Maternal history of childhood maltreatment is associated with diurnal cortisol and DNA methylation of placental 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2

Abstract

Background

Accumulating evidence indicates that maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity over pregnancy differs according to maternal history of childhood maltreatment. DNA methylation of the placental 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (BHSD) type 2 enzyme regulates fetal exposure to maternal cortisol, yet the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and methylation of placental 11BHSD type 2 has not been previously studied.

Methods

We examined if maternal cortisol production at 11 and 32 weeks’ gestation (n = 89) and placental methylation of the 11BHSD type 2 gene (n = 19) differed among pregnant women with and without histories of childhood maltreatment. Twenty-nine percent of participants reported a history of childhood maltreatment (physical/sexual abuse).

Results

Women with histories of childhood maltreatment displayed lower cortisol in early gestation, hypo-methylation of placental 11BHSD type 2, and lower levels of cord blood cortisol.

Conclusion

Preliminary results suggest alterations in cortisol regulation over pregnancy according to maternal history of childhood maltreatment.

Keywords

Placenta diseases

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Epstein

Houfek

Rice

, et al. Integrative review of early life adversity and cortisol regulation in pregnancy. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2021; 50: 242–255. 2021/02/02.

Bublitz

Stroud

. Childhood sexual abuse is associated with cortisol awakening response over pregnancy: preliminary findings. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37: 1425–1430. 2012/02/22.

Shea

Streiner

Fleming

, et al. The effect of depression, anxiety and early life trauma on the cortisol awakening response during pregnancy: preliminary results. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2007; 32: 1013–1020. 2007/09/15.

Schreier

Enlow

Ritz

, et al. Childhood abuse is associated with increased hair cortisol levels among urban pregnant women. J Epidemiol Community Health 2015; 69: 1169–1174. 2015/07/30.

Davis

Sandman

. The timing of prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and psychosocial stress is associated with human infant cognitive development. Child Dev 2010; 81: 131–148. 2010/03/25.

de Weerth

van Hees

Buitelaar

. Prenatal maternal cortisol levels and infant behavior during the first 5 months. Early Hum Dev 2003; 74: 139–151. 2003/10/29.

Davis

Glynn

Waffarn

, et al. Prenatal maternal stress programs infant stress regulation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2011; 52: 119–129. 2010/09/22.

Buss

Davis

Shahbaba

, et al. Maternal cortisol over the course of pregnancy and subsequent child amygdala and hippocampus volumes and affective problems. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109: E1312–E1319. 2012/04/25.

Moog

Entringer

Rasmussen

, et al. Intergenerational effect of maternal exposure to childhood maltreatment on newborn brain anatomy. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83: 120–127. 2017/08/27.

10.

Chapman

Holmes

Seckl

. 11beta-hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases: intracellular gate-keepers of tissue glucocorticoid action. Physiol Rev 2013; 93: 1139–1206. 2013/08/01.

11.

Appleton

Armstrong

Lesseur

, et al. Patterning in placental 11-B hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase methylation according to prenatal socioeconomic adversity. PLoS One 2013; 8: e74691. 2013/09/17.

12.

Jensen Pena

Monk

Champagne

. Epigenetic effects of prenatal stress on 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 in the placenta and fetal brain. PLoS One 2012; 7: e39791. 2012/07/05.

13.

Felitti

Anda

Nordenberg

, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. Am J Prev Med 1998; 14: 245–258. 1998/06/23.

14.

Marsit

Maccani

Padbury

, et al. Placental 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase methylation is associated with newborn growth and a measure of neurobehavioral outcome. PLoS One 2012; 7: e33794. 2012/03/21.

15.

Green

Armstrong

Lesseur

, et al. The role of placental 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and type 2 methylation on gene expression and infant birth weight. Biol Reprod 2015; 92: 149. 2015/03/20.

16.

Trickett

Noll

Susman

, et al. Attenuation of cortisol across development for victims of sexual abuse. Dev Psychopathol 2010; 22: 165–175. 2010/01/28.

17.

Austin

Leader

. Maternal stress and obstetric and infant outcomes: epidemiological findings and neuroendocrine mechanisms. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2000; 40: 331–337. 2000/11/07.