Umbilical cord blood PBDEs concentrations are associated with placental DNA methylation: Fid-Bau Portal

Umbilical cord blood PBDEs concentrations are associated with placental DNA methylation

Zhao, Yan / Liu, Pengcheng / Wang, Junyong / Xiao, Xirong / Meng, Xiangzhou / Zhang, Yunhui

Abstract Background In utero polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) exposure has been associated with adverse fetal growth. Alterations in placental DNA methylation might mediate those adverse effects. Objectives To examine the associations between in utero PBDEs exposure and DNA methylation in human placenta. Methods Eighty apparently healthy mother-newborn pairs delivering at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College were enrolled in this study. Placental DNA methylation of LINE1, NR3C1 and IGF2 was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction-pyrosequencing. In utero PBDEs exposure was assessed by measuring umbilical cord blood PBDEs concentrations. Results For LINE-1, higher levels of BDE-66 exposure were associated with decreased DNA methylation (β=−0.9, 95% CI, −1.8 to −0.1); For NR3C1, BDE-153 concentrations was significantly inversely associated with DNA methylation (β=−2.0, 95% CI, −3.7 to −0.2); For IGF2, elevated concentrations of both BDE-153 (β=−1.7; 95% CI, −3.0 to −0.4) and BDE-209 (β=−1.0; 95% CI, −1. 9 to −0.1) were significantly associated with decreased DNA methylation. Conclusions We found that placental DNA methylation is associated with in utero PBDEs exposure. Changes in placental DNA methylation might be part of the underlying biological pathway between in utero PBDEs exposure and adverse fetal growth.

Highlights • We investigated the effects of in utero PBDEs exposure on placental DNA methylation. • PBDEs exposure was associated with decreased DNA methylation of LINE1, NR3C1 and IGF2. • This is the first study to show an association between PBDEs exposure and DNA methylation in human placenta.