Pregnancy-associated changes in cervical noncoding RNA.

2020

1013-1025

2020 06

1750-192X

<p>To identify pregnancy-associated changes in cervical noncoding RNA (ncRNA), including miRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and their potential effects on biologic processes. We enrolled 21 pregnant women with term deliveries (≥37&nbsp;weeks' gestation) in a prospective cohort and collected cervical swabs before 28&nbsp;weeks' gestation. We enrolled 21 nonpregnant controls. We analyzed miRNA, lncRNA and mRNA expression, applying a Bonferroni correction. Five miRNA and three lncRNA were significantly differentially (&gt;twofold change) expressed. Putative miRNA targets are enriched in genes mediating organogenesis, glucocorticoid signaling, cell adhesion and ncRNA machinery. Differential cervical ncRNA expression occurs in the setting of pregnancy. Gene ontology classification reveals biological pathways through which miRNA may play a biologic role in normal pregnancy physiology.</p>

10.2217/epi-2019-0231

Epigenomics

32808540

Maternal anxiety and depression in pregnancy and DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene.

2020

2020 Nov 20

1750-192X

<p><strong>Aim:&nbsp;</strong>To quantify associations of anxiety and depression during pregnancy with differential cord blood DNA methylation of the glucorticoid receptor (<em>NR3C1</em>). <strong>Materials &amp; methods:&nbsp;</strong>Pregnancy anxiety, trait anxiety and depressive symptoms were collected using the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Index and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, respectively. <em>NR3C1&nbsp;</em>methylation was determined at four methylation sites. <strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp;DNA methylation of CpG 1 in the <em>NR3C1&nbsp;</em>CpG island shore&nbsp;was higher in infants born to women with high pregnancy anxiety (β 2.54, 95% CI: 0.49-4.58) and trait anxiety (β 1.68, 95% CI: 0.14-3.22). No significant association was found between depressive symptoms and <em>NR3C1&nbsp;</em>methylation. <strong>Conclusion:</strong>&nbsp;We found that maternal anxiety was associated with increased <em>NR3C1&nbsp;</em>CpG island shore methylation.</p>

10.2217/epi-2020-0022

Epigenomics

33215541

Racial and ethnic representation in epigenomic studies of preterm birth: a systematic review.

2020

2020 Dec 02

1750-192X

<p>We conducted a systematic review evaluating race/ethnicity representation in DNA methylomic studies of preterm birth. PubMed, EMBASE, CINHAL, Scopus and relevant citations from 1 January&nbsp;2000 to 30 June&nbsp;2019. Two authors independently identified abstracts comparing DNA methylomic differences between term and preterm births that included&nbsp;race/ethnicity data. 16&nbsp;studies were included. Black and non-Hispanic Black deliveries were well represented (28%). However, large studies originating from&nbsp;more than&nbsp;95% White populations were excluded due to unreported race/ethnicity data. Most studies were cross-sectional, allowing for reverse causation. Most studies were also racially/ethnically homogeneous, preventing direct comparison of DNA methylomic differences across race/ethnicities. In DNA methylomic studies, Black women and infants were well represented. However, the literature has limitations and precludes drawing definitive conclusions.</p>

10.2217/epi-2020-0007

Epigenomics

33264049

Prenatal Stress, Methylation in Inflammation-Related Genes, and Adiposity Measures in Early Childhood: the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth Environment and Social Stress Cohort Study.

2018

34-41

2018 01

1534-7796

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>Maternal stress during pregnancy may influence childhood growth and adiposity, possibly through immune/inflammatory programming. We investigated whether exposure to prenatal stress and methylation in inflammation-related genes were associated with childhood adiposity in 424 mother-child pairs in Mexico City, Mexico.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A stress index was created based on four prenatally administered stress-related scales (Exposure to Violence, Crisis in Family Systems, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). We measured weight, height, body fat mass (BFM), percentage body fat (PBF), and waist circumference in early childhood (age range, 4-6 years). Body mass index (BMI) z scores were calculated according to World Health Organization standards. DNA methylation in gene promoters of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 8, and interleukin 6 (IL6) in umbilical cord blood were determined by pyrosequencing.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>An interquartile range increase in stress index (27.3) was associated with decreases of 0.14 unit in BMI z score (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.28 to -0.005), 5.6% in BFM (95% CI = -9.7 to -1.4), 3.5% in PBF (95% CI = -6.3 to -0.5), and 1.2% in waist circumference (95% CI = -2.4 to -0.04) in multivariable-adjusted models. An interquartile range increase in IL6 methylation (3.9%) was associated with increases of 0.23 unit in BMI z score (95% CI = 0.06-0.40), 8.1% (95% CI = 2.3-14.3) in BFM, 5.5% (95% CI = 1.7-9.5) in PBF, and 1.7% (95% CI = 0.2-3.3) in waist circumference.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Prenatal stress was associated with decreased childhood adiposity, whereas cord blood IL6 methylation was associated with increased childhood adiposity in Mexican children.</p>

10.1097/PSY.0000000000000517

Psychosom Med

28787364

Long noncoding RNA expression in the cervix mid-pregnancy is associated with the length of gestation at delivery.

2018

742-750

2018

1559-2308

<p>Infants born preterm are at increased risk of multiple morbidities and mortality. Why some women deliver preterm remains poorly understood. Prior studies have shown that cervical microRNA expression and DNA methylation are associated with the length of gestation. However, no study has examined the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the cervix during pregnancy. To determine whether expression of lncRNAs is associated with length of gestation at delivery, we analyzed RNA from cervical swabs obtained from 78 women during pregnancy (mean 15.5, SD 5.0, weeks of gestation) who were participating in the Spontaneous Prematurity and Epigenetics of the Cervix (SPEC) Study in Boston, MA, USA. We used a PCR-based platform and found that 9 lncRNAs were expressed in at least 50% of the participants. Of these, a doubling of the expression of TUG1, TINCR, and FALEC was associated with shorter lengths of gestation at delivery [2.8 (95% CI: 0.31, 5.2); 3.3 (0.22, 6.3); and 4.5 (7.3, 1.6) days shorter respectively]. Of the lncRNAs analyzed, none was statistically associated with preterm birth, but expression of FALEC was 2.6-fold higher in women who delivered preterm vs. term (P&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.051). These findings demonstrate that lncRNAs can be measured in cervical samples obtained during pregnancy and are associated with subsequent length of gestation at delivery. Further, this study supports future work to replicate these findings in other cohorts and perform mechanistic studies to determine the role of lncRNAs in the cervix during pregnancy.</p>

10.1080/15592294.2018.1503490

Epigenetics

30045669