1
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Senner CE, Dong Z, Prater M, Branco MR, Watson ED. One-carbon metabolism is required for epigenetic stability in the mouse placenta. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1209928. [PMID: 37440923 PMCID: PMC10333575 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1209928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
One-carbon metabolism, including the folate cycle, has a crucial role in fetal development though its molecular function is complex and unclear. The hypomorphic Mtrr gt allele is known to disrupt one-carbon metabolism, and thus methyl group availability, leading to several developmental phenotypes (e.g., neural tube closure defects, fetal growth anomalies). Remarkably, previous studies showed that some of the phenotypes were transgenerationally inherited. Here, we explored the genome-wide epigenetic impact of one-carbon metabolism in placentas associated with fetal growth phenotypes and determined whether specific DNA methylation changes were inherited. Firstly, methylome analysis of Mtrr gt/gt homozygous placentas revealed genome-wide epigenetic instability. Several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified including at the Cxcl1 gene promoter and at the En2 gene locus, which may have phenotypic implications. Importantly, we discovered hypomethylation and ectopic expression of a subset of ERV elements throughout the genome of Mtrr gt/gt placentas with broad implications for genomic stability. Next, we determined that known spermatozoan DMRs in Mtrr gt/gt males were reprogrammed in the placenta with little evidence of direct or transgenerational germline DMR inheritance. However, some spermatozoan DMRs were associated with placental gene misexpression despite normalisation of DNA methylation, suggesting the inheritance of an alternative epigenetic mechanism. Integration of published wildtype histone ChIP-seq datasets with Mtrr gt/gt spermatozoan methylome and placental transcriptome datasets point towards H3K4me3 deposition at key loci. These data suggest that histone modifications might play a role in epigenetic inheritance in this context. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanistic complexities of one-carbon metabolism in development and epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E. Senner
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ziqi Dong
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Malwina Prater
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel R. Branco
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erica D. Watson
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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Gök V, Erdem Ş, Haliloğlu Y, Bişgin A, Belkaya S, Başaran KE, Canatan MF, Özcan A, Yılmaz E, Acıpayam C, Karakükcü M, Canatan H, Per H, Patıroğlu T, Eken A, Ünal E. Immunodeficiency associated with a novel functionally defective variant of SLC19A1 benefits from folinic acid treatment. Genes Immun 2023; 24:12-20. [PMID: 36517554 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-022-00191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Insufficient dietary folate intake, hereditary malabsorption, or defects in folate transport may lead to combined immunodeficiency (CID). Although loss of function mutations in the major intestinal folate transporter PCFT/SLC46A1 was shown to be associated with CID, the evidence for pathogenic variants of RFC/SLC19A1 resulting in immunodeficiency was lacking. We report two cousins carrying a homozygous pathogenic variant c.1042 G > A, resulting in p.G348R substitution who showed symptoms of immunodeficiency associated with defects of folate transport. SLC19A1 expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was quantified by real-time qPCR and immunostaining. T cell proliferation, methotrexate resistance, NK cell cytotoxicity, Treg cells and cytokine production by T cells were examined by flow cytometric assays. Patients were treated with and benefited from folinic acid. Studies revealed normal NK cell cytotoxicity, Treg cell counts, and naive-memory T cell percentages. Although SLC19A1 mRNA and protein expression were unaltered, remarkably, mitogen induced-T cell proliferation was significantly reduced at suboptimal folic acid and supraoptimal folinic acid concentrations. In addition, patients' PBMCs were resistant to methotrexate-induced apoptosis supporting a functionally defective SLC19A1. This study presents the second pathogenic SLC19A1 variant in the literature, providing the first experimental evidence that functionally defective variants of SLC19A1 may present with symptoms of immunodeficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veysel Gök
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Şerife Erdem
- Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye.,Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Yeşim Haliloğlu
- Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye.,Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Atıl Bişgin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
| | - Serkan Belkaya
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Bilkent University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Kemal Erdem Başaran
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | | | - Alper Özcan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Ebru Yılmaz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Can Acıpayam
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Sütçü İmam University, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye
| | - Musa Karakükcü
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Halit Canatan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Hüseyin Per
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Türkan Patıroğlu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Eken
- Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye. .,Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye.
| | - Ekrem Ünal
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye. .,Genome and Stem Cell Center (GENKOK), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye. .,Department of Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, Health Science Institution, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye.
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3
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Folate Transport and One-Carbon Metabolism in Targeted Therapies of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010191. [PMID: 35008360 PMCID: PMC8750473 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
New therapies are urgently needed for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. To identify new approaches for targeting EOC, metabolic vulnerabilities must be discovered and strategies for the selective delivery of therapeutic agents must be established. Folate receptor (FR) α and the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) are expressed in the majority of EOCs. FRβ is expressed on tumor-associated macrophages, a major infiltrating immune population in EOC. One-carbon (C1) metabolism is partitioned between the cytosol and mitochondria and is important for the synthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, glutathione, and other critical metabolites. Novel inhibitors are being developed with the potential for therapeutic targeting of tumors via FRs and the PCFT, as well as for inhibiting C1 metabolism. In this review, we summarize these exciting new developments in targeted therapies for both tumors and the tumor microenvironment in EOC.
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4
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Wilkinson AL, Menelaou K, Rakoczy J, Tan XS, Watson ED. Disruption of Folate Metabolism Causes Poor Alignment and Spacing of Mouse Conceptuses for Multiple Generations. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:723978. [PMID: 34957089 PMCID: PMC8703036 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.723978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal uptake or metabolism of folate increases risk of human pregnancy complications, though the mechanism is unclear. Here, we explore how defective folate metabolism influences early development by analysing mice with the hypomorphic Mtrrgt mutation. MTRR is necessary for methyl group utilisation from folate metabolism, and the Mtrrgt allele disrupts this process. We show that the spectrum of phenotypes previously observed in Mtrrgt/gt conceptuses at embryonic day (E) 10.5 is apparent from E8.5 including developmental delay, congenital malformations, and placental phenotypes. Notably, we report misalignment of some Mtrrgt conceptuses within their implantation sites from E6.5. The degree of misorientation occurs across a continuum, with the most severe form visible upon gross dissection. Additionally, some Mtrrgt/gt conceptuses display twinning. Therefore, we implicate folate metabolism in blastocyst orientation and spacing at implantation. Skewed growth likely influences embryo development since developmental delay and heart malformations (but not defects in neural tube closure or trophoblast differentiation) associate with severe misalignment of Mtrrgt/gt conceptuses. Typically, the uterus is thought to guide conceptus orientation. To investigate a uterine effect of the Mtrrgt allele, we manipulate the maternal Mtrr genotype. Misaligned conceptuses were observed in litters of Mtrr+/+, Mtrr+/gt, and Mtrrgt/gt mothers. While progesterone and/or BMP2 signalling might be disrupted, normal decidual morphology, patterning, and blood perfusion are evident at E6.5 regardless of conceptus orientation. These observations argue against a post-implantation uterine defect as a cause of conceptus misalignment. Since litters of Mtrr+/+ mothers display conceptus misalignment, a grandparental effect is explored. Multigenerational phenotype inheritance is characteristic of the Mtrrgt model, though the mechanism remains unclear. Genetic pedigree analysis reveals that severe conceptus skewing associates with the Mtrr genotype of either maternal grandparent. Moreover, the presence of conceptus skewing after embryo transfer into a control uterus indicates that misalignment is independent of the peri- and/or post-implantation uterus and instead is likely attributed to an embryonic mechanism that is epigenetically inherited. Overall, our data indicates that abnormal folate metabolism influences conceptus orientation over multiple generations with implications for subsequent development. This study casts light on the complex role of folate metabolism during development beyond a direct maternal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Wilkinson
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Katerina Menelaou
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna Rakoczy
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Xiu S Tan
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Erica D Watson
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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5
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Taylor ZL, Thompson LE, Bear H, Mizuno T, Vinks AA, Ramsey LB. Toward pharmacogenetic SLCO1B1-guided dosing of methotrexate in arthritis using a murine Slco1b2 knockout model. Clin Transl Sci 2021; 14:2267-2277. [PMID: 34121338 PMCID: PMC8604247 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Low‐dose methotrexate (MTX) is a first‐line therapy for the treatment of arthritis. However, there is considerable interindividual variability in MTX exposure following standard dosing. Polymorphisms in SLCO1B1 significantly effect MTX clearance, altering therapeutic response. One decreased function variant, rs4149056 (c.521T>C, Val174Ala), slows MTX clearance and in vitro uptake of MTX. This phenotype was recapitulated in a mouse model using a knockout (KO) of the murine orthologue, Slco1b2. Our objective was to investigate the impact of this phenotype on the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic outcomes of low‐dose MTX in a murine model of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA). We evaluated response to MTX in mice with CIA using wildtype (WT), heterozygous, and KO Slco1b2 mice on a DBA1/J background. Arthritis was macroscopically evaluated daily to quantify disease progression. Mice received 2 mg/kg or a pharmacogenetically guided MTX dose subcutaneously 3 times a week for 2 weeks. MTX concentrations were collected at the end of the study and exposure (day*µM) was estimated using a two‐compartment model. Mice displayed a seven‐fold range in MTX exposure and revealed a significant exposure‐response relationship (p = 0.0027). KO mice receiving the 2 mg/kg dosing regimen had 2.3‐fold greater exposure to MTX (p < 0.0001) and a 66% reduction in overall disease progression (p = 0.011) compared to WT mice. However, exposure and response were equivalent when pharmacogenetically guided dosing was used. These studies demonstrate that an exposure‐response relationship exists for MTX and that Slco1b2 genotype affects MTX exposure and therapeutic response. Such evidence supports the use of SLCO1B1‐pharmacogenetic dosing of low‐dose MTX for patients with arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lauren E Thompson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Heather Bear
- Division of Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Mizuno
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Alexander A Vinks
- Division of Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Laura B Ramsey
- Division of Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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6
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Seelan RS, Mukhopadhyay P, Philipose J, Greene RM, Pisano MM. Gestational folate deficiency alters embryonic gene expression and cell function. Differentiation 2020; 117:1-15. [PMID: 33302058 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Folic acid is a nutrient essential for embryonic development. Folate deficiency can cause embryonic lethality or neural tube defects and orofacial anomalies. Folate receptor 1 (Folr1) is a folate binding protein that facilitates the cellular uptake of dietary folate. To better understand the biological processes affected by folate deficiency, gene expression profiles of gestational day 9.5 (gd9.5) Folr1-/- embryos were compared to those of gd9.5 Folr1+/+ embryos. The expression of 837 genes/ESTs was found to be differentially altered in Folr1-/- embryos, relative to those observed in wild-type embryos. The 837 differentially expressed genes were subjected to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Among the major biological functions affected in Folr1-/- mice were those related to 'digestive system development/function', 'cardiovascular system development/function', 'tissue development', 'cellular development', and 'cell growth and differentiation', while the major canonical pathways affected were those associated with blood coagulation, embryonic stem cell transcription and cardiomyocyte differentiation (via BMP receptors). Cellular proliferation, apoptosis and migration were all significantly affected in the Folr1-/- embryos. Cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) and neural tube explants, grown under folate-deficient conditions, exhibited marked reduction in directed migration that can be attributed, in part, to an altered cytoskeleton caused by perturbations in F-actin formation and/or assembly. The present study revealed that several developmentally relevant biological processes were compromised in Folr1-/- embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S Seelan
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development & Anomalies, University of Louisville Dental School, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - P Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development & Anomalies, University of Louisville Dental School, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - J Philipose
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development & Anomalies, University of Louisville Dental School, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - R M Greene
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development & Anomalies, University of Louisville Dental School, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA.
| | - M M Pisano
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Craniofacial Development & Anomalies, University of Louisville Dental School, 501 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
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7
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Sowton AP, Padmanabhan N, Tunster SJ, McNally BD, Murgia A, Yusuf A, Griffin JL, Murray AJ, Watson ED. Mtrr hypomorphic mutation alters liver morphology, metabolism and fuel storage in mice. Mol Genet Metab Rep 2020; 23:100580. [PMID: 32257815 PMCID: PMC7109458 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgmr.2020.100580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with dietary folate deficiency and mutations in genes required for one‑carbon metabolism. However, the mechanism through which this occurs is unclear. To improve our understanding of this link, we investigated liver morphology, metabolism and fuel storage in adult mice with a hypomorphic mutation in the gene methionine synthase reductase (Mtrr gt ). MTRR enzyme is a key regulator of the methionine and folate cycles. The Mtrr gt mutation in mice was previously shown to disrupt one‑carbon metabolism and cause a wide-spectrum of developmental phenotypes and late adult-onset macrocytic anaemia. Here, we showed that livers of Mtrr gt/gt female mice were enlarged compared to control C57Bl/6J livers. Histological analysis of these livers revealed eosinophilic hepatocytes with decreased glycogen content, which was associated with down-regulation of genes involved in glycogen synthesis (e.g., Ugp2 and Gsk3a genes). While female Mtrr gt/gt livers showed evidence of reduced β-oxidation of fatty acids, there were no other associated changes in the lipidome in female or male Mtrr gt/gt livers compared with controls. Defects in glycogen storage and lipid metabolism often associate with disruption of mitochondrial electron transfer system activity. However, defects in mitochondrial function were not detected in Mtrr gt/gt livers as determined by high-resolution respirometry analysis. Overall, we demonstrated that adult Mtrr gt/gt female mice showed abnormal liver morphology that differed from the NAFLD phenotype and that was accompanied by subtle changes in their hepatic metabolism and fuel storage.
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Key Words
- 5-methyl-THF, 5-methyltetrahydofolate
- Agl, amylo-alpha-1,6-glucosidase,4-alpha-glucanotransferase gene
- BCA, bicinchoninic acid
- Bhmt, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase gene
- CE, cholesteryl-ester
- Cebpa, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), alpha gene
- Cer, ceramide
- DAG, diacylglycerol
- Ddit3, DNA damage inducible transcript 3 gene
- ETS, electron transport system
- FCCP, p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazine
- FFA, free fatty acid
- G6pc, glucose 6-phophastase gene
- Gbe1, glycogen branching enzyme 1 gene
- Glycogen
- Gsk3, glycogen synthase kinase gene
- Gyg, glycogenin gene
- Gys2, glycogen synthase 2 gene
- HOAD, 3-hydoxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase
- Hepatic fuel storage
- Isca1, iron‑sulfur cluster assembly 1 gene
- JO2, oxygen flux
- LC-MS, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
- LPC, lysophosphatidylcholine
- Lipidomics
- Liver metabolism
- Mitochondrial function
- Mthfr, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene
- Mtr, methionine synthase gene (also MS)
- Mtrr, methionine synthase reductase gene (also MSR)
- Myc, myelocytomatosis oncogene
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- Ndufs, NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit (ETS complex I) gene
- OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation
- One‑carbon metabolism
- PA, phosphatidic acid
- PAS, periodic acid Schiff
- PC, phosphatidylcholine
- PE, phosphatidylethanolamine
- PG, phosphatidylglycerol
- PI, phosphatidylinositol
- PIP, phosphatidylinositol phosphate(s)
- PL, phospholipid
- PS, phosphatidylserine
- RIPA, Radioimmunoprecipitation assay
- SAH, S-adenosylhomocysteine
- SAM, S-adenosylmethionine
- SM, sphingomyelin
- TAG, triacylglycerol
- Ugp2, UDP-glucose pyrophophorylase 2 gene
- gt, gene-trap
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice P. Sowton
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Nisha Padmanabhan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Simon J. Tunster
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Ben D. McNally
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Antonio Murgia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Aisha Yusuf
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Julian L. Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
- Section of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Andrew J. Murray
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Erica D. Watson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
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Abstract
During embryonic development, the central nervous system forms as the neural plate and then rolls into a tube in a complex morphogenetic process known as neurulation. Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur when neurulation fails and are among the most common structural birth defects in humans. The frequency of NTDs varies greatly anywhere from 0.5 to 10 in 1000 live births, depending on the genetic background of the population, as well as a variety of environmental factors. The prognosis varies depending on the size and placement of the lesion and ranges from death to severe or moderate disability, and some NTDs are asymptomatic. This chapter reviews how mouse models have contributed to the elucidation of the genetic, molecular, and cellular basis of neural tube closure, as well as to our understanding of the causes and prevention of this devastating birth defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene E Zohn
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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9
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Sharma J, Krupenko SA. Folate pathways mediating the effects of ethanol in tumorigenesis. Chem Biol Interact 2020; 324:109091. [PMID: 32283069 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2020.109091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Folate and alcohol are dietary factors affecting the risk of cancer development in humans. The interaction between folate status and alcohol consumption in carcinogenesis involves multiple mechanisms. Alcoholism is typically associated with folate deficiency due to reduced dietary folate intake. Heavy alcohol consumption also decreases folate absorption, enhances urinary folate excretion and inhibits enzymes pivotal for one-carbon metabolism. While folate metabolism is involved in several key biochemical pathways, aberrant DNA methylation, due to the deficiency of methyl donors, is considered as a common downstream target of the folate-mediated effects of ethanol. The negative effects of low intakes of nutrients that provide dietary methyl groups, with high intakes of alcohol are additive in general. For example, low methionine, low-folate diets coupled with alcohol consumption could increase the risk for colorectal cancer in men. To counteract the negative effects of alcohol consumption, increased intake of nutrients, such as folate, providing dietary methyl groups is generally recommended. Here mechanisms involving dietary folate and folate metabolism in cancer disease, as well as links between these mechanisms and alcohol effects, are discussed. These mechanisms include direct effects on folate pathways and indirect mediation by oxidative stress, hypoxia, and microRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaspreet Sharma
- Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Sergey A Krupenko
- Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
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10
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Steele JW, Kim SE, Finnell RH. One-carbon metabolism and folate transporter genes: Do they factor prominently in the genetic etiology of neural tube defects? Biochimie 2020; 173:27-32. [PMID: 32061804 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a broad class of congenital birth defects that result from the failure of neural tube closure during neurulation. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to prevent the occurrence of NTDs by as much as 70% in some human populations, and folate deficiency in a pregnant woman is associated with increased risk for having an NTD affected infant. Thus, folate transport-related genes and genes involved in the subsequent folate-mediated one-carbon metabolic pathway have long been considered primary candidates to study the genetic etiology of human NTDs. Herein, we review the genes involved in folate transport and one-carbon metabolism thus far identified as contributing variants that influence human NTD risk, and place these findings in the context of our evolving understanding of the complex genetic architecture underlying these defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Steele
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Sung-Eun Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas at Austin/Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Molecular and Human Genetics, and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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11
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Liu W, Wang K, Lv X, Wang Q, Li X, Yang Z, Liu X, Yan L, Fu X, Xiao R. Up-regulation of RNA Binding Proteins Contributes to Folate Deficiency-Induced Neural Crest Cells Dysfunction. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:85-98. [PMID: 31892848 PMCID: PMC6930370 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.33976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Folate deficiency has long been associated with the abnormal development of the neural crest cells (NCCs) and neural tube defects (NTDs). RNA binding proteins (RBPs) also play important roles in the normal neural crest development and neural tube formation. Nevertheless, the causative mechanism by which folate status influences human NCCs development and the RBPs functions remains unknown. In this study, we differentiated H9 human embryonic stem cells into neural crest cells (H9-NCCs) and then constructed three folic acid (FA) deficiency (FAD) H9-NCCs models in vitro. Decreased viability, impaired migration and promoted apoptosis of H9-NCCs were observed in three FAD H9-NCCs models. In addition, we showed that three RBPs, namely, hnRNPC, LARP6 and RCAN2, were up-regulated both in the FAD H9-NCC models in vitro and in the FAD mouse model in vivo. Knocking down of these three RBPs increased the H9-NCC viability and RCAN2 knockdown further promoted H9-NCC migration under FAD conditions. In normal culture condition, overexpression of RCAN2 and HnRNPC did not affect viabilities and migration of H9-NCCs while overexpression of LARP6 reduced the H9-NCC viability. Our findings demonstrate important regulatory effects of RBPs underlying FAD-induced impaired function of NCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Liu
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Kang Wang
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Lv
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Wang
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiu Li
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhigang Yang
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Liu
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Yan
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Fu
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Xiao
- Research Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Beijing, 100144, People's Republic of China
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Samodelov SL, Gai Z, Kullak-Ublick GA, Visentin M. Renal Reabsorption of Folates: Pharmacological and Toxicological Snapshots. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11102353. [PMID: 31581752 PMCID: PMC6836044 DOI: 10.3390/nu11102353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Folates are water-soluble B9 vitamins that serve as one-carbon donors in the de novo synthesis of thymidylate and purines, and in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Due to their key roles in nucleic acid synthesis and in DNA methylation, inhibiting the folate pathway is still one of the most efficient approaches for the treatment of several tumors. Methotrexate and pemetrexed are the most prescribed antifolates and are mainly used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, osteosarcoma, and lung cancers. Normal levels of folates in the blood are maintained not only by proper dietary intake and intestinal absorption, but also by an efficient renal reabsorption that seems to be primarily mediated by the glycosylphosphatidylinositol- (GPI) anchored protein folate receptor α (FRα), which is highly expressed at the brush-border membrane of proximal tubule cells. Folate deficiency due to malnutrition, impaired intestinal absorption or increased urinary elimination is associated with severe hematological and neurological deficits. This review describes the role of the kidneys in folate homeostasis, the molecular basis of folate handling by the kidneys, and the use of high dose folic acid as a model of acute kidney injury. Finally, we provide an overview on the development of folate-based compounds and their possible therapeutic potential and toxicological ramifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia L Samodelov
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Zhibo Gai
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Gerd A Kullak-Ublick
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Mechanistic Safety, CMO & Patient Safety, Global Drug Development, Novartis Pharma, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Michele Visentin
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.
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13
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Padmanabhan N, Menelaou K, Gao J, Anderson A, Blake GET, Li T, Daw BN, Watson ED. Abnormal folate metabolism causes age-, sex- and parent-of-origin-specific haematological defects in mice. J Physiol 2018; 596:4341-4360. [PMID: 30024025 PMCID: PMC6138292 DOI: 10.1113/jp276419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Folate (folic acid) deficiency and mutations in folate-related genes in humans result in megaloblastic anaemia. Folate metabolism, which requires the enzyme methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), is necessary for DNA synthesis and the transmission of one-carbon methyl groups for cellular methylation. In this study, we show that the hypomorphic Mtrrgt/gt mutation in mice results in late-onset and sex-specific blood defects, including macrocytic anaemia, extramedullary haematopoiesis and lymphopenia. Notably, when either parent carries an Mtrrgt allele, blood phenotypes result in their genetically wildtype adult daughters, the effects of which are parent specific. Our data establish a new model for studying the mechanism of folate metabolism in macrocytic anaemia aetiology and suggest that assessing parental folate status might be important when diagnosing adult patients with unexplained anaemia. ABSTRACT The importance of the vitamin folate (also known as folic acid) in erythrocyte formation, maturation and/or longevity is apparent since folate deficiency in humans causes megaloblastic anaemia. Megaloblastic anaemia is a type of macrocytic anaemia whereby erythrocytes are enlarged and fewer in number. Folate metabolism is required for thymidine synthesis and one-carbon metabolism, though its specific role in erythropoiesis is not well understood. Methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) is a key enzyme necessary for the progression of folate metabolism since knocking down the Mtrr gene in mice results in hyperhomocysteinaemia and global DNA hypomethylation. We demonstrate here that abnormal folate metabolism in mice caused by Mtrrgt/gt homozygosity leads to haematopoietic phenotypes that are sex and age dependent. Specifically, Mtrrgt/gt female mice displayed macrocytic anaemia, which might be due to defective erythroid differentiation at the exclusion of haemolysis. This was associated with increased renal Epo mRNA expression, hypercellular bone marrow, and splenic extramedullary haematopoiesis. In contrast, the male response differed since Mtrrgt/gt male mice were not anaemic but did display erythrocytic macrocytosis and lymphopenia. Regardless of sex, these phenotypes were late onset. Remarkably, we also show that when either parent carries an Mtrrgt allele, a haematological defect results in their adult wildtype daughters. However, the specific phenotype was dependent upon the sex of the parent. For instance, wildtype daughters of Mtrr+/gt females displayed normocytic anaemia. In contrast, wildtype daughters of Mtrr+/gt males exhibited erythrocytic microcytosis not associated with anaemia. Therefore, abnormal folate metabolism affects adult haematopoiesis in an age-, sex- and parent-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Padmanabhan
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Katerina Menelaou
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Jiali Gao
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Alexander Anderson
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Georgina E. T. Blake
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Tanya Li
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - B. Nuala Daw
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Erica D. Watson
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Trophoblast ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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Alata Jimenez N, Torres Pérez SA, Sánchez-Vásquez E, Fernandino JI, Strobl-Mazzulla PH. Folate deficiency prevents neural crest fate by disturbing the epigenetic Sox2 repression on the dorsal neural tube. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S193-S201. [PMID: 30098999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Folate deficiency has been known to contribute to neural tube and neural crest defects, but why these tissues are particularly affected, and which are the molecular mechanisms involved in those abnormalities are important human health questions that remain unanswered. Here we study the function of two of the main folate transporters, FolR1 and Rfc1, which are robustly expressed in these tissues. Folate is the precursor of S-adenosylmethionine, which is the main donor for DNA, protein and RNA methylation. Our results show that knockdown of FolR1 and/or Rfc1 reduced the abundance of histone H3 lysine and DNA methylation, two epigenetic modifications that play an important role during neural and neural crest development. Additionally, by knocking down folate transporter or pharmacologically inhibiting folate transport and metabolism, we observed ectopic Sox2 expression at the expense of neural crest markers in the dorsal neural tube. This is correlated with neural crest associated defects, with particular impact on orofacial formation. By using bisulfite sequencing, we show that this phenotype is consequence of reduced DNA methylation on the Sox2 locus at the dorsal neural tube, which can be rescued by the addition of folinic acid. Taken together, our in vivo results reveal the importance of folate as a source of the methyl groups necessary for the establishment of the correct epigenetic marks during neural and neural crest fate-restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagif Alata Jimenez
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Int Marino 8200, Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Sergio A Torres Pérez
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Int Marino 8200, Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Estefanía Sánchez-Vásquez
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Int Marino 8200, Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Juan I Fernandino
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Int Marino 8200, Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Pablo H Strobl-Mazzulla
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Int Marino 8200, Chascomús 7130, Argentina.
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15
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Sahakyan V, Duelen R, Tam WL, Roberts SJ, Grosemans H, Berckmans P, Ceccarelli G, Pelizzo G, Broccoli V, Deprest J, Luyten FP, Verfaillie CM, Sampaolesi M. Folic Acid Exposure Rescues Spina Bifida Aperta Phenotypes in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2942. [PMID: 29440666 PMCID: PMC5811493 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21103-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital abnormalities, caused by failed closure of neural tube during early embryonic development. Periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation greatly reduces the risk of NTDs. However, the molecular mechanisms behind NTDs and the preventive role of FA remain unclear. Here, we use human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from fetuses with spina bifida aperta (SBA) to study the pathophysiology of NTDs and explore the effects of FA exposure. We report that FA exposure in SBA model is necessary for the proper formation and maturation of neural tube structures and robust differentiation of mesodermal derivatives. Additionally, we show that the folate antagonist methotrexate dramatically affects the formation of neural tube structures and FA partially reverts this aberrant phenotype. In conclusion, we present a novel model for human NTDs and provide evidence that it is a powerful tool to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying NTDs, test drugs for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardine Sahakyan
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Duelen
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wai Long Tam
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, and Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Scott J Roberts
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, and Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London, UK
| | - Hanne Grosemans
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Berckmans
- Stem Cell Institute and Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Department Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gabriele Ceccarelli
- Human Anatomy Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gloria Pelizzo
- Pediatric Surgery Department, Istituto Mediterraneo di Eccellenza Pediatrica (ISMEP), Children's Hospital "G di Cristina", Palermo, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- CNR-Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Jan Deprest
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Woman and Child, Fetal Medicine Unit, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Institute for Women's Health (IWH), University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank P Luyten
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, and Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Catherine M Verfaillie
- Stem Cell Institute and Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Department Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maurilio Sampaolesi
- Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell Biology and Embryology Unit, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Human Anatomy Unit, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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16
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Craenen K, Verslegers M, Buset J, Baatout S, Moons L, Benotmane MA. A detailed characterization of congenital defects and mortality following moderate X-ray doses during neurulation. Birth Defects Res 2017; 110:467-482. [PMID: 29193908 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both epidemiological and animal studies have previously indicated a link between in utero radiation exposure and birth defects such as microphthalmos, anophthalmos, and exencephaly. However, detailed knowledge on embryonic radiosensitivity during different stages of neurulation is limited, especially in terms of neural tube defect and eye defect development. METHODS To assess the most radiosensitive stage during neurulation, pregnant C57BL6/J mice were X-irradiated (0.5 Gy or 1.0 Gy) at embryonic days (E)7, E7.5, E8, E8.5, or E9. Next, the fetuses were scored macroscopically for various defects and prenatal resorptions/deaths were counted. In addition, cranial skeletal development was ascertained using the alcian-alizarin method. Furthermore, postnatal/young adult survival was followed until 5 weeks (W5) of age, after X-irradiation at E7.5 (0.1 Gy, 0.5 Gy, or 1.0 Gy). In addition, body and brain weights were registered at adult age (W10) following X-ray exposure at E7.5 (0.1 Gy, 0.5 Gy). RESULTS Several malformations, including microphthalmos and exencephaly, were most evident after irradiation at E7.5, with significance starting respectively at 0.5 Gy and 1.0 Gy. Prenatal mortality and weight were significantly affected in all irradiated groups. Long-term follow-up of E7.5 irradiated animals revealed a reduction in survival at 5 weeks of age after high dose exposure (1.0 Gy), while lower doses (0.5 Gy, 0.1 Gy) did not affect brain and body weight at postnatal week 10. CONCLUSIONS With this study, we gained more insight in radiosensitivity throughout neurulation, and offered a better defined model to further study radiation-induced malformations and the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Craenen
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 bus 2464, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Jasmine Buset
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology section, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 bus 2464, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mohammed Abderrafi Benotmane
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN, Boeretang 200, Mol 2400, Belgium
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17
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Au KS, Findley TO, Northrup H. Finding the genetic mechanisms of folate deficiency and neural tube defects-Leaving no stone unturned. Am J Med Genet A 2017; 173:3042-3057. [PMID: 28944587 PMCID: PMC5650505 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.38478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur secondary to failed closure of the neural tube between the third and fourth weeks of gestation. The worldwide incidence ranges from 0.3 to 200 per 10,000 births with the United States of American NTD incidence at around 3-6.3 per 10,000 dependent on race and socioeconomic background. Human NTD incidence has fallen by 35-50% in North America due to mandatory folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grain products since 1998. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the folic acid fortification of corn masa flour with the goal to further reduce the incidence of NTDs, especially among individuals who are Hispanic. However, the genetic mechanisms determining who will benefit most from folate enrichment of the diet remains unclear despite volumes of literature published on studies of association of genes with functions related to folate metabolism and risk of human NTDs. The advances in omics technologies provides hypothesis-free tools to interrogate every single gene within the genome of NTD affected individuals to discover pathogenic variants and methylation targets throughout the affected genome. By identifying genes with expression regulated by presence of folate through transcriptome profiling studies, the genetic mechanisms leading to human NTDs due to folate deficiency may begin to be more efficiently revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- KS Au
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Houston – McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
| | - TO Findley
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Houston – McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
| | - H Northrup
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Houston – McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
- Shriners Hospitals for Children - Houston, Houston, TX
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18
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Findley TO, Tenpenny JC, O'Byrne MR, Morrison AC, Hixson JE, Northrup H, Au KS. Mutations in folate transporter genes and risk for human myelomeningocele. Am J Med Genet A 2017; 173:2973-2984. [PMID: 28948692 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.38472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms linking folate deficiency and neural tube defect (NTD) risk in offspring remain unclear. Folate transporters (SLC19A1, SLC46A1, SLC25A32, and FOLH1) and folate receptors (FOLR1, FOLR2, and FOLR3) are suggested to play essential roles in transporting folate from maternal intestinal lumen to the developing embryo. Loss of function variants in these genes may affect folate availability and contribute to NTD risk. This study examines whether variants within the folate transporter and receptor genes are associated with an increased risk for myelomeningocele (MM). Exons and their flanking intron sequences of 348 MM subjects were sequenced using the Sanger sequencing method and/or next generation sequencing to identify variants. Frequencies of alleles of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MM subjects were compared to those from ethnically matched reference populations to evaluate alleles' associated risk for MM. We identified eight novel variants in SLC19A1 and twelve novel variants in FOLR1, FOLR2, and FOLR3. Pathogenic variants include c.1265delG in SLC19A1 resulting in an early stop codon, four large insertion deletion variants in FOLR3, and a stop_gain variant in FOLR3. No new variants were identified in SLC46A1, SLC25A32, or FOLH1. In SLC19A1, c.80A>G (rs1051266) was not associated with our MM cohort; we did observe a variant allele G frequency of 61.7%, higher than previously reported in other NTD populations. In conclusion, we discovered novel loss of function variants in genes involved in folate transport in MM subjects. Our results support the growing evidence of associations between genes involved in folate transport and susceptibility to NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina O Findley
- Division of Neonatology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Joy C Tenpenny
- Division of Neonatology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Michelle R O'Byrne
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Alanna C Morrison
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - James E Hixson
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Hope Northrup
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.,Shriners Hospital for Children, Houston, Texas
| | - Kit Sing Au
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
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19
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Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the most severe congenital malformations of the central nervous system. The etiology is complex, with both genetic and environmental factors having important contributions. Researchers have known for the past two decades that maternal periconceptional use of the B vitamin folic acid can prevent many NTDs. Though this finding is arguably one of the most important recent discoveries in birth defect research, the mechanism by which folic acid exerts this benefit remains unknown. Research to date has focused on the hypothesis that an underlying genetic susceptibility interacts with folate-sensitive metabolic processes at the time of neural tube closure. Little progress has been made searching for risk-causative variants in candidate genes; therefore, more complex genetic and epigenetic methodologies are now being considered. This article reviews the research to date that has been targeted on this important gene-nutrient locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Molloy
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, 2 Ireland;
| | - Faith Pangilinan
- Medical Genomics and Metabolic Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; ,
| | - Lawrence C Brody
- Medical Genomics and Metabolic Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; ,
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20
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Toriyama M, Toriyama M, Wallingford JB, Finnell RH. Folate-dependent methylation of septins governs ciliogenesis during neural tube closure. FASEB J 2017; 31:3622-3635. [PMID: 28432198 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700092r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Periconception maternal folic acid (vitamin B9) supplementation can reduce the prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs), although just how folates benefit the developing embryo and promote closing of the neural tube and other morphologic processes during development remains unknown. Folate contributes to a 1-carbon metabolism, which is essential for purine biosynthesis and methionine recycling and affects methylation of DNA, histones, and nonhistone proteins. Herein, we used animal models and cultured mammalian cells to demonstrate that disruption of the methylation pathway mediated by folate compromises normal neural tube closure (NTC) and ciliogenesis. We demonstrate that the embryos with NTD failed to adequately methylate septin2, a key regulator of cilium structure and function. We report that methylation of septin2 affected its GTP binding activity and formation of the septin2-6-7 complex. We propose that folic acid promotes normal NTC in some embryos by regulating the methylation of septin2, which is critical for normal cilium formation during early embryonic development.-Toriyama, M., Toriyama, M., Wallingford, J. B., Finnell, R. H. Folate-dependent methylation of septins governs ciliogenesis during neural tube closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manami Toriyama
- Department of Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Michinori Toriyama
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - John B Wallingford
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Department of Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas, USA;
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Wang D, Wang F, Shi KH, Tao H, Li Y, Zhao R, Lu H, Duan W, Qiao B, Zhao SM, Wang H, Zhao JY. Lower Circulating Folate Induced by a Fidgetin Intronic Variant Is Associated With Reduced Congenital Heart Disease Susceptibility. Circulation 2017; 135:1733-1748. [PMID: 28302752 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.116.025164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Folate deficiency is an independent risk factor for congenital heart disease (CHD); however, the maternal plasma folate level is paradoxically not a good diagnostic marker. Genome-wide surveys have identified variants of nonfolate metabolic genes associated with the plasma folate level, suggesting that these genetic polymorphisms are potential risk factors for CHD. METHODS To examine the effects of folate concentration-related variations on CHD risk in the Han Chinese population, we performed 3 independent case-control studies including a total of 1489 patients with CHD and 1745 control subjects. The expression of the Fidgetin (FIGN) was detected in human cardiovascular and decidua tissue specimens with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. The molecular mechanisms were investigated by luciferase reporter assays, surface plasmon resonance, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. FIGN-interacting proteins were confirmed by tandem affinity purification and coimmunoprecipitation. Proteasome activity and metabolite concentrations in the folate pathway were quantified with a commercial proteasome activity assay and immunoassays, respectively. RESULTS The +94762G>C (rs2119289) variant in intron 4 of the FIGN gene was associated with significant reduction in CHD susceptibility (P=5.1×10-14 for the allele, P=8.5×10--13 for the genotype). Analysis of combined samples indicated that CHD risks in individuals carrying heterozygous (GC) or homozygous (CC) genotypes were reduced by 44% (odds ratio [OR]=0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.47-0.67) and 66% (OR=0.34; 95% CI=0.23-0.50), respectively, compared with those with the major GG genotype. Minor C allele carriers who had decreased plasma folate levels exhibited significantly increased FIGN expression because the transcription suppressor CREB1 did not bind the alternative promoter of FIGN isoform X3. Mechanistically, increased FIGN expression led to the accumulation of both reduced folate carrier 1 and dihydrofolate reductase via inhibition of their proteasomal degradation, which promoted folate absorption and metabolism. CONCLUSIONS We report a previously undocumented finding that decreased circulating folate levels induced by increased folate transmembrane transport and utilization, as determined by the FIGN intronic variant, serves as a protective mechanism against CHD. Our results may explain why circulating folate levels do not have a good diagnostic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Feng Wang
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Kai-Hu Shi
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Hui Tao
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Yang Li
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Rui Zhao
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Han Lu
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Wenyuan Duan
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Bin Qiao
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.)
| | - Shi-Min Zhao
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.).
| | - Hongyan Wang
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.).
| | - Jian-Yuan Zhao
- From Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., Y.L., R.Z., H.L., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Institute of Reproduction and Development and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (D.W., F.W., Y.L., R.Z., S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (S.-M.Z., H.W., J.-Y.Z.); Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China (K.-H.S., H.T.); Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China (W.D., B.Q.); Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (S.M.-Z., J.-Y.Z.); and Department of Neonatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (D.W.).
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22
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Genetic Research of Hand Congenital Deformities and Advancement in Plastic and Reconstructive Treatment. Plast Reconstr Surg 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-5101-2_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Nasrallah R, Fast EM, Solaimani P, Knezevic K, Eliades A, Patel R, Thambyrajah R, Unnikrishnan A, Thoms J, Beck D, Vink CS, Smith A, Wong J, Shepherd M, Kent D, Roychoudhuri R, Paul F, Klippert J, Hammes A, Willnow T, Göttgens B, Dzierzak E, Zon LI, Lacaud G, Kouskoff V, Pimanda JE. Identification of novel regulators of developmental hematopoiesis using Endoglin regulatory elements as molecular probes. Blood 2016; 128:1928-1939. [PMID: 27554085 PMCID: PMC5064716 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2016-02-697870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are the primary determinants of cell identity, and specific promoter/enhancer combinations of Endoglin (ENG) have been shown to target blood and endothelium in the embryo. Here, we generated a series of embryonic stem cell lines, each targeted with reporter constructs driven by specific promoter/enhancer combinations of ENG, to evaluate their discriminative potential and value as molecular probes of the corresponding transcriptome. The Eng promoter (P) in combination with the -8/+7/+9-kb enhancers, targeted cells in FLK1 mesoderm that were enriched for blast colony forming potential, whereas the P/-8-kb enhancer targeted TIE2+/c-KIT+/CD41- endothelial cells that were enriched for hematopoietic potential. These fractions were isolated using reporter expression and their transcriptomes profiled by RNA-seq. There was high concordance between our signatures and those from embryos with defects at corresponding stages of hematopoiesis. Of the 6 genes that were upregulated in both hemogenic mesoderm and hemogenic endothelial fractions targeted by the reporters, LRP2, a multiligand receptor, was the only gene that had not previously been associated with hematopoiesis. We show that LRP2 is indeed involved in definitive hematopoiesis and by doing so validate the use of reporter gene-coupled enhancers as probes to gain insights into transcriptional changes that facilitate cell fate transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabab Nasrallah
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Eva M Fast
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Parham Solaimani
- Erasmus Medical Center Stem Cell Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kathy Knezevic
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alexia Eliades
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rahima Patel
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Roshana Thambyrajah
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ashwin Unnikrishnan
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julie Thoms
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dominik Beck
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chris S Vink
- Erasmus Medical Center Stem Cell Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Aileen Smith
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jason Wong
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mairi Shepherd
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Kent
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rahul Roychoudhuri
- The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fabian Paul
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; and
| | - Julia Klippert
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; and
| | - Annette Hammes
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; and
| | - Thomas Willnow
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; and
| | - Bertie Göttgens
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine Dzierzak
- Erasmus Medical Center Stem Cell Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - George Lacaud
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Valerie Kouskoff
- Cancer Research United Kingdom Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - John E Pimanda
- Lowy Cancer Research Centre and the Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, Australia; Department of Haematology, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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Epigenetic regulation in neural crest development. Dev Biol 2014; 396:159-68. [PMID: 25446277 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Revised: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest is a migratory and multipotent cell population that plays a crucial role in many aspects of embryonic development. In all vertebrate embryos, these cells emerge from the dorsal neural tube then migrate long distances to different regions of the body, where they contribute to formation of many cell types and structures. These include much of the peripheral nervous system, craniofacial skeleton, smooth muscle, and pigmentation of the skin. The best-studied regulatory events guiding neural crest development are mediated by transcription factors and signaling molecules. In recent years, however, growing evidence supports an important role for epigenetic regulation as an additional mechanism for controlling the timing and level of gene expression at different stages of neural crest development. Here, we summarize the process of neural crest formation, with focus on the role of epigenetic regulation in neural crest specification, migration, and differentiation as well as in neural crest related birth defects and diseases.
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25
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Kur E, Mecklenburg N, Cabrera RM, Willnow TE, Hammes A. LRP2 mediates folate uptake in the developing neural tube. J Cell Sci 2014; 127:2261-8. [PMID: 24639464 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.140145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein 2 (LRP2) is a multifunctional cell-surface receptor expressed in the embryonic neuroepithelium. Loss of LRP2 in the developing murine central nervous system (CNS) causes impaired closure of the rostral neural tube at embryonic stage (E) 9.0. Similar neural tube defects (NTDs) have previously been attributed to impaired folate metabolism in mice. We therefore asked whether LRP2 might be required for the delivery of folate to neuroepithelial cells during neurulation. Uptake assays in whole-embryo cultures showed that LRP2-deficient neuroepithelial cells are unable to mediate the uptake of folate bound to soluble folate receptor 1 (sFOLR1). Consequently, folate concentrations are significantly reduced in Lrp2(-/-) embryos compared with control littermates. Moreover, the folic-acid-dependent gene Alx3 is significantly downregulated in Lrp2 mutants. In conclusion, we show that LRP2 is essential for cellular folate uptake in the developing neural tube, a crucial step for proper neural tube closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Kur
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nora Mecklenburg
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert M Cabrera
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, USA
| | - Thomas E Willnow
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Hammes
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
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Voss KA, Riley RT, Gelineau-van Waes J. Fumonisin B1induced neural tube defects were not increased in LM/Bc mice fed folate-deficient diet. Mol Nutr Food Res 2014; 58:1190-8. [DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201300720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 01/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A. Voss
- Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research Unit; Agricultural Research Service, USDA; Athens GA USA
| | - Ronald T. Riley
- Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research Unit; Agricultural Research Service, USDA; Athens GA USA
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Kappen C. Modeling anterior development in mice: diet as modulator of risk for neural tube defects. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS. PART C, SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2013; 163C:333-56. [PMID: 24124024 PMCID: PMC4149464 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Head morphogenesis is a complex process that is controlled by multiple signaling centers. The most common defects of cranial development are craniofacial defects, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, and neural tube defects, such as anencephaly and encephalocoele in humans. More than 400 genes that contribute to proper neural tube closure have been identified in experimental animals, but only very few causative gene mutations have been identified in humans, supporting the notion that environmental influences are critical. The intrauterine environment is influenced by maternal nutrition, and hence, maternal diet can modulate the risk for cranial and neural tube defects. This article reviews recent progress toward a better understanding of nutrients during pregnancy, with particular focus on mouse models for defective neural tube closure. At least four major patterns of nutrient responses are apparent, suggesting that multiple pathways are involved in the response, and likely in the underlying pathogenesis of the defects. Folic acid has been the most widely studied nutrient, and the diverse responses of the mouse models to folic acid supplementation indicate that folic acid is not universally beneficial, but that the effect is dependent on genetic configuration. If this is the case for other nutrients as well, efforts to prevent neural tube defects with nutritional supplementation may need to become more specifically targeted than previously appreciated. Mouse models are indispensable for a better understanding of nutrient-gene interactions in normal pregnancies, as well as in those affected by metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.
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Padmanabhan N, Watson ED. Lessons from the one-carbon metabolism: passing it along to the next generation. Reprod Biomed Online 2013; 27:637-43. [PMID: 24139597 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2013.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
During development, a fetus and its placenta must respond to a changing maternal environment to ensure normal growth is achieved and survival is maintained. The mechanisms behind developmental programming involve complex interactions between epigenetic and physiological processes, which are not well understood. Importantly, when programming goes awry, it puts the fetus at risk for disease later in life and may, in some instances, affect subsequent generations via epigenetic processes including DNA methylation. The one-carbon metabolism, which includes the folate, methionine and choline pathways, provides methyl groups necessary for DNA methylation and a normal epigenetic landscape. Accordingly, disruptions in this pathway affect placental development and function leading to altered fetal programming. Remarkably, recent studies have revealed that abnormal folate metabolism causes transgenerational effects probably through epigenetic inheritance. The epigenetic mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not well understood but they have important implications for the influence of the metabolic environment on epigenetic stability and non-genetic inheritance of disease. Importantly, there are increasing concerns that assisted reproductive technologies cause aberrant epigenetic profiles in embryos leading to abnormal fetal programming. How the negative epigenetic consequences of assisted reproduction treatment affect subsequent generations requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Padmanabhan
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Physiological Laboratories, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, United Kingdom
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29
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Padmanabhan N, Jia D, Geary-Joo C, Wu X, Ferguson-Smith AC, Fung E, Bieda MC, Snyder FF, Gravel RA, Cross JC, Watson ED. Mutation in folate metabolism causes epigenetic instability and transgenerational effects on development. Cell 2013; 155:81-93. [PMID: 24074862 PMCID: PMC3844871 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The importance of maternal folate consumption for normal development is well established, yet the molecular mechanism linking folate metabolism to development remains poorly understood. The enzyme methionine synthase reductase (Mtrr) is necessary for utilization of methyl groups from the folate cycle. We found that a hypomorphic mutation of the mouse Mtrr gene results in intrauterine growth restriction, developmental delay, and congenital malformations, including neural tube, heart, and placental defects. Importantly, these defects were dependent upon the Mtrr genotypes of the maternal grandparents. Furthermore, we observed widespread epigenetic instability associated with altered gene expression in the placentas of wild-type grandprogeny of Mtrr-deficient maternal grandparents. Embryo transfer experiments revealed that Mtrr deficiency in mice lead to two distinct, separable phenotypes: adverse effects on their wild-type daughters' uterine environment, leading to growth defects in wild-type grandprogeny, and the appearance of congenital malformations independent of maternal environment that persist for five generations, likely through transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Padmanabhan
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Dongxin Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Colleen Geary-Joo
- Transgenic Services, Clara Christie Centre for Mouse Genomics, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Xuchu Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Anne C. Ferguson-Smith
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Ernest Fung
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Mark C. Bieda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child & Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Floyd F. Snyder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child & Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Roy A. Gravel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child & Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - James C. Cross
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child & Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Erica D. Watson
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Canada
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Leung KY, De Castro SCP, Cabreiro F, Gustavsson P, Copp AJ, Greene NDE. Folate metabolite profiling of different cell types and embryos suggests variation in folate one-carbon metabolism, including developmental changes in human embryonic brain. Mol Cell Biochem 2013; 378:229-36. [PMID: 23483428 PMCID: PMC3634978 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-013-1613-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Folates act as co-factors for transfer of one-carbon units for nucleotide production, methylation and other biosynthetic reactions. Comprehensive profiling of multiple folates can be achieved using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, enabling determination of their relative abundance that may provide an indication of metabolic differences between cell types. For example, cell lines exposed to methotrexate showed a dose-dependent elevation of dihydrofolate, consistent with inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase. We analysed the folate profile of E. coli sub-types as well as cell lines and embryonic tissue from both human and mouse. The folate profile of bacteria differed markedly from those of all the mammalian samples, most notably in the greater abundance of formyl tetrahydrofolate. The overall profiles of mouse and human fibroblasts and mid-gestation mouse embryos were broadly similar, with specific differences. The major folate species in these cell types was 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, in contrast to lymphoblastoid cell lines in which the predominant form was tetrahydrofolate. Analysis of embryonic human brain revealed a shift in folate profile with increasing developmental stage, with a decline in relative abundance of dihydrofolate and increase in 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate. These cell type-specific and developmental changes in folate profile may indicate differential requirements for the various outputs of folate metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit-Yi Leung
- Neural Development Unit and Newlife Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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31
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Wallingford JB, Niswander LA, Shaw GM, Finnell RH. The continuing challenge of understanding, preventing, and treating neural tube defects. Science 2013; 339:1222002. [PMID: 23449594 DOI: 10.1126/science.1222002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 306] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Human birth defects are a major public health burden: The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 of every 33 United States newborns presents with a birth defect, and worldwide the estimate approaches 6% of all births. Among the most common and debilitating of human birth defects are those affecting the formation of the neural tube, the precursor to the central nervous system. Neural tube defects (NTDs) arise from a complex combination of genetic and environmental interactions. Although substantial advances have been made in the prevention and treatment of these malformations, NTDs remain a substantial public health problem, and we are only now beginning to understand their etiology. Here, we review the process of neural tube development and how defects in this process lead to NTDs, both in humans and in the animal models that serve to inform our understanding of these processes. The insights we are gaining will help generate new intervention strategies to tackle the clinical challenges and to alleviate the personal and societal burdens that accompany these defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Wallingford
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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32
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Rosenquist TH. Folate, Homocysteine and the Cardiac Neural Crest. Dev Dyn 2013; 242:201-18. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2012] [Revised: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H. Rosenquist
- Department of Genetics; Cell Biology and Anatomy; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha; Nebraska
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33
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Schaevitz LR, Berger-Sweeney JE. Gene-Environment Interactions and Epigenetic Pathways in Autism: The Importance of One-Carbon Metabolism. ILAR J 2012; 53:322-40. [DOI: 10.1093/ilar.53.3-4.322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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34
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Wang HG, Wang JL, Zhang J, Zhao LX, Zhai GX, Xiang YZ, Chang P. Reduced folate carrier A80G polymorphism and susceptibility to neural tube defects: a meta-analysis. Gene 2012; 510:180-4. [PMID: 22975209 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Revised: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The reduced folate carrier (RFC1) plays a crucial role in mediating folate delivery into a variety of cells. RFC1 polymorphism (A80G) has been reported to be associated with increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). However, results derived from individually underpowered studies are conflicting. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and carried out a meta-analysis on the association between RFC1 polymorphism (A80G) and NTDs risk. Overall, a significant correlation between RFC1 A80G polymorphism and NTDs risk was found neither in infants nor in maternal (allele contrast in infants: OR(RE)=1.15, 95% CI: 0.92-1.45; allele contrast in mothers: OR(RE)=1.24, 95% CI: 0.98-1.56). The present meta-analysis failed to support a positive association between RFC1 A80G polymorphism and susceptibility to NTDs. It is important to realize, however, that socio-economic factors, and gene-environment and gene-gene interactions, could have influenced the outcome of our meta-analysis. For this reason, a relationship between the A80G polymorphism and NTD risk cannot be entirely discounted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Gang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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35
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Cherukad J, Wainwright V, Watson ED. Spatial and temporal expression of folate-related transporters and metabolic enzymes during mouse placental development. Placenta 2012; 33:440-8. [PMID: 22365888 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2011] [Revised: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
It is well understood that maternal folate deficiency can cause abnormal fetal development. However, the extent to which placental development and function are also dependent upon folate uptake and metabolism remains unclear. To understand which trophoblast cell types may be affected by folate deficiency or abnormal folate metabolism, we completed a comprehensive spatial and temporal protein expression analysis of folate receptor (Folr), folate transporters (proton-coupled folate receptor [Slc46a1 or PCFT] and reduced folate carrier-1 [Rfc1]) and folate metabolic enzymes (5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [Mthfr] and methionine synthase [Mtr]) in histological sections of mouse placentas from early development (E8.5) until term (E18.5). We observed that the highest level of protein expression was during early development (E8.5-E10.5), prior to the formation of the three main layers of the mature placenta suggesting that folate uptake and metabolism may be required for placental development, itself. As expected, the labyrinth trophoblast cells, which are responsible for nutrient transport, expressed these proteins throughout pregnancy, including robust expression in the sinusoidal trophoblast giant cells that line the maternal blood spaces. Other trophoblast giant cell (TGC) subtypes (parietal-TGCs and canal-TGCs), whose function does not include nutrient transport, expressed folate transporters and enzymes from E8.5 onwards. Remarkably, these proteins were also detected in glycogen trophoblast cells from E12.5-E18.5 suggesting a new role in folate uptake and metabolism for these cells. Together, these data provide evidence that folate may be necessary for normal placental development and function, and perturbations in its availability or metabolism may lead to secondary effects on fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cherukad
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Dept of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Physiological Laboratories, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
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36
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Li J, Shi Y, Sun J, Zhang Y, Mao B. Xenopus reduced folate carrier regulates neural crest development epigenetically. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27198. [PMID: 22096536 PMCID: PMC3212533 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy causes birth neurocristopathic malformations resulting from aberrant development of neural crest cells. The Reduced folate carrier (RFC) is a membrane-bound receptor for facilitating transfer of reduced folate into the cells. RFC knockout mice are embryonic lethal and develop multiple malformations, including neurocristopathies. Here we show that XRFC is specifically expressed in neural crest tissues in Xenopus embryos and knockdown of XRFC by specific morpholino results in severe neurocristopathies. Inhibition of RFC blocked the expression of a series of neural crest marker genes while overexpression of RFC or injection of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate expanded the neural crest territories. In animal cap assays, knockdown of RFC dramatically reduced the mono- and trimethyl-Histone3-K4 levels and co-injection of the lysine methyltransferase hMLL1 largely rescued the XRFC morpholino phenotype. Our data revealed that the RFC mediated folate metabolic pathway likely potentiates neural crest gene expression through epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiejing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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37
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A mouse model of hereditary folate malabsorption: deletion of the PCFT gene leads to systemic folate deficiency. Blood 2011; 117:4895-904. [PMID: 21346251 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2010-04-279653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The human proton coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is involved in low pH-dependent intestinal folate transport. In this report, we describe a new murine model of the hereditary folate malabsorption syndrome that we developed through targeted disruption of the first 3 coding exons of the murine homolog of the PCFT gene. By 4 weeks of age, PCFT-deficient (PCFT(-/-)) mice developed severe macrocytic normochromic anemia and pancytopenia. Immature erythroblasts accumulated in the bone marrow and spleen of PCFT(-/-) mice and failed to differentiate further, showing an increased rate of apoptosis in intermediate erythroblasts and reduced release of reticulocytes. In response to the inefficient hematologic development, the serum of the PCFT(-/-) animals contained elevated concentrations of erythropoietin, soluble transferrin receptor (sCD71), and thrombopoietin. In vivo folate uptake experiments demonstrated a systemic folate deficiency caused by disruption of PCFT-mediated intestinal folate uptake, thus confirming in vivo a critical and nonredundant role of the PCFT protein in intestinal folate transport and erythropoiesis. The PCFT-deficient mouse serves as a model for the hereditary folate malabsorption syndrome and is the most accurate animal model of folate deficiency anemia described to date that closely captures the spectrum of pathology typical of this disease.
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38
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Ross ME. Gene-environment interactions, folate metabolism and the embryonic nervous system. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2010; 2:471-480. [PMID: 20836042 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Formation of brain and spinal cord requires the successful closure of neural ectoderm into an embryonic neural tube. Defects in this process result in anencephaly or spina bifida, which together constitute a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children, affecting all ethnic and socioeconomic groups. The subject of intensive research for decades, neural tube defects (NTDs), are understood to arise from complex interactions of genes and environmental conditions, though systems-level details are still elusive. Despite the variety of underlying causes, a single intervention, folic acid supplementation given in the first gestational month, can measurably reduce the occurrence of NTDs in a population. Evidence for and the scope of gene-environment interactions in the genesis of NTDs is discussed. A systems-based approach is now possible toward studies of genetic and environmental influences underlying NTDs that will enable the assessment of individual risk and personalized optimization of prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Elizabeth Ross
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics & Development, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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39
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O'Byrne MR, Au KS, Morrison AC, Lin JI, Fletcher JM, Ostermaier KK, Tyerman GH, Doebel S, Northrup H. Association of folate receptor (FOLR1, FOLR2, FOLR3) and reduced folate carrier (SLC19A1) genes with meningomyelocele. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 88:689-94. [PMID: 20683905 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meningomyelocele (MM) results from lack of closure of the neural tube during embryologic development. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation is a modifier of MM risk in humans, leading toan interest in the folate transport genes as potential candidates for association to MM. METHODS This study used the SNPlex Genotyping (ABI, Foster City, CA) platform to genotype 20 single polymorphic variants across the folate receptor genes (FOLR1, FOLR2, FOLR3) and the folate carrier gene (SLC19A1) to assess their association to MM. The study population included 329 trio and 281 duo families. Only cases with MM were included. Genetic association was assessed using the transmission disequilibrium test in PLINK. RESULTS A variant in the FOLR2 gene (rs13908), three linked variants in the FOLR3 gene (rs7925545, rs7926875, rs7926987), and two variants in the SLC19A1 gene (rs1888530 and rs3788200) were statistically significant for association to MM in our population. CONCLUSION This study involved the analyses of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms across the folate receptor genes and the folate carrier gene in a large population sample. It provided evidence that the rare alleles of specific single nucleotide polymorphisms within these genes appear to be statistically significant for association to MM in the patient population that was tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R O'Byrne
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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40
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Zohn IE, Sarkar AA. The visceral yolk sac endoderm provides for absorption of nutrients to the embryo during neurulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 88:593-600. [DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Obican SG, Finnell RH, Mills JL, Shaw GM, Scialli AR. Folic acid in early pregnancy: a public health success story. FASEB J 2010; 24:4167-74. [PMID: 20631328 DOI: 10.1096/fj.10-165084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that must be obtained in the diet or through supplementation. For >50 yr, it has been known that folate plays an integral role in embryonic development. In mice, inactivation of genes in the folate pathway results in malformations of the neural tube, heart, and craniofacial structures. It has been shown that diets and blood levels of women who had a fetus with a neural tube defect are low for several micronutrients, particularly folate. Periconceptional use of folic acid containing supplements decreased recurrent neural tube defects in the offspring of women with a previously affected child and the occurrence of a neural tube defect and possibly other birth defects in the offspring of women with no prior history. Based on these findings, the U.S. Public Health Service recommended that all women at risk take folic acid supplements, but many did not. Mandatory food fortification programs were introduced in numerous countries, including the United States, to improve folate nutritional status and have resulted in a major decrease in neural tube defect prevalence. The success story of folate represents the cooperation of embryologists, experimentalists, epidemiologists, public health scientists, and policymakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Obican
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Lakhwani S, García-Sanz P, Vallejo M. Alx3-deficient mice exhibit folic acid-resistant craniofacial midline and neural tube closure defects. Dev Biol 2010; 344:869-80. [PMID: 20534379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2009] [Revised: 06/01/2010] [Accepted: 06/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube closure defects are among the most frequent congenital malformations in humans. Supplemental maternal intake of folic acid before and during pregnancy reduces their incidence significantly, but the mechanism underlying this preventive effect is unknown. As a number of genes that cause neural tube closure defects encode transcriptional regulators in mice, one possibility is that folic acid could induce the expression of transcription factors to compensate for the primary genetic defect. We report that folic acid is required in mouse embryos for the specific expression of the homeodomain gene Alx3 in the head mesenchyme, an important tissue for cranial neural tube closure. Alx3-deficient mice exhibit increased failure of cranial neural tube closure and increased cell death in the craniofacial region, two effects that are also observed in wild type embryos developing in the absence of folic acid. Folic acid cannot prevent these defects in Alx3-deficient embryos, indicating that one mechanism of folic acid action is through induced expression of Alx3. Thus, Alx3 emerges as a candidate gene for human neural tube defects and reveals the existence of induced transcription factor gene expression as a previously unknown mechanism by which folic acid prevents neural tube closure defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sita Lakhwani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
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Caldwell PT, Manziello A, Howard J, Palbykin B, Runyan RB, Selmin O. Gene expression profiling in the fetal cardiac tissue after folate and low-dose trichloroethylene exposure. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 88:111-27. [PMID: 19813261 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies show gene expression alterations in rat embryo hearts and cell lines that correspond to the cardio-teratogenic effects of trichloroethylene (TCE) in animal models. One potential mechanism of TCE teratogenicity may be through altered regulation of calcium homeostatic genes with a corresponding inhibition of cardiac function. It has been suggested that TCE may interfere with the folic acid/methylation pathway in liver and kidney and alter gene regulation by epigenetic mechanisms. According to this hypothesis, folate supplementation in the maternal diet should counteract TCE effects on gene expression in the embryonic heart. APPROACH To identify transcriptional targets altered in the embryonic heart after exposure to TCE, and possible protective effects of folate, we used DNA microarray technology to profile gene expression in embryonic mouse hearts with maternal TCE exposure and dietary changes in maternal folate. RESULTS Exposure to low doses of TCE (10 ppb) caused extensive alterations in transcripts encoding proteins involved in transport, ion channel, transcription, differentiation, cytoskeleton, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Exogenous folate did not offset the effects of TCE exposure on normal gene expression, and both high and low levels of folate produced additional significant changes in gene expression. CONCLUSIONS A mechanism by which TCE induces a folate deficiency does not explain altered gene expression patterns in the embryonic mouse heart. The data further suggest that use of folate supplementation, in the presence of this toxin, may be detrimental and not protective of the developing embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia T Caldwell
- Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0038, USA
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44
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Solanky N, Requena Jimenez A, D'Souza SW, Sibley CP, Glazier JD. Expression of folate transporters in human placenta and implications for homocysteine metabolism. Placenta 2009; 31:134-43. [PMID: 20036773 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2009.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2009] [Revised: 11/26/2009] [Accepted: 11/30/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Poor folate status during pregnancy can lead to elevated maternal plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy) with associated pregnancy complications and adverse neonatal outcomes, suggesting placental metabolism of Hcy might be an important determinant in influencing fetal development. The metabolic pathways for Hcy in placenta are not well defined. In this study we examined the gene expression of key enzymes involved in Hcy metabolism in first trimester and term human placenta to determine which metabolic pathways prevail. Expression of mRNA for methionine synthase and 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, enzymes involved in the methionine cycle and responsible for the re-methylation of Hcy to methionine, were expressed at similar levels between first trimester and term and in comparison to human liver as positive control. In contrast, cystathionine beta-synthase mRNA expression was markedly lower than that in liver at both gestational periods. Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase mRNA was undetectable at either gestational age. These data suggest that re-methylation of Hcy using methyl donation from 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is the prevalent pathway, indicating a marked reliance on folate availability. This led to further investigations examining the expression and localisation of folate transporters in first trimester and term placenta. Folate receptor alpha (FRalpha) was highly polarised to the microvillous plasma membrane (MVM) of the syncytiotrophoblast at both gestational periods, a distribution shared by the proton-coupled folate transporter which co-localised with FRalpha. Reduced folate carrier was distributed to both MVM and basal syncytiotrophoblast plasma membranes at term suggesting a role at both loci, and in first trimester was localised to MVM as well as cytotrophoblast plasma membranes. These data support the concept that placental folate transport is established early in pregnancy, providing folate for utilisation in placental Hcy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Solanky
- School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
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Watson ED, Mattar P, Schuurmans C, Cross JC. Neural stem cell self-renewal requires the Mrj co-chaperone. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:2564-74. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Harris MJ. Insights into prevention of human neural tube defects by folic acid arising from consideration of mouse mutants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 85:331-9. [PMID: 19117321 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Almost 30 years after the initial study by Richard W. Smithells and coworkers, it is still unknown how maternal periconceptional folic acid supplementation prevents human neural tube defects (NTDs). In this article, questions about human NTD prevention are considered in relation to three groups of mouse models: NTD mutants that respond to folate, NTD mutants and strains that do not respond to folate, and mutants involving folate-pathway genes. Of the 200 mouse NTD mutants, only a few have been tested with folate; half respond and half do not. Among responsive mutants, folic acid supplementation reduces exencephaly and/or spina bifida aperta frequency in the Sp(2H), Sp, Cd, Cited2, Cart1, and Gcn5 mutants. Prevention ranges from 35 to 85%. The responsive Sp(2H) (Pax3) mutant has abnormal folate metabolism, but the responsive Cited2 mutant does not. Neither folic nor folinic acid reduces NTD frequency in Axd, Grhl3, Fkbp8, Map3k4, or Nog mutants or in the curly tail or SELH/Bc strains. Spina bifida frequency is reduced in Axd by methionine and in curly tail by inositol. Exencephaly frequency is reduced in SELH/Bc by an alternative commercial ration. Mutations in folate-pathway genes do not cause NTDs, except for 30% exencephaly in folate-treated Folr1. Among folate-pathway mutants, neural tube closure is normal in Cbs, Folr2, Mthfd1, Mthfd2, Mthfr, and Shmt1 mutants. Embryos die by midgestation in Folr1, Mtr, Mtrr, and RFC1 mutants. The mouse models point to genetic heterogeneity in the ability to respond to folic acid and also to heterogeneity in genetic cause of NTDs that can be prevented by folic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel J Harris
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Coloumbia, Canada.
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Gray JD, Ross ME. Mechanistic insights into folate supplementation from Crooked tail and other NTD-prone mutant mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 85:314-21. [PMID: 19067399 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite two decades of research since Smithells and colleagues began exploring its benefits, the mechanisms through which folic acid supplementation supports neural tube closure and early embryonic development are still unclear. The greatest progress toward a molecular-genetic understanding of folate effects on neural tube defect (NTD) pathogenesis has come from animal models. The number of NTD-associated mouse mutants accumulated and studied over the past decade has illuminated the complexity of both genetic factors contributing to NTDs and also NTD-gene interactions with folate metabolism. This article discusses insights gained from mouse models into how folate supplementation impacts neurulation. A case is made for renewed efforts to systematically screen the folate responsiveness of the scores of NTD-associated mouse mutations now identified. Designed after Crooked tail, supplementation studies of additional mouse mutants could build the molecular network maps that will ultimately enable tailoring of therapeutic regimens to individual families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Gray
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Development, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
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Greene ND, Massa V, Copp AJ. Understanding the causes and prevention of neural tube defects: Insights from thesplotchmouse model. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 85:322-30. [DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Membrane transporters and folate homeostasis: intestinal absorption and transport into systemic compartments and tissues. Expert Rev Mol Med 2009; 11:e4. [PMID: 19173758 DOI: 10.1017/s1462399409000969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Members of the family of B9 vitamins are commonly known as folates. They are derived entirely from dietary sources and are key one-carbon donors required for de novo nucleotide and methionine synthesis. These highly hydrophilic molecules use several genetically distinct and functionally diverse transport systems to enter cells: the reduced folate carrier, the proton-coupled folate transporter and the folate receptors. Each plays a unique role in mediating folate transport across epithelia and into systemic tissues. The mechanism of intestinal folate absorption was recently uncovered, revealing the genetic basis for the autosomal recessive disorder hereditary folate malabsorption, which results from loss-of-function mutations in the proton-coupled folate transporter gene. It is therefore now possible to piece together how these folate transporters contribute, both individually and collectively, to folate homeostasis in humans. This review focuses on the physiological roles of the major folate transporters, with a brief consideration of their impact on the pharmacological activities of antifolates.
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Gelineau-van Waes J, Maddox JR, Smith LM, van Waes M, Wilberding J, Eudy JD, Bauer LK, Finnell RH. Microarray analysis of E9.5 reduced folate carrier (RFC1; Slc19a1) knockout embryos reveals altered expression of genes in the cubilin-megalin multiligand endocytic receptor complex. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:156. [PMID: 18400109 PMCID: PMC2383917 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2007] [Accepted: 04/09/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reduced folate carrier (RFC1) is an integral membrane protein and facilitative anion exchanger that mediates delivery of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate into mammalian cells. Adequate maternal-fetal transport of folate is necessary for normal embryogenesis. Targeted inactivation of the murine RFC1 gene results in post-implantation embryolethality, but daily folic acid supplementation of pregnant dams prolongs survival of homozygous embryos until mid-gestation. At E10.5 RFC1-/- embryos are developmentally delayed relative to wildtype littermates, have multiple malformations, including neural tube defects, and die due to failure of chorioallantoic fusion. The mesoderm is sparse and disorganized, and there is a marked absence of erythrocytes in yolk sac blood islands. The identification of alterations in gene expression and signaling pathways involved in the observed dysmorphology following inactivation of RFC1-mediated folate transport are the focus of this investigation. RESULTS Affymetrix microarray analysis of the relative gene expression profiles in whole E9.5 RFC1-/- vs. RFC1+/+ embryos identified 200 known genes that were differentially expressed. Major ontology groups included transcription factors (13.04%), and genes involved in transport functions (ion, lipid, carbohydrate) (11.37%). Genes that code for receptors, ligands and interacting proteins in the cubilin-megalin multiligand endocytic receptor complex accounted for 9.36% of the total, followed closely by several genes involved in hematopoiesis (8.03%). The most highly significant gene network identified by Ingenuitytrade mark Pathway analysis included 12 genes in the cubilin-megalin multiligand endocytic receptor complex. Altered expression of these genes was validated by quantitative RT-PCR, and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that megalin protein expression disappeared from the visceral yolk sac of RFC1-/- embryos, while cubilin protein was widely misexpressed. CONCLUSION Inactivation of RFC1 impacts the expression of several ligands and interacting proteins in the cubilin-amnionless-megalin complex that are involved in the maternal-fetal transport of folate and other nutrients, lipids and morphogens such as sonic hedgehog (Shh) and retinoids that play critical roles in normal embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janee Gelineau-van Waes
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5455, USA.
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