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Park S, Hunter ES. Modeling the human placenta: in vitro applications in developmental and reproductive toxicology. Crit Rev Toxicol 2024; 54:431-464. [PMID: 39016688 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2023.2295349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
During its temporary tenure, the placenta has extensive and specialized functions that are critical for pre- and post-natal development. The consequences of chemical exposure in utero can have profound effects on the structure and function of pregnancy-associated tissues and the life-long health of the birthing person and their offspring. However, the toxicological importance and critical functions of the placenta to embryonic and fetal development and maturation have been understudied. This narrative will review early placental development in humans and highlight some in vitro models currently in use that are or can be applied to better understand placental processes underlying developmental toxicity due to in utero environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Park
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Edward Sidney Hunter
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Bakhireva LN, Solomon E, Roberts MH, Ma X, Rai R, Wiesel A, Jacobson SW, Weinberg J, Milligan ED. Independent and Combined Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Prenatal Stress on Fetal HPA Axis Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2690. [PMID: 38473937 PMCID: PMC10932119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and prenatal stress (PS) are highly prevalent conditions known to affect fetal programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of light PAE, PS, and PAE-PS interaction on fetal HPA axis activity assessed via placental and umbilical cord blood biomarkers. Participants of the ENRICH-2 cohort were recruited during the second trimester and classified into the PAE and unexposed control groups. PS was assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale. Placental tissue was collected promptly after delivery; gene and protein analysis for 11β-HSD1, 11β-HSD2, and pCRH were conducted by qPCR and ELISA, respectively. Umbilical cord blood was analyzed for cortisone and cortisol. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression examined the association of PAE and PS with HPA axis biomarkers. Mean alcohol consumption in the PAE group was ~2 drinks/week. Higher PS was observed in the PAE group (p < 0.01). In multivariable modeling, PS was associated with pCRH gene expression (β = 0.006, p < 0.01), while PAE was associated with 11β-HSD2 protein expression (β = 0.56, p < 0.01). A significant alcohol-by-stress interaction was observed with respect to 11β-HSD2 protein expression (p < 0.01). Results indicate that PAE and PS may independently and in combination affect fetal programming of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila N. Bakhireva
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Elizabeth Solomon
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Melissa H. Roberts
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Xingya Ma
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Rajani Rai
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Alexandria Wiesel
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA;
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Erin D. Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
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Volqvartz T, Andersen HHB, Pedersen LH, Larsen A. Obesity in pregnancy-Long-term effects on offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associations with placental cortisol metabolism: A systematic review. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:4393-4422. [PMID: 37974556 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Obesity, affecting one in three pregnant women worldwide, is not only a major obstetric risk factor. The resulting low-grade inflammation may have a long-term impact on the offspring's HPA axis through dysregulation of maternal, placental and fetal corticosteroid metabolism, and children born of obese mothers have increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The long-term effects of maternal obesity on offspring neurodevelopment are, however, undetermined and could depend on the specific effects on placental and fetal cortisol metabolism. This systematic review evaluates how maternal obesity affects placental cortisol metabolism and the offspring's HPA axis. Pubmed, Embase and Scopus were searched for original studies on maternal BMI, obesity, and cortisol metabolism and transfer. Fifteen studies were included after the screening of 4556 identified records. Studies were small with heterogeneous exposures and outcomes. Two studies found that maternal obesity reduced placental HSD11β2 activity. In one study, umbilical cord blood cortisol levels were affected by maternal BMI. In three studies, an altered cortisol response was consistently seen among offspring in childhood (n = 2) or adulthood (n = 1). Maternal BMI was not associated with placental HSD11β1 or HSD11β2 mRNA expression, or placental HSD11β2 methylation. In conclusion, high maternal BMI is associated with reduced placental HSD11β2 activity and a dampened cortisol level among offspring, but the data is sparse. Further investigations are needed to clarify whether the HPA axis is affected by prenatal factors including maternal obesity and investigate if adverse effects can be ameliorated by optimising the intrauterine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabia Volqvartz
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Lars Henning Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Agnete Larsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Zhou J, Tong J, Ru X, Teng Y, Geng M, Yan S, Tao F, Huang K. Placental inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression and preschool children's cognitive performance: a birth cohort study in China. BMC Med 2023; 21:449. [PMID: 37981714 PMCID: PMC10658981 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03173-2] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunologic milieu at the maternal-fetal interface has profound effects on propelling the development of the fetal brain. However, accessible epidemiological studies concerning the association between placental inflammatory cytokines and the intellectual development of offspring in humans are limited. Therefore, we explored the possible link between mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in placenta and preschoolers' cognitive performance. METHODS Study subjects were obtained from the Ma'anshan birth cohort (MABC). Placental samples were collected after delivery, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was utilized to measure the mRNA expression levels of IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-4. Children's intellectual development was assessed at preschool age by using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV). Multiple linear regression and restricted cubic spline models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 1665 pairs of mother and child were included in the analysis. After adjusting for confounders and after correction for multiple comparisons, we observed that mRNA expression of IL-8 (β = - 0.53; 95% CI, - 0.92 to - 0.15), IL-6 (β = - 0.58; 95% CI, - 0.97 to - 0.19), TNF-α (β = - 0.37; 95% CI, - 0.71 to - 0.02), and IFN-γ (β = - 0.31; 95% CI, - 0.61 to - 0.03) in the placenta was negatively associated with preschoolers' full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ). Both higher IL-8 and IL-6 were associated with lower children's low fluid reasoning index (FRI), and higher IFN-γ was associated with lower children's working memory index (WMI). After further adjusting for confounders and children's age at cognitive testing, the integrated index of six pro-inflammatory cytokines (index 2) was found to be significantly and negatively correlated with both the FSIQ and each sub-dimension (verbal comprehension index (VCI), visual spatial index (VSI), FRI, WMI, processing speed index (PSI)). Sex-stratified analyses showed that the association of IL-8, IFN-γ, and index 2 with children's cognitive development was mainly concentrated in boys. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of an association between low cognitive performance and high expression of placental inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) was found, highlighting the potential importance of intrauterine placental immune status in dissecting offspring cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixing Zhou
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Juan Tong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Xue Ru
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yuzhu Teng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Menglong Geng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Shuangqin Yan
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Maternal and Child Health Care Center of Ma'anshan, No 24 Jiashan Road, Ma'anshan 243011, Anhui, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Scientific Research Center in Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province, China.
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Jumentier B, Barrot CC, Estavoyer M, Tost J, Heude B, François O, Lepeule J. High-Dimensional Mediation Analysis: A New Method Applied to Maternal Smoking, Placental DNA Methylation, and Birth Outcomes. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:47011. [PMID: 37058433 PMCID: PMC10104171 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-dimensional mediation analysis is an extension of unidimensional mediation analysis that includes multiple mediators, and increasingly it is being used to evaluate the indirect omics-layer effects of environmental exposures on health outcomes. Analyses involving high-dimensional mediators raise several statistical issues. Although many methods have recently been developed, no consensus has been reached about the optimal combination of approaches to high-dimensional mediation analyses. OBJECTIVES We developed and validated a method for high-dimensional mediation analysis (HDMAX2) and applied it to evaluate the causal role of placental DNA methylation in the pathway between exposure to maternal smoking (MS) during pregnancy and gestational age (GA) and birth weight of the baby at birth. METHODS HDMAX2 combines latent factor regression models for epigenome-wide association studies with max2 tests for mediation and considers CpGs and aggregated mediator regions (AMRs). HDMAX2 was carefully evaluated using simulated data and compared to state-of-the-art multidimensional epigenetic mediation methods. Then, HDMAX2 was applied to data from 470 women of the Etude des Déterminants pré et postnatals du développement de la santé de l'Enfant (EDEN) cohort. RESULTS HDMAX2 demonstrated increased power in comparison with state-of-the-art multidimensional mediation methods and identified several AMRs not identified in previous mediation analyses of exposure to MS on birth weight and GA. The results provided evidence for a polygenic architecture of the mediation pathway with a posterior estimate of the overall indirect effect of CpGs and AMRs equal to 44.5g lower birth weight representing 32.1% of the total effect [standard deviation (SD)=60.7g]. HDMAX2 also identified AMRs having simultaneous effects both on GA and on birth weight. Among the top hits of both GA and birth weight analyses, regions located in COASY, BLCAP, and ESRP2 also mediated the relationship between GA and birth weight, suggesting reverse causality in the relationship between GA and the methylome. DISCUSSION HDMAX2 outperformed existing approaches and revealed an unsuspected complexity of the potential causal relationships between exposure to MS and birth weight at the epigenome-wide level. HDMAX2 is applicable to a wide range of tissues and omic layers. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11559.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basile Jumentier
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble INP, TIMC CNRS UMR 5525, Grenoble, France
| | - Claire-Cécile Barrot
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble INP, TIMC CNRS UMR 5525, Grenoble, France
| | - Maxime Estavoyer
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble INP, TIMC CNRS UMR 5525, Grenoble, France
| | - Jorg Tost
- Laboratory for Epigenetics and Environment, Centre National de Recherche en Genomique Humaine, CEA – Institut de Biologie François Jacob, University Paris Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Barbara Heude
- Université Paris Cité et Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Centre de Recherche en Épidémiologie et StatistiqueS (CRESS), F-75004 Paris, France
| | - Olivier François
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble INP, TIMC CNRS UMR 5525, Grenoble, France
- Inria Grenoble – Rhône-Alpes Inovallée, Montbonnot, France
| | - Johanna Lepeule
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Inserm, CNRS, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Development and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
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Andescavage N, Bullen T, Liggett M, Barnett SD, Kapse A, Kapse K, Ahmadzia H, Vezina G, Quistorff J, Lopez C, duPlessis A, Limperopoulos C. Impaired in vivo feto-placental development is associated with neonatal neurobehavioral outcomes. Pediatr Res 2023; 93:1276-1284. [PMID: 36335267 PMCID: PMC10147575 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02340-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental problems, yet remains poorly understood. We sought to examine the relationship between intrauterine development and neonatal neurobehavior in pregnancies diagnosed with antenatal FGR. METHODS We recruited women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with FGR and measured placental and fetal brain volumes using MRI. NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) assessments were performed at term equivalent age. Associations between intrauterine volumes and neurobehavioral outcomes were assessed using generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS We enrolled 44 women diagnosed with FGR who underwent fetal MRI and 28 infants underwent NNNS assessments. Placental volumes were associated with increased self-regulation and decreased excitability; total brain, brainstem, cortical and subcortical gray matter (SCGM) volumes were positively associated with higher self-regulation; SCGM also was positively associated with higher quality of movement; increasing cerebellar volumes were positively associated with attention, decreased lethargy, non-optimal reflexes and need for special handling; brainstem volumes also were associated with decreased lethargy and non-optimal reflexes; cerebral and cortical white matter volumes were positively associated with hypotonicity. CONCLUSION Disrupted intrauterine growth in pregnancies complicated by antenatally diagnosed FGR is associated with altered neonatal neurobehavior. Further work to determine long-term neurodevelopmental impacts is warranted. IMPACT Fetal growth restriction is a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopment, but remains difficult to accurately identify. Intrauterine brain volumes are associated with infant neurobehavior. The antenatal diagnosis of fetal growth restriction is a risk factor for abnormal infant neurobehavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickie Andescavage
- Division of Neonatology, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Prenatal Pediatric Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Theresa Bullen
- School of Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Melissa Liggett
- Division of Psychology, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Scott D Barnett
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Anushree Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Homa Ahmadzia
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA
| | - Gilbert Vezina
- Division of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Department of Radiology, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA
| | - Jessica Quistorff
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Catherine Lopez
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Adre duPlessis
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Prenatal Pediatric Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
- Department of Radiology, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University, 2300 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
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Tehrani JM, Kennedy E, Tung PW, Burt A, Hermetz K, Punshon T, Jackson BP, Hao K, Chen J, Karagas MR, Koestler DC, Lester B, Marsit CJ. Human placental microRNAs dysregulated by cadmium exposure predict neurobehavioral outcomes at birth. Pediatr Res 2023; 93:1410-1418. [PMID: 35906307 PMCID: PMC9884320 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02201-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal cadmium (Cd) exposure has been implicated in both placental toxicity and adverse neurobehavioral outcomes. Placental microRNAs (miRNAs) may function to developmentally program adverse pregnancy and newborn health outcomes in response to gestational Cd exposure. METHODS In a subset of the Rhode Island Child Health Study (RICHS, n = 115) and the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS, = 281), we used small RNA sequencing and trace metal analysis to identify Cd-associated expression of placental miRNAs using negative binomial generalized linear models. We predicted mRNAs targeted by Cd-associated miRNAs and relate them to neurobehavioral outcomes at birth through the integration of transcriptomic data and summary scores from the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS). RESULTS Placental Cd concentrations are significantly associated with the expression level of five placental miRNAs in NHBCS, with similar effect sizes in RICHS. These miRNA target genes overrepresented in nervous system development, and their expression is correlated with NNNS metrics suggestive of atypical neurobehavioral outcomes at birth. CONCLUSIONS Gestational Cd exposure is associated with the expression of placental miRNAs. Predicted targets of these miRNAs are involved in nervous system development and may also regulate placental physiology, allowing their dysregulation to modify developmental programming of early life health outcomes. IMPACT This research aims to address the poor understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing adverse pregnancy and newborn health outcomes in response to Gestational cadmium (Cd) exposure. Our results outline a robust relationship between Cd-associated placental microRNA expression and NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales (NNNS) at birth indicative of atypical neurobehavior. This study utilized healthy mother-infant cohorts to describe the role of Cd-associated dysregulation of placental microRNAs as a potential mechanism by which adverse neurobehavioral outcomes are developmentally programmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M Tehrani
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kennedy
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pei Wen Tung
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amber Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen Hermetz
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tracy Punshon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Devin C Koestler
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Barry Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA
- The Brown Center of the Study of Children at Risk, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Cilleros-Portet A, Lesseur C, Marí S, Cosin-Tomas M, Lozano M, Irizar A, Burt A, García-Santisteban I, Martín DG, Escaramís G, Hernangomez-Laderas A, Soler-Blasco R, Breeze CE, Gonzalez-Garcia BP, Santa-Marina L, Chen J, Llop S, Fernández MF, Vrijhed M, Ibarluzea J, Guxens M, Marsit C, Bustamante M, Bilbao JR, Fernandez-Jimenez N. Potentially causal associations between placental DNA methylation and schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.03.07.23286905. [PMID: 36945560 PMCID: PMC10029044 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.07.23286905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports the role of placenta in neurodevelopment and potentially, in the later onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Recently, methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) and interaction QTL (iQTL) maps have proven useful to understand SNP-genome wide association study (GWAS) relationships, otherwise missed by conventional expression QTLs. In this context, we propose that part of the genetic predisposition to complex neuropsychiatric disorders acts through placental DNA methylation (DNAm). We constructed the first public placental cis-mQTL database including nearly eight million mQTLs calculated in 368 fetal placenta DNA samples from the INMA project, ran cell type- and gestational age-imQTL models and combined those data with the summary statistics of the largest GWAS on 10 neuropsychiatric disorders using Summary-based Mendelian Randomization (SMR) and colocalization. Finally, we evaluated the influence of the DNAm sites identified on placental gene expression in the RICHS cohort. We found that placental cis-mQTLs are highly enriched in placenta-specific active chromatin regions, and useful to map the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders at prenatal stages. Specifically, part of the genetic burden for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder confers risk through placental DNAm. The potential causality of several of the observed associations is reinforced by secondary association signals identified in conditional analyses, regional pleiotropic methylation signals associated to the same disorder, and cell type-imQTLs, additionally associated to the expression levels of relevant immune genes in placenta. In conclusion, the genetic risk of several neuropsychiatric disorders could operate, at least in part, through DNAm and associated gene expression in placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadna Cilleros-Portet
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sergi Marí
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Marta Cosin-Tomas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Lozano
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de Valéncia, Valencia, Spain
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amaia Irizar
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Amber Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Iraia García-Santisteban
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Diego Garrido Martín
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Geòrgia Escaramís
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Hernangomez-Laderas
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Raquel Soler-Blasco
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de Valéncia, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Charles E. Breeze
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley St, London WC1E 6DD, United Kingdom
| | - Bárbara P. Gonzalez-Garcia
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Loreto Santa-Marina
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain
- Department of Health of the Basque Government, Subdirectorate of Public Health of Gipuzkoa, Avenida Navarra 4, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sabrina Llop
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de Valéncia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariana F. Fernández
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center (CIBM) & Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain
| | - Martine Vrijhed
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Ibarluzea
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain
- Department of Health of the Basque Government, Subdirectorate of Public Health of Gipuzkoa, Avenida Navarra 4, 20013, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Mònica Guxens
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carmen Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mariona Bustamante
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Ramon Bilbao
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nora Fernandez-Jimenez
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute and University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
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9
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Su Y, Lian J, Chen S, Zhang W, Deng C. Epigenetic histone acetylation modulating prenatal Poly I:C induced neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex of rats: a study in a maternal immune activation model. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1037105. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1037105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Neuroinflammation in the central nervous system, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC), plays a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, which has been found to be associated with maternal immune activation (MIA). Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation involves in the MIA-induced neurodevelopmental disturbance. However, it is not well-understood how epigenetic modulation is involved in the neuroinflammation and pathogenesis of schizophrenia.Methods: This study explored the modulation of histone acetylation in both neuroinflammation and neurotransmission using an MIA rat model induced by prenatal polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (Poly I:C) exposure, specifically examining those genes that were previously observed to be impacted by the exposure, including a subunit of nuclear factor kappa-B (Rela), Nod-Like-Receptor family Pyrin domain containing 3 (Nlrp3), NMDA receptor subunit 2A (Grin2a), 5-HT2A (Htr2a), and GABAA subunit β3 (Gabrb3).Results: Our results revealed global changes of histone acetylation on H3 (H3ace) and H4 (H4ace) in the PFC of offspring rats with prenatal Poly I:C exposure. In addition, it revealed enhancement of both H3ace and H4ace binding on the promoter region of Rela, as well as positive correlations between Rela and genes encoding histone acetyltransferases (HATs) including CREB-binding protein (CBP) and E1A-associated protein p300 (EP300). Although there was no change in H3ace or H4ace enrichment on the promoter region of Nlrp3, a significant enhancement of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) binding on the promoter region of Nlrp3 and a positive correlation between Nlrp3 and Hdac6 were also observed. However, prenatal Poly I:C treatment did not lead to any specific changes of H3ace and H4ace on the promoter region of the target genes encoding neurotransmitter receptors in this study.Discussion: These findings demonstrated that epigenetic modulation contributes to NF-κB/NLRP3 mediated neuroinflammation induced by prenatal Poly I:C exposure via enhancement of histone acetylation of H3ace and H4ace on Rela and HDAC6-mediated NLRP3 transcriptional activation. This may further lead to deficits in neurotransmissions and schizophrenia-like behaviors observed in offspring.
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10
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Boutet ML, Eixarch E, Ahumada‐Droguett P, Nakaki A, Crovetto F, Cívico MS, Borrás A, Manau D, Gratacós E, Crispi F, Casals G. Fetal neurosonography and infant neurobehavior following conception by assisted reproductive technology with fresh or frozen embryo transfer. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2022; 60:646-656. [PMID: 35468238 PMCID: PMC9828610 DOI: 10.1002/uog.24920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore fetal cortical brain development by neurosonography in fetuses conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART), including frozen and fresh embryo transfer (ET), compared with those conceived spontaneously (SC), and to investigate its association with infant neurobehavior at 12 months of age. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study of 210 singleton pregnancies, including 70 SC pregnancies, 70 conceived by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) following frozen ET and 70 conceived by IVF after fresh ET. Fetal neurosonography was performed at 32 ± 2 gestational weeks to assess cortical development. Sulci depths were measured offline and normalized by biparietal diameter (BPD). Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) were completed postnatally, at 12 ± 1 months of corrected age. Neurosonographic findings were adjusted by regression analysis for maternal age, ethnicity, parity, fetal sex and fetal-weight centile and gestational age at scan, and ASQ scores were adjusted for maternal age, ethnicity, parity, educational level and employment status, gestational age at birth, breastfeeding, infant sex and infant age at the ASQ evaluation. RESULTS Overall, in comparison to the SC fetuses, fetuses conceived by ART showed statistically significant differences in cortical development, with reduced parieto-occipital sulci depth adjusted for BPD (mean ± SD: fresh ET, 12.5 ± 2.5 vs frozen ET, 13.4 ± 2.6 vs SC, 13.4 ± 2.6, P < 0.001), cingulate sulci depth adjusted for BPD (median (interquartile range (IQR)): fresh ET, 5.8 (4.2-7.4) vs frozen ET, 5.8 (4.1-7.5) vs SC, 6.5 (4.8-7.8), P = 0.001) and calcarine sulci depth adjusted for BPD (median (IQR): fresh ET, 13.5 (10.1-16.1) vs frozen ET, 14.5 (12.1-15.8) vs SC, 16.4 (14.3-17.9), P < 0.001), together with lower Sylvian fissure grading score. Changes in cortical development were more pronounced in the fresh ET than in the frozen ET group. ART infants showed lower ASQ scores as compared to SC infants, particularly in the fresh ET group (mean ± SD global ASQ Z-score: fresh ET, -0.3 ± 0.4 vs frozen ET, -0.2 ± 0.4 vs SC, 0 ± 0.4, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Fetuses conceived by ART show a distinctive pattern of cortical development and suboptimal infant neurodevelopment, with more pronounced changes in those conceived following fresh ET. These findings support the existence of in-utero brain reorganization associated with ART and warrant follow-up studies to assess its long-term persistence. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. L. Boutet
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - E. Eixarch
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER‐ER)MadridSpain
| | - P. Ahumada‐Droguett
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - A. Nakaki
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - F. Crovetto
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER‐ER)MadridSpain
| | - M. S. Cívico
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Assisted Reproduction UnitHospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - A. Borrás
- Assisted Reproduction UnitHospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - D. Manau
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Assisted Reproduction UnitHospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - E. Gratacós
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER‐ER)MadridSpain
| | - F. Crispi
- BCNatal, Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER‐ER)MadridSpain
| | - G. Casals
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
- Assisted Reproduction UnitHospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
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11
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Marable CA, Roell K, Kuban K, O’Shea TM, Fry RC. Placental transcriptional signatures associated with cerebral white matter damage in the neonate. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1017953. [PMID: 36389237 PMCID: PMC9650394 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1017953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral white matter is the most common anatomic location of neonatal brain injury in preterm newborns. Factors that predispose preterm newborns to white matter damage are understudied. In relation to studies of the placenta-brain-axis, dysregulated placental gene expression may play a role in preterm brain damage given its implication in programming early life origins of disease, including neurological disorders. There is a critical need to investigate the relationships between the placental transcriptome and white matter damage in the neonate. In a cohort of extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs), we aimed to investigate the relationship between the placental transcriptome and white matter damage as assessed by neonatal cranial ultrasound studies (echolucency and/or ventriculomegaly). We hypothesized that genes involved in inflammatory processes would be more highly expressed in placentas of ELGANs who developed ultrasound-defined indicators of white matter damage. Relative to either form of white matter damage, 659 placental genes displayed altered transcriptional profiles. Of these white matter damage-associated genes, largely distinct patterns of gene expression were observed in the study (n = 415/659 genes). Specifically, 381 genes were unique to echolucency and 34 genes were unique to ventriculomegaly. Pathways involved in hormone disruption and metabolism were identified among the unique echolucency or ventriculomegaly genes. Interestingly, a common set of 244 genes or 37% of all genes was similarly dysregulated in the placenta relative to both echolucency and ventriculomegaly. For this common set of white matter damage-related genes, pathways involved in inflammation, immune response and apoptosis, were enriched. Among the white matter damage-associated genes are genes known to be involved in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and endocrine system disorders. These data highlight differential mRNA expression patterning in the placenta and provide insight into potential etiologic factors that may predispose preterm newborns to white matter damage. Future studies will build upon this work to include functional measures of neurodevelopment as well as measures of brain volume later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Amelia Marable
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kyle Roell
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gilling School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Karl Kuban
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gilling School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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12
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Freedman AN, Eaves LA, Rager JE, Gavino-Lopez N, Smeester L, Bangma J, Santos HP, Joseph RM, Kuban KC, O'Shea TM, Fry RC. The placenta epigenome-brain axis: placental epigenomic and transcriptomic responses that preprogram cognitive impairment. Epigenomics 2022; 14:897-911. [PMID: 36073148 PMCID: PMC9475498 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The placenta-brain axis reflects a developmental linkage where disrupted placental function is associated with impaired neurodevelopment later in life. Placental gene expression and the expression of epigenetic modifiers such as miRNAs may be tied to these impairments and are understudied. Materials & methods: The expression levels of mRNAs (n = 37,268) and their targeting miRNAs (n = 2083) were assessed within placentas collected from the ELGAN study cohort (n = 386). The ELGAN adolescents were assessed for neurocognitive function at age 10 and the association with placental mRNA/miRNAs was determined. Results: Placental mRNAs related to inflammatory and apoptotic processes are under miRNA control and associated with cognitive impairment at age 10. Conclusion: Findings highlight key placenta epigenome-brain relationships that support the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia N Freedman
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lauren A Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Julia E Rager
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Noemi Gavino-Lopez
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lisa Smeester
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jacqueline Bangma
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hudson P Santos
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | - Robert M Joseph
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Karl Ck Kuban
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Thomas Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.,Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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13
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Zhao T, Alder NN, Starkweather AR, Chen MH, Matson AP, Xu W, Balsbaugh JL, Cong X. Associations of Mitochondrial Function, Stress, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Early Life: A Systematic Review. Dev Neurosci 2022; 44:438-454. [PMID: 35995037 PMCID: PMC9928905 DOI: 10.1159/000526491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is commonly experienced by infants, especially preterm infants, and may impact their neurodevelopmental outcomes in their early and later lives. Mitochondrial function/dysfunction may play an important role underlying the linkage of prenatal and postnatal stress and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants. This review aimed to provide insights on the relationship between early life stress and neurodevelopment and the mechanisms of mitochondrial function/dysfunction that contribute to the neuropathology of stress. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was used to develop this systematic review. PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Biosis databases were searched for primary research articles published between 2010 and 2021 that examined the relationships among mitochondrial function/dysfunction, infant stress, and neurodevelopment. Thirty studies were identified. There is evidence to support that mitochondrial function/dysfunction mediates the relationship between prenatal and postnatal stress and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants. Maternal transgenerational transmission of mitochondrial bioenergetic patterns influenced prenatal stress induced neurodevelopmental outcomes and behavioral changes in infants. Multiple functionally relevant mitochondrial proteins, genes, and polymorphisms were associated with stress exposure. This is the first review of the role that mitochondrial function/dysfunction plays in the association between stress and neurodevelopmental outcomes in full-term and preterm infants. Although multiple limitations were found based on the lack of data on the influence of biological sex, and due to invasive sampling, and lack of longitudinal data, many genes and proteins associated with mitochondrial function/dysfunction were found to influence neurodevelopmental outcomes in the early life of infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhao
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA,
| | - Nathan N Alder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Ming-Hui Chen
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Adam P Matson
- Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Wanli Xu
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jeremy L Balsbaugh
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xiaomei Cong
- School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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14
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Dockx Y, Bijnens E, Saenen N, Aerts R, Aerts JM, Casas L, Delcloo A, Dendoncker N, Linard C, Plusquin M, Stas M, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Van Orshoven J, Somers B, Nawrot T. Residential green space in association with the methylation status in a CpG site within the promoter region of the placental serotonin receptor HTR2A. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1863-1874. [PMID: 35723001 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2088464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Green space could influence adult cognition and childhood neurodevelopment , and is hypothesized to be partly driven by epigenetic modifications. However, it remains unknown whether some of these associations are already evident during foetal development. Similar biological signals shape the developmental processes in the foetal brain and placenta.Therefore, we hypothesize that green space can modify epigenetic processes of cognition-related pathways in placental tissue, such as DNA-methylation of the serotonin receptor HTR2A. HTR2A-methylation was determined within 327 placentas from the ENVIRONAGE (ENVIRonmental influence ON early AGEing) birth cohort using bisulphite-PCR-pyrosequencing. Total green space exposure was calculated using high-resolution land cover data derived from the Green Map of Flanders in seven buffers (50 m-3 km) and stratified into low (<3 m) and high (≥3 m) vegetation. Residential nature was calculated using the Land use Map of Flanders. We performed multivariate regression models adjusted for several a priori chosen covariables. For an IQR increment in total green space within a 1,000 m, 2,000 m and 3,000 m buffer the methylation of HTR2A increased with 1.47% (95%CI:0.17;2.78), 1.52% (95%CI:0.21;2.83) and 1.42% (95%CI:0.15;2.69), respectively. Additionally,, we found 3.00% (95%CI:1.09;4.91) and 1.98% (95%CI:0.28;3.68) higher HTR2A-methylation when comparing residences with and without the presence of nature in a 50 m and 100 m buffer, respectively. The methylation status of HTR2A in placental tissue is positively associated with maternal green space exposure. Future research is needed to understand better how these epigenetic changes are related to functional modifications in the placenta and the consequent implications for foetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinthe Dockx
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Esmée Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Nelly Saenen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Raf Aerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Brussels, Belgium.,Division Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marie Aerts
- Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU LeuvenMeasure, Model & Manage Bioresponses (M3-BIORES), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lidia Casas
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.,Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Andy Delcloo
- Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dendoncker
- Department of Geography, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.,Institute for Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Catherine Linard
- Department of Geography, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.,Institute for Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michiel Stas
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU LeuvenMeasure, Model & Manage Bioresponses (M3-BIORES), Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Van Nieuwenhuyse
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Health Protection, Laboratoire national de santé (LNS), Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Jos Van Orshoven
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ben Somers
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
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15
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Lester BM, Camerota M, Everson TM. The emergence of developmental behavioral epigenomics. Epigenomics 2022; 14:499-502. [PMID: 35291808 PMCID: PMC9189703 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Barry M Lester
- Departments of Pediatrics & Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
| | - Marie Camerota
- Departments of Pediatrics & Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School & Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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16
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Tung PW, Burt A, Karagas M, Jackson BP, Punshon T, Lester B, Marsit CJ. Association between placental toxic metal exposure and NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales (NNNS) profiles in the Rhode Island Child Health Study (RICHS). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:111939. [PMID: 34461121 PMCID: PMC8639656 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to heavy metals has been linked to a variety of adverse outcomes in newborn health and later life. Toxic metals such as cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and lead (Pb) have been implicated to negatively affect newborn neurobehavior. Placental levels of these metals may provide additional understandings on the link between prenatal toxic metal exposures and neurobehavioral performances in newborns. OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between placental concentrations of toxic metals and newborn neurobehavioral performance indicated through the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales (NNNS) latent profiles. METHOD In the Rhode Island Child Health Study cohort (n = 625), newborn neurobehavioral performance was assessed with NNNS, and a latent profile analysis was used to define five discrete neurobehavioral profiles based on summary scales. Using multinomial logistic regression, we determined whether increased levels of placental toxic metals Cd, Mn and Pb associated with newborns assigned to the profile demonstrating atypical neurobehavioral performances. RESULTS Every doubling in placenta Cd concentration was associated with increased odds of newborns belonging to the atypical neurobehavior profile (OR: 2.72, 95% CI [1.09, 6.79]). Detectable placental Pb also demonstrated an increased odds of newborns assignment to the atypical profile (OR: 3.71, 95% CI [0.97, 13.96]) compared to being in the typical neurobehavioral profile. CONCLUSIONS Toxic metals Cd and Pb measured in placental tissue may adversely impact newborn neurobehavior. Utilizing the placenta as a prenatal toxic metal exposure biomarker is useful in elucidating the associated impacts of toxic metals on newborn health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wen Tung
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amber Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Margaret Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Tracy Punshon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Barry Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA; The Brown Center of the Study of Children at Risk, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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17
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Reliability of a novel approach for reference-based cell type estimation in human placental DNA methylation studies. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:115. [PMID: 35113241 PMCID: PMC8813756 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04091-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is a central organ during early development, influencing trajectories of health and disease. DNA methylation (DNAm) studies of human placenta improve our understanding of how its function relates to disease risk. However, DNAm studies can be biased by cell type heterogeneity, so it is essential to control for this in order to reduce confounding and increase precision. Computational cell type deconvolution approaches have proven to be very useful for this purpose. For human placenta, however, an assessment of the performance of these estimation methods is still lacking. Here, we examine the performance of a newly available reference-based cell type estimation approach and compare it to an often-used reference-free cell type estimation approach, namely RefFreeEWAS, in placental genome-wide DNAm samples taken at birth and from chorionic villus biopsies early in pregnancy using three independent studies comprising over 1000 samples. We found both reference-free and reference-based estimated cell type proportions to have predictive value for DNAm, however, reference-based cell type estimation outperformed reference-free estimation for the majority of data sets. Reference-based cell type estimations mirror previous histological knowledge on changes in cell type proportions through gestation. Further, CpGs whose variation in DNAm was largely explained by reference-based estimated cell type proportions were in the proximity of genes that are highly tissue-specific for placenta. This was not the case for reference-free estimated cell type proportions. We provide a list of these CpGs as a resource to help researchers to interpret results of existing studies and improve future DNAm studies of human placenta.
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18
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Creisher PS, Lei J, Sherer ML, Dziedzic A, Jedlicka AE, Narasimhan H, Chudnovets A, Campbell AD, Liu A, Pekosz A, Burd I, Klein SL. Downregulation of transcriptional activity, increased inflammation, and damage in the placenta following in utero Zika virus infection is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2022; 2:782906. [PMID: 35573818 PMCID: PMC9104602 DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2022.782906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy causes serious adverse outcomes to the developing fetus, including fetal loss and birth defects known as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). The mechanism by which ZIKV infection causes these adverse outcomes and specifically, the interplay between the maternal immune response and ZIKV replication has yet to be fully elucidated. Using an immunocompetent mouse model of transplacental ZIKV transmission and adverse pregnancy outcomes, we have previously shown that Asian lineage ZIKV disrupts placental morphology and induces elevated secretion of IL-1β. In the current manuscript, we characterized placental damage and inflammation during in utero African lineage ZIKV infection. Within 48 hours after ZIKV infection at embryonic day 10, viral RNA was detected in placentas and fetuses from ZIKA infected dams, which corresponded with placental damage and reduced fetal viability as compared with mock infected dams. Dams infected with ZIKV had reduced proportions of trophoblasts and endothelial cells and disrupted placental morphology compared to mock infected dams. While placental IL-1β was increased in the placenta, but not the spleen, within 3 hours post infection, this was not caused by activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Using bulk mRNAseq from placentas of ZIKV and mock infected dams, ZIKV infection caused profound downregulation of the transcriptional activity of genes that may underly tissue morphology, neurological development, metabolism, cell signaling and inflammation, illustrating that in utero ZIKV infections causes disruption of pathways associated with CZS in our model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S. Creisher
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Lei
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Morgan L. Sherer
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda Dziedzic
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne E. Jedlicka
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Harish Narasimhan
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Chudnovets
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ariana D. Campbell
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anguo Liu
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Pekosz
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Irina Burd
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sabra L. Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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19
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Prenatal Lead and Depression Exposures Jointly Influence Birth Outcomes and NR3C1 DNA Methylation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182212169. [PMID: 34831923 PMCID: PMC8620070 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Many gestational exposures influence birth outcomes, yet the joint contribution of toxicant and psychosocial factors is understudied. Moreover, associated gestational epigenetic mechanisms are unknown. Lead (Pb) and depression independently influence birth outcomes and offspring NR3C1 (glucocorticoid receptor) DNA methylation. We hypothesized that gestational Pb and depression would jointly influence birth outcomes and NR3C1 methylation. Pregnancy exposure information, DNA methylation, and birth outcome data were collected prospectively from n = 272 mother–infant pairs. Factor analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of NR3C1. Multivariable linear regressions tested for interaction effects between gestational Pb and depression exposures with birth outcomes and NR3C1. Interaction effects indicated that higher levels of Pb and depression jointly contributed to earlier gestations, smaller infant size at birth, and asymmetric fetal growth. Pb and depression were also jointly associated with the two primary factor scores explaining the most variability in NR3C1 methylation; NR3C1 scores were associated with some infant outcomes, including gestational age and asymmetric fetal growth. Pb and depression can cumulatively influence birth outcomes and epigenetic mechanisms, which may lay the foundation for later health risk. As toxicants and social adversities commonly co-occur, research should consider the life course consequences of these interconnected exposures.
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20
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Gutherz OR, Deyssenroth M, Li Q, Hao K, Jacobson JL, Chen J, Jacobson SW, Carter RC. Potential roles of imprinted genes in the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the placenta, somatic growth, and the developing brain. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113919. [PMID: 34752786 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite several decades of research and prevention efforts, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) remain the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities worldwide. Animal and human studies have implicated fetal alcohol-induced alterations in epigenetic programming as a chief mechanism in FASD. Several studies have demonstrated fetal alcohol-related alterations in methylation and expression of imprinted genes in placental, brain, and embryonic tissue. Imprinted genes are epigenetically regulated in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, in which only the maternal or paternal allele is expressed, and the other allele is silenced. The chief functions of imprinted genes are in placental development, somatic growth, and neurobehavior-three domains characteristically affected in FASD. In this review, we summarize the growing body of literature characterizing prenatal alcohol-related alterations in imprinted gene methylation and/or expression and discuss potential mechanistic roles for these alterations in the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Future research is needed to examine potential physiologic mechanisms by which alterations in imprinted genes disrupt development in FASD, which may, in turn, elucidate novel targets for intervention. Furthermore, mechanistic alterations in imprinted gene expression and/or methylation in FASD may inform screening assays that identify individuals with FASD neurobehavioral deficits who may benefit from early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R Gutherz
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - R Colin Carter
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America.
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21
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Tesfaye M, Chatterjee S, Zeng X, Joseph P, Tekola-Ayele F. Impact of depression and stress on placental DNA methylation in ethnically diverse pregnant women. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1485-1496. [PMID: 34585950 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antenatal depression and stress during pregnancy. Methods: We examined the association between placental genome-wide DNA methylation (n = 301) and maternal depression and stress assessed at six gestation periods during pregnancy. Correlation between DNA methylation at the significantly associated CpGs and expression of nearby genes in the placenta was tested. Results: Depression and stress were associated with methylation of 16 CpGs and two CpGs, respectively, at a 5% false discovery rate. Methylation levels at two of the CpGs associated with depression were significantly associated with expression of ADAM23 and CTDP1, genes implicated in neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric diseases. Conclusion: Placental epigenetic changes linked to antenatal depression suggest potential fetal brain programming. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00912132 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Markos Tesfaye
- Section of Sensory Science & Metabolism (SenSMet), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Suvo Chatterjee
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7004, USA
| | - Xuehuo Zeng
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Paule Joseph
- Section of Sensory Science & Metabolism (SenSMet), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fasil Tekola-Ayele
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7004, USA
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22
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Song X, García-Saldivar P, Kindred N, Wang Y, Merchant H, Meguerditchian A, Yang Y, Stein EA, Bradberry CW, Ben Hamed S, Jedema HP, Poirier C. Strengths and challenges of longitudinal non-human primate neuroimaging. Neuroimage 2021; 236:118009. [PMID: 33794361 PMCID: PMC8270888 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal non-human primate neuroimaging has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of primate brain structure and function. Here we describe its specific strengths, compared to both cross-sectional non-human primate neuroimaging and longitudinal human neuroimaging, but also its associated challenges. We elaborate on factors guiding the use of different analytical tools, subject-specific versus age-specific templates for analyses, and issues related to statistical power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Song
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Pamela García-Saldivar
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla. Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001 Querétaro, Qro. 76230, México
| | - Nathan Kindred
- Biosciences Institute & Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, United Kingdom
| | - Yujiang Wang
- CNNP Lab (www.cnnp-lab.com), Interdisciplinary Complex Systems Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, United Kingdom
| | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla. Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001 Querétaro, Qro. 76230, México
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR7290, Université Aix-Marseille/CNRS, Institut Language, Communication and the Brain 13331 Marseille, France
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Elliot A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Charles W Bradberry
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, Université de Lyon - CNRS, France
| | - Hank P Jedema
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Colline Poirier
- Biosciences Institute & Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.
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23
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Luan Y, Leclerc D, Cosín-Tomás M, Malysheva OV, Wasek B, Bottiglieri T, Caudill MA, Rozen R. Moderate Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Mice Results in Altered Methyl Metabolism and in Sex-Specific Placental Transcription Changes. Mol Nutr Food Res 2021; 65:e2100197. [PMID: 34010503 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202100197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
SCOPE Many pregnant women have higher folic acid (FA) intake due to food fortification and increased vitamin use. It is reported that diets containing five-fold higher FA than recommended for mice (5xFASD) during pregnancy resulted in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency and altered choline/methyl metabolism, with neurobehavioral abnormalities in newborns. The goal is to determine whether these changes have their origins in the placenta during embryonic development. METHODS AND RESULTS Female mice are fed control diet or 5xFASD for a month before mating and maintained on these diets until embryonic day 17.5. 5xFASD led to pseudo-MTHFR deficiency in maternal liver and altered choline/methyl metabolites in maternal plasma (increased methyltetrahydrofolate and decreased betaine). Methylation potential (S-adenosylmethionine:S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio) and glycerophosphocholine are decreased in placenta and embryonic liver. Folic acid supplemented diet results in sex-specific transcriptome profiles in placenta, with validation of dietary expression changes of 29 genes involved in angiogenesis, receptor biology or neurodevelopment, and altered methylation of the serotonin receptor 2A gene. CONCLUSION Moderate increases in folate intake during pregnancy result in placental metabolic and gene expression changes, particularly in angiogenesis, which may contribute to abnormal behavior in pups. These results are relevant for determining a safe upper limit for folate intake during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Luan
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center (MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Daniel Leclerc
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center (MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marta Cosín-Tomás
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center (MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Olga V Malysheva
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Brandi Wasek
- Center of Metabolomics, Institute of Metabolic Disease, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Teodoro Bottiglieri
- Center of Metabolomics, Institute of Metabolic Disease, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Marie A Caudill
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Rima Rozen
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, McGill University Health Center (MUHC), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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24
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Kundu S, Maurer SV, Stevens HE. Future Horizons for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Placental Mechanisms. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:653230. [PMID: 33898362 PMCID: PMC8061726 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.653230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
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25
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Placental origins of neonatal diseases: toward a precision medicine approach. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:377-383. [PMID: 33288874 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is the single most reliable source for precise information on intrauterine environment, as well as maternal and fetal health. It mediates the physiology of two distinct yet highly interconnected individuals. The pathology that develops in the placenta, and the adaptations the placenta undergoes to mitigate this pathology, may influence the later life health of the mother and baby. Pathological placental examination provides a unique opportunity to explore and understand the intrauterine environment, as well as providing a record of events that may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A number of placental lesions have been described in association with various neonatal morbidities. The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for the association of placental pathologic lesions with neurodevelopmental outcomes infants with specific neonatal morbidities, including (1) neonatal encephalopathy, (2) bronchopulmonary dysplasia, (3) congenital heart diseases, and (4) autism spectrum disorders. For each of these disease processes, we will also propose specific research priorities in future studies. We conclude with a hospital-specific protocol for triaging which placentas should receive histological evaluation as a fundamental first step for the field of neuroplacentology to guide precision-based therapeutic approaches in the affected newborns. IMPACT: The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for placental origins of neonatal diseases. We propose specific research priorities in the field of neuroplacentology in future studies. We also present a targeted hospital-based approach for triaging which placentas should receive histological evaluation.
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26
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Scher MS. "The First Thousand Days" Define a Fetal/Neonatal Neurology Program. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:683138. [PMID: 34408995 PMCID: PMC8365757 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.683138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-environment interactions begin at conception to influence maternal/placental/fetal triads, neonates, and children with short- and long-term effects on brain development. Life-long developmental neuroplasticity more likely results during critical/sensitive periods of brain maturation over these first 1,000 days. A fetal/neonatal program (FNNP) applying this perspective better identifies trimester-specific mechanisms affecting the maternal/placental/fetal (MPF) triad, expressed as brain malformations and destructive lesions. Maladaptive MPF triad interactions impair progenitor neuronal/glial populations within transient embryonic/fetal brain structures by processes such as maternal immune activation. Destructive fetal brain lesions later in pregnancy result from ischemic placental syndromes associated with the great obstetrical syndromes. Trimester-specific MPF triad diseases may negatively impact labor and delivery outcomes. Neonatal neurocritical care addresses the symptomatic minority who express the great neonatal neurological syndromes: encephalopathy, seizures, stroke, and encephalopathy of prematurity. The asymptomatic majority present with neurologic disorders before 2 years of age without prior detection. The developmental principle of ontogenetic adaptation helps guide the diagnostic process during the first 1,000 days to identify more phenotypes using systems-biology analyses. This strategy will foster innovative interdisciplinary diagnostic/therapeutic pathways, educational curricula, and research agenda among multiple FNNP. Effective early-life diagnostic/therapeutic programs will help reduce neurologic disease burden across the lifespan and successive generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Scher
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Fetal/Neonatal Neurology Program, Emeritus Scholar Tenured Full Professor in Pediatrics and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
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27
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Fetal cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. Pediatr Radiol 2020; 50:1881-1894. [PMID: 33252756 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-020-04902-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Fetal cardiovascular MRI is showing promise as a clinical diagnostic tool in the setting of congenital heart disease when the cardiac anatomy is unresolved by US or when complementary quantitative data on blood flow, oxygen saturation and hematocrit are required to aid in management. Compared with postnatal cardiovascular MRI, prenatal cardiovascular MRI still has some technical limitations. However, ongoing technical advances continue to improve the robustness and usability of fetal cardiovascular MRI. In this review, we provide an overview of the state of the art of fetal cardiovascular MRI and summarize the current focus of clinical application for this versatile technique.
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28
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Griffith T, White-Traut R, Janusek LW. A Behavioral Epigenetics Model to Predict Oral Feeding Skills in Preterm Infants. Adv Neonatal Care 2020; 20:392-400. [PMID: 32868589 DOI: 10.1097/anc.0000000000000720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm infants experience a multitude of prenatal and postnatal stressors, resulting in cumulative stress exposure, which may jeopardize the timely attainment of developmental milestones, such as achieving oral feeding. Up to 70% of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit experience challenges while initiating oral feeding. Oral feeding skills require intact neurobehavioral development. Evolving evidence demonstrates that cumulative stress exposure results in epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes. Epigenetics is a field of study that focuses on phenotypic changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes alters cortisol reactivity to environmental stimuli, which may influence neurobehavioral development, and is the essence of the evolving field of Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics. It is plausible that early-life cumulative stress exposure and the ensuing epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes impair neurobehavioral development required for achievement of oral feeding skills in preterm infants. PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to build upon the evolving science of Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics and present a conceptual model that explicates how cumulative stress exposure affects neurobehavioral development and achievement of oral feeding skills through epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes. METHODS/RESULTS Using the Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics framework and supporting literature, we present a conceptual model in which early-life cumulative stress exposure, reflected by DNA methylation of glucocorticoid-related genes and altered cortisol reactivity, disrupts neurobehavioral development critical for achievement of oral feeding skills. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Future investigations guided by the proposed conceptual model will benefit preterm infant outcomes by introducing epigenetic-based approaches to assess and monitor preterm infant oral feeding skills. Furthermore, the proposed model can guide future investigations that develop and test epigenetic protective interventions to improve clinical outcomes, representing an innovation in neonatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thao Griffith
- Department of Health Promotion, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois (Drs Griffith and Janusek); Nursing Research, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Dr White-Traut); and Department of Women, Children, and Family Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago (Dr White-Traut)
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Placenta and perinatal brain injury: the gateway to individualized therapeutics and precision neonatal medicine. Pediatr Res 2020; 87:807-808. [PMID: 32059230 PMCID: PMC10097459 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-0807-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Wu and colleagues analyzed the placental pathology from a subset of the neonates in the NEATO trial who had reports available and correlated the placental pathology findings with outcomes. This study highlights the importance of placental pathology, and its potential to bring precision medicine to critically-ill neonates. Placental pathology will likely aid stratification of neonates for clinical trials and accelerate progress for neurorepair.
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Littlejohn BP, Price DM, Neuendorff DA, Carroll JA, Vann RC, Riggs PK, Riley DG, Long CR, Randel RD, Welsh TH. Influence of prenatal transportation stress-induced differential DNA methylation on the physiological control of behavior and stress response in suckling Brahman bull calves. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:skz368. [PMID: 31807776 PMCID: PMC6986441 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to examine potential differential methylation of DNA as a mechanism for altered behavioral and stress responses in prenatally stressed (PNS) compared with nonprenatally stressed (Control) young bull calves. Mature Brahman cows (n = 48) were transported for 2-h periods at 60 ± 5, 80 ± 5, 100 ± 5, 120 ± 5, and 140 ± 5 d of gestation (Transported group) or maintained as nontransported Controls (n = 48). From the offspring born to Transported and Control cows, a subset of 28-d-old intact bulls (n = 7 PNS; n = 7 Control) were evaluated for methylation of DNA of behavior and stress response-associated genes. Methylation of DNA from white blood cells was assessed via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing methods. Because increased methylation of DNA within gene promoter regions has been associated with decreased transcriptional activity of the corresponding gene, differentially methylated (P ≤ 0.05) CG sites (cytosine followed by a guanine nucleotide) located within promoter regions (n = 1,205) were used to predict (using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software) alterations to canonical pathways in PNS compared with Control bull calves. Among differentially methylated genes (P ≤ 0.05) related to behavior and the stress response were OPRK1, OPRM1, PENK, POMC, NR3C2, TH, DRD1, DRD5, COMT, HTR6, HTR5A, GABRA4, GABRQ, and GAD2. Among altered (P < 0.05) signaling pathways related to behavior and the stress response were Opioid Signaling, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Signaling, Dopamine Receptor Signaling, Dopamine-DARPP32 Feedback in cAMP Signaling, Serotonin Receptor Signaling, and GABA Receptor Signaling. Alterations to behavior and stress response-related genes and canonical pathways supported previously observed elevations in temperament score and serum cortisol through weaning in the larger population of PNS calves from which bulls in this study were derived. Differential methylation of DNA and predicted alterations to behavior and stress response-related pathways in PNS compared with Control bull calves suggest epigenetic programming of behavior and the stress response in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittni P Littlejohn
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - Deborah M Price
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | | | | | - Rhonda C Vann
- Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University, Raymond, MS
| | - Penny K Riggs
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - David G Riley
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - Charles R Long
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | | | - Thomas H Welsh
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
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Post-translational histone modifications and their interaction with sex influence normal brain development and elaboration of neuropsychiatric disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1865:1968-1981. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Santos HP, Bhattacharya A, Martin EM, Addo K, Psioda M, Smeester L, Joseph RM, Hooper SR, Frazier JA, Kuban KC, O’Shea T, Fry RC. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in placentas from preterm infants: association with maternal socioeconomic status. Epigenetics 2019; 14:751-765. [PMID: 31062658 PMCID: PMC6615526 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2019.1614743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the hypothesis that prenatal maternal socioeconomic status (SES) adversity is associated with DNA methylation in the placenta. SES adversity was defined by the presence of, as well as a summative count of, four factors: less than college education, single marital status, food and nutritional service assistance, and public health insurance. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the Illumina EPIC array in 426 placentas from a sample of infants born < 28 weeks of gestation from the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn cohort. Associations between SES adversity and DNA methylation were assessed with robust linear regressions adjusted for covariates and controlled the false discovery rate at < 10%. We also examined whether such associations were sex specific. Indicators of SES adversity were associated with differential methylation at 33 CpG sites. Of the 33 identified CpG sites, 19 (57.6%) displayed increased methylation, and 14 (42.4%) displayed decreased methylation in association with at least one of the SES adversity factors. Sex differences were observed in DNA methylation associated with summative SES score; in which placentas derived from female pregnancies showed more robust differential CpG methylation than placentas from male pregnancies. Maternal SES adversity was associated with differential methylation of genes with key role in gene transcription and placental function, potentially altering immunity and stress response. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the role of epigenetic differences in mediating the association between maternal socioeconomic status during pregnancy and later life health outcomes in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hudson P. Santos
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Arjun Bhattacharya
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Martin
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kezia Addo
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matt Psioda
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Smeester
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert M. Joseph
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen R. Hooper
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jean A. Frazier
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School/University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Karl C. Kuban
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T.Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Microorganisms in the Placenta: Links to Early-Life Inflammation and Neurodevelopment in Children. Clin Microbiol Rev 2019; 32:32/3/e00103-18. [PMID: 31043389 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00103-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to various stressors can influence both early and later life childhood health. Microbial infection of the intrauterine environment, specifically within the placenta, has been associated with deleterious birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, as well as adverse neurological outcomes later in life. The relationships among microorganisms in the placenta, placental function, and fetal development are not well understood. Microorganisms have been associated with perinatal inflammatory responses that have the potential for disrupting fetal brain development. Microbial presence has also been associated with epigenetic modifications in the placenta, as well other tissues. Here we review research detailing the presence of microorganisms in the placenta and associations among such microorganisms, placental DNA methylation, perinatal inflammation, and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Duan C, Hare M, Staring M, Deligiannidis KM. Examining the relationship between perinatal depression and neurodevelopment in infants and children through structural and functional neuroimaging research. Int Rev Psychiatry 2019; 31:264-279. [PMID: 30701993 PMCID: PMC6594877 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2018.1527759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Depression is the most common perinatal psychiatric disorder, but little is known about how it may impact offspring neurodevelopment, as well as the mechanisms by which it may confer transgenerational psychiatric risk. This review presents imaging studies conducted to evaluate the relationship between perinatal depression (PND) and infant and child neurodevelopment. Altered structural and functional connectivity is implicated in children exposed to PND and anxiety. Overall, there are changes in connectivity between amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. Studies suggest decreased hippocampal growth in the first 6 months after birth, decreased cortical thickness in children, and increased amygdala volumes, that are more pronounced in female offspring. Future research is needed to understand the impact of PND on development so that early interventions which promote mother-infant bonding and cognitive development may improve developmental outcomes in children exposed to PND, reducing later risk of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Duan
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA
| | - Megan Hare
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Morganne Staring
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Kristina M. Deligiannidis
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA,Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA,Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA,Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
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Everson TM, Marsit CJ, Michael O'Shea T, Burt A, Hermetz K, Carter BS, Helderman J, Hofheimer JA, McGowan EC, Neal CR, Pastyrnak SL, Smith LM, Soliman A, DellaGrotta SA, Dansereau LM, Padbury JF, Lester BM. Epigenome-wide Analysis Identifies Genes and Pathways Linked to Neurobehavioral Variation in Preterm Infants. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6322. [PMID: 31004082 PMCID: PMC6474865 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42654-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal molecular biomarkers of neurobehavioral responses (measures of brain-behavior relationships), when combined with neurobehavioral performance measures, could lead to better predictions of long-term developmental outcomes. To this end, we examined whether variability in buccal cell DNA methylation (DNAm) associated with neurobehavioral profiles in a cohort of infants born less than 30 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) and participating in the Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) Study (N = 536). We tested whether epigenetic age, age acceleration, or DNAm levels at individual loci differed between infants based on their NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) profile classifications. We adjusted for recruitment site, infant sex, PMA, and tissue heterogeneity. Infants with an optimally well-regulated NNNS profile had older epigenetic age compared to other NOVI infants (β1 = 0.201, p-value = 0.026), but no significant difference in age acceleration. In contrast, infants with an atypical NNNS profile had differential methylation at 29 CpG sites (FDR < 10%). Some of the genes annotated to these CpGs included PLA2G4E, TRIM9, GRIK3, and MACROD2, which have previously been associated with neurological structure and function, or with neurobehavioral disorders. These findings contribute to the existing evidence that neonatal epigenetic variations may be informative for infant neurobehavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Everson
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States.
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Amber Burt
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Karen Hermetz
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Brian S Carter
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Jennifer Helderman
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | - Julie A Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Charles R Neal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Steven L Pastyrnak
- Department of Pediatrics, Spectrum Health-Helen Devos Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lynne M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, United States
| | - Antoine Soliman
- Department of Pediatrics, Miller Children's and Women's Hospital Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, United States
| | - Sheri A DellaGrotta
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Lynne M Dansereau
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - James F Padbury
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Brown Alpert Medical School and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, United States
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Tian FY, Marsit CJ. Environmentally Induced Epigenetic Plasticity in Development: Epigenetic Toxicity and Epigenetic Adaptation. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2018; 5:450-460. [PMID: 30984515 PMCID: PMC6456900 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-018-0175-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epigenetic processes represent important mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity in response to environmental exposures. The current review discusses three classes of environmentally-induced epigenetic changes reflecting two aspects of that plasticity, toxicity effects as well as adaptation in the process of development. RECENT FINDINGS Due to innate resilience, epigenetic changes caused by environmental exposures may not always lead impairments but may allow the organisms to achieve positive developmental outcomes through appropriate adaptation and a buffering response. Thus, some epigenetic adaptive responses to an immediate stimulus or exposure early in life would be expected to have a survival advantage but these same responses may also result in adverse developmental outcomes as they persists into later life stage. Although accumulating literature has identified environmentally induced epigenetic changes and linked them to health outcomes, we currently face challenges in the interpretation of the functional impact of their epigenetic plasticity. SUMMARY Current environmental epigenetic research suggest that epigenetic processes may serve as a mechanism for resilience, and that they can be considered in terms of their impact on toxicity as a negative outcome, but also on adaptation for improved survival or health. This review encourages epigenetic environmental studies to move deeper inside into the functional meaning of epigenetic plasticity in the development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Vik T, Redline R, Nelson KB, Bjellmo S, Vogt C, Ng P, Strand KM, Nu TNT, Oskoui M. The Placenta in Neonatal Encephalopathy: A Case-Control Study. J Pediatr 2018; 202:77-85.e3. [PMID: 30369428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We assessed whether specific histologic placental lesions were associated with risk for neonatal encephalopathy, a strong predictor of death or cerebral palsy. STUDY DESIGN Case-control study of singletons with gestational ages ≥35 weeks. Data were abstracted from a prospectively collected database of consecutive births at a hospital in which placental samples from specified sites are collected and stored for all inborn infants. Placentas of infants with neonatal encephalopathy were compared with randomly selected control infants (ratio of 1:3). Placental histologic slides were read by a single experienced perinatal pathologist unaware of case status, using internationally recommended definitions and terminology. Findings were grouped into inflammatory, maternal, or fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) and other lesions. RESULTS Placental samples were available for 73 of 87 (84%) cases and 253 of 261 (97%) controls. Delivery complications and gross placental abnormalities were more common in cases, of whom 4 died. Inflammation and maternal vascular malperfusion did not differ, and findings consistent with global FVM were more frequent in case (20%) than control (7%) placentas (P = .001). There was a trend toward more segmental FVM and high-grade FVM (fetal thrombotic vasculopathy) among cases. Some type of FVM was observed in 24% of placentas with neonatal encephalopathy. In infants with both neonatal encephalopathy and placental FVM, more often than in infants with neonatal encephalopathy without FVM, electronic fetal monitoring tracings were considered possibly or definitely abnormal (P = .028). CONCLUSIONS Vascular malperfusion of subacute or chronic origin on the fetal side of the placenta was associated with increased risk of neonatal encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torstein Vik
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Raymond Redline
- Department of Pathology and Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals, Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
| | - Karin B Nelson
- National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Solveig Bjellmo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, More and Romsdal Hospital Trust, Aalesund, Norway
| | - Christina Vogt
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pathology, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Pamela Ng
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Kristin Melheim Strand
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tuyet Nhung Ton Nu
- Department of Pathology, McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Maryam Oskoui
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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