Non-invasive Biophysical and Epigenetic Biomarkers of Prenatal Stress in a Human Cohort: FELICITy Study.

CAMILA ZELGERT; BIBIANA FABRE; FRASCH, MARTIN G.; PETER ZIMMERMANN; RORY WILSON; LOBMAIER, SILVIA M.; RITIKA SHARMA; BERG, G.; MELANIE WALDENBERGER; ANTONELLI, MARTA C.

Vancouver

Congreso; 67th Reunión Anual de la Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI),; 2020

Introduction: The early environment has a major impact on the developing fetus. Maternal adversity or stress before and during pregnancy have profound effects on the development and subsequent function of the infant?s lifelong trajectory and physiological stress response system such as the Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis(HPA) and Autonomic Nervous system (ANS). Stress during pregnancy has been associated with epigenetic changes and neurocognitive problems during childhood. We hypothesize that prenatal stress induced programming during the fetal and postnatal development is resonated in the epigenetic and ANS biomarkers, which can be employed for early detection and follow up affected children. The objective is to discover non- invasive biomarkers from the salivary DNA to early identify epigenetic reprogramming. Methods: We evaluated epigenome- wide DNA methylation patterns from saliva with infants born to stressed and non-stressed mothers. We conducted a prospective study in stressed mothers, with controls matched 1:1 for parity, maternal age and gestational age during screening at third trimester. Using the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire PSS-10 ≥ 19, expectant mothers were classified into stressed group (SG); pregnant women with PSS-10 < 19 served as control group (CG). 55 women were enrolled in each group. On the day of delivery, maternal blood and maternal hair, strands from the posterior vertex region on the head were collected for cortisol measurements. Cord blood and saliva/buccal samples from the newborns were also taken. Median of PSS of the SG was 22.0 (1st ? 3rd quartile: 21.0 ? 24.0) higher than that of the control group 9.0 (6.0 ? 12.0) (p