Premium
Placental gene network modules are associated with maternal stress during pregnancy and infant temperament
Author(s) -
Aushev Vasily N.,
Li Qian,
Deyssenroth Maya,
Zhang Wei,
Finik Jackie,
Hurd Yasmin L.,
Nomura Yoko,
Chen Jia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.202100144rrr
Subject(s) - temperament , offspring , biology , transcriptome , gene , gene expression , pregnancy , placenta , genetics , fetus , andrology , medicine , psychology , personality , social psychology
Abstract Maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy (MPSP) is a known contributor to maladaptive neurobehavioral development of the offspring; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms linking MPSP with childhood outcome remain largely unknown. Transcriptome‐wide gene expression data were generated using RNA‐seq from placenta samples collected in a multi‐ethnic urban birth cohort in New York City ( n = 129). Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to characterize placental co‐expression modules, which were then evaluated for their associations with MPSP and infant temperament. WGCNA revealed 16 gene coexpression modules. One module, enriched for regulation of chromosome organization/gene expression, was positively associated with MPSP and negatively associated with Regulatory Capacity (REG), a component of infant temperament. Two other modules, enriched for cotranslational protein targeting and cell cycle regulation, respectively, displayed negative associations with MPSP and positive associations with REG. A module enriched with oxidative phosphorylation/mitochondrial translation was positively associated with REG. These findings support the notion that the placenta provides a functional in utero link between MPSP and infant temperament, possibly through transcriptional regulation of placental gene expression.