Early onset pre-eclampsia is associated with altered DNA methylation of cortisol-signalling and steroidogenic genes in the placenta.
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ABSTRACT: Placental cortisol is inactivated in normotensive pregnancies, but is frequently present in pre-eclampsia associated placentae. Since glucocorticoids are strongly associated with the programming of long-term health, we assessed DNA methylation of genes involved in cortisol signalling and bioavailability, and hormonal signalling in the placenta of normotensive and hypertensive pregnancies. Candidate genes/CpG sites were selected through analysis of Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array data on control (n?=?19) and early onset pre-eclampsia (EOPET; n?=?19) placental samples. DNA methylation was further quantified by bisulfite pyrosequencing in a larger cohort of control (n?=?111) cases, in addition to EOPET (n?=?19), late onset pre-eclampsia (LOPET; n?=?18) and normotensive intrauterine growth restriction (nIUGR; n?=?13) cases. DNA methylation (percentage points) was increased at CpG sites within genes encoding the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1 exon 1D promoter; +8.46%; P<0.01) and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) binding protein (CRHBP intron 3; +9.14%; P<0.05), and decreased within CRH (5' UTR; -4.30%; P?=?0.11) in EOPET-associated placentae, but not in LOPET nor nIUGR cases, compared to controls. Differential DNA methylation was not observed among groups at the 11?-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD11B2) gene promoter. Significant hypomethylation was observed in pre-eclampsia but not nIUGR placentae for steroidogenic genes, including CYP11A1 (exon1; EOPET; -9.66%; P<0.00001, and LOPET; -5.77%; P<0.001), 3?-hydroxy-delta-5-steroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD3B1 exon 2; EOPET; -12.49%; P<0.00001, and LOPET; -6.88%; P<0.001), TEA domain family member 3 (TEAD3 intron 1; EOPET; -12.56%; P<0.00001) and CYP19 (placental-specific exon 1.1 promoter; EOPET; -10.62%, P<0.0001). These data represent dysregulation of the placental epigenome in pre-eclampsia related to genes involved in maintaining the hormonal environment during pregnancy and highlights particular susceptibility in the early onset syndrome.
SUBMITTER: Hogg K
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3647069 | biostudies-literature | 2013
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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