Prenatal synthetic glucocorticoid treatment changes DNA methylation states in male organ systems: multigenerational effects.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal synthetic glucocorticoids (sGC) are administered to pregnant women at risk of delivering preterm, approximately 10% of all pregnancies. Animal studies have demonstrated that offspring exposed to elevated glucocorticoids, either by administration of sGC or as a result of maternal stress, are at increased risk of developing behavioral, endocrine, and metabolic abnormalities. DNA methylation is a covalent modification of DNA that plays a critical role in long-lasting programming of gene expression. Here we tested the hypothesis that prenatal sGC treatment has both acute and long-term effects on DNA methylation states in the fetus and offspring and that these effects extend into a subsequent generation. Pregnant guinea pigs were treated with sGC in late gestation, and methylation anal

SUBMITTER: Crudo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3422463 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature