TY - JOUR
T1 - Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and methylation of LINE-1 and imprinted genes in placenta
T2 - A CHECK cohort study
AU - Kim, Sujin
AU - Cho, Yoon Hee
AU - Lee, Inae
AU - Kim, Wonji
AU - Won, Sungho
AU - Ku, Ja Lok
AU - Moon, Hyo Bang
AU - Park, Jeongim
AU - Kim, Sungkyoon
AU - Choi, Gyuyeon
AU - Choi, Kyungho
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been linked to numerous adverse birth outcomes among newborn infants in many epidemiological studies. Although epigenetic modifications have been suggested as possible explanations for those associations, studies have rarely reported a relationship between POP exposure during pregnancy and DNA methylation in the placenta. In the present study, we investigated the association between prenatal exposure to several POPs, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylation levels of long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1), as well as imprinted genes in placental DNAs among Korean mother-child pairs (N = 109). We assessed the association of DNA methylation not only with each target POP (single-POP models) but also with multiple POPs applying principal component analysis (multiple-POP models). Potential associations between placental DNA methylation and birth outcomes of newborn infants were also estimated. In single-POP models, significant associations were detected between OCP measurements and placental DNA methylation. Elevated concentrations of β-hexachlorhexane (β-HCH) in maternal serum collected during delivery were significantly associated with a decrease in methylation of LINE-1 in the placenta. Higher levels of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT) in maternal serum were associated with hypermethylation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). In multiple-POP models, a significant and positive association between DDTs and IGF2 methylation was also observed. Placental LINE-1 methylation was inversely associated with birth length. Our observations indicate that prenatal exposure to several POPs including DDTs is associated with the changes in methylation of genes, including major imprinted genes in the placenta. The consequences of these epigenetic alterations in placenta during development deserve further investigation.
AB - Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been linked to numerous adverse birth outcomes among newborn infants in many epidemiological studies. Although epigenetic modifications have been suggested as possible explanations for those associations, studies have rarely reported a relationship between POP exposure during pregnancy and DNA methylation in the placenta. In the present study, we investigated the association between prenatal exposure to several POPs, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylation levels of long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1), as well as imprinted genes in placental DNAs among Korean mother-child pairs (N = 109). We assessed the association of DNA methylation not only with each target POP (single-POP models) but also with multiple POPs applying principal component analysis (multiple-POP models). Potential associations between placental DNA methylation and birth outcomes of newborn infants were also estimated. In single-POP models, significant associations were detected between OCP measurements and placental DNA methylation. Elevated concentrations of β-hexachlorhexane (β-HCH) in maternal serum collected during delivery were significantly associated with a decrease in methylation of LINE-1 in the placenta. Higher levels of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT) in maternal serum were associated with hypermethylation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). In multiple-POP models, a significant and positive association between DDTs and IGF2 methylation was also observed. Placental LINE-1 methylation was inversely associated with birth length. Our observations indicate that prenatal exposure to several POPs including DDTs is associated with the changes in methylation of genes, including major imprinted genes in the placenta. The consequences of these epigenetic alterations in placenta during development deserve further investigation.
KW - A multi-pollutant approach
KW - Epigenetics
KW - Fetal growth
KW - Global methylation
KW - Imprinted gene
KW - Persistent organic pollutant
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85049597236&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2018.06.039
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2018.06.039
M3 - Article
C2 - 30005188
AN - SCOPUS:85049597236
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 119
SP - 398
EP - 406
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
ER -