Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2522

Date

2015

Document Type

Thesis (Access Restricted)

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Major

Public Health

Concentration

Epidemiology

Committee Chair

Wilfried JJ Karmaus

Committee Member

Hongmei Zhang

Committee Member

Xinhua Yu

Abstract

This proof of concept study, focusing on the IL1RL1 gene as example, examines whether maternal asthma links grand maternal asthma to wheezing in grandchildren via DNA methylation (DNA-M) of this asthma associated gene. We analyzed a three generational (F0, F1, F2) cohort from the Isle of Wight, UK. DNA-M was determined in peripheral blood from 18 year old F1 women (n = 245) and in umbilical blood from F2 children (n = 129). F0 maternal asthma decreased DNA-M of cg17738684 in F1 daughters (p = 0.025). Lower methylation at this CpG increased the relative risk (RR) of asthma in the F1 (p < 0.001) and was related to lung function. In turn, F1 maternal asthma reduced methylation of cg17738684 in the F2 (p = 0.024), which then elevated the risk of infant wheeze (p < 0.007). F1 anf F2 methylation levels were not correlated. Non-genetic mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of asthma need intauterine exposure to maternal and adaptive DNA-M.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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