Global DNA hypomethylation is associated with in utero exposure to cotinine and perfluorinated alkyl compounds

Environmental exposures in utero may alter the epigenome, thus impacting chromosomal stability and gene expression. We hypothesized that in utero exposures to maternal smoking and perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) are associated with global DNA hypomethylation in umbilical cord serum. Our objective was to determine if global DNA methylation could be used as a biomarker of in utero exposures to maternal smoking and PFCs. Using an ELISA-based method, global DNA methylation was quantified in umbilical cord serum from 30 newborns with high (>10 ng/ml, mean 123.8 ng/ml), low (range 1–10 ng/ml, mean 1.6 ng/ml) and very low (