Table 4.
Overview of referenced studies investigating the association between DNAm and child outcome
| References | Candidate genes | Method DNAm | Sample Size | Exposure, exposure sample size and timing (if available) | Outcome and timing | Tissue | Age and sex (if available) | Result* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [1] |
HSD11B2, NR3C1 |
Pyro-sequencing | 372 | Infant neurobehavior (NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales (NNNS)) |
DNAm at birth |
Placenta | Newborns; 50% male | Low NR3C1 DNAm and high HSD11B2 DNAm associated with lower excitability scores; high NR3C1 DNAm and low HSD11B2 DNAm associated with asymmetrical reflexes; high DNAm associated with higher habituation scores |
| [17] |
HSD11B2, NR3C1 |
Pyro-sequencing | 482 | Prenatal maternal anxiety and depression | DNAm and internalizing problems | Placenta | Newborns; 48% male | Positive correlation between NR3C1 DNAm and internalizing problems |
| [68] | NR3C1 | Pyro-sequencing | 82 |
Depressed/ anxious mood in 3rd trimester |
DNAm in newborns and cortisol response at 3 months | Cordblood | Newborns; 44% male | Hypermethylation in NR3C1 which was also associated with increased HPA stress responsiveness at 3 months |
| [13]a | Candidate genes from established Type-1 and -2 diabetes mellitus pathways | 450K array | 31 | Maternal stress during exposure to Quebec ice storm |
DNAm, child BMI |
Blood | Children; mean age 13 years | Significant negative mediation of DNAm of the effect of objective prenatal maternal stress on central adiposity and BMI |
| [12]a | Candidate genes from established Type-1 and -2 diabetes mellitus pathways | 450K array | 30 | Maternal stress during exposure to Quebec ice storm |
DNAm, C-peptide secretion in response to an oral glucose tolerance test |
Blood | Children; mean age 13 years | Significant mediation of DNAm of the relationship between maternal cognitive appraisal of a natural disaster in pregnancy and C-peptide production in adolescent offspring |
| [46] | FKBP5 | Pyro-sequencing | 76 |
Childhood trauma; n = 30 exposed, n = 46 unexposed; glucocortiocoid receptor sensitivity |
DNAm in adults | Blood | Adults; mean age 41 years | Allele-specific, childhood trauma–dependent DNA demethylation in functional glucocorticoid response elements of FKBP5 linked to dysregulation of the stress hormone system and a global effect on the function of immune cells and brain areas associated with stress regulation |
| [52] | HSD11B2 | Pyro-sequencing | 185 | NNNS | DNAm | Placenta | Newborns; 45% male | Increasing DNAm associated with reduced scores of quality of movement; increased DNAm associated with lower expression of HSD11B2 |
| [74] | FKBP5 | Pyro-sequencing | 509 | NNNS | DNAm | Placenta | Newborns; 49% male | Infants in the highest quartile of FKBP5 DNAm with increased risk of NNNS high arousal compared to infants in the lowest quartile |
| [75] |
ADCYAP1R1, FKBP5, HSD11B2, NR3C1 |
Pyro-sequencing | 537 | NNNS | DNAm | Placenta | Newborns; 49% male | DNAm patterns of glucocorticoid response genes associated with adaption to postnatal stress among healthy populations of infants exposed to low-to-moderate prenatal stress |
Studies are listed in alphabetical order; studies are cross-sectional if not stated otherwise
*significance was defined differently throughout the studies
anote that both studies used overlapping datasets