Department of Medicine and Aging, School of Medicine, and Health Sciences, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Via dei Vestini, Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
Nutrients. 2024 Oct 16;16(20):3502. doi: 10.3390/nu16203502.
In utero exposure to maternal hyperglycemia and obesity can trigger detrimental effects in the newborn through epigenetic programming. We aimed to assess the DNA methylation levels in the promoters of and genes from maternal blood, placenta, and buccal swab samples collected in children born to mothers with and without obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).
A total of 101 Caucasian mother-infant pairs were included in this study. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical parameters, physical activity, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were evaluated in the third trimester of pregnancy. Clinical parameters of the newborns were recorded at birth.
A negative relationship between DNA methylation on the fetal side of the GDM placenta and birth weight (r = -0.630, = 0.011) of newborns was found. DNA methylation level was lower in newborns of GDM women (CpG1: 2.8% ± 3.0%, CpG2: 3.8% ± 3.3%) as compared to those of mothers without GDM (CpG1: 6.9% ± 6.2%, CpG2: 6.8% ± 5.6%; < 0.001 and = 0.0033, respectively), and it was negatively correlated with weight (r = -0.229; = 0.035), head circumference (r = -0.236; = 0.030), and length (r = -0.240; = 0.027) at birth. DNA methylation was higher on the fetal side of the placenta in obese patients as compared to normal-weight patients (66.0% ± 14.4% vs. 55.7% ± 15.2%, = 0.037), and it was associated with maternal total cholesterol (r = 0.770, = 0.015) and LDL-c (r = 0.783, = 0.012).
These results support the role of maternal and methylation in fetal programming and in the future metabolic health of children.
子宫内暴露于母体高血糖和肥胖会通过表观遗传编程对新生儿产生有害影响。我们旨在评估来自患有和不患有肥胖症和妊娠期糖尿病（GDM）母亲的血液、胎盘和口腔拭子样本中 和 基因启动子的 DNA 甲基化水平。
本研究共纳入 101 对高加索母婴。在妊娠晚期评估社会人口统计学特征、临床参数、体力活动和对地中海饮食的依从性。在新生儿出生时记录新生儿的临床参数。
在 GDM 胎盘胎儿侧发现 DNA 甲基化与新生儿出生体重呈负相关（r = -0.630， = 0.011）。与没有 GDM 的母亲相比，GDM 女性新生儿的 DNA 甲基化水平较低（CpG1：2.8% ± 3.0%，CpG2：3.8% ± 3.3%）（分别为 < 0.001 和 = 0.0033），且与体重（r = -0.229； = 0.035）、头围（r = -0.236； = 0.030）和长度（r = -0.240； = 0.027）呈负相关。与正常体重患者相比，肥胖患者胎盘胎儿侧的 DNA 甲基化水平较高（66.0% ± 14.4% vs. 55.7% ± 15.2%， = 0.037），且与母体总胆固醇（r = 0.770， = 0.015）和 LDL-c（r = 0.783， = 0.012）呈正相关。
这些结果支持母体 和 甲基化在胎儿编程和儿童未来代谢健康中的作用。
