US EPA

4633706 

Journal Article 

Review 

The impact of prenatal insults on the human placental epigenome: A systematic review 

Palma-Gudiel, H; Cirera, F; Crispi, F; Eixarch, E; Fañanás, L 

2018 

1 

Neurotoxicology and Teratology
ISSN: 0892-0362
EISSN: 1872-9738 

66 

80-93 

English 

29307795 

10.1016/j.ntt.2018.01.001 

WOS:000428827800009 

The placenta is the first human organ to reach full development during pregnancy. It serves as a barrier but also as an interchange surface. Epigenetic changes observed in placental tissue may reflect intrauterine insults while also pointing to physiological pathways altered under exposure to such environmental threats. By means of a systematic search of the literature, 39 papers assessing human placental epigenetic signatures in association with either (i) psychosocial stress, (ii) maternal psychopathology, (iii) maternal smoking during pregnancy, and (iv) exposure to environmental pollutants, were identified. Their findings revealed placental tissue as a unique source of epigenetic variability that does not correlate with epigenetic patterns observed in maternal or newborn blood, tissues which are typically analyzed regarding prenatal stress. Studies regarding prenatal stress and psychopathology during pregnancy were scarce and exploratory in nature revealing inconsistent findings. Of note, there was a marked tendency towards placental hypomethylation in studies assessing either tobacco use during pregnancy or exposure to environmental pollutants suggesting the interaction between contaminant-derived metabolites and epigenetic machinery. This review highlights the need for further prospective longitudinal studies assessing long-term health effects of placental epigenetic signatures derived from exposure to several prenatal stressors.