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Creasey N, Beijers R, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C, Tollenaar MS. Maternal sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior: a mediating role for glucocorticoid receptor gene ( NR3C1) methylation? Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:967-978. [PMID: 36896668 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000226] [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: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The early caregiving environment can have lasting effects on child mental health. Animal models suggest that glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) DNA methylation plays a mediating role in linking more responsive caregiving to improved behavioral outcomes by its impact on the stress regulatory system. In this longitudinal study, we examined whether children's NR3C1 methylation levels mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity in infancy on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior in a community sample. Maternal sensitivity of 145 mothers was rated at infant age 5 weeks, 12 months, and 30 months by observing mother-infant interactions. Buccal DNA methylation was assessed in the same children at age 6 years and maternal-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior was assessed at age 6 and 10 years. Higher sensitivity at age 5 weeks significantly predicted lower DNA methylation levels at two NR3C1 CpG loci, although methylation levels at these loci did not mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Overall, the study provides evidence that maternal sensitivity in early infancy is associated with DNA methylation levels at loci involved in stress regulation, but the significance of this finding for child mental health remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Preventive Youth Care, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands, and Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; and Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
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Müller S, Sicorello M, Moser D, Frach L, Limberg A, Gumpp AM, Ramo-Fernandez L, Köhler-Dauner F, Fegert JM, Waller C, Kumsta R, Kolassa IT. The DNA methylation landscape of the human oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR): data-driven clusters and their relation to gene expression and childhood adversity. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:265. [PMID: 37479681 PMCID: PMC10362059 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02548-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is of interest when investigating the effects of early adversity on DNA methylation. However, there is heterogeneity regarding the selection of the most promising CpG sites to target for analyses. The goal of this study was to determine functionally relevant clusters of CpG sites within the OXTR CpG island in 113 mother-infant dyads, with 58 of the mothers reporting childhood maltreatment (CM). OXTR DNA methylation was analyzed in peripheral/umbilical blood mononuclear cells. Different complexity reduction approaches were used to reduce the 188 CpG sites into clusters of co-methylated sites. Furthermore, associations between OXTR DNA methylation (cluster- and site-specific level) and OXTR gene expression and CM were investigated in mothers. Results showed that, first, CpG sections differed strongly regarding their statistical utility for research of individual differences in DNA methylation. Second, cluster analyses and Partial Least Squares (PLS) suggested two clusters consisting of intron1/exon2 and the protein-coding region of exon3, respectively, as most strongly associated with outcome measures. Third, cross-validated PLS regression explained 7% of variance in CM, with low cross-validated variance explained for the prediction of gene expression. Fourth, substantial mother-child correspondence was observed in correlation patterns within the identified clusters, but only modest correspondence outside these clusters. This study makes an important contribution to the mapping of the DNA methylation landscape of the OXTR CpG island by highlighting clusters of CpG sites that show desirable statistical properties and predictive value. We provide a Companion Web Application to facilitate the choice of CpG sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Müller
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maurizio Sicorello
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Leonard Frach
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Limberg
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anja M Gumpp
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Laura Ramo-Fernandez
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Franziska Köhler-Dauner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jörg M Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Paracelsus Medical Private University of Nueremberg, 90419, Nueremberg, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Laboratory for Stress and Gene-Environment Interplay, University of Luxemburg, Porte des Sciences L-4366, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxemburg.
| | - Iris-Tatjana Kolassa
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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Merrill SM, Gladish N, Fu MP, Moore SR, Konwar C, Giesbrecht GF, MacIssac JL, Kobor MS, Letourneau NL. Associations of peripheral blood DNA methylation and estimated monocyte proportion differences during infancy with toddler attachment style. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:132-161. [PMID: 34196256 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2021.1938872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Attachment is a motivational system promoting felt security to a caregiver resulting in a persistent internal working model of interpersonal behavior. Attachment styles are developed in early social environments and predict future health and development outcomes with potential biological signatures, such as epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation (DNAm). Thus, we hypothesized infant DNAm would associate with toddler attachment styles. An epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of blood DNAm from 3-month-old infants was regressed onto children's attachment style from the Strange Situation Procedure at 22-months at multiple DNAm Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) sites. The 26 identified CpGs associated with proinflammatory immune phenotypes and cognitive development. In post-hoc analyses, only maternal cognitive-growth fostering, encouraging intellectual exploration, contributed. For disorganized children, DNAm-derived cell-type proportions estimated higher monocytes -cells in immune responses hypothesized to increase with early adversity. Collectively, these findings suggested the potential biological embedding of both adverse and advantageous social environments as early as 3-months-old.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Merrill
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Maggie P Fu
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sarah R Moore
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Chaini Konwar
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIssac
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, Canada.,Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nicole L Letourneau
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Chan MHM, Merrill SM, Konwar C, Kobor MS. An integrative framework and recommendations for the study of DNA methylation in the context of race and ethnicity. DISCOVER SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH 2023; 3:9. [PMID: 37122633 PMCID: PMC10118232 DOI: 10.1007/s44155-023-00039-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Human social epigenomics research is critical to elucidate the intersection of social and genetic influences underlying racial and ethnic differences in health and development. However, this field faces major challenges in both methodology and interpretation with regard to disentangling confounded social and biological aspects of race and ethnicity. To address these challenges, we discuss how these constructs have been approached in the past and how to move forward in studying DNA methylation (DNAm), one of the best-characterized epigenetic marks in humans, in a responsible and appropriately nuanced manner. We highlight self-reported racial and ethnic identity as the primary measure in this field, and discuss its implications in DNAm research. Racial and ethnic identity reflects the biological embedding of an individual's sociocultural experience and environmental exposures in combination with the underlying genetic architecture of the human population (i.e., genetic ancestry). Our integrative framework demonstrates how to examine DNAm in the context of race and ethnicity, while considering both intrinsic factors-including genetic ancestry-and extrinsic factors-including structural and sociocultural environment and developmental niches-when focusing on early-life experience. We reviewed DNAm research in relation to health disparities given its relevance to race and ethnicity as social constructs. Here, we provide recommendations for the study of DNAm addressing racial and ethnic differences, such as explicitly acknowledging the self-reported nature of racial and ethnic identity, empirically examining the effects of genetic variants and accounting for genetic ancestry, and investigating race-related and culturally regulated environmental exposures and experiences. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44155-023-00039-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meingold Hiu-ming Chan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Sarah M. Merrill
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Chaini Konwar
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
- Edwin S. H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
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5
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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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6
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Childhood Trauma and Epigenetics: State of the Science and Future. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:661-672. [PMID: 36242743 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There is a great deal of interest regarding the biological embedding of childhood trauma and social exposures through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), but a comprehensive understanding has been hindered by issues of limited reproducibility between studies. This review presents a summary of the literature on childhood trauma and DNAm, highlights issues in the field, and proposes some potential solutions. RECENT FINDINGS Investigations of the associations between DNAm and childhood trauma are commonly performed using candidate gene approaches, specifically involving genes related to neurological and stress pathways. Childhood trauma is defined in a wide range of ways in several societal contexts. However, although variations in DNAm are frequently found in stress-related genes, unsupervised epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have shown limited reproducibility both between studies and in relating these changes to exposures. The reproducibility of childhood trauma DNAm studies, and the field of social epigenetics in general, may be improved by increasing sample sizes, standardizing variables, making use of effect size thresholds, collecting longitudinal and intervention samples, appropriately accounting for known confounding factors, and applying causal analysis wherever possible, such as "two-step epigenetic Mendelian randomization."
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Gomaa N, Konwar C, Gladish N, Au-Young SH, Guo T, Sheng M, Merrill SM, Kelly E, Chau V, Branson HM, Ly LG, Duerden EG, Grunau RE, Kobor MS, Miller SP. Association of Pediatric Buccal Epigenetic Age Acceleration With Adverse Neonatal Brain Growth and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Among Children Born Very Preterm With a Neonatal Infection. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2239796. [PMID: 36322087 PMCID: PMC9631102 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.39796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Very preterm neonates (24-32 weeks' gestation) remain at a higher risk of morbidity and neurodevelopmental adversity throughout their lifespan. Because the extent of prematurity alone does not fully explain the risk of adverse neonatal brain growth or neurodevelopmental outcomes, there is a need for neonatal biomarkers to help estimate these risks in this population. OBJECTIVES To characterize the pediatric buccal epigenetic (PedBE) clock-a recently developed tool to measure biological aging-among very preterm neonates and to assess its association with the extent of prematurity, neonatal comorbidities, neonatal brain growth, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months of age. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective cohort study was conducted in 2 neonatal intensive care units of 2 hospitals in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A total of 35 very preterm neonates (24-32 weeks' gestation) were recruited in 2017 and 2018, and neuroimaging was performed and buccal swab samples were acquired at 2 time points: the first in early life (median postmenstrual age, 32.9 weeks [IQR, 32.0-35.0 weeks]) and the second at term-equivalent age (TEA) at a median postmenstrual age of 43.0 weeks (IQR, 41.0-46.0 weeks). Follow-ups for neurodevelopmental assessments were completed in 2019 and 2020. All neonates in this cohort had at least 1 infection because they were originally enrolled to assess the association of neonatal infection with neurodevelopment. Neonates with congenital malformations, genetic syndromes, or congenital TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes and other agents) infection were excluded. EXPOSURES The extent of prematurity was measured by gestational age at birth and PedBE age difference. PedBE age was computed using DNA methylation obtained from 94 age-informative CpG (cytosine-phosphate-guanosine) sites. PedBE age difference (weeks) was calculated by subtracting PedBE age at each time point from the corresponding postmenstrual age. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Total cerebral volumes and cerebral growth during the neonatal intensive care unit period were obtained from magnetic resonance imaging scans at 2 time points: approximately the first 2 weeks of life and at TEA. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, were used to assess neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months. RESULTS Among 35 very preterm neonates (21 boys [60.0%]; median gestational age, 27.0 weeks [IQR, 25.9-29.9 weeks]; 23 [65.7%] born extremely preterm [<28 weeks' gestation]), extremely preterm neonates had an accelerated PedBE age compared with neonates born at a later gestational age (β = 9.0; 95% CI, 2.7-15.3; P = .01). An accelerated PedBE age was also associated with smaller cerebral volumes (β = -5356.8; 95% CI, -6899.3 to -2961.7; P = .01) and slower cerebral growth (β = -2651.5; 95% CI, -5301.2 to -1164.1; P = .04); these associations remained significant after adjusting for clinical neonatal factors. These findings were significant at TEA but not earlier in life. Similarly, an accelerated PedBE age at TEA was associated with lower cognitive (β = -0.4; 95% CI, -0.8 to -0.03; P = .04) and language (β = -0.6; 95% CI, -1.1 to -0.06; P = .02) scores at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study of very preterm neonates suggests that biological aging may be associated with impaired brain growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. The associations between epigenetic aging and adverse neonatal brain health warrant further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha Gomaa
- Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chaini Konwar
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephanie H. Au-Young
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ting Guo
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Min Sheng
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah M. Merrill
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Edmond Kelly
- Division of Neonatology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vann Chau
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Helen M. Branson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linh G. Ly
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neonatology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emma G. Duerden
- Faculty of Education, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth E. Grunau
- Division of Neonatology, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Steven P. Miller
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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8
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Polli A, Hendrix J, Ickmans K, Bakusic J, Ghosh M, Monteyne D, Velkeniers B, Bekaert B, Nijs J, Godderis L. Genetic and epigenetic regulation of Catechol-O-methyltransferase in relation to inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome and Fibromyalgia. J Transl Med 2022; 20:487. [PMID: 36284330 PMCID: PMC9598022 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03662-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) has been shown to influence clinical pain, descending modulation, and exercise-induced symptom worsening. COMT regulates nociceptive processing and inflammation, key pathophysiological features of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (CFS/FM). We aimed to determine the interactions between genetic and epigenetic mechanisms regulating COMT and its influence on inflammatory markers and symptoms in patients with CFS/FM. METHODS A case-control study with repeated-measures design was used to reduce the chance of false positive and increase the power of our findings. Fifty-four participants (28 patients with CFS/FM and 26 controls) were assessed twice within 4 days. The assessment included clinical questionnaires, neurophysiological assessment (pain thresholds, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation), and blood withdrawal in order to assess rs4818, rs4633, and rs4680 COMT polymorphisms and perform haplotype estimation, DNA methylation in the COMT gene (both MB-COMT and S-COMT promoters), and cytokine expression (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, and TGF-β). RESULTS COMT haplotypes were associated with DNA methylation in the S-COMT promoter, TGF-β expression, and symptoms. However, this was not specific for one condition. Significant between-group differences were found for increased DNA methylation in the MB-COMT promoter and decreased IFN-γ expression in patients. DISCUSSION Our results are consistent with basic and clinical research, providing interesting insights into genetic-epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. MB-COMT DNA methylation might be an independent factor contributing to the pathophysiology of CFS/FM. Further research on DNA methylation in complex conditions such as CFS/FM is warranted. We recommend future research to employ a repeated-measure design to control for biomarkers variability and within-subject changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Polli
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Pain in Motion (PiM) international research group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette Brussels, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.434261.60000 0000 8597 7208Flanders Research Foundation–FWO, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jolien Hendrix
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Pain in Motion (PiM) international research group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette Brussels, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kelly Ickmans
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Pain in Motion (PiM) international research group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette Brussels, Belgium ,grid.434261.60000 0000 8597 7208Flanders Research Foundation–FWO, Brussels, Belgium ,grid.411326.30000 0004 0626 3362Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jelena Bakusic
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manosij Ghosh
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.434261.60000 0000 8597 7208Flanders Research Foundation–FWO, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dora Monteyne
- grid.411326.30000 0004 0626 3362Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Velkeniers
- grid.411326.30000 0004 0626 3362Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bram Bekaert
- grid.410569.f0000 0004 0626 3338Department of Forensic Medicine, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jo Nijs
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Pain in Motion (PiM) international research group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette Brussels, Belgium ,grid.411326.30000 0004 0626 3362Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium ,grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lode Godderis
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Environment & Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000, Leuven, Belgium ,External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, IDEWE, Heverlee, Belgium
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9
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No evidence for intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in monocytes of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17347. [PMID: 36253434 PMCID: PMC9576776 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22177-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation patterns can be responsive to environmental influences. This observation has sparked interest in the potential for psychological interventions to influence epigenetic processes. Recent studies have observed correlations between DNA methylation changes and therapy outcome. However, most did not control for changes in cell composition. This study had two aims: first, we sought to replicate therapy-associated changes in DNA methylation of commonly assessed candidate genes in isolated monocytes from 60 female patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our second, exploratory goal was to identify novel genomic regions with substantial pre-to-post intervention DNA methylation changes by performing whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) in two patients with PTSD. Equivalence testing and Bayesian analyses provided evidence against physiologically meaningful intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in monocytes of PTSD patients in commonly investigated target genes (NR3C1, FKBP5, SLC6A4, OXTR). Furthermore, WGBS yielded only a limited set of candidate regions with suggestive evidence of differential DNA methylation pre- to post-therapy. These differential DNA methylation patterns did not prove replicable when investigated in the entire cohort. We conclude that there is no evidence for major, recurrent intervention-associated DNA methylation changes in the investigated genes in monocytes of patients with PTSD.
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10
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Giel KE, Schag K, Leehr EJ, Mack I, Schuster LS, Wiegand A, Zipfel S, Hallschmid M, Nieratschker V. OXTR DNA methylation differentiates men on the obesity spectrum with and without binge eating disorder. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:108. [PMID: 36042529 PMCID: PMC9429727 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01318-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a role in the regulation of eating behavior and metabolism. OXT functioning is altered in patients with eating and weight disorders, and a variant of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with impulsive eating behavior as it is seen in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Gene × environment interactions could play a role in BED. One mechanism mediating this interaction is the epigenetic alteration of gene expression. We therefore investigated if DNA methylation of the OXTR differs between individuals with obesity depending on a comorbid BED. We analyzed DNA methylation of the OXTR in peripheral blood of 227 individuals on the obesity spectrum (mean age: 40.3 ± 13.1 yrs; mean BMI: 38.6 ± 7.3 kg/m2), 130 of which were diagnosed with BED. RESULTS There were no overall differences in OXTR methylation between participants with and those without BED (p > 0.05), while both subgroups were comparable regarding age and body mass index (BMI), but significantly differed in sex distribution (p = 0.035). We found no relationship between mean DNA methylation and BMI or self-reported eating disorder (ED) pathology. Analyzing potential sex differences revealed a significantly lower OXTR DNA methylation in male participants with BED as compared to those without BED (p = 0.017). No such difference was found in the female subsample (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Clinically significant binge eating pathology might be associated with lower OXTR DNA methylation exclusively in males. The differential DNA methylation of OXTR in males with BED supports the view that BED represents a phenotype within the obesity spectrum that is characterized by specific vulnerability factors. A better understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of the OXT system might contribute to the refinement of OXT administration approaches as potential interventions in eating and weight disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Elisabeth Giel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. .,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Kathrin Schag
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Johanna Leehr
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 11, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Isabelle Mack
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lea-Sarah Schuster
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ariane Wiegand
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Zipfel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders (KOMET), Osianderstr. 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Hallschmid
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen (IDM), Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
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11
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Abstract
Advances in high-throughput technologies and the generation of multiomics, such as genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data, are paving the way for the biological risk stratification and prediction of oral diseases. When integrated with electronic health records, survey, census, and/or epidemiologic data, multiomics are anticipated to facilitate data-driven precision oral health, or the delivery of the right oral health intervention to the right individuals/populations at the right time. Meanwhile, multiomics may be modified by a multitude of social exposures, cumulatively along the life course and at various time points from conception onward, also referred to as the socio-exposome. For example, adverse exposures, such as precarious social and living conditions and related psychosocial stress among others, have been linked to specific genes being switched "on and off" through epigenetic mechanisms. These in turn are associated with various health conditions in different age groups and populations. This article argues that considering the impact of the socio-exposome in the biological profiling for precision oral health applications is necessary to ensure that definitions of biological risk do not override social ones. To facilitate the uptake of the socio-exposome in multiomics oral health studies and subsequent interventions, 3 pertinent facets are discussed. First, a summary of the epigenetic landscape of oral health is presented. Next, findings from the nondental literature are drawn on to elaborate the pathways and mechanisms that link the socio-exposome with gene expression-or the biological embedding of social experiences through epigenetics. Then, methodological considerations for implementing social epigenomics into oral health research are highlighted, with emphasis on the implications for study design and interpretation. The article concludes by shedding light on some of the current and prospective opportunities for social epigenomics research applied to the study of life course oral epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Gomaa
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, Canada
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12
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Olstad EW, Nordeng HME, Sandve GK, Lyle R, Gervin K. Low reliability of DNA methylation across Illumina Infinium platforms in cord blood: implications for replication studies and meta-analyses of prenatal exposures. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:80. [PMID: 35765087 PMCID: PMC9238140 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01299-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is an increasing interest in the role of epigenetics in epidemiology, but the emerging research field faces several critical biological and technical challenges. In particular, recent studies have shown poor correlation of measured DNA methylation (DNAm) levels within and across Illumina Infinium platforms in various tissues. In this study, we have investigated concordance between 450 k and EPIC Infinium platforms in cord blood. We could not replicate our previous findings on the association of prenatal paracetamol exposure with cord blood DNAm, which prompted an investigation of cross-platform DNAm differences. Results This study is based on two DNAm data sets from cord blood samples selected from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). DNAm of one data set was measured using the 450 k platform and the other data set was measured using the EPIC platform. Initial analyses of the EPIC data could not replicate any of our previous significant findings in the 450 k data on associations between prenatal paracetamol exposure and cord blood DNAm. A subset of the samples (n = 17) was included in both data sets, which enabled analyses of technical sources potentially contributing to the negative replication. Analyses of these 17 samples with repeated measurements revealed high per-sample correlations (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\stackrel{\mathrm{-}}{\text{R}}\hspace{0.17em}\approx$$\end{document}R-≈ 0.99), but low per-CpG correlations (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\stackrel{\mathrm{-}}{\text{R}}$$\end{document}R- ≈ 0.24) between the platforms. 1.7% of the CpGs exhibited a mean DNAm difference across platforms > 0.1. Furthermore, only 26.7% of the CpGs exhibited a moderate or better cross-platform reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient ≥ 0.5). Conclusion The observations of low cross-platform probe correlation and reliability corroborate previous reports in other tissues. Our study cannot determine the origin of the differences between platforms. Nevertheless, it emulates the setting in studies using data from multiple Infinium platforms, often analysed several years apart. Therefore, the findings may have important implications for future epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs), in replication, meta-analyses and longitudinal studies. Cognisance and transparency of the challenges related to cross-platform studies may enhance the interpretation, replicability and validity of EWAS results both in cord blood and other tissues, ultimately improving the clinical relevance of epigenetic epidemiology. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01299-3.
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13
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England-Mason G, Merrill SM, Gladish N, Moore SR, Giesbrecht GF, Letourneau N, MacIsaac JL, MacDonald AM, Kinniburgh DW, Ponsonby AL, Saffery R, Martin JW, Kobor MS, Dewey D. Prenatal exposure to phthalates and peripheral blood and buccal epithelial DNA methylation in infants: An epigenome-wide association study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 163:107183. [PMID: 35325772 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to phthalates has been associated with adverse health and neurodevelopmental outcomes. DNA methylation (DNAm) alterations may be a mechanism underlying these effects, but prior investigations of prenatal exposure to phthalates and neonatal DNAm profiles are limited to placental tissue and umbilical cord blood. OBJECTIVE Conduct an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of the associations between prenatal exposure to phthalates and DNAm in two accessible infant tissues, venous buffy coat blood and buccal epithelial cells (BECs). METHODS Participants included 152 maternal-infant pairs from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study. Maternal second trimester urine samples were analyzed for nine phthalate metabolites. Blood (n = 74) or BECs (n = 78) were collected from 3-month-old infants and profiled for DNAm using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K) BeadChip. Robust linear regressions were used to investigate the associations between high (HMWPs) and low molecular weight phthalates (LMWPs) and change in methylation levels at variable Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) sites in infant tissues, as well as the sensitivity of associations to potential confounders. RESULTS One candidate CpG in gene RNF39 reported by a previous study examining prenatal exposure to phthalates and cord blood DNAm was replicated. The EWAS identified 12 high-confidence CpGs in blood and another 12 in BECs associated with HMWPs and/or LMWPs. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) associated with two of the CpGs associated with HMWPs in BECs. DISCUSSION Prenatal exposure to phthalates was associated with DNAm variation at CpGs annotated to genes associated with endocrine hormone activity (i.e., SLCO4A1, TPO), immune pathways and DNA damage (i.e., RASGEF1B, KAZN, HLA-A, MYO18A, DIP2C, C1or109), and neurodevelopment (i.e., AMPH, NOTCH3, DNAJC5). Future studies that characterize the stability of these associations in larger samples, multiple cohorts, across tissues, and investigate the potential associations between these biomarkers and relevant health and neurodevelopmental outcomes are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian England-Mason
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sarah M Merrill
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah R Moore
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amy M MacDonald
- Alberta Centre for Toxicology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - David W Kinniburgh
- Alberta Centre for Toxicology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anne-Louise Ponsonby
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan W Martin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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14
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Müller S, Moser D, Frach L, Wimberger P, Nitzsche K, Li SC, Kirschbaum C, Alexander N. No long-term effects of antenatal synthetic glucocorticoid exposure on epigenetic regulation of stress-related genes. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:62. [PMID: 35173143 PMCID: PMC8850596 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01828-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Antenatal synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) treatment is a potent modifier of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In this context, epigenetic modifications are discussed as potential regulators explaining how prenatal exposure to GCs might translate into persistent changes of HPA axis "functioning". The purpose of this study was to investigate whether DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of stress-associated genes (NR3C1; FKBP5; SLC6A4) may mediate the persistent effects of sGC on cortisol stress reactivity that have been previously observed. In addition, hair cortisol concentrations (hairC) were investigated as a valid biomarker of long-term HPA axis activity. This cross-sectional study comprised 108 term-born children and adolescents, including individuals with antenatal GC treatment and controls. From whole blood, DNA methylation was analyzed by targeted deep bisulfite sequencing. Relative mRNA expression was determined by RT-qPCR experiments and qBase analysis. Acute stress reactivity was assessed by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) measuring salivary cortisol by ELISA and hairC concentrations were determined from hair samples by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. First, no differences in DNA methylation and mRNA expression levels of the stress-associated genes between individuals treated with antenatal sGC compared to controls were found. Second, DNA methylation and mRNA expression levels were neither associated with cortisol stress reactivity nor with hairC. These findings do not corroborate the belief that DNA methylation and mRNA expression profiles of stress-associated genes (NR3C1; FKBP5; SLC6A4) play a key mediating role of the persistent effects of sGC on HPA axis functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Müller
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Dirk Moser
- grid.5570.70000 0004 0490 981XDepartment of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Leonard Frach
- grid.5570.70000 0004 0490 981XDepartment of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany ,grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP UK
| | - Pauline Wimberger
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Katharina Nitzsche
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01602 Dresden, Germany ,grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257CeTI – Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Georg-Schumann-Str. 9, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01602 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nina Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Str. 8, 35039, Marburg, Germany. .,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany.
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15
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Moore SR, Merrill SM, Sekhon B, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, Giesbrecht GF, Letourneau N. Infant DNA methylation: an early indicator of intergenerational trauma? Early Hum Dev 2022; 164:105519. [PMID: 34890904 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases risk for mental and physical health problems. Intergenerationally, mothers' ACEs predict children's health problems including neurodevelopmental and behavioural problems and poorer physical health. Theories of intergenerational trauma suggest that ACEs experienced in one generation negatively affect the health and well-being of future generations, with DNA methylation (DNAm) being one of several potential biological explanations. To begin exploring this hypothesis, we tested whether infant DNA methylation associated with intergenerational trauma. Secondary analysis employed data from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study. Subsample data were collected from mothers during pregnancy and postpartum on measures of distress, stress and ACEs and from infants at 3 months of age on DNAm from blood (n = 92) and buccal epithelial cells (BECs; n = 124; primarily nonoverlapping individuals between tissues). Blood and BECs were examined in separate analyses. Preliminary associations identified in blood and BECs suggest that infant DNAm patterns may relate to maternal ACEs. For the majority of ACE-related DNAm sites, neither maternal perinatal distress, nor maternal cortisol awakening response (CAR; a measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis function), substantially reduced associations between maternal ACEs and infant DNAm. However, accounting for maternal perinatal distress and cortisol substantially changed the effect of ACEs in a greater proportion of blood DNAm sites than BEC DNAm sites in the top ACEs-associated correlated methylated regions (CMRs), as well as across all CMRs and all remaining CpGs (that did not fall into CMRs). Possible DNAm patterns in infants, thus, might capture a signature of maternal intergenerational trauma, and this effect appears to be more dependent on maternal perinatal distress and CAR in blood relative to BECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Moore
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah M Merrill
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bikram Sekhon
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics & Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics & Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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16
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Society to cell: How child poverty gets “Under the Skin” to influence child development and lifelong health. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2021.100983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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17
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Merrill SM, Moore SR, Gladish N, Giesbrecht GF, Dewey D, Konwar C, MacIssac JL, Kobor MS, Letourneau NL. Paternal adverse childhood experiences: Associations with infant DNA methylation. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22174. [PMID: 34333774 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22174] [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: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), or cumulative childhood stress exposures, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, predict later health problems in both the exposed individuals and their offspring. One potential explanation suggests exposure to early adversity predicts epigenetic modification, especially DNA methylation (DNAm), linked to later health. Stress experienced preconception by mothers may associate with DNAm in the next generation. We hypothesized that fathers' exposure to ACEs also associates with their offspring DNAm, which, to our knowledge, has not been previously explored. An epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of blood DNAm (n = 45) from 3-month-old infants was regressed onto fathers' retrospective ACEs at multiple Cytosine-phosphate-Guanosine (CpG) sites to discover associations. This accounted for infants' sex, age, ethnicity, cell type proportion, and genetic variability. Higher ACE scores associated with methylation values at eight CpGs. Post-hoc analysis found no contribution of paternal education, income, marital status, and parental postpartum depression, but did with paternal smoking and BMI along with infant sleep latency. These same CpGs also contributed to the association between paternal ACEs and offspring attention problems at 3 years. Collectively, these findings suggested there were biological associations with paternal early life adversity and offspring DNAm in infancy, potentially affecting offspring later childhood outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Merrill
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah R Moore
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Chaini Konwar
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIssac
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole L Letourneau
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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18
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Orri M, Boivin M, Chen C, Ahun MN, Geoffroy MC, Ouellet-Morin I, Tremblay RE, Côté SM. Cohort Profile: Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD). Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2021; 56:883-894. [PMID: 33185737 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-020-01972-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD) was designed to examine the long-term associations of preschool physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development with biopsychosocial development across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. METHODS QLSCD is an ongoing prospective cohort including 2120 singletons born in 1997/1998 in the Canadian province of Quebec. So far, data have been collected annually or every 2 years from child ages 5 months to 21 years. The cohort currently includes 1245 participants. Data available include a range of environmental (e.g., family characteristics, child behaviour, educational attainment, mental health), biological (e.g., hair cortisol, genetic, epigenetic), and administrative data. RESULTS QLSCD has contributed to the understanding of children's psychosocial development, including the development of physical aggression and anxiety. QLSCD articles have advanced scientific knowledge on the influence of early childhood factors on childhood, adolescent, and young adult mental health, including the effect of participation in early childcare on cognitive and behavioural development, the developmental origins of adolescent and young adult mental health problems and suicide risk, and the development of interpersonal difficulties (e.g., peer victimisation) from preschool years to adolescence. CONCLUSION QLSCD has given major contributions to our understanding of the link between different aspects of child development and biopsychosocial development during the first two decades of life. Unique features include the presence of environmental, biological, and administrative data, long-term follow-up with frequent data collections, and use of data from multiple informants, including teachers, mothers, fathers, and the children themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Orri
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, Department, Montreal, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Frank B. Common Pavilion, F-2101 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre, Inserm U1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Michel Boivin
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Chelsea Chen
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marilyn N Ahun
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, 3050 Edouard Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J7, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Geoffroy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, Department, Montreal, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Frank B. Common Pavilion, F-2101 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Education and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- Department of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Public Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sylvana M Côté
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre, Inserm U1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, 3050 Edouard Montpetit, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J7, Canada.
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19
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Olstad EW, Nordeng HME, Gervin K. Prenatal medication exposure and epigenetic outcomes: a systematic literature review and recommendations for prenatal pharmacoepigenetic studies. Epigenetics 2021; 17:357-380. [PMID: 33926354 PMCID: PMC8993058 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1903376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
When used during pregnancy, analgesics and psychotropics pass the placenta to enter the foetal circulation and may induce epigenetic modifications. Where such modifications occur and whether they disrupt normal foetal developme nt, are currently unanswered questions. This field of prenatal pharmacoepigenetics has received increasing attention, with several studies reporting associations between in utero medication exposure and offspring epigenetic outcomes. Nevertheless, no recent systematic review of the literature is available. Therefore, the objectives of this review were to (i) provide an overview of the literature on the association of prenatal exposure to psychotropics a nd analgesics with epigenetic outcomes, and (ii) suggest recommendations for future studies within prenatal pharmacoepigenetics. We performed systematic literature searches in five databases. The eligible studies assessed human prenatal exposure to psychotropics or analgesics, with epigenetic analyses of offspring tissue as an outcome. We identified 18 eligible studies including 4,419 neonates exposed to either antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, or methadone. The epigenetic outcome in all studies was DNA methylation in cord blood, placental tissue or buccal cells. Although most studies found significant differences in DNA methylation upon medication exposure, almost no differences were persistent across studies for similar medications and sequencing methods. The reviewed studies were challenging to compare due to poor transparency in reporting, and heterogeneous methodology, design, genome coverage, and statistical modelling. We propose 10 recommendations for future prenatal pharmacoepigenetic studies considering both epidemiological and epigenetic perspectives. These recommendations may improve the quality, comparability, and clinical relevance of such studies. PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42020166675.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Willoch Olstad
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hedvig Marie Egeland Nordeng
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristina Gervin
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Research, Innovation and Education, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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20
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Abstract
Aim: Social scientists have placed particularly high expectations on the study of epigenomics to explain how exposure to adverse social factors like poverty, child maltreatment and racism - particularly early in childhood - might contribute to complex diseases. However, progress has stalled, reflecting many of the same challenges faced in genomics, including overhype, lack of diversity in samples, limited replication and difficulty interpreting significance of findings. Materials & methods: This review focuses on the future of social epigenomics by discussing progress made, ongoing methodological and analytical challenges and suggestions for improvement. Results & conclusion: Recommendations include more diverse sample types, cross-cultural, longitudinal and multi-generational studies. True integration of social and epigenomic data will require increased access to both data types in publicly available databases, enhanced data integration frameworks, and more collaborative efforts between social scientists and geneticists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Non
- Department of Anthropology at the University of California, San Diego, 92093 CA, USA
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21
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Letourneau N, Ntanda H, Jong VL, Mahinpey N, Giesbrecht G, Ross KM. Prenatal maternal distress and immune cell epigenetic profiles at 3-months of age. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:973-984. [PMID: 33569773 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22103] [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: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal distress predicts altered offspring immune outcomes, potentially via altered epigenetics. The role of different kinds of prenatal maternal distress on DNA methylation profiles is not understood. METHODS A sample of 117 women (APrON cohort) were followed from pregnancy to the postpartum period. Maternal distress (depressive symptoms, pregnancy-specific anxiety, stressful life events) were assessed mid-pregnancy, late-pregnancy, and 3-months postpartum. DNA methylation profiles were obtained from 3-month-old blood samples. Principal component analysis identified two epigenetic components, characterized as Immune Signaling and DNA Transcription through gene network analysis. Covariates were maternal demographics, pre-pregnancy body mass index, child sex, birth gestational age, and postpartum maternal distress. Penalized regression (LASSO) models were used. RESULTS Late-pregnancy stressful life events, b = 0.006, early-pregnancy depressive symptoms, b = 0.027, late-pregnancy depressive symptoms, b = 0.014, and pregnancy-specific anxiety during late pregnancy, b = -0.631, were predictive of the Immune Signaling component, suggesting that these aspects of maternal distress could affect methylation in offspring immune signaling pathways. Only early-pregnancy depressive symptoms was predictive of the DNA Transcription component, b = -0.0004, suggesting that this aspect of maternal distress is implicated in methylation of offspring DNA transcription pathways. CONCLUSIONS Exposure timing and kind of prenatal maternal distress could matter in the prediction of infant immune epigenetic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Victor L Jong
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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22
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Abu Hamdeh S, Ciuculete DM, Sarkisyan D, Bakalkin G, Ingelsson M, Schiöth HB, Marklund N. Differential DNA Methylation of the Genes for Amyloid Precursor Protein, Tau, and Neurofilaments in Human Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2021; 38:1679-1688. [PMID: 33191850 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2020.7283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an established risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders and dementias. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, may alter the expression of genes without altering the DNA sequence in response to environmental factors. We hypothesized that DNA methylation changes may occur in the injured human brain and be implicated in the neurodegenerative aftermath of TBI. The DNA methylation status of genes related to neurodegeneration; for example, amyloid beta precursor protein (APP), microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), neurofilament heavy (NEFH), neurofilament medium (NEFM), and neurofilament light (NEFL), was analyzed in fresh, surgically resected human brain tissue from 17 severe TBI patients and compared with brain biopsy samples from 19 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). We also performed an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) comparing TBI patients with iNPH controls. Thirty-eight CpG sites in the APP, MAPT, NEFH, and NEFL genes were differentially methylated by TBI. Among the top 20 differentially methylated CpG sites, 11 were in the APP gene. In addition, the EWAS evaluating 828,888 CpG sites revealed 308 differentially methylated CpG sites in genes related to cellular/anatomical structure development, cell differentiation, and anatomical morphogenesis. These preliminary findings provide the first evidence of an altered DNA methylome in the injured human brain, and may have implications for the neurodegenerative disorders associated with TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Abu Hamdeh
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Diana-Maria Ciuculete
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniil Sarkisyan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Georgy Bakalkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Department of Public Health/Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helgi B Schiöth
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Niklas Marklund
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurosurgery, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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23
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Premji SS, Shaikh K, Lalani S, Yim IS, Moore S, Ali NA, Aijaz S, Letourneau N. COVID-19 and Women's Health: A Low- and Middle-Income Country Perspective. Front Glob Womens Health 2020; 1:572158. [PMID: 34816156 PMCID: PMC8593932 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2020.572158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), a contagious disease, is a global pandemic affecting the lives and health of individuals across borders, genders and races. Much of what is known about the effects of natural disasters and disease outbreaks on women's health in particular, is based on studies conducted in high-income countries. The evolving evidence suggests that COVID-19 has a profound negative impact on the perinatal mental health of women. It is also clear that global pandemics such as COVID-19 disproportionately affect the less affluent, including individuals living in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this review is to summarize and critically discuss extant knowledge on COVID-19 as it relates to the perinatal health of women in low and middle-income countries, using Pakistan as a case example. We specifically highlight the effects on perinatal mental health, preterm birth, and timing of the COVID-19 exposure. Our review suggests that it is essential to consider the effects of COVID-19 within this cultural context and that findings from high-income countries do not necessarily translate to the situation in low and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahirose Sadrudin Premji
- Faculty of Health, School of Nursing, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Shahirose Sadrudin Premji
| | - Kiran Shaikh
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sharifa Lalani
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ilona S. Yim
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Sarah Moore
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Naureen Akber Ali
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Saher Aijaz
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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24
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Seidel M, Ehrlich S, Breithaupt L, Welch E, Wiklund C, Hübel C, Thornton LM, Savva A, Fundin BT, Pege J, Billger A, Abbaspour A, Schaefer M, Boehm I, Zvrskovec J, Rosager EV, Hasselbalch KC, Leppä V, Sjögren M, Nergårdh R, Feusner JD, Ghaderi A, Bulik CM. Study protocol of comprehensive risk evaluation for anorexia nervosa in twins (CREAT): a study of discordant monozygotic twins with anorexia nervosa. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:507. [PMID: 33054774 PMCID: PMC7557028 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-02903-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe disorder, for which genetic evidence suggests psychiatric as well as metabolic origins. AN has high somatic and psychiatric comorbidities, broad impact on quality of life, and elevated mortality. Risk factor studies of AN have focused on differences between acutely ill and recovered individuals. Such comparisons often yield ambiguous conclusions, as alterations could reflect different effects depending on the comparison. Whereas differences found in acutely ill patients could reflect state effects that are due to acute starvation or acute disease-specific factors, they could also reflect underlying traits. Observations in recovered individuals could reflect either an underlying trait or a "scar" due to lasting effects of sustained undernutrition and illness. The co-twin control design (i.e., monozygotic [MZ] twins who are discordant for AN and MZ concordant control twin pairs) affords at least partial disambiguation of these effects. METHODS Comprehensive Risk Evaluation for Anorexia nervosa in Twins (CREAT) will be the largest and most comprehensive investigation of twins who are discordant for AN to date. CREAT utilizes a co-twin control design that includes endocrinological, neurocognitive, neuroimaging, genomic, and multi-omic approaches coupled with an experimental component that explores the impact of an overnight fast on most measured parameters. DISCUSSION The multimodal longitudinal twin assessment of the CREAT study will help to disambiguate state, trait, and "scar" effects, and thereby enable a deeper understanding of the contribution of genetics, epigenetics, cognitive functions, brain structure and function, metabolism, endocrinology, microbiology, and immunology to the etiology and maintenance of AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Seidel
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany ,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Elisabeth Welch
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.467087.a0000 0004 0442 1056Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm Centre for Eating Disorders, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Camilla Wiklund
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Christopher Hübel
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK ,grid.37640.360000 0000 9439 0839UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK ,grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Laura M. Thornton
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Androula Savva
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Bengt T. Fundin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Jessica Pege
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Annelie Billger
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Afrouz Abbaspour
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Martin Schaefer
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ilka Boehm
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Johan Zvrskovec
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden ,grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Emilie Vangsgaard Rosager
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Virpi Leppä
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden
| | - Magnus Sjögren
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ,Eating Disorder Research Unit, Mental Health Center Ballerup, Ballerup, Denmark
| | - Ricard Nergårdh
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jamie D. Feusner
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Ata Ghaderi
- grid.13097.3c0000 0001 2322 6764Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK ,grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cynthia M. Bulik
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutetet, Nobels väg 12A, 17165 Stockholm, Solna Sweden ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC USA ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC USA
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25
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Moser DA, Müller S, Hummel EM, Limberg AS, Dieckmann L, Frach L, Pakusch J, Flasbeck V, Brüne M, Beygo J, Klein-Hitpass L, Kumsta R. Targeted bisulfite sequencing: A novel tool for the assessment of DNA methylation with high sensitivity and increased coverage. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 120:104784. [PMID: 32673938 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation analysis is increasingly used in stress research. Available methods are expensive, laborious and often limited by either the analysis of short CpG stretches or low assay sensitivity. Here, we present a cost-efficient next generation sequencing-based strategy for the simultaneous investigation of multiple candidate genes in large cohorts. To illustrate the method, we present analysis of four candidate genes commonly assessed in psychoneuroendocrine research: Glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), Serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), FKBP Prolyl isomerase 5 (FKBP5), and the Oxytocin receptor (OXTR). DNA methylation standards (100 %; 75 %; 50 %; 25 % and 0 %) and DNA of a female and male donor were bisulfite treated in three independent trials and were used to generate sequencing libraries for 42 CpGs from the NR3C1 1 F promoter region, 84 CpGs of the SLC6A4 5' regulatory region, 5 CpGs located in FKBP5 intron 7, and additional 12 CpGs located in a potential enhancer element in intron 3 of the OXTR. In addition, DNA of 45 patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and 45 healthy controls was assayed. Multiplex libraries of all samples were sequenced on a MiSeq system and analyzed for mean methylation values of all CpG sites using amplikyzer2 software. Results indicated excellent accuracy of the assays when investigating replicates generated from the same bisulfite converted DNA, and very high linearity (R2 > 0.9) of the assays shown by the analysis of differentially methylated DNA standards. Comparing DNA methylation between BPD and healthy controls revealed no biologically relevant differences. The technical approach as described here facilitates targeted DNA methylation analysis and represents a highly sensitive, cost-efficient and high throughput tool to close the gap between coverage and precision in epigenetic research of stress-associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - S Müller
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - E M Hummel
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - A S Limberg
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - L Dieckmann
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - L Frach
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - J Pakusch
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - V Flasbeck
- LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - M Brüne
- LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - J Beygo
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - L Klein-Hitpass
- Institute of Cell Biology (Tumor Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - R Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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26
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Qing L, Liu L, Zhou L, Zhang F, Gao C, Hu L, Nie S. Sex-dependent association of mineralocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C2) DNA methylation and schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res 2020; 292:113318. [PMID: 32712448 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. Epigenetic regulation mediates gene-environment interactions by modulating gene expression. Abnormal activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been widely reported in schizophrenia patients. The DNA methylation levels of critical genes are associated with HPA axis activity, which is linked to schizophrenia pathogenesis. The mineralocorticoid receptor gene NR3C2 regulates HPA axis activity. However, how NR3C2 methylation affects the development of schizophrenia remains unknown. Here, we investigated the DNA methylation state of NR3C2, including the promoter P1 (NR3C2-1, NR3C2-2 and NR3C2-3) and exon 1α and its downstream sequence (NR3C2-4), in schizophrenia. Peripheral blood DNA from 80 schizophrenia patients and 128 healthy controls was used to assess NR3C2 DNA methylation via sodium bisulfite treatment and the MethylTarget method. NR3C2-4 region was hypermethylated in schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls in the female group. Specific CpG sites in P1 and NR3C2-4 region were associated with schizophrenia, with sex-specific effects. These findings showed a relationship between NR3C2 DNA methylation and schizophrenia, revealing that epigenetic processes may mediate schizophrenia pathophysiology. Further research should address the potential epigenetic mechanisms of the relationship between NR3C2 and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Qing
- School of Forensic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China
| | - Linlin Liu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China
| | - Li Zhou
- Mental Health Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Mental Health Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China
| | - Changqing Gao
- Mental Health Center of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China.
| | - Liping Hu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China.
| | - Shengjie Nie
- School of Forensic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, People's Republc of China.
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27
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McEwen LM, O'Donnell KJ, McGill MG, Edgar RD, Jones MJ, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Ramadori K, Morin A, Gladish N, Garg E, Unternaehrer E, Pokhvisneva I, Karnani N, Kee MZL, Klengel T, Adler NE, Barr RG, Letourneau N, Giesbrecht GF, Reynolds JN, Czamara D, Armstrong JM, Essex MJ, de Weerth C, Beijers R, Tollenaar MS, Bradley B, Jovanovic T, Ressler KJ, Steiner M, Entringer S, Wadhwa PD, Buss C, Bush NR, Binder EB, Boyce WT, Meaney MJ, Horvath S, Kobor MS. The PedBE clock accurately estimates DNA methylation age in pediatric buccal cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:23329-23335. [PMID: 31611402 PMCID: PMC7519312 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820843116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of biological markers of aging has primarily focused on adult samples. Epigenetic clocks are a promising tool for measuring biological age that show impressive accuracy across most tissues and age ranges. In adults, deviations from the DNA methylation (DNAm) age prediction are correlated with several age-related phenotypes, such as mortality and frailty. In children, however, fewer such associations have been made, possibly because DNAm changes are more dynamic in pediatric populations as compared to adults. To address this gap, we aimed to develop a highly accurate, noninvasive, biological measure of age specific to pediatric samples using buccal epithelial cell DNAm. We gathered 1,721 genome-wide DNAm profiles from 11 different cohorts of typically developing individuals aged 0 to 20 y old. Elastic net penalized regression was used to select 94 CpG sites from a training dataset (n = 1,032), with performance assessed in a separate test dataset (n = 689). DNAm at these 94 CpG sites was highly predictive of age in the test cohort (median absolute error = 0.35 y). The Pediatric-Buccal-Epigenetic (PedBE) clock was characterized in additional cohorts, showcasing the accuracy in longitudinal data, the performance in nonbuccal tissues and adult age ranges, and the association with obstetric outcomes. The PedBE tool for measuring biological age in children might help in understanding the environmental and contextual factors that shape the DNA methylome during child development, and how it, in turn, might relate to child health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M McEwen
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
| | - Megan G McGill
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
| | - Rachel D Edgar
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - David Tse Shen Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Katia Ramadori
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Alexander Morin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Nicole Gladish
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Elika Garg
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
| | - Eva Unternaehrer
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
| | - Irina Pokhvisneva
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
| | - Neerja Karnani
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); Singapore 117609
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596
| | - Michelle Z L Kee
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); Singapore 117609
| | - Torsten Klengel
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School-McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - Nancy E Adler
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Ronald G Barr
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1
- Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - James N Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Jeffrey M Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Marilyn J Essex
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 HR, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, 6525 HR, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, 2300 RB, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bekh Bradley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School-McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478
| | - Meir Steiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - W Thomas Boyce
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4H 1R3
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); Singapore 117609
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095;
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia-BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4;
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1M1
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28
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Keverne J, Binder EB. A Review of epigenetics in psychiatry: focus on environmental risk factors. MED GENET-BERLIN 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2020-2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications play a key role in development and cell type specificity. These modifications seem to be particularly critical for brain development, where mutations in epigenetic enzymes have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders as well as with the function of post-mitotic neurons. Epigenetic modifications can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors, both known major risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Epigenetic modifications may thus be an important mediator of the effects of genetic and environmental risk factors on cell function.
This review summarizes the different types of epigenetic regulation and then focuses on the mechanisms transducing environmental signals, especially adverse life events that are major risk factors for psychiatric disorders, into lasting epigenetic changes. This is followed by examples of how the environment can induce epigenetic changes that relate to the risk of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry , Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry , Kraepelinstr. 2-10 , Munich , Germany
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Ciuculete DM, Voisin S, Kular L, Jonsson J, Rask-Andersen M, Mwinyi J, Schiöth HB. meQTL and ncRNA functional analyses of 102 GWAS-SNPs associated with depression implicate HACE1 and SHANK2 genes. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:99. [PMID: 32616021 PMCID: PMC7333393 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about how genetics and epigenetics interplay in depression. Evidence suggests that genetic variants may change vulnerability to depression by modulating DNA methylation (DNAm) and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) levels. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the genetic variation, previously identified in the largest genome-wide association study for depression, on proximal DNAm and ncRNA levels. RESULTS We performed DNAm quantitative trait locus (meQTL) analysis in two independent cohorts (total n = 435 healthy individuals), testing associations between 102 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and DNAm levels in whole blood. We identified and replicated 64 SNP-CpG pairs (padj. < 0.05) with meQTL effect. Lower DNAm at cg02098413 located in the HACE1 promoter conferred by the risk allele (C allele) at rs1933802 was associated with higher risk for depression (praw = 0.014, DNAm = 2.3%). In 1202 CD14+ cells sorted from blood, DNAm at cg02088412 positively correlated with HACE1 mRNA expression. Investigation in postmortem brain tissue of adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) indicated 1% higher DNAm at cg02098413 in neurons and lower HACE1 mRNA expression in CA1 hippocampus of MDD patients compared with healthy controls (p = 0.008 and 0.012, respectively). Expression QTL analysis in blood of 74 adolescent revealed that hsa-miR-3664-5p was associated with rs7117514 (SHANK2) (padj. = 0.015, mRNA difference = 5.2%). Gene ontology analysis of the miRNA target genes highlighted implication in neuronal processes. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our findings from a multi-tissue (blood and brain) and multi-layered (genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic) approach suggest that genetic factors may influence depression by modulating DNAm and miRNA levels. Alterations at HACE1 and SHANK2 loci imply potential mechanisms, such as oxidative stress in the brain, underlying depression. Our results deepened the knowledge of molecular mechanisms in depression and suggest new epigenetic targets that should be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Ciuculete
- Department of Neuroscience, Functional Pharmacology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 593, Husargatan 3, 753124, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Sarah Voisin
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Footscray, VIC, 3011, Australia
| | - Lara Kular
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Jonsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Functional Pharmacology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 593, Husargatan 3, 753124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mathias Rask-Andersen
- Department of Immunology, Genetic and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica Mwinyi
- Department of Neuroscience, Functional Pharmacology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 593, Husargatan 3, 753124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helgi B Schiöth
- Department of Neuroscience, Functional Pharmacology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 593, Husargatan 3, 753124, Uppsala, Sweden.,Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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30
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Moore SR, Humphreys KL, Colich NL, Davis EG, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, Gotlib IH. Distinctions between sex and time in patterns of DNA methylation across puberty. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:389. [PMID: 32493224 PMCID: PMC7268482 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06789-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are significant sex differences in human physiology and disease; the genomic sources of these differences, however, are not well understood. During puberty, a drastic neuroendocrine shift signals physical changes resulting in robust sex differences in human physiology. Here, we explore how shifting patterns of DNA methylation may inform these pathways of biological plasticity during the pubertal transition. In this study we analyzed DNA methylation (DNAm) in saliva at two time points across the pubertal transition within the same individuals. Our purpose was to compare two domains of DNAm patterns that may inform processes of sexual differentiation 1) sex related sites, which demonstrated differences between males from females and 2) time related sites in which DNAm shifted significantly between timepoints. We further explored the correlated network structure sex and time related DNAm networks and linked these patterns to pubertal stage, assays of salivary testosterone, a reliable diagnostic of free, unbound hormone that is available to act on target tissues, and overlap with androgen response elements. RESULTS Sites that differed by biological sex were largely independent of sites that underwent change across puberty. Time-related DNAm sites, but not sex-related sites, formed correlated networks that were associated with pubertal stage. Both time and sex DNAm networks reflected salivary testosterone levels that were enriched for androgen response elements, with sex-related DNAm networks being informative of testosterone levels above and beyond biological sex later in the pubertal transition. CONCLUSIONS These results inform our understanding of the distinction between sex- and time-related differences in DNAm during the critical period of puberty and highlight a novel linkage between correlated patterns of sex-related DNAm and levels of salivary testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rose Moore
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
| | - Kathryn Leigh Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Pl, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - Natalie Lisanne Colich
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington Seattle, Guthrie Hall (GTH), 119A 98195-1525, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Elena Goetz Davis
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - David Tse Shen Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Julia Lynn MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Michael Steffen Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Ian Henry Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms govern the transcription of the genome. Research with model systems reveals that environmental conditions can directly influence epigenetic mechanisms that are associated with interindividual differences in gene expression in brain and neural function. In this review, we provide a brief overview of epigenetic mechanisms and research with relevant rodent models. We emphasize more recent translational research programs in epigenetics as well as the challenges inherent in the integration of epigenetics into developmental and clinical psychology. Our objectives are to present an update with respect to the translational relevance of epigenetics for the study of psychopathology and to consider the state of current research with respect to its potential importance for clinical research and practice in mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran J O'Donnell
- Department of Psychiatry and Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada; .,Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3H 1R4, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry and Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada; .,Child and Brain Development Program, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 117609 Singapore.,Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228 Singapore
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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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Variability in DNA methylation at the serotonin transporter gene promoter: epigenetic mechanism or cell-type artifact? Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:1906-1909. [PMID: 30082839 PMCID: PMC7473835 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0121-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Abstract
Biological embedding occurs when life experience alters biological processes to affect later life health and well-being. Although extensive correlative data exist supporting the notion that epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation underlie biological embedding, causal data are lacking. We describe specific epigenetic mechanisms and their potential roles in the biological embedding of experience. We also consider the nuanced relationships between the genome, the epigenome, and gene expression. Our ability to connect biological embedding to the epigenetic landscape in its complexity is challenging and complicated by the influence of multiple factors. These include cell type, age, the timing of experience, sex, and DNA sequence. Recent advances in molecular profiling and epigenome editing, combined with the use of comparative animal and human longitudinal studies, should enable this field to transition from correlative to causal analyses.
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35
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Humphreys KL, Moore SR, Davis EG, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Kobor MS, Gotlib IH. DNA methylation of HPA-axis genes and the onset of major depressive disorder in adolescent girls: a prospective analysis. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:245. [PMID: 31582756 PMCID: PMC6776528 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0582-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The stress response system is disrupted in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) as well as in those at elevated risk for developing MDD. We examined whether DNA methylation (DNAm) levels of CpG sites within HPA-axis genes predict the onset of MDD. Seventy-seven girls, approximately half (n = 37) of whom were at familial risk for MDD, were followed longitudinally. Saliva samples were taken in adolescence (M age = 13.06 years [SD = 1.52]) when participants had no current or past MDD diagnosis. Diagnostic interviews were administered approximately every 18 months until the first onset of MDD or early adulthood (M age of last follow-up = 19.23 years [SD = 2.69]). We quantified DNAm in saliva samples using the Illumina EPIC chip and examined CpG sites within six key HPA-axis genes (NR3C1, NR3C2, CRH, CRHR1, CRHR2, FKBP5) alongside 59 genotypes for tagging SNPs capturing cis genetic variability. DNAm levels within CpG sites in NR3C1, CRH, CRHR1, and CRHR2 were associated with risk for MDD across adolescence and young adulthood. To rule out the possibility that findings were merely due to the contribution of genetic variability, we re-analyzed the data controlling for cis genetic variation within these candidate genes. Importantly, methylation levels in these CpG sites continued to significantly predict the onset of MDD, suggesting that variation in the epigenome, independent of proximal genetic variants, prospectively predicts the onset of MDD. These findings suggest that variation in the HPA axis at the level of the methylome may predict the development of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L. Humphreys
- 0000 0001 2264 7217grid.152326.1Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Sarah R. Moore
- 0000 0001 2288 9830grid.17091.3eBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Elena Goetz Davis
- 0000000419368956grid.168010.eDepartment of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Julie L. MacIsaac
- 0000 0001 2288 9830grid.17091.3eBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - David T. S. Lin
- 0000 0001 2288 9830grid.17091.3eBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- 0000 0001 2288 9830grid.17091.3eBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Ian H. Gotlib
- 0000000419368956grid.168010.eDepartment of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
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36
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Miguel PM, Pereira LO, Silveira PP, Meaney MJ. Early environmental influences on the development of children's brain structure and function. Dev Med Child Neurol 2019; 61:1127-1133. [PMID: 30740660 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The developing brain in utero and during the first years of life is highly vulnerable to environmental influences. Experiences occurring during this period permanently modify brain structure and function through epigenetic modifications (alterations of the DNA structure and chromatin function) and consequently affect the susceptibility to mental disorders. In this review, we describe evidence linking adverse environmental variation during early life (from the fetal period to childhood) and long-term changes in brain volume, microstructure, and connectivity, especially in amygdala and hippocampal regions. We also describe genetic variations that moderate the impact of adverse environmental conditions on child neurodevelopment, such as polymorphisms in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and catechol-O-methyltransferase genes, as well as genetic pathways related to glutamate and monoaminergic signaling. Lastly, we have depicted positive early life experiences that could benefit childhood neurodevelopment and reverse some detrimental effects of adversity in the offspring. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Prenatal, peripartum, and postnatal adversities influence child behavior and neurodevelopment. Exposure to environmental enrichment and positive influences may revert these effects. Putative mechanisms involve alterations in neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitter systems. New tools/big data improved the understanding on how early adversity alters neurodevelopment. This permits better translation/application of the findings from animal models to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia M Miguel
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lenir O Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrícia P Silveira
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
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Hübel C, Marzi SJ, Breen G, Bulik CM. Epigenetics in eating disorders: a systematic review. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:901-915. [PMID: 30353170 PMCID: PMC6544542 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0254-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Eating disorders are complex heritable conditions influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Given the progress of genomic discovery in anorexia nervosa, with the identification of the first genome-wide significant locus, as well as animated discussion of epigenetic mechanisms in linking environmental factors with disease onset, our goal was to conduct a systematic review of the current body of evidence on epigenetic factors in eating disorders to inform future directions in this area. Following PRISMA guidelines, two independent authors conducted a search within PubMed and Web of Science and identified 18 journal articles and conference abstracts addressing anorexia nervosa (n = 13), bulimia nervosa (n = 6), and binge-eating disorder (n = 1), published between January 2003 and October 2017. We reviewed all articles and included a critical discussion of field-specific methodological considerations. The majority of epigenetic analyses of eating disorders investigated methylation at candidate genes (n = 13), focusing on anorexia and bulimia nervosa in very small samples with considerable sample overlap across published studies. Three studies used microarray-based technologies to examine DNA methylation across the genome of anorexia nervosa and binge-eating disorder patients. Overall, results were inconclusive and were primarily exploratory in nature. The field of epigenetics in eating disorders remains in its infancy. We encourage the scientific community to apply methodologically sound approaches using genome-wide designs including epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS), to increase sample sizes, and to broaden the focus to include all eating disorder types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Hübel
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK,UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley Hospital and King’s College London, London, UK,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sarah J. Marzi
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK,The Blizard Institute, Barts and the London Medical School, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK,UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley Hospital and King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Cynthia M. Bulik
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC,Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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Hidden hypotheses in ‘hypothesis-free’ genome-wide epigenetic associations. Curr Opin Psychol 2019; 27:13-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Binder EB. [Environment and epigenetics]. DER NERVENARZT 2019; 90:107-113. [PMID: 30643952 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-018-0657-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Environmental factors are among the strongest risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Differences in exposure to such environments have been associated with lasting biological changes. In recent years epigenetic mechanisms have been brought to the forefront as central in mediating a lasting embedding of environmental risk factors. This article first summarizes the different levels of epigenetic regulation and then focuses on mechanisms transducing environmental signals into lasting epigenetic changes. This is followed by examples of how environmentally induced epigenetic changes relate to risk and resilience to psychiatric disorders and their treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth B Binder
- Abteilung für translationale Forschung für Psychiatrie, Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, München, Deutschland. .,Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA.
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40
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Abstract
For more than 50 years, psychologists, gerontologists, and, more recently, neuroscientists have considered the possibility of successful aging. How to define successful aging remains debated, but well-preserved age-sensitive cognitive functions, like episodic memory, is an often-suggested criterion. Evidence for successful memory aging comes from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showing that some older individuals display high and stable levels of performance. Successful memory aging may be accomplished via multiple paths. One path is through brain maintenance, or relative lack of age-related brain pathology. Through another path, successful memory aging can be accomplished despite brain pathology by means of efficient compensatory and strategic processes. Genetic, epigenetic, and lifestyle factors influence memory aging via both paths. Some of these factors can be promoted throughout the life course, which, at the individual as well as the societal level, can positively impact successful memory aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Nyberg
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sara Pudas
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden
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Integration of DNA methylation patterns and genetic variation in human pediatric tissues help inform EWAS design and interpretation. Epigenetics Chromatin 2019; 12:1. [PMID: 30602389 PMCID: PMC6314079 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-018-0245-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The widespread use of accessible peripheral tissues for epigenetic analyses has prompted increasing interest in the study of tissue-specific DNA methylation (DNAm) variation in human populations. To date, characterizations of inter-individual DNAm variability and DNAm concordance across tissues have been largely performed in adult tissues and therefore are limited in their relevance to DNAm profiles from pediatric samples. Given that DNAm patterns in early life undergo rapid changes and have been linked to a wide range of health outcomes and environmental exposures, direct investigations of tissue-specific DNAm variation in pediatric samples may help inform the design and interpretation of DNAm analyses from early life cohorts. In this study, we present a systematic comparison of genome-wide DNAm patterns between matched pediatric buccal epithelial cells (BECs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), two of the most widely used peripheral tissues in human epigenetic studies. Specifically, we assessed DNAm variability, cross-tissue DNAm concordance and genetic determinants of DNAm across two independent early life cohorts encompassing different ages. Results BECs had greater inter-individual DNAm variability compared to PBMCs and highly the variable CpGs are more likely to be positively correlated between the matched tissues compared to less variable CpGs. These sites were enriched for CpGs under genetic influence, suggesting that a substantial proportion of DNAm covariation between tissues can be attributed to genetic variation. Finally, we demonstrated the relevance of our findings to human epigenetic studies by categorizing CpGs from published DNAm association studies of pediatric BECs and peripheral blood. Conclusions Taken together, our results highlight a number of important considerations and practical implications in the design and interpretation of EWAS analyses performed in pediatric peripheral tissues. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-018-0245-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Kraaijenvanger EJ, He Y, Spencer H, Smith AK, Bos PA, Boks MP. Epigenetic variability in the human oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene: A possible pathway from early life experiences to psychopathologies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 96:127-142. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Thomas M, Knoblich N, Wallisch A, Glowacz K, Becker-Sadzio J, Gundel F, Brückmann C, Nieratschker V. Increased BDNF methylation in saliva, but not blood, of patients with borderline personality disorder. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:109. [PMID: 30134995 PMCID: PMC6106893 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0544-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The importance of epigenetic alterations in psychiatric disorders is increasingly acknowledged and the use of DNA methylation patterns as markers of disease is a topic of ongoing investigation. Recent studies suggest that patients suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) display differential DNA methylation of various genes relevant for neuropsychiatric conditions. For example, several studies report differential methylation in the promoter region of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) in blood. However, little is known about BDNF methylation in other tissues. Results In the present study, we analyzed DNA methylation of the BDNF IV promoter in saliva and blood of 41 BPD patients and 41 matched healthy controls and found significant hypermethylation in the BPD patient’s saliva, but not blood. Further, we report that BDNF methylation in saliva of BPD patients significantly decreased after a 12-week psychotherapeutic intervention. Conclusions Providing a direct comparison of BDNF methylation in blood and saliva of the same individuals, our results demonstrate the importance of choice of tissue for the study of DNA methylation. In addition, they indicate a better suitability of saliva for the study of differential BDNF methylation in BPD patients. Further, our data appear to indicate a reversal of disease-specific alterations in BDNF methylation in response to psychotherapy, though further experiments are necessary to validate these results and determine the specificity of the effect. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-018-0544-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nora Knoblich
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annalena Wallisch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Glowacz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Becker-Sadzio
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Friederike Gundel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christof Brückmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Nieratschker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstr. 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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Barker ED. Epigenetics, Early Adversity and Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Psychopathology 2018; 51:71-75. [PMID: 29478063 DOI: 10.1159/000486683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modification, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), is a mechanism that can help explain how early adversities can engender long-term vulnerability for mental health problems. At present, there is preliminary evidence to support the possibility of epigenetic mediation: environmental factors are reported to influence offspring DNAm, which in turn associate with child and adolescent psychopathology. However, all analyses have been correlational in nature and, as these studies have focussed on children and adolescents, DNAm has been based on peripheral tissue (cord blood, whole blood, buccal cells). Therefore, the extent to which DNAm could represent a causal mechanism (e.g., a surrogate of central nervous system function) or a biomarker (i.e., an indicator of the pathological process leading to disease) is unclear. This short report has 2 main components. First, 2 studies are summarized, one a candidate gene study and the other an epigenome-wide association study in which DNAm was reported to (partially) mediate the link between adversity and child development. Second, there is a discussion of (1) the "tissue issue," (2) maximizing the interpretability of candidate gene and epigenome-wide approaches, and (3) the need for examining DNAm as a potential biomarker for mental health. It is argued that advances within these 3 areas will make clearer the role of DNAm in the link between adversity and child and adolescent mental health.
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Parent J, Parade SH, Laumann LE, Ridout KK, Yang BZ, Marsit CJ, Seifer R, Tyrka AR. Dynamic stress-related epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter during early development: The role of child maltreatment. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 29:1635-1648. [PMID: 29162170 PMCID: PMC5726533 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics processes may play a vital role in the biological embedding of early environmental adversity and the development of psychopathology. Accumulating evidence suggests that maltreatment is linked to methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), which is a key regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, prior work has been exclusively cross-sectional, greatly constraining our understanding of stress-related epigenetic processes over time. In the current study, we examined the effect of maltreatment and other adversity on change in NR3C1 methylation among at-risk preschoolers to begin to characterize within-child epigenetic changes during this sensitive developmental period. Participants were 260 preschoolers (3-5 years old, 53.8% female), including 51.5% with moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. Child protection records, semistructured interviews, and parent reports were used to assess child stress exposure. Methylation of exons 1D and 1F of NR3C1 via saliva DNA were measured at two time points approximately 6 months apart. Results indicate that maltreated children evidence higher baseline levels of NR3C1 methylation, significant decreases in methylation over time, and then at follow-up, lower levels of methylation, relative to nonmaltreated preschoolers. Findings from the current study highlight the complex nature of stress-related epigenetic processes during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Parent
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
| | - Laura E. Laumann
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
| | - Kathryn K. Ridout
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
| | - Bao-Zhu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
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