Maternal e-cigarette exposure alters DNA methylome, site-specific CpG and CH methylation, and transcriptomic signatures in the neonatal brain.

ABSTRACT: Maternal use of e-cigarette (e-cig) aerosols poses significant risks to fetal brain development, potentially increasing susceptibility to neurodevelopmental disorders in later life. However, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to understand the effects of fetal e-cig exposure on DNA methylome and transcriptomic changes in the neonatal brain. Pregnant rats were exposed to e-cig aerosols, and neonatal brains (5 males and 5 females/group) from both control and e-cig-exposed groups were used for experimental analysis. Results indicated that prenatal e-cig exposure altered site-specific DNA methylation patterns at both CpG and CH (non-CpG) sites, predominantly in intergenic and intronic regions, with sex dimorphism in methylation and gene expression change

SUBMITTER: Walayat A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11484909 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature