Exploring the Contribution of Proximal Family Risk Factors on SLC6A4 DNA Methylation in Children with a History of Maltreatment: A Preliminary Study

Francesco Craig,Roberto Giorda,Rosario Montirosso,Maria Grazia Felline,Flaviana Tenuta,Angela Costabile,Marco Villa,Maria Grazia Bacco,Antonio Trabacca,Annalisa Castagna,Eleonora Mascheroni

doi:10.3390/ijerph182312736

Abstract

The cumulative effects of proximal family risk factors have been associated with a high number of adverse outcomes in childhood maltreatment, and DNA methylation of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been associated with child maltreatment. However, the relationships between proximal family risk factors and SLC6A4 methylation remains unexplored. We examined the association among cumulative family risk factors, maltreatment experiences and DNA methylation in the SLC6A4 gene in a sample of 33 child victims of maltreatment. We computed a cumulative family risk (CFR) index that included proximal family risk factors, such as drug or alcohol abuse, psychopathology, parents’ experiences of maltreatment/abuse in childhood, criminal history, and domestic violence. The majority of children (90.9%) experienced more than one type of maltreatment. Hierarchical regression models suggested that the higher the CFR index score and the number of maltreatment experiences, and the older the children, the higher the SLC6A4 DNA methylation levels. Although preliminary, our findings suggest that, along with childhood maltreatment experiences per se, cumulative proximal family risk factors are seemingly critically associated with DNA methylation at the SLC6A4 gene.

Highlights

Childhood maltreatment includes any form of physical and/or emotional or sexual abuse, deprivation, and neglect of children, or commercial or other exploitation resulting in harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity [1]
A set of correlational analyses was performed to investigate whether: (1) a greater cumulative risk exposure to proximal family risk factors (CFR) is associated with a greater number of children’s maltreatment experiences (NMRs); (2) children’s DNA methylation level at each CpG site in the promoter region of SLC6A4 is significantly associated with both cumulative family risk (CFR) index and NMRs
The current work aimed to investigate the relationships between proximal family risk factors, child maltreatment experiences, and epigenetic patterns in child victims of maltreatment

Summary

Introduction

Childhood maltreatment includes any form of physical and/or emotional or sexual abuse, deprivation, and neglect of children, or commercial or other exploitation resulting in harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity [1]. It is a global phenomenon that affects the lives of millions of children. It is estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2–17 years encounter physical, sexual, or emotional violence or neglect [2]. In Italy, a national survey on child maltreatment reported that 77,000 children are victims of maltreatment, namely 9 children per 1000 residents [3]. Children who experience maltreatment often show emotional, behavioral, physical, and mental health problems [4,5,6,7].

Results

Discussion

Conclusion