Broad epigenetic signature of maternal care in the brain of adult rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Maternal care is associated with long-term effects on behavior and epigenetic programming of the NR3C1 (GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR) gene in the hippocampus of both rats and humans. In the rat, these effects are reversed by cross-fostering, demonstrating that they are defined by epigenetic rather than genetic processes. However, epigenetic changes at a single gene promoter are unlikely to account for the range of outcomes and the persistent change in expression of hundreds of additional genes in adult rats in response to differences in maternal care.

Methodology/principal findings

We examine here using high-density oligonucleotide array the state of DNA methylation, histone acetylation and gene expression in a 7 million base pair region of chromosome 18 containing the

SUBMITTER: McGowan PO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3046141 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature