for public assistance). Results of path analyses revealed that: (1) higher parent-child cohesion was associated with lower levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and longer telomeres, and (2) higher parent-child disengagement was associated with higher levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and shorter telomeres. Results suggest that parent-child relationship dynamics may have distinct biological effects on children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa Daniels
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Chen M, Cao C. The mediation effect of glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) methylation between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents: A 2-year longitudinal study. Child Dev 2024; 95:144-159. [PMID: 37467343 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13972] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
This three-wave longitudinal study examined whether methylation alterations in promoter exon 1F of a stress-related gene-NR3C1 (NR3C1-1F)-explained the longitudinal associations between childhood maltreatment and adolescent depressive symptoms. A total of 370 Han Chinese adolescents (Mage = 16.31 ± 1.28 years; 51.4% girls) recruited from Shandong, China were tracked from 2018 to 2020. The results showed that the severity of childhood maltreatment, especially that of emotional abuse and physical neglect, conferred risk for adolescent depressive symptoms via reducing NR3C1-1F methylation levels. These mediation effects of NR3C1-1F methylation did not vary between adolescent sex or NR3C1 BclI and Tth111I polymorphisms. The findings highlight how childhood maltreatment contributes to psychopathology development at a biological level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijing Chen
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Cong Cao
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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5
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Hammann N, Kaess M, Rujescu D, Brunner R, Hartmann AM, Reichl C. Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1) in Adolescents with a History of Childhood Adversity Engaging in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury. Psychopathology 2023; 57:81-90. [PMID: 37531940 DOI: 10.1159/000531253] [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: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a large phenomenon among adolescents, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a major risk factor in its development. Malfunctioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been repeatedly reported for ACE as well as for NSSI. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is essential for the correct functioning of the HPA axis, thus alterations in the expression of the GR through altered methylation of the GR gene (NR3C1) (and more specifically exon 1F) might contribute to the development of NSSI in individuals with a history of ACEs, as has been reported for different other mental disorders. METHODS In this case-control study, we compared the methylation levels of exon 1F of the GR gene (NR3C1-1F) in adolescents with engagement in NSSI (n = 67) and a healthy control group (HC; n = 47). We preserved buccal swabs and used a mass spectrometry-based method called EpiTYPER for analyzing mean methylation of NR3C1-1F. RESULTS Adolescents in the NSSI group reported significantly more ACEs. The mean methylation level was about 3% in both groups with no significant group differences. Furthermore, no significant relation was found between ACE and methylation of NR3C1-1F, neither in the overall sample nor in the NSSI or HC group. CONCLUSION Our results are contradictory to previous research showing an increased methylation in individuals with ACE. Regarding relations between methylation of NR3C1-1F and mental disorders, previous studies reported inconsistent findings. Our study points to NSSI being either unrelated to methylation of NR3C1-1F or to yet not identified moderators on relations between methylation of NR3C1-1F and engagement in NSSI during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Hammann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Child and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Romuald Brunner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Annette M Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Corinna Reichl
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Rubens M, Bruenig D, Adams JAM, Suresh SM, Sathyanarayanan A, Haslam D, Shenk CE, Mathews B, Mehta D. Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105079. [PMID: 36764637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105079] [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: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment (CM) encompasses sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to domestic and family violence. Epigenetic research investigating CM has focused on differential DNA methylation (DNAm) in genes associated with the stress response, but there has been limited evaluation of the specific effects of subtypes of CM. This systematic review of literature investigating DNAm associated with CM in non-clinical populations aimed to summarise the approaches currently used in research, how the type of maltreatment and age of exposure were encoded via methylation, and which genes have consistently been associated with CM. A total of fifty-four papers were eligible for review, including forty-one candidate gene studies, eight epigenome-wide association studies, and five studies with a mixed design. The ways in which the various forms of CM were conceptualised and measured varied between papers. Future studies would benefit from assessments that employ conceptually robust definitions of CM, and that capture important contextual information such as age of exposure and subtype of CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie Rubens
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Dagmar Bruenig
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Jessica A M Adams
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Shruthi M Suresh
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Anita Sathyanarayanan
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Divna Haslam
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia; Parenting and Family Support Centre, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, USA
| | - Ben Mathews
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Divya Mehta
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia.
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Xu H, Shao Z, Zhang S, Liu X, Zeng P. How can childhood maltreatment affect post-traumatic stress disorder in adult: Results from a composite null hypothesis perspective of mediation analysis. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1102811. [PMID: 36970281 PMCID: PMC10033829 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1102811] [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: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundA greatly growing body of literature has revealed the mediating role of DNA methylation in the influence path from childhood maltreatment to psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adult. However, the statistical method is challenging and powerful mediation analyses regarding this issue are lacking.MethodsTo study how the maltreatment in childhood alters long-lasting DNA methylation changes which further affect PTSD in adult, we here carried out a gene-based mediation analysis from a perspective of composite null hypothesis in the Grady Trauma Project (352 participants and 16,565 genes) with childhood maltreatment as exposure, multiple DNA methylation sites as mediators, and PTSD or its relevant scores as outcome. We effectively addressed the challenging issue of gene-based mediation analysis by taking its composite null hypothesis testing nature into consideration and fitting a weighted test statistic.ResultsWe discovered that childhood maltreatment could substantially affected PTSD or PTSD-related scores, and that childhood maltreatment was associated with DNA methylation which further had significant roles in PTSD and these scores. Furthermore, using the proposed mediation method, we identified multiple genes within which DNA methylation sites exhibited mediating roles in the influence path from childhood maltreatment to PTSD-relevant scores in adult, with 13 for Beck Depression Inventory and 6 for modified PTSD Symptom Scale, respectively.ConclusionOur results have the potential to confer meaningful insights into the biological mechanism for the impact of early adverse experience on adult diseases; and our proposed mediation methods can be applied to other similar analysis settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Xu
- Center for Mental Health Education and Research, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- School of Management, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Haibo Xu,
| | - Zhonghe Shao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Center for Mental Health Education and Research, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- School of Management, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Human Genetics and Environmental Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Ping Zeng,
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8
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Comtois-Cabana M, Barr E, Provençal N, Ouellet-Morin I. Association between child maltreatment and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood: The mediating and moderating roles of DNA methylation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280203. [PMID: 36634080 PMCID: PMC9836296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Prospective studies suggest that child maltreatment substantially increases the risk for depression in adulthood. However, the mechanisms underlying this association require further elucidation. In recent years, DNA methylation has emerged as a potential mechanism by which maltreatment experiences (a) could partly explain the emergence or aggravation of depressive symptoms (i.e., mediation) and/or (b) could increase (or decrease) the risk for depressive symptoms (i.e., moderation). The present study tested whether the methylation levels of nine candidate genes mediated and/or moderated the association between maltreatment experiences in childhood and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. The sample comprised 156 men aged between 18 and 35 years. Maltreatment experiences and depressive symptoms were assessed retrospectively using self-reported questionnaires. Methylation levels of nine candidate genes (COMT, FKBP5, IL6, IL10, MAOA, NR3C1, OXTR, SLC6A3 and SLC6A4), previously reported to be sensitive to early-life stress, were quantified from saliva samples. Maltreatment experiences in childhood were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Both maltreatment experiences and depressive symptoms were associated with the methylation levels of two genomic sites, which cumulatively, but not individually, explained 16% of the association between maltreatment experiences in childhood and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Moreover, maltreatment experiences in childhood interacted with the methylation levels of fourteen genomic sites, which cumulatively, but not individually, modulated the level of depressive symptoms in young male adults who were maltreated as children. However, none of these effects survived multiple testing correction. These findings bring attention to the cumulative effects of DNA methylation measured in several candidate genes on the risk of reporting depressive symptoms following maltreatment experiences in childhood. Nonetheless, future studies need to clarify the robustness of these putative cumulative effects in larger samples and longitudinal cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maude Comtois-Cabana
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emily Barr
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Chalfun G, Araújo Brasil AD, Paravidino VB, Soares-Lima SC, Souza Almeida Lopes MD, Santos Salú MD, Barbosa E Dos Santos PV, P da Cunha Trompiere AC, Vieira Milone LT, Rodrigues-Santos G, Genuíno de Oliveira MB, Robaina JR, Lima-Setta F, Reis MM, Ledo Alves da Cunha AJ, Prata-Barbosa A, de Magalhães-Barbosa MC. NR3C1 gene methylation and cortisol levels in preterm and healthy full-term infants in the first 3 months of life. Epigenomics 2022; 14:1545-1561. [PMID: 36861354 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To describe NR3C1 exon-1F methylation and cortisol levels in newborns. Materials & methods: Preterm ≤1500 g and full-term infants were included. Samples were collected at birth and at days 5, 30 and 90 (or at discharge). Results: 46 preterm and 49 full-term infants were included. Methylation was stable over time in full-term infants (p = 0.3116) but decreased in preterm infants (p = 0.0241). Preterm infants had higher cortisol levels on the fifth day, while full-term infants showed increasing levels (p = 0.0177) over time. Conclusion: Hypermethylated sites in NR3C1 at birth and higher cortisol levels on day 5 suggest that prematurity, reflecting prenatal stress, affects the epigenome. Methylation decrease over time in preterm infants suggests that postnatal factors may modify the epigenome, but their role needs to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Chalfun
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Department of Neonatology, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Aline de Araújo Brasil
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Vitor Barreto Paravidino
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Social Medicine, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), 20550-013, Brazil
- Department of Physical Education & Sports, Naval Academy, Brazilian Navy, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20021-010, Brazil
| | - Sheila Coelho Soares-Lima
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Program, Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230-130, Brazil
| | | | - Margarida Dos Santos Salú
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | | | - Leo Travassos Vieira Milone
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rodrigues-Santos
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | - Jaqueline Rodrigues Robaina
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Lima-Setta
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Martins Reis
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Antônio José Ledo Alves da Cunha
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Prata-Barbosa
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
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10
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Bates RA, Militello L, Barker E, Villasanti HG, Schmeer K. Early childhood stress responses to psychosocial stressors: The state of the science. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22320. [PMID: 36282746 PMCID: PMC9543576 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review was to better understand whether and to what extent psychosocial stressors are associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or autonomic nervous system stress responses in young children (1-6 years of age). Studies were classified by psychosocial stressors from the ecobiodevelopmental model: social and economic resources, maternal mental health, parent-child relationships, and the physical environment. Of the 2388 identified studies, 32 met full inclusion criteria, including over 9107 children. Child physiologic stress responses were measured as hair and urinary cortisol and cortisone, salivary diurnal and reactive cortisol, salivary reactive alpha-amylase, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. There were 107 identified relations between psychosocial stressors and physiologic stress responses. Nearly two thirds of these relations suggested that children have dysregulated stress responses as either significantly blunted (n = 27) or increased (n = 37); 43 relations were not significant. Children most consistently had significantly dysregulated stress responses if they experienced postnatal maternal depression or anxiety. Some reasons for the mixed findings may be related to characteristics of the child (i.e., moderators) or stressor, how the stress response or psychosocial stressor was measured, unmeasured variables (e.g., caregiving buffering), researcher degrees of freedom, or publication bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi A. Bates
- College of NursingUniversity of CincinnatiCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Lisa Militello
- College of NursingThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Erin Barker
- College of NursingUniversity of CincinnatiCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Hugo Gonzalez Villasanti
- Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and PolicyThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA,Department of Educational Studies, College of Education and Human EcologyThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Kammi Schmeer
- Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and PolicyThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA,Department of SociologyThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
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11
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Folger AT, Nidey N, Ding L, Ji H, Yolton K, Ammerman RT, Bowers KA. Association Between Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Neonatal SCG5 DNA Methylation-Effect Modification by Prenatal Home Visiting. Am J Epidemiol 2022; 191:636-645. [PMID: 34791022 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab270] [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: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal childhood adversity and trauma may elicit biological changes that impact the next generation through epigenetic responses measured in DNA methylation (DNAm). These epigenetic associations could be modified by the early postnatal environment through protective factors, such as early childhood home visiting (HV) programs that aim to mitigate deleterious intergenerational effects of adversity. In a cohort of 53 mother-child pairs recruited in 2015-2016 for the Pregnancy and Infant Development Study (Cincinnati, Ohio), we examined the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and neonatal DNAm in the secretogranin V gene (SCG5), which is important in neuroendocrine function. We examined prenatal HV as an effect modifier. Mothers completed a questionnaire on ACEs during pregnancy, and infant buccal samples were collected 1 month postpartum. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between maternal ACEs and neonatal DNAm expressed as M-values averaged across 4 cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide sites. A higher number of maternal ACEs (>3) was associated with a 5.79-percentage-point lower offspring DNAm (95% confidence interval: -10.44, -1.14), and the association was modified by the number of home visits received during pregnancy. In a population of at-risk mother-child dyads, preliminary evidence suggests that maternal ACEs have a relationship with offspring SCG5 DNAm that differs by the amount of prenatal HV.
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12
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Martins J, Czamara D, Sauer S, Rex-Haffner M, Dittrich K, Dörr P, de Punder K, Overfeld J, Knop A, Dammering F, Entringer S, Winter SM, Buss C, Heim C, Binder EB. Childhood adversity correlates with stable changes in DNA methylation trajectories in children and converges with epigenetic signatures of prenatal stress. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100336. [PMID: 34095363 PMCID: PMC8163992 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) is an established major risk factor for a number of negative health outcomes later in life. While epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), have been proposed as a means of embedding this environmental risk factor, little is known about its timing and trajectory, especially in very young children. It is also not clear whether additional environmental adversities, often experienced by these children, converge on similar DNAm changes. Here, we calculated a cumulative adversity score, which additionally to CM includes socioeconomic status (SES), other life events, parental psychopathology and epigenetic biomarkers of prenatal smoking and alcohol consumption. We investigated the effects of CM alone as well as the adversity score on longitudinal DNAm trajectories in the Berlin Longitudinal Child Study. This is a cohort of 173 children aged 3-5 years at baseline of whom 86 were exposed to CM. These children were followed-up for 2 years with extensive psychometric and biological assessments as well as saliva collection at 5 time points providing genome-wide DNAm levels. Overall, only a few DNAm patterns were stable over this timeframe, but less than 10 DNAm regions showed significant changes. At baseline, neither CM nor the adversity score associated with DNAm changes. However, in 6 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), CM and the adversity score significantly moderated DNAm trajectories over time. A number of these DMRs have previously been associated with adverse prenatal exposures. In our study, children exposed to CM also presented with epigenetic signatures indicative of increased prenatal exposure to tobacco and alcohol, as compared to non-CM exposed children. These epigenetic signatures of prenatal exposure strongly correlate with DNAm regions associated with CM and the adversity score. Finally, weighted correlation network analysis revealed a module of CpGs exclusively associated with CM. While our study identifies DNAm loci specifically associated with CM, especially within long non-coding RNAs, the majority of associations were found with the adversity score with convergent association with indicators of adverse prenatal exposures. This study highlights the importance of mapping not only of the epigenome but also the exposome and extending the observational timeframe to well before birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Martins
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Monika Rex-Haffner
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Katja Dittrich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peggy Dörr
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karin de Punder
- Natura Foundation, Research and Development, Numansdrop, 3281, NC, Netherlands
| | - Judith Overfeld
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Knop
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Dammering
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Sibylle M. Winter
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Virchow, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Christine Heim
- Charité − Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Campus Charité Mitte, Luisenstraße 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health & Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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13
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Shields AE, Zhang Y, Argentieri MA, Warner ET, Cozier YC, Liu C, Dye CK, Kent BV, Baccarelli AA, Palmer JR. Stress and spirituality in relation to HPA axis gene methylation among US Black women: results from the Black Women's Health Study and the Study on Stress, Spirituality and Health. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1711-1734. [PMID: 34726080 PMCID: PMC8579940 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Few epigenetics studies have been conducted within the Black community to examine the impact of diverse psychosocial stressors and resources for resiliency on the stress pathway (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). Methods: Among 1000 participants from the Black Women's Health Study, associations between ten psychosocial stressors and DNA methylation (DNAm) of four stress-related genes (NR3C1, HSDB1, HSD11B2 and FKBP5) were tested. Whether religiosity or spirituality (R/S) significantly modified these stress-DNAm associations was also assessed. Results: Associations were found for several stressors with DNAm of individual CpG loci and average DNAm levels across each gene, but no associations remained significant after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Several R/S variables appeared to modify the relationship between two stressors and DNAm, but no identified interaction remained significant after FDR correction. Conclusion: There is limited evidence for a strong signal between stress and DNAm of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis genes in this general population cohort of US Black women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yuankai Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - M Austin Argentieri
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6PE, UK
| | - Erica T Warner
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Clinical Translational Epidemiology Unit, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yvette C Cozier
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christian K Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Blake Victor Kent
- Department of Sociology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julie R Palmer
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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14
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Soares S, Rocha V, Kelly-Irving M, Stringhini S, Fraga S. Adverse Childhood Events and Health Biomarkers: A Systematic Review. Front Public Health 2021; 9:649825. [PMID: 34490175 PMCID: PMC8417002 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.649825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This systematic review aimed to summarize evidence reporting epigenetic and/or neuro-immuno-endocrine embedding of adverse childhood events (ACEs) in children, with a particular focus on the short-term biological effect of those experiences. Methods: A search was conducted in PsycINFO®, PubMed®, Isi Web of Knowledge and Scopus, until July 2019, to identify papers reporting the short-term biological effects of exposure to ACEs. Results: The search identified 58 studies, that were included in the review. Regarding exposure, the type of ACE more frequently reported was sexual abuse (n = 26), followed by life stressors (n = 20) and physical abuse (n = 19). The majority (n = 17) of studies showed a positive association between ACEs and biomarkers of the immune system. Regarding DNA methylation 18 studies showed more methylation in participants exposed to ACEs. Two studies presented the effect of ACEs on telomere length and showed that exposure was associated with shorter telomere length. Conclusion: Overall the associations observed across studies followed the hypothesis that ACEs are associated with biological risk already at early ages. This is supporting evidence that ACEs appear to get “under the skin” and induce physiological changes and these alterations might be strongly associated with later development of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Soares
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vânia Rocha
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Michelle Kelly-Irving
- Faculty of Medicine Purpan, LEASP UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sílvia Fraga
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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15
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Womersley JS, Nothling J, Toikumo S, Malan-Müller S, van den Heuvel LL, McGregor NW, Seedat S, Hemmings SMJ. Childhood trauma, the stress response and metabolic syndrome: A focus on DNA methylation. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:2253-2296. [PMID: 34169602 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Childhood trauma (CT) is well established as a potent risk factor for the development of mental disorders. However, the potential of adverse early experiences to exert chronic and profound effects on physical health, including aberrant metabolic phenotypes, has only been more recently explored. Among these consequences is metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is characterised by at least three of five related cardiometabolic traits: hypertension, insulin resistance/hyperglycaemia, raised triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein and central obesity. The deleterious effects of CT on health outcomes may be partially attributable to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which coordinates the response to stress, and the consequent fostering of a pro-inflammatory environment. Epigenetic tags, such as DNA methylation, which are sensitive to environmental influences provide a means whereby the effects of CT can be biologically embedded and persist into adulthood to affect health and well-being. The methylome regulates the transcription of genes involved in the stress response, metabolism and inflammation. This narrative review examines the evidence for DNA methylation in CT and MetS in order to identify shared neuroendocrine and immune correlates that may mediate the increased risk of MetS following CT exposure. Our review specifically highlights differential methylation of FKBP5, the gene that encodes FK506-binding protein 51 and has pleiotropic effects on stress responding, inflammation and energy metabolism, as a central candidate to understand the molecular aetiology underlying CT-associated MetS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline S Womersley
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jani Nothling
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sylvanus Toikumo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Stefanie Malan-Müller
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Leigh L van den Heuvel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nathaniel W McGregor
- Systems Genetics Working Group, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sîan M J Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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16
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Parade SH, Huffhines L, Daniels TE, Stroud LR, Nugent NR, Tyrka AR. A systematic review of childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: candidate gene and epigenome-wide approaches. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:134. [PMID: 33608499 PMCID: PMC7896059 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment is a major risk factor for chronic and severe mental and physical health problems across the lifespan. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that maltreatment is associated with epigenetic changes that may subsequently serve as mechanisms of disease. The current review uses a systematic approach to identify and summarize the literature related to childhood maltreatment and alterations in DNA methylation in humans. A total of 100 empirical articles were identified in our systematic review of research published prior to or during March 2020, including studies that focused on candidate genes and studies that leveraged epigenome-wide data in both children and adults. Themes arising from the literature, including consistent and inconsistent patterns of results, are presented. Several directions for future research, including important methodological considerations for future study design, are discussed. Taken together, the literature on childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation underscores the complexity of transactions between the environment and biology across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H Parade
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa E Daniels
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Laura R Stroud
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nicole R Nugent
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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17
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Provenzi L, Grumi S, Giorda R, Biasucci G, Bonini R, Cavallini A, Decembrino L, Drera B, Falcone R, Fazzi E, Gardella B, Giacchero R, Nacinovich R, Pisoni C, Prefumo F, Scelsa B, Spartà MV, Veggiotti P, Orcesi S, Borgatti R. Measuring the Outcomes of Maternal COVID-19-related Prenatal Exposure (MOM-COPE): study protocol for a multicentric longitudinal project. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e044585. [PMID: 33384402 PMCID: PMC7780424 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease that rapidly emerged as an unprecedented epidemic in Europe, with a primary hotspot in Northern Italy during the first months of 2020. Its high infection rate and rapid spread contribute to set the risk for relevant psychological stress in citizens. In this context, mother-infant health is at risk not only because of potential direct exposure to the virus but also due to high levels of stress experienced by mothers from conception to delivery. Prenatal stress exposure associates with less-than-optimal child developmental outcomes, and specific epigenetic mechanisms (eg, DNA methylation) may play a critical role in mediating this programming association. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We present the methodological protocol for a longitudinal, multicentric study on the behavioural and epigenetic effects of COVID-19-related prenatal stress in a cohort of mother-infant dyads in Northern Italy. The dyads will be enrolled at 10 facilities in Northern Italy. Saliva samples will be collected at birth to assess the methylation status of specific genes linked with stress regulation in mothers and newborns. Mothers will provide retrospective data on COVID-19-related stress during pregnancy. At 3, 6 and 12 months, mothers will provide data on child behavioural and socioemotional outcomes, their own psychological status (stress, depressive and anxious symptoms) and coping strategies. At 12 months, infants and mothers will be videotaped during semistructured interaction to assess maternal sensitivity and infant's relational functioning. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Ethics Committee (Pavia). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04540029; Pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Provenzi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Grumi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto Giorda
- Biology Lab, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisi Parini, Italy
| | - Giacomo Biasucci
- Pediatrics & Neonatology Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Renza Bonini
- Pediatrics & Neonatology Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Anna Cavallini
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
| | - Lidia Decembrino
- Pediatric Unit and Neonatal Unit, Ospedale Civile di Vigevano, ASST di Pavia, Vigevano, Italy
| | - Bruno Drera
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Azienda Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy
| | - Rossana Falcone
- Pediatric Unit and Neonatal Unit, Ospedale Civile di Vigevano, ASST di Pavia, Vigevano, Italy
| | - Elisa Fazzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- Unit of Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Barbara Gardella
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Renata Nacinovich
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery and Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Pisoni
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Federico Prefumo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Barbara Scelsa
- Unit of Pediatric Neurology, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Pierangelo Veggiotti
- Unit of Pediatric Neurology, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milano, Italy
- Biomedical and Clinical Science Department, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Simona Orcesi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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18
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Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor promoter in children: Links with parents as teachers, early life stress, and behavior problems. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 34:810-822. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The present study examined the effect of early life stress (ELS) on the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) methylation, the associations between NR3C1 methylation and behavior problems, and the effect of the program Parents as Teachers (PAT) on NR3C1 methylation. Participants included 132 children, 72 assigned to the PAT intervention group and 60 to the PAT control group. Children were aged 3 years, and were living in psychosocially at-risk families. We assessed NR3C1 methylation of the NGFI-A binding regions of exon 1F via sodium bisulfite sequencing from saliva DNA. Results indicated that (a) children living in families receiving PAT had decreased methylation at one single cytosine–guanine dinucleotides (CpG) site; (b) current maternal depressive symptoms and parental disagreement were predictive of increased methylation of mean NGFI-A and three single CpG sites; and (c) increased methylation of mean NGFI-A and one single CpG site was significantly associated with increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In addition, mean NGFI-A was a mediator of the association between parental disagreement and a child's affective problems. These results suggest that PAT may contribute to preventing NR3C1 methylation in preschool children living in psychosocially at-risk situations, and confirm previous findings on the associations between ELS, NR3C1 methylation, and behavior problems.
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Straight B, Fisher G, Needham BL, Naugle A, Olungah C, Wanitjirattikal P, Root C, Farman J, Barkman T, Lalancette C. Lifetime stress and war exposure timing may predict methylation changes at NR3C1 based on a pilot study in a warrior cohort in a small-scale society in Kenya. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23515. [PMID: 33058324 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Candidate gene methylation studies of NR3C1 have identified associations with psychosocial adversity, including war trauma. This pilot study (sample sizes from 22 to 45 for primary analyses) examined NR3C1 methylation in a group of Kenyan pastoralist young men in relation to culturally relevant traumatic experiences, including participation in coalitional lethal gun violence. METHODS Adolescent and young adult Samburu men ("warriors") were recruited for participation. DNA was obtained from whole saliva and methylation analyses performed using mass spectrometry. We performed a data reduction of variables from a standardized instrument of lifetime stress using a factor analysis and we assessed the association between the extracted factors with culturally relevant and cross-culturally comparative experiences. RESULTS Cumulative lifetime trauma exposure and forms of violence to which warriors are particularly susceptible were associated with DNA methylation changes in the NR3C1 1F promoter region but not in the NR3C1 1D promoter region. However, sensitivity analyses revealed significant associations between individual CpG sites in both regions and cumulative stress exposures, war exposure timing, and war fatalities. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the importance of NR3C1 methylation changes in response to challenging life circumstances, including in a global south cultural context that contrasts in notable ways from global north contexts and from the starkly tragic examples of the Rwandan genocide and war-associated rape explored in recent studies. Timing of traumatic exposure and culturally salient means to measure enduring symptoms of trauma remain important considerations for DNA methylation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilinda Straight
- Department of Anthropology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Georgiana Fisher
- Department of Statistics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Amy Naugle
- Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Charles Olungah
- University of Nairobi Institute of Anthropology, Gender & African Studies, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Cecilia Root
- Unaffiliated (Western Michigan University Department of Anthropology Alum), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Jen Farman
- Unaffiliated (Western Michigan University Department of Anthropology Alum), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Todd Barkman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
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Combined neurodevelopmental exposure to deltamethrin and corticosterone is associated with Nr3c1 hypermethylation in the midbrain of male mice. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 80:106887. [PMID: 32348866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and manifests inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms in childhood that can last throughout life. Genetic and environmental studies implicate the dopamine system in ADHD pathogenesis. Work from our group and that of others indicates that deltamethrin insecticide and stress exposure during neurodevelopment leads to alterations in dopamine function, and we hypothesized that exposure to both of these factors together would lead to synergistic effects on DNA methylation of key genes within the midbrain, a highly dopaminergic region, that could contribute to these findings. Through targeted next-generation sequencing of a panel of cortisol and dopamine pathway genes, we observed hypermethylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, Nr3c1, in the midbrain of C57/BL6N males in response to dual deltamethrin and corticosterone exposures during development. This is the first description of DNA methylation studies of Nr3c1 and key dopaminergic genes within the midbrain in response to a pyrethroid insecticide, corticosterone, and these two exposures together. Our results provide possible connections between environmental exposures that impact the dopamine system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis via changes in DNA methylation and provides new information about the presence of epigenetic effects in adulthood after exposure during neurodevelopment.
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21
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Cecil CAM, Zhang Y, Nolte T. Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:392-409. [PMID: 32081689 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) - an epigenetic process that regulates gene expression - may represent a mechanism for the biological embedding of early traumatic experiences, including childhood maltreatment. Here, we conducted the first systematic review of human studies linking childhood maltreatment to DNAm. In total, 72 studies were included in the review (2008-2018). The majority of extant studies (i) were based on retrospective data in adults, (ii) employed a candidate gene approach (iii) focused on global maltreatment, (iv) were based on easily accessible peripheral tissues, typically blood; and (v) were cross-sectional. Two-thirds of studies (n = 48) also examined maltreatment-related outcomes, such as stress reactivity and psychiatric symptoms. While findings generally support an association between childhood maltreatment and altered patterns of DNAm, factors such as the lack of longitudinal data, low comparability across studies as well as potential genetic and 'pre-exposure' environmental confounding currently limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Key challenges are discussed and concrete recommendations for future research are provided to move the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, University of Southampton; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tobias Nolte
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Schiele MA, Gottschalk MG, Domschke K. The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention. Clin Psychol Rev 2020; 77:101830. [PMID: 32163803 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders are highly complex and multifactorial in origin, comprising an elaborate interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA modifications (e.g. CpG methylation), histone modifications (e.g. acetylation) and microRNAs function as a translator between genes and the environment. Indeed, environmental influences such as exposure to stress shape epigenetic patterns, and lifetime experiences continue to alter the function of the genome throughout the lifespan. Here, we summarize the recently burgeoning body of research regarding the involvement of aberrant epigenetic signatures in mediating an increased vulnerability to a wide range of mental disorders. We review the current knowledge of epigenetic changes to constitute useful markers predicting the clinical response to psychotherapeutic interventions, and of psychotherapy to alter - and potentially reverse - epigenetic risk patterns. Given first evidence pointing to a transgenerational transmission of epigenetic information, epigenetic alterations arising from successful psychotherapy might be transferred to future generations and thus contribute to the prevention of mental disorders. Findings are integrated into a multi-level framework highlighting challenges pertaining to the mechanisms of action and clinical implications of epigenetic research. Promising future directions regarding the prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment of mental disorders in line with a 'precision medicine' approach are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A Schiele
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael G Gottschalk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
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23
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Folger AT, Ding L, Ji H, Yolton K, Ammerman RT, Van Ginkel JB, Bowers K. Neonatal NR3C1 Methylation and Social-Emotional Development at 6 and 18 Months of Age. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:14. [PMID: 30804765 PMCID: PMC6371639 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The variation in childhood social-emotional development within at-risk populations may be attributed in part to epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation (DNAm) that respond to environmental stressors. These mechanisms may partially underlie the degree of vulnerability (and resilience) to negative social-emotional development within adverse psychosocial environments. Extensive research supports an association between maternal adversity and offspring DNAm of the NR3C1 gene, which encodes the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). A gap in knowledge remains regarding the relationship between NR3C1 DNAm, measured in neonatal (1-month of age) buccal cells, and subsequent social-emotional development during infancy and early childhood. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of n = 53 mother-child dyads (n = 30 with developmental outcomes formed the basis of current study) who were enrolled in a home visiting (HV) program. Higher mean DNAm of the NR3C1 exon 1F promoter was significantly associated with lower 6-month Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) scores—more positive infant social-emotional functioning. A similar trend was observed at 18-months of age in a smaller sample (n = 12). The findings of this pilot study indicate that in a diverse and disadvantaged population, the level of neonatal NR3C1 DNAm is related to later social-emotional development. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonzo T Folger
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Lili Ding
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Hong Ji
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Robert T Ammerman
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Judith B Van Ginkel
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Katherine Bowers
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Abstract
Purpose of review This review demonstrates the growing body of evidence connecting DNA methylation to prior exposure. It highlights the potential to use DNA methylation patterns as a feasible, stable, and accurate biomarker of past exposure, opening new opportunities for environmental and gene-environment interaction studies among existing banked samples. Recent findings We present the evidence for association between past exposure, including prenatal exposures, and DNA methylation measured at a later time in the life course. We demonstrate the potential utility of DNA methylation-based biomarkers of past exposure using results from multiple studies of smoking as an example. Multiple studies show the ability to accurately predict prenatal smoking exposure based on DNA methylation measured at birth, in childhood, and even adulthood. Separate sets of DNA methylation loci have been used to predict past personal smoking exposure (postnatal) as well. Further, it appears that these two types of exposures, prenatal and previous personal exposure, can be isolated from each other. There is also a suggestion that quantitative methylation scores may be useful for estimating dose. We highlight the remaining needs for rigor in methylation biomarker development including analytic challenges as well as the need for development across multiple developmental windows, multiple tissue types, and multiple ancestries. Summary If fully developed, DNA methylation-based biomarkers can dramatically shift our ability to carry out environmental and genetic-environmental epidemiology using existing biobanks, opening up unprecedented opportunities for environmental health.
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25
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Tian FY, Marsit CJ. Environmentally Induced Epigenetic Plasticity in Development: Epigenetic Toxicity and Epigenetic Adaptation. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2018; 5:450-460. [PMID: 30984515 PMCID: PMC6456900 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-018-0175-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epigenetic processes represent important mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity in response to environmental exposures. The current review discusses three classes of environmentally-induced epigenetic changes reflecting two aspects of that plasticity, toxicity effects as well as adaptation in the process of development. RECENT FINDINGS Due to innate resilience, epigenetic changes caused by environmental exposures may not always lead impairments but may allow the organisms to achieve positive developmental outcomes through appropriate adaptation and a buffering response. Thus, some epigenetic adaptive responses to an immediate stimulus or exposure early in life would be expected to have a survival advantage but these same responses may also result in adverse developmental outcomes as they persists into later life stage. Although accumulating literature has identified environmentally induced epigenetic changes and linked them to health outcomes, we currently face challenges in the interpretation of the functional impact of their epigenetic plasticity. SUMMARY Current environmental epigenetic research suggest that epigenetic processes may serve as a mechanism for resilience, and that they can be considered in terms of their impact on toxicity as a negative outcome, but also on adaptation for improved survival or health. This review encourages epigenetic environmental studies to move deeper inside into the functional meaning of epigenetic plasticity in the development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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26
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Provenzi L, Brambilla M, Borgatti R, Montirosso R. Methodological Challenges in Developmental Human Behavioral Epigenetics: Insights Into Study Design. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:286. [PMID: 30532698 PMCID: PMC6266797 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental human behavioral epigenetics (DHBE) holds potential for contributing to better understanding of how early life exposures contribute to human developmental trajectories and to inform clinical practice and early interventions. Nonetheless, DHBE research to date is challenged by two major issues: (a) the frequent use of retrospective study designs; and (b) the major focus on epigenetic variations associated with early life adversities, rather than protective care exposures. In order for DHBE research to maintain its promises, these issues need to be addressed in a systematic way according to a careful methodological planning of study design. In this contribution, we provide pragmatic insights on methodological aspects that should be dealt with while designing DHBE studies. We propose different study designs for the retrospective and prospective investigation of both adversity- and care-related epigenetic variations. Examples from available scientific literature are provided to better describe the advantages and the limitations of each study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Provenzi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Maddalena Brambilla
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Rosario Montirosso
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Bosisio Parini, Italy
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27
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Watamura SE, Roth TL. Looking back and moving forward: Evaluating and advancing translation from animal models to human studies of early life stress and DNA methylation. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 61:323-340. [PMID: 30426484 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Advances in epigenetic methodologies have deepened theoretical explanations of mechanisms linking early life stress (ELS) and disease outcomes and suggest promising targets for intervention. To date, however, human studies have not capitalized on the richness of diverse animal models to derive and systematically evaluate specific and testable hypotheses. To promote cross-species dialog and scientific advance, here we provide a classification scheme to systematically evaluate the match between characteristics of human and animal studies of ELS and DNA methylation. Three preclinical models were selected that are highly cited, and that differ in the nature and severity of the ELS manipulation as well as in the affected epigenetic loci (the licking and grooming, maternal separation, and caregiver maltreatment models). We evaluated the degree to which human studies matched these preclinical models with respect to the timing of ELS and of DNA methylation assessment, as well as the type of ELS, whether sex differences were explicitly examined, the tissue sampled, and the targeted loci. Results revealed <50% match (range of 8-83%) between preclinical models and human work on these variables. Immediate and longer-term suggestions to improve translational specificity are offered, with the goal of accelerating scientific advance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
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28
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Di Sante J, Ismaylova E, Nemoda Z, Gouin JP, Yu WJ, Caldwell W, Vitaro F, Szyf M, Tremblay RE, Booij L. Peripheral DNA methylation of HPA axis-related genes in humans: Cross-tissue convergence, two-year stability and behavioural and neural correlates. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 97:196-205. [PMID: 30059826 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Environmental factors can influence gene expression via epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation. DNA methylation levels of regulatory regions in Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis-related genes assessed from brain tissues as well as from surrogate, peripheral tissues have been associated with vulnerability to stress-related psychopathologies. Commonly used peripheral samples to assess DNA methylation in living humans are derived from blood, saliva or buccal cells. Although psychiatric epigenetic studies are increasingly relying on peripheral measures of DNA methylation, it is still unknown to what extent methylation patterns across peripheral tissues are associated with each other and with measures of brain processes and behavioural stress. In the present study, with a sample of 51 healthy adults, we assessed cross-tissue correlations of DNA methylation patterns in the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) 1 F promoter and the FK506 Binding Protein 5 (FKBP5) gene intron 7 region using saliva and buccal cell samples, and assessed two-year stability in both tissues in a male subsample (N = 14). We also investigated associations between peripherally-derived DNA methylation and measures of neural function and perceived daily stress, and compared the extent of these associations across tissue samples. DNA methylation cross-tissue correlations were highly significant for FKBP5, but not significant for NR3C1. DNA methylation in both genes remained stable for two years. Tissue- and gene-specific associations were found for brain resting state connectivity and neural responses to sadness, thereby suggesting that saliva- and buccal cell-derived DNA methylation levels of NR3C1-1 F and FKBP5 gene regions might differently capture different measures of putatively related brain processes. It was also found that greater buccal cell- (but not saliva-) derived NR3C1-1 F methylation was associated with lower perceived daily life demands. Results of the present study may inform the design of future epigenetic studies on FKBP5-intron-7 and NR3C1-1 F-promoter methylation in relation to neuro-imaging and behavioural measures, and provide insight for the development of peripheral DNA methylation correlates of stress sensitivity and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Di Sante
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Elmira Ismaylova
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Wei-Jo Yu
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Warren Caldwell
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Booij
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.
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29
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Watkeys OJ, Kremerskothen K, Quidé Y, Fullerton JM, Green MJ. Glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) DNA methylation in association with trauma, psychopathology, transcript expression, or genotypic variation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:85-122. [PMID: 30176278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is a critical component of the stress response system. Cytosine methylation of NR3C1 has been repeatedly associated with trauma and mental disorders, including major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and personality disorders, suggesting that NR3C1 methylation may play a role in stress-related psychopathology. We systematically reviewed 55 studies examining NR3C1 DNA methylation in association with trauma exposure, psychopathology, gene expression, and/or common genetic variants. Overall, a number of NR3C1 CpG sites were significantly associated with trauma or psychopathology, but significant findings were often inconsistent across studies. This lack of consistency is likely influenced by significant methodological variability - experimentally and analytically - across studies. Selected common genetic variants show no significant effect on NR3C1 CpG methylation. In contrast, there was ample evidence linking increased methylation of NR3C1 to reduced expression of this gene. The inverse association between methylation and gene expression shown across eight out of ten studies supports the notion that methylation in the promoter region of NR3C1 is associated with transcriptional silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Watkeys
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Kyle Kremerskothen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Yann Quidé
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Janice M Fullerton
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Wallace Wurth Building, 18 High Street, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Melissa J Green
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
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30
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Conradt E, Adkins DE, Crowell SE, Raby KL, Diamond L, Ellis B. Incorporating epigenetic mechanisms to advance fetal programming theories. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:807-824. [PMID: 30068415 PMCID: PMC6079515 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Decades of fetal programming research indicates that we may be able to map the origins of many physical, psychological, and medical variations and morbidities before the birth of the child. While great strides have been made in identifying associations between prenatal insults, such as undernutrition or psychosocial stress, and negative developmental outcomes, far less is known about how adaptive responses to adversity regulate the developing phenotype to match stressful conditions. As the application of epigenetic methods to human behavior has exploded in the last decade, research has begun to shed light on the role of epigenetic mechanisms in explaining how prenatal conditions shape later susceptibilities to mental and physical health problems. In this review, we describe and attempt to integrate two dominant fetal programming models: the cumulative stress model (a disease-focused approach) and the match-mismatch model (an evolutionary-developmental approach). In conjunction with biological sensitivity to context theory, we employ these two models to generate new hypotheses regarding epigenetic mechanisms through which prenatal and postnatal experiences program child stress reactivity and, in turn, promote development of adaptive versus maladaptive phenotypic outcomes. We conclude by outlining priority questions and future directions for the fetal programming field.
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31
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Nishitani S, Parets SE, Haas BW, Smith AK. DNA methylation analysis from saliva samples for epidemiological studies. Epigenetics 2018; 13:352-362. [PMID: 29912612 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1461295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Saliva is a non-invasive, easily accessible tissue, which is regularly collected in large epidemiological studies to examine genetic questions. Recently, it is becoming more common to use saliva to assess DNA methylation. However, DNA extracted from saliva is a mixture of both bacterial and human DNA derived from epithelial and immune cells in the mouth. Thus, there are unique challenges to using salivary DNA in methylation studies that can influence data quality. This study assesses: (1) quantification of human DNA after extraction; (2) delineation of human and bacterial DNA; (3) bisulfite conversion (BSC); (4) quantification of BSC DNA; (5) PCR amplification of BSC DNA from saliva and; (6) quantitation of DNA methylation with a targeted assay. The framework proposed will allow saliva samples to be more widely used in targeted epigenetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Nishitani
- a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA.,b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Sasha E Parets
- b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Brian W Haas
- c Department of Psychology , University of Georgia , Athens , GA , USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- a Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA.,b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
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