ABSTRACT
Background: We performed an epigenome-wide longitudinal DNA methylation study on an Indian cohort of pregnant women, GARBH-Ini, at three time points during pregnancy and at delivery. Aim & objective: Our aim was to identify temporal DNA methylation changes in maternal peripheral blood during the period of gestation and assess their impact on biological pathways critical for term delivery. Results: Significantly differentially methylated CpGs were identified by linear mixed model analysis (Bonferroni p < 0.01) and classified into two distinct temporal methylation trends: increasing and decreasing during gestation. Genes with upward methylation trend were enriched for T-cell activity, while those with a downward trend were enriched for solute transport and cell structure organization functions. Conclusion: Consistent trends of DNA methylation in maternal peripheral blood point to the sentinel function of T cells in the maintenance of pregnancy, and the importance of coordinated cellular remodeling to facilitate term delivery.
DNA methylation is the addition of a methyl group to the molecular structure of DNA, which then alters the gene expression. The goal of the study was to find out how DNA methylation patterns change over time during pregnancy and how these changes are related to the biological processes that are important for the delivery of a healthy baby at full term. Using statistical modeling, we identified specific patterns of DNA methylation changes during pregnancy and classified them into two groups based on the direction of the changes. The genes associated with increasing methylation levels were related to the activities of T cells, which are important for the immune system. The genes associated with decreasing methylation levels were related to processes like transporting substances and organizing cell structures. In conclusion, our findings suggest that T cells play an important role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and the study highlights the importance of coordinated changes in cells to support a successful delivery of a baby at term.
