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Knight AK, Spencer JB, Smith AK. DNA methylation as a window into female reproductive aging. Epigenomics 2024; 16:175-188. [PMID: 38131149 PMCID: PMC10841041 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
People with ovaries experience reproductive aging as their reproductive function and system declines. This has significant implications for both fertility and long-term health, with people experiencing an increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders after menopause. Reproductive aging can be assessed through markers of ovarian reserve, response to fertility treatment or molecular biomarkers, including DNA methylation. Changes in DNA methylation with age associate with poorer reproductive outcomes, and epigenome-wide studies can provide insight into genes and pathways involved. DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks can quantify biological age in reproductive tissues and systemically. This review provides an overview of hallmarks and theories of aging in the context of the reproductive system, and then focuses on studies of DNA methylation in reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jessica B Spencer
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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McKenna BG, Choi J, Brennan PA, K Knight A, Smith AK, R Pilkay S, Corwin EJ, Dunlop AL. Maternal Adversity and Epigenetic Age Acceleration Predict Heightened Emotional Reactivity in Offspring: Implications for Intergenerational Transmission of Risk. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1753-1767. [PMID: 36227464 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00981-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Black American women are disproportionately exposed to adversities that may have an intergenerational impact on mental health. The present study examined whether maternal exposure to adversity and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA; a biomarker of stress exposure) predicts the socioemotional health of her offspring. During pregnancy, 180 Black American women self-reported experiences of childhood adversity and marginalization-related adversity (i.e., racial discrimination and gendered racial stress) and provided a blood sample for epigenetic assessment. At a three-year follow-up visit, women reported their offspring's emotional reactivity (an early indicator of psychopathology) via the CBCL/1.5-5. After adjusting for maternal education and offspring sex, results indicated that greater maternal experiences of childhood trauma (β = 0.21, SE(β) = 0.01; p = 0.01) and racial discrimination (β = 0.14, SE(β) = 0.07; p = 0.049) predicted greater offspring emotional reactivity, as did maternal EAA (β = 0.17, SE(β) = 0.09, p = 0.046). Our findings suggest that maternal EAA could serve as an early biomarker for intergenerational risk conferred by maternal adversity, and that 'maternal adversity' must be defined more broadly to include social marginalization, particularly for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke G McKenna
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Joanne Choi
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Stefanie R Pilkay
- School of Social Work, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | | | - Anne L Dunlop
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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McKenna BG, Knight AK, Smith AK, Corwin EJ, Carter SE, Palmer RHC, Dunlop AL, Brennan PA. Infant epigenetic aging moderates the link between Black maternal childhood trauma and offspring symptoms of psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37771149 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423001232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Although offspring of women exposed to childhood trauma exhibit elevated rates of psychopathology, many children demonstrate resilience to these intergenerational impacts. Among the variety of factors that likely contribute to resilience, epigenetic processes have been suggested to play an important role. The current study used a prospective design to test the novel hypothesis that offspring epigenetic aging - a measure of methylation differences that are associated with infant health outcomes - moderates the relationship between maternal exposure to childhood adversity and offspring symptomatology. Maternal childhood adversity was self-reported during pregnancy via the ACEs survey and the CTQ, which assessed total childhood trauma as well as maltreatment subtypes (i.e., emotional, physical, and sexual abuse). Offspring blood samples were collected at or shortly after birth and assayed on a DNA methylation microarray, and offspring symptomatology was assessed with the CBCL/1.5-5 when offspring were 2-4 years old. Results indicated that maternal childhood trauma, particularly sexual abuse, was predictive of offspring symptoms (ps = 0.003-0.03). However, the associations between maternal sexual abuse and offspring symptomatology were significantly attenuated in offspring with accelerated epigenetic aging. These findings further our understanding of how epigenetic processes may contribute to and attenuate the intergenerational link between stress and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Anne L Dunlop
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Fang F, Zhou L, Perng W, Marsit CJ, Knight AK, Cardenas A, Aung MT, Hivert MF, Aris IM, Goodrich JM, Smith AK, Gaylord A, Fry RC, Oken E, O'Connor G, Ruden DM, Trasande L, Herbstman JB, Camargo CA, Bush NR, Dunlop AL, Dabelea DM, Karagas MR, Breton CV, Ober C, Everson TM, Page GP, Ladd-Acosta C. Evaluation of pediatric epigenetic clocks across multiple tissues. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:142. [PMID: 37660147 PMCID: PMC10475199 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01552-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for assessing biological age. We assessed the accuracy of pediatric epigenetic clocks in gestational and chronological age determination. RESULTS Our study used data from seven tissue types on three DNA methylation profiling microarrays and found that the Knight and Bohlin clocks performed similarly for blood cells, while the Lee clock was superior for placental samples. The pediatric-buccal-epigenetic clock performed the best for pediatric buccal samples, while the Horvath clock is recommended for children's blood cell samples. The NeoAge clock stands out for its unique ability to predict post-menstrual age with high correlation with the observed age in infant buccal cell samples. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide valuable guidance for future research and development of epigenetic clocks in pediatric samples, enabling more accurate assessments of biological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA.
| | - Linran Zhou
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | - Wei Perng
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Max T Aung
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Populace Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Izzuddin M Aris
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaclyn M Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Abigail Gaylord
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George O'Connor
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie B Herbstman
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana M Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Carrie V Breton
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Populace Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carole Ober
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Grier P Page
- GenOmics and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Gaskins AJ, Hood RB, Ford JB, Hauser R, Knight AK, Smith AK, Everson TM. Traffic-related air pollution and supplemental folic acid intake in relation to DNA methylation in granulosa cells. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:84. [PMID: 37179367 PMCID: PMC10183139 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01503-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is related to lower fertility, with specific adverse effects on the ovary. Folic acid may attenuate these effects. Our goal was to explore the relation of TRAP exposure and supplemental folic acid intake with epigenetic aging and CpG-specific DNA methylation (DNAm) in granulosa cells (GC). Our study included 61 women undergoing ovarian stimulation at a fertility center (2005-2015). DNAm levels were profiled in GC using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip. TRAP was defined using a spatiotemporal model to estimate residence-based nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure. Supplemental folic acid intake was measured with a validated food frequency questionnaire. We used linear regression to evaluate whether NO2 or supplemental folic acid was associated with epigenetic age acceleration according to the Pan-tissue, mural GC, and GrimAge clocks or DNAm across the genome adjusting for potential confounders and accounting for multiple testing with a false discovery rate < 0.1. RESULTS There were no associations between NO2 or supplemental folic acid intake and epigenetic age acceleration of GC. NO2 and supplemental folic acid were associated with 9 and 11 differentially methylated CpG sites. Among these CpGs, only cg07287107 exhibited a significant interaction (p-value = 0.037). In women with low supplemental folic acid, high NO2 exposure was associated with 1.7% higher DNAm. There was no association between NO2 and DNAm in women with high supplemental folic acid. The genes annotated to the top 250 NO2-associated CpGs were enriched for carbohydrate and protein metabolism, postsynaptic potential and dendrite development, and membrane components and exocytosis. The genes annotated to the top 250 supplemental folic acid-associated CpGs were enriched for estrous cycle, learning, cognition, synaptic organization and transmission, and size and composition of neuronal cell bodies. CONCLUSIONS We found no associations between NO2, supplemental folic acid, and DNAm age acceleration of GC. However, there were 20 differentially methylated CpGs and multiple enriched GO terms associated with both exposures suggesting that differences in GC DNAm could be a plausible mechanism underlying the effects of TRAP and supplemental folic acid on ovarian function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Robert B Hood
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jennifer B Ford
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Ladd-Acosta C, Vang E, Barrett ES, Bulka CM, Bush NR, Cardenas A, Dabelea D, Dunlop AL, Fry RC, Gao X, Goodrich JM, Herbstman J, Hivert MF, Kahn LG, Karagas MR, Kennedy EM, Knight AK, Mohazzab-Hosseinian S, Morin A, Niu Z, O’Shea TM, Palmore M, Ruden D, Schmidt RJ, Smith AK, Song A, Spindel ER, Trasande L, Volk H, Weisenberger DJ, Breton CV. Analysis of Pregnancy Complications and Epigenetic Gestational Age of Newborns. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e230672. [PMID: 36826815 PMCID: PMC9958528 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.0672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes, the most common pregnancy complications, are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in mothers and children. Little is known about the biological processes that link the occurrence of these pregnancy complications with adverse child outcomes; altered biological aging of the growing fetus up to birth is one molecular pathway of increasing interest. Objective To evaluate whether exposure to each of these 3 pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia) is associated with accelerated or decelerated gestational biological age in children at birth. Design, Setting, and Participants Children included in these analyses were born between 1998 and 2018 and spanned multiple geographic areas of the US. Pregnancy complication information was obtained from maternal self-report and/or medical record data. DNA methylation measures were obtained from blood biospecimens collected from offspring at birth. The study used data from the national Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) multisite cohort study collected and recorded as of the August 31, 2021, data lock date. Data analysis was performed from September 2021 to December 2022. Exposures Three pregnancy conditions were examined: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Main Outcomes and Measures Accelerated or decelerated biological gestational age at birth, estimated using existing epigenetic gestational age clock algorithms. Results A total of 1801 child participants (880 male [48.9%]; median [range] chronological gestational age at birth, 39 [30-43] weeks) from 12 ECHO cohorts met the analytic inclusion criteria. Reported races included Asian (49 participants [2.7%]), Black (390 participants [21.7%]), White (1026 participants [57.0%]), and other races (92 participants [5.1%]) (ie, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, multiple races, and other race not specified). In total, 524 participants (29.0%) reported Hispanic ethnicity. Maternal ages ranged from 16 to 45 years of age with a median of 29 in the analytic sample. A range of maternal education levels, from less than high school (260 participants [14.4%]) to Bachelor's degree and above (629 participants [34.9%]), were reported. In adjusted regression models, prenatal exposure to maternal gestational diabetes (β, -0.423; 95% CI, -0.709 to -0.138) and preeclampsia (β, -0.513; 95% CI, -0.857 to -0.170), but not gestational hypertension (β, 0.003; 95% CI, -0.338 to 0.344), were associated with decelerated epigenetic aging among exposed neonates vs those who were unexposed. Modification of these associations, by sex, was observed with exposure to preeclampsia (β, -0.700; 95% CI, -1.189 to -0.210) and gestational diabetes (β, -0.636; 95% CI, -1.070 to -0.200), with associations observed among female but not male participants. Conclusions and Relevance This US cohort study of neonate biological changes related to exposure to maternal pregnancy conditions found evidence that preeclampsia and gestational diabetes delay biological maturity, especially in female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth Vang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Catherine M. Bulka
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Xingyu Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Julie Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Linda G. Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Elizabeth M. Kennedy
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna K. Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sahra Mohazzab-Hosseinian
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Andréanne Morin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zhongzheng Niu
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
| | - Meredith Palmore
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Douglas Ruden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Rebecca J. Schmidt
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health Sciences and the MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ashley Song
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eliot R. Spindel
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Heather Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel J. Weisenberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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Erickson EN, Knight AK, Smith AK, Myatt L. Advancing understanding of maternal age: correlating epigenetic clocks in blood and myometrium. Epigenetics Commun 2022; 2. [PMID: 36052275 PMCID: PMC9432845 DOI: 10.1186/s43682-022-00010-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Background: Advanced maternal age is currently a term defined by chronological age. However, a group of biomarkers known as epigenetic clocks, which can predict morbidity and mortality, has been used to estimate measures of biological aging. Uterine myometrial function during the process of parturition may be influenced by aging, as labor dystocia, unplanned intrapartum cesarean birth, and postpartum hemorrhage are more common in older individuals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of epigenetic clocks in maternal myometrium and blood for predicting age and to evaluate the correlation of epigenetic age between the tissues. Results: We compared epigenetic age in blood and myometrial samples provided by women undergoing planned cesarean birth at term gestation. Chronological age ranged from 20 to 50 with a median (IQR) age of 35.5(8) years. The MethylationEPIC BeadChip was used to obtain DNA methylation data, and then epigenetic age was calculated using the Horvath, Hannum, GrimAge, and PhenoAge clocks. Spearman correlations of epigenetic age with chronological age were calculated. We tested the relationship of epigenetic age in maternal blood to epigenetic age in myometrium. Age acceleration, for each clock, was also correlated between tissues. Twenty-seven participants provided samples, and 21 matched specimens were included in the final analysis after quality control. Spearman correlation between maternal chronological age and epigenetic age were significant in three of the four clocks (pan-tissue Horvath, Hannum, and GrimAge), for both myometrium and blood samples. Correlations between blood epigenetic age and maternal age ranged from 0.72 to 0.87 (all p < 0.001). Correlations between myometrial epigenetic age and maternal age were also significant (0.62–0.70, p = 0.002), though lower than correlations seen in blood. Maternal blood epigenetic age also correlated with epigenetic age in myometrium with each of these three clocks 0.60 (p = 0.004, Horvath), 0.63 (p = 0.003, Hannum), and 0.80 (p < 0.001, GrimAge). GrimAge age acceleration had the highest correlation between tissues among the clocks (0.49, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Given the limited sample, this study provides insight into the potential use of epigenetic age derived from blood as a proxy for myometrial epigenetic age, which may be a useful biomarker in estimating myometrial biological age in relationship to myometrial dysfunction. GrimAge outperformed the other tested clocks in terms of concordance of epigenetic age and age acceleration between tissues; however, the Horvath and Hannum clocks may be useful depending on the outcome of interest in pregnancy.
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Knight AK, Hipp HS, Abhari S, Gerkowicz SA, Katler QS, McKenzie LJ, Shang W, Smith AK, Spencer JB. Markers of ovarian reserve are associated with reproductive age acceleration in granulosa cells from IVF patients. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:2438-2445. [PMID: 35944168 PMCID: PMC9527469 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is reproductive aging in granulosa cells associated with markers of ovarian reserve? SUMMARY ANSWER Age acceleration was associated with anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, antral follicle count (AFC), oocyte yield and maturity, and the number of successfully fertilized embryos. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The rate of reproductive aging varies among women of the same age. DNA methylation can be used to predict epigenetic age in a variety of tissues. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This was a cross-sectional study of 70 women at the time of oocyte retrieval. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS The 70 participants were recruited for this study at an academic medical center and they provided follicular fluid samples at the time of oocyte retrieval. Granulosa cells were isolated and assessed on the MethylationEPIC array. Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between DNA methylation-based age predictions from granulosa cells and chronological age. Age acceleration was calculated as the residual of regressing DNA methylation-based age on chronological age. Linear regressions were used to determine the associations between age acceleration and markers of ovarian reserve and IVF cycle outcomes. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Participants were a mean of 36.7 ± 3.9 years old. In regards to race, 54% were white, 19% were African American and 27% were of another background. Age acceleration was normally distributed and not associated with chronological age. Age acceleration was negatively associated with AMH levels (t = -3.1, P = 0.003) and AFC (t = -4.0, P = 0.0001), such that women with a higher age acceleration had a lower ovarian reserve. Age acceleration was also negatively correlated with the total number of oocytes retrieved (t = -3.9, P = 0.0002), the number of mature oocytes (t = -3.8, P = 0.0003) and the number of fertilized oocytes or two-pronuclear oocytes (t = -2.8, P = 0.008) in the main analysis. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This study used pooled follicular fluid, which does not allow for the investigation of individual follicles. Infertility patients may also be different from the general population, but, as we used granulosa cells, the participants had to be from an IVF population. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study demonstrated that epigenetic age and age acceleration can be calculated from granulosa cells collected at the time of oocyte retrieval. GrimAge most strongly predicted chronological age, and GrimAge acceleration was associated with baseline and cycle characteristics as well as cycle outcomes, which indicates its potential clinical relevance in evaluating both oocyte quantity and quality. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (UL1TR002378) and the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Program (K12HD085850) to A.K.K. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The funding source had no role in any aspect of this study. J.B.S. serves as Vice Chair for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Education Committee, is a Medical Committee Advisor for the Jewish Fertility Foundation and works with Jscreen. J.B.S. has received funding from Georgia Clinical Translational Research Alliance. H.S.H., J.B.S. and A.K.S. have received NIH funding for other projects. A.K.K., S.A.G., S.G., Q.S.K., L.J.M. and W.S. have no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Knight
- Division of Research, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H S Hipp
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - S Abhari
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Timonium, MD, USA
| | | | - Q S Katler
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - L J McKenzie
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - W Shang
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - A K Smith
- Division of Research, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J B Spencer
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Abhari S, Lu J, Hipp HS, Petritis B, Gerkowicz SA, Katler QS, Yen HH, Mao Y, Tang H, Shang W, McKenzie LJ, Smith AK, Huang RP, Knight AK. A Case-Control Study of Follicular Fluid Cytokine Profiles in Women with Diminished Ovarian Reserve. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:2515-2524. [PMID: 34738218 PMCID: PMC10201686 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00757-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian reserve is an important determinant of a woman's reproductive potential, and women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) often seek in vitro fertilization (IVF). The underlying etiology of DOR is unknown, but follicular fluid cytokine concentrations likely play a role in follicular development and maturation. The present study seeks to investigate the expression of cytokines in follicular fluid (FF) of women with DOR undergoing IVF and explore correlated functional pathways. One hundred ninety-four women undergoing ovarian stimulation were recruited at the time of oocyte retrieval. Women were classified as having DOR if they met one or more of the following criteria: AMH < 1 ng/ml, FSH > 10 mIU/ml, and/or AFC < 10. Controls included women undergoing IVF for male factor, tubal factor due to tubal ligation, or planned oocyte cryopreservation (non-oncologic). The concentrations of 480 cytokines and related growth factors in follicular fluid were determined using a multiplex immunoassay. Fifty-nine cytokines had significantly different concentrations (53 higher and 6 lower) in the DOR relative to the control group after adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI) (false discovery rate; FDR < 0.1). Using the most informative 44 biomarkers as indicated by a random forest (RF) model, an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 was obtained. Thus, follicular microenvironment differs between women with DOR and normal ovarian reserve. The differentially expressed cytokines belong to diverse processes that are primarily involved in follicular maturation and ovulation. These changes may play an important role in treatment outcomes in women with DOR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Abhari
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Jingqiao Lu
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Heather S Hipp
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Brianne Petritis
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | | | - Quinton S Katler
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Haw-Han Yen
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Yingqing Mao
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Hao Tang
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Weirong Shang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University School of Medicine, 550 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Laurie J McKenzie
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Woodruff Memorial Research Building, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Ruo-Pan Huang
- RayBiotech Life, Inc, 3607 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Woodruff Memorial Research Building, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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10
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Dunlop AL, Satten GA, Hu YJ, Knight AK, Hill CC, Wright ML, Smith AK, Read TD, Pearce BD, Corwin EJ. Vaginal Microbiome Composition in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Spontaneous Preterm and Early Term Birth Among African American Women. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:641005. [PMID: 33996627 PMCID: PMC8117784 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.641005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the association between the early pregnancy vaginal microbiome and spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) and early term birth (sETB) among African American women. Methods Vaginal samples collected in early pregnancy (8-14 weeks' gestation) from 436 women enrolled in the Emory University African American Vaginal, Oral, and Gut Microbiome in Pregnancy Study underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 region, taxonomic classification, and community state type (CST) assignment. We compared vaginal CST and abundance of taxa for women whose pregnancy ended in sPTB (N = 44) or sETB (N= 84) to those who delivered full term (N = 231). Results Nearly half of the women had a vaginal microbiome classified as CST IV (Diverse CST), while one-third had CST III (L. iners dominated) and just 16% had CST I, II, or V (non-iners Lactobacillus dominated). Compared to vaginal CST I, II, or V (non-iners Lactobacillus dominated), both CST III (L. iners dominated) and CST IV (Diverse) were associated with sPTB with an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 4.1 (1.1, infinity) and 7.7 (2.2, infinity), respectively, in multivariate logistic regression. In contrast, no vaginal CST was associated with sETB. The linear decomposition model (LDM) based on amplicon sequence variant (ASV) relative abundance found a significant overall effect of the vaginal microbiome on sPTB (p=0.034) but not sETB (p=0.320), whereas the LDM based on presence/absence of ASV found no overall effect on sPTB (p=0.328) but a significant effect on sETB (p=0.030). In testing for ASV-specific effects, the LDM found that no ASV was significantly associated with sPTB considering either relative abundance or presence/absence data after controlling for multiple comparisons (FDR 10%), although in marginal analysis the relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis (p=0.011), non-iners Lactobacillus (p=0.016), and Mobiluncus curtisii (p=0.035) and the presence of Atopobium vaginae (p=0.049), BVAB2 (p=0.024), Dialister microaerophilis (p=0.011), and Prevotella amnii (p=0.044) were associated with sPTB. The LDM identified the higher abundance of 7 ASVs and the presence of 13 ASVs, all commonly residents of the gut, as associated with sETB at FDR < 10%. Conclusions In this cohort of African American women, an early pregnancy vaginal CST III or IV was associated with an increased risk of sPTB but not sETB. The relative abundance and presence of distinct taxa within the early pregnancy vaginal microbiome was associated with either sPTB or sETB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Dunlop
- Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Glen A. Satten
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Yi-Juan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Anna K. Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Cherie C. Hill
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michelle L. Wright
- School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Bradley D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
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11
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Knight AK. Explaining the unexplained: new genetic mutations in unexplained premature ovarian insufficiency. F S Rep 2020; 1:168-169. [PMID: 34223235 PMCID: PMC8244336 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfre.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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12
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Rouleau L, Knight AK, Gerkowicz SA, Weirong S, McKenzie LJ, Smith AK, Hipp HS. CYTOKINE CONTENT OF FOLLICULAR FLUID IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS). Fertil Steril 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.08.1169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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13
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McKenna BG, Hendrix CL, Brennan PA, Smith AK, Stowe ZN, Newport DJ, Knight AK. Maternal prenatal depression and epigenetic age deceleration: testing potentially confounding effects of prenatal stress and SSRI use. Epigenetics 2020; 16:327-337. [PMID: 32660321 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1795604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies suggest epigenetic alterations may contribute to the association between maternal prenatal depression and adverse offspring outcomes. Developmental researchers have recently begun to examine these associations in relation to epigenetic age acceleration/deceleration, a biomarker of developmental risk that reflects the deviation between epigenetic age and chronological age. In the perinatal period, preliminary studies indicate that maternal prenatal depression may lead to epigenetic age deceleration in newborns, which may predict adverse developmental outcomes. The present study examined the relationship between maternal prenatal exposures (i.e., depression, stress, and SSRI use) and offspring epigenetic age deceleration in 303 mother-offspring dyads. Women were recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy and followed longitudinally until delivery. Maternal depression, perceived stress, and SSRI use were assessed at each prenatal visit. Newborn epigenetic age was determined via cord blood samples. Results indicated maternal prenatal stress was not associated with newborn epigenetic age deceleration (ΔR2 = 0.002; p = 0.37). Maternal prenatal depression was associated with decelerated epigenetic age (ΔR2 = 0.01, p = 0.04), but this relationship did not hold when accounting for maternal use of SSRIs (ΔR2 = 0.002, p = 0.43). Conversely, maternal SSRI use significantly predicted newborn epigenetic age deceleration over and above the influence of maternal depression (ΔR2 = 0.03, p = 0.001). These findings suggest maternal prenatal SSRI use may significantly contribute to the previously documented association between maternal prenatal depression and epigenetic age deceleration. Further studies are needed to examine how these epigenetic differences at birth may contribute to adverse outcomes in later development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zachary N Stowe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin , Madison, WI, USA
| | - D Jeffrey Newport
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, USA
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14
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Manley CN, Deepak V, Ravikumar N, Smith AK, Knight AK, Badell ML, Sidell N, Rajakumar A. Transcription factor AP2A affects sFLT1 expression and decidualization in decidual stromal cells: Implications to preeclampsia pathology. Pregnancy Hypertens 2020; 21:152-158. [PMID: 32535226 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) yields a spectrum of phenotypic expression, leading to varying degrees of hypertension, maternal renal dysfunction and placental insufficiency with resultant maternal and neonatal morbidity. Increased sFLT1 expression contributing to angiogenic factor imbalance, placental hypoxia, failed immune adaptation to the fetus and defective decidualization are among the commonly proposed theories of PE pathogenesis. Recently researchers have focused their attention on the events that occur at the maternal fetal interface as potential contributors to PE pathogenesis. Decidual stromal cells (DSC) isolated from preeclamptic women show diminished ability to decidualize upon stimulation and reduced capacity to downregulate sFlt-1 levels. In this study, we sought to gain insight into the molecular mechanism(s) involved in the aberrant decidualization capacity of PE DSC. Our findings using qRT-PCR show that PE DSCs have 6-fold higher basal levels of transcription factor AP2A (TFAP2A) RNA compared to women without PE and that expression of TFAP2A increases during decidualization but only in DSCs of normotensive (NT) women. Silencing of TFAP2A using Trilencer siRNA upregulated sFLT1 expression only in NT-DSCs but suppressed the expression of decidualization markers PRL, IGFBP1 and their regulator FOXO1 in cells from both groups. Collectively, our observations suggest that TFAP2A acts as a repressor of sFLT1 and plays a necessary role in decidualization possibly through interacting with another factor that is aberrantly expressed in PE DSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charisma N Manley
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Venkataraman Deepak
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nithin Ravikumar
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Anna K Knight
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Martina L Badell
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Neil Sidell
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Augustine Rajakumar
- Division of Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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15
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Payne JL, Osborne LM, Cox O, Kelly J, Meilman S, Jones I, Grenier W, Clark K, Ross E, McGinn R, Wadhwa PD, Entringer S, Dunlop AL, Knight AK, Smith AK, Buss C, Kaminsky ZA. DNA methylation biomarkers prospectively predict both antenatal and postpartum depression. Psychiatry Res 2020; 285:112711. [PMID: 31843207 PMCID: PMC7702696 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We sought to replicate and expand upon previous work demonstrating antenatal TTC9B and HP1BP3 gene DNA methylation is prospectively predictive of postpartum depression (PPD) with ~80% accuracy. In a preterm birth study from Emory, Illumina MethylEPIC microarray derived 1st but not 3rd trimester biomarker models predicted 3rd trimester Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores ≥ 13 with an AUC=0.8 (95% CI: 0.63-0.8). Bisulfite pyrosequencing derived biomarker methylation was generated using bisulfite pyrosequencing across all trimesters in a pregnancy cohort at UC Irvine and in 3rd trimester from an independent Johns Hopkins pregnancy cohort. A support vector machine model incorporating 3rd trimester EPDS scores, TTC9B, and HP1BP3 methylation status predicted 4 week to 6 week postpartum EPDS ≥ 13 from 3rd trimester blood in the UC Irvine cohort (AUC=0.78, 95% CI: 0.64-0.78) and from the Johns Hopkins cohort (AUC=0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.97), both independent of previous psychiatric diagnosis. Technical replicate predictions in a subset of the Johns Hopkins cohort exhibited strong cross experiment correlation. This study confirms the PPD prediction model has the potential to be developed into a clinical tool enabling the identification of pregnant women at future risk of PPD who may benefit from clinical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Payne
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren M. Osborne
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Olivia Cox
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John Kelly
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samantha Meilman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ilenna Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Winston Grenier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karen Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Evelyn Ross
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rachel McGinn
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Rm, 6458 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pathik D. Wadhwa
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, UC Irvine Genetic Epidemiology Research Institute, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA,Medical Psychology Department, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anna K. Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA,Medical Psychology Department, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zachary A. Kaminsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Rm, 6458 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,Corresponding author at: The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Center, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Rm 6458, Ottawa Ontario Canada. (Z.A. Kaminsky)
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16
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Gerkowicz SA, Curtis SW, Knight AK, Cobb DO, Spencer JB, Conneely KN, Terrell ML, Marcus M, Smith AK. Endometriosis, endocrine disrupters, and epigenetics: an investigation into the complex interplay in women with polybrominated biphenyl exposure and endometriosis. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:427-436. [PMID: 32026200 PMCID: PMC7056781 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01695-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have been shown to affect multiple biologic processes especially steroid-hormone processes. We sought to determine differences in DNA methylation exists between women with and without endometriosis following exposure to polybrominated biphenyl (PBB). METHODS Cross-sectional study of 305 females in the Michigan PBB Registry. DNA was extracted, and DNA methylation was interrogated using the MethylationEPIC BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, California). Demographic data was analyzed using Chi-squared and T tests. Linear regressions were performed for each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) site, modeling the logit transformation of the β value as a linear function of the presence of endometriosis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted controlling for estradiol levels and menopausal status. Replication study performed evaluating for any association between CpGs reported in the literature and our findings. RESULTS In total, 39,877 CpGs nominally associated with endometriosis (p < 0.05) after adjusting for age and cellular heterogeneity, although none remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons (FDR < 0.05). Pathway analysis of these CpGs showed enrichment in 68 biologic pathways involved in various endocrine, immunologic, oncologic, and cell regulation processes as well as embryologic reproductive tract development and function (FoxO, Wnt, and Hedgehog signaling). We identified 42,261 CpG sites in the literature reported to be associated with endometriosis; 2012 of these CpG sites were also significant in our cohort. CONCLUSION We found 39,877 CpG sites that nominally associated with endometriosis (p < 0.05) after adjusting for age and cellular heterogeneity; however, none remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons (FDR < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina A Gerkowicz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah W Curtis
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Suite 4217, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Dawayland O Cobb
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Suite 4217, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jessica B Spencer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Metrecia L Terrell
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Michele Marcus
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alica K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Suite 4217, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Suite 4217, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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17
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Dunlop AL, Knight AK, Satten GA, Cutler AJ, Wright ML, Mitchell RM, Read TD, Mulle J, Hertzberg VS, Hill CC, Smith AK, Corwin EJ. Stability of the vaginal, oral, and gut microbiota across pregnancy among African American women: the effect of socioeconomic status and antibiotic exposure. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8004. [PMID: 31772833 PMCID: PMC6875384 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A growing body of research has investigated the human microbiota and pregnancy outcomes, especially preterm birth. Most studies of the prenatal microbiota have focused on the vagina, with fewer investigating other body sites during pregnancy. Although pregnancy involves profound hormonal, immunological and metabolic changes, few studies have investigated either shifts in microbiota composition across pregnancy at different body sites or variation in composition at any site that may be explained by maternal characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) the stability of the vaginal, oral, and gut microbiota from early (8-14 weeks) through later (24-30 weeks) pregnancy among African American women according to measures of socioeconomic status, accounting for prenatal antibiotic use; (2) whether measures of socioeconomic status are associated with changes in microbiota composition over pregnancy; and (3) whether exposure to prenatal antibiotics mediate any observed associations between measures of socioeconomic status and stability of the vaginal, oral, and gut microbiota across pregnancy. METHODS We used paired vaginal, oral, or gut samples available for 16S rRNA gene sequencing from two time points in pregnancy (8-14 and 24-30 weeks) to compare within-woman changes in measures of alpha diversity (Shannon and Chao1) and beta-diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) among pregnant African American women (n = 110). Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the effect of level of education and prenatal health insurance as explanatory variables for changes in diversity, considering antibiotic exposure as a mediator, adjusting for age, obstetrical history, and weeks between sampling. RESULTS For the oral and gut microbiota, there were no significant associations between measures of socioeconomic status or prenatal antibiotic use and change in Shannon or Chao1 diversity. For the vaginal microbiota, low level of education (high school or less) was associated with an increase in Shannon and Chao1 diversity over pregnancy, with minimal attenuation when controlling for prenatal antibiotic use. Conversely, for within-woman Bray-Curtis dissimilarity for early compared to later pregnancy, low level of education and prenatal antibiotics were associated with greater dissimilarity for the oral and gut sites, with minimal attenuation when controlling for prenatal antibiotics, and no difference in dissimilarity for the vaginal site. CONCLUSIONS Measures of maternal socioeconomic status are variably associated with changes in diversity across pregnancy for the vaginal, oral, and gut microbiota, with minimal attenuation by prenatal antibiotic exposure. Studies that evaluate stability of the microbiota across pregnancy in association with health outcomes themselves associated with socioeconomic status (such as preterm birth) should incorporate measures of socioeconomic status to avoid finding spurious relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L. Dunlop
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anna K. Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Glen A. Satten
- Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anya J. Cutler
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory College, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Wright
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M. Mitchell
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Computer Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Mulle
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Vicki S. Hertzberg
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Cherie C. Hill
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth J. Corwin
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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18
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Kilaru V, Knight AK, Katrinli S, Cobb D, Lori A, Gillespie CF, Maihofer AX, Nievergelt CM, Dunlop AL, Conneely KN, Smith AK. Critical evaluation of copy number variant calling methods using DNA methylation. Genet Epidemiol 2019; 44:148-158. [PMID: 31737926 PMCID: PMC7028453 DOI: 10.1002/gepi.22269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological and methodological developments have enabled the use of array-based DNA methylation data to call copy number variants (CNVs). ChAMP, Conumee, and cnAnalysis450k are popular methods currently used to call CNVs using methylation data. However, so far, no studies have analyzed the reliability of these methods using real samples. Data from a cohort of individuals with genotype and DNA methylation data generated using the HumanMethylation450 and MethylationEPIC BeadChips were used to assess the consistency between the CNV calls generated by methylation and genotype data. We also took advantage of repeated measures of methylation data collected from the same individuals to compare the reliability of CNVs called by ChAMP, Conumee, and cnAnalysis450k for both the methylation arrays. ChAMP identified more CNVs than Conumee and cnAnalysis450k for both the arrays and, as a consequence, had a higher overlap (~62%) with the calls from the genotype data. However, all methods had relatively low reliability. For the MethylationEPIC array, Conumee had the highest reliability (57.6%), whereas for the HumanMethylation450 array, cnAnalysis450k had the highest reliability (43.0%). Overall, the MethylationEPIC array provided significant gains in reliability for CNV calling over the HumanMethylation450 array but not for overlap with CNVs called using genotype data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Kilaru
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna K Knight
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Seyma Katrinli
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Dawayland Cobb
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Adriana Lori
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Charles F Gillespie
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Adam X Maihofer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Caroline M Nievergelt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California.,Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California.,Research Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Knight AK, Park HJ, Hausman DB, Fleming JM, Bland VL, Rosa G, Kennedy EM, Caudill MA, Malysheva O, Kauwell GPA, Sokolow A, Fisher S, Smith AK, Bailey LB. Association between one-carbon metabolism indices and DNA methylation status in maternal and cord blood. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16873. [PMID: 30442960 PMCID: PMC6237996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35111-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
One-carbon metabolism is essential for multiple cellular processes and can be assessed by the concentration of folate metabolites in the blood. One-carbon metabolites serve as methyl donors that are required for epigenetic regulation. Deficiencies in these metabolites are associated with a variety of poor health outcomes, including adverse pregnancy complications. DNA methylation is known to vary with one-carbon metabolite concentration, and therefore may modulate the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study addresses changes in one-carbon indices over pregnancy and the relationship between maternal and child DNA methylation and metabolite concentrations by leveraging data from 24 mother-infant dyads. Five of the 13 metabolites measured from maternal blood and methylation levels of 993 CpG sites changed over the course of pregnancy. In dyads, maternal and fetal one-carbon concentrations were highly correlated, both early in pregnancy and at delivery. The 993 CpG sites whose methylation levels changed over pregnancy in maternal blood were also investigated for associations with metabolite concentrations in infant blood at delivery, where five CpG sites were associated with the concentration of at least one metabolite. Identification of CpG sites that change over pregnancy may result in better characterization of genes and pathways involved in maintaining a healthy, term pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hea Jin Park
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Dorothy B Hausman
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Fleming
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Victoria L Bland
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Gisselle Rosa
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Kennedy
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marie A Caudill
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Olga Malysheva
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Gail P A Kauwell
- Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrew Sokolow
- Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Susan Fisher
- Piedmont Athens Regional Midwifery, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Lynn B Bailey
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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20
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Knight AK, Dunlop AL, Kilaru V, Cobb D, Corwin EJ, Conneely KN, Smith AK. Characterization of gene expression changes over healthy term pregnancies. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204228. [PMID: 30303981 PMCID: PMC6179206 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, women experience numerous physiological changes but, to date, there is limited published data that characterize accompanying changes in gene expression over pregnancy. This study sought to characterize the complexity of the transcriptome over the course of pregnancy among women with healthy pregnancies. Subjects provided a venous blood sample during early (6-15 weeks) and late (22-33 weeks) pregnancy, which was used to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells prior to RNA extraction. Gene expression was examined for 63 women with uncomplicated, term deliveries. We evaluated the association between weeks gestation at sample collection and expression of each transcript. Of the 16,311 transcripts evaluated, 439 changed over pregnancy after a Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons. Genes whose expression increased over pregnancy were associated with oxygen transport, the immune system, and host response to bacteria. Characterization of changes in the transcriptome over the course of healthy term pregnancies may enable the identification of genes whose expression predicts complications or adverse outcomes of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K. Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Varun Kilaru
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Dawayland Cobb
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth J. Corwin
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Karen N. Conneely
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Alicia K. Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Knight AK, Conneely KN, Kilaru V, Cobb D, Payne JL, Meilman S, Corwin EJ, Kaminsky ZA, Dunlop AL, Smith AK. SLC9B1 methylation predicts fetal intolerance of labor. Epigenetics 2018; 13:33-39. [PMID: 29235940 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2017.1411444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal intolerance of labor is a common indication for delivery by Caesarean section. Diagnosis is based on the presence of category III fetal heart rate tracing, which is an abnormal heart tracing associated with increased likelihood of fetal hypoxia and metabolic acidemia. This study analyzed data from 177 unique women who, during their prenatal visits (7-15 weeks and/or 24-32 weeks) to Atlanta area prenatal care clinics, consented to provide blood samples for DNA methylation (HumanMethylation450 BeadChip) and gene expression (Human HT-12 v4 Expression BeadChip) analyses. We focused on 57 women aged 18-36 (mean 25.4), who had DNA methylation data available from their second prenatal visit. DNA methylation patterns at CpG sites across the genome were interrogated for associations with fetal intolerance of labor. Four CpG sites (P value <8.9 × 10-9, FDR <0.05) in gene SLC9B1, a Na+/H+ exchanger, were associated with fetal intolerance of labor. DNA methylation and gene expression were negatively associated when examined longitudinally during pregnancy using a linear mixed-effects model. Positive predictive values of methylation of these four sites ranged from 0.80 to 0.89, while negative predictive values ranged from 0.91 to 0.92. The four CpG sites were also associated with fetal intolerance of labor in an independent cohort (the Johns Hopkins Prospective PPD cohort). Therefore, fetal intolerance of labor could be accurately predicted from maternal blood samples obtained between 24-32 weeks gestation. Fetal intolerance of labor may be accurately predicted from maternal blood samples obtained between 24-32 weeks gestation by assessing DNA methylation patterns of SLC9B1. The identification of pregnant women at elevated risk for fetal intolerance of labor may allow for the development of targeted treatments or management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- a Genetics and Molecular Biology Program , Emory University , 1462 Clifton Road, Atlanta , GA , 30322
| | - Karen N Conneely
- a Genetics and Molecular Biology Program , Emory University , 1462 Clifton Road, Atlanta , GA , 30322.,b Department of Human Genetics , Emory University , 615 Michael St NE, Atlanta , GA , 30322
| | - Varun Kilaru
- c Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Emory University , 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Atlanta , GA
| | - Dawayland Cobb
- c Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Emory University , 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Atlanta , GA
| | - Jennifer L Payne
- d Women's Mood Disorders Center , Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , 550 N. Broadway, Suite 305, Baltimore , MD 21205
| | - Samantha Meilman
- d Women's Mood Disorders Center , Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , 550 N. Broadway, Suite 305, Baltimore , MD 21205
| | - Elizabeth J Corwin
- e Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing , Emory University , 1520 Clifton Road, Atlanta , GA , 30322
| | - Zachary A Kaminsky
- f Department of Psychiatry , Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore , MD , 21205 ; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore , MD , 21205
| | - Anne L Dunlop
- e Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing , Emory University , 1520 Clifton Road, Atlanta , GA , 30322
| | - Alicia K Smith
- a Genetics and Molecular Biology Program , Emory University , 1462 Clifton Road, Atlanta , GA , 30322.,c Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , Emory University , 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Atlanta , GA.,g Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , Emory University , 101 Woodruff Circle NE, Atlanta , GA
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22
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Girchenko P, Lahti J, Czamara D, Knight AK, Jones MJ, Suarez A, Hämäläinen E, Kajantie E, Laivuori H, Villa PM, Reynolds RM, Kobor MS, Smith AK, Binder EB, Räikkönen K. Associations between maternal risk factors of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes and the offspring epigenetic clock of gestational age at birth. Clin Epigenetics 2017; 9:49. [PMID: 28503212 PMCID: PMC5422977 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-017-0349-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A recent study has shown that it is possible to accurately estimate gestational age (GA) at birth from the DNA methylation (DNAm) of fetal umbilical cord blood/newborn blood spots. This DNAm GA predictor may provide additional information relevant to developmental stage. In 814 mother-neonate pairs, we evaluated the associations between DNAm GA and a number of maternal and offspring characteristics. These characteristics reflect prenatal environmental adversity and are expected to influence newborn developmental stage. Results DNAm GA acceleration (GAA; i.e., older DNAm GA than chronological GA) of the offspring at birth was associated with maternal age of over 40 years at delivery, pre-eclampsia and fetal demise in a previous pregnancy, maternal pre-eclampsia and treatment with antenatal betamethasone in the index pregnancy, lower neonatal birth size, lower 1-min Apgar score, and female sex. DNAm GA deceleration (GAD; i.e., younger DNAm GA than chronological GA) of the offspring at birth was associated with insulin-treated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a previous pregnancy and Sjögren’s syndrome. These findings were more accentuated when the DNAm GA calculation was based on the raw difference between DNAm GA and GA than on the residual from the linear regression of DNAm GA on GA. Conclusions Our findings show that variations in the DNAm GA of the offspring at birth are associated with a number of maternal and offspring characteristics known to reflect exposure to prenatal environmental adversity. Future studies should be aimed at determining if this biological variation is predictive of developmental adversity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13148-017-0349-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Girchenko
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland.,Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, 80804 Germany
| | - Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Anna Suarez
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Esa Hämäläinen
- HUSLAB and Department of Clinical Chemistry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Eero Kajantie
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Helsinki, 00271 Finland.,Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Hannele Laivuori
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland.,Medical and Clinical Genetics and Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Pia M Villa
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Rebecca M Reynolds
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ UK
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, 80804 Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Genetics & Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Genetics & Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics & Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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24
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Knight AK, Conneely KN, Kilaru V, Cobb D, Payne JL, Meilman S, Corwin EJ, Kaminsky ZA, Dunlop AL, Smith AK. 237: Methylation of slc9b1 predicts fetal intolerance of labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.11.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Knight AK, Craig JM, Theda C, Bækvad-Hansen M, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Hansen CS, Hollegaard MV, Hougaard DM, Mortensen PB, Weinsheimer SM, Werge TM, Brennan PA, Cubells JF, Newport DJ, Stowe ZN, Cheong JLY, Dalach P, Doyle LW, Loke YJ, Baccarelli AA, Just AC, Wright RO, Téllez-Rojo MM, Svensson K, Trevisi L, Kennedy EM, Binder EB, Iurato S, Czamara D, Räikkönen K, Lahti JMT, Pesonen AK, Kajantie E, Villa PM, Laivuori H, Hämäläinen E, Park HJ, Bailey LB, Parets SE, Kilaru V, Menon R, Horvath S, Bush NR, LeWinn KZ, Tylavsky FA, Conneely KN, Smith AK. An epigenetic clock for gestational age at birth based on blood methylation data. Genome Biol 2016; 17:206. [PMID: 27717399 PMCID: PMC5054584 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1068-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gestational age is often used as a proxy for developmental maturity by clinicians and researchers alike. DNA methylation has previously been shown to be associated with age and has been used to accurately estimate chronological age in children and adults. In the current study, we examine whether DNA methylation in cord blood can be used to estimate gestational age at birth. Results We find that gestational age can be accurately estimated from DNA methylation of neonatal cord blood and blood spot samples. We calculate a DNA methylation gestational age using 148 CpG sites selected through elastic net regression in six training datasets. We evaluate predictive accuracy in nine testing datasets and find that the accuracy of the DNA methylation gestational age is consistent with that of gestational age estimates based on established methods, such as ultrasound. We also find that an increased DNA methylation gestational age relative to clinical gestational age is associated with birthweight independent of gestational age, sex, and ancestry. Conclusions DNA methylation can be used to accurately estimate gestational age at or near birth and may provide additional information relevant to developmental stage. Further studies of this predictor are warranted to determine its utility in clinical settings and for research purposes. When clinical estimates are available this measure may increase accuracy in the testing of hypotheses related to developmental age and other early life circumstances. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1068-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Craig
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Christiane Theda
- The Royal Women's Hospital, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Marie Bækvad-Hansen
- Section of Neonatal Genetics, Danish Centre for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm
- Section of Neonatal Genetics, Danish Centre for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Christine S Hansen
- Section of Neonatal Genetics, Danish Centre for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Mads V Hollegaard
- Section of Neonatal Genetics, Danish Centre for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.,The Danish Neonatal Screening Biobank, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - David M Hougaard
- Section of Neonatal Genetics, Danish Centre for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.,The Danish Neonatal Screening Biobank, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - Preben B Mortensen
- National Centre for Register-based Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Fuglesangs Allé 4, 8210, Aarhus V, Denmark
| | - Shantel M Weinsheimer
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Sct. Hans Mental Health Center, Copenhagen Mental Health Services, iPSYCH - The Lundbeck Foundation's Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Boserupvej, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Thomas M Werge
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Sct. Hans Mental Health Center, Copenhagen Mental Health Services, iPSYCH - The Lundbeck Foundation's Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Boserupvej, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Joseph F Cubells
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - D Jeffrey Newport
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zachary N Stowe
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Jeanie L Y Cheong
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,The Royal Women's Hospital, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Philippa Dalach
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Lex W Doyle
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,The Royal Women's Hospital, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Yuk J Loke
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Laboratory of Environmental Precision Biosciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Allan C Just
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mara M Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Katherine Svensson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Letizia Trevisi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Stella Iurato
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jari M T Lahti
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Folkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anu-Katriina Pesonen
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero Kajantie
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, 00271, Helsinki, Finland.,University of Helsinki, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Pia M Villa
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannele Laivuori
- Medical and Clinical Genetics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Esa Hämäläinen
- HUSLAB and Department of Clinical Chemistry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hea Jin Park
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, US
| | - Lynn B Bailey
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, US
| | - Sasha E Parets
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Varun Kilaru
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, US
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, US
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US.,Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, US.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, US
| | - Kaja Z LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, US
| | - Frances A Tylavsky
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, US
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, US.
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26
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Abstract
A biomarker is a biological measure predictive of a normal or pathogenic process or response. Biomarkers are often useful for making clinical decisions and determining treatment course. One area where such biomarkers would be particularly useful is in identifying women at risk for preterm delivery and related pregnancy complications. Neonates born preterm have significant morbidity and mortality, both in the perinatal period and throughout the life course, and identifying women at risk of delivering preterm may allow for targeted interventions to prevent or delay preterm birth (PTB). In addition to identifying those at increased risk for preterm birth, biomarkers may be able to distinguish neonates at particular risk for future complications due to modifiable environmental factors, such as maternal smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy. Currently, there are no such biomarkers available, though candidate gene and epigenome-wide association studies have identified DNA methylation differences associated with PTB, its risk factors and its long-term outcomes. Further biomarker development is crucial to reducing the health burden associated with adverse intrauterine conditions and preterm birth, and the results of recent DNA methylation studies may advance that goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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27
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Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks of gestation) is a complex disorder, whose etiology is influenced by a variety of factors. A greater understanding of the biological mechanisms that contribute to PTB will facilitate identification of those at increased risk and may inform new treatments. To accomplish this, it is vital to elucidate the heritability patterns of this condition as well as the environment and lifestyle factors that increase risk for PTB. Identifying individual genes that contribute to the etiology of PTB presents particular challenges, and there has been little agreement among candidate gene and genome-wide studies performed to date. In this review we will evaluate recent genetic studies of spontaneous PTB, discuss common themes among their findings, and suggest approaches for future studies of PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha E Parets
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA ; Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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28
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Ballow M, Notarangelo L, Grimbacher B, Cunningham-Rundles C, Stein M, Helbert M, Gathmann B, Kindle G, Knight AK, Ochs HD, Sullivan K, Franco JL. Immunodeficiencies. Clin Exp Immunol 2010; 158 Suppl 1:14-22. [PMID: 19883420 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2009.04023.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are uncommon, chronic and severe disorders of the immune system in which patients cannot mount a sufficiently protective immune response, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections. The treatment of choice for PID patients with predominant antibody deficiency is intravenous immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy. Despite major advances over the last 20 years in the molecular characterization of PIDs, many patients remain undiagnosed or are diagnosed too late, with severe consequences. Various strategies to ensure timely diagnosis of PIDs are in place, and novel approaches are being developed. In recent years, several patient registries have been established. Such registries shed light on the pathology and natural history of these varied disorders. Analyses of the registry data may also reveal which patients are likely to respond well to higher Ig infusion rates and may help to determine the optimal dosing of Ig products. Faster infusion rates may lead to improved convenience for patients and thus increase patient compliance, and may reduce nursing time and the need for hospital resources. Data from two recent studies suggest that Gamunex and Privigen are well tolerated at high infusion rates. Nevertheless, careful selection of patients for high infusion rates, based on co-morbid conditions and tolerance of the current infusion rate, is advisable. Based on the available data, intravenous Ig offers broad protection against encapsulated organisms. As vaccine trends change, careful monitoring of specific antibody levels in the general population, such as those against pneumococcal and meningococcal bacteria, should be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ballow
- Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA.
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29
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Sperline RP, Knight AK, Gresham CA, Koppenaal DW, Hieftje GM, Denton MB. Read-noise characterization of focal plane array detectors via mean-variance analysis. Appl Spectrosc 2005; 59:1315-23. [PMID: 16316508 DOI: 10.1366/000370205774783250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Mean-variance analysis is described as a method for characterization of the read-noise and gain of focal plane array (FPA) detectors, including charge-coupled devices (CCDs), charge-injection devices (CIDs), and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) multiplexers (infrared arrays). Practical FPA detector characterization is outlined. The nondestructive readout capability available in some CIDs and FPA devices is discussed as a means for signal-to-noise ratio improvement. Derivations of the equations are fully presented to unify understanding of this method by the spectroscopic community.
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Affiliation(s)
- R P Sperline
- Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 86721, USA
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30
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Knight AK, Bingemann T, Cole L, Cunningham-Rundles C. Frequent false positive beta human chorionic gonadotropin tests in immunoglobulin A deficiency. Clin Exp Immunol 2005; 141:333-7. [PMID: 15996198 PMCID: PMC1809437 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2005.02837.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A patient with IgA deficiency had a series of positive serum pregnancy tests which led to medical and surgical procedures for suspected molar pregnancy. These tests were found to be falsely positive due to heterophile antibody. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of false positive betahCG assays in sera of IgA deficient patients. Sera from a panel of IgA deficient (IgA < 7 mg/dl) patients were tested for the presence of betaHCG using three different assays, and also for IgG anti-goat and anti-mouse antibodies. Patients were seen at Mount Sinai Medical Center and included 54 patients (ages 1-80 years, 32 females, 22 males) with IgA deficiency. Thirty percent of 54 IgA deficient patient sera yielded positive pregnancy tests by one or more of the three betahCG assays, however, none of the patients were pregnant. In comparison to sera of normal controls, 39% of the patient sera contained significant amounts of anti-goat antibody and 18% contained significant amounts of anti-mouse antibody. While heterophile antibodies are common in IgA deficient serum, false positive assays for betahCG in IgA deficient serum have not been previously reported. The possibility of false positive test results should be considered prior to invasive procedures in IgA deficient patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Knight
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA
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31
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Abstract
This paper describes the synthesis of some conformationally restricted 4-phenylpiperidine analogues and their affinities for the guinea pig cerebellum sigma recognition site ([3H]-DTG) and the rat striatum dopamine D2 receptor ([3H]-(-)-sulpiride) in order to develop potent selective sigma ligands as tools in the investigation of this site in psychosis. It was found that both hexa- and octahydrobenz[f]isoquinolines with lipophilic N-substituents had high affinities for the sigma site. Notably, trans-3-cyclohexyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,10b-octahydrobenz[f]isoquinoline (26) had an affinity of 0.25 nM making it the highest affinity sigma ligand reported to date. Moreover, it is at least 10,000-fold selective over the D2 receptor and could prove to be a valuable tool in the study of sigma sites. Other analogues such as 1H-indeno[2,1-c]pyridines and 1H-benzo[3,4]cyclohepta[1,2-c]pyridines also displayed high sigma site affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Russell
- Chemistry Department, Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories, Harlow, Essex, U.K
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32
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Abstract
A variety of achiral conformationally restricted spirocyclic piperidines have been prepared in an attempt to investigate the functional role of the central sigma recognition site. All the compounds possessed a lipophilic N-substituent incorporating either a tetralin, indan, or benzocycloheptane skeleton. Their in vitro affinity at the sigma site was assessed in radioligand displacement experiments with guinea pig cerebellum homogenates using the sigma-specific radioligand [3H]-N,N'-di-o-tolylguanidine ([3H]-DTG, [3H]-6). A study of the structure-activity relationships identified the N-butyl and N-dimethylallyl substituents as the optimum groups for high affinity and selectivity at the sigma site (e.g., 3,4-dihydro-1'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)spiro[1H-indene-1,4'-piperidine ] (48), pIC50 = 8.9 vs [3H]-6 and greater than 10,000-fold selective over the dopamine D2 receptor). Such compounds are amongst the highest affinity sigma ligands reported to date, with excellent selectivity over the dopamine D2 receptor, and may serve as a useful tool for exploring the physiological role of the sigma site.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Chambers
- Chemistry Department, Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories, Harlow, Essex, U.K
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