Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number Adaptation as a Biological Response Derived from an Earthquake at Intrauterine Stage

Jonatan A. Mendoza-Ortega, Enrique Reyes-Muñoz, Sonia Nava-Salazar, Sandra Rodríguez-Martínez, Sandra B. Parra-Hernández, Lourdes Schnaas, Blanca Vianey Suárez-Rico, Libni A. Torres-Olascoaga, Andrea A. Baccarelli, Rosalind J. Wright, Robert O. Wright, Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez and Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz
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Jonatan A. Mendoza-Ortega: Immunobiochemistry Department, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Lomas de Virreyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Enrique Reyes-Muñoz: Coordination of Gynecological and Perinatal Endocrinology, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ministry of Health, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Sonia Nava-Salazar: Immunobiochemistry Department, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Lomas de Virreyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Sandra Rodríguez-Martínez: Innate Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11350, Mexico
Sandra B. Parra-Hernández: Immunobiochemistry Department, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Lomas de Virreyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Lourdes Schnaas: National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Blanca Vianey Suárez-Rico: Research Branch, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Lomas de Virreyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Libni A. Torres-Olascoaga: National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico
Andrea A. Baccarelli: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10029, USA
Rosalind J. Wright: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
Robert O. Wright: Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez: Research Branch, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Lomas de Virreyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico
Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz: Research Unit in Occupational Health, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico City 06720, Mexico

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-10

Abstract: An altered mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) at birth can be a marker of increased disease susceptibility later in life. Gestational exposure to acute stress, such as that derived from the earthquake experienced on 19 September 2017 in Mexico City, could be associated with changes in mtDNAcn at birth. Our study used data from the OBESO (Biochemical and Epigenetic Origins of Overweight and Obesity) perinatal cohort in Mexico City. We compared the mtDNAcn in the umbilical cord blood of 22 infants born before the earthquake, 24 infants whose mothers were pregnant at the time of the earthquake (exposed), and 37 who were conceived after the earthquake (post-earthquake). We quantified mtDNAcn by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction normalized with a nuclear gene. We used a linear model adjusted by maternal age, body mass index, socioeconomic status, perceived stress, and pregnancy comorbidities. Compared to non-exposed newborns (mean ± SD mtDNAcn: 0.740 ± 0.161), exposed and post-earthquake newborns (mtDNAcn: 0.899 ± 0.156 and 0.995 ± 0.169, respectively) had increased mtDNAcn, p = 0.001. The findings of this study point at mtDNAcn as a potential biological marker of acute stress and suggest that experiencing an earthquake during pregnancy or before gestation can have programing effects in the unborn child. Long-term follow-up of newborns to women who experience stress prenatally, particularly that derived from a natural disaster, is warranted.

Keywords: mtDNAcn; prenatal; DOHAD; earthquake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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