Cited by 7Birth, Development, and HealthEpigenetics and DNA MethylationGestational Diabetes Research and Management

Epigenetics of the Non-Coding RNA Nc886 across Blood, Adipose Tissue and Skeletal Muscle in Offspring Exposed to Diabetes in Pregnancy

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Hjort, Line, Bredgaard, Sandra Stokholm, Manitta, Eleonora, Marques, Irene, Sørensen, Anja Elaine, Martino, David, Grunnet, Louise Groth, Kelstrup, Louise +9 more·2024·Clinical Epigenetics

Abstract

Background: Diabetes in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of long-term metabolic disease in the offspring, potentially mediated by in utero epigenetic variation. Previously, we identified multiple differentially methylated single CpG sites in offspring of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but whether stretches of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) can also be identified in adolescent GDM offspring is unknown. Here, we investigate which DNA regions in adolescent offspring are differentially methylated in blood by exposure to diabetes in pregnancy. The secondary aim was to characterize the RNA expression of the identified DMR, which contained the nc886 non-coding RNA. Methods: To identify DMRs, we employed the bump hunter method in samples from young (9–16 yr, n = 92) offspring of women with GDM (O-GDM) and control offspring (n = 94). Validation by pyrosequencing was performed in an adult offspring cohort (age 28–33 years) consisting of O-GDM (n = 82), offspring exposed to maternal type 1 diabetes (O-T1D, n = 67) and control offspring (O-BP, n = 57). RNA-expression was measured using RT-qPCR in subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Results: One significant DMR represented by 10 CpGs with a bimodal methylation pattern was identified, located in the nc886/VTRNA2-1 non-coding RNA gene. Low methylation status across all CpGs of the nc886 in the young offspring was associated with maternal GDM. While low methylation degree in adult offspring in blood, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle was not associated with maternal GDM, adipose tissue nc886 expression was increased in O-GDM compared to O-BP, but not in O-T1D. In addition, adipose tissue nc886 expression levels were positively associated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (p = 0.006), but not with the offspring’s own adiposity. Conclusions: Our results highlight that nc886 is a metastable epiallele, whose methylation in young offspring is negatively correlated with maternal obesity and GDM status. The physiological effect of nc886 may be more important in adipose tissue than in skeletal muscle. Further research should aim to investigate how nc886 regulation in adipose tissue by exposure to GDM may contribute to development of metabolic disease.

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  • Adults and children exposed to GDM displayed hypomethylation of the nc886 DMR compared with controls.

    “Adults and children exposed to GDM displayed hypomethylation of the nc886 DMR compared with controls”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [165]

    The Discussion reports nc886 DMR hypomethylation in young offspring exposed to GDM compared with controls, but says this pattern was not replicated in the adult offspring cohort. Table 2 likewise shows no significant difference in methylation-group frequencies among adult offspring (p = 0.42). The claim is supported for children, not adults. (LLM, conf=0.92)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Collectively, maternal obesity and GDM may induce long-lasting epigenetic changes at the nc886 locus, potentially altering gene regulation across multiple tissues and contributing to the intergenerational transmission of metabolic risk.

    “Collectively, these findings indicate that maternal obesity and GDM may induce long-lasting epigenetic changes at the nc886 locus, potentially altering gene regulation across multiple tissues and contributing to the intergenerational transmission of metabolic risk [165].”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [165]

    The Discussion (page not provided) reports nc886 hypomethylation in young offspring exposed to maternal GDM and obesity, and the Conclusions propose a possible role for adipose-tissue nc886 regulation in metabolic programming. But the Discussion says the methylation difference was not replicated in older offspring; the paper does not establish lasting exposure-related changes or altered gene regulation across multiple tissues. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Results of studies investigating whether lifestyle and dietary interventions during gestation could mitigate adverse metabolic outcomes in offspring remain largely inconclusive.

    “However, the results remain largely inconclusive [165].”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [165]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says previous studies found lifestyle changes during pregnancy “not very effective,” which supports uncertainty about the benefit of gestational interventions. It does not establish that studies of lifestyle and dietary interventions found largely inconclusive results specifically for offspring metabolic outcomes; its examples chiefly concern maternal weight, fertility, and birth outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Hjort et al. (2024) identified a significant DMR encompassing the non-coding RNA nc886 (VTRNA2-1) locus in blood from children exposed to GDM compared with controls.

    “identified a significant DMR encompassing the non-coding RNA nc886 (VTRNA2-1) locus”
  • The nc886 (VTRNA2-1) locus is known to undergo maternal imprinting in approximately 75% of offspring and is considered a metastable epiallele sensitive to periconceptional environmental conditions.

    “a region known to undergo maternal imprinting in approximately 75% of offspring and considered a metastable epiallele sensitive to periconceptional environmental conditions [165].”

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Authors
Hjort, L., Bredgaard, S. S., Manitta, E., Marques, I., Sørensen, A. E., Martino, D., Grunnet, L. G., Kelstrup, L., Houshmand-Oeregaard, A., Clausen, T. D., Mathiesen, E. R., Olsen, S. F., Saffery, R., Barrès, R., Damm, P., Vaag, A. A., & Dalgaard, L. T.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Roskilde University (DK)
  • Rigshospitalet (DK)
  • The Kids Research Institute Australia (AU)
  • Herlev Hospital (DK)
  • Statens Serum Institut (DK)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • Lund University (SE)
Corresponding author
  • Hjort, Line
  • Dalgaard, Louise Torp
Venue
Clinical Epigenetics
Published
2024-05-07
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
61-61
ISSN
  • 1868-7075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1868-7083
OpenAlex
W4396708228
Cited by
6
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1
FWCI
4.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical Epigenetics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
  • RUCforsk (Roskilde University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Fhv. Dir. Leo Nielsen og Hustru Karen Margrethe Nielsens Legat for Lægevidenskabelig Grundforskning
  • Civilingeniør Frode V. Nyegaard og Hustru’s Fond
  • A.P. Møller Fonden
  • Lægeforeningens Forskningfond
  • Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF17SA0031406)
  • The Danish Diabetes Association
  • Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (NNF18CC0034900)
  • The Innovation Fund Denmark (09-067124)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gestational Diabetes Research and Management
Keywords
gestational diabetes mellitus, non-coding RNA, DNA methylation, differentially methylated regions, epigenetics, offspring of diabetic mothers, maternal type 1 diabetes, maternal obesity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, blood, epialleles, metabolic disease risk, adolescent offspring, RNA expression
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Female, Humans, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Diabetes, Gestational, Muscle, Skeletal, CpG Islands, DNA Methylation, RNA, Untranslated, Epigenesis, Genetic, RNA, Long Noncoding

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