Similar Datasets
Project description:Prenatal maternal stress has a negative impact on child health but the mechanisms through which maternal stress affects child health are unclear. Epigenetic variation, such as DNA methylation, is a likely mechanistic candidate as DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental insults and can regulate long-term changes in gene expression. We recruited mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the effects of maternal stress on DNA methylation in mothers and newborns. We used four measures of maternal stress to capture a range of stressful experiences: general trauma, sexual trauma, war trauma, and chronic stress. We identified differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with general trauma, sexual trauma, and war trauma in both mothers and newborns. No DMPs were associated with chronic stress. Sexual trauma was positively associated with epigenetic age acceleration across several epigenetic clocks in mothers. General trauma and war trauma were positively associated with newborn epigenetic age acceleration using the extrinsic epigenetic age clock. We tested the top DMPs for enrichment of DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHS) and found no enrichment in mothers. In newborns, top DMPs associated with war trauma were enriched for DHS in embryonic and fetal cell types. Finally, one of the top DMPs associated with war trauma in newborns also predicted birthweight, completing the cycle from maternal stress to DNA methylation to newborn health outcome. Our results indicate that maternal stress is associated with site-specific changes in DNAm and epigenetic age acceleration in both mothers and newborns.
2023-06-08 | GSE224363 | GEO
Project description:Prenatal maternal stress has a negative impact on child health but the mechanisms through which maternal stress affects child health are unclear. Epigenetic variation, such as DNA methylation, is a likely mechanistic candidate as DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental insults and can regulate long-term changes in gene expression. We recruited mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the effects of maternal stress on DNA methylation in mothers and newborns. We used four measures of maternal stress to capture a range of stressful experiences: general trauma, sexual trauma, war trauma, and chronic stress. We identified differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with general trauma, sexual trauma, and war trauma in both mothers and newborns. No DMPs were associated with chronic stress. Sexual trauma was positively associated with epigenetic age acceleration across several epigenetic clocks in mothers. General trauma and war trauma were positively associated with newborn epigenetic age acceleration using the extrinsic epigenetic age clock. We tested the top DMPs for enrichment of DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHS) and found no enrichment in mothers. In newborns, top DMPs associated with war trauma were enriched for DHS in embryonic and fetal cell types. Finally, one of the top DMPs associated with war trauma in newborns also predicted birthweight, completing the cycle from maternal stress to DNA methylation to newborn health outcome. Our results indicate that maternal stress is associated with site-specific changes in DNAm and epigenetic age acceleration in both mothers and newborns.
2023-06-08 | GSE224364 | GEO
Project description:Epigenetic analysis of psychosocial stress among mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo
| PRJNA930720 | ENA
Project description:Epigenetic analysis of psychosocial stress among mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EAA)
| PRJNA930721 | ENA
Project description:Epigenetic analysis of psychosocial stress among mother-newborn dyads in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EWA reanalysis)
| PRJNA930722 | ENA
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of venous blood samples from children in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo from birth to age three. DNA methylation data were noob normalized and uploaded to Steve Horvath's epigenetic age calculator website to calculate Horvath epigenetic age acceleration for each participant at each timepoint for which they had data available. Replicates were averaged and a single outlier at birth was removed as described in the manuscript, leaving 155 observations from 67 unique individuals. Sample size at each timepoint was as follows: n = 64 at birth, n = 8 at six months, n= 35 at one year, n = 32 at two years, and n = 16 at three years.
2023-06-26 | GSE224573 | GEO
Project description:Maternal stress has long been associated with lower birthweight but mechanisms remain elusive. This study explored how maternal stress may impact changes in gene expression within a cohort of mother-placenta-newborn triads in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying the impact of maternal stress on newborn birthweight and identified that global placental gene expression may partially mediate the negative impact of maternal war stress on newborn birthweight.
2023-03-10 | GSE226993 | GEO
Project description:Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a risk factor for non-adherence to HIV treatment for women, however the evidence on the impact of IPV on uptake of the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) cascade is inconclusive. We examined data from 433 HIV positive pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, enrolled between April 2013 and August 2014 and followed-up through 6 weeks postpartum. Participants were asked about their IPV experiences in a face-to-face interview at enrollment. Measures of PMTCT cascade included: uptake of clinical appointments and services, viral suppression, and adherence to antiretrovirals (ARV). Approximately half of the sample (51%) had experienced some form of IPV; 35% had experienced emotional abuse, 29% physical abuse, and 19% sexual abuse. There were no statistically significant associations between experiencing any form of IPV and uptake of clinical appointments and services (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR] = 1.02; 95% [CI]: 0.89-1.17), viral load suppression (aPR = 1.07, 95% CI:0.96-1.19) and ARV adherence (aPR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.87-1.18). Findings from this study indicate that, among HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in PMTCT care, experiencing IPV does not reduce adherence to clinic visits and services, adherence to ARV. The high prevalence of IPV in this population suggests that IPV screening and intervention should be included as part of standard care for PMTCT.
| S-EPMC6117078 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Ocular pentastomiasis is a rare infection caused by the larval stage of pentastomids, an unusual group of crustacean-related parasites. Zoonotic pentastomids have a distinct geographical distribution and utilize reptiles or canids as final hosts. Recently, an increasing number of human abdominal infections have been reported in Africa, where pentastomiasis is an emerging, though severely neglected, tropical disease. Here we describe four ocular infections caused by pentastomids from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two cases underwent surgery and an Armillifer grandis infection was detected by morphological and molecular approaches. Thus far, 15 other cases of ocular pentastomiasis have been reported worldwide. Twelve cases were caused by Armillifer sp., recorded almost exclusively in Africa, where such infections occur as a consequence of hunting and consuming snakes, their final hosts. Seven further cases were caused by Linguatula serrata, a cosmopolitan pentastomid whose final hosts are usually canids. Intraocular infections caused permanent visual damage in 69% and a total loss of vision in 31% of reported cases. In contrast, ocular adnexal cases had a benign clinical course. Further research is required to estimate the burden, therapeutic options and pathogenesis of this neglected disease.
| S-EPMC4109912 | biostudies-literature
Project description:By analyzing vesicle fluids and crusted scabs from 136 persons with suspected monkeypox, we identified 51 cases of monkeypox by PCR, sequenced the hemagglutinin gene, and confirmed 94% of cases by virus culture. PCR demonstrated chickenpox in 61 patients. Coinfection with both viruses was found in 1 additional patient.
| S-EPMC2792850 | biostudies-literature