title: Maternal Prenatal Mental Health and Placental 11β-HSD2 Gene Expression: Initial Findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study.
abstract: High intrauterine cortisol exposure can inhibit fetal growth and have programming effects for the child's subsequent stress reactivity. Placental 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD2) limits the amount of maternal cortisol transferred to the fetus. However, the relationship between maternal psychopathology and 11β-HSD2 remains poorly defined. This study examined the effect of maternal depressive disorder, antidepressant use and symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnancy on placental 11β-HSD2 gene (HSD11B2) expression. Drawing on data from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, placental HSD11B2 expression was compared among 33 pregnant women, who were selected based on membership of three groups; depressed (untreated), taking antidepressants and controls. Furthermore, associations between placental HSD11B2 and scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during 12-18 and 28-34 weeks gestation were examined. Findings revealed negative correlations between HSD11B2 and both the EPDS and STAI (r = -0.11 to -0.28), with associations being particularly prominent during late gestation. Depressed and antidepressant exposed groups also displayed markedly lower placental HSD11B2 expression levels than controls. These findings suggest that maternal depression and anxiety may impact on fetal programming by down-regulating HSD11B2, and antidepressant treatment alone is unlikely to protect against this effect.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia. sunaina@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sunaina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia. andrew.lewis@deakin.edu.au.|Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia. andrew.lewis@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrew James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Cancer and Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia. richard.saffery@mcri.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saffery
authors.affiliation: Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, Australia. mlappas@unimelb.edu.au.|Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia. mlappas@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lappas
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatal Mental Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, Australia. MGalbally@mercy.com.au.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galbally
mesh_terms: D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008603:Mental Health; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases
keywords: 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2; HSD11B2; cortisol; fetal programming; placenta 11β-HSD2; prenatal anxiety; prenatal depression