title: Global methylation in the placenta and umbilical cord blood from pregnancies with maternal gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and obesity.
abstract: Emerging evidence indicates that maternal medical risk during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia, and obesity, predisposes the offspring to suboptimal development. However, the underlying biological/epigenetic mechanism in utero is still unknown. The current pilot study (N = 50) compared the levels of global methylation in the placenta and umbilical cord blood among women with and without each risk condition (GDM, preeclampsia, and obesity) and explored whether the levels of global methylation were associated with fetal/infant growth. Results show that global methylation levels in the placenta were lower in patients with gestational diabetes (P = .003) and preeclampsia (P = .05) but higher with obesity (P = .01). Suggestive negative associations were found between global methylation level in the placenta and infant body length and head circumference. While preliminary, it is possible that the placenta tissue, but not umbilical cord blood, may be epigenetically programmed by maternal GDM, preeclampsia, and obesity to carry out its own specific functions that influence fetal growth.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lambertini
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rialdi
authors.forename: MenJean
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Elana Ying
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Mystal
authors.forename: Mordy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grabie
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manaster
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finik
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Loudon
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eglinton
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hurd
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Newcorn
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D019175:DNA Methylation; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics*; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: birth outcomes; fetal programming; gestational diabetes mellitus; global methylation; obesity; placenta; preeclampsia; umbilical cord blood