Genome-wide neonatal epigenetic changes associated with maternal exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 pandemic
DNA methylation
Epigenetics
Perinatal stress
SARS-CoV-2
Journal
BMC medical genomics
ISSN: 1755-8794
Titre abrégé: BMC Med Genomics
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101319628
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
30 10 2023
30 10 2023
Historique:
received:
20
03
2023
accepted:
17
10
2023
medline:
31
10
2023
pubmed:
30
10
2023
entrez:
30
10
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
During gestation, stressors to the fetus, including viral exposure or maternal psychological distress, can fundamentally alter the neonatal epigenome, and may be associated with long-term impaired developmental outcomes. The impact of in utero exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic on the newborn epigenome has yet to be described. This study aimed to determine whether there are unique epigenetic signatures in newborns who experienced otherwise healthy pregnancies that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (Project RESCUE). The pre-pandemic control and pandemic cohorts (Project RESCUE) included in this study are part of a prospective observational and longitudinal cohort study that evaluates the impact of elevated prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood neurodevelopment. Using buccal swabs collected at birth, differential DNA methylation analysis was performed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC arrays and linear regression analysis. Pathway analysis and gene ontology enrichment were performed on resultant gene lists. Widespread differential methylation was found between neonates exposed in utero to the pandemic and pre-pandemic neonates. In contrast, there were no apparent epigenetic differences associated with maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. Differential methylation was observed among genomic sites that underpin important neurological pathways that have been previously reported in the literature to be differentially methylated because of prenatal stress, such as NR3C1. The present study reveals potential associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic during pregnancy and subsequent changes in the newborn epigenome. While this finding warrants further investigation, it is a point that should be considered in any study assessing newborn DNA methylation studies obtained during this period, even in otherwise healthy pregnancies.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
During gestation, stressors to the fetus, including viral exposure or maternal psychological distress, can fundamentally alter the neonatal epigenome, and may be associated with long-term impaired developmental outcomes. The impact of in utero exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic on the newborn epigenome has yet to be described.
METHODS
This study aimed to determine whether there are unique epigenetic signatures in newborns who experienced otherwise healthy pregnancies that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (Project RESCUE). The pre-pandemic control and pandemic cohorts (Project RESCUE) included in this study are part of a prospective observational and longitudinal cohort study that evaluates the impact of elevated prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood neurodevelopment. Using buccal swabs collected at birth, differential DNA methylation analysis was performed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC arrays and linear regression analysis. Pathway analysis and gene ontology enrichment were performed on resultant gene lists.
RESULTS
Widespread differential methylation was found between neonates exposed in utero to the pandemic and pre-pandemic neonates. In contrast, there were no apparent epigenetic differences associated with maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. Differential methylation was observed among genomic sites that underpin important neurological pathways that have been previously reported in the literature to be differentially methylated because of prenatal stress, such as NR3C1.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study reveals potential associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic during pregnancy and subsequent changes in the newborn epigenome. While this finding warrants further investigation, it is a point that should be considered in any study assessing newborn DNA methylation studies obtained during this period, even in otherwise healthy pregnancies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37899449
doi: 10.1186/s12920-023-01707-4
pii: 10.1186/s12920-023-01707-4
pmc: PMC10614377
doi:
Types de publication
Observational Study
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
268Subventions
Organisme : NHLBI NIH HHS
ID : R01 HL116585
Pays : United States
Organisme : NCATS NIH HHS
ID : UL1 TR001414
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
© 2023. The Author(s).
Références
Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2018 Jul;32(4):318-326
pubmed: 29603338
Epigenetics. 2015;10(10):893-902
pubmed: 26327302
J Med Internet Res. 2021 Apr 22;23(4):e24964
pubmed: 33793408
Psychol Trauma. 2020 Oct;12(7):750-755
pubmed: 32212777
Nat Commun. 2015 Jan 20;6:5953
pubmed: 25601028
Cell Metab. 2018 Jul 3;28(1):3-4
pubmed: 29972796
Genome Biol. 2012 Jun 15;13(6):R44
pubmed: 22703947
Psychiatry Investig. 2021 May;18(5):426-433
pubmed: 33910325
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Nov 4;105(44):17046-9
pubmed: 18955703
Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jun;26(6):1832-1845
pubmed: 33414500
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008 Aug;32(6):1073-86
pubmed: 18423592
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2005 Apr;29(2):237-58
pubmed: 15811496
Bioinformatics. 2014 May 15;30(10):1363-9
pubmed: 24478339
Br J Psychiatry. 2017 May;210(5):315-323
pubmed: 28302701
Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Nov;26(11):6520-6530
pubmed: 33981007
BMC Bioinformatics. 2013 Apr 15;14:128
pubmed: 23586463
Mol Psychiatry. 2023 Mar 10;:
pubmed: 36899042
Popul Stud (Camb). 1993 Mar;47(1):27-46
pubmed: 11623195
Epigenetics Chromatin. 2019 Aug 9;12(1):51
pubmed: 31399127
Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today. 2012 Dec;96(4):273-88
pubmed: 24203917
Health Econ Policy Law. 2022 Jan;17(1):62-75
pubmed: 33663642
Int J Epidemiol. 2015 May 13;44(4):1429-1441
pubmed: 25972603
Am J Reprod Immunol. 2020 Nov;84(5):e13306
pubmed: 32779810
Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Jan 15;85(2):97-106
pubmed: 30314641
J Neuroendocrinol. 2018 Apr;30(4):e12581
pubmed: 29423924
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Jul;117:104697
pubmed: 32442863
JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e229244
pubmed: 35486403
Brain Behav Immun. 2018 Oct;73:205-215
pubmed: 29738852
J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96
pubmed: 6668417
Nucleic Acids Res. 2015 Apr 20;43(7):e47
pubmed: 25605792
Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2013 Nov;18(6):463-6
pubmed: 24554944
Clin Epigenetics. 2022 Dec 19;14(1):179
pubmed: 36536449
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 14;22(20):
pubmed: 34681751
Maturitas. 2011 Oct;70(2):141-5
pubmed: 21802226
Eur Psychiatry. 2020 Apr 01;63(1):e32
pubmed: 32234102
Bioinformatics. 2014 Feb 15;30(4):523-30
pubmed: 24336805
Behav Sci (Basel). 2021 Aug 31;11(9):
pubmed: 34562956
JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Sep 1;174(9):908
pubmed: 32568372
JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Mar 1;174(3):e195316
pubmed: 31930365
Genome Biol. 2016 Oct 7;17(1):208
pubmed: 27717381
Curr Genomics. 2018 Dec;19(8):665-675
pubmed: 30532646
Neurosci Lett. 2019 Sep 14;709:134368
pubmed: 31299286
Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;52(3):425-40
pubmed: 19661759
Arch Sex Behav. 2021 Feb;50(2):407-426
pubmed: 33398705
Epigenetics. 2018;13(6):655-664
pubmed: 30044683
J Affect Disord. 2004 May;80(1):65-73
pubmed: 15094259
J Med Internet Res. 2021 Feb 10;23(2):e25118
pubmed: 33481754
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2018 Dec;95:85-122
pubmed: 30176278
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Oct;117:232-242
pubmed: 31703966
JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Jan 03;3(1):e1919940
pubmed: 31995213
Nature. 2006 Oct 19;443(7113):787-95
pubmed: 17051205
Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2019 Sep;146(3):315-320
pubmed: 31197830
Rev Neurosci. 2020 Dec 04;32(2):131-142
pubmed: 33550784
Cell Biosci. 2021 Feb 8;11(1):33
pubmed: 33557944
Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2019 Aug 30;10(1):1654065
pubmed: 31497262
Community Ment Health J. 2021 Jan;57(1):101-110
pubmed: 33108569
JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Sep 1;174(9):908-909
pubmed: 32568393
PLoS One. 2014 Sep 19;9(9):e107653
pubmed: 25238154
Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 Jul 8;44(W1):W90-7
pubmed: 27141961
Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2020 Jul 1;144(7):799-805
pubmed: 32180426
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014 Jun;43:137-62
pubmed: 24747487
Brain Behav Immun. 2021 Mar;93:6-7
pubmed: 33454300
Genom Data. 2016 May 26;9:22-4
pubmed: 27330998
Epigenetics. 2015;10(8):749-61
pubmed: 26098974
J Palliat Med. 2014 Aug;17(8):939-41
pubmed: 24886147
Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jan 08;11:531571
pubmed: 33488409
BMC Genomics. 2013 May 01;14:293
pubmed: 23631413
Pediatr Res. 2016 Jan;79(1-1):107-13
pubmed: 26375472