Pre- and peri-natal hurricane exposure alters DNA methylation patterns in children.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kello E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9995354 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Pre- and peri-natal hurricane exposure alters DNA methylation patterns in children.
Kello Erin E Vieira Alexandre R AR Rivas-Tumanyan Sona S Campos-Rivera Maribel M Martinez-Gonzalez Karen G KG Buxó Carmen J CJ Morou-Bermúdez Evangelia E
Scientific reports 20230308 1
Hurricane Maria was the worst recorded natural disaster to affect Puerto Rico. Increased stress in pregnant women during and in the aftermath of the hurricane may have induced epigenetic changes in their infants, which could affect gene expression. Stage of gestation at the time of the event was associated with significant differences in DNA methylation in the infants, especially those who were at around 20-25 weeks of gestation when the hurricane struck. Significant differences in DNA methylati ...[more]
Similar Datasets
Project description:This study examined whether exposure to Hurricane Sandy-related stressors altered children's brain response to emotional information. An average of 8 months (Mage = 9.19) before and 9 months after (Mage = 10.95) Hurricane Sandy, 77 children experiencing high (n = 37) and low (n = 40) levels of hurricane-related stress exposure completed a task in which the late positive potential, a neural index of emotional reactivity, was measured in response to pleasant and unpleasant, compared to neutral, images. From pre- to post-Hurricane Sandy, children with high stress exposure failed to show the same decrease in emotional reactivity to unpleasant versus neutral stimuli as those with low stress exposure. Results provide compelling evidence that exposure to natural disaster-related stressors alters neural emotional reactivity to negatively valenced information.
| S-EPMC5472531 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Numerous health consequences of tobacco smoke exposure have been characterized, and the effects of smoking on traditional measures of male fertility are well described. However, a growing body of data indicates that pre-conception paternal smoking also confers increased risk for a number of morbidities on offspring. The mechanism for this increased risk has not been elucidated, but it is likely mediated, at least in part, through epigenetic modifications transmitted through spermatozoa. In this study, we investigated the impact of cigarette smoke exposure on sperm DNA methylation patterns in 78 men who smoke and 78 never-smokers using the Infinium Human Methylation 450 beadchip. We investigated two models of DNA methylation alterations: (i) consistently altered methylation at specific CpGs or within specific genomic regions and (ii) stochastic DNA methylation alterations manifest as increased variability in genome-wide methylation patterns in men who smoke. We identified 141 significantly differentially methylated CpGs associated with smoking. In addition, we identified a trend toward increased variance in methylation patterns genome-wide in sperm DNA from men who smoke compared with never-smokers. These findings of widespread DNA methylation alterations are consistent with the broad range of offspring heath disparities associated with pre-conception paternal smoke exposure and warrant further investigation to identify the specific mechanism by which sperm DNA methylation perturbation confers risk to offspring health and whether these changes can be transmitted to offspring and transgenerationally.
| S-EPMC5679018 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundInfection during pregnancy can increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. The impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on infant neurodevelopment is poorly understood. The maternal immune response to infection may be mimicked in rodent models of maternal immune activation which recapitulate altered neurodevelopment and behavioural disturbances in the offspring. In these models, epigenetic mechanisms, in particular DNA methylation, are one pathway through which this risk is conferred in utero to offspring. We hypothesised that in utero exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in humans may alter infant DNA methylation, particularly in genes associated with neurodevelopment. We aimed to test this hypothesis in a pilot sample of children in Victoria, Australia, who were exposed in utero to SARS-CoV-2.MethodsDNA was extracted from buccal swab specimens from (n = 4) SARS-CoV-2 in utero exposed and (n = 4) non-exposed infants and methylation status assessed across 850,000 methylation sites using an Illumina EPIC BeadChip. We also conducted an exploratory enrichment analysis using Gene Ontology annotations.Results1962 hypermethylated CpG sites were identified with an unadjusted p-value of 0.05, where 1133 CpGs mapped to 959 unique protein coding genes, and 716 hypomethylated CpG sites mapped to 559 unique protein coding genes in SARS-CoV-2 exposed infants compared to non-exposed. One differentially methylated position (cg06758191), located in the gene body of AFAP1 that was hypomethylated in the SARS-CoV-2 exposed cohort was significant after correction for multiple testing (FDR-adjusted p-value <0.00083). Two significant differentially methylated regions were identified; a hypomethylated intergenic region located in chromosome 6p proximal to the genes ZP57 and HLA-F (fwer <0.004), and a hypomethylated region in the promoter and body of the gene GAREM2 (fwer <0.036). Gene network enrichment analysis revealed differential methylation in genes corresponding to pathways relevant to neurodevelopment, including the ERBB pathway.ConclusionThese pilot data suggest that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in utero differentially alters methylation of genes in pathways that play a role in human neurodevelopment.
| S-EPMC9758784 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Our previous research demonstrated that caffeine exposure on embryonic day (E) 8.5 increased body weight, altered cardiac morphology and function in adult male mice. However, these adverse effects were not observed in adenosine A1 receptor knockout (A1AR-/-) mice. Our hypothesis is that A1AR action mediates changes in DNA methylation patterns in mice exposed in utero to caffeine and that these changes in methylation lead to long-term effects in adult mice. To test this hypothesis, DNA Methylation 2.1M Deluxe Promoter Arrays (NimbleGen) were used to examine the methylation patterns of DNA isolated from adult left ventricles of the A1AR knockout line exposed to 20 mg/kg caffeine at E8.5 in utero. In A1AR+/+ mice, 4,896 hypermethylated and 2,823 hypomethylated regions were discovered in the left ventricles of the caffeine group compared to the normal saline group. In A1AR-/- mice, 1,024 hypermethylated and 1,757 hypomethylated regions were found in the caffeine group. The differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the caffeine treated A1AR+/+ hearts mapped to 6,148 genes, 4,853 promoters, 4,111 primary transcripts, 816 CpG islands, and 98 miRNAs. Functional annotation clustering of genes revealed that many genes were involved in the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and other heart diseases, which may explain our earlier findings of thickening of the left ventricular wall after in utero caffeine treatment. The methylation changes in several DMRs, mef2c, ins2, tnnt2, and myh6, were validated by bisulfite sequencing. In summary, in utero caffeine exposure caused DNA methylation changes in adult left ventricles and that these changes may be mediated by A1ARs. Pregnant mice were injected at embryonic day 8.5 with 0.9% NaCl (vehicle) or 20 mg/kg caffeine in vehicle i.p. Pups were born and raised until 8-10 weeks of age. Analysis was performed on the following groups vehicle A1AR+/+ (veh+/+), vehicle A1AR-/- (veh-/-), caffeine A1AR+/+ (caff+/+), and caffeine A1AR-/- (caff-/-). Genomic DNA from left ventricles of adult male mice was used. Two biological replicates were measured for each group.
2015-12-19 | E-GEOD-43030 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Our previous research demonstrated that caffeine exposure on embryonic day (E) 8.5 increased body weight, altered cardiac morphology and function in adult male mice. However, these adverse effects were not observed in adenosine A1 receptor knockout (A1AR-/-) mice. Our hypothesis is that A1AR action mediates changes in DNA methylation patterns in mice exposed in utero to caffeine and that these changes in methylation lead to long-term effects in adult mice. To test this hypothesis, DNA Methylation 2.1M Deluxe Promoter Arrays (NimbleGen) were used to examine the methylation patterns of DNA isolated from adult left ventricles of the A1AR knockout line exposed to 20 mg/kg caffeine at E8.5 in utero. In A1AR+/+ mice, 4,896 hypermethylated and 2,823 hypomethylated regions were discovered in the left ventricles of the caffeine group compared to the normal saline group. In A1AR-/- mice, 1,024 hypermethylated and 1,757 hypomethylated regions were found in the caffeine group. The differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the caffeine treated A1AR+/+ hearts mapped to 6,148 genes, 4,853 promoters, 4,111 primary transcripts, 816 CpG islands, and 98 miRNAs. Functional annotation clustering of genes revealed that many genes were involved in the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and other heart diseases, which may explain our earlier findings of thickening of the left ventricular wall after in utero caffeine treatment. The methylation changes in several DMRs, mef2c, ins2, tnnt2, and myh6, were validated by bisulfite sequencing. In summary, in utero caffeine exposure caused DNA methylation changes in adult left ventricles and that these changes may be mediated by A1ARs.
2015-12-19 | GSE43030 | GEO
Project description:Teenage binge drinking is a major health concern in the United States, with 21% of teenagers reporting binge-pattern drinking behavior in the previous 30 days. Recently, our lab showed that alcohol-naïve offspring of rats exposed to alcohol during adolescence exhibited altered gene expression profiles in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in stress regulation. We employed Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing as an unbiased approach to test the hypothesis that parental exposure to binge-pattern alcohol during adolescence alters DNA methylation profiles in their alcohol-naïve offspring. Wistar rats were administered a repeated binge-ethanol exposure paradigm during early (postnatal day (PND) 37-44) and late (PND 67-74) adolescent development. Animals were mated 24 h after the last ethanol dose and subsequent offspring were produced. Analysis of male PND7 offspring revealed that offspring of alcohol-exposed parents exhibited differential DNA methylation patterns in the hypothalamus. The differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) were distinct between offspring depending on which parent was exposed to ethanol. Moreover, novel DMCs were observed when both parents were exposed to ethanol and many DMCs from single parent ethanol exposure were not recapitulated with dual parent exposure. We also measured mRNA expression of several differentially methylated genes and some, but not all, showed correlative changes in expression. Importantly, methylation was not a direct predictor of expression levels, underscoring the complexity of transcriptional regulation. Overall, we demonstrate that adolescent binge ethanol exposure causes altered genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the hypothalamus of alcohol-naïve offspring.
| S-EPMC5403620 | biostudies-literature
Project description:N7-Alkyl-2'-deoxyguanosines are major adducts in DNA that are generated by various alkylating mutagens and drugs. However, the effect of the N7 alkylation on the hydrogen-bonding patterns of the guanine remains poorly understood. We prepared N7-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N7mdG)-containing DNA using a transition-state destabilization strategy, developed a novel polβ-host-guest complex system, and determined eight crystal structures of N7mdG or dG paired with dC, dT, dG, and dA. The structures of N7mdG:dC and N7mdG:dG are very similar to those of dG:dC and dG:dG, respectively, indicating the involvement of the keto tautomeric form of N7mdG in the base pairings with dC and dG. On the other hand, the structure of N7mdG:dT shows that the mispair forms three hydrogen bonds and adopts a Watson-Crick-like geometry rather than a wobble geometry, suggesting that the enol tautomeric form of N7mdG involves in its base pairing with dT. In addition, N7mdG:dA adopts a novel shifted anti:syn base pair presumably via the enol tautomeric form of N7mdG. The polβ-host-guest complex structures reveal that guanine-N7 methylation changes the hydrogen-bonding patterns of the guanine when paired with dT or dA and suggest that N7 alkylation may alter the base pairing patterns of guanine by promoting the formation of the rare enol tautomeric form of guanine.
| S-EPMC5704973 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Potential epigenetic mechanisms underlying fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) include alcohol-induced alterations of methyl metabolism, resulting in aberrant patterns of DNA methylation and gene expression during development. Having previously demonstrated an essential role for epigenetics in neural stem cell (NSC) development and that inhibiting DNA methylation prevents NSC differentiation, here we investigated the effect of alcohol exposure on genome-wide DNA methylation patterns and NSC differentiation.Neural stem cells in culture were treated with or without a 6-hour 88 mM ("binge-like") alcohol exposure and examined at 48 hours, for migration, growth, and genome-wide DNA methylation. The DNA methylation was examined using DNA-methylation immunoprecipitation followed by microarray analysis. Further validation was performed using Independent Sequenom analysis.? Neural stem cell differentiated in 24 to 48 hours with migration, neuronal expression, and morphological transformation. Alcohol exposure retarded the migration, neuronal formation, and growth processes of NSC, similar to treatment with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-cytidine. When NSC departed from the quiescent state, a genome-wide diversification of DNA methylation was observed-that is, many moderately methylated genes altered methylation levels and became hyper- and hypomethylated. Alcohol prevented many genes from such diversification, including genes related to neural development, neuronal receptors, and olfaction, while retarding differentiation. Validation of specific genes by Sequenom analysis demonstrated that alcohol exposure prevented methylation of specific genes associated with neural development [cut-like 2 (cutl2), insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1), epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (Efemp1), and SRY-box-containing gene 7 (Sox 7)]; eye development, lens intrinsic membrane protein 2 (Lim 2); the epigenetic mark Smarca2 (SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 2); and developmental disorder [DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 2 (Dgcr2)]. Specific sites altered by DNA methylation also correlated with transcription factor binding sites known to be critical for regulating neural development.The data indicate that alcohol prevents normal DNA methylation programming of key neural stem cell genes and retards NSC differentiation. Thus, the role of DNA methylation in FAS warrants further investigation.
| S-EPMC3076804 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A cohort of 100 exclusively breastfed children was formed to study association between neurodevelopment and Hg exposure [1]. Detailed questionnaires were administered by trained interviewers to the mothers, and measurements of early child development were collected at 6, 36 and 60 months by trained nurses and psychologists using the Gesell Developmental Schedules. The association between prenatal and postnatal organic Hg (methyl-Hg from fish consumption and ethyl-Hg from Thimerosal-containing vaccine) exposures with Gesell scores of the four domains [Adaptive ability, Language development, Motor abilities (gross motor), and Personal-social ability] were studied in preschool children.
| S-EPMC6706763 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Alcohol exposure during development can cause variable neurofacial deficit and growth retardation known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The mechanism underlying FASD is not fully understood. However, alcohol, which is known to affect methyl donor metabolism, may induce aberrant epigenetic changes contributing to FASD. Using a tightly controlled whole-embryo culture, we investigated the effect of alcohol exposure (88mM) at early embryonic neurulation on genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression in the C57BL/6 mouse. The DNA methylation landscape around promoter CpG islands at early mouse development was analyzed using MeDIP (methylated DNA immunoprecipitation) coupled with microarray (MeDIP-chip). At early neurulation, genes associated with high CpG promoters (HCP) had a lower ratio of methylation but a greater ratio of expression. Alcohol-induced alterations in DNA methylation were observed, particularly in genes on chromosomes 7, 10, and X; remarkably, a >10 fold increase in the number of genes with increased methylation on chromosomes 10 and X was observed in alcohol-exposed embryos with a neural tube defect phenotype compared to embryos without a neural tube defect. Significant changes in methylation were seen in imprinted genes, genes known to play roles in cell cycle, growth, apoptosis, cancer, and in a large number of genes associated with olfaction. Altered methylation was associated with significant (p<0.01) changes in expression for 84 genes. Sequenom EpiTYPER DNA methylation analysis was used for validation of the MeDIP-chip data. Increased methylation of genes known to play a role in metabolism (Cyp4f13) and decreased methylation of genes associated with development (Nlgn3, Elavl2, Sox21 and Sim1), imprinting (Igf2r) and chromatin (Hist1h3d) was confirmed. In a mouse model for FASD, we show for the first time that alcohol exposure during early neurulation can induce aberrant changes in DNA methylation patterns with associated changes in gene expression, which together may contribute to the observed abnormal fetal development.
| S-EPMC2805036 | biostudies-literature