Molecular Networks in Atopic Mothers Impact the Atopy Risk of Infants

The prevalence of atopic diseases has increased with atopic dermatitis (AD) as the earliest manifestation. We assessed if molecular risk factors in atopic mothers influence their offsprings’ susceptibility to an atopic disease. Pairs of pregnant women and their infants with or without parental atopy were followed over the first 2 years of life. Global DNA methylation and differentially methylated regions (DMR) were determined in atopic and non-atopic mothers. During the first 2 years of life, AD was more prevalent in children of atopic compared to non-atopic mothers with an increase in food sensitization in children with AD. 165 DMRs distinguished atopic from non-atopic mothers. Maternal atopy combined with DMRs increased the offsprings’ predicted risk to develop AD from an odds ratio of 2.56 to 4.26. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles were determined using DNA extracted at ≥ 34 weeks gestational age from whole blood of 92 randomly selected mothers of infants with maternal or biparental history of atopy and 82 mothers of infants without parental history of atopy.