Intergenerational trauma is associated with expression alterations in glucocorticoid- and immune-related genes.

ABSTRACT: Offspring of trauma survivors are more likely to develop PTSD, mood, and anxiety disorders and demonstrate endocrine and molecular alterations compared to controls. This study reports the association between parental Holocaust exposure and genome-wide gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 77 Holocaust survivor offspring and 15 comparison subjects. Forty-two differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in association with parental Holocaust exposure (FDR-adjusted p < 0.05); most of these genes were downregulated and co-expressed in a gene network related to immune cell functions. When both parental Holocaust exposure and maternal age at Holocaust exposure shared DEGs, fold changes were in the opposite direction. Similarly, fold changes of shared DEGs ass

SUBMITTER: Daskalakis NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8027026 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature