Methylation changes and pathways affected in preterm birth: a role for SLC6A3 in neurodevelopment

Abstract

Aim: To analyze whether preterm newborns show differences in methylation patterns in comparison to full-term newborns in white blood cells. Patients&methods: Anthropometrical, biochemical features and methylation levels of preterm newborns (n = 24) and full-term newborns (n = 22) recruited in La Paz University Hospital (Spain) were assessed at 12 months of gestational age, whereas Bayley Scale of Infant Development was evaluated at 24/36 months. Results: From all the statistically significant CpGs, methylation levels of cg00997378 (SLC6A3 gene) showed the highest differences (p < 0.0001), being associated with prematurity risk factors. Conclusion: SLC6A3 methylation, previously related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, neuronal function and behavior, might be a potential epigenetic biomarker with value in the early diagnosis and management of neurodevelopmental diseases in newborns.

Keywords::

• Bayley scale
• epigenetics
• full-term newborns
• peripheral white blood cells
• prematurity
• preterm newborns
• SLC6A3

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to E Almiron-Roig (visiting scientist at MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge, UK) for reviewing the manuscript prior to submission.

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at:www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2217/epi-2017-0082

Financial&competing interests disclosure

Authors are very grateful to CIBERobn (CB12/03/30002 to JA Martínez) and MINECO (AGL 2013–45554-R to JA Martínez and FI Milagro; FIS PI041631 and PI16/00606 to M Sáenz de Pipaón) for financial help and scientific support. A Arpón was supported by a ‘Formación de Profesorado Universitario’ fellow from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU15/02790). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The local research ethics committee of the La Paz University Hospital approved the study and written informed consent was obtained from the parent(s).

Additional information

Funding

Authors are very grateful to CIBERobn (CB12/03/30002 to JA Martínez) and MINECO (AGL 2013–45554-R to JA Martínez and FI Milagro; FIS PI041631 and PI16/00606 to M Sáenz de Pipaón) for financial help and scientific support. A Arpón was supported by a ‘Formación de Profesorado Universitario’ fellow from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU15/02790). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.