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Zhang X, Hocher B. Parental genetic effects on the offspring's phenotype without transmission of the gene itself-pathophysiology and clinical evidence. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C750-C777. [PMID: 39010843 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00359.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Parental genes can influence the phenotype of their offspring through genomic-epigenomic interactions even without the direct inheritance of specific parental genotypes. Maternal genetic variations can affect the ovarian and intrauterine environments and potentially alter lactation behaviors, impacting offspring nutrition and health outcomes independently of the fetal genome. Similarly, paternal genetic changes can affect the endocrine system and vascular functions in the testes, influencing sperm quality and seminal fluid composition. These changes can initiate early epigenetic modifications in sperm, including alterations in microRNAs, tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), and DNA methylation patterns. These epigenetic modifications might induce further changes in target organs of the offspring, leading to modified gene expression and phenotypic outcomes without transmitting the original parental genetic alterations. This review presents clinical evidence supporting this hypothesis and discusses the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Parental gene-offspring epigenome-offspring phenotype interactions have been observed in neurocognitive disorders and cardio-renal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology/Pneumology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Berthold Hocher
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology/Pneumology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China
- IMD-Institut für Medizinische Diagnostik Berlin-Potsdam GbR, Berlin, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
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Zhang X, Reichetzeder C, Liu Y, Hocher JG, Hasan AA, Lin G, Kleuser B, Hu L, Hocher B. Parental sex-dependent effects of either maternal or paternal eNOS deficiency on the offspring's phenotype without transmission of the parental eNOS deficiency to the offspring. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1306178. [PMID: 38169827 PMCID: PMC10758467 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1306178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Preclinical animal studies and clinical studies indicate that both maternal as well as paternal genetic alterations/gene defects might affect the phenotype of the next-generation without transmissions of the affected gene. Currently, the question of whether the same genetic defect present in the mother or father leads to a similar phenotype in the offspring remains insufficiently elucidated. Methods: In this head-to-head study, we crossbred female and male mice with heterozygous endothelial eNOS knockout (eNOS+/-) with male and female wild-type (wt) mice, respectively. Subsequently, we compared the phenotype of the resulting wt offspring with that of wt offspring born to parents with no eNOS deficiency. Results: Wt female offspring of mothers with heterozygous eNOS showed elevated liver fat accumulation, while wt male offspring of fathers with heterozygous eNOS exhibited increased fasting insulin, heightened insulin levels after a glucose load, and elevated liver glycogen content. By quantitative mass-spectrometry it was shown that concentrations of six serum metabolites (lysoPhosphatidylcholine acyl C20:3, phosphatidylcholine diacyl C36:2, phosphatidylcholine diacyl C38:1, phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C34:1, phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C36:3, and phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C42:5 (PC ae C42:5) as well as four liver carbon metabolites (fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, glucose 6-phosphate and fumarate) were different between wt offspring with eNOS+/- mothers and wt offspring with eNOS+/- fathers. Importantly, fumarate was inversely correlated with the liver fat accumulation in female offspring with eNOS+/- mothers and increased liver glycogen in offspring of both sexes with eNOS+/- fathers. The qRT-PCR results revealed that the gene expression patterns were different between wt offspring with eNOS+/- mothers and those offspring with eNOS+/- fathers. Different gene expression patterns were correlated with different observed phenotypic changes in male/female offspring born to mothers or fathers with a heterozygous eNOS genotype. Conclusion: The identical parental genetic alteration (heterozygous eNOS deficiency), without being passed on to the offspring, results in distinct metabolic, liver phenotype, and gene expression pattern variations depending on whether the genetic alteration originated from the father or the mother.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Yvonne Liu
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Medical Faculty of Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johann-Georg Hocher
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Second Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ahmed A. Hasan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ge Lin
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Liang Hu
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Berthold Hocher
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- IMD Berlin, Institute of Medical Diagnostics, Berlin, Germany
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Hocher B, Lu YP, Reichetzeder C, Zhang X, Tsuprykov O, Rahnenführer J, Xie L, Li J, Hu L, Krämer BK, Hasan AA. Paternal eNOS deficiency in mice affects glucose homeostasis and liver glycogen in male offspring without inheritance of eNOS deficiency itself. Diabetologia 2022; 65:1222-1236. [PMID: 35488925 PMCID: PMC9174141 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-022-05700-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS It was shown that maternal endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) deficiency causes fatty liver disease and numerically lower fasting glucose in female wild-type offspring, suggesting that parental genetic variants may influence the offspring's phenotype via epigenetic modifications in the offspring despite the absence of a primary genetic defect. The aim of the current study was to analyse whether paternal eNOS deficiency may cause the same phenotype as seen with maternal eNOS deficiency. METHODS Heterozygous (+/-) male eNOS (Nos3) knockout mice or wild-type male mice were bred with female wild-type mice. The phenotype of wild-type offspring of heterozygous male eNOS knockout mice was compared with offspring from wild-type parents. RESULTS Global sperm DNA methylation decreased and sperm microRNA pattern altered substantially. Fasting glucose and liver glycogen storage were increased when analysing wild-type male and female offspring of +/- eNOS fathers. Wild-type male but not female offspring of +/- eNOS fathers had increased fasting insulin and increased insulin after glucose load. Analysing candidate genes for liver fat and carbohydrate metabolism revealed that the expression of genes encoding glucocorticoid receptor (Gr; also known as Nr3c1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (Pgc1a; also known as Ppargc1a) was increased while DNA methylation of Gr exon 1A and Pgc1a promoter was decreased in the liver of male wild-type offspring of +/- eNOS fathers. The endocrine pancreas in wild-type offspring was not affected. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Our study suggests that paternal genetic defects such as eNOS deficiency may alter the epigenome of the sperm without transmission of the paternal genetic defect itself. In later life wild-type male offspring of +/- eNOS fathers developed increased fasting insulin and increased insulin after glucose load. These effects are associated with increased Gr and Pgc1a gene expression due to altered methylation of these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berthold Hocher
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China.
- Institute of Medical Diagnostics, IMD Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Yong-Ping Lu
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Center of Kidney and Urology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oleg Tsuprykov
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Rahnenführer
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Li Xie
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Liang Hu
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bernhard K Krämer
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ahmed A Hasan
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Zhang X, Hasan AA, Wu H, Gaballa MMS, Zeng S, Liu L, Xie L, Jung T, Grune T, Krämer BK, Kleuser B, Li J, Hocher B. High-fat, sucrose and salt-rich diet during rat spermatogenesis lead to the development of chronic kidney disease in the female offspring of the F2 generation. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22259. [PMID: 35294083 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101789rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Effects of feeding male rats during spermatogenesis a high-fat, high-sucrose and high-salt diet (HFSSD) over two generations (F0 and F1) on renal outcomes are unknown. Male F0 and F1 rats were fed either control diet (F0CD+F1CD) or HFSSD (F0HD+F1HD). The outcomes were glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin excretion in F1 and F2 offspring. If both outcomes were altered a morphological and molecular assessment was done. F2 offspring of both sexes had a decreased GFR. However, increased urinary albumin excretion was only observed in female F2 F0HD+F1HD offspring compared with controls. F0HD+F1HD female F2 offspring developed glomerulosclerosis (+31%; p < .01) and increased renal interstitial fibrosis (+52%; p < .05). RNA sequencing followed by qRT-PCR validation showed that four genes (Enpp6, Tmem144, Cd300lf, and Actr3b) were differentially regulated in the kidneys of female F2 offspring. lncRNA XR-146683.1 expression decreased in female F0HD+F1HD F2 offspring and its expression was (r = 0.44, p = .027) correlated with the expression of Tmem144. Methylation of CpG islands in the promoter region of the Cd300lf gene was increased (p = .001) in female F2 F0HD+F1HD offspring compared to controls. Promoter CpG island methylation rate of Cd300lf was inversely correlated with Cd300lf mRNA expression in F2 female offspring (r = -0.483, p = .012). Cd300lf mRNA expression was inversely correlated with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio in female F2 offspring (r = -0.588, p = .005). Paternal pre-conceptional unhealthy diet given for two generations predispose female F2 offspring to chronic kidney disease due to epigenetic alterations of renal gene expression. Particularly, Cd300lf gene promotor methylation was inversely associated with Cd300lf mRNA expression and Cd300lf mRNA expression itself was inversely associated with urinary albumin excretion in F2 female offspring whose fathers and grandfathers got a pre-conceptional unhealthy diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ahmed A Hasan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hongwei Wu
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mohamed M S Gaballa
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh, Egypt
| | - Suimin Zeng
- The First Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yiyang, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Xie
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Tobias Jung
- Department of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Tilman Grune
- Department of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany.,Department of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard K Krämer
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Berthold Hocher
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China.,Institute of Medical Diagnostics, IMD Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Patel J, Bircan E, Tang X, Orloff M, Hobbs CA, Browne ML, Botto LD, Finnell RH, Jenkins MM, Olshan A, Romitti PA, Shaw GM, Werler MM, Li J, Nembhard WN. Paternal genetic variants and risk of obstructive heart defects: A parent-of-origin approach. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009413. [PMID: 33684136 PMCID: PMC7971842 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research on risk factors for obstructive heart defects (OHDs) focused on maternal and infant genetic variants, prenatal environmental exposures, and their potential interaction effects. Less is known about the role of paternal genetic variants or environmental exposures and risk of OHDs. We examined parent-of-origin effects in transmission of alleles in the folate, homocysteine, or transsulfuration pathway genes on OHD occurrence in offspring. We used data on 569 families of liveborn infants with OHDs born between October 1997 and August 2008 from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study to conduct a family-based case-only study. Maternal, paternal, and infant DNA were genotyped using an Illumina Golden Gate custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel. Relative risks (RR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and likelihood ratio tests from log-linear models were used to estimate the parent-of-origin effect of 877 SNPs in 60 candidate genes in the folate, homocysteine, and transsulfuration pathways on the risk of OHDs. Bonferroni correction was applied for multiple testing. We identified 3 SNPs in the transsulfuration pathway and 1 SNP in the folate pathway that were statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Among infants who inherited paternally-derived copies of the G allele for rs6812588 in the RFC1 gene, the G allele for rs1762430 in the MGMT gene, and the A allele for rs9296695 and rs4712023 in the GSTA3 gene, RRs for OHD were 0.11 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.29, P = 9.16x10-7), 0.30 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.53, P = 9.80x10-6), 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.57, P = 2.28x10-5), and 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.58, P = 3.77x10-5), respectively, compared to infants who inherited maternally-derived copies of the same alleles. We observed statistically significant decreased risk of OHDs among infants who inherited paternal gene variants involved in folate and transsulfuration pathways. Obstructive heart defects are birth defects that cause obstruction to the blood flow of the developing heart. Common OHDs include coarctation of the aorta, aortic stenosis and pulmonary stenosis. While there is a fair amount of literature indicating an association between maternal genetic variants and OHDs, less is known about the role of paternal genetic variants in the etiology of OHDs. We used a genotype clustering algorithm, SNPMClust, that was developed in-house at the Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention to study the role of paternal genetic variants in the folate, homocysteine and transsulfuration pathways. Maternal, paternal, and infant DNA specimens were collected from participants of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a large population-based case-control study in the United States, and were genotyped using an Illumina Golden Gate custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel. We identified 4 SNPs in the folate and transsulfuration pathways, rs6812588, rs1762430, rs9296695, and rs4712023, that were associated with a statistically significant decreased risk of OHDs for infants who inherited a paternally-derived copy of the variant allele compared to infants who inherited a maternal copy of the variant allele. In conclusion, we observed a significantly decreased risk and less epigenetic influence of paternal genetic variants on OHDs compared to maternally-derived variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenil Patel
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Emine Bircan
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Xinyu Tang
- Biostatistics Program, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Mohammed Orloff
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Charlotte A. Hobbs
- Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Marilyn L. Browne
- Birth Defects Research Section, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, United States of America
| | - Lorenzo D. Botto
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Richard H. Finnell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Mary M. Jenkins
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Andrew Olshan
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Romitti
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Martha M. Werler
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Jingyun Li
- Biostatistics Program, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Wendy N. Nembhard
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Senaldi L, Smith-Raska M. Evidence for germline non-genetic inheritance of human phenotypes and diseases. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:136. [PMID: 32917273 PMCID: PMC7488552 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00929-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly apparent that certain phenotypes are inherited across generations independent of the information contained in the DNA sequence, by factors in germ cells that remain largely uncharacterized. As evidence for germline non-genetic inheritance of phenotypes and diseases continues to grow in model organisms, there are fewer reports of this phenomenon in humans, due to a variety of complications in evaluating this mechanism of inheritance in humans. This review summarizes the evidence for germline-based non-genetic inheritance in humans, as well as the significant challenges and important caveats that must be considered when evaluating this process in human populations. Most reports of this process evaluate the association of a lifetime exposure in ancestors with changes in DNA methylation or small RNA expression in germ cells, as well as the association between ancestral experiences and the inheritance of a phenotype in descendants, down to great-grandchildren in some cases. Collectively, these studies provide evidence that phenotypes can be inherited in a DNA-independent manner; the extent to which this process contributes to disease development, as well as the cellular and molecular regulation of this process, remain largely undefined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Senaldi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew Smith-Raska
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA. .,Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Lyu C, Webber DM, MacLeod SL, Hobbs CA, Li M. Gene-by-gene interactions associated with the risk of conotruncal heart defects. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1010. [PMID: 31851787 PMCID: PMC6978401 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of conotruncal heart defects (CTDs) involves a complex relationship among genetic variants and maternal lifestyle factors. In this article, we focused on the interactions between 13 candidate genes within folate, homocysteine, and transsulfuration pathways for potential association with CTD risk. METHODS Targeted sequencing was used for 328 case-parental triads enrolled in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS). To evaluate the interaction of two genes, we applied a conditional logistic regression model for all possible SNP pairs within two respective genes by contrasting the affected infants with their pseudo-controls. The findings were replicated in an independent sample of 86 NBDPS case-parental triads genotyped by DNA microarrays. The results of two studies were further integrated by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. RESULTS One SNP pair (i.e., rs4764267 and rs6556883) located in gene MGST1 and GLRX, respectively, was found to be associated with CTD risk after multiple testing adjustment using simpleM, a modified Bonferroni correction approach (nominal p-value of 4.62e-06; adjusted p-value of .04). Another SNP pair (i.e., rs11892646 and rs56219526) located in gene DNMT3A and MTRR, respectively, achieved marginal significance after multiple testing adjustment (adjusted p-value of .06). CONCLUSION Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm and elucidate these potential interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lyu
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana UniversityBloomingtonINUSA
| | - Daniel M. Webber
- Department of Pathology & ImmunologyWashington University at St LouisSaint LouisMOUSA
| | | | | | - Ming Li
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana UniversityBloomingtonINUSA
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Yang W, Xiao Y, Tian T, Jin L, Wang L, Ren A. Genetic variants in GRHL3 and risk for neural tube defects: A case-control and case-parent triad/control study. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:1468-1478. [PMID: 31332962 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the most common severe birth defects with complex etiologies. Previous studies conducted on animals have suggested that the Grhl3 gene is essential for closure of the spinal neural tube, but little evidence from human studies on the variants of GRHL3 gene has been provided, especially the common genetic variants. METHODS To investigate the relationship between common genetic variants of GRHL3 and the risk for NTDs, we performed a case-control study and a case-parent triad/control study. Fast-target enrichment sequencing was performed to screen exon regions from 503 NTD cases, and three tag SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms, including rs12030057, rs2486668, and rs545809) were selected according to the sequencing results. Then, Sequenom MassARRAY genotyping was performed in 757 case parents and 519 controls to obtain genotype information of the target variant sites among all NTD triads and controls. RESULTS The genotype distributions of all SNPs were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) in the control population. In the case-control study, significant associations were found between C27G genetic variants on rs2486668 and risk for spina bifida and encephalocele, respectively, under different genetic models. Consistently, in the case-parent triad/control study, GG genotype on rs2486668 was associated with increased risk for spina bifida, with a RR of 2.15 (95% CI: 1.20-3.83). However, no parent-of-origin effect was found for any tag SNPs. CONCLUSION The GRHL3 C67G missense variant may increase the risk for spina bifida and encephalocele phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlei Yang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yanhui Xiao
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Jin
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Aiguo Ren
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
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