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Prenatal stress and epigenetics.

L Cao-Lei1, S R de Rooij2, S King1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, McGill University and Psychosocial Research Division, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Canada.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Prenatal stress can alter offspring epigenetics, specifically DNA methylation, leading to lasting changes that affect development and adaptation. This review explores evidence linking in utero stress to these enduring epigenetic signatures.

Keywords:
DNA methylationDOHaDEpigeneticsPrenatal stress

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental epigenetics
  • Developmental biology
  • Prenatal stress research

Background:

  • In utero exposure to environmental stress can cause long-term epigenome alterations.
  • Epigenetics, particularly DNA methylation, is a key mechanism for these lasting effects.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for offspring adaptation and development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence linking prenatal stress to DNA methylation changes.
  • To explore how these epigenetic alterations mediate exposure-phenotype associations.
  • To discuss future challenges in prenatal stress and epigenetics research.

Main Methods:

  • Review of animal and human prenatal research studies.
  • Focus on DNA methylation as a primary epigenetic mechanism.
  • Emphasis on evidence from quasi-randomly assigned experimental stressors.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal stress induces lasting, broad, and functionally organized DNA methylation signatures.
  • These epigenetic signatures can mediate associations between prenatal stress exposure and offspring phenotypes.
  • Evidence supports a significant role of DNA methylation in mediating long-term effects of in utero stress.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal stress has profound and lasting impacts on offspring epigenomes, primarily through DNA methylation.
  • DNA methylation patterns serve as crucial mediators linking prenatal stress to developmental and adaptive outcomes.
  • Further research is needed to address existing challenges in understanding and characterizing these complex relationships.