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- Title
Prenatal Maternal Occupation and Child Epigenetic Age Acceleration in an Agricultural Region: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program.
- Authors
Daredia, Saher; Bozack, Anne K.; Riddell, Corinne A.; Gunier, Robert; Harley, Kim G.; Bradman, Asa; Eskenazi, Brenda; Holland, Nina; Deardorff, Julianna; Cardenas, Andres
- Abstract
Key Points: Question: Is prenatal maternal occupation associated with child epigenetic aging in a farmworker population? Findings: In this cohort study of 290 mother-child pairs, children whose mothers engaged in agricultural fieldwork during pregnancy had greater epigenetic age acceleration as measured by several DNA methylation–based biomarkers compared with those whose mothers did not work during pregnancy. These associations were independent of sociodemographic characteristics and prenatal pesticide exposure. Meaning: These findings suggest that children of agricultural fieldworkers, a vastly understudied population, may experience increased rates of biological aging early in life and greater risk of age-related diseases later in life due to prenatal stressors. This cohort study of mother-infant pairs examines the association between prenatal maternal occupation and epigenetic aging among children in a Latino agricultural community in California. Importance: Research on fetal epigenetic programming suggests that the intrauterine environment can have long-term effects on offspring disease susceptibility. Objective: To examine the association between prenatal maternal occupation and child epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) among a farmworker community. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included participants in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas, a prospective, Latino, prebirth cohort. Pregnant women were recruited from October 1, 1999, to October 1, 2000, from 6 community clinics in California's Salinas Valley agricultural region. Participants were 18 years or older, English or Spanish speaking, Medicaid eligible, and at 20 weeks' gestation or earlier at enrollment. Mother-child pairs who had blood DNA methylation measured at the ages of 7, 9, and 14 years were included. Data were analyzed from July 2021 to November 2023. Exposures: Prenatal maternal occupation was ascertained through study interviews conducted during prenatal visits and shortly after delivery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Child EAA at 7, 9, and 14 years of age was estimated using DNA methylation–based epigenetic age biomarkers. Three EAA measures were calculated: the Horvath EAA, skin and blood EAA, and intrinsic EAA. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate longitudinal associations of prenatal maternal occupation and child EAA, adjusting for confounders and prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure. Results: Analyses included 290 mother-child pairs (mean [SD] maternal age at delivery, 26.5 [5.2] years; 152 [52.4%] female infants); 254 mothers (87.6%) were born in Mexico, 33 (11.4%) in the US, and 3 (1.0%) in other countries; and 179 families (61.7%) were below the federal poverty line during pregnancy. Mothers reported engaging in several types of work during pregnancy, including agricultural fieldwork (90 [31.0%]), other agricultural work (40 [13.8%]), nonagricultural work (53 [18.3%]), or no work (107 [36.9%]). Children whose mothers worked in agricultural fields during pregnancy had a mean of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.17-1.15) years of greater Horvath EAA, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.31-0.94) years of greater skin and blood EAA, and 0.45 (95% CI, 0.07-0.83) years of greater intrinsic EAA compared with children whose mothers did not work during pregnancy. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, prenatal maternal agricultural fieldwork was associated with accelerated childhood epigenetic aging independent of organophosphate pesticide exposure. Future research on which factors related to agricultural fieldwork accelerate aging in the next generation can inform targeted prevention programs and policies that protect children's health.
- Subjects
CALIFORNIA; MEXICAN Americans; RISK assessment; COMMUNITY health services; OCCUPATIONS; MATERNAL exposure; PRENATAL exposure delayed effects; RESEARCH funding; BLOOD testing; EPIGENOMICS; INTERVIEWING; GENETIC markers; COMMUNITIES; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; PRENATAL care; LONGITUDINAL method; DNA methylation; PESTICIDES; AGING; OCCUPATIONAL exposure; ORGANOPHOSPHORUS compounds; AGRICULTURAL laborers; COMPARATIVE studies; DATA analysis software; CONFIDENCE intervals; AGRICULTURE; REGRESSION analysis; CHILDREN; PREGNANCY
- Publication
JAMA Network Open, 2024, Vol 7, Issue 7, pe2421824
- ISSN
2574-3805
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21824