Birth defects, which affect three of every 100 babies born in the US, are a leading cause of infant mortality both nationally and globally and can cause continuing morbidity for infants who survive. Despite the significance of this public health problem, clinical and public health efforts to prevent most birth defects simply do not exist. A major barrier to establishing prevention programs is the lack of evidence regarding etiology of most nonsyndromic birth defects. The National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) was launched in 1997 to investigate the complex etiology of more than 30 major nonsyndromic birth defects. As part of the NBDPS, the Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention is dedicated to understanding the causes of birth defects and contributing to an evidence base that facilitates development of effective prevention strategies. The Center's long-term goal is to prevent or significantly reduce the occurrence of birth defects. Participating in NBDPS has provided the Arkansas Center with an irreplaceable repository of information regarding maternal exposures and lifestyle factors that may be associated with birth defects and valuable DNA samples from a large population-based sample. Continued support from CDC will sustain Arkansas'impressive participation in NBDPS, help the Center continue to generate cutting-edge research and to share research results, and leverage CDC support to gain support for birth defect research at the local level. In the upcoming funding cycle, the Arkansas Center will expand its existing research efforts to address birth defects through three specific aims: continue participation in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and in so doing expand the epidemiological research capacity of the Arkansas Center (Aim 1);continue to conduct local and collaborative studies that investigate the complex etiology of birth defects by utilizing data from the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System and NBDPS (Aim 2), and continue to support highthroughput genomic and epigenomic analyses of biological samples collected from NBDPS participants by augmenting CDC support with institutional and extramural funds (Aim 3).
These aims will be achieved by addressing epigenetic mechanisms (altered gene-specific methylation), genetic susceptibilities (single nucleotide polymorphisms), pro-oxidant lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol, obesity), maternal nutrition (e.g., low dietary folate), and maternal innate immunity (impaired function in immune response genes). Project outcomes will be immediate, direct contributions to the understanding of genetic, environmental, and metabolic causes of birth defects and the necessary foundation for clinical and public health primary prevention programs. The convergence of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, advances in genomic tools, and leading multidisciplinary expertise promises to produce an evidence-base that can be the basis of primary prevention programs.

Public Health Relevance

A clear and specific understanding of the causes of various types of birth defects will make it possible to design effective prevention programs similar to what has been accomplished with the folic acid campaigns. The Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention is well positioned to contribute significant knowledge to fill the existing gap in knowledge because of its ongoing research through the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. As it works toward its long-term goal of preventing or significantly reducing the occurrence of birth defects, the Arkansas Center will help reduce the impact of birth defects, which currently affect 3 out of 100 babies born each year in the US alone.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCBDD)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01DD000491-05
Application #
8398909
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZCD1-SGI (06))
Program Officer
Brown, Michael
Project Start
2008-12-01
Project End
2013-11-30
Budget Start
2012-12-01
Budget End
2013-11-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$558,600
Indirect Cost
$128,797
Name
Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
002593692
City
Little Rock
State
AR
Country
United States
Zip Code
72202
Nembhard, Wendy N; Tang, Xinyu; Li, Jingyun et al. (2018) A parent-of-origin analysis of paternal genetic variants and increased risk of conotruncal heart defects. Am J Med Genet A 176:609-617
Tang, Xinyu; Eberhart, Johann K; Cleves, Mario A et al. (2018) PDGFRA gene, maternal binge drinking and obstructive heart defects. Sci Rep 8:11083
Li, Ming; Li, Jingyun; He, Zihuai et al. (2016) Testing Allele Transmission of an SNP Set Using a Family-Based Generalized Genetic Random Field Method. Genet Epidemiol 40:341-51
Howley, Meredith M; Browne, Marilyn L; Van Zutphen, Alissa R et al. (2016) Maternal autoimmune disease and birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol 106:950-962
Li, Ming; Li, Jingyun; Wei, Changshuai et al. (2016) A Three-Way Interaction among Maternal and Fetal Variants Contributing to Congenital Heart Defects. Ann Hum Genet 80:20-31
Webber, Daniel M; MacLeod, Stewart L; Bamshad, Michael J et al. (2015) Developments in our understanding of the genetic basis of birth defects. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol 103:680-91
Tang, Xinyu; Cleves, Mario A; Nick, Todd G et al. (2015) Obstructive heart defects associated with candidate genes, maternal obesity, and folic acid supplementation. Am J Med Genet A 167:1231-42
Miquel-Verges, F; Mosley, B S; Block, A S et al. (2015) A spectrum project: preterm birth and small-for-gestational age among infants with birth defects. J Perinatol 35:198-203
Tang, Xinyu; Nick, Todd G; Cleves, Mario A et al. (2014) Maternal obesity and tobacco use modify the impact of genetic variants on the occurrence of conotruncal heart defects. PLoS One 9:e108903
Li, Ming; Cleves, Mario A; Mallick, Himel et al. (2014) A genetic association study detects haplotypes associated with obstructive heart defects. Hum Genet 133:1127-38

Showing the most recent 10 out of 17 publications