Prenatal Maternal Stress and Epigenetics: Review of the Human Research

Cao-Lei, Lei; Laplante, David P.; King, Suzanne

doi:10.1007/s40610-016-0030-x

Cited by 57 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 61 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…SRD5A3 was upregulated as the degree of objective hardship (p = .03) and subjective distress (p = .04) increased. As our sample size for this subsample analysis was relatively low, future studies with a larger sample size should include a more elaborate measure of the subjective or objective impact of the storm, such as Project Ice Storm [39] managed, and the duration of impact. In addition, we did not investigated the role of pregnancy diseases such as endometriosis, preeclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction, which may affect both reported stress and placenta epigenetics [16,[110][111][112][113].…”

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the ethical limitations to stress research in humans, researchers have to capitalize where possible on natural disasters as proxies for the experimental introduction of traumatic PS. The largest natural disaster studied is the Quebec Ice Storm in 1998 [39,40]. There, researchers differentiated the objective impact of the storm in terms of loss, injury and physical impact from subjective perceptions of distress.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Moderate prenatal stress may buffer the impact of Superstorm Sandy on placental genes: Stress in Pregnancy (SIP) Study

Zhang

Ham

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The placenta plays a central role in the epigenetic programming of neurodevelopment by prenatal stress (PS), but this pathway is not fully understood. It difficult to study in humans because the conditions for intense, traumatic PS are almost impossible to create ethically. This study was able to capitalize on a 2012 disaster that hit New York, Superstorm Sandy, to examine the impact of traumatic stress on placental gene expression while also examining normative PS, and compare the two. Of the 303 expectant mothers participating in the Stress in Pregnancy Study, 95 women were pregnant when Superstorm Sandy struck. During their pregnancy, participants completed self-report measures of PS and distress that were combined, using latent profile analysis, into one global indicator of normative PS. Placental tissue was collected at delivery and frozen for storage. RNA expression was assessed for 40 placental genes known to associate with the stress response system and neurodevelopment in offspring. Results showed that normative PS increased expression of just MECP2, HSD11B2, and ZNF507, whereas Superstorm Sandy PS decreased expression of CDKL5, CFL1, DYRK1A, HSD11B2, MAOA, MAOB, NCOR1, and ZNF507. Interaction analyses indicated that Superstorm Sandy PS was associated with decreased gene expression for the low and high PS group for CFL1, DYRK1A, HSD11B2, MAOA, and NCOR1 and increased expression for the moderate PS group for FOXP1, NR3C1, and NR3C2. This study supports the idea that a moderate amount of normative PS may buffer the impact of traumatic PS, in this case caused by Superstorm Sandy, on placental gene expression, which suggests that the placenta itself mirrors the organism's ability to develop an epigenetic resilience to, and inoculation from, stress.

show abstract

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moderate prenatal stress may buffer the impact of Superstorm Sandy on placental genes: Stress in Pregnancy (SIP) Study

Zhang

Ham

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recent theoretical and empirical inquires suggest that epigenetic processes provide, in part, an explanation for the link between maternal stress during pregnancy and various physiological and behavioral outcomes throughout the lifespan (for reviews, see Cao-Lei, Laplante, & King, 2016;Monk et al, 2012). Specifically, certain epigenetic processes can either enhance or repress individual genes or clusters of genes that are responsible for healthy functioning (Adalsteinsson & Ferguson-Smith, 2014).…”

Section: Dna Methylation and Gene Expressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal prenatal stress and infant DNA methylation: A systematic review

Sosnowski

Booth

York

et al. 2018

Developmental Psychobiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Maternal prenatal stress has been linked to a variety of infant postnatal outcomes, partially through alterations in fetal HPA axis functioning; yet the underlying pathobiology remains elusive. Current literature posits DNA methylation as a candidate mechanism through which maternal prenatal stress can influence fetal HPA axis functioning. The goal of this systematic review was to summarize the literature examining the associations among maternal prenatal stress, DNA methylation of commonly studied HPA axis candidate genes, and infant HPA axis functioning. Results from the review provided evidence for a link between various maternal prenatal stressors, NR3C1 methylation, and infant stress reactivity, but findings among other genes were limited, with mixed results. An original study quality review tool revealed that a majority of studies in the review are adequate, and emphasizes the need for future research to consider study quality when interpreting research findings.

show abstract

“…Intrauterine stress conditions (i.e., sociodemographic and obstetric risk factors, antenatal hospitalization, and nutritional abnormalities) contribute to preterm birth ( 28 , 29 ). Stress can even promote epigenetic inheritance of the predisposition to preterm birth across generations ( 30 , 31 ).…”

Section: Factors That Alter Inflammatory Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preterm Birth Affects the Risk of Developing Immune-Mediated Diseases

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Prematurity affects approximately 10% of all children, resulting in drastically altered antigen exposure due to premature confrontation with microbes, nutritional antigens, and other environmental factors. During the last trimester of pregnancy, the fetal immune system adapts to tolerate maternal and self-antigens, while also preparing for postnatal immune defense by acquiring passive immunity from the mother. Since the perinatal period is regarded as the most important “window of opportunity” for imprinting metabolism and immunity, preterm birth may have long-term consequences for the development of immune-mediated diseases. Intriguingly, preterm neonates appear to develop bronchial asthma more frequently, but atopic dermatitis less frequently in comparison to term neonates. The longitudinal study of preterm neonates could offer important insights into the process of imprinting for immune-mediated diseases. On the one hand, preterm birth may interrupt influences of the intrauterine environment on the fetus that increase or decrease the risk of later immune disease (e.g., maternal antibodies and placenta-derived factors), whereas on the other hand, it may lead to the premature exposure to protective or harmful extrauterine factors such as microbiota and nutritional antigen. Solving this puzzle may help unravel new preventive and therapeutic approaches for immune diseases.

show abstract

Prenatal Maternal Stress and Epigenetics: Review of the Human Research

Cited by 57 publications

References 61 publications

Moderate prenatal stress may buffer the impact of Superstorm Sandy on placental genes: Stress in Pregnancy (SIP) Study

Moderate prenatal stress may buffer the impact of Superstorm Sandy on placental genes: Stress in Pregnancy (SIP) Study

Maternal prenatal stress and infant DNA methylation: A systematic review

Preterm Birth Affects the Risk of Developing Immune-Mediated Diseases

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About