DNA methylome marks of exposure to particulate matter at three time points in early life

Abstract

Maternal exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) has been associated with restricted fetal growth and reduced birthweight. Here, we performed methylome-wide analyses of cord and children’s blood DNA in relation to residential exposure to PM smaller than 10 μm (PM10). This study included participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ALSPAC, cord blood, n = 780; blood at age 7, n = 757 and age 15–17, n = 850) and the EXPOsOMICS birth cohort consortium including cord blood from ENVIRONAGE (n = 197), INMA (n = 84), Piccolipiù (n = 99) and Rhea (n = 75). We could not identify significant CpG sites, by meta-analyzing associations between maternal PM10 exposure during pregnancy and DNA methylation in cord blood, nor by studying DNA methylation and concordant annual exposure at 7 and 15–17 years. The CpG cg21785536 was inversely associated with PM10 exposure using a longitudinal model integrating the three studied age groups (−1.2% per 10 μg/m3; raw p-value = 3.82 × 10–8). Pathway a...