Effects of IGF-I gene methylation abnormality on preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction for development

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16309
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: IKEDA naho 順天堂大学, 医学部, 非常勤助教 (20773881)
• Research Collaborator: AWATA kentaro ; OHKAWA natsuki ; SHOJI hiromichi ; KANTAKE masato ; SHIMIZU toshiaki
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: IGF-I / 子宮内発育不全 / メチル化 / 早産児

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction are at an increased risk of developing neurological disorders and cognitive delays in childhood as well as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. Recent studies have demonstrated that prenatal intrauterine environment and stress cause epigenetic changes including the DNA methylation abnormality. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between IGF-I gene methylation abnormality on preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction and development. The methods were to calculate methylation levels of the P2 promoter domain on the IGF-I gene from blood of preterm infants at birth. IGF-I gene methylation levels of the intrauterine growth restriction infants were significantly lower than controls. We will need to perform further examination in future.

Free Research Field

小児科学、新生児学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の結果から子宮内発育不全とIGF-Iのメチル化率の関連が示唆された。今後更なる検討を続け、IUGRを伴う早産児におけるIGF-I関連遺伝子のメチル化率と成長、発達予後との関連を証明することができれば、ハイリスク児に対する早期介入による予後改善が期待ができるため、学術的意義は高い。
さらに、次の研究段階として、子宮内発育不全の発生時期と分娩までの期間によりIGF-I関連遺伝子のメチル化率が異なり、神経発達予後に影響することを証明できれば、IUGRに対する適切な娩出時期の設定に関する重要な基礎データとなる。