Cesarean delivery and blood DNA methylation at birth and childhood: Meta-analysis in the Pregnancy and Childhood Epigenetics Consortium
Year: 2024
Type: review
Abstract: Children born via cesarean delivery have a higher risk of metabolic, immunological, and neurodevelopmental disorders compared to those born via vaginal delivery, although mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies to examine the associations between delivery mode and blood DNA methylation at birth and its persistence in early childhood. Participants were from 19 pregnancy cohorts (9833 term newborns) and 6 pediatric cohorts (2429 children aged 6 to 10 years). We identified six CpGs in cord blood associated with cesarean delivery (effect size range: 0.4 to 0.7%, P < 1.0 × 10 −7 ): MAP2K2 (cg19423175), LIM2 (cg01500140), CNP (cg13917614), BLM (cg18247172), RASA3 (cg22348356), and RUNX3 (cg20674490), independent of cell proportions and other confounders. In childhood, none of these CpGs were associated with cesarean delivery, and no additional CpGs were identified. Delivery mode was associated with cell proportions at birth but not in childhood. Further research is needed to elucidate cesarean delivery’s molecular influence on offspring health.
Source: Science Advances
Authors: Siwen Wang, Emma Casey, Joanne Sordillo, Sofía Aguilar-Lacasaña, Fernanda Morales Berstein, Richard J. Biedrzycki, Sonia Brescianini, Su Chen, Amy Hough, Elena Isaevska, Woo Jin Kim, Marion Lecorguillé, Sebastian Shaobo Li, Christian M. Page, Jaehyun Park, Stefan Röder, Kristina Salontaji, Gillian Santorelli, Yidan Sun, Sungho Won, Eric Zillich, Lea Zillich, Isabella Annesi-Maesano, S. Hasan Arshad, Mariona Bustamante, Charlotte A. M. Cecil, Hannah R. Elliott, Susan Ewart, Janine F. Felix, Luigi Gagliardi, Siri E. Håberg, Gunda Herberth, Barbara Heude, John W. Holloway, Anke Huels, Wilfried Karmaus, Gerard H. Koppelman, Stephanie J. London, Sunni L. Mumford, Lorenza Nisticò, Maja Popovic, Franca Rusconi, Enrique F. Schisterman, Dan J. Stein, Tabea Send, Henning Tiemeier, Judith M. Vonk, Martine Vrijheid, Joseph Leo Wiemels, Stephanie H. Witt, John Wright, Edwina H. Yeung, Heather J. Zar, Ana C. Zenclussen, Hongmei Zhang, Jorge E. Chavarro, Marie-France Hivert
Institutions: Harvard University, Emory University, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, University of Bristol, MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, National Institutes of Health, Glotech (United States), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Bradford Institute for Health Research, University of Turin, Kangwon National University, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Centre de Recherche Épidémiologie et Statistique, University of Southern California, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Seoul National University, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Heidelberg University, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, University of Southampton, Michigan State University, Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest, University of Bergen, University of Memphis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape Town, Massachusetts General Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
OpenAlex ID: W4404789459