DNA methylation signatures link prenatal famine exposure to growth and metabolism
Leiden University Medical Center · Broad Institute · +5 more institutions
Abstract
Periconceptional diet may persistently influence DNA methylation levels with phenotypic consequences. However, a comprehensive assessment of the characteristics of prenatal malnutrition-associated differentially methylated regions (P-DMRs) is lacking in humans. Here we report on a genome-scale analysis of differential DNA methylation in whole blood after periconceptional exposure to famine during the Dutch Hunger Winter. We show that P-DMRs preferentially occur at regulatory regions, are characterized by intermediate levels of DNA methylation and map to genes enriched for differential expression during early development. Validation and further exploratory analysis of six P-DMRs highlight the critical role of…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 23.47
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 67
Authors
16Topics & keywords
- Differentially methylated regions
- DNA methylation
- Epigenetics
- Biology
- Methylation
- Reprogramming
- Genetics
- Gene
- Zero hunger