IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i10p3569-d360388.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Reveals Duration of Breastfeeding Is Associated with Epigenetic Differences in Children

Author

Listed:
  • William B. Sherwood

    (Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    Contributed equally and share first authorship.)

  • Dilini M. Kothalawala

    (Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    Contributed equally and share first authorship.)

  • Latha Kadalayil

    (Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK)

  • Susan Ewart

    (College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Hongmei Zhang

    (Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, 236A Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA)

  • Wilfried Karmaus

    (Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, 236A Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA)

  • S. Hasan Arshad

    (NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight PO30 5TG UK)

  • John W. Holloway

    (Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    Co-senior author.)

  • Faisal I. Rezwan

    (Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
    School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK
    Co-senior author.)

Abstract

Several small studies have shown associations between breastfeeding and genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm). We performed a comprehensive Epigenome-Wide Association Study (EWAS) to identify associations between breastfeeding and DNAm patterns in childhood. We analysed DNAm data from the Isle of Wight Birth Cohort at birth, 10, 18 and 26 years. The feeding method was categorized as breastfeeding duration >3 months and >6 months, and exclusive breastfeeding duration >3 months. EWASs using robust linear regression were performed to identify differentially methylated positions (DMPs) in breastfed and non-breastfed children at age 10 (false discovery rate of 5%). Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified using comb-p. The persistence of significant associations was evaluated in neonates and individuals at 18 and 26 years. Two DMPs, in genes SNX25 and LINC00840 , were significantly associated with breastfeeding duration >6 months at 10 years and was replicated for >3 months of exclusive breastfeeding. Additionally, a significant DMR spanning the gene FDFT1 was identified in 10-year-old children who were exposed to a breastfeeding duration >3 months. None of these signals persisted to 18 or 26 years. This study lends further support for a suggestive role of DNAm in the known benefits of breastfeeding on a child’s future health.

Suggested Citation

  • William B. Sherwood & Dilini M. Kothalawala & Latha Kadalayil & Susan Ewart & Hongmei Zhang & Wilfried Karmaus & S. Hasan Arshad & John W. Holloway & Faisal I. Rezwan, 2020. "Epigenome-Wide Association Study Reveals Duration of Breastfeeding Is Associated with Epigenetic Differences in Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3569-:d:360388
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/10/3569/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/10/3569/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3569-:d:360388. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.