Maternal Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy and DNA Methylation of the
            <i>NR3C1</i>
            Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene

Dereix, Alexandra E.; Ledyard, Rachel; Redhunt, Allyson M; Bloomquist, Tessa R.; Brennan, Kasey; Baccarelli, Andrea A.; Hacker, Michele R.; Burris, Heather H.

doi:10.2217/epi-2020-0022

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Maternal community deprivation during the second or third trimester of pregnancy was found to be significantly associated with greater infant DNA methylation in eight CpG sites of the SLC6A4 gene, but not of the NR3C1 gene [ 46 ]. Dereix et al [ 47 ] recently reported higher NR3C1 methylation in infants of mothers with high levels of prenatal anxiety, but not depression, although gestational timing of exposure was not specified. Similarly, in a cohort of 83 pregnant women, prenatal maternal anxiety was found to be significantly linked with infant NR3C1 methylation in specific CpG sites located into exon 1F [ 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: when timing matters

Nazzari

Grumi²,

Mambretti³

et al. 2022

Transl Psychiatry

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Stress exposure during pregnancy is critically linked with maternal mental health and child development. The effects might involve altered patterns of DNA methylation in specific stress-related genes (i.e., glucocorticoid receptor gene, NR3C1 , and serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4 ) and might be moderated by the gestational timing of stress exposure. In this study, we report on NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation status in Italian mothers and infants who were exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown during different trimesters of pregnancy. From May 2020 to February 2021, 283 mother–infant dyads were enrolled at delivery. Within 24 h from delivery, buccal cells were collected to assess NR3C1 (44 CpG sites) and SLC6A4 (13 CpG sites) methylation status. Principal component (PC) analyses were used to reduce methylation data dimension to one PC per maternal and infant gene methylation. Mother–infant dyads were split into three groups based on the pregnancy trimester (first, second, third), during which they were exposed to the COVID-19 lockdown. Mothers and infants who were exposed to the lockdown during the first trimester of pregnancy had lower NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation when compared to counterparts exposed during the second or third trimesters. The effect remained significant after controlling for confounders. Women who were pregnant during the pandemic and their infants might present altered epigenetic biomarkers of stress-related genes. As these epigenetic marks have been previously linked with a heightened risk of maternal psychiatric problems and less-than-optimal child development, mothers and infants should be adequately monitored for psychological health during and after the pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: when timing matters

Nazzari

Grumi²,

Mambretti³

et al. 2022

Transl Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Maternal community deprivation during the second or third trimester of pregnancy was found to be signi cantly associated with greater infant DNA methylation in 8 CpG sites of the SLC6A4 gene, but not of the NR3C1 gene [43]. Dereix and colleagues [44] recently reported higher NR3C1 methylation in infants of mothers with high levels of prenatal anxiety, but not depression, although gestational timing of exposure was not speci ed. Similarly, in a cohort of 83 pregnant women, prenatal maternal anxiety was found to be signi cantly linked with infant NR3C1 methylation in speci c CpG sites located into exon 1F [45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: When timing matters

Provenzi

Nazzari

Grumi³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Stress exposure during pregnancy is critically linked with maternal mental health and child development. The effects might involve altered patterns of DNA methylation in specific stress-related genes (i.e., glucocorticoid receptor gene, NR3C1, and serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4) and might be moderated by the gestational timing of stress exposure. In this study, we report on NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation status in Italian mothers and infants who were exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown during different trimesters of pregnancy. From May 2020 to February 2021, 283 mother-infant dyads were enrolled at delivery. Within 24 hours from delivery, buccal cells were collected to assess NR3C1 (44 CpG sites) and SLC6A4 (13 CpG sites) methylation status. Principal component (PC) analyses were used to reduce methylation data dimension to one PC per maternal and infant gene methylation. Mother-infant dyads were split into three groups based on the pregnancy trimester (first, second, third) during which they were exposed to the COVID-19 lockdown. Mothers and infants who were exposed to the lockdown during the first trimester of pregnancy had lower NR3C1 and SLC6A4 methylation when compared to counterparts exposed during the second or third trimesters. The effect remained significant after controlling for confounders. Women who were pregnant during the pandemic and their infants might present altered epigenetic biomarkers of stress-related genes. As these epigenetic marks have been previously linked with heightened risk of maternal psychiatric problems and less-than-optimal child development, mothers and infants should be adequately monitored for psychological health during and after the pandemic.

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“…There may be a dose–response effect, with higher levels of methylation in pregnant women with more severe depressive symptoms. However, a recent study conducted among 163 mother–infant dyads in the United States reported that methylation of NR3C1 gene was not associated with depressive symptoms ( 49 ). The sample used in the US study was cord blood, whereas venous blood from the mother was used in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association between peritraumatic distress, perceived stress, depression in pregnancy, and NR3C1 DNA methylation among Chinese pregnant women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown

et al. 2022

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Prenatal stress can affect pregnant women in an epigenetic way during the critical period of conception of their offspring. The study aims to investigate the relationship between peritraumatic distress, prenatal perceived stress, depression, and glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) DNA methylation among pregnant women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown in China. Study data were collected from 30 pregnant women in Wuhan and Huanggang, China. The Peritraumatic Distress Inventory was used to measure peritraumatic distress, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms, and the Perceived Stress Scale was used to measure perceived stress. DNA methylation in the exon 1F promoter region of NR3C1 gene from the venous blood mononuclear cell genome was characterized by bisulfite sequencing. Correlation and linear regression were used for data analysis. The mean level of peritraumatic distress, perceived stress, and depression was 6.30 (SD = 5.09), 6.50 (SD = 5.41), and 6.60 (SD = 4.85), respectively, with 23.33% of pregnant women being depressed. The mean NR3C1 methylation was 0.65 (SD = 0.22). Prenatal depression was positively correlated with the degree of methylation in venous blood from the mother (r = 0.59, p = 0.001), and depression predicted methylation of NR3C1 gene at the CpG 8 site (β = 0.05, p = 0.03). No association was found between peritraumatic distress as well as perceived stress and methylation of NR3C1. NR3C1 gene was susceptible to epigenetic modification of DNA methylation in the context of prenatal stress, and maternal depression was associated with increased NR3C1 methylation among women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown.

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Maternal Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy and DNA Methylation of the NR3C1 Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene

Cited by 14 publications

References 47 publications

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: when timing matters

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: when timing matters

Maternal and infant NR3C1 and SLC6A4 epigenetic signatures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: When timing matters

The association between peritraumatic distress, perceived stress, depression in pregnancy, and NR3C1 DNA methylation among Chinese pregnant women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown

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