Maternal adversities during pregnancy and cord blood oxytocin receptor (OXTR) DNA methylation
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The aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal adversities and cortisol levels during pregnancy predict cord blood DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR). We collected cord blood of 39 babies born to mothers participating in a cross-sectional study (N = 100) conducted in Basel, Switzerland (2007-10). Mothers completed the Inventory of Life Events (second trimester: T2), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS, third trimester: T3), the Trier Inventory of Chronic Stress (TICS-K, 1-3 weeks postpartum) and provided saliva samples (T2, T3) for maternal cortisol profiles, as computed by the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) or increase (AUCi) for the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and for diurnal cortisol profiles (DAY). OXTR DNA methylation was quantified using Sequenom EpiTYPER. The number of stressful life events (P = 0.032), EPDS score (P = 0.007) and cortisol AUCgs at T2 (CAR: P = 0.020; DAY: P = 0.024) were negatively associated with OXTR DNA methylation. Our findings suggest that distinct prenatal adversities predict decreased DNA methylation in a gene that is relevant for childbirth, maternal behavior and wellbeing of mother and offspring. If a reduced OXTR methylation increases OXTR expression, our findings could suggest an epigenetic adaptation to an adverse early environment.
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Prenatal adversity might trigger an epigenetic adaption in OXTR via increased expression, a gene with known relevance for childbirth and mother-child bonding.
“This suggests that prenatal adversity might trigger an epigenetic adaption in a gene with known relevance for childbirth and mother-child bonding via increased expression of OXTR (Unternaehrer et al., 2016).”
From The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention (2020) · cites this paper as Unternaehrer et al., 2016
The Discussion (p. 7) proposes that reduced OXTR methylation following maternal adversity might be an adaptive response, and discusses oxytocin signaling in parturition and mother–child bonding. But it treats increased OXTR expression as conditional—‘If reduced levels in OXTR methylation relate to increased expression levels’—rather than an established mechanism. The Conclusion (p. 8) reports increased OXTR accessibility, not measured expression. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOXTR methylation is decreased in association with increased stressful life events.
“↓ OXTR methylation associated with increased stressful life events”
From The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention (2020) · cites this paper as Unternaehrer et al., 2016
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Epigenetic Effects of Prenatal Stress
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- Authors
- Unternaehrer, E., Bolten, M., Nast, I., Staehli, S., Meyer, A. H., Dempster, E., Hellhammer, D. H., Lieb, R., & Meinlschmidt, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Basel, Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel (CH)
- Universität Trier (DE)
- University of Exeter (GB)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2016-04-22
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1460-1470
- ISSN
- 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
- 1749-5024
- PMC
- PMC5015800
- OpenAlex
- W2338600154
- Cited by
- 75
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 9.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- edoc (University of Basel) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- reroDoc Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- KOPS (University of Konstanz) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- ZHAW Digital Collection
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Universität Basel (51A240-104890)
- King's College London
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (104890, 151913, 135328)
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Keywords
- oxytocin receptor, DNA methylation, umbilical cord blood, maternal adversity, prenatal stress, cortisol, cortisol awakening response, diurnal cortisol, postpartum depression, life events, epigenetic adaptation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Fetal Blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infant, Newborn, Life Change Events, Maternal Behavior, Oxytocin, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, Third, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Stress, Psychological, Receptors, Oxytocin, DNA Methylation
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