Identification of a DNA methylation signature in whole blood of newborn guinea pigs and human neonates following antenatal betamethasone exposure

We investigated the effect of antenatal corticosteroid exposure (ACS) on the DNA methylation patterns in the whole blood of female guinea pig offspring. Guinea pig dams were treated with saline or betamethasone on gestational days 50/51. Whole blood was collected from newborn offspring (post-natal day 1) and dried on blood spot cards. Methylation assessment using genomic DNA was performed with reduced representation bisulfite sequencing techniques. Differential DNA methylation in the whole blood (dried blood spots) of newborn female guinea pig offspring was assessed to compare profiles between Betamethasone and saline control exposures. n=7 per treatment condition, total of 14.