An Integrated Omics Approach to Neighborhood Disadvantage and Preterm Birth in Black Women
Project Number5K23MD019315-02
Contact PI/Project LeaderNOWAK, ALEXANDRA
Awardee OrganizationLOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
Description
Abstract Text
Non-Hispanic Black women have a 1.5 times greater risk to have a preterm birth (PTB) than non-Hispanic
White women. This inequity in PTB is not fully explained by low socioeconomic status or poor physical health.
Black pregnant women more often live in disadvantaged neighborhoods with higher disorder and crime than
White women. Women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods experience higher levels of psychological stress.
Yet, the biological pathways by which neighborhood disadvantage and psychological stress increase PTB
remain unclear. Glucocorticoids (GCs) mediate the stress response, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis controls GC secretion. Chronic stress exposures can dysregulate the HPA axis and alter GC levels.
Pregnancy maintenance and parturition depend upon a delicate pro- and anti-inflammatory balance. GCs exert
potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. In contrast, macrophage migration inhibitory factor
(MIF), which is also released in response to stress, exhibits pro-inflammatory effects that override GC’s
suppression of inflammation. Neighborhood disadvantage and low SES are associated with greater
inflammation and differential DNA methylation (DNAm) of inflammatory genes. Epigenome-wide and candidate
gene studies reported relationships among maternal stressors, differential DNAm, and PTB. The combined
effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near DNAm sites may modify gene expression, potentially
increasing PTB risk; but this possibility is unexplored. Integrated omic approaches may clarify mechanistic
pathways to PTB by exploring integrated omic data sets. The goal of this study is to examine the relationships
among perceived (disorder, crime) and objective (census data) neighborhood disadvantage, psychological
stress, integrated SNP and DNAm data, and PTB in Black women (90 PTB, 90 term births). We will leverage
data from two related R01 studies (R01MD018293, MPI Giurgescu & Ohm; R01MD011575; PI Giurgescu). We
will use sociodemographic, neighborhood, psychological stress, DNAm data, and DNA blood samples from the
R01 studies. We will add objective crime data, screen for SNP variants, and combine SNP and DNAm data in
an integrated analysis. We aim to: Aim 1. Identify PTB-associated SNPs in MIF-mediated GC regulation
pathway genes between women with PTB and term births; Aim 2. (a) Identify differential DNAm of genes
within the MIF-mediated GC regulation pathway in women with PTB compared to women with term births, and
(b) Determine the extent to which differential DNAm of genes within the MIF-mediated GC regulation pathway
associate with neighborhood disadvantage, psychological stress, and gestational age at birth; and Aim 3.
Explore the extent to which DNAm (Aim 2a) in the presence of SNPs ( Aim 1) mediates the association of
neighborhood disadvantage and psychological stress with PTB. This study is the first step toward using
integrated omics datasets to identify the biologic-environmental phenotypes that increase risk for PTB. The
award will provide the training required for an independent career focused on birth equity for Black women.
Public Health Relevance Statement
Project Narrative
Preterm birth is a major risk for neonatal mortality and long-term child health problems, including motor and
mental developmental delays and chronic illness. Knowledge of the stressful contexts in which Black women
live and the biolocal pathways through which stress affects preterm birth, will increase our understanding of
why some women have poor pregnancy outcomes. These findings will generate new perspectives for future
research, inform new lines of inquiry regarding the pathways will contribute to the development of culturally
appropriate interventions to reduce racial disparities in preterm birth and ultimately improve birth outcomes.
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
CFDA Code
307
DUNS Number
791277940
UEI
RFRPFMNR8LA5
Project Start Date
01-June-2024
Project End Date
31-December-2026
Budget Start Date
01-January-2025
Budget End Date
31-December-2025
Project Funding Information for 2025
Total Funding
$141,912
Direct Costs
$131,400
Indirect Costs
$10,512
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
2025
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
$141,912
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
Sub Projects
No Sub Projects information available for 5K23MD019315-02
Publications
Publications are associated with projects, but cannot be identified with any particular year of the project or fiscal year of funding. This is due to the continuous and cumulative nature of knowledge generation across the life of a project and the sometimes long and variable publishing timeline. Similarly, for multi-component projects, publications are associated with the parent core project and not with individual sub-projects.
No Publications available for 5K23MD019315-02
Patents
No Patents information available for 5K23MD019315-02
Outcomes
The Project Outcomes shown here are displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Institutes of Health. NIH has not endorsed the content below.
No Outcomes available for 5K23MD019315-02
Clinical Studies
No Clinical Studies information available for 5K23MD019315-02
News and More
Related News Releases
No news release information available for 5K23MD019315-02
History
No Historical information available for 5K23MD019315-02
Similar Projects
No Similar Projects information available for 5K23MD019315-02