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Grissom NM, George R, Reyes TM. Suboptimal nutrition in early life affects the inflammatory gene expression profile and behavioral responses to stressors. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 63:115-126. [PMID: 27756624 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutritional conditions in early life can have a lasting impact on health and disease risk, though the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In the healthy individual, physiological and behavioral responses to stress are coordinated in such a way as to mobilize resources necessary to respond to the stressor and to terminate the stress response at the appropriate time. Induction of proinflammatory gene expression within the brain is one such example that is initiated in response to both physiological and psychological stressors, and is the focus of the current study. We tested the hypothesis that early life nutrition would impact the proinflammatory transcriptional response to a stressor. Pregnant and lactating dams were fed one of three diets; a low-protein diet, a high fat diet, or the control diet through pregnancy and lactation. Adult male offspring were then challenged with either a physiological stressor (acute lipopolysaccharide injection, IP) or a psychological stressor (15 min restraint). Expression of 20 proinflammatory and stress-related genes was evaluated in hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, amygdala and ventral tegmental area. In a second cohort, behavioral responses (food intake, locomotor activity, metabolic rate) were evaluated. Offspring from low protein fed dams showed a generally reduced transcriptional response, particularly to LPS, and resistance to behavioral changes associated with restraint, while HF offspring showed an exacerbated transcriptional response within the PFC, a reduced transcriptional response in hypothalamus and amygdala, and an exacerbation of the LPS-induced reduction of locomotor activity. The present data identify differential proinflammatory transcriptional responses throughout the brain driven by perinatal diet as an important variable that may affect risk or resilience to stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola M Grissom
- University of Minnesota, Department of Psychology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Robert George
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Pharmacology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Teresa M Reyes
- University of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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A Review of the Impact of Maternal Obesity on the Cognitive Function and Mental Health of the Offspring. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18051093. [PMID: 28534818 PMCID: PMC5455002 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18051093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, more than 20% of women of reproductive age are currently estimated to be obese. Children born to obese mothers are at higher risk of developing obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and asthma in adulthood. Increasing clinical and experimental evidence suggests that maternal obesity also affects the health and function of the offspring brain across the lifespan. This review summarizes the current findings from human and animal studies that detail the impact of maternal obesity on aspects of learning, memory, motivation, affective disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and neurodegeneration in the offspring. Epigenetic mechanisms that may contribute to this mother–child interaction are also discussed.
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Denhardt DT. Effect of stress on human biology: Epigenetics, adaptation, inheritance, and social significance. J Cell Physiol 2017; 233:1975-1984. [PMID: 28158904 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
I present a brief introduction to epigenetics, focused primarily on methylation of the genome and various regulatory RNAs, modifications of associated histones, and their importance in enabling us to adapt to real and changing environmental, developmental, and social circumstances. Following this is a more extensive overview of how it impacts our inheritance, our entire life (which changes as we age), and how we interact with others. Throughout, I emphasize the critical influence that stress, of many varieties exerts, via epigenetic means, on much of how we live and survive, mostly in the brain. I end with a short section on multigenerational transmission, drugs, and the importance of both social life and early life experiences in the development of adult diseases. There will be nothing about cancer. Although epigenetics is critical in that field, it is a whole different cobweb of complications (some involving stress).
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Denhardt
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Zilkha N, Kuperman Y, Kimchi T. High-fat diet exacerbates cognitive rigidity and social deficiency in the BTBR mouse model of autism. Neuroscience 2017; 345:142-154. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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McKee SE, Grissom NM, Herdt CT, Reyes TM. Methyl donor supplementation alters cognitive performance and motivation in female offspring from high-fat diet-fed dams. FASEB J 2017; 31:2352-2363. [PMID: 28209774 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201601172r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During gestation, fetal nutrition is entirely dependent on maternal diet. Maternal consumption of excess fat during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of neurologic disorders in offspring, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, and schizophrenia. In a mouse model, high-fat diet (HFD)-fed offspring have cognitive and executive function deficits as well as whole-genome DNA and promoter-specific hypomethylation in multiple brain regions. Dietary methyl donor supplementation during pregnancy or adulthood has been used to alter DNA methylation and behavior. Given that extensive brain development occurs during early postnatal life-particularly within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region critical for executive function-we examined whether early life methyl donor supplementation (e.g., during adolescence) could ameliorate executive function deficits observed in offspring that were exposed to maternal HFD. By using operant testing, progressive ratio, and the PFC-dependent 5-choice serial reaction timed task (5-CSRTT), we determined that F1 female offspring (B6D2F1/J) from HFD-fed dams have decreased motivation (decreased progressive ratio breakpoint) and require a longer stimulus length to complete the 5-CSRTT task successfully, whereas early life methyl donor supplementation increased motivation and shortened the minimum stimulus length required for a correct response in the 5-CSRTT. Of interest, we found that expression of 2 chemokines, CCL2 and CXCL10, correlated with the median stimulus length in the 5-CSRTT. Furthermore, we found that acute adult supplementation of methyl donors increased motivation in HFD-fed offspring and those who previously received supplementation with methyl donors. These data point to early life as a sensitive time during which dietary methyl donor supplementation can alter PFC-dependent cognitive behaviors.-McKee, S. E., Grissom, N. M., Herdt, C. T., Reyes, T. M. Methyl donor supplementation alters cognitive performance and motivation in female offspring from high-fat diet-fed dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E McKee
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nicola M Grissom
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Christopher T Herdt
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Teresa M Reyes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Grissom N, George R, Reyes T. The hypothalamic transcriptional response to stress is severely impaired in offspring exposed to adverse nutrition during gestation. Neuroscience 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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58
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Genotype-Dependent Effects of COMT Inhibition on Cognitive Function in a Highly Specific, Novel Mouse Model of Altered COMT Activity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:3060-3069. [PMID: 27388330 PMCID: PMC5101554 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) modulates dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex. The human gene contains a polymorphism (Val158Met) that alters enzyme activity and influences PFC function. It has also been linked with cognition and anxiety, but the findings are mixed. We therefore developed a novel mouse model of altered COMT activity. The human Met allele was introduced into the native mouse COMT gene to produce COMT-Met mice, which were compared with their wild-type littermates. The model proved highly specific: COMT-Met mice had reductions in COMT abundance and activity, compared with wild-type mice, explicitly in the absence of off-target changes in the expression of other genes. Despite robust alterations in dopamine metabolism, we found only subtle changes on certain cognitive tasks under baseline conditions (eg, increased spatial novelty preference in COMT-Met mice vs wild-type mice). However, genotype differences emerged after administration of the COMT inhibitor tolcapone: performance of wild-type mice, but not COMT-Met mice, was improved on the 5-choice serial reaction time task after tolcapone administration. There were no changes in anxiety-related behaviors in the tests that we used. Our findings are convergent with human studies of the Val158Met polymorphism, and suggest that COMT's effects are most prominent when the dopamine system is challenged. Finally, they demonstrate the importance of considering COMT genotype when examining the therapeutic potential of COMT inhibitors.
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Peter CJ, Fischer LK, Kundakovic M, Garg P, Jakovcevski M, Dincer A, Amaral AC, Ginns EI, Galdzicka M, Bryce CP, Ratner C, Waber DP, Mokler D, Medford G, Champagne FA, Rosene DL, McGaughy JA, Sharp AJ, Galler JR, Akbarian S. DNA Methylation Signatures of Early Childhood Malnutrition Associated With Impairments in Attention and Cognition. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:765-774. [PMID: 27184921 PMCID: PMC5036982 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.03.2100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early childhood malnutrition affects 113 million children worldwide, impacting health and increasing vulnerability for cognitive and behavioral disorders later in life. Molecular signatures after childhood malnutrition, including the potential for intergenerational transmission, remain unexplored. METHODS We surveyed blood DNA methylomes (~483,000 individual CpG sites) in 168 subjects across two generations, including 50 generation 1 individuals hospitalized during the first year of life for moderate to severe protein-energy malnutrition, then followed up to 48 years in the Barbados Nutrition Study. Attention deficits and cognitive performance were evaluated with the Connors Adult Attention Rating Scale and Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Expression of nutrition-sensitive genes was explored by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in rat prefrontal cortex. RESULTS We identified 134 nutrition-sensitive, differentially methylated genomic regions, with most (87%) specific for generation 1. Multiple neuropsychiatric risk genes, including COMT, IFNG, MIR200B, SYNGAP1, and VIPR2 showed associations of specific methyl-CpGs with attention and IQ. IFNG expression was decreased in prefrontal cortex of rats showing attention deficits after developmental malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS Early childhood malnutrition entails long-lasting epigenetic signatures associated with liability for attention and cognition, and limited potential for intergenerational transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril J. Peter
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Laura K. Fischer
- The Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129
| | - Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Paras Garg
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Mira Jakovcevski
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029,Max-Planck Institute for Psychiatry, D-Munich 80804
| | - Aslihan Dincer
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Ana C. Amaral
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129
| | - Edward I Ginns
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Clinical Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
| | - Marzena Galdzicka
- Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
| | | | - Chana Ratner
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Deborah P Waber
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David Mokler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME
| | | | | | - Douglas L. Rosene
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA 02118
| | - Jill A. McGaughy
- Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03077
| | - Andrew J. Sharp
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Janina R. Galler
- The Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown MA 02129
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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60
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Carlin JL, Grissom N, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F, Reyes TM. Voluntary exercise blocks Western diet-induced gene expression of the chemokines CXCL10 and CCL2 in the prefrontal cortex. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 58:82-90. [PMID: 27492632 PMCID: PMC5352157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.07.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity increases inflammation, both peripherally and centrally, and exercise can ameliorate some of the negative health outcomes associated with obesity. Within the brain, the effect of obesity on inflammation has been well characterized in the hypothalamus and hippocampus, but has been relatively understudied in other brain regions. The current study was designed to address two primary questions; (1) whether western diet (high fat/high sucrose) consumption would increase markers of inflammation in the prefrontal cortex and (2) whether concurrent voluntary wheel running would ameliorate any inflammation. Adult male mice were exposed to a western diet or a control diet for 8weeks. Concurrently, half the animals were given running wheels in their home cages, while half did not have access to wheels. At the conclusion of the study, prefrontal cortex was removed and expression of 18 proinflammatory genes was assayed. Expression of a number of proinflammatory molecules was upregulated by consumption of the western diet. For two chemokines, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), voluntary exercise blocked the increase in the expression of these genes. Cluster analysis confirmed that the majority of the tested genes were upregulated by western diet, and identified another small cluster of genes that were downregulated by either diet or exercise. These data identify a proinflammatory phenotype within the prefrontal cortex of mice fed a western diet, and indicate that chemokine induction can be blocked by voluntary exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Carlin
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Nicola Grissom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Zhe Ying
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Fernando Gomez-Pinilla
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Teresa M. Reyes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States,Corresponding author at: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, 2120 East Galbraith Road, A-129 Cincinnati, OH 45237-1625, United States. (T.M. Reyes)
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61
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Thanos PK, Zhuo J, Robison L, Kim R, Ananth M, Choai I, Grunseich A, Grissom NM, George R, Delis F, Reyes TM. Suboptimal maternal diets alter mu opioid receptor and dopamine type 1 receptor binding but exert no effect on dopamine transporters in the offspring brain. Int J Dev Neurosci 2016; 64:21-28. [PMID: 27666382 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2016.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Birthweight is a marker for suboptimal fetal growth and development in utero. Offspring can be born large for gestational age (LGA), which is linked to maternal obesity or excessive gestational weight gain, as well as small for gestational age (SGA), arising from nutrient or calorie deficiency, placental dysfunction, or other maternal conditions (hypertension, infection). In humans, LGA and SGA babies are at an increased risk for certain neurodevelopmental disorders, including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and social and mood disorders. Using mouse models of LGA (maternal high fat (HF) diet) and SGA (maternal low protein (LP) diet) offspring, our lab has previously shown that these offspring display alterations in the expression of mesocorticolimbic genes that regulate dopamine and opioid function, thus indicating that these brain regions and neurotransmitter systems are vulnerable to gestational insults. Interestingly, these two maternal diets affected dopamine and opioid systems in somewhat opposing directions (e.g., LP offspring are generally hyperdopaminergic with reduced opioid expression, and the reverse is found for the HF offspring). These data largely involved evaluation at the transcriptional level, so the present experiment was designed to extend these analyses through an assessment of receptor binding. In this study, control, SGA and LGA offspring were generated from dams fed control, low protein or high fat diet, respectively, throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning, mice were placed on the control diet and sacrificed at 12 weeks of age. In vitro autoradiography was used to measure mu-opioid receptor (MOR), dopamine type 1 receptor (D1R), and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding level in mesolimbic brain regions. Results showed that the LP offspring (males and females) had significantly higher MOR and D1R binding than the control animals in the regions associated with reward. In HF offspring there were no differences in MOR binding, and limited increases in D1R binding, seen only in females in the nucleus accumbens core and the dorsomedial caudate/putamen. DAT binding revealed no differences in either models. In conclusion, LP but not HF offspring show significantly elevated MOR and D1R binding in the brain thus affecting DA and opioid signaling. These findings advance the current understanding of how suboptimal gestational diets can adversely impact neurodevelopment and increase the risk for disorders such as ADHD, obesity and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayotis K Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA.
| | - Jianmin Zhuo
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Lisa Robison
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Ronald Kim
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Mala Ananth
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Ilon Choai
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Adam Grunseich
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Nicola M Grissom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, USA
| | - Robert George
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Foteini Delis
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 14203, USA
| | - Teresa M Reyes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, USA
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Poon K, Leibowitz SF. Consumption of Substances of Abuse during Pregnancy Increases Consumption in Offspring: Possible Underlying Mechanisms. Front Nutr 2016; 3:11. [PMID: 27148536 PMCID: PMC4837147 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2016.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Correlative human observational studies on substances of abuse have been highly dependent on the use of rodent models to determine the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that control behavioral outcomes. This is particularly true for gestational exposure to non-illicit substances of abuse, such as excessive dietary fat, ethanol, and nicotine, which are commonly consumed in our society. Exposure to these substances during the prenatal period has been shown in offspring to increase their intake of these substances, induce other behavioral changes, and affect neurochemical systems in several brain areas that are known to control behavior. More importantly, emerging studies are linking the function of the immune system to these neurochemicals and ingestion of these abused substances. This review article will summarize the prenatal rodent models used to study developmental changes in offspring caused by prenatal exposure to dietary fat, ethanol, or nicotine. We will discuss the various techniques used for the administration of these substances into rodents and summarize the published outcomes induced by prenatal exposure to these substances. Finally, this review will cover some of the recent evidence for the role of immune factors in causing these behavioral and neuronal changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinning Poon
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University , New York, NY , USA
| | - Sarah F Leibowitz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University , New York, NY , USA
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63
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Penfold NC, Ozanne SE. Developmental programming by maternal obesity in 2015: Outcomes, mechanisms, and potential interventions. Horm Behav 2015; 76:143-52. [PMID: 26145566 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Obesity in women of child-bearing age is a growing problem in developed and developing countries. Evidence from human studies indicates that maternal BMI correlates with offspring adiposity from an early age and predisposes to metabolic disease in later life. Thus the early life environment is an attractive target for intervention to improve public health. Animal models have been used to investigate the specific physiological outcomes and mechanisms of developmental programming that result from exposure to maternal obesity in utero. From this research, targeted intervention strategies can be designed. In this review we summarise recent progress in this field, with a focus on cardiometabolic disease and central control of appetite and behaviour. We highlight key factors that may mediate programming by maternal obesity, including leptin, insulin, and ghrelin. Finally, we explore potential lifestyle and pharmacological interventions in humans and the current state of evidence from animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi C Penfold
- University of Cambridge, Metabolic Research Laboratories MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- University of Cambridge, Metabolic Research Laboratories MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
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64
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Liu J, Zhao SR, Reyes T. Neurological and Epigenetic Implications of Nutritional Deficiencies on Psychopathology: Conceptualization and Review of Evidence. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:18129-48. [PMID: 26251900 PMCID: PMC4581239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160818129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a role for epigenetic modifications in the pathophysiology of disease has received significant attention. Many studies are now beginning to explore the gene-environment interactions, which may mediate early-life exposure to risk factors, such as nutritional deficiencies and later development of behavioral problems in children and adults. In this paper, we review the current literature on the role of epigenetics in the development of psychopathology, with a specific focus on the potential for epigenetic modifications to link nutrition and brain development. We propose a conceptual framework whereby epigenetic modifications (e.g., DNA methylation) mediate the link between micro- and macro-nutrient deficiency early in life and brain dysfunction (e.g., structural aberration, neurotransmitter perturbation), which has been linked to development of behavior problems later on in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghong Liu
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Sophie R Zhao
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Teresa Reyes
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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