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Lévesque N, Leclerc D, Gayden T, Lazaris A, De Jay N, Petrillo S, Metrakos P, Jabado N, Rozen R. Murine diet/tissue and human brain tumorigenesis alter Mthfr/MTHFR 5'-end methylation. Mamm Genome 2016; 27:122-34. [PMID: 26951114 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-016-9624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphisms and decreased activity of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) are linked to disease, including cancer. However, epigenetic regulation has not been thoroughly studied. Our goal was to generate DNA methylation profiles of murine/human MTHFR gene regions and examine methylation in brain and liver tumors. Pyrosequencing in four murine tissues revealed minimal DNA methylation in the CpG island. Higher methylation was seen in liver or intestine in the CpG island shore 5' to the upstream translational start site or in another region 3' to the downstream start site. In the latter region, there was negative correlation between expression and methylation. Three orthologous regions were investigated in human MTHFR, as well as a fourth region between the two translation start sites. We found significantly increased methylation in three regions (not the CpG island) in pediatric astrocytomas compared with control brain, with decreased expression in tumors. Methylation in hepatic carcinomas was also increased in the three regions compared with normal liver, but the difference was significant for only one CpG. This work, the first overview of the Mthfr/MTHFR epigenetic landscape, suggests regulation through methylation in some regions, demonstrates increased methylation/decreased expression in pediatric astrocytomas, and should serve as a resource for future epigenetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Lévesque
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Bloc E, Rm E M0.3211, Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Daniel Leclerc
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Bloc E, Rm E M0.3211, Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Tenzin Gayden
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Anthoula Lazaris
- Department of Surgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Nicolas De Jay
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Stephanie Petrillo
- Department of Surgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Peter Metrakos
- Department of Surgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Nada Jabado
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Rima Rozen
- Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 1001 Décarie Blvd., Bloc E, Rm E M0.3211, Montreal, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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102
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Joubert BR, den Dekker HT, Felix JF, Bohlin J, Ligthart S, Beckett E, Tiemeier H, van Meurs JB, Uitterlinden AG, Hofman A, Håberg SE, Reese SE, Peters MJ, Andreassen BK, Steegers EAP, Nilsen RM, Vollset SE, Midttun Ø, Ueland PM, Franco OH, Dehghan A, de Jongste JC, Wu MC, Wang T, Peddada SD, Jaddoe VWV, Nystad W, Duijts L, London SJ. Maternal plasma folate impacts differential DNA methylation in an epigenome-wide meta-analysis of newborns. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10577. [PMID: 26861414 PMCID: PMC4749955 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Folate is vital for fetal development. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation and food fortification are recommended to prevent neural tube defects. Mechanisms whereby periconceptional folate influences normal development and disease are poorly understood: epigenetics may be involved. We examine the association between maternal plasma folate during pregnancy and epigenome-wide DNA methylation using Illumina's HumanMethyl450 Beadchip in 1,988 newborns from two European cohorts. Here we report the combined covariate-adjusted results using meta-analysis and employ pathway and gene expression analyses. Four-hundred forty-three CpGs (320 genes) are significantly associated with maternal plasma folate levels during pregnancy (false discovery rate 5%); 48 are significant after Bonferroni correction. Most genes are not known for folate biology, including APC2, GRM8, SLC16A12, OPCML, PRPH, LHX1, KLK4 and PRSS21. Some relate to birth defects other than neural tube defects, neurological functions or varied aspects of embryonic development. These findings may inform how maternal folate impacts the developing epigenome and health outcomes in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie R Joubert
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Herman T den Dekker
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Janine F Felix
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Jon Bohlin
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0403, Norway
| | - Symen Ligthart
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Emma Beckett
- Department of Applied Sciences, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales 2258, Australia.,Food and Nutrition Flagship, CSIRO, North Ryde, New South Wales 2113, Australia
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Joyce B van Meurs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Andre G Uitterlinden
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Albert Hofman
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0403, Norway
| | - Sarah E Reese
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Marjolein J Peters
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Bettina Kulle Andreassen
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
| | - Eric A P Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Roy M Nilsen
- Department of Research and Development, Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen 5021, Norway
| | - Stein E Vollset
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0403, Norway.,Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen 5018, Norway
| | | | - Per M Ueland
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen 5018, Norway.,Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen 5018, Norway
| | - Oscar H Franco
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Abbas Dehghan
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Johan C de Jongste
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Michael C Wu
- Public Health Sciences Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Shyamal D Peddada
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Wenche Nystad
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0403, Norway
| | - Liesbeth Duijts
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000 CA, Netherlands
| | - Stephanie J London
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
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103
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Ahmed T, Fellus I, Gaudet J, MacFarlane AJ, Fontaine-Bisson B, Bainbridge SA. Effect of folic acid on human trophoblast health and function in vitro. Placenta 2015; 37:7-15. [PMID: 26748157 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The combined intake of folic acid (FA) from prenatal multivitamin supplements and fortified foods can result in FA intake values that exceed the tolerable upper intake level (UL). It is unclear what impact FA intake above the UL may have on the feto-placental unit. Our objective was to determine the effects of increasing concentrations of FA on trophoblast health and function in vitro. METHODS Two human placental cell lines [HTR-8/SVneo (n = 5 experiments) and BeWo (n = 5 experiments)] and human placenta tissue explants (n = 6 experiments) were exposed to increasing concentrations of FA (2-2000 ng/mL) for 48-h. Intracellular total folate concentration, trophoblast proliferation, viability, apoptosis, placenta cell invasion and β-hCG hormone release were assessed. RESULTS Exposure to increasing FA concentrations resulted in higher intracellular total folate in placental cell lines and tissue explants (p < 0.05); yet, only minimal effects of excess folic acid were observed on the primary indicators of placental health and function studied. Specifically, treatment with excess folic acid (2000 ng/mL) resulted in reduced cellular viability in the villous trophoblast BeWo cell line and increased rates of proliferation in the HT8-8/SVneo extravillous trophoblast cell line (p < 0.05). Further, deficient concentrations of folic acid (2 ng/mL) resulted in decreased cell viability and invasive capabilities of the HTR-8/SVneo extravillous trophoblast cell line (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION Our results demonstrate that placental health and function may be compromised in conditions of folate deficiency, and not necessarily in conditions of excess FA. This finding supports the recommendation of prenatal folic acid supplementation in the North American population. Further work aimed at clarifying the therapeutic window of FA intake in the obstetrical population is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasfia Ahmed
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Ilan Fellus
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Jeremiah Gaudet
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Amanda J MacFarlane
- Nutrition Research Division, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, AL2203E, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada.
| | | | - Shannon A Bainbridge
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8M5, Canada; Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, K1Y 4E9, Canada.
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104
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Meadows DN, Bahous RH, Best AF, Rozen R. High Dietary Folate in Mice Alters Immune Response and Reduces Survival after Malarial Infection. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143738. [PMID: 26599510 PMCID: PMC4658061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a significant global health issue, with nearly 200 million cases in 2013 alone. Parasites obtain folate from the host or synthesize it de novo. Folate consumption has increased in many populations, prompting concerns regarding potential deleterious consequences of higher intake. The impact of high dietary folate on the host’s immune function and response to malaria has not been examined. Our goal was to determine whether high dietary folate would affect response to malarial infection in a murine model of cerebral malaria. Mice were fed control diets (CD, recommended folate level for rodents) or folic acid-supplemented diets (FASD, 10x recommended level) for 5 weeks before infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Survival, parasitemia, numbers of immune cells and other infection parameters were assessed. FASD mice had reduced survival (p<0.01, Cox proportional hazards) and higher parasitemia (p< 0.01, joint model of parasitemia and survival) compared with CD mice. FASD mice had lower numbers of splenocytes, total T cells, and lower numbers of specific T and NK cell sub-populations, compared with CD mice (p<0.05, linear mixed effects). Increased brain TNFα immunoreactive protein (p<0.01, t-test) and increased liver Abca1 mRNA (p<0.01, t-test), a modulator of TNFα, were observed in FASD mice; these variables correlated positively (rs = 0.63, p = 0.01). Bcl-xl/Bak mRNA was increased in liver of FASD mice (p<0.01, t-test), suggesting reduced apoptotic potential. We conclude that high dietary folate increases parasite replication, disturbs the immune response and reduces resistance to malaria in mice. These findings have relevance for malaria-endemic regions, when considering anti-folate anti-malarials, food fortification or vitamin supplementation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle N. Meadows
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Renata H. Bahous
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ana F. Best
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rima Rozen
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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105
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Aarabi M, San Gabriel MC, Chan D, Behan NA, Caron M, Pastinen T, Bourque G, MacFarlane AJ, Zini A, Trasler J. High-dose folic acid supplementation alters the human sperm methylome and is influenced by the MTHFR C677T polymorphism. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:6301-13. [PMID: 26307085 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary folate is a major source of methyl groups required for DNA methylation, an epigenetic modification that is actively maintained and remodeled during spermatogenesis. While high-dose folic acid supplementation (up to 10 times the daily recommended dose) has been shown to improve sperm parameters in infertile men, the effects of supplementation on the sperm epigenome are unknown. To assess the impact of 6 months of high-dose folic acid supplementation on the sperm epigenome, we studied 30 men with idiopathic infertility. Blood folate concentrations increased significantly after supplementation with no significant improvements in sperm parameters. Methylation levels of the differentially methylated regions of several imprinted loci (H19, DLK1/GTL2, MEST, SNRPN, PLAGL1, KCNQ1OT1) were normal both before and after supplementation. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) revealed a significant global loss of methylation across different regions of the sperm genome. The most marked loss of DNA methylation was found in sperm from patients homozygous for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism, a common polymorphism in a key enzyme required for folate metabolism. RRBS analysis also showed that most of the differentially methylated tiles were located in DNA repeats, low CpG-density and intergenic regions. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that methylation of promoter regions was altered in several genes involved in cancer and neurobehavioral disorders including CBFA2T3, PTPN6, COL18A1, ALDH2, UBE4B, ERBB2, GABRB3, CNTNAP4 and NIPA1. Our data reveal alterations of the human sperm epigenome associated with high-dose folic acid supplementation, effects that were exacerbated by a common polymorphism in MTHFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Aarabi
- Department of Human Genetics, Montreal Children's Hospital and Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1
| | - Maria C San Gabriel
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery and, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1
| | - Donovan Chan
- Montreal Children's Hospital and Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1
| | - Nathalie A Behan
- Nutrition Research Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0K9 and
| | - Maxime Caron
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A4
| | - Tomi Pastinen
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A4
| | - Guillaume Bourque
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1A4
| | | | - Armand Zini
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery and, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1
| | - Jacquetta Trasler
- Department of Human Genetics, Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1, Montreal Children's Hospital and Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1,
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