title: Placental HTR2A methylation is associated with infant neurobehavioral outcomes.
abstract: The serotonin receptor, HTR2A, exhibits placental expression and function and can be controlled through DNA methylation. The relationship between methylation of HTR2A in the placenta and neurodevelopmental outcomes, evaluated using the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales (NNNS), was assessed in newborn infants (n = 444). HTR2A methylation was significantly higher in males and marginally higher in infants whose mothers reported tobacco use during pregnancy. Controlling for confounding variables, HTR2A methylation was negatively associated with infant quality of movement (p = 0.05) and positively associated with infant attention (p = 0.0001). These results suggest that methylation of the HTR2A gene can be biologically and environmentally modulated and is associated with key measures of neurodevelopment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth; Dartmouth, NH USA.
authors.forename: Alison G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Paquette
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lesseur
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Devin C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Koestler
authors.forename: Allison A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Appleton
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Carmen J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Marsit
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000523:psychology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D009538:Nicotine
keywords: DNA methylation; HTR2A; behavior; developmental origins of disease; epigenetic; neurodevelopment; placenta; serotonin