LINE-1 DNA methylation is inversely correlated with cord plasma homocysteine in man: a preliminary study.
Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy has known beneficial effects. It reduces risk of neural tube defects and low birth weight. Folate and other one-carbon intermediates might secure these clinical effects via DNA methylation. However, most data on the effects of folate on the epigenome is derived from animal or in vitro models. We examined the relationship between cord blood methylation and maternal folic acid intake, cord blood folate and homocysteine using data from 24 pregnant women. Genome-wide methylation was determined by the level of methylation of LINE-1 repeats using Pyrosequencing. We show that cord plasma homocysteine (p = 0.001, r = -0.688), but not serum folate or maternal folic acid intake, is inverse correlated with LINE-1 methylation. This remained significant after correction for potential confounders (p = 0.004). These data indicate that levels of folate-associated intermediates in cord blood during late pregnancy have significant consequences for the fetal epigenome.
Fryer
Anthony A
AA
Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University Medical School, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
Nafee
Tamer M
TM
Ismail
Khaled M K
KM
Carroll
William D
WD
Emes
Richard D
RD
Farrell
William E
WE
D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020084:Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid