Asthma and pregnancy: emerging evidence of epigenetic interactions in utero

Prescott, Susan L.; Clifton, Vicki L.

doi:10.1097/aci.0b013e328330634f

Cited by 134 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…New avenues of research include microbial influences on epigenetic interactions in utero and their potential effect on developmental immune programming through alterations in fetal DNA through altered histone methylation, histone acetylation, and chromatin structure (107). For example, bacterial infections have already been shown to promote DNA hypermethylation (108).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Microbes in Developmental Immunologic Programming

2011

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ABSTRACT:The role of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract has undergone significant modification in the past few decades with new observations from clinical, epidemiologic, and basic science research. We now know that the perception of these gut microbes as pathogens or even as commensals is somewhat outdated. It is becoming increasingly clear that the gut microbiome plays an important role in a host of activities including digestion, protection from potentially pathogenic organisms, and the regulation and development of the host immune system. The complex interactions between microbes and host combined with recent clinical observations and epidemiologic trends may point to the convergence of two well-supported (though imperfect) hypotheses: the "hygiene hypothesis" and the "fetal programming hypothesis." We are beginning to understand that exposure to microbes before conception, during gestation, and in the neonatal period have profound effects on the developing immune system. Recent observations from a variety of fields help support the expansion of the "fetal programming hypothesis" to a host-microbe corollary that microbe-host interactions at critical windows influence the future immune phenotype, the maintenance of immune health, and the development of immune-mediated disease. (Pediatr Res 69: 465-472, 2011)

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Microbes in Developmental Immunologic Programming

2011

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“…Differences in neonatal immune function of children who go on to develop allergic disease suggest that factors driving this rise in disease are likely to begin to exert their effects in utero (reviewed in [29]). While these changes are environmental (and cannot be explained by genetic changes in this time-frame), this may be the result of effects in both the exogenous and the endogenous environment in pregnancy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here we propose that variations in maternal of Th1/Th2 modulation that are conferred by her allergic propensity may influence the fetus similarly. There is emerging evidence of how in utero exposures can modify fetal gene expression through heritable epigenetic effects, which can be amplified across generations (also reviewed in [29]). Thus, it is important to consider the possibility that 'allergy may beget more allergy' with subsequent generations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Allergic women show reduced T helper type 1 alloresponses to fetal human leucocyte antigen mismatch during pregnancy

Prescott¹,

Breckler²,

Witt

et al. 2009

Clinical and Experimental Immunology

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SummaryLow-level alloreactivity between mother and fetus may provide stimulation for fetal T helper type 1 (Th1) cell immune maturation. This study explored the effects of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch on materno-fetal interactions detected as cytokine responses and lymphoproliferation in mixed lymphocyte reactions, and whether this was altered in allergic women (n = 62) who have a Th2 propensity compared with non-allergic women (n = 65). HLA-DRb1 mismatch was associated with significantly increased Th1 interferon (IFN)-g, Th2 interleukin (IL)-13 and lymphoproliferative responses by both mothers and fetuses. Allergic women showed significantly lower IFN-g Th1 production in response to HLA-DRb1 mismatch. The infants of these women also showed significantly lower IL-10 and lower IFN-g production relative to IL-13. Both HLA-DRb1 mismatch and maternal allergy had significant independent effects on maternal IFN-g Th1 responses. Maternal allergy modifies HLA-mediated alloreactivity between the mother and the fetus, reducing Th1 activation. This may affect the cytokine milieu at the maternofetal interface and could be implicated in the attenuated Th1 responses observed commonly in infants of atopic mothers.

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“…The impact of such chemical intoxication is not restricted to the human body development but goes beyond that, affecting the emotional, mental functioning of the organism. Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a risk for abortion (Castles, Adams, Melvin, Kelsch, & Boulton, 1999), preterm delivery (Castles et al, 1999;Kaddar et al, 2009;Shah & Bracken, 2000), respiratory disease (Cook & Strachan, 1999), immune system difficulties such as asthma and allergies (Prescott & Clifton, 2009), and cancer later in life (Doherty, Grabowski, Hoffman, Ng, & Zelikoff, 2009), alterations to the development and function of the placenta (Einarson & Riordan, 2009), delayed psychomotor and mental developmental scores as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Kiechl-Kohlendorfer et al, 2010), may negatively impact a child's future speech and language development (Benasich & Tallal, 2002;Kable et al, 2009;Molfese, 2000), is responsible for physical aggression during early childhood (Huijbregts, Seguin, Zoccolillo, Boivin, & Tremblay, 2007;2008). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is connected with parental smoking (Flemming & Blair, 2015).…”

Section: Maternal Smoke and Other Toxic Storiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Contribution of Prenatal Psychology to Our Understanding about Prenatal Dynamics and Fetal Behaviour

Gouni¹,

Sekulić²,

Topalidou³

2016

JPR

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Research in the prenatal human experience has very clearly shown that whatever mother experiences all her life until conception and even more impactfully during conception and pregnancy passes down to the child she is pregnant with.Modern Biology has shown that environmental information and the perception that governs this environment gets encoded in the cell consciousness. A simple thought or act can upset or stabilize the whole planet or... fetal existence.Subtle differences in the motivation of our choices may have the power to bring about radically different conditions in the process of events. A simple thought of fear can lead to a trauma, a disease, a holocaust while a simple thought of compassion can take humanity out of the platonic cave into the healing light of creation. Is there anything we can do?Can we learn from what we already know about prenatal dynamics and move on to design and implement salutogenic processes for the benefit of all involved? The paper will attempt to show the most important findings about prenatal dynamics and fetal existence and how they are connected with our postnatal health and wellbeing from the times of Freud and especially his students who took psychoanalysis from the childhood to birth experience and then to pregnancy and conception and beyond.

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Asthma and pregnancy: emerging evidence of epigenetic interactions in utero

Abstract: New studies reinforce the importance of in-utero exposures (including dietary nutrients, microbial products, cigarette smoking, and certain maternal mediations) in fetal immune development and in programming the susceptibility to asthma and allergic disease.

Cited by 134 publications

References 90 publications

The Role of Microbes in Developmental Immunologic Programming

The Role of Microbes in Developmental Immunologic Programming

Allergic women show reduced T helper type 1 alloresponses to fetal human leucocyte antigen mismatch during pregnancy

The Contribution of Prenatal Psychology to Our Understanding about Prenatal Dynamics and Fetal Behaviour

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