Nimrit Palan, Mumbai University.
What is Epigenetics?
Epigenetics is the study of genes functions influenced by your behaviour and your surroundings. Epigenetics is the study of heritable phenotypic modifications that do not entail DNA sequence changes in biology.
DNA Methylation:
DNA methylation is a procedure in which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Without affecting the sequence, methylation can change the activity of a DNA region. When DNA methylation occurs at a gene promoter, it overpowers gene transcription. DNA methylation is required for normal development in mammals and is linked to several important processes such as genomic imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, transposable element suppression, ageing, and cancer. So far, adenine and cytosine have been identified as the nucleobases on which natural, enzymatic DNA methylation occurs. N6-methyladenine, 5-methylcytosine, and N4-methylcytosine are the modified bases.
Maternal depressive symptoms on mother-child due to DNA Methylation:
Major depression is one of the maximum common psychiatric issues that 10–20% of women face. It ranks the various main reasons for incapacity and imposes a vast socioeconomic burden on advanced countries. Maternal temper issues or strain for the duration of being pregnant will have extended consequences at the growing foetus, ensuing in interest and mastering deficits for the duration of youth and temper issues for the duration of adulthood. Untreated depression during pregnancy is the reason for subsequent postpartum depression.
There is developing evidence, from each animal and human studies, suggesting that long-lasting impacts of early-lifestyles surroundings can be mediated with the aid of using modifications of DNA methylation levels. Therefore, maternal depressive symptoms during early pregnancy are linked to the methylation status of various genomic regions, most notably the genic and promoter regions. The genic enhancers, where maternal depressive symptoms are generally related to decreased rather than increased DNA methylation, are notably concentrated in the affected areas.
Inter-relation between placental DNA methylation and maternal depressive symptoms
Women are in particular tormented by predominant despair and 10–15% revel in as a minimum one predominant depressive episode for the duration of being pregnant, that’s related to tremendous morbidity for each mother and child.
To summarise, maternal depressive symptoms during early pregnancy are linked to the methylation status of various genomic regions, most notably the genic and promoter regions. The genic enhancers, where maternal depressive symptoms are generally related to decreased rather than increased DNA methylation, are notably concentrated in the affected areas.
DNA Methylation marks:
- Early-pregnancy maternal depressive symptoms are linked to DNA methylation marks, which are enriched in genes involved in neuron development.
- In data obtained from prenatal and infant brain, expression of genes that overlap with DNA methylation marks for exposure to maternal depression symptoms is enriched in various brain regions, particularly in prenatal and infant brain. In the amygdaloid complex and cerebellar cortex, enrichments were found at numerous developmental stages.
DNA methylation marks in hundreds of genomic sites in the placenta are linked to maternal depressive symptoms during early pregnancy. Genes that are critical for brain development and long-term health are abundant in the markings. Further research is needed to determine whether similar marks can be found in exposed children and whether these marks are predictive of developmental and health outcomes. More research is needed to see if the identified DNA methylation marks have any effect on gene regulation or cellular processes.
Limitations
Birth weight was not accounted for, and we used heterogeneous bulk tissue as a starting material for the DNA methylome analysis. In addition, for DNA methylome analysis, we used reduced representation bisulphite sequencing. As a result, our data does not cover the entire genome, making comparisons to earlier targeted studies difficult.
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References:
- Hauf, S. (2021). Two giants of cell division in an oppressive embrace. Nature, 596(7870), 41–42. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01944-6
- Lund, R. J., Kyläniemi, M., Pettersson, N., Kaukonen, R., Konki, M., Scheinin, N. M., Karlsson, L., Karlsson, H., & Ekholm, E. (2021). Placental DNA methylation marks are associated with maternal depressive symptoms during early pregnancy. Neurobiology of Stress, 15, 100374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100374
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Author’s Info: Nimrit Palan is a Biotech researcher with graduation in BSc. Biotechnology from the University of Mumbai. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Biotechnology Part 1.
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