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Identification of fetal alcohol-affected children: Alterations in imprinted gene expression and methylation as biomarkers of neurobehavioral and growth impairment.

Award Number: R01AA027916
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

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Abstract Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities, with prevalence estimates of 3-10/1000 individuals in the US and up to 80/1000 in endemic communities. The promise of an increasing number of interventions tailored to prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-related neurobehavioral deficits is limited by diagnostic difficulties in clinical practice. Currently known biomarkers of exposure are neither sensitive nor specific for neurobehavioral deficits, in part because not all exposed children are affected. There is, therefore, a critical need for biomarkers of effect to identify affected children who would benefit from early, tailored therapeutic interventions. A growing body of literature has demonstrated alcohol-induced alterations in epigenetic programming as an important potential mechanism in FASD, suggesting that such alterations may serve as biomarkers of effect. Imprinted genes comprise a unique subset of epigenetically regulated genes that is sensitive to prenatal insults. There is considerable overlap between the neurobehavioral domains affected by FASD and those seen in experimental animal models of imprinted gene dysregulation, including learning, memory, and attachment. In a prenatally- recruited, prospective longitudinal cohort, we recently found that PAE was associated with alterations in placental level of expression of 11 of 93 expressed imprinted genes. Expression changes for five of these genes statistically mediated effects of alcohol on postnatal growth, identifying these alterations as biomarkers of fetal alcohol growth restriction. Given the remarkable overlap between the neurobehavioral domains affected in FASD and those affected by alteration of imprinted gene expression in animal models, alcohol-induced alterations in placental imprinted gene expression may also provide biomarkers for FASD neurocognitive deficits. Although most epigenetic marks are specific to tissue-type and timing of exposure, genomic imprinting maps and our pilot data indicate that markers of imprinted gene dysregulation identified in placental tissue may be detected in blood samples obtained at older ages. The aims of this study are: (1) To characterize the fetal alcohol-related imprintome signature in the placenta and in blood samples obtained at 6 yr; (2) To identify alterations in imprinted gene level of expression and ICR methylation that can serve as biomarkers of effect; (3) To validate findings in Aims 1 and 2 in blood samples from a 2nd, independent cohort. The data for this study will come from two prospective longitudinal cohorts recruited from the Cape Coloured community in Cape Town, South Africa, where the prevalence of FASD is among the highest in the world. Results from this study will make it possible to identify affected children who would benefit from early therapeutic interventions but would likely not be detected by current diagnostic tools.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $634,192 )
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	001	4	7/15/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$59,843
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	000	4	7/12/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$574,349
														Subtotal = $634,192

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $644,077 )
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	001	3	9/3/2021	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$60,020
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	000	3	7/1/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$584,057
														Subtotal = $644,077

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $632,755 )
2020	2020	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	001	2	7/7/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$632,755
2020	2019	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	000	1	1/22/2020	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $632,755

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $597,565 )
2019	2019	TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	000	1	9/23/2019	NEW	$597,565
														Subtotal = $597,565

Grand Total All Awards = $2,508,589

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Identification of fetal alcohol-affected children: Alterations in imprinted gene expression and methylation as biomarkers of neurobehavioral and growth impairment.

Award Number: R01AA027916

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

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