GPR61 methylation in cord blood: a potential target of prenatal exposure to air pollutants.

To explore the impact of air pollutants exposure during pregnancy on infant DNA methylation, we identified correlated methylated genes in maternal and cord blood samples using the Illumina Human Methylation 27 k BeadChip. Quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMS-PCR) was performed to validate the target gene methylation pattern in 568 participants. Then the association between air pollutants exposure and DNA methylation level in the target gene was investigated. The GPR61 gene with a higher methylation level both in mothers and newborns was identified as the target gene, and we found a positive mother-infant DNA methylation correlation in the promoter region of GPR61. Air pollutants exposure during entire pregnancy was associated with maternal and infant GPR61 DNA methylation. After adjusting confounding variables, maternal air pollutants exposure was still associated with infant GPR61 DNA methylation. In summary, GPR61 methylation in cord blood may be a potential target of prenatal exposure to air pollutants.