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Epigenetic Modifications Associated with Maternal Anxiety during Pregnancy and Children's Behavioral Measures.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic changes are associated with altered behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders and they modify the trajectory of aging. Maternal anxiety during pregnancy is a common environmental challenge for the fetus, causing changes in DNA methylation. Here, we determined the mediating role of DNA methylation and the moderating role of offspring sex on the association between maternal anxiety and children's behavioral measures. In 83 mother-child dyads, maternal anxiety was assessed in each trimester of pregnancy when the child was four years of age. Children's behavioral measures and children's buccal DNA methylation levels (NR3C1, IGF2/H19 ICR, and LINE1) were examined. Higher maternal anxiety during the third trimester was associated with more methylation levels of the NR3C1. Moderating effects of sex on the association between maternal anxiety and methylation were found for IGF2/H19 and LINE1 CpGs. Mediation analysis showed that methylation of NR3C1 could buffer the effects of maternal anxiety on children's behavioral measures, but this effect did not remain significant after controlling for covariates. In conclusion, our data support an association between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and DNA methylation. The results also underscore the importance of sex differences and timing effects. However, DNA methylation as underlying mechanism of the effect of maternal anxiety during pregnancy on offspring's behavioral measures was not supported.

SUBMITTER: Cao-Lei L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8469633 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Epigenetic Modifications Associated with Maternal Anxiety during Pregnancy and Children's Behavioral Measures.

Cao-Lei Lei L van den Heuvel Marion I MI Huse Klaus K Platzer Matthias M Elgbeili Guillaume G Braeken Marijke A K A MAKA Otte Renée A RA Witte Otto W OW Schwab Matthias M Van den Bergh Bea R H BRH

Cells 20210914 9

Epigenetic changes are associated with altered behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders and they modify the trajectory of aging. Maternal anxiety during pregnancy is a common environmental challenge for the fetus, causing changes in DNA methylation. Here, we determined the mediating role of DNA methylation and the moderating role of offspring sex on the association between maternal anxiety and children's behavioral measures. In 83 mother-child dyads, maternal anxiety was assessed in each trimeste ...[more]

PMID: 34572069

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Project description:Findings on maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and neonatal anthropometry are inconsistent, and may at least be partly due to variations in gestational week (GW) of 25(OH)D measurement and the lack of longitudinal 25(OH)D measurements across gestation. The aim of the current study was to examine the associations of longitudinal measures of maternal 25(OH)D and neonatal anthropometry at birth. This study included 321 mother⁻offspring pairs enrolled in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies⁻Singletons. This study was a prospective cohort design without supplementation and without data on dietary supplementation. Nevertheless, measurement of plasma 25(OH)D reflects vitamin D from different sources, including supplementation. Maternal concentrations of total 25(OH)D were measured at 10⁻14, 15⁻26, 23⁻31, and 33⁻39 GW and categorized as <50 nmol/L, 50⁻75 nmol/L, and >75 nmol/L. Generalized linear models were used to examine associations of 25(OH)D at each time-point with neonate birthweight z-score, length, and sum of skinfolds at birth. At 10⁻14 GW, 16.8% and 49.2% of women had 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L and between 50⁻75 nmol/L, respectively. The association of maternal 25(OH)D with neonatal anthropometry differed by GW and women's prepregnancy BMI (normal (<25.0 kg/m²), overweight/obese (25.0⁻44.9 kg/m²)). All analyses were stratified by prepregnancy BMI status. Among women with an overweight/obese BMI, 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L at 10⁻14 GW was associated with lower birthweight z-score (0.56; 95% CI: -0.99, -0.13) and length (-1.56 cm; 95% CI: -3.07, -0.06), and at 23⁻31 GW was associated with shorter length (-2.77 cm; 95% CI: -13.38, -4.98) and lower sum of skinfolds (-9.18 mm; 95% CI: -13.38, -4.98). Among women with a normal BMI, 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L at 10⁻14 GW was associated with lower sum of skinfolds (-2.64 mm; 95% CI: -5.03, -0.24), at 23⁻31 GW was associated with larger birthweight z-scores (0.64; 95% CI: 0.03, 1.25), and at 33-39 GW with both higher birthweight z-score (1.22; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.73) and longer length (1.94 cm; 95% CI: 0.37, 3.52). Maternal 25(OH)D status during pregnancy was associated with neonatal anthropometric measures, and the associations were specific to GW of 25(OH)D measurement and prepregnancy BMI.

Dataset Information

Epigenetic Modifications Associated with Maternal Anxiety during Pregnancy and Children's Behavioral Measures.

Publications

Epigenetic Modifications Associated with Maternal Anxiety during Pregnancy and Children's Behavioral Measures.

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