Prenatal Environmental Stressors and DNA Methylation Levels in Placenta and Peripheral Tissues of Mothers and Neonates Evaluated by Applying Artificial Neural Networks

• Published in: Genes Vol. 14; no. 4; p. 836
• Main Authors: Stoccoro, Andrea, Nicolì, Vanessa, Coppedè, Fabio, Grossi, Enzo, Fedrizzi, Giorgio, Menotta, Simonetta, Lorenzoni, Francesca, Caretto, Marta, Carmignani, Arianna, Pistolesi, Sabina, Burgio, Ernesto, Fanos, Vassilios, Migliore, Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30.03.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: artificial neural networks; Biomarkers; Birth weight; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Cadmium; Diabetes; Dioxins; DNA; DNA Methylation; DOHaD; Embryogenesis; Environmental factors; Epigenesis, Genetic; Epigenetics; Evaluation; Female; Genes; Genomics; Gestational age; H19 gene; Health aspects; Heavy metals; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infants (Newborn); Investigations; Lifestyles; MeCP2 protein; Metabolism; Methods; Methyl-CpG binding protein; Methylation; Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase; Mothers; Mouth Mucosa - metabolism; Neonates; Neural networks; Placenta; Placenta - metabolism; Pollutants; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; prenatal exposure; Questionnaires; Smoking; Stress (Physiology); Italy; dioxins; artificial neural networks; prenatal exposure; DOHaD; heavy metals; DNA methylation; placenta; epigenetics
• ISSN: 2073-4425; 2073-4425
• DOI: 10.3390/genes14040836

Exposure to environmental stressors during pregnancy plays an important role in influencing subsequent susceptibility to certain chronic diseases through the modulation of epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation. Our aim was to explore the connections between environmental exposures during gestation with DNA methylation of placental cells, maternal and neonatal buccal cells by applying artificial neural networks (ANNs). A total of 28 mother-infant pairs were enrolled. Data on gestational exposure to adverse environmental factors and on mother health status were collected through the administration of a questionnaire. DNA methylation analyses at both gene-specific and global level were analyzed in placentas, maternal and neonatal buccal cells. In the placenta, the concentrations of various metals and dioxins were also analyzed. Analysis of ANNs revealed that suboptimal birth weight is associated with placental methylation, maternal stress during pregnancy with methylation levels of and in placentas and mother's buccal DNA, respectively, and exposure to air pollutants with maternal methylation. Associations were also observed between placental concentrations of lead, chromium, cadmium and mercury with methylation levels of in placentas, in maternal buccal cells and placentas, in neonatal buccal cells, and in maternal buccal cells. Furthermore, dioxin concentrations were associated with placental , neonatal and maternal gene methylation levels. Current results suggest that exposure of pregnant women to environmental stressors during pregnancy could induce aberrant methylation levels in genes linked to several pathways important for embryogenesis in both the placenta, potentially affecting foetal development, and in the peripheral tissues of mothers and infants, potentially providing peripheral biomarkers of environmental exposure.