title: Methylation of the FGFR2 gene is associated with high birth weight centile in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined links between DNA methylation and birth weight centile (BWC), and explored the impact of genetic variation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using HumanMethylation450 arrays, we examined candidate gene-associated CpGs in cord blood from newborns with low (<15th centile), medium (40-60th centile) and high (>85th centile) BWC (n = 12). Candidates were examined in an investigation cohort (n = 110) using pyrosequencing and genotyping for putative methylation-associated polymorphisms performed using standard PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Array analysis identified 314 candidate genes associated with BWC extremes, four of which showed ≥ 4 BWC-linked CpGs. Of these, PM20D1 and MI886 suggested genetically determined methylation levels. However, methylation at three CpGs in FGFR2 remained significantly associated with high BWC (p = 0.004-0.027).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified a novel biologically plausible candidate (FGFR2) for with BWC that merits further study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science & Technology in Medicine, Keele University School of Medicine, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Kim E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Emes
authors.forename: Khaled M K
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hubball
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Alexandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mein
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fryer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2
keywords: DNA methylation; FGFR2; birth weight centile; cord blood; epigenetic-genetic interactions