Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
09:33
Three-dimensional Rendering and Analysis of Immunolabeled, Clarified Human Placental Villous Vascular Networks
Published on: March 29, 2018
10.3K
Characterizing placental dysfunction with DNA methylation profiling and placental histopathology
Hannah J Illing1, Alexa A Freedman2, Ella O Beraldo3
1Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Placenta
|February 14, 2026
Summary
Placental DNA methylation changes are linked to vascular pathologies like maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion. These DNA methylation alterations may aid in diagnosing placental issues and understanding their impact on fetal development.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Epigenetics
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Placental pathology impacts fetal growth and development.
- Altered placental DNA methylation (DNAme) is linked to preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.
- DNAme in placental pathology remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between DNA methylation and four major classes of placental pathology.
- Investigate DNAme patterns in acute inflammation (AI), chronic inflammation (CI), maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), and fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 484 placentas with Illumina EPICv1 DNAme data and histopathology.
- Grouping placental lesions into AI, CI, MVM, and FVM categories.
- Evaluating associations with DNAme-based cell-type estimates, epigenetic age acceleration, and autosome-wide DNAme changes.
Main Results:
- 281 CpGs differentially methylated with high-grade MVM; 56 CpGs with high-grade FVM.
- High-grade MVM/FVM associated with altered syncytiotrophoblast estimates.
- No significant DNAme changes found for inflammation pathologies; epigenetic age acceleration was robust.
Conclusions:
- DNAme changes correlate with high-grade vascular pathologies (MVM/FVM).
- DNAme may supplement histopathology in placental examination.
- Observed DNAme alterations reflect cell composition changes and potentially cellular gene regulation.
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