Hypermethylation of the Bmp4 promoter dampens binding of HIF-1α and impairs its cardiac protective effects from oxidative stress in prenatally GC-exposed offspring.

ABSTRACT: The exposure to an unhealthy environment in utero can lead to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in the offspring. Glucocorticoids (GC) are essential for normal development and maturation of fetal organs and is a first-line treatment for pregnant women affected by autoimmune diseases. However, excess prenatal GC exposure might program the development of fetal organs and cause a number of chronic diseases in later life. Our previous studies indicated that cardiac functions were significantly compromised in rat offspring prenatally exposed to the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX), only after ischemia-reperfusion. In the present study, we further observed that DNA hypermethylation of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4) promoter in cardiomyocytes caused by prenatal DEX exposu

SUBMITTER: Gao LT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9902418 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature