Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-5-2024
Identifier
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68071-w; PMCID: PMC11300786
Abstract
The time from conception through the first year of life is the most dynamic period in human development. This time period is particularly important for infants born very preterm (< 30 weeks gestation; VPT), as they experience a significant disruption in the normal developmental trajectories and are at heightened risk of experiencing developmental impairments and delays. Variations in the epigenetic landscape during this period may reflect this disruption and shed light on the interrelationships between aging, maturation, and the epigenome. We evaluated how gestational age (GA) and age since conception in neonates [post-menstrual age (PMA)], were related to DNA methylation in buccal cells collected at NICU discharge from VPT infants (n = 538). After adjusting for confounders and applying Bonferroni correction, we identified 2,366 individual CpGs associated with GA and 14,979 individual CpGs associated with PMA, as well as multiple differentially methylated regions. Pathway enrichment analysis identified pathways involved in axonogenesis and regulation of neuron projection development, among many other growth and developmental pathways (FDR q < 0.001). Our findings align with prior work, and also identify numerous novel associations, suggesting that genes important in growth and development, particularly neurodevelopment, are subject to substantial epigenetic changes during early development among children born VPT.
Journal Title
Sci Rep
Volume
14
Issue
1
First Page
18147
Last Page
18147
MeSH Keywords
Humans; Epigenesis, Genetic; DNA Methylation; Infant, Newborn; Female; Male; Gestational Age; Infant, Extremely Premature; CpG Islands; Infant
Keywords
Epigenetics; Gestational age; Methylation; Neonatal; Perinatal; Preterm
Recommended Citation
Hodge KM, Burt AA, Camerota M, et al. Epigenetic associations with neonatal age in infants born very preterm, particularly among genes involved in neurodevelopment. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):18147. Published 2024 Aug 5. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-68071-w
Comments
Grants and funding
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Publisher's Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-68071-w