Maternal Prenatal Mental Health and Placental 11β-HSD2 Gene Expression: Initial Findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Sunaina Seth¹  Andrew James Lewis¹  Richard Saffery²  Martha Lappas³  Megan Galbally⁴ 

[1] School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia;Cancer and Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia;;Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, AustraliaDepartment of Perinatal Mental Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, Australia;

关键词: 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2;    placenta 11β-HSD2;    HSD11B2;    prenatal depression;    prenatal anxiety;    cortisol;    fetal programming;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms161126034

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

High intrauterine cortisol exposure can inhibit fetal growth and have programming effects for the child’s subsequent stress reactivity. Placental 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD2) limits the amount of maternal cortisol transferred to the fetus. However, the relationship between maternal psychopathology and 11β-HSD2 remains poorly defined. This study examined the effect of maternal depressive disorder, antidepressant use and symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnancy on placental 11β-HSD2 gene (HSD11B2) expression. Drawing on data from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, placental HSD11B2 expression was compared among 33 pregnant women, who were selected based on membership of three groups; depressed (untreated), taking antidepressants and controls. Furthermore, associations between placental HSD11B2 and scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during 12–18 and 28–34 weeks gestation were examined. Findings revealed negative correlations between HSD11B2 and both the EPDS and STAI (r = −0.11 to −0.28), with associations being particularly prominent during late gestation. Depressed and antidepressant exposed groups also displayed markedly lower placental HSD11B2 expression levels than controls. These findings suggest that maternal depression and anxiety may impact on fetal programming by down-regulating HSD11B2, and antidepressant treatment alone is unlikely to protect against this effect.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.