Identifying factors that influence fetal growth in a sex-specific manner can help unravel mechanisms that explain sex differences in adverse neonatal outcomes and origins of cardiovascular disease disparities. Premature aging of the placenta, a tissue that supports fetal growth and exhibits sex-specific epigenetic changes, is associated with pregnancy complications. Using DNA methylation-based age estimator, we investigated the sex-specific relationship of placental epigenetic aging with fetal growth across 13-40 weeks gestation, neonatal size, and risk of low birth weight. Placental epigenetic age acceleration (PAA), the difference between DNA methylation age and gestational age, was associated with reduced fetal weight among males but with increased fetal weight among females. PAA was inversely associated with fetal weight, abdominal circumference, and biparietal diameter at 32-40 weeks among males but was positively associated with all growth measures among females across 13-40 weeks. A 1-week increase in PAA was associated with 2-fold (95% CI 1.2, 3.2) increased odds for low birth weight and 1.5-fold (95% CI 1.1, 2.0) increased odds for small-for-gestational age among males. In all, fetal growth was significantly reduced in males but not females exposed to a rapidly aging placenta. Epigenetic aging of the placenta may underlie sex differences in neonatal outcomes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.18632/aging.102124 | DOI Listing |
Pediatr Res
January 2025
Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
Background: Prenatally transmitted viruses can cause severe damage to the developing brain. There is unexplained variability in prenatal brain injury and postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes, suggesting disease modifiers. Of note, prenatal Zika infection can cause a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, including congenital Zika syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSouth Med J
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City.
Objectives: In this study, buprenorphine was the primary source of maternal opioid exposure at the time of initial prenatal evaluation. Current recommendations advise that level II ultrasounds be performed in patients with substance use disorders. For some patients, distance, transportation, and costs associated with obtaining ultrasounds from a specialist pose significant barriers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Hum Genet
December 2024
Laboratory of Human Genetics & Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), A(∗)STAR, Singapore, Singapore; Laboratory of Human Genetics & Therapeutics, BESE, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Disease Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address:
Four genes-DAND5, PKD1L1, MMP21, and CIROP-form a genetic module that has specifically evolved in vertebrate species that harbor motile cilia in their left-right organizer (LRO). We find here that CIROZ (previously known as C1orf127) is also specifically expressed in the LRO of mice, frogs, and fish, where it encodes a protein with a signal peptide followed by 3 zona pellucida N domains, consistent with extracellular localization. We report 16 individuals from 10 families with bi-allelic CIROZ inactivation variants, which cause heterotaxy with congenital heart defects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatr Surg Int
January 2025
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
Purpose: To compare postoperative outcomes of bedside surgery (BS) with those of surgery performed in the operating room (ORS) in preterm and full-term neonates.
Methods: Data from neonates undergoing major surgical interventions were retrospectively evaluated. Primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative hypothermia.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Background: Preclinical animal models are essential for the development of effective treatments. For instance, the 5xFAD mouse model successfully represents the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Expression of humanized APP (K670N/M671L - Swedish, I716V - Florida, V717I - London) and PSEN1 (M146L and L286V), found in early onset AD patients, induces the production of amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) and amyloid deposition, gliosis, and progressive neuronal loss.
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