Placental Gene Expression Associated With Early Childhood Growth Trajectories and Obesity Risk
Authors' conclusion
This study identified placental gene expression associated with early childhood growth outcomes. These findings suggest the potential important role of placental immune system genes in the development of childhood obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Children from the CANDLE (Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood) study with placental samples at delivery
- Participants
- 794 children
- Outcome
- BMI trajectories from birth to 4 years (rising-high-, moderate-, low-BMI) and overweight/obesity at 4 years
- Follow-up
- 4 years
Methodological detailsplacental RNA sequencing, Mendelian randomization
- Placental RNA sequencing
- Mendelian randomization
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Placental DEGs associated with childhood outcomes
Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with BMI trajectories (false discovery rates (FDR) < 0.05)
22
DEGs associated with overweight/obesity (FDR < 0.05)
23
Biological pathways identified, primarily related to the immune system
26
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis of DEGs (FDR < 0.05)
- DEGs possibly causally associated with BMI trajectories (SSX2B)
- 1
- DEGs possibly causally associated with overweight/obesity (e.g., HSPA1A, DNAJB1)
- 8
Original publication
Placental Gene Expression Associated With Early Childhood Growth Trajectories and Obesity Risk. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 25 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →