Prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide DNA methylation in human placenta

Vilahur Chiaraviglio, Nadia, 1982-; Bustamante Pineda, Mariona; Morales, Eva; Motta, Valeria; Fernandez, Mariana F.; Salas, Lucas A.; Escaramís, Geòrgia; Ballester Díez, Ferran; Murcia, Mario; Tardón, Adonina; Riaño Galán, Isolina; Santa Marina, Loreto; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Arrebola, Juan Pedro; Estivill, Xavier, 1955-; Bollati, Valentina; Sunyer Deu, Jordi; Olea, Nicolás

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/epi.15.91

Prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide DNA methylation in human placenta

Citation

Vilahur N, Bustamante M, Morales E, Motta V, Fernandez MF, Salas LA et al. Prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide DNA methylation in human placenta. Epigenomics. 2016; 8(1): 43-54. DOI 10.2217/epi.15.91

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In utero exposure to xenostrogens may modify the epigenome. We explored the association of prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide placental DNA methylation. MATERIALS & METHODS: Sex-specific associations between methylation changes in placental DNA by doubling the concentration of TEXB-alpha exposure were evaluated by robust multiple linear regression. Two CpG sites were selected for validation and replication in additional male born placentas. RESULTS: No significant associations were found, although the top significant CpGs in boys were located in the LRPAP1, HAGH, PPARGC1B, KCNQ1 and KCNQ1DN genes, previously associated to birth weight, Type 2 diabetes, obesity or steroid hormone signaling. Neither technical validation nor biological replication of the results was found in boys for LRPAP and PPARGC1B. CONCLUSION: Some suggestive genes were differentially methylated in boys in relation to prenatal xenoestrogen exposure, but our initial findings could not be validated or replicated.