Sexually dimorphic methylation of CD3+ T-lymphocyte DNA in offspring of overweight and obese mothers in a high risk, minority population in the Bronx

Maternal obesity impacts the health of offspring, increasing the risk of developing obesity and/or other metabolic dysregulation in childhood or later in life. Using a genome-wide methylation assay, we identified sex-dependent dysregulation of the methylome of CD3+ T-lymphocytes, a cell type that plays an important role in obesity and inflammatory diseases, in newborn offspring of overweight and obese mothers. Furthermore, the differentially methylated loci were targeted to regulatory regions of the genome, in imprinted genes and genes identified from GWAS as being related to type 2 diabetes and obesity. DNA methylation was assessed globally at specific CpG sites in CD3+ T cell from 76 consenting women who delivered healthy, non-anomalous singleton AGA term neonates following an uncomplicated intrapartum course at the Weiler Division of Montefiore Medical Center.