# Neighborhood Disorder and Epigenetic Regulation of Stress Pathways in Preterm Birth

> **NIH NIH F31** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $39,720

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
African American women have 1.5 times the rates of preterm birth (PTB) (<37 weeks completed gestation)
compared with non-Hispanic white women. This disproportionately high PTB rate in African Americans is a
persistent health inequity that leads to high child mortality, morbidity, and developmental delays. Neighborhood
disorder (e.g., abandoned buildings) has been related to psychological distress and risk for PTB. Higher levels
of psychological distress and increased risk of PTB have been related to epigenetic modifications, and
specifically to DNA methylation of stress-related glucocorticoid (GC) genes. However, no published study has
examined the relationship between neighborhood disorder, psychological distress, DNA methylation of GC
genes, and PTB in general or within the highest risk group among U.S. women – African Americans. The
purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among neighborhood disorder, psychological distress,
DNA methylation of candidate GC genes, and gestational age at birth in African American women. In this
prospective cohort study, I will analyze data from 100 pregnant African American women among all
participants enrolled in the NIH R01 study Social stressors and inflammation: A mixed methods approach to
preterm birth (7R01MD001575-02, PI Giurgescu, sponsor). The nested subsample will be selected among
those women from the parent study who had a spontaneous birth (preterm or term) to ensure a homogenous
sample for DNA methylation after all data and specimens are collected. Questionnaire data about
neighborhood disorder and psychological distress, maternal blood drawn at 14-16 weeks gestation, and birth
data will be available from the parent study. We will analyze maternal leukocytes for differential DNA
methylation in six GC candidate genes (AVP, CRH, CRHBP, HSD11B2, NR3C1, and FKBP5). I aim to: (1)
Examine the relationship between neighborhood disorder and maternal leukocyte DNA methylation of GC
candidate genes; (2) Examine the relationship between maternal leukocyte DNA methylation of GC candidate
genes and gestational age at birth; and (3) Explore the relationships among neighborhood disorder,
psychological distress, differential DNA methylation in GC candidate genes and gestational age at birth. The
proposed training plan will provide numerous opportunities for development of skills encompassing recruitment
of participants, data collection, laboratory and biostatistical training as well as grantsmanship development and
dissertation research findings dissemination. The proposed research is highly relevant to NIH's mission to
elucidate mechanisms underlying health disparities in PTB and incorporating epigenomic technology into
nursing research and practice. This study will advance scientific understanding of the biologic effects of the
neighborhood environment on PTB for African American women.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9923455
- **Project number:** 5F31NR018363-02
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexandra Nowak
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $39,720
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9923455

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9923455, Neighborhood Disorder and Epigenetic Regulation of Stress Pathways in Preterm Birth (5F31NR018363-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9923455. Licensed CC0.

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