Associations between childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene in immune cells of mother-newborn dyads.

ABSTRACT: The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) modulate interpersonal relationships, particularly mother-child interactions. DNA methylation (DNAm) changes of the OXTR gene were observed in individuals who experienced Childhood Maltreatment (CM). A modulatory role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within OXTR in association with CM on the regulation of OXTR was also postulated. Whether these CM-induced epigenetic alterations are biologically inherited by the offspring remains unknown. We thus investigated possible intergenerational effects of maternal CM exposure on DNAm and OXTR gene expression, additionally accounting for the possible influence of three SNP: rs53576 and rs2254298 (OXTR gene), and rs2740210 (OXT gene). We used the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to classify

SUBMITTER: Ramo-Fernandez L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8410844 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature