title: Genome-wide methylation profiling demonstrates hypermethylation in maternal leukocyte DNA in preeclamptic compared to normotensive pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare genome-wide methylation profiles in maternal leukocyte DNA between normotensive and preeclamptic pregnant women at delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age, body mass index matched case-control comparison of methylation at 27,578 cytosine-- guanine sites in 14,495 genes in maternal leukocyte DNA in women with preeclampsia (PE; n = 14) and normotensive controls (n = 14).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PE was associated with widespread differential methylation favoring hypermethylation. Pathway analysis identified the best matched process as a neuropeptide signaling pathway (p < 10(-5)); best matched disease as eclampsia (p < 9.97 × 10(-20)). Significantly differentially methylated genes (GRIN2b. GABRA1. PCDHB7, and BEX1) are associated with seizures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altered maternal leukocyte DNA methylation is associated with PE at delivery, and differential methylation of certain neuronal genes may explain the risk for eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of OB/GYN, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brost
authors.forename: Zhifu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Iasmina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Craici
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Vesna D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Garovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011786:Quality Control; D055815:Young Adult