DNA methylation and socioeconomic status in a Mexican-American birth cohort.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Maternal social environmental stressors during pregnancy are associated with adverse birth and child developmental outcomes, and epigenetics has been proposed as a possible mechanism for such relationships.

Methods

In a Mexican-American birth cohort of 241 maternal-infant pairs, cord blood samples were measured for repeat element DNA methylation (LINE-1 and Alu). Linear mixed effects regression was used to model associations between indicators of the social environment (low household income and education, neighborhood-level characteristics) and repeat element methylation. Results from a dietary questionnaire were also used to assess the interaction between maternal diet quality and the social environment on markers of repeat element DNA methylation.<

SUBMITTER: Coker ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5941629 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature