TY - JOUR

T1 - Differential patterns of whole-genome DNA methylation in institutionalized children and children raised by their biological parents

AU - Naumova, Oksana Yu

AU - Lee, Maria

AU - Koposov, Roman

AU - Szyf, Moshe

AU - Dozier, Mary

AU - Grigorenko, Elena L.

PY - 2012/2

Y1 - 2012/2

N2 - Previous studies with nonhuman species have shown that animals exposed to early adversity show differential DNA methylation relative to comparison animals. The current study examined differential methylation among 14 children raised since birth in institutional care and 14 comparison children raised by their biological parents. Blood samples were taken from children in middle childhood. Analysis of whole-genome methylation patterns was performed using the Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip assay (Illumina), which contains 27,578 CpG sites, covering approximately 14,000 gene promoters. Group differences were registered, which were characterized primarily by greater methylation in the institutionalized group relative to the comparison group, with most of these differences in genes involved in the control of immune response and cellular signaling systems, including a number of crucial players important for neural communication and brain development and functioning. The findings suggest that patterns of differential methylation seen in nonhuman species with altered maternal care are also characteristic of children who experience early maternal separation.

AB - Previous studies with nonhuman species have shown that animals exposed to early adversity show differential DNA methylation relative to comparison animals. The current study examined differential methylation among 14 children raised since birth in institutional care and 14 comparison children raised by their biological parents. Blood samples were taken from children in middle childhood. Analysis of whole-genome methylation patterns was performed using the Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip assay (Illumina), which contains 27,578 CpG sites, covering approximately 14,000 gene promoters. Group differences were registered, which were characterized primarily by greater methylation in the institutionalized group relative to the comparison group, with most of these differences in genes involved in the control of immune response and cellular signaling systems, including a number of crucial players important for neural communication and brain development and functioning. The findings suggest that patterns of differential methylation seen in nonhuman species with altered maternal care are also characteristic of children who experience early maternal separation.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863057173&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0954579411000605

DO - 10.1017/S0954579411000605

M3 - Article

C2 - 22123582

AN - SCOPUS:84863057173

VL - 24

SP - 143

EP - 155

JO - Development and Psychopathology

JF - Development and Psychopathology

SN - 0954-5794

IS - 1

ER -