Prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide DNA methylation in human placenta

Background: In utero exposure to xenostrogens may modify the epigenome. We explored the association of prenatal exposure to mixtures of xenoestrogens and genome-wide placental DNA methylation. Materials & methods: Sex-specific associations between methylation changes in placental DNA by doubling the concentration of TEXB-alpha exposure were evaluated by robust multiple linear regression. Two CpG sites were selected for validation and replication in additional male born placentas. Results: No significant associations were found, although the top significant CpGs in boys were located in the LRPAP1, HAGH, PPARGC1B, KCNQ1 and KCNQ1DN genes, previously associated to birth weight, Type 2 diabetes, obesity or steroid hormone signaling. Neither technical validation nor biological replication of the results was found in boys for LRPAP and PPARGC1B. Conclusion: Some suggestive genes were differentially methylated in boys in relation to prenatal xenoestrogen exposure, but our initial findings could not be validated or replicated.