title: Associative DNA methylation changes in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Previously, we assessed PAE in brain tissue from mouse models, however whether these changes are present in humans remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this report, we show some identical changes in DNA methylation in the buccal swabs of six children with FASD using the 450K array.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The changes occur in genes related to protocadherins, glutamatergic synapses, and hippo signaling. The results were found to be similar in another heterogeneous replication group of six FASD children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The replicated results suggest that children born with FASD have unique DNA methylation defects that can be influenced by sex and medication exposure. Ultimately, with future clinical development, assessment of DNA methylation from buccal swabs can provide a novel strategy for the diagnosis of FASD.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Benjamin I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Laufer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kapalanga
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.affiliation: EpigenDx Inc., Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.|Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Shiva M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D015820:Cadherins
keywords: CTCF; cohesin; fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; glutamatergic synapse; hippo signaling; neurodevelopment; protocadherin; synapse