Association between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and offspring epigenetic aging at 3-5 weeks

Epigenetic clocks are emerging as tools for assessing acceleration and deceleration of biological age during childhood. Maternal depression during pregnancy may affect the biological aging of offspring and related development. In a low-income cohort of mother-child dyads, we investigated the relationship between prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and infant epigenetic age residuals, which represent the deviation (acceleration or deceleration) that exists between predicted biological age and chronological age. The epigenetic age residuals were derived from a pediatric-specific buccal epithelial clock. We hypothesized that maternal depressive symptoms, both sub-clinical and elevated (clinical level), would be associated with estimated biological age deceleration in offspring during early infancy. We analyzed data from 94 mother-child dyads using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and DNA methylation derived from offspring buccal cells collected at 3-5 weeks of age. There was a significant non-linear association between the EPDS score and epigenetic age residual (β = -0.017, 95% confidence interval: -0.03,-0.01, P = <0.01). The results indicated that infants of mothers with sub-clinical depressive symptoms had the lowest infant epigenetic age residuals while infants of mothers with no-to-low depressive symptoms had the highest and experienced biological age acceleration. Maternal depressive symptoms may influence the biological aging of offspring living in poverty.

Associations of prenatal ambient air pollution exposures with asthma in middle childhood

We examined associations between prenatal fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) exposures and child respiratory outcomes through age 8-9 years in 1279 ECHO-PATHWAYS Consortium mother-child dyads. We averaged spatiotemporally modeled air pollutant exposures during four fetal lung development phases: pseudoglandular (5-16 weeks), canalicular (16-24 weeks), saccular (24-36 weeks), and alveolar (36+ weeks). We estimated adjusted relative risks (RR) for current asthma at age 8-9 and asthma with recent exacerbation or atopic disease, and odds ratios (OR) for wheezing trajectories using modified Poisson and multinomial logistic regression, respectively. Effect modification by child sex, maternal asthma, and prenatal environmental tobacco smoke was explored. Across all outcomes, 95% confidence intervals (CI) included the null for all estimates of associations between prenatal air pollution exposures and respiratory outcomes. Pseudoglandular PM2.5 exposure modestly increased risk of current asthma (RRadj = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.88-1.51); canalicular PM2.5 exposure modestly increased risk of asthma with recent exacerbation (RRadj = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.86-1.86) and persistent wheezing (ORadj = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.86-1.89). Similar findings were observed for O3, but not NO2, and associations were strengthened among mothers without asthma. While not statistically distinguishable from the null, trends in effect estimates suggest some adverse associations of early pregnancy air pollution exposures with child respiratory conditions, warranting confirmation in larger samples.

Review: myogenic and muscle toxicity targets of environmental methylmercury exposure

A number of environmental toxicants are noted for their activity that leads to declined motor function. However, the role of muscle as a proximal toxicity target organ for environmental agents has received considerably less attention than the toxicity targets in the nervous system. Nonetheless, the effects of conventional neurotoxicants on processes of myogenesis and muscle maintenance are beginning to resolve a concerted role of muscle as a susceptible toxicity target. A large body of evidence from epidemiological, animal, and in vitro studies has established that methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent developmental toxicant, with the nervous system being a preferred target. Despite its well-recognized status as a neurotoxicant, there is accumulating evidence that MeHg also targets muscle and neuromuscular development as well as contributes to the etiology of motor defects with prenatal MeHg exposure. Here, we summarize evidence for targets of MeHg in the morphogenesis and maintenance of skeletal muscle that reveal effects on MeHg distribution, myogenesis, myotube formation, myotendinous junction formation, neuromuscular junction formation, and satellite cell-mediated muscle repair. We briefly recapitulate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of skeletal muscle development and highlight the pragmatic role of alternative model organisms, Drosophila and zebrafish, in delineating the molecular underpinnings of muscle development and MeHg-mediated myotoxicity. Finally, we discuss how toxicity targets in muscle development may inform the developmental origins of health and disease theory to explain the etiology of environmentally induced adult motor deficits and accelerated decline in muscle fitness with aging.

The developmental origins of health and disease and intergenerational inheritance: a scoping review of multigenerational cohort studies

Epidemiologic research has increasingly acknowledged the importance of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) and suggests that prior exposures can be transferred across generations. Multigenerational cohorts are crucial to verify the intergenerational inheritance among human subjects. We carried out this scoping review aims to summarize multigenerational cohort studies' characteristics, issues, and implications and hence provide evidence to the DOHaD and intergenerational inheritance. We adopted a comprehensive search strategy to identify multigenerational cohorts, searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from the inception of each dataset to June 20th, 2022, to retrieve relevant articles. After screening, 28 unique multigenerational cohort studies were identified. We classified all studies into four types: population-based cohort extended three-generation cohort, birth cohort extended three-generation cohort, three-generation cohort, and integrated birth and three-generation cohort. Most cohorts (n = 15, 53%) were categorized as birth cohort extended three-generation studies. The sample size of included cohorts varied from 41 to 167,729. The study duration ranged from two years to 31 years. Most cohorts had common exposures, including socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, and grandparents' and parents' health and risk behaviors over the life course. These studies usually investigated intergenerational inheritance of diseases as the outcomes, most frequently, obesity, child health, and cardiovascular diseases. We also found that most multigenerational studies aim to disentangle genetic, lifestyle, and environmental contributions to the DOHaD across generations. We call for more research on large multigenerational well-characterized cohorts, up to four or even more generations, and more studies from low- and middle-income countries.

Sustained effects of developmental exposure to inorganic arsenic on hepatic gsto2 expression and mating success in zebrafish

The impacts of exposure to the pervasive environmental toxicant, inorganic arsenic (iAs), on human and fish health are well characterized and several lines of evidence suggest that some impacts can manifest years after exposure cessation. Using a developmental exposure protocol whereby zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0.5 and 1.5 mM iAs from 4-120 hours post fertilization (hpf) and then removed, we investigated the sustained effects of iAs on gene expression in the liver, survival, reproductive success, and susceptibility to iAs toxicity in the subsequent generation. Persistent exposure to iAs during development had substantial effects on the hepatic transcriptome, with 23% of all expressed genes significantly changed following developmental exposure. The gsto2 gene is involved in iAs metabolism and this gene was significantly downregulated in female livers 9 months after iAs was removed. Developmental exposure to 1.5 mM iAs, but not 0.5 mM, decreased survival by over 50% at 3 months of age. Adults that were developmentally exposed to 0.5 mM iAs had reduced mating success, but their offspring had no differences in observable aspects of development or their susceptibility to iAs toxicity. This demonstrates that developmental exposure of zebrafish to iAs reduces long-term survival, reproductive success and causes sustained changes to gsto2 expression in the liver.

Maternal methyl donor supplementation: A potential therapy for metabolic disorder in offspring

The prevalences of diabetes mellitus and obesity are increasing yearly and has become a serious social burden. In addition to genetic factors, environmental factors in early life development are critical in influencing the prevalence of metabolic disorders in offspring. A growing body of evidence suggests the critical role of early methyl donor intervention in offspring health. Emerging studies have shown that methyl donors can influence offspring metabolism through epigenetic modifications and changing metabolism-related genes. In this review, we focus on the role of folic acid, betaine, vitamin B12, methionine, and choline in protecting against metabolic disorders in offspring. To address the current evidence on the potential role of maternal methyl donors, we summarize clinical studies as well as experimental animal models that support the impact of maternal methyl donors on offspring metabolism and discuss the mechanisms of action that may bring about these positive effects. Given the worldwide prevalence of metabolic disorders, these findings could be utilized in clinical practice, in which methyl donor supplementation in the early life years may reverse metabolic disorders in offspring and block the harmful intergenerational effect.

Association of Neonatal Antibiotic Exposure with Long-Term Growth Trajectory Faltering in Preterm-Birth Children

INTRODUCTION

Preterm neonates often receive a variety of duration of antibiotic exposure during admission. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether neonatal antibiotic exposure is relevant with longitudinal growth problems in preterm-birth children.

METHODS

This prospective study enrolled 481 infants who were born <32 weeks of gestation, discharged, and longitudinally followed from corrected age (CA) 6-60 months. After excluding 153 infants with blood culture-confirmed bacteremia, necrotizing enterocolitis, severe cerebral palsy, intestinal ostomy, and congenital anomaly, 328 infants were included for analysis. Covariates included perinatal demographics, neonatal morbidities, extrauterine growth restriction, and antibiotic exposure accumulated by term equivalent age. The primary outcome was the anthropometric trajectories in z-score of bodyweight (zBW), body height (zBH), and body mass index (zBMI) from CA 6-60 months.

RESULTS

Antibiotic exposure duration was significantly negatively associated with zBW and zBH at CA 6, 12, and 60 months, and zBMI at CA 60 months. Multivariate generalized estimating equation analyses showed antibiotic exposure duration had significantly faltering z-score increment from CA 6 to 60 months in zBW and zBH (adjusted mean [95% CI]; ΔzBW: -0.021 [-0.041 to -0.001], p = 0.042; ΔzBH: -0.019 [-0.035 to -0.002], p = 0.027) after adjustment. Children with neonatal antibiotic exposure duration >15 days were significantly lower in the mean anthropometric zBW, zBH, and zBMI at CA 6, 12, 24, and 60 months compared with children with neonatal antibiotic exposure ≤15 days (all p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Growth increments were negatively associated with antibiotic exposure duration in preterm neonates implicating that antibiotic stewardship and growth follow-up for preterm neonates are thus warranted.

Barker's Hypothesis Among the Global Poor: Positive Long-Term Cardiovascular Effects of in Utero Famine Exposure

An influential literature on the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) has documented that poor conditions in utero lead to higher risk of cardiovascular disease at older ages. Evidence from low-income countries (LICs) has hitherto been missing, despite the fact that adverse in utero conditions are far more common in LICs. We find that Malawians exposed in utero to the 1949 Nyasaland famine have better cardiovascular health 70 years later. These findings highlight the potential context specificity of the DOHaD hypothesis, with in utero adversity having different health implications among aging LIC individuals who were exposed to persistent poverty.

A novel approach to risk exposure and epigenetics-the use of multidimensional context to gain insights into the early origins of cardiometabolic and neurocognitive health

BACKGROUND

Each mother-child dyad represents a unique combination of genetic and environmental factors. This constellation of variables impacts the expression of countless genes. Numerous studies have uncovered changes in DNA methylation (DNAm), a form of epigenetic regulation, in offspring related to maternal risk factors. How these changes work together to link maternal-child risks to childhood cardiometabolic and neurocognitive traits remains unknown. This question is a key research priority as such traits predispose to future non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We propose viewing risk and the genome through a multidimensional lens to identify common DNAm patterns shared among diverse risk profiles.

METHODS

We identified multifactorial Maternal Risk Profiles (MRPs) generated from population-based data (n = 15,454, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)). Using cord blood HumanMethylation450 BeadChip data, we identified genome-wide patterns of DNAm that co-vary with these MRPs. We tested the prospective relation of these DNAm patterns (n = 914) to future outcomes using decision tree analysis. We then tested the reproducibility of these patterns in (1) DNAm data at age 7 and 17 years within the same cohort (n = 973 and 974, respectively) and (2) cord DNAm in an independent cohort, the Generation R Study (n = 686).

RESULTS

We identified twenty MRP-related DNAm patterns at birth in ALSPAC. Four were prospectively related to cardiometabolic and/or neurocognitive childhood outcomes. These patterns were replicated in DNAm data from blood collected at later ages. Three of these patterns were externally validated in cord DNAm data in Generation R. Compared to previous literature, DNAm patterns exhibited novel spatial distribution across the genome that intersects with chromatin functional and tissue-specific signatures.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, we are the first to leverage multifactorial population-wide data to detect patterns of variability in DNAm. This context-based approach decreases biases stemming from overreliance on specific samples or variables. We discovered molecular patterns demonstrating prospective and replicable relations to complex traits. Moreover, results suggest that patterns harbour a genome-wide organisation specific to chromatin regulation and target tissues. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation to better reflect the reality of human context in molecular studies of NCDs.

Preimplantation embryo exposure to ketone bodies exerts sex-specific effects on mouse fetal and placental transcriptomes

RESEARCH QUESTION

Does in vitro exposure of preimplantation mouse embryos to the ketone bodies β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB) and acetoacetate (AcAc) impact post-transfer fetal and placental gene expression?

DESIGN

Blastocysts cultured in vitro with or without 2 mmol/l βOHB alone ('βOHB') or combined with 0.8 mmol/l AcAc ('Keto') underwent embryo transfer. Transcriptional profiles of sexed placenta, liver and brain at gestational day 14.5 were examined via RNA sequencing and DAVID functional analysis.

RESULTS

A sexually dimorphic response to in vitro ketone exposure was observed. Both βOHB and Keto exposure down-regulated genes related to oxidative phosphorylation specifically in female liver. βOHB down-regulated female placental steroid biosynthetic processes, while Keto treatment up-regulated genes relevant to blood vessel formation and cell migration in male placenta. Brain transcriptomes were minimally affected. X-linked genes and chromatin modifiers were identified as differentially expressed in both liver and placenta, alluding to a sex-specific regulatory mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

Transient preimplantation ketone exposure perturbs sex-specific fetal liver and placental gene expression, demonstrating a developmental programming effect that warrants future investigation of the postnatal metabolic health of male and female offspring.

Low-dose Bisphenol A exposure alters the functionality and cellular environment in a human cardiomyocyte model

Early embryonic development represents a sensitive time-window during which the foetus might be vulnerable to the exposure of environmental contaminants, potentially leading to heart diseases also later in life. Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical widely used in plastics manufacturing, has been associated with heart developmental defects, even in low concentrations. This study aims to investigate the effects of environmentally relevant doses of BPA on developing cardiomyocytes using a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived model. Firstly, a 2D in vitro differentiation system to obtain cardiomyocytes from hiPSCs (hiPSC-CMs) have been established and characterised to provide a suitable model for the early stages of cardiac development. Then, the effects of a repeated BPA exposure, starting from the undifferentiated stage throughout the differentiation process, were evaluated. The chemical significantly decreased the beat rate of hiPSC-CMs, extending the contraction and relaxation time in a dose-dependent manner. Quantitative proteomics analysis revealed a high abundance of basement membrane (BM) components (e.g., COL4A1, COL4A2, LAMC1, NID2) and a significant increase in TNNC1 and SERBP1 proteins in hiPSC-CMs treated with BPA. Network analysis of proteomics data supported altered extracellular matrix remodelling and provided a disease-gene association with well-known pathological conditions of the heart. Furthermore, upon hypoxia-reoxygenation challenge, hiPSC-CMs treated with BPA showed higher rate of apoptotic events. Taken together, our results revealed that a long-term treatment, even with low doses of BPA, interferes with hiPSC-CMs functionality and alters the surrounding cellular environment, providing new insights about diseases that might arise upon the toxin exposure. Our study contributes to the current understanding of BPA effects on developing human foetal cardiomyocytes, in correlation with human clinical observations and animal studies, and it provides a suitable model for New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for environmental chemical hazard and risk assessment.

The prenatal environment and its influence on maternal and child mitochondrial DNA copy number and methylation: A review of the literature

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is sensitive to environmental stressors and associated with human health. We reviewed epidemiological literature examining associations between prenatal environmental, dietary, and social exposures and alterations in maternal/child mtDNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and mtDNA methylation. Evidence exists that prenatal maternal exposures are associated with alterations in mtDNAcn for air pollution, chemicals (e.g. metals), cigarette smoke, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and treatment. Evidence for their associations with mtDNA methylation was limited. Given its potential implications as a disease pathway biomarker, studies with sufficient biological specificity should examine the long-term implications of prenatal and early-life mtDNA alterations in response to prenatal exposures.

Mediation effects of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation on birth outcomes after prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in the Michigan mother-infant Pairs cohort

BACKGROUND

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that are resistant to degradation and ubiquitous in our environments. PFAS may impact the developing epigenome, but current human evidence is limited to assessments of total DNA methylation. We assessed associations between first trimester PFAS exposures with newborn DNA methylation, including 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC). DNA methylation mediation of associations between PFAS and birth outcomes were explored in the Michigan Mother Infant Pairs cohort. Nine PFAS were measured in maternal first trimester blood. Seven were highly detected and included for analysis: PFHxS, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, and MeFOSAA. Bisulfite-converted cord blood DNA (n = 141) and oxidative-bisulfite-converted cord blood (n = 70) were assayed on Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChips to measure total DNA methylation (5-mC + 5-hmC) and 5-mC/5-hmC. Correcting for multiple comparisons, beta regressions were used to assess associations between levels of PFAS and total methylation, 5-mC, or 5-hmC. Nonlinear mediation analyses were used to assess the epigenetic meditation effect between PFAS and birth outcomes.

RESULTS

PFAS was significantly associated with total methylation (q < 0.05: PFHxS-12 sites; PFOS-19 sites; PFOA-2 sites; PFNA-3 sites; PFDA-4 sites). In 72 female infants and 69 male infants, there were sex-specific associations between five PFAS and DNA methylation. 5-mC and 5-hmC were each significantly associated with thousands of sites for PFHxS, PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, and MeFOSAA (q < 0.05). Clusters of 5-mC and 5-hmC sites were significant mediators between PFNA and PFUnDA and decreased gestational age (q < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the mediation role of specific types of DNA methylation on the relationship between PFAS exposure and birth outcomes. These results suggest that 5-mC and 5-hmC may be more sensitive to the developmental impacts of PFAS than total DNA methylation.

Select Early-Life Environmental Exposures and DNA Methylation in the Placenta

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize recent literature relating early-life environmental exposures on DNA methylation in the placenta, to identify how variation in placental methylation is regulated in an exposure-specific manner, and to encourage additional work in this area.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple studies have evaluated associations between prenatal environmental exposures and placental methylation in both gene-specific and epigenome-wide frameworks. Specific exposures lead to unique variability in methylation, and cross-exposure assessments have uncovered certain genes that demonstrate consistency in differential placental methylation. Exposure studies that assess methylation effects in a trimester-specific approach tend to find larger effects during the 1st trimester exposure. Earlier studies have more targeted gene-specific approaches to methylation, while later studies have shifted towards epigenome-wide, array-based approaches. Studies focusing on exposures such as air pollution, maternal smoking, environmental contaminants, and trace metals appear to be more abundant, while studies of socioeconomic adversity and circadian disruption are scarce but demonstrate remarkable effects. Understanding the impacts of early-life environmental exposures on placental methylation is critical to establishing the link between the maternal environment, epigenetic variation, and long-term health. Future studies into this field should incorporate repeated measures of exposure throughout pregnancy, in order to determine the critical windows in which placental methylation is most heavily affected. Additionally, the use of methylation-based scores and sequencing technology could provide important insights into epigenetic gestational age and uncovering more genomic regions where methylation is affected. Studies examining the impact of other exposures on methylation, including pesticides, alcohol, and other chemicals are also warranted.

Placental transcriptomic signatures of prenatal exposure to Hydroxy-Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

BACKGROUND

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants originating from petrogenic and pyrogenic sources. PAH compounds can cross the placenta, and prenatal PAH exposure is linked to adverse infant and childhood health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

In this first human transcriptomic assessment of PAHs in the placenta, we examined associations between prenatal PAH exposure and placental gene expression to gain insight into mechanisms by which PAHs may disrupt placental function.

METHODS

The ECHO PATHWAYS Consortium quantified prenatal PAH exposure and the placental transcriptome from 629 pregnant participants enrolled in the CANDLE study. Concentrations of 12 monohydroxy-PAH (OH-PAH) metabolites were measured in mid-pregnancy urine using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Placental transcriptomic data were obtained using paired-end RNA sequencing. Linear models were fitted to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between maternal urinary OH-PAHs and placental gene expression. We performed sex-stratified analyses to evaluate whether associations varied by fetal sex. Selected PAH/gene expression analyses were validated by treating HTR-8/SVneo cells with phenanthrene, and quantifying expression via qPCR.

RESULTS

Urinary concentrations of 6 OH-PAHs were associated with placental expression of 8 genes. Three biological pathways were associated with 4 OH-PAHs. Placental expression of SGF29 and TRIP13 as well as the vitamin digestion and absorption pathway were positively associated with multiple metabolites. HTR-8/SVneo cells treated with phenanthrene also exhibited 23 % increased TRIP13 expression compared to vehicle controls (p = 0.04). Fetal sex may modify the relationship between prenatal OH-PAHs and placental gene expression, as more associations were identified in females than males (45 vs 28 associations).

DISCUSSION

Our study highlights novel genes whose placental expression may be disrupted by OH-PAHs. Increased expression of DNA damage repair gene TRIP13 may represent a response to double-stranded DNA breaks. Increased expression of genes involved in vitamin digestion and metabolism may reflect dietary exposures or represent a compensatory mechanism to combat damage related to OH-PAH toxicity. Further work is needed to study the role of these genes in placental function and their links to perinatal outcomes and lifelong health.

Antenatal Programming of Hypertension: Paradigms, Paradoxes, and How We Move Forward

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Synthesize the clinical, epidemiological, and preclinical evidence for antenatal programming of hypertension and critically appraise paradigms and paradoxes to improve translation.

RECENT FINDINGS

Clinical and epidemiological studies persistently demonstrate that antenatal factors contribute to programmed hypertension under the developmental origins of health and disease framework, including lower birth weight, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. Preclinical mechanisms include preeclampsia, maternal diabetes, maternal undernutrition, and antenatal corticosteroid exposure. However, clinical and epidemiological studies to date have largely failed to adequately identify, discuss, and mitigate many sources and types of bias in part due to heterogeneous study designs and incomplete adherence to scientific rigor. These limitations have led to incomplete and biased paradigms as well as persistent paradoxes that have significantly limited translation into clinical and population health interventions. Improved understanding of these paradigms and paradoxes will allow us to substantially move the field forward.

Anxiety-related behavior and associated brain transcriptome and epigenome alterations in adult female zebrafish exposed to atrazine during embryogenesis

Atrazine often contaminates drinking water sources, exceeding the maximum contaminant level established by the US Environmental Protection Agency at 3 parts per billion (ppb; μg/L). Atrazine is linked to endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and cancer, with delayed health effects observed after developmental exposure in line with the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. To test the hypothesis that embryonic atrazine exposure induces delayed neurotoxicity in adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio), embryos were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3, or 30 ppb atrazine during embryogenesis (1-72 h post fertilization (hpf)) and raised to adults with no additional atrazine exposure. Behavioral outcomes were tested through a novel tank test, light-dark box, and open field test and indicated female zebrafish had more anxious phenotypes at 9 months post fertilization (mpf). Female brain transcriptomic analysis at 9 mpf found altered gene expression pathways related to organismal injury and cancer with beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor as top upstream regulators. These results were compared to 9 mpf male and 6 mpf female groups with the same atrazine embryonic exposures and showed differences in specific genes that were altered, but similarities in top molecular pathways. Molecular pathways associated with behavior were observed only in the 6 mpf transcriptomic profiles, suggesting prediction of observed behavioral outcomes at 9 mpf. The expression of genes associated with serotonin neurotransmission was also evaluated at 14 mpf to determine persistence; however, no significant changes were observed. Brain global methylation in 12 mpf zebrafish observed an increased percent 5 mC in females with embryonic 0.3 ppb atrazine exposure. Finally, the body length, body weight, and brain weight were determined at 14 mpf and were altered in all treatment groups. These results indicate that embryonic atrazine exposure does cause delayed neurotoxicity within the DOHaD framework, which is significant given atrazine's presence and persistence in the environment.

Hypertension and renal disease programming: focus on the early postnatal period

The developmental origin of hypertension and renal disease is a concept highly supported by strong evidence coming from both human and animal studies. During development there are periods in which the organs are more vulnerable to stressors. Such periods of susceptibility are also called 'sensitive windows of exposure'. It was shown that as earlier an adverse event occurs; the greater are the consequences for health impairment. However, evidence show that the postnatal period is also quite important for hypertension and renal disease programming, especially in rodents because they complete nephrogenesis postnatally, and it is also important during preterm human birth. Considering that the developing kidney is vulnerable to early-life stressors, renal programming is a key element in the developmental programming of hypertension and renal disease. The purpose of this review is to highlight the great number of studies, most of them performed in animal models, showing the broad range of stressors involved in hypertension and renal disease programming, with a particular focus on the stressors that occur during the early postnatal period. These stressors mainly include undernutrition or specific nutritional deficits, chronic behavioral stress, exposure to environmental chemicals, and pharmacological treatments that affect some important factors involved in renal physiology. We also discuss the common molecular mechanisms that are activated by the mentioned stressors and that promote the appearance of these adult diseases, with a brief description on some reprogramming strategies, which is a relatively new and promising field to treat or to prevent these diseases.

Gene-environment interactions related to maternal exposure to environmental and lifestyle-related chemicals during pregnancy and the resulting adverse fetal growth: a review

Background

There are only limited numbers of reviews on the association of maternal-child genetic polymorphisms and environmental and lifestyle-related chemical exposure during pregnancy with adverse fetal growth. Thus, this article aims to review: (1) the effect of associations between the above highlighted factors on adverse fetal growth and (2) recent birth cohort studies regarding environmental health risks.

Methods

Based on a search of the PubMed database through August 2021, 68 epidemiological studies on gene-environment interactions, focusing on the association between environmental and lifestyle-related chemical exposure and adverse fetal growth was identified. Moreover, we also reviewed recent worldwide birth cohort studies regarding environmental health risks.

Results

Thirty studies examined gene-smoking associations with adverse fetal growth. Sixteen maternal genes significantly modified the association between maternal smoking and adverse fetal growth. Two genes significantly related with this association were detected in infants. Moreover, the maternal genes that significantly interacted with maternal smoking during pregnancy were cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 3 (XRCC3), interleukin 6 (IL6), interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ alpha 1 (HLA-DQA1), HLA DQ beta 1 (HLA-DQB1), and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Fetal genes that had significant interactions with maternal smoking during pregnancy were glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) and fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO). Thirty-eight studies examined the association between chemical exposures and adverse fetal growth. In 62 of the 68 epidemiological studies (91.2%), a significant association was found with adverse fetal growth. Across the studies, there was a wide variation in the analytical methods used, especially with respect to the genetic polymorphisms of interest, environmental and lifestyle-related chemicals examined, and the study design used to estimate the gene-environment interactions. It was also found that a consistently increasing number of European and worldwide large-scale birth cohort studies on environmental health risks have been conducted since approximately 1996.

Conclusion

There is some evidence to suggest the importance of gene-environment interactions on adverse fetal growth. The current knowledge on gene-environment interactions will help guide future studies on the combined effects of maternal-child genetic polymorphisms and exposure to environmental and lifestyle-related chemicals during pregnancy.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.21-00033.

Atopic heredity modifies the association between maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy and the risk of atopic disease in childhood: an observational study

Background

The relationship between maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy and the development of atopic diseases in the offspring has been frequently studied, but with contradictory results. Previous studies have found an inverse relation between maternal vitamin D in pregnancy and the risk of atopic diseases in the child. In contrast, others have found a higher maternal 25OHD to be related to a higher risk of atopic diseases. Thus, the aim was to investigate the associations between maternal vitamin D status and intake in pregnancy with asthma, eczema and food allergies in the children up to 5 years. In addition, effect modification by reported atopic heredity was studied.

Methods

Participants in the GraviD study had 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) analyzed in serum in early (T1) and late (T3) pregnancy. Maternal dietary vitamin D intake was estimated from a short food frequency questionnaire and supplement use by questionnaires. At 5 years of age the child´s history of asthma, eczema and food allergy, including atopic heredity, was reported by questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used.

Results

The cumulative incidence of asthma was 13%, eczema 22%, and food allergy 18%. Only among children without reported atopic heredity, maternal 25OHD of 50–75 nmol/L in T1 was associated with lower odds of asthma (OR 0.271, 95% CI 0.127–0.580), compared to maternal 25OHD > 75 nmol/L. Additionally in these children, maternal 25OHD in T3 (continuous) was associated with asthma (OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.002–1.009), and dietary vitamin D intake with eczema (OR 1.141, 95% CI 1.011–1.288).

Conclusions

Among children without reported atopic heredity, higher maternal vitamin D status and intake during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of reported atopic disease.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12937-022-00787-9.

Prenatal PM2.5 exposure and infant temperament at age 6 months: Sensitive windows and sex-specific associations

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in later childhood, while research on early infant behavior remains sparse.

OBJECTIVES

We examined associations between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and infant negative affectivity, a stable temperamental trait associated with longer-term behavioral and mental health outcomes. We also examined sex-specific effects.

METHODS

Analyses included 559 mother-infant pairs enrolled in the PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) cohort. Daily PM2.5 exposure based on geocoded residential address during pregnancy was estimated using a satellite-based spatiotemporal model. Domains of negative affectivity (Sadness, Distress to Limitations, Fear, Falling Reactivity) were assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) when infants were 6 months old. Subscale scores were calculated as the mean of item-specific responses; the global Negative Affectivity (NA) score was derived by averaging the mean of the four subscale scores. Bayesian distributed lag interaction models (BDLIMs) were used to identify sensitive windows for prenatal PM2.5 exposure on global NA and its subscales, and to examine effect modification by sex.

RESULTS

Mothers were primarily racial/ethnic minorities (38% Black, 37% Hispanic), 40% had ≤12 years of education; most did not smoke during pregnancy (87%). In the overall sample, BDLIMs revealed that increased PM2.5 at mid-pregnancy was associated with higher global NA, Sadness, and Fear scores, after adjusting for covariates (maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, sex). Among boys, increased PM2.5 at early pregnancy was associated with decreased Fear scores, while exposure during late pregnancy was associated with increased Fear scores (cumulative effect estimate = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.03-1.41). Among girls, increased PM2.5 during mid-pregnancy was associated with higher Fear scores (cumulative effect estimate = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.05-1.91).

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal PM2.5 exposure was associated with negative affectivity at age 6 months, and the sensitive windows may vary by subdomains and infant sex.

Maternal pregnancy weight or gestational weight gain and offspring's blood pressure: A systematic review

AIMS

An increasing number of studies suggest that maternal weight parameters in pregnancy are associated with offspring's blood pressure (BP). The aim of this systematic review - following the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement - was to assess and judge the evidence for an association between maternal pregnancy weight/body mass index (BMI) or gestational weight gain (GWG) with offspring's BP in later life.

DATA SYNTHESIS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched without limits. Risk of bias was assessed using the "US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute"-tool, and an evidence grade was allocated following the "World Cancer Research Fund" criteria. Of 7,124 publications retrieved, 16 studies (all cohort studies) were included in the systematic review. Overall data from 52,606 participants (0 years [newborns] to 32 years) were enclosed. Association between maternal pregnancy BMI and offspring's BP were analyzed in 2 (both "good-quality" rated) studies, without consistent results. GWG and offspring's BP was analyzed in 14 studies (2 "good-quality", 9 "fair-quality", 3 "poor-quality" rated). Of these, 3 "fair-quality" studies described significant positive results for systolic BP and significant results, but partly with varying directions of effect estimates for diastolic BP. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was analyzed in 1 "poor-quality" congress paper. Overall, based on the small number of "good-quality"-rated studies and the inconsistency of effect direction, no firm conclusion can be drawn.

CONCLUSION

Evidence for an association of maternal pregnancy weight determinants with offspring's BP was overall graded as "limited - no conclusion".

Sex-specific placental gene expression signatures of small for gestational age at birth

INTRODUCTION

Small for gestational age at birth (SGA), often a consequence of placental dysfunction, is a risk factor for neonatal morbidity and later life cardiometabolic diseases. There are sex differences in placental gene expression and fetal growth. Here, we investigated sex-specific associations between gene expression in human placenta measured using RNA sequencing and SGA status using data from ethnic diverse pregnant women in the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies cohort (n = 74).

METHODS

Gene expression measures were obtained using RNA-Sequencing and differential gene expression between SGA (birthweight <10th percentile) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA: ≥10th and <90th percentile) was tested separately in males (12 SGA and 27 AGA) and females (9 SGA and 26 AGA) using a weighted mean of log ratios method with adjustment for mode of delivery and ethnicity.

RESULTS

At 5% false discovery rate (FDR), we identified 40 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to SGA status among males (95% up- and 5% down-regulated) and 314 DEGs among females (32.5% up- and 67.5% down-regulated). Seven female-specific DEGs overlapped with known imprinted genes (AXL, CYP24A1, GPR1, PLAGL1, CMTM1, DLX5, LY6D). The DEGs in males were significantly enriched for immune response and inflammation signaling pathways whereas the DEGs in females were enriched for organ development signaling pathways (FDR<0.05). Sex-combined analysis identified no additional DEGs, rather 98% of the sex-specific DEGs were no longer significant and the remaining 2% were attenuated.

DISCUSSION

This study revealed sex-specific human placental gene expression changes and molecular pathways associated with SGA and underscored that unravelling the pathogenesis of SGA warrants consideration of fetal sex as a biological variable.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov, Unique identifier: NCT00912132.

Hepatic glycogenolysis is determined by maternal high-calorie diet via methylation of Pygl and it is modified by oteocalcin administration in mice

Objective

Accumulating evidence indicates that an adverse perinatal environment contributes to a higher risk of metabolic disorders in the later life of the offspring. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Thus, we investigated the contribution of maternal high-calorie diet and osteocalcin to metabolic homeostasis in the offspring.

Methods

Eight-week-old C57Bl/6N female mice were mated with age-matched males and allocated randomly to three groups: a normal-diet (ND) or a high-fat, high-sucrose diet group, which was administered either saline (control) or GluOC (10 ng/g body mass) from the day of mating to that of delivery, and the dams were fed a ND after the delivery. Pups weaned at 24 days after birth were analyzed.

Results

A maternal high-fat, high-sucrose diet during pregnancy causes metabolic disorders in the liver of the offspring via hypermethylation of the Pygl gene, encoding glycogen phosphorylase L, which mediates hepatic glycogenolysis. The reduced expression of Pygl induced by the maternal diet causes the hepatic accumulation of glycogen and triglyceride in the offspring, which remains in adulthood. In addition, the administration of uncarboxylated osteocalcin during pregnancy upregulates Pygl expression via both direct CREBH and ATF4 and indirect epigenomic pathways, mitigating the maternal diet-induced obesity and abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in adulthood.

Conclusions

We propose that maternal energy status is reflected in the hepatic glycogenolysis capacity of the offspring via epigenetic modification of Pygl and uncarboxylated osteocalcin regulates glycogenolysis.

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A high-calorie diet during pregnancy causes metabolic disorders in mouse offspring.

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These are mediated by low liver expression of Pygl encoding glycogen phosphorylase.

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Hypermethylation of the Pygl promoter in utero suppresses subsequent gene expression.

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Modification and phenotypic changes are prevented by GluOC administration during pregnancy.

An Update on the Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes: A Global Perspective

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a public health burden associated with immense health care and societal costs, early death, and morbidity. Largely because of epidemiologic changes, including nutrition transitions, urbanization, and sedentary lifestyles, T2D is increasing in every region of the world, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. This article highlights global trends in T2D and discusses the role of genes, early-life exposures, and lifestyle risk factors in the cause of T2D, with an emphasis on populations in current hotspots of the epidemic. It also considers potential impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and T2D prevention policies and action.

Placental outcomes of phthalate exposure

Proper placental development and function relies on hormone receptors and signaling pathways that make the placenta susceptible to disruption by endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as phthalates. Here, we review relevant research on the associations between phthalate exposures and dysfunctions of the development and function of the placenta, including morphology, physiology, and genetic and epigenetic effects. This review covers in vitro studies, in vivo studies in mammals, and studies in humans. We also discuss important gaps in the literature. Overall, the evidence indicates that toxicity to the placental and maternal-fetal interface is associated with exposure to phthalates. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the mechanisms through which phthalates act in the placenta as well as additional human studies that assess placental disruption through pregnancy with larger sample sizes.

Effects of maternal obesity in an ovine model on metabolic outcomes in F2 adults and F3 neonates

Accumulating evidence suggests that indications of metabolic syndrome can be inherited through the germline as a result of maternal obesity. We hypothesized that diet-induced maternal obesity during gestation would program metabolic consequences for multiple generations of offspring, even when first, second, and third generation offspring (F1, F2, F3, respectively) were fed only to requirements. Control (CON) and obese (OB) ewes (generation 0; F0) were bred to a single ram to produce the first generation of offspring (F1). From 60 d prior to conception through term, CONF0 ate 100% National Research Council recommendations (NRC), while OBF0 ewes ate 150% NRC. All F1, F2, and F3 ate 100% NRC after weaning. All mature F1 ewes were bred to a single ram to generate CONF2 (n = 6) and OBF2 (n = 10). All mature F2 ewes were bred to a single ram to produce CONF3 (n = 6) and OBF3 (n = 10). OBF2 ewes exhibited greater (P < 0.0001) plasma cortisol than CONF2 throughout gestation. A glucose tolerance test at 90% gestation revealed OBF2 ewes had higher (P < 0.05) insulin response with similar glucose, resulting in greater (P < 0.05) insulin resistance. OBF3 neonates had similar weight, lean mass, and body fat mass to CONF3 neonates. These data suggest that multigenerational programming of adverse metabolic phenotypes occur in association with F0 maternal obesity, yet adiposity may return to CON levels in F3 neonates.

The Long Arm of Conflict: How Timing Shapes the Impact of Childhood Exposure to War

This paper examines how the timing of childhood exposure to armed conflict influences both the magnitude of the impact it has on later-life health and the pathways through which those impacts manifest. Utilizing the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe, we examine cohorts of children during World War II. We find that cohorts born during the war show the largest negative effects of exposure on health in later life. The pathways also vary the timing of exposure. Consistent with a latent critical period process, children born during the war experienced increased risk of poor health and illness in childhood, as well as adult cardiometabolic conditions and poor functional health. Conversely, cohorts born before the war experienced more indirect pathways consistent with cumulative disadvantage processes and institutional breakdown. These pathways include stunted socioeconomic attainment, increased risk behaviors, and poorer mental health. Overall, this study emphasizes that the timing of exposure is critical to understanding the long-term health effects of war.

Maternal High-Fat Diet Induces Long-Lasting Defects in Bone Structure in Rat Offspring Through Enhanced Osteoclastogenesis

Maternal stressors during the prenatal and perinatal periods are associated with increased susceptibility for and severity of chronic disease phenotypes in adult offspring. In this study, we used a rat model of maternal high-fat diet (HFD) exposure during pregnancy and lactation to investigate the impact on skeletal homeostasis in offspring. In the distal femur, young male and female offspring (up to 3 weeks of age) from dams fed a HFD exhibited marked increases in trabecular bone volume relative to offspring from dams fed a chow diet, but this was followed by sustained bone loss. By 15 weeks of age, male offspring of HFD fed dams exhibited a 33% reduction in trabecular bone volume fraction that histomorphometric analyses revealed was due to a nearly threefold increase in the abundance of bone-resorbing osteoclasts, while there were no differences between female control and HFD offspring by 15 weeks of age. The osteoblastic differentiation of male offspring-derived bone marrow stromal cells was not affected by maternal diet. However, osteoclastic precursors isolated from the male offspring of HFD fed dams exhibited enhanced differentiation in vitro, forming larger osteoclasts with higher expression of the fusion marker DC-STAMP. This effect appears to be mediated by a cell autonomous increase in the sensitivity of precursors to RANKL. Taken together, these results suggest that maternal stressors like HFD exposure have persistent consequences for the skeletal health of offspring that may ultimately lead to a predisposition for osteopenia/osteoporosis.

Is early life adversity a trigger towards inflammageing?

There are many 'faces' of early life adversity (ELA), such as childhood trauma, institutionalisation, abuse or exposure to environmental toxins. These have been implicated in the onset and severity of a wide range of chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. The later-life disease risk has a well-established immunological component. This raises the question as to whether accelerated immune-ageing mechanistically links early-life adversity to the lifelong health trajectory resulting in either 'poor' or 'healthy' ageing. Here we examine observational and mechanistic studies of ELA and inflammageing, highlighting common and distinct features in these two life stages. Many biological processes appear in common including reduction in telomere length, increased immunosenescence, metabolic distortions and chronic (viral) infections. We propose that ELA shapes the developing immune, endocrine and nervous system in a non-reversible way, creating a distinct phenotype with accelerated immunosenescence and systemic inflammation. We conclude that ELA might act as an accelerator for inflammageing and age-related diseases. Furthermore, we now have the tools and cohorts to be able to dissect the interaction between ELA and later life phenotype. This should, in the near future, allow us to identify the ecological and mechanistic processes that are involved in 'healthy' or accelerated immune-ageing.

Higher maternal BMI early in pregnancy is associated with overweight and obesity in young adult offspring in Thailand

Background

Rates of overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age have been steadily increasing worldwide and in Thailand. There is mounting evidence that maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of obesity and other adverse health outcomes in the offspring, but such data are lacking for Thailand. We examined the associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) and anthropometry (particularly the likelihood of obesity) and cardiometabolic parameters in young adult offspring.

Methods

This was a prospective follow-up study of a birth cohort in Chiang Mai (Thailand). Pregnant women carrying singletons were recruited at their first antenatal visit (< 24 weeks of gestation) and followed until delivery in 1989–1990. Participants were their young adult offspring followed up in 2010. Maternal BMI was recorded at the first antenatal visit. The offspring underwent clinical assessments, including anthropometry, lipid profile, insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, and carotid intima-media thickness. The primary outcome of interest was the likelihood of obesity in the offspring.

Results

We assessed 628 young adults (54% were females) at 20.6 ± 0.5 years of age (range 19.1–22.1 years). The young adult offspring of mothers with overweight/obesity was 14.1 kg (95%CI 9.7, 18.5; p < 0.0001) and 9.4 kg (95% CI 6.1, 12.8; p < 0.0001) heavier than those born to mothers with underweight or normal weight, respectively, and had BMI 3.46 kg/m² (95%CI 2.26, 4.67; p < 0.0001) and 5.27 kg/m² (95%CI 3.67, 8.68; p < 0.0001) greater, respectively. For every 1-kg/m² increase in maternal BMI, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of offspring obesity was 25% greater (95%CI 1.10, 1.42; p < 0.001). Thus, the aOR of obesity in offspring of mothers with overweight/obesity was 4.6 times greater (95%CI 1.86, 11.26; p < 0.001) and nearly 17-fold greater (95%CI 1.96, 146.4; p = 0.010) compared to young adults born to mothers with normal weight or underweight, respectively. There were no observed associations between maternal BMI status and offspring metabolism or blood pressure.

Discussion

Maternal overweight/obesity early in pregnancy was associated with increased BMI and greater odds of obesity in their young adult offspring in Thailand. These findings highlight the public health importance of fostering healthier lifestyle choices among women of reproductive age.

Health and adverse childhood experiences among homeless youth

BACKGROUND

Homelessness is associated with health problems and with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The risk of chronic health conditions for homeless compared to housed youth, and how this risk interacts with ACEs remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between ACEs, housing, and child health, and whether: 1) ACEs and health vary by housing context; 2) ACEs and homelessness confer independent health risks; and 3) ACEs interact with housing with regard to adolescent health.

METHODS

Using data from 119,254 8th-11th graders, we tested independent and joint effects of ACEs and past-year housing status (housed, family homelessness, unaccompanied homelessness) on overall health and chronic health conditions, controlling for sociodemographic covariates.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ACEs varied by housing status, with 34.1% of housed youth experiencing ≥1 ACE vs. 56.3% of family-homeless and 85.5% of unaccompanied-homeless youth. Health status varied similarly. Homelessness and ACEs were independently associated with low overall health and chronic health conditions, after adjusting for covariates. Compared to housed youth, both family-homeless youth and unaccompanied-homeless youth had increased odds of low overall health and chronic physical and/or mental health conditions. All ACE x housing-status interactions were significant (all p < 0.001), such that ACE-related health risks were moderated by housing status.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs and housing status independently predict health status during adolescence beyond other sociodemographic risks. Experiencing homelessness, whether unaccomapnied or with family, is associated with increased health risk, and every additional ACE increases this risk. Clinicians and health systems should advocate for policies that include stable housing as a protective factor.

Does the food processing contaminant acrylamide cause developmental neurotoxicity? A review and identification of knowledge gaps

There is a worldwide concern on adverse health effects of dietary exposure to acrylamide (AA) due to its presence in commonly consumed foods. AA is formed when carbohydrate rich foods containing asparagine and reducing sugars are prepared at high temperatures and low moisture conditions. Upon oral intake, AA is rapidly absorbed and distributed to all organs. AA is a known human neurotoxicant that can reach the developing foetus via placental transfer and breast milk. Although adverse neurodevelopmental effects have been observed after prenatal AA exposure in rodents, adverse effects of AA on the developing brain has so far not been studied in humans. However, epidemiological studies indicate that gestational exposure to AA impair foetal growth and AA exposure has been associated with reduced head circumference of the neonate. Thus, there is an urgent need for further research to elucidate whether pre- and perinatal AA exposure in humans might impair neurodevelopment and adversely affect neuronal function postnatally. Here, we review the literature with emphasis on the identification of critical knowledge gaps in relation to neurodevelopmental toxicity of AA and its mode of action and we suggest research strategies to close these gaps to better protect the unborn child.

Placental treatment improves cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion insult in adult male and female offspring exposed to prenatal hypoxia

Offspring born from complicated pregnancies are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Prenatal hypoxia is a common pregnancy complication that results in placental oxidative stress and impairs fetal development. Adult offspring exposed to hypoxia during fetal life are more susceptible to develop cardiac dysfunction, and show decreased cardiac tolerance to an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) insult. To improve offspring cardiac outcomes, we have assessed the use of a placenta-targeted intervention during hypoxic pregnancies, by encapsulating the mitochondrial antioxidant MitoQ into nanoparticles (nMitoQ). We hypothesized that maternal nMitoQ treatment during hypoxic pregnancies improves cardiac tolerance to I/R insult in adult male and female offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to normoxia (21 % O²) or hypoxia (11 % O²) from gestational day 15-20, after injection with 100 μL saline or nMitoQ (125 μM) on GD15 (n=6-8/group). Male and female offspring were aged to 4 months. Both male and female offspring from hypoxic pregnancies showed reduced cardiac tolerance to I/R (assessed ex vivo using the isolated working heart technique) which was ameliorated by nMitoQ treatment. To identify potential molecular mechanisms for the changes in cardiac tolerance to I/R, cardiac levels/phosphorylation of proteins important for intracellular Ca²⁺ cycling were assessed with Western blotting. In prenatally hypoxic male offspring, improved cardiac recovery from I/R by nMitoQ was accompanied by increased cardiac phospholamban and phosphatase 2Ce levels, and a trend to decreased Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ phosphorylation. In contrast, in female offspring, nMitoQ treatment in hypoxic pregnancies increased phospholamban and protein kinase Cε phosphorylation. Maternal nMitoQ treatment improves cardiac tolerance to I/R insult in adult offspring and thus has the potential to improve the later-life trajectory of cardiovascular health of adult offspring born from pregnancies complicated by prenatal hypoxia.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Developmental Programming

During normal pregnancy, increased insulin resistance acts as an adaptation to enhance materno-foetal nutrient transfer and meet the nutritional needs of the developing foetus, particularly in relation to glucose requirements. However, about 1 in 6 pregnancies worldwide is affected by the inability of the mother's metabolism to maintain normoglycaemia, with the combination of insulin resistance and insufficient insulin secretion resulting in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A growing body of epidemiologic work demonstrates long-term implications for adverse offspring health resulting from exposure to GDM in utero. The effect of GDM on offspring obesity and cardiometabolic health may be partly influenced by maternal obesity; this suggests that improving glucose and weight control during early pregnancy, or better still before conception, has the potential to lessen the risk to the offspring. The consequences of GDM for microbiome modification in the offspring and the impact upon offspring immune dysregulation are actively developing research areas. Some studies have suggested that GDM impacts offspring neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes; confirmatory studies will need to separate the effect of GDM exposure from the complex interplay of social and environmental factors. Animal and human studies have demonstrated the role of epigenetic modifications in underpinning the predisposition to adverse health in offspring exposed to suboptimal hyperglycaemic in utero environment. To date, several epigenome-wide association studies in human have extended our knowledge on linking maternal diabetes-related DNA methylation marks with childhood adiposity-related outcomes. Identification of such epigenetic marks can help guide future research to develop candidate diagnostic biomarkers and preventive or therapeutic strategies. Longer-term interventions and longitudinal studies will be needed to better understand the causality, underlying mechanisms, or impact of GDM treatments to optimize the health of future generations.

Response to "An Overlooked and more Complicated Association of Social Support with Infant Birth Size"

In this letter to the editor, we respond to our colleagues comments regarding the nature of our findings. We present a response that incorporates theory and data to bolster our claims. We conclude the letter with a statement to readers on what we believe to be an appropriate interpretation of our study findings given the theoretical framework from which the work was based, and our empirical findings.

Adipose tissue dysregulation at the onset of psychosis: Adipokines and social determinants of health

Recent evidence suggests that patients with psychotic disorders have metabolic disturbances (e.g., insulin resistance, dyslipidemia) at the onset of the disease and before antipsychotic exposure. Such disturbances are strongly associated with adipose tissue dysregulation. Measuring adipokines, the molecular mediators of adipose function, could provide a picture of the state of metabolic regulation at the onset of psychosis. The present study explores adipokine changes in a population of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients with minimal prior exposure to antipsychotics. The effects of social determinants of health (childhood trauma and minority status) associated with both metabolic and psychotic disorders were studied as potential determinants of this phenomenon. Data was collected through the Signature project, a biobank of clinical, socio-demographic, and biological markers. Adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin and chemerin) were measured in serum of FEP patients with minimal exposure to antipsychotics (N = 48) and controls (N = 39). Data were analyzed with univariate (t-tests) and multivariate (linear regression) statistical methods. Patients, compared to controls, had significantly higher levels of adiponectin and resistin, and significantly lower levels of leptin and chemerin. These results persisted after controlling for sex, waist-to-height ratio, childhood trauma, and visible minority status. Adiponectin and chemerin retained their effects after further controlling for tobacco and depression. Resistin increased with childhood trauma scores; chemerin was higher in visible minority patients. Adipose tissue dysfunction is present in FEP patients, before exposure to antipsychotics. Social determinants of health contribute to adipose (and metabolic) dysregulation in FEP, but may not be the main determinants of this relationship.

Early origins of socioeconomic inequalities in chronic inflammation: Evaluating the contributions of low birth weight and short breastfeeding

The United States is characterized by persistent and widening social inequities in a wide range of adult health outcomes. A life course approach challenges us to consider if, and how, these inequities trace back to early life conditions, and chronic inflammation represents a potentially important mechanism through which early environments may have lasting effects on health in adulthood. Low birth weight (LBW) and shorter durations of breastfeeding both predict increased inflammation in adulthood, which is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and all-cause mortality. Using data from a large representative sample of young adults in the US (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)), we document the socioeconomic status (SES) gradient in chronic inflammation, as indicated by concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Using a nested set of structural equation models and marginal standardization techniques, we investigate the extent to which this gradient is explained by patterns of LBW and breastfeeding in infancy. Findings reveal a particularly important role for breastfeeding duration: Based on model predictive margins, increasing breastfeeding duration to three or more months corresponds to a flattening of the SES gradient by 80%, and 83% when LBW is eliminated. This study expands current understandings of the consequential role of developmental environments for population health and for addressing health inequities in future generations.

The application of in utero magnetic resonance imaging in the study of the metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of the developmental origins of health and disease

Observing fetal development in utero is vital to further the understanding of later-life diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a tool for obtaining a wealth of information about fetal growth, development, and programming not previously available using other methods. This review provides an overview of MRI techniques used to investigate the metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. These methods add to the understanding of the developing fetus by examining fetal growth and organ development, adipose tissue and body composition, fetal oximetry, placental microstructure, diffusion, perfusion, flow, and metabolism. MRI assessment of fetal growth, organ development, metabolism, and the amount of fetal adipose tissue could give early indicators of abnormal fetal development. Noninvasive fetal oximetry can accurately measure placental and fetal oxygenation, which improves current knowledge on placental function. Additionally, measuring deficiencies in the placenta’s transport of nutrients and oxygen is critical for optimizing treatment. Overall, the detailed structural and functional information provided by MRI is valuable in guiding future investigations of DOHaD.

Ozone-induced fetal growth restriction in rats is associated with sexually dimorphic placental and fetal metabolic adaptation

Objective

The importance of the placenta in mediating the pre- and post-natal consequences of fetal growth restriction has been increasingly recognized. However, the influence of placental sexual dimorphism on driving these outcomes has received little attention. The purpose of this study was to characterize how sex contributes to the relationship between placental metabolism and fetal programming utilizing a novel rodent model of growth restriction.

Methods

Fetal growth restriction was induced by maternal inhalation of 0.8 ppm ozone (4 h/day) during implantation receptivity (gestation days [GDs] 5 and 6) in Long-Evans rats. Control rats were exposed to filtered air. At GD 21, placental and fetal tissues were obtained for metabolic and genomic assessments.

Results

Growth-restricted male placentae exhibited increased mitochondrial biogenesis, increased oxygen consumption, and reduced nutrient storage. Male growth-restricted fetuses also had evidence of reduced adiposity and downregulation of hepatic metabolic signaling. In contrast, placentae from growth-restricted females had elevated markers of autophagy accompanied by an observed protection against hepatic metabolic perturbations. Despite this, growth restriction in females induced a greater number of hypothalamic gene and pathway alterations compared to growth-restricted males.

Conclusions

Increases in mitochondrial metabolism in growth-restricted male placentae likely initiates a sequela of adaptations that promote poor nutrient availability and adiposity. Divergently, the female placenta expresses protective mechanisms that may serve to increase nutrient availability to support fetal metabolic development. Collectively, this work emphasizes the importance of sex in mediating alterations in placental metabolism and fetal programming.

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Peri-implantation exposure to the gaseous air pollutant ozone impairs fetal growth.

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Ozone-induced, growth-restricted male placentae have increased mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative consumption.

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Female growth-restricted placentae show increased inflammatory and autophagy-like responses.

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Placental metabolic adaptations to growth restriction were associated with sexually dimorphic perturbations in fetal tissues.

Developmental origins of cardiometabolic health outcomes in twins: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Studies of twins can reduce confounding and provide additional evidence about the causes of disease, due to within-pair matching for measured and unmeasured factors. Although findings from twin studies are typically applicable to the general population, few studies have taken full advantage of the twin design to explore the developmental origins of cardiometabolic health outcomes. We aimed to systematically review the evidence from twin studies and generate pooled estimates for the effects of early-life risk factors on later-life cardiometabolic health.

METHODS AND RESULTS

An initial search was conducted in March 2018, with 55 studies of twins included in the review. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and eligible studies were included in a meta-analysis, where pooled estimates were calculated. Twenty-six studies analysed twins as individuals, and found that higher birthweight was associated with lower SBP (β = -2.02 mmHg, 95%CI: -3.07, -0.97), higher BMI (β = 0.52 kg/m², 95%CI: 0.20, 0.84) and lower total cholesterol (β = -0.07 mmol/L, 95%CI: -0.11, -0.04). However, no associations were reported in studies which adjusted for gestational age. Few of the included studies separated their analyses into within-pair and between-pair associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-life risk factors were associated with cardiometabolic health outcomes in twin studies. However, many estimates from studies in this review were likely to have been confounded by gestational age, and few fully exploited the twin design to assess the developmental origins of cardiometabolic health outcomes.

Obstetric Complications and Brain Imaging in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder in which clinical symptomatology typically reflects underlying brain abnormalities that coalign with multiple physical health comorbidities. The pathogenesis of schizophrenia involves the interplay between genetic and environmental factors, with obstetric complications widely described as key players in elevating the risk of psychosis. In this regard, understanding the anatomical and functional alterations associated with obstetric complications may help to elucidate potential mechanisms through which birth complications could contribute to schizophrenia pathogenesis. We conducted a systematic review of the extant literature describing brain abnormalities and obstetric complications in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. A total of 471 studies were retrieved and screened, and 33 studies met inclusion criteria for our review. Studies varied considerably in their methods, with 11 studies employing computed tomography, 1 using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and 21 using magnetic resonance imaging. The scientific quality of the included studies was assessed and documented. Obstetric complications increase the risk of provoking brain abnormalities. These abnormalities range from decreased gray matter volume and abnormal brain-ventricle ratios to a reduction of volume in limbic regions-which relate to what is commonly observed in schizophrenia. However, current evidence from neuroimaging studies remains scant in relation to establishing obstetric complications as an independent risk factor for schizophrenia.

Embryonic atrazine exposure and later in life behavioral and brain transcriptomic, epigenetic, and pathological alterations in adult male zebrafish

Atrazine (ATZ), a commonly used pesticide linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, and altered neurochemistry, frequently contaminates water sources at levels above the US Environmental Protection Agency's 3 parts per billion (ppb; μg/L) maximum contaminant level. Adult male zebrafish behavior, brain transcriptome, brain methylation status, and neuropathology were examined to test the hypothesis that embryonic ATZ exposure causes delayed neurotoxicity, according to the developmental origins of health and disease paradigm. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were exposed to 0 ppb, 0.3 ppb, 3 ppb, or 30 ppb ATZ during embryogenesis (1-72 h post fertilization (hpf)), then rinsed and raised to maturity. At 9 months post fertilization (mpf), males had decreased locomotor parameters during a battery of behavioral tests. Transcriptomic analysis identified altered gene expression in organismal development, cancer, and nervous and reproductive system development and function pathways and networks. The brain was evaluated histopathologically for morphometric differences, and decreased numbers of cells were identified in raphe populations. Global methylation levels were evaluated at 12 mpf, and the body length, body weight, and brain weight were measured at 14 mpf to evaluate effects of ATZ on mature brain size. No significant difference in genome methylation or brain size was observed. The results demonstrate that developmental exposure to ATZ does affect neurodevelopment and neural function in adult male zebrafish and raises concern for possible health effects in humans due to ATZ's environmental presence and persistence. Graphical abstract.

Implications of early life stress on fetal metabolic programming of schizophrenia: A focus on epiphenomena underlying morbidity and early mortality

The fetal origin of adult disease hypothesis postulates that a stressful in utero environment can have deleterious consequences on fetal programming, potentially leading to chronic disease in later life. Factors known to impact fetal programming include the timing, intensity, duration and nature of the external stressor during pregnancy. As such, dynamic modulation of fetal programming is heavily involved in shaping health throughout the life course, possibly by influencing metabolic parameters including insulin action, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and immune function. The ability of prenatal insults to program adult disease is likely to occur as a result of reduced functional capacity in key organs-a "thrifty" phenotype-where more resources are re-allocated to preserve critical organs such as the brain. Notably, it has been postulated that the manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders in individuals priorly exposed to prenatal stress may arise from the interaction between hereditary factors and the intrauterine environment, which together precipitate disease onset by disrupting the trajectory of normal brain development. In this review we discuss the evidence linking prenatal programming to neuropsychiatric disorders, mainly schizophrenia, via a "Thrifty psychiatric phenotype" concept. We start by outlining the conception of the thrifty psychiatric phenotype. Next, we discuss the convergence of potential mechanistic pathways through which prenatal insults may trigger epigenetic changes that contribute to the increased morbidity and early mortality observed in neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we touch on the public health importance of fetal programming for these disorders. We conclude by providing a brief outlook on the future of this evolving field of research.

Effects of prenatal exposure to the 1983-1985 Ethiopian great famine on the metabolic syndrome in adults: a historical cohort study

The Ethiopian great famine was one of the severe forms of global famines ever documented in Africa as well as in the recent history of the world. Earlier famine studies, as natural experiments, had tested the association between prenatal famine exposure and the metabolic syndrome and reported heterogeneous findings. Hence, this study aimed at evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to the 1983-1985 Ethiopian great famine on the metabolic syndrome in adults. Self-reported birth date and age of the study subjects were used to classify the status of famine exposure. The International Diabetes Federation criterion was used to assess the metabolic syndrome. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to examine relationship between prenatal famine exposure and the metabolic syndrome. The findings showed that, adjusted for covariates, adults who had prenatal exposure to famine were 2·94 times more likely to develop the metabolic syndrome compared with non-exposed groups (adjusted OR (AOR) 2·94, 95 % CI 1·66, 5·27). More specifically, famine exposure during prenatal life was associated with increased waist circumference (AOR 2·27 cm, 95 % CI 0·28, 4·26), diastolic blood pressure (AOR 2·47 mmHg, 95 % CI 0·84, 4·11), TAG (AOR 0·20 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·10, 0·28) and fasting blood glucose (AOR 0·24 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·43) compared with the control groups. Higher proportion of the metabolic syndrome, risky anthropometric and dyslipidaemic parameters were observed among exposed groups. This finding adds further evidence on fetal origin of adult diseases hypothesis. The finding may imply that one potential means of preventing adulthood metabolic syndrome is to optimise maternal nutrition during pregnancy.

Maternal fats and pregnancy complications: Implications for long-term health

Pregnancy imposes increased nutritional requirements for the well being of the mother and fetus. Maternal lipid metabolism is critical for fetal development and long-term health of the offspring as it plays a key role in energy storage, tissue growth and cell signaling. Maternal fat composition is considered as a modifiable risk for abnormal lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Data derived from observational studies demonstrate that higher intake of saturated fats during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and preterm delivery) and poor birth outcomes (intra uterine growth retardation and large for gestational age babies). On the other hand, prenatal long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids status is shown to improve birth outome. In this article, we discuss the role of maternal lipids during pregnancy on fetal growth and development and its consequences on the health of the offspring.

Placenta-targeted treatment strategies: An opportunity to impact fetal development and improve offspring health later in life

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory states that a sub-optimal prenatal and early postnatal environment during development leads to an increased risk of long-term development of adult chronic diseases. Developmental programming of disease has the potential to greatly impact the health of our population. Therefore, research has focused on the development of primary treatment strategies and/or therapeutic interventions for individuals who are at increased risk, with the objective to reverse or prevent later life onset of chronic disease in the offspring born from complicated pregnancies. Many studies have focused on systemic treatments and/or interventions in complicated pregnancies to improve offspring outcomes. However, there are limitations to systemic maternal/prenatal treatments, as most of the treatments are able to cross the placenta and have potential adverse off-target effects on the developing fetus. The placenta serves as the primary interface between mother and fetus, and placental dysfunction in complicated pregnancies has been associated with impaired fetal development and negative impact on offspring health. Therefore, recent research has focused on treatment strategies that specifically target the placenta to improve placental function and prevent passage of prenatal therapeutics and/or treatments into the fetal circulation, thus avoiding any potential adverse off-target effects on the fetus. This article reviews the currently available knowledge on treatment strategies and/or therapeutics that specifically target the placenta with the goal of improving pregnancy outcomes with a focus on long-term health of the offspring born of complicated pregnancies.

Maternal stressors and the developmental origins of neuropsychiatric risk

The maternal environment during pregnancy is critical for fetal development and perinatal perturbations can prime offspring disease risk. Here, we briefly review evidence linking two well-characterized maternal stressors - psychosocial stress and infection - to increased neuropsychiatric risk in offspring. In the current climate of increasing obesity and globalization of the Western-style diet, maternal overnutrition emerges as a pressing public health concern. We focus our attention on recent epidemiological and animal model evidence showing that, like psychosocial stress and infection, maternal overnutrition can also increase offspring neuropsychiatric risk. Using lessons learned from the psychosocial stress and infection literature, we discuss how altered maternal and placental physiology in the setting of overnutrition may contribute to abnormal fetal development and resulting neuropsychiatric outcomes. A better understanding of converging pathophysiological pathways shared between stressors may enable development of interventions against neuropsychiatric illnesses that may be beneficial across stressors.

Glyphosate-based herbicide exposure during pregnancy and lactation malprograms the male reproductive morphofunction in F1 offspring

One of the most consumed pesticides in the world is glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide ROUNDUP®. Studies demonstrate that glyphosate can act as an endocrine disruptor and that exposure to this substance at critical periods in the developmental period may program the fetus to induce reproductive damage in adulthood. Our hypothesis is that maternal exposure to glyphosate during pregnancy and lactation in mice will affect the development of male reproductive organs, impairing male fertility during adult life. Female mice consumed 0.5% glyphosate-ROUNDUP® in their drinking water [glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) group] or filtered water [control (CTRL) group] from the fourth day of pregnancy until the end of the lactation period. Male F1 offspring were designated, according to their mother's treatment, as CTRL-F1 and GBH-F1. Female mice that drank glyphosate displayed reduced body weight (BW) gain during gestation, but no alterations in litter size. Although GBH male F1 offspring did not exhibit modifications in BW, they demonstrated delayed testicular descent. Furthermore, at PND150, GBH-F1 mice presented a lower number of spermatozoa in the cauda epididymis and reduced epithelial height of the seminiferous epithelium. Notably, intratesticular testosterone concentrations were enhanced in GBH-F1 mice; we show that it is an effect associated with increased plasma and pituitary concentrations of luteinizing hormone. Therefore, data indicate that maternal exposure to glyphosate-ROUNDUP® during pregnancy and lactation may lead to decreased spermatogenesis and disruptions in hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular axis regulation in F1 offspring.

Early-life programming of adipose tissue

Worldwide obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in children and adolescents, with the consequent emergence of co-morbidities. Moreover, the maternal environment during pregnancy plays an important role in obesity, contributing to transgenerational transmission of the same and metabolic dysfunction. White adipose tissue represents a prime target of metabolic programming induced by maternal milieu. In this article, we review adipose tissue physiology and development, as well as maternal influences during the perinatal period that may lead to obesity in early postnatal life and adulthood. First, we describe the adipose tissue cell composition, distribution and hormonal action, together with the evidence of hormonal factors participating in fetal/postnatal programming. Subsequently, we describe the critical periods of adipose tissue development and the relationship of gestational and early postnatal life with healthy fetal adipose tissue expansion. Furthermore, we discuss the evidence showing that adipose tissue is an important target for nutritional, hormonal and epigenetic signals to modulate fetal growth. Finally, we describe nutritional, hormonal, epigenetic and microbiome changes observed in maternal obesity, and whether their disruption alters fetal growth and adiposity. The presented evidence supports the developmental origins of health and disease concept, which proposes that the homeostatic system is affected during gestational and postnatal development, impeding the ability to regulate body weight after birth, thereby resulting in adult obesity. Consequently, we anticipate that promoting a healthy early-life programming of adipose tissue and increasing the knowledge of the mechanisms by which maternal factors affect the health of future generations may offer novel strategies for explaining and addressing worldwide health problems such as obesity.