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Aumailley L, Bodein A, Adjibade P, Leclercq M, Bourassa S, Droit A, Mazroui R, Lebel M. Combined transcriptomics and proteomics unveil the impact of vitamin C in modulating specific protein abundance in the mouse liver. Biol Res 2024; 57:26. [PMID: 38735981 PMCID: PMC11088995 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00509-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin C (ascorbate) is a water-soluble antioxidant and an important cofactor for various biosynthetic and regulatory enzymes. Mice can synthesize vitamin C thanks to the key enzyme gulonolactone oxidase (Gulo) unlike humans. In the current investigation, we used Gulo-/- mice, which cannot synthesize their own ascorbate to determine the impact of this vitamin on both the transcriptomics and proteomics profiles in the whole liver. The study included Gulo-/- mouse groups treated with either sub-optimal or optimal ascorbate concentrations in drinking water. Liver tissues of females and males were collected at the age of four months and divided for transcriptomics and proteomics analysis. Immunoblotting, quantitative RT-PCR, and polysome profiling experiments were also conducted to complement our combined omics studies. RESULTS Principal component analyses revealed distinctive differences in the mRNA and protein profiles as a function of sex between all the mouse cohorts. Despite such sexual dimorphism, Spearman analyses of transcriptomics data from females and males revealed correlations of hepatic ascorbate levels with transcripts encoding a wide array of biological processes involved in glucose and lipid metabolisms as well as in the acute-phase immune response. Moreover, integration of the proteomics data showed that ascorbate modulates the abundance of various enzymes involved in lipid, xenobiotic, organic acid, acetyl-CoA, and steroid metabolism mainly at the transcriptional level, especially in females. However, several proteins of the mitochondrial complex III significantly correlated with ascorbate concentrations in both males and females unlike their corresponding transcripts. Finally, poly(ribo)some profiling did not reveal significant enrichment difference for these mitochondrial complex III mRNAs between Gulo-/- mice treated with sub-optimal and optimal ascorbate levels. CONCLUSIONS Thus, the abundance of several subunits of the mitochondrial complex III are regulated by ascorbate at the post-transcriptional levels. Our extensive omics analyses provide a novel resource of altered gene expression patterns at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels under ascorbate deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Aumailley
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2705 Laurier Blvd., Local R-2714, Québec City, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Antoine Bodein
- Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, CHU de Québec-Laval University Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Pauline Adjibade
- Cancer Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Mickaël Leclercq
- Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, CHU de Québec-Laval University Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Bourassa
- Proteomics Platform, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Endocrinology and Nephrology Unit, CHU de Québec-Laval University Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Proteomics Platform, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Rachid Mazroui
- Cancer Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Michel Lebel
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2705 Laurier Blvd., Local R-2714, Québec City, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada.
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Kose H, Sivrikaya A, Menevse E. Maternal Fed Zinc-Deficient Diet: Effects on Relaxin Family Peptides and Oxidant System in the Testis and Liver Tissue of Male Offspring. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04113-8. [PMID: 38407794 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04113-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Today, the studies are limited on roles of insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3), insulin-like peptide 7 (INSL7), and relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) which are synthesized by the testis. It is aimed to investigate the levels of the sex hormone as testosterone and the family of insulin-like proteins (relaxin family peptides), which are important in the puberty transition, in the testicular and liver tissues of male offspring born to female rats fed a zinc-deficient diet during the pregnancy, and in the changes in lipid peroxidation markers. The study was performed on 40 male offspring. In Group I: Control group, both male offspring and mothers were fed with standard rat chow. In Group II: Zinc deficient diet, both male offspring and mothers were fed a zinc-deficient diet (2.8 mg/kg zinc). In Group III: Normal diet, male offspring fed standard rat chow for 45 days (66th day) after being separated from their mothers with a maternal zinc-deficient diet. In Group IV: Zinc-supplemented diet, offspring fed with zinc supplemented (5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal zinc sulfate, i.p.) in addition to standard rat chow after being separated from their mothers with maternal zinc deficiency until the termination of the study (66th day). Our study suggests that zinc-supplemented diets play an important role in the changes in INSL3, INSL7, RXFP1, and testosterone levels during spermatogenesis. INSL7, INSL3, and RXFP1 levels were higher in zinc-supplemented group than the zinc-deficient diet group. Liver levels of INSL3, INSL7, and MDA were significantly different in zinc-deficiency diet group than zinc-supplemented group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamiyet Kose
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Abdullah Sivrikaya
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Esma Menevse
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
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Brie B, Sarmento-Cabral A, Pascual F, Cordoba-Chacon J, Kineman RD, Becu-Villalobos D. Modifications of the GH Axis Reveal Unique Sexually Dimorphic Liver Signatures for Lcn13, Asns, Hamp2, Hao2, and Pgc1a. J Endocr Soc 2024; 8:bvae015. [PMID: 38370444 PMCID: PMC10872697 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) modifies liver gene transcription in a sexually dimorphic manner to meet liver metabolic demands related to sex; thus, GH dysregulation leads to sex-biased hepatic disease. We dissected the steps of the GH regulatory cascade modifying GH-dependent genes involved in metabolism, focusing on the male-predominant genes Lcn13, Asns, and Cyp7b1, and the female-predominant genes Hao2, Pgc1a, Hamp2, Cyp2a4, and Cyp2b9. We explored mRNA expression in 2 settings: (i) intact liver GH receptor (GHR) but altered GH and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels (NeuroDrd2KO, HiGH, aHepIGF1kd, and STAT5bCA mouse lines); and (ii) liver loss of GHR, with or without STAT5b reconstitution (aHepGHRkd, and aHepGHRkd + STAT5bCA). Lcn13 was downregulated in males in most models, while Asns and Cyp7b1 were decreased in males by low GH levels or action, or constant GH levels, but unexpectedly upregulated in both sexes by the loss of liver Igf1 or constitutive Stat5b expression. Hao, Cyp2a4, and Cyp2b9 were generally decreased in female mice with low GH levels or action (NeuroDrd2KO and/or aHepGHRkd mice) and increased in HiGH females, while in contrast, Pgc1a was increased in female NeuroDrd2KO but decreased in STAT5bCA and aHepIGF1kd females. Bioinformatic analysis of RNAseq from aHepGHRkd livers stressed the greater impact of GHR loss on wide gene expression in males and highlighted that GH modifies almost completely different gene signatures in each sex. Concordantly, we show that altering different steps of the GH cascade in the liver modified liver expression of Lcn13, Asns, Cyp7b1, Hao2, Hamp2, Pgc1a, Cyp2a4, and Cyp2b9 in a sex- and gene-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Brie
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 1428 Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andre Sarmento-Cabral
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Florencia Pascual
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 1428 Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jose Cordoba-Chacon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Rhonda Denise Kineman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Research and Development Division, Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Damasia Becu-Villalobos
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 1428 Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Rampersaud A, Connerney J, Waxman DJ. Plasma growth hormone pulses induce male-biased pulsatile chromatin opening and epigenetic regulation in adult mouse liver. eLife 2023; 12:RP91367. [PMID: 38091606 PMCID: PMC10721219 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in plasma growth hormone (GH) profiles, pulsatile in males and persistent in females, regulate sex differences in hepatic STAT5 activation linked to sex differences in gene expression and liver disease susceptibility, but little is understood about the fundamental underlying, GH pattern-dependent regulatory mechanisms. Here, DNase-I hypersensitivity site (DHS) analysis of liver chromatin accessibility in a cohort of 18 individual male mice established that the endogenous male rhythm of plasma GH pulse-stimulated liver STAT5 activation induces dynamic, repeated cycles of chromatin opening and closing at several thousand liver DHS and comprises a novel mechanism conferring male bias to liver chromatin accessibility. Strikingly, a single physiological replacement dose of GH given to hypophysectomized male mice restored, within 30 min, liver STAT5 activity and chromatin accessibility at 83% of the dynamic, pituitary hormone-dependent male-biased DHS. Sex-dependent transcription factor binding patterns and chromatin state analysis identified key genomic and epigenetic features distinguishing this dynamic, STAT5-driven mechanism of male-biased chromatin opening from a second GH-dependent mechanism operative at static male-biased DHS, which are constitutively open in male liver. Dynamic but not static male-biased DHS adopt a bivalent-like epigenetic state in female liver, as do static female-biased DHS in male liver, albeit using distinct repressive histone marks in each sex, namely, H3K9me3 at male-biased DHS in female liver and H3K27me3 at female-biased DHS in male liver. Moreover, sex-biased H3K36me3 marks are uniquely enriched at static sex-biased DHS, which may serve to keep these sex-dependent hepatocyte enhancers free of H3K27me3 repressive marks and thus constitutively open. Pulsatile chromatin opening stimulated by endogenous, physiological hormone pulses is thus one of two distinct GH-determined mechanisms for establishing widespread sex differences in hepatic chromatin accessibility and epigenetic regulation, both closely linked to sex-biased gene transcription and the sexual dimorphism of liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Rampersaud
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Jeannette Connerney
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
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5
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Rampersaud A, Connerney J, Waxman DJ. Plasma Growth Hormone Pulses Induce Male-biased Pulsatile Chromatin Opening and Epigenetic Regulation in Adult Mouse Liver. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554153. [PMID: 37662275 PMCID: PMC10473588 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Sex-differences in plasma growth hormone (GH) profiles, pulsatile in males and persistent in females, regulate sex differences in hepatic STAT5 activation linked to sex differences in gene expression and liver disease susceptibility, but little is understood about the fundamental underlying, GH pattern-dependent regulatory mechanisms. Here, DNase hypersensitivity site (DHS) analysis of liver chromatin accessibility in a cohort of 18 individual male mice established that the endogenous male rhythm of plasma GH pulse-stimulated liver STAT5 activation induces dynamic, repeated cycles of chromatin opening and closing at several thousand liver DHS and comprises a novel mechanism conferring male bias to liver chromatin accessibility. Strikingly, a single physiological replacement dose of GH given to hypophysectomized male mice restored, within 30 min, liver STAT5 activity and chromatin accessibility at 83% of the pituitary hormone-dependent dynamic male-biased DHS. Sex-dependent transcription factor binding patterns and chromatin state analysis identified key genomic and epigenetic features distinguishing this dynamic, STAT5-driven mechanism of male-biased chromatin opening from a second GH-dependent mechanism operative at static male-biased DHS, which are constitutively open in male liver. Dynamic but not static male-biased DHS adopt a bivalent-like epigenetic state in female liver, as do static female-biased DHS in male liver, albeit using distinct repressive histone marks in each sex, namely, H3K27me3 at female-biased DHS in male liver, and H3K9me3 at male-biased DHS in female liver. Moreover, sex-biased H3K36me3 marks are uniquely enriched at static sex-biased DHS, which may serve to keep these sex-dependent hepatocyte enhancers free of H3K27me3 repressive marks and thus constitutively open. Pulsatile chromatin opening stimulated by endogenous, physiological hormone pulses is thus one of two distinct GH-determined mechanisms for establishing widespread sex differences in hepatic chromatin accessibility and epigenetic regulation, both closely linked to sex-biased gene transcription and the sexual dimorphism of liver function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Rampersaud
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Jeannette Connerney
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
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6
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Harney DJ, Cielesh M, Roberts GE, Vila IK, Viengkhou B, Hofer MJ, Laguette N, Larance M. Dietary restriction induces a sexually dimorphic type I interferon response in mice with gene-environment interactions. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112559. [PMID: 37243595 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an established intervention to treat the growing obesity epidemic. However, the interaction between dietary interventions and sex remains a significant knowledge gap. In this study, we use unbiased proteome analysis to identify diet-sex interactions. We report sexual dimorphism in response to intermittent fasting within lipid and cholesterol metabolism and, unexpectedly, in type I interferon signaling, which was strongly induced in females. We verify that secretion of type I interferon is required for the IF response in females. Gonadectomy differentially alters the every-other-day fasting (EODF) response and demonstrates that sex hormone signaling can either suppress or enhance the interferon response to IF. IF fails to potentiate a stronger innate immune response when IF-treated animals were challenged with a viral mimetic. Lastly, the IF response changes with genotype and environment. These data reveal an interesting interaction between diet, sex, and the innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan J Harney
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Cielesh
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | - Georgia E Roberts
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | | | - Barney Viengkhou
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | - Markus J Hofer
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia
| | | | - Mark Larance
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia.
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7
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Weger M, Weger BD, Gachon F. Understanding circadian dynamics: current progress and future directions for chronobiology in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023. [PMID: 37300813 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2224554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Most mammalian physiology is orchestrated by the circadian clock, including drug transport and metabolism. As a result, efficacy and toxicity of many drugs are influenced by the timing of their administration, which has led to the establishment of the field of chronopharmacology. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors provide an overview of the current knowledge about the time-of-day dependent aspects of drug metabolism and the importance of chronopharmacological strategies for drug development. They also discuss the factors influencing rhythmic drug pharmacokinetic including sex, metabolic diseases, feeding rhythms, and microbiota, that are often overlooked in the context of chronopharmacology. This article summarizes the involved molecular mechanisms and functions and explains why these parameters should be considered in the process of drug discovery. EXPERT OPINION Although chronomodulated treatments have shown promising results, particularly for cancer, the practice is still underdeveloped due to the associated high cost and time investments. However, implementing this strategy at the preclinical stage could offer a new opportunity to translate preclinical discoveries into successful clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meltem Weger
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin D Weger
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Frédéric Gachon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Damasia Becu-Villalobos
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental CONICET, Buenos Aires,Argentina
- Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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9
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Lau-Corona D, Ma H, Vergato C, Sarmento-Cabral A, del Rio-Moreno M, Kineman RD, Waxman DJ. Constitutively Active STAT5b Feminizes Mouse Liver Gene Expression. Endocrinology 2022; 163:bqac046. [PMID: 35396838 PMCID: PMC9070516 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
STAT5 is an essential transcriptional regulator of the sex-biased actions of GH in the liver. Delivery of constitutively active STAT5 (STAT5CA) to male mouse liver using an engineered adeno-associated virus with high tropism for the liver is shown to induce widespread feminization of the liver, with extensive induction of female-biased genes and repression of male-biased genes, largely mimicking results obtained when male mice are given GH as a continuous infusion. Many of the STAT5CA-responding genes were associated with nearby (< 50 kb) sites of STAT5 binding to liver chromatin, supporting the proposed direct role of persistently active STAT5 in continuous GH-induced liver feminization. The feminizing effects of STAT5CA were dose-dependent; moreover, at higher levels, STAT5CA overexpression resulted in some histopathology, including hepatocyte hyperplasia, and increased karyomegaly and multinuclear hepatocytes. These findings establish that the persistent activation of STAT5 by GH that characterizes female liver is by itself sufficient to account for the sex-dependent expression of a majority of hepatic sex-biased genes. Moreover, histological changes seen when STAT5CA is overexpressed highlight the importance of carefully evaluating such effects before considering STAT5 derivatives for therapeutic use in treating liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lau-Corona
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cameron Vergato
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andre Sarmento-Cabral
- Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago and Research and Development Division, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Mercedes del Rio-Moreno
- Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago and Research and Development Division, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Rhonda D Kineman
- Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Illinois at Chicago and Research and Development Division, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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10
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Penn DJ, Zala SM, Luzynski KC. Regulation of Sexually Dimorphic Expression of Major Urinary Proteins. Front Physiol 2022; 13:822073. [PMID: 35431992 PMCID: PMC9008510 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.822073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Male house mice excrete large amounts of protein in their urinary scent marks, mainly composed of Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs), and these lipocalins function as pheromones and pheromone carriers. Here, we review studies on sexually dimorphic MUP expression in house mice, including the proximate mechanisms controlling MUP gene expression and their adaptive functions. Males excrete 2 to 8 times more urinary protein than females, though there is enormous variation in gene expression across loci in both sexes. MUP expression is dynamically regulated depending upon a variety of factors. Males regulate MUP expression according to social status, whereas females do not, and males regulate expression depending upon health and condition. Male-biased MUP expression is regulated by pituitary secretion of growth hormone (GH), which binds receptors in the liver, activating the JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway, chromatin accessibility, and MUP gene transcription. Pulsatile male GH secretion is feminized by several factors, including caloric restriction, microbiota depletion, and aging, which helps explain condition-dependent MUP expression. If MUP production has sex-specific fitness optima, then this should generate sexual antagonism over allelic expression (intra-locus sexual conflict) selectively favoring sexually dimorphic expression. MUPs influence the sexual attractiveness of male urinary odor and increased urinary protein excretion is correlated with the reproductive success of males but not females. This finding could explain the selective maintenance of sexually dimorphic MUP expression. Producing MUPs entails energetic costs, but increased excretion may reduce the net energetic costs and predation risks from male scent marking as well as prolong the release of chemical signals. MUPs may also provide physiological benefits, including regulating metabolic rate and toxin removal, which may have sex-specific effects on survival. A phylogenetic analysis on the origins of male-biased MUP gene expression in Mus musculus suggests that this sexual dimorphism evolved by increasing male MUP expression rather than reducing female expression.
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11
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Matthews BJ, Melia T, Waxman DJ. Harnessing natural variation to identify cis regulators of sex-biased gene expression in a multi-strain mouse liver model. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009588. [PMID: 34752452 PMCID: PMC8664386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in gene expression are widespread in the liver, where many autosomal factors act in tandem with growth hormone signaling to regulate individual variability of sex differences in liver metabolism and disease. Here, we compare hepatic transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles of mouse strains C57BL/6J and CAST/EiJ, representing two subspecies separated by 0.5-1 million years of evolution, to elucidate the actions of genetic factors regulating liver sex differences. We identify 144 protein coding genes and 78 lncRNAs showing strain-conserved sex bias; many have gene ontologies relevant to liver function, are more highly liver-specific and show greater sex bias, and are more proximally regulated than genes whose sex bias is strain-dependent. The strain-conserved genes include key growth hormone-dependent transcriptional regulators of liver sex bias; however, three other transcription factors, Trim24, Tox, and Zfp809, lose their sex-biased expression in CAST/EiJ mouse liver. To elucidate the observed strain specificities in expression, we characterized the strain-dependence of sex-biased chromatin opening and enhancer marks at cis regulatory elements (CREs) within expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) regulating liver sex-biased genes. Strikingly, 208 of 286 eQTLs with strain-specific, sex-differential effects on expression were associated with a complete gain, loss, or reversal of the sex differences in expression between strains. Moreover, 166 of the 286 eQTLs were linked to the strain-dependent gain or loss of localized sex-biased CREs. Remarkably, a subset of these CREs apparently lacked strain-specific genetic variants yet showed coordinated, strain-dependent sex-biased epigenetic regulation. Thus, we directly link hundreds of strain-specific genetic variants to the high variability in CRE activity and expression of sex-biased genes and uncover underlying genetically-determined epigenetic states controlling liver sex bias in genetically diverse mouse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Matthews
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tisha Melia
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David J. Waxman
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Kroeske K, Arévalo Sureda E, Uerlings J, Deforce D, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Heyndrickx M, Millet S, Everaert N, Schroyen M. The Impact of Maternal and Piglet Low Protein Diet and Their Interaction on the Porcine Liver Transcriptome around the Time of Weaning. Vet Sci 2021; 8:233. [PMID: 34679062 PMCID: PMC8540021 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8100233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal diet during early gestation affects offspring phenotype, but it is unclear whether maternal diet during late gestation influences piglet metabolism. We evaluated the impact of two dietary protein levels in sow late gestation diet and piglet nursery diet on piglet metabolism. Diets met or exceeded the crude protein and amino acid requirements. Sows received either 12% (Lower, L) or 17% (Higher, H) crude protein (CP) during the last five weeks of gestation, and piglets received 16.5% (L) or 21% (H) CP from weaning at age 3.5 weeks. This resulted in a 2 × 2 factorial design with four sow/piglet diet treatment groups: HH and LL (match), HL and LH (mismatch). Piglet hepatic tissues were sampled and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined by RNA sequencing. At age 4.5 weeks, 25 genes were downregulated and 22 genes were upregulated in the mismatch compared to match groups. Several genes involved in catabolic pathways were upregulated in the mismatch compared to match groups, as were genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation. The results show a distinct interaction effect between maternal and nursery diets, implying that sow late gestation diet could be used to optimize piglet metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kikianne Kroeske
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (K.K.); (E.A.S.); (J.U.); (N.E.)
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9090 Melle, Belgium; (M.H.); (S.M.)
| | - Ester Arévalo Sureda
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (K.K.); (E.A.S.); (J.U.); (N.E.)
| | - Julie Uerlings
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (K.K.); (E.A.S.); (J.U.); (N.E.)
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (D.D.); (F.V.N.)
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (D.D.); (F.V.N.)
| | - Marc Heyndrickx
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9090 Melle, Belgium; (M.H.); (S.M.)
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Sam Millet
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9090 Melle, Belgium; (M.H.); (S.M.)
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Nadia Everaert
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (K.K.); (E.A.S.); (J.U.); (N.E.)
| | - Martine Schroyen
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (K.K.); (E.A.S.); (J.U.); (N.E.)
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13
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Schiffrin M, Winkler C, Quignodon L, Naldi A, Trötzmüller M, Köfeler H, Henry H, Parini P, Desvergne B, Gilardi F. Sex Dimorphism of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Pparg-Null Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9969. [PMID: 34576136 PMCID: PMC8467431 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Men with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are more exposed to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis than women. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of NALFD sex dimorphism are unclear. We combined gene expression, histological and lipidomic analyses to systematically compare male and female liver steatosis. We characterized hepatosteatosis in three independent mouse models of NAFLD, ob/ob and lipodystrophic fat-specific (PpargFΔ/Δ) and whole-body PPARγ-null (PpargΔ/Δ) mice. We identified a clear sex dimorphism occurring only in PpargΔ/Δ mice, with females showing macro- and microvesicular hepatosteatosis throughout their entire life, while males had fewer lipid droplets starting from 20 weeks. This sex dimorphism in hepatosteatosis was lost in gonadectomized PpargΔ/Δ mice. Lipidomics revealed hepatic accumulation of short and highly saturated TGs in females, while TGs were enriched in long and unsaturated hydrocarbon chains in males. Strikingly, sex-biased genes were particularly perturbed in both sexes, affecting lipid metabolism, drug metabolism, inflammatory and cellular stress response pathways. Most importantly, we found that the expression of key sex-biased genes was severely affected in all the NAFLD models we tested. Thus, hepatosteatosis strongly affects hepatic sex-biased gene expression. With NAFLD increasing in prevalence, this emphasizes the urgent need to specifically address the consequences of this deregulation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Schiffrin
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
| | - Carine Winkler
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
| | - Laure Quignodon
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
| | - Aurélien Naldi
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
| | - Martin Trötzmüller
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (M.T.); (H.K.)
| | - Harald Köfeler
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (M.T.); (H.K.)
| | - Hugues Henry
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Paolo Parini
- CardioMetabolic Unit, Department of Medicine and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Insititutet and Theme Inflammation and Ageing Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Béatrice Desvergne
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
| | - Federica Gilardi
- Center of Integrative Genomics, Genopode, Lausanne Faculty of Biology and Medicine, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (M.S.); (C.W.); (L.Q.); (A.N.); (B.D.)
- Faculty Unit of Toxicology, University Center of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, CH-1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Roles of Estrogens in the Healthy and Diseased Oviparous Vertebrate Liver. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11080502. [PMID: 34436443 PMCID: PMC8398935 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11080502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is a vital organ that sustains multiple functions beneficial for the whole organism. It is sexually dimorphic, presenting sex-biased gene expression with implications for the phenotypic differences between males and females. Estrogens are involved in this sex dimorphism and their actions in the liver of several reptiles, fishes, amphibians, and birds are discussed. The liver participates in reproduction by producing vitellogenins (yolk proteins) and eggshell proteins under the control of estrogens that act via two types of receptors active either mainly in the cell nucleus (ESR) or the cell membrane (GPER1). Estrogens also control hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolisms, with a triglyceride carrier role for VLDL from the liver to the ovaries during oogenesis. Moreover, the activation of the vitellogenin genes is used as a robust biomarker for exposure to xenoestrogens. In the context of liver diseases, high plasma estrogen levels are observed in fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) in chicken implicating estrogens in the disease progression. Fishes are also used to investigate liver diseases, including models generated by mutation and transgenesis. In conclusion, studies on the roles of estrogens in the non-mammalian oviparous vertebrate liver have contributed enormously to unveil hormone-dependent physiological and physiopathological processes.
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15
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Lopez-Vicchi F, De Winne C, Brie B, Sorianello E, Ladyman SR, Becu-Villalobos D. Metabolic functions of prolactin: Physiological and pathological aspects. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12888. [PMID: 33463813 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Prolactin is named after its vital role of promoting milk production during lactation, although it has been implicated in multiple functions within the body, including metabolism and energy homeostasis. Prolactin has been hypothesised to play a key role in driving many of the adaptations of the maternal body to allow the mother to meet the physiological demands of both pregnancy and lactation, including the high energetic demands of the growing foetus followed by milk production to support the offspring after birth. Prolactin receptors are found in many tissues involved in metabolism and food intake, such as the pancreas, liver, hypothalamus, small intestine and adipose tissue. We review the literature examining the effects of prolactin in these various tissues and how they relate to changes in function in physiological states of high prolactin, such as pregnancy and lactation, and in pathological states of hyperprolactinaemia in the adult. In many cases, whether prolactin promotes healthy metabolism or leads to dysregulation of metabolic functions is highly dependent on the situation. Overall, although prolactin may not play a major role in regulating metabolism and body weight outside of pregnancy and lactation, it definitely has the ability to contribute to metabolic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicitas Lopez-Vicchi
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catalina De Winne
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Belen Brie
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eleonora Sorianello
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sharon R Ladyman
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Damasia Becu-Villalobos
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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16
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Adeli E, Zhao Q, Zahr NM, Goldstone A, Pfefferbaum A, Sullivan EV, Pohl KM. Deep learning identifies morphological determinants of sex differences in the pre-adolescent brain. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117293. [PMID: 32841716 PMCID: PMC7780846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of data-driven deep learning to identify sex differences in developing brain structures of pre-adolescents has heretofore not been accomplished. Here, the approach identifies sex differences by analyzing the minimally processed MRIs of the first 8144 participants (age 9 and 10 years) recruited by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The identified pattern accounted for confounding factors (i.e., head size, age, puberty development, socioeconomic status) and comprised cerebellar (corpus medullare, lobules III, IV/V, and VI) and subcortical (pallidum, amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus, insula, putamen) structures. While these have been individually linked to expressing sex differences, a novel discovery was that their grouping accurately predicted the sex in individual pre-adolescents. Another novelty was relating differences specific to the cerebellum to pubertal development. Finally, we found that reducing the pattern to a single score not only accurately predicted sex but also correlated with cognitive behavior linked to working memory. The predictive power of this score and the constellation of identified brain structures provide evidence for sex differences in pre-adolescent neurodevelopment and may augment understanding of sex-specific vulnerability or resilience to psychiatric disorders and presage sex-linked learning disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Adeli
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Qingyu Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Center for Biomedical Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Aimee Goldstone
- Center for Biomedical Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Center for Biomedical Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kilian M Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Center for Biomedical Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
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17
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Ruiz D, Padmanabhan V, Sargis RM. Stress, Sex, and Sugar: Glucocorticoids and Sex-Steroid Crosstalk in the Sex-Specific Misprogramming of Metabolism. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa087. [PMID: 32734132 PMCID: PMC7382384 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposures to environmental insults can misprogram development and increase metabolic disease risk in a sex-dependent manner by mechanisms that remain poorly characterized. Modifiable factors of increasing public health relevance, such as diet, psychological stress, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, can affect glucocorticoid receptor signaling during gestation and lead to sex-specific postnatal metabolic derangements. Evidence from humans and animal studies indicate that glucocorticoids crosstalk with sex steroids by several mechanisms in multiple tissues and can affect sex-steroid-dependent developmental processes. Nonetheless, glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk has not been considered in the glucocorticoid-induced misprogramming of metabolism. Herein we review what is known about the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids crosstalk with estrogen, androgen, and progestogen action. We propose that glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk is an understudied mechanism of action that requires consideration when examining the developmental misprogramming of metabolism, especially when assessing sex-specific outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruiz
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert M Sargis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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18
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Dimorphic metabolic and endocrine disorders in mice lacking the constitutive androstane receptor. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20169. [PMID: 31882815 PMCID: PMC6934754 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56570-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes and hepatic steatosis are a public health concern in developed countries. The metabolic risk is gender‐dependent. The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), which is at the crossroads between energy metabolism and endocrinology, has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In this study we sought to determine its role in the dimorphic regulation of energy homeostasis. We tracked male and female WT and CAR deficient (CAR−/−) mice for over a year. During aging, CAR−/− male mice developed hypercortisism, obesity, glucose intolerance, insulin insensitivity, dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis. Remarkably, the latter modifications were absent, or minor, in female CAR−/− mice. When ovariectomized, CAR−/− female mice developed identical patterns of metabolic disorders as observed in male mice. These results highlight the importance of steroid hormones in the regulation of energy metabolism by CAR. They unveil a sexually dimorphic role of CAR in the maintenance of endocrine and metabolic homeostasis underscoring the importance of considering sex in treatment of metabolic diseases.
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