Very Preterm Birth is Associated with PLAGL1 Gene Hypomethylation at Birth and Discharge

Abstract

Aim: Recent findings show that DNA methylation is susceptible to very preterm (VPT) birth and to the experience of the early stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. The aim of the study was to compare PLAGL1 methylation between VPT and full-term (FT) infants at birth as well as between VPT infants at discharge and FT infants at birth. Methods: DNA was collected from cord blood of 56 VPT and 27 FT infants at birth and from peripheral blood in VPT infants at neonatal intensive care unit discharge. Sociodemographic and neonatal variables were considered. Results:PLAGL1 methylation at birth and at discharge were highly correlated in VPT infants. Lower methylation emerged in VPT infants at birth and discharge compared to FT counterparts. Conclusion:PLAGL1 hypomethylation emerged as a potential epigenetic mark of VPT birth. Future research is warranted to assess the functional consequences of PLAGL1 diminished methylation in VPT infants’ development.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all the mothers and infants who participated in the present study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The findings presented here are part of a longitudinal study on genetic and epigenetic correlates of very preterm birth and socio-emotional development, which was funded by the Italian NIH research funding (Ministero della Sanità) grants to RB (RC 01/05 – 2015–2017). 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.

Additional information

Funding

The findings presented here are part of a longitudinal study on genetic and epigenetic correlates of very preterm birth and socio-emotional development, which was funded by the Italian NIH research funding (Ministero della Sanità) grants to RB (RC 01/05 – 2015–2017). 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.