PROBLEM Epigenetic age indices are markers of biological aging determined from DNA methylation patterns. Accelerated epigenetic age predicts morbidity and mortality. Women tend to demonstrate slower blood epigenetic aging compared to men, possibly due to female-specific hormones and reproductive milestones. Pregnancy and the post-partum period are critical reproductive periods that have not been studied yet with respect to epigenetic aging. The purpose of this paper was to examine whether pregnancy itself and an important pregnancy-related variable, changes in body mass index (BMI) between pregnancy and the post-partum period, are associated with epigenetic aging. METHOD OF STUDY A pilot sample of 35 women was recruited as part of the Healthy Babies Before Birth (HB3) project. Whole blood samples were collected at mid-pregnancy and 1 year post-partum. DNA methylation at both time points was assayed using Infinium 450K and EPIC chips. Epigenetic age indices were calculated using an online calculator. RESULTS Paired-sample t-tests were used to test differences in epigenetic age indices from pregnancy to 1 year after birth. Over this critical time span, women became younger with respect to phenotypic epigenetic age, GrimAge, DNAm PAI-1, and epigenetic age indices linked to aging-related shifts in immune cell populations, known as extrinsic epigenetic age. Post-partum BMI retention, but not prenatal BMI increases, predicted accelerated epigenetic aging. CONCLUSION Women appear to become younger from pregnancy to the post-partum period based on specific epigenetic age indices. Further, BMI at 1 year after birth that reflects weight retention predicted greater epigenetic aging during this period.

中文翻译：

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怀孕期间和出生后 1 年的免疫表观遗传年龄：与体重变化的关联。

问题 表观遗传年龄指数是根据 DNA 甲基化模式确定的生物衰老标记。加速表观遗传年龄预测发病率和死亡率。与男性相比，女性往往表现出更慢的血液表观遗传衰老，这可能是由于女性特定的荷尔蒙和生殖里程碑。怀孕和产后期是关键的生殖期，尚未就表观遗传老化进行研究。本文的目的是检查妊娠本身和一个重要的妊娠相关变量，即妊娠期和产后体重指数 (BMI) 的变化，是否与表观遗传衰老有关。研究方法 作为出生前健康婴儿 (HB3) 项目的一部分，招募了 35 名女性作为试点样本。在妊娠中期和产后 1 年收集全血样本。使用 Infinium 450K 和 EPIC 芯片检测两个时间点的 DNA 甲基化。使用在线计算器计算表观遗传年龄指数。结果 使用配对样本 t 检验来检验从怀孕到出生后 1 年的表观遗传年龄指数的差异。在这个关键的时间跨度内，女性在表型表观遗传年龄、GrimAge、DNAm PAI-1 和与免疫细胞群衰老相关变化相关的表观遗传年龄指数（称为外在表观遗传年龄）方面变得更年轻。产后 BMI 保留，而不是产前 BMI 增加，预示着加速的表观遗传老化。结论 根据特定的表观遗传年龄指数，女性从怀孕到产后似乎变得更年轻。更远，