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Darbinian N, Hampe M, Martirosyan D, Bajwa A, Darbinyan A, Merabova N, Tatevosian G, Goetzl L, Amini S, Selzer ME. Fetal Brain-Derived Exosomal miRNAs from Maternal Blood: Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5826. [PMID: 38892014 PMCID: PMC11172088 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115826] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are leading causes of neurodevelopmental disability but cannot be diagnosed early in utero. Because several microRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in other neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, the effects of EtOH exposure on the expression of these miRNAs and their target genes and pathways were assessed. In women who drank alcohol (EtOH) during pregnancy and non-drinking controls, matched individually for fetal sex and gestational age, the levels of miRNAs in fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-Es) isolated from the mothers' serum correlated well with the contents of the corresponding fetal brain tissues obtained after voluntary pregnancy termination. In six EtOH-exposed cases and six matched controls, the levels of fetal brain and maternal serum miRNAs were quantified on the array by qRT-PCR. In FB-Es from 10 EtOH-exposed cases and 10 controls, selected miRNAs were quantified by ddPCR. Protein levels were quantified by ELISA. There were significant EtOH-associated reductions in the expression of several miRNAs, including miR-9 and its downstream neuronal targets BDNF, REST, Synapsin, and Sonic hedgehog. In 20 paired cases, reductions in FB-E miR-9 levels correlated strongly with reductions in fetal eye diameter, a prominent feature of FASDs. Thus, FB-E miR-9 levels might serve as a biomarker to predict FASDs in at-risk fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nune Darbinian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Monica Hampe
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Diana Martirosyan
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Ahsun Bajwa
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Armine Darbinyan
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
| | - Nana Merabova
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
- Medical College of Wisconsin-Prevea Health, Green Bay, WI 54304, USA
| | - Gabriel Tatevosian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Laura Goetzl
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Shohreh Amini
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
| | - Michael E. Selzer
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (M.H.); (D.M.); (A.B.); (N.M.); (G.T.)
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Darbinian N, Merabova N, Tatevosian G, Morrison M, Darbinyan A, Zhao H, Goetzl L, Selzer ME. Biomarkers of Affective Dysregulation Associated with In Utero Exposure to EtOH. Cells 2023; 13:2. [PMID: 38201206 PMCID: PMC10778368 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010002] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) exhibit behavioral and affective dysregulation, including hyperactivity and depression. The mechanisms are not known, but they could conceivably be due to postnatal social or environmental factors. However, we postulate that, more likely, the affective dysregulation is associated with the effects of EtOH exposure on the development of fetal serotonergic (5-HT) and/or dopaminergic (DA) pathways, i.e., pathways that in postnatal life are believed to regulate mood. Many women who use alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) during pregnancy suffer from depression and take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which might influence these monoaminergic pathways in the fetus. Alternatively, monoaminergic pathway abnormalities might reflect a direct effect of EtOH on the fetal brain. To distinguish between these possibilities, we measured their expressions in fetal brains and in fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-Es) isolated from the mothers' blood. We hypothesized that maternal use of EtOH and/or SSRIs during pregnancy would be associated with impaired fetal neural development, detectable as abnormal levels of monoaminergic and apoptotic biomarkers in FB-Es. METHODS Fetal brain tissues and maternal blood were collected at 9-23 weeks of pregnancy. EtOH groups were compared with unexposed controls matched for gestational age (GA). The expression of 84 genes associated with the DA and 5-HT pathways was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on microarrays. FB-Es also were assayed for serotonin transporter protein (SERT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS Six EtOH-exposed human fetal brain samples were compared to SSRI- or polydrug-exposed samples and to unexposed controls. EtOH exposure was associated with significant upregulation of DA receptor D3 and 5-HT receptor HTR2C, while HTR3A was downregulated. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), MAOB, the serine/threonine kinase AKT3, and caspase-3 were upregulated, while mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) and AKT2 were downregulated. ETOH was associated with significant upregulation of the DA transporter gene, while SERT was downregulated. There were significant correlations between EtOH exposure and (a) caspase-3 activation, (b) reduced SERT protein levels, and (c) reduced BDNF levels. SSRI exposure independently increased caspase-3 activity and downregulated SERT and BDNF. Early exposure to EtOH and SSRI together was associated synergistically with a significant upregulation of caspase-3 and a significant downregulation of SERT and BDNF. Reduced SERT and BDNF levels were strongly correlated with a reduction in eye diameter, a somatic manifestation of FASD. CONCLUSIONS Maternal use of EtOH and SSRI during pregnancy each was associated with changes in fetal brain monoamine pathways, consistent with potential mechanisms for the affective dysregulation associated with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nune Darbinian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Nana Merabova
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (N.M.); (G.T.)
- Medical College of Wisconsin-Prevea Health, Green Bay, WI 54304, USA
| | - Gabriel Tatevosian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (N.M.); (G.T.)
| | - Mary Morrison
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Armine Darbinyan
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
| | - Huaqing Zhao
- Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Education and Data Science, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA;
| | - Laura Goetzl
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Michael Edgar Selzer
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (N.M.); (G.T.)
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Mead EA, Wang Y, Patel S, Thekkumthala AP, Kepich R, Benn-Hirsch E, Lee V, Basaly A, Bergeson S, Siegelmann HT, Pietrzykowski AZ. miR-9 utilizes precursor pathways in adaptation to alcohol in mouse striatal neurons. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2023; 3:11323. [PMID: 38116240 PMCID: PMC10730111 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2023.11323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
microRNA-9 (miR-9) is one of the most abundant microRNAs in the mammalian brain, essential for its development and normal function. In neurons, it regulates the expression of several key molecules, ranging from ion channels to enzymes, to transcription factors broadly affecting the expression of many genes. The neuronal effects of alcohol, one of the most abused drugs in the world, seem to be at least partially dependent on regulating the expression of miR-9. We previously observed that molecular mechanisms of the development of alcohol tolerance are miR-9 dependent. Since a critical feature of alcohol action is temporal exposure to the drug, we decided to better understand the time dependence of alcohol regulation of miR-9 biogenesis and expression. We measured the effect of intoxicating concentration of alcohol (20 mM ethanol) on the expression of all major elements of miR-9 biogenesis: three pri-precursors (pri-mir-9-1, pri-mir-9-2, pri-mir-9-3), three pre-precursors (pre-mir-9-1, pre-mir-9-2, pre-mir-9-3), and two mature microRNAs: miR-9-5p and miR-9-3p, using digital PCR and RT-qPCR, and murine primary medium spiny neurons (MSN) cultures. We subjected the neurons to alcohol based on an exposure/withdrawal matrix of different exposure times (from 15 min to 24 h) followed by different withdrawal times (from 0 h to 24 h). We observed that a short exposure increased mature miR-9-5p expression, which was followed by a gradual decrease and subsequent increase of the expression, returning to pre-exposure levels within 24 h. Temporal changes of miR-9-3p expression were complementing miR-9-5p changes. Interestingly, an extended, continuous presence of the drug caused a similar pattern. These results suggest the presence of the adaptive mechanisms of miR-9 expression in the presence and absence of alcohol. Measurement of miR-9 pre- and pri-precursors showed further that the primary effect of alcohol on miR-9 is through the mir-9-2 precursor pathway with a smaller contribution of mir-9-1 and mir-9-3 precursors. Our results provide new insight into the adaptive mechanisms of neurons to alcohol exposure. It would be of interest to determine next which microRNA-based mechanisms are involved in a transition from the acute, intoxicating effects of alcohol to the chronic, addictive effects of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Andrew Mead
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Yongping Wang
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Sunali Patel
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Austin, TX, United States
| | - Austin P. Thekkumthala
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Rebecca Kepich
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Elizabeth Benn-Hirsch
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Victoria Lee
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Azra Basaly
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Susan Bergeson
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Hava T. Siegelmann
- Department of Machine Learning, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Biologically Inspired Neural & Dynamical Systems Laboratory, The Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Andrzej Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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Mead EA, Boulghassoul-Pietrzykowska N, Wang Y, Anees O, Kinstlinger NS, Lee M, Hamza S, Feng Y, Pietrzykowski AZ. Non-Invasive microRNA Profiling in Saliva can Serve as a Biomarker of Alcohol Exposure and Its Effects in Humans. Front Genet 2022; 12:804222. [PMID: 35126468 PMCID: PMC8812725 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.804222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. Considering the widespread occurrence of AUD, a reliable, cheap, non-invasive biomarker of alcohol consumption is desired by healthcare providers, clinicians, researchers, public health and criminal justice officials. microRNAs could serve as such biomarkers. They are easily detectable in saliva, which can be sampled from individuals in a non-invasive manner. Moreover, microRNAs expression is dynamically regulated by environmental factors, including alcohol. Since excessive alcohol consumption is a hallmark of alcohol abuse, we have profiled microRNA expression in the saliva of chronic, heavy alcohol abusers using microRNA microarrays. We observed significant changes in salivary microRNA expression caused by excessive alcohol consumption. These changes fell into three categories: downregulated microRNAs, upregulated microRNAs, and microRNAs upregulated de novo. Analysis of these combinatorial changes in microRNA expression suggests dysregulation of specific biological pathways leading to impairment of the immune system and development of several types of epithelial cancer. Moreover, some of the altered microRNAs are also modulators of inflammation, suggesting their contribution to pro-inflammatory mechanisms of alcohol actions. Establishment of the cellular source of microRNAs in saliva corroborated these results. We determined that most of the microRNAs in saliva come from two types of cells: leukocytes involved in immune responses and inflammation, and buccal cells, involved in development of epithelial, oral cancers. In summary, we propose that microRNA profiling in saliva can be a useful, non-invasive biomarker allowing the monitoring of alcohol abuse, as well as alcohol-related inflammation and early detection of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward A. Mead
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Edward A. Mead,
| | - Nadia Boulghassoul-Pietrzykowska
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Mayo Clinic Health System, NWWI, Barron, WI, United States
- Department of Medicine, Capital Health, Trenton, NJ, United States
- Weight and Life MD, Hamilton, NJ, United States
| | - Yongping Wang
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Holmdel Township School, Holmdel, NJ, United States
| | - Onaiza Anees
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health, CMH Behavioral Health, South Hill, VA, United States
| | - Noah S. Kinstlinger
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Maximillian Lee
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, MA, United States
| | - Shireen Hamza
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Department of the History of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yaping Feng
- Waksman Genomics Core Facility, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Bioinformatics Department, Admera Health, South Plainfield, NJ, United States
| | - Andrzej Z. Pietrzykowski
- Laboratory of Adaptation, Reward and Addiction, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Weight and Life MD, Hamilton, NJ, United States
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Rodriguez FD. Targeting Epigenetic Mechanisms to Treat Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD). Curr Pharm Des 2021; 27:3252-3272. [PMID: 33535943 PMCID: PMC8778698 DOI: 10.2174/1381612827666210203142539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of abusive alcohol consumption on human health is remarkable. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3.3 million people die annually because of harmful alcohol consumption (the figure represents around 5.9% of global deaths). Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic disease where individuals exhibit compulsive alcohol drinking and present negative emotional states when they do not drink. In the most severe manifestations of AUD, the individuals lose control over intake despite a decided will to stop drinking. Given the multiple faces and the specific forms of this disease, the term AUD often appears in the plural (AUDs). Since only a few approved pharmacological treatments are available to treat AUD and they do not apply to all individuals or AUD forms, the search for compounds that may help to eliminate the burden of the disease and complement other therapeutical approaches is necessary. METHODS This work reviews recent research focused on the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in the pathophysiology of AUD. Excessive drinking leads to chronic and compulsive consumption that eventually damages the organism. The central nervous system is a key target and is the focus of this study. The search for the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms behind the intricated dysregulation induced by ethanol will aid researchers in establishing new therapy approaches. CONCLUSION Recent findings in the field of epigenetics are essential and offer new windows for observation and research. The study of small molecules that inhibit key epienzymes involved in nucleosome architecture dynamics is necessary in order to prove their action and specificity in the laboratory and to test their effectivity and safety in clinical trials with selected patients bearing defined alterations caused by ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. David Rodriguez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Salamanca and Group GIR BMD (Bases Moleculares del Desarrollo), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Alcohol induced impairment/abnormalities in brain: Role of MicroRNAs. Neurotoxicology 2021; 87:11-23. [PMID: 34478768 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2021.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol is a highly toxic substance and has teratogenic properties that can lead to a wide range of developmental disorders. Excessive use of alcohol can change the structural and functional aspects of developed brain and other organs. Which can further lead to significant health, social and economic implications in many countries of the world. Convincing evidence support the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) as important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression in neurodevelopment and maintenance. They also show differential expression following an injury. MiRNAs are the special class of small non coding RNAs that can modify the gene by targeting the mRNA and fine tune the development of cells to organs. Numerous pieces of evidences have shown the relationship between miRNA, alcohol and brain damage. These studies also show how miRNA controls different cellular mechanisms involved in the development of alcohol use disorder. With the increasing number of research studies, the roles of miRNAs following alcohol-induced injury could help researchers to recognize alternative therapeutic methods to treat/cure alcohol-induced brain damage. The present review summarizes the available data and brings together the important miRNAs, that play a crucial role in alcohol-induced brain damage, which will help in better understanding complex mechanisms. Identifying these miRNAs will not only expand the current knowledge but can lead to the identification of better targets for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
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Pinson MR, Chung DD, Adams AM, Scopice C, Payne EA, Sivakumar M, Miranda RC. Extracellular Vesicles in Premature Aging and Diseases in Adulthood Due to Developmental Exposures. Aging Dis 2021; 12:1516-1535. [PMID: 34527425 PMCID: PMC8407878 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.0322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) is a paradigm that links prenatal and early life exposures that occur during crucial periods of development to health outcome and risk of disease later in life. Maternal exposures to stress, some psychoactive drugs and alcohol, and environmental chemicals, among others, may result in functional changes in developing fetal tissues, creating a predisposition for disease in the individual as they age. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) may be mediators of both the immediate effects of exposure during development and early childhood as well as the long-term consequences of exposure that lead to increased risk and disease severity later in life. Given the prevalence of diseases with developmental origins, such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, osteoporosis, metabolic dysfunction, and cancer, it is important to identify persistent mediators of disease risk. In this review, we take this approach, viewing diseases typically associated with aging in light of early life exposures and discuss the potential role of EVs as mediators of lasting consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Dae D Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Amy M Adams
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Chiara Scopice
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Payne
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Monisha Sivakumar
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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Mahnke AH, Sideridis GD, Salem NA, Tseng AM, Carter RC, Dodge NC, Rathod AB, Molteno CD, Meintjes EM, Jacobson SW, Miranda RC, Jacobson JL. Infant circulating MicroRNAs as biomarkers of effect in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1429. [PMID: 33446819 PMCID: PMC7809131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80734-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in cognitive and behavioral disabilities and growth deficits. Because alcohol-related neurobehavioral deficits may occur in the absence of overt dysmorphic features or growth deficits, there is a need to identify biomarkers of PAE that can predict neurobehavioral impairment. In this study, we assessed infant plasma extracellular, circulating miRNAs (exmiRNAs) obtained from a heavily exposed Cape Town cohort to determine whether these can be used to predict PAE-related growth restriction and cognitive impairment. PAE, controlling for smoking as a covariate, altered 27% of expressed exmiRNAs with clinically-relevant effect sizes (Cohen's d ≥ 0.4). Moreover, at 2 weeks, PAE increased correlated expression of exmiRNAs across chromosomes, suggesting potential co-regulation. In confirmatory factor analysis, the variance in expression for PAE-altered exmiRNAs at 2 weeks and 6.5 months was best described by three-factor models. Pathway analysis found that factors at 2 weeks were associated with (F1) cell maturation, cell cycle inhibition, and somatic growth, (F2) cell survival, apoptosis, cardiac development, and metabolism, and (F3) cell proliferation, skeletal development, hematopoiesis, and inflammation, and at 6.5 months with (F1) neurodevelopment, neural crest/mesoderm-derivative development and growth, (F2) immune system and inflammation, and (F3) somatic growth and cardiovascular development. Factors F3 at 2 weeks and F2 at 6.5 months partially mediated PAE-induced growth deficits, and factor F3 at 2 weeks partially mediated effects of PAE on infant recognition memory at 6.5 months. These findings indicate that infant exmiRNAs can help identify infants who will exhibit PAE-related deficits in growth and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
| | - Georgios D Sideridis
- Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nihal A Salem
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Alexander M Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Aniruddha B Rathod
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Departments of Human Biology and of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
- Departments of Human Biology and of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Departments of Human Biology and of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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Singh T, Yadav S. Role of microRNAs in neurodegeneration induced by environmental neurotoxicants and aging. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 60:101068. [PMID: 32283224 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The progressive loss of neuronal structure and functions resulting in the death of neurons is considered as neurodegeneration. Environmental toxicants induced degeneration of neurons is accelerated with aging. In adult brains, most of the neurons are post-mitotic, and their loss results in the development of diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Neurodegenerative diseases have several similarities at the sub-cellular and molecular levels, such as synaptic degeneration, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cognitive decline, which are also known in brain aging. Identification of these similarities at the molecular level offers hope for the development of new therapeutics to ameliorate all neurodegenerative diseases simultaneously. Aging is known as the most strongly associated additive factor in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Studies carried out so far identified several genes, which are responsible for selective degeneration of neurons in different neurodegenerative diseases. Countless efforts have been made in identifying therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases; however, the discovery of effective therapy remains elusive. Findings made in the last two decades identified microRNAs (miRNAs) as the most potent post-transcription regulatory RNA molecule, which can condition protein levels in the cell and tissue-specific manner. Identification of miRNAs, which regulate both neurotoxicant and aging-associated degeneration of brain cells, raises the possibility that roads leading to aging and neurotoxicant induced neurodegeneration cross at some point. Identification of miRNAs, which are common to aging and neurotoxicant induced neurodegeneration, will help in understanding the complex mechanism of neurodegenerative disease development. In the future, the use of natural miRNAs in vivo in therapy will be able to tackle several issues of aging and neurodegeneration. In the present review, we have provided a summary of findings made on the role of miRNAs in neurodegeneration and explored the common link made by miRNAs between aging and neurotoxicants induced neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanisha Singh
- Developmental Toxicology Division, Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR- Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan,31 Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-15213, USA.
| | - Sanjay Yadav
- Developmental Toxicology Division, Systems Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment Group, CSIR- Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan,31 Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, India; Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raebareli, Munsiganj, Raebareli 229405, UP, India.
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10
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Most D, Salem NA, Tiwari GR, Blednov YA, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Silencing synaptic MicroRNA-411 reduces voluntary alcohol consumption in mice. Addict Biol 2019; 24:604-616. [PMID: 29665166 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption alters the levels of microRNAs and mRNAs in the brain, but the specific microRNAs and processes that target mRNAs to affect cellular function and behavior are not known. We examined the in vivo manipulation of previously identified alcohol-responsive microRNAs as potential targets to reduce alcohol consumption. Silencing of miR-411 by infusing antagomiR-411 into the prefrontal cortex of female C57BL/6J mice reduced alcohol consumption and preference, without altering total fluid consumption, saccharin consumption, or anxiety-related behaviors. AntagomiR-411 reduced alcohol consumption when given to mice exposed to a chronic alcohol drinking paradigm but did not affect the acquisition of consumption in mice without a history of alcohol exposure, suggesting that antagomiR-411 has a neuroadaptive, alcohol-dependent effect. AntagomiR-411 decreased the levels of miR-411, as well as the association of immunoprecipitated miR-411 with Argonaute2; and, it increased levels of Faah and Ppard mRNAs. Moreover, antagomiR-411 increased the neuronal expression of glutamate receptor AMPA-2 protein, a known alcohol target and a predicted target of miR-411. These results suggest that alcohol and miR-411 function in a homeostatic manner to regulate synaptic mRNA and protein, thus reversing alcohol-related neuroadaptations and reducing chronic alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Most
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Nihal A. Salem
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of MedicineTexas A&M University College Station TX USA
| | - Gayatri R. Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Yuri A. Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
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11
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Tseng AM, Chung DD, Pinson MR, Salem NA, Eaves SE, Miranda RC. Ethanol Exposure Increases miR-140 in Extracellular Vesicles: Implications for Fetal Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Maturation. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1414-1426. [PMID: 31009095 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neural stem cells (NSCs) generate most of the neurons of the adult brain in humans, during the mid-first through second-trimester period. This critical neurogenic window is particularly vulnerable to prenatal alcohol exposure, which can result in diminished brain growth. Previous studies showed that ethanol (EtOH) exposure does not kill NSCs, but, rather, results in their depletion by influencing cell cycle kinetics and promoting aberrant maturation, in part, by altering NSC expression of key neurogenic miRNAs. NSCs reside in a complex microenvironment rich in extracellular vesicles, shown to traffic miRNA cargo between cells. METHODS We profiled the miRNA content of extracellular vesicles from control and EtOH-exposed ex vivo neurosphere cultures of fetal NSCs. We subsequently examined the effects of one EtOH-sensitive miRNA, miR-140-3p, on NSC growth, survival, and maturation. RESULTS EtOH exposure significantly elevates levels of a subset of miRNAs in secreted extracellular vesicles. Overexpression of one of these elevated miRNAs, miR-140-3p, and its passenger strand relative, miR-140-5p, significantly increased the proportion of S-phase cells while decreasing the proportion of G0 /G1 cells compared to controls. In contrast, while miR-140-3p knockdown had minimal effects on the proportion of cells in each phase of the cell cycle, knockdown of miR-140-5p significantly decreased the proportion of cells in G2 /M phase. Furthermore, miR-140-3p overexpression, during mitogen-withdrawal-induced NSC differentiation, favors astroglial maturation at the expense of neural and oligodendrocyte differentiation. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the dysregulated miRNA content of extracellular vesicles following EtOH exposure may result in aberrant neural progenitor cell growth and maturation, explaining brain growth deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Dae D Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Nihal A Salem
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Sarah E Eaves
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
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12
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Al-Shaer AE, Flentke GR, Berres ME, Garic A, Smith SM. Exon level machine learning analyses elucidate novel candidate miRNA targets in an avian model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006937. [PMID: 30973878 PMCID: PMC6478348 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gestational alcohol exposure causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and is a prominent cause of neurodevelopmental disability. Whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) offer insights into mechanisms underlying FASD, but gene-level analysis provides limited information regarding complex transcriptional processes such as alternative splicing and non-coding RNAs. Moreover, traditional analytical approaches that use multiple hypothesis testing with a false discovery rate adjustment prioritize genes based on an adjusted p-value, which is not always biologically relevant. We address these limitations with a novel approach and implemented an unsupervised machine learning model, which we applied to an exon-level analysis to reduce data complexity to the most likely functionally relevant exons, without loss of novel information. This was performed on an RNA-Seq paired-end dataset derived from alcohol-exposed neural fold-stage chick crania, wherein alcohol causes facial deficits recapitulating those of FASD. A principal component analysis along with k-means clustering was utilized to extract exons that deviated from baseline expression. This identified 6857 differentially expressed exons representing 1251 geneIDs; 391 of these genes were identified in a prior gene-level analysis of this dataset. It also identified exons encoding 23 microRNAs (miRNAs) having significantly differential expression profiles in response to alcohol. We developed an RDAVID pipeline to identify KEGG pathways represented by these exons, and separately identified predicted KEGG pathways targeted by these miRNAs. Several of these (ribosome biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation) were identified in our prior gene-level analysis. Other pathways are crucial to facial morphogenesis and represent both novel (focal adhesion, FoxO signaling, insulin signaling) and known (Wnt signaling) alcohol targets. Importantly, there was substantial overlap between the exomes themselves and the predicted miRNA targets, suggesting these miRNAs contribute to the gene-level expression changes. Our novel application of unsupervised machine learning in conjunction with statistical analyses facilitated the discovery of signaling pathways and miRNAs that inform mechanisms underlying FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar E. Al-Shaer
- Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - George R. Flentke
- Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mark E. Berres
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Ana Garic
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Smith
- Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States of America
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13
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Abstract
Chronic, heavy alcohol consumption is associated with serious negative health effects, including the development of several cancer types. One of the pathways affected by alcohol toxicity is the one-carbon metabolism. The alcohol-induced impairment of this metabolic pathway results in epigenetic changes associated with cancer development. These epigenetic changes are induced by folate deficiency and by products of the ethanol metabolism. The changes induced by long-term heavy ethanol consumption result in elevations of homocysteine and S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH) and reductions in S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and antioxidant glutathione (GSH) levels, leading to abnormal promoter gene hypermethylation, global hypomethylation, and metabolic insufficiency of antioxidant defense mechanisms. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during the ethanol metabolism induce alterations in DNA methylation patterns that play a critical role in cancer development. Specific epigenetic changes in esophageal, hepatic, and colorectal cancers have been detected in blood samples and proposed to be used clinically as epigenetic biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of these cancers. Also, genetic variants of genes involved in one-carbon metabolism and ethanol metabolism were found to modulate the relationship between alcohol-induced epigenetic changes and cancer risk. Furthermore, alcohol metabolism products have been associated with an increase in NADH levels, which lead to histone modifications and changes in gene expression that in turn influence cancer susceptibility. Chronic excessive use of alcohol also affects selected members of the family of microRNAs, and as miRNAs could act as epigenetic regulators, this may play an important role in carcinogenesis. In conclusion, targeting alcohol-induced epigenetic changes in several cancer types could make available clinical tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of these cancers, with an important role in precision medicine.
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14
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Miguel-Hidalgo JJ, Hall KO, Bonner H, Roller AM, Syed M, Park CJ, Ball JP, Rothenberg ME, Stockmeier CA, Romero DG. MicroRNA-21: Expression in oligodendrocytes and correlation with low myelin mRNAs in depression and alcoholism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 79:503-514. [PMID: 28802862 PMCID: PMC5610939 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
MiR-21 is a microRNA implicated in cancer, development, and cardiovascular diseases and expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), especially after injury. However, the cellular expression of miR-21 in the adult CNS has not been clearly established either in mice or human subjects, while its alteration in psychiatric disorders is unknown. MiR-21 expression was characterized in reporter mice expressing β-galactosidase (LacZ) under the endogenous miR-21 promoter (miR-21/LacZ). Brain co-localization of miR-21/LacZ with specific neural markers was examined by double immunofluorescence in reporter mice, while extent of immunostaining for myelin basic protein and PDGFRα was determined in miR-21 knockout and wild-type mice. Levels of miR-21, and mRNAs of selected miR-21 targets, miR-21 regulator STAT3 and myelin-related proteins were measured by qRT-PCR in the white matter (WM) adjacent to the left postmortem orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of human subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD), alcoholism, comorbid MDD plus alcoholism (MDA) and non-psychiatric control subjects. MiR-21/LacZ was highly expressed in cell bodies of WM and myelinated portions of gray matter (GM). Labeled cell bodies were identified as oligodendrocytes, while miR-21/LacZ was barely detectable in other cell types. MiR-21, as well as the mRNAs of several myelin-related proteins, were reduced in the WM of subjects with MDD and alcoholism. MiR-21 positively correlated with mRNA of myelin-related proteins and astrocytic GFAP. High expression of miR-21 in adult oligodendrocytes and the correlation of miR-21 decrease with mRNA of some myelin proteins, regulator STAT3, and oligodendrocyte-related transcription factors suggest an involvement of miR-21 in WM alterations in depression and alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Javier Miguel-Hidalgo
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
| | - Katherine O. Hall
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Hannah Bonner
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Anna M. Roller
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Maryam Syed
- Department of Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Casey J. Park
- Department of Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Jana P. Ball
- Department of Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Marc E. Rothenberg
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Craig A. Stockmeier
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
| | - Damian G. Romero
- Department of Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
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15
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Abstract
This article highlights the emerging therapeutic potential of specific epigenetic modulators as promising antiepileptogenic or disease-modifying agents for curing epilepsy. Currently, there is an unmet need for antiepileptogenic agents that truly prevent the development of epilepsy in people at risk. There is strong evidence that epigenetic signaling, which exerts high fidelity regulation of gene expression, plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of epileptogenesis and chronic epilepsy. These modifications are not hard-wired into the genome and are constantly reprogrammed by environmental influences. The potential epigenetic mechanisms, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, microRNA-based transcriptional control, and bromodomain reading activity, can drastically alter the neuronal gene expression profile by exerting their summative effects in a coordinated fashion. Such an epigenetic intervention appears more rational strategy for preventing epilepsy because it targets the primary pathway that initially triggers the numerous downstream cellular and molecular events mediating epileptogenesis. Among currently approved epigenetic drugs, the majority are anticancer drugs with well-established profiles in clinical trials and practice. Evidence from preclinical studies supports the premise that these drugs may be applied to a wide range of brain disorders. Targeting histone deacetylation by inhibiting histone deacetylase enzymes appears to be one promising epigenetic therapy since certain inhibitors have been shown to prevent epileptogenesis in animal models. However, developing neuronal specific epigenetic modulators requires rational, pathophysiology-based optimization to efficiently intercept the upstream pathways in epileptogenesis. Overall, epigenetic agents have been well positioned as new frontier tools towards the national goal of curing epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyan Younus
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Doodipala Samba Reddy
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
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16
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Emerging roles for ncRNAs in alcohol use disorders. Alcohol 2017; 60:31-39. [PMID: 28438526 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol exposure produces widespread neuroadaptations and alterations in gene expression in human alcoholics and animal models. Technological advances in the past decade have increasingly highlighted the role of non-protein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression and function. These recently characterized molecules were discovered to mediate diverse processes in the central nervous system, from normal development and physiology to regulation of disease, including alcoholism and other psychiatric disorders. This review will investigate the recent studies in human alcoholics and rodent models that have profiled different classes of ncRNAs and their dynamic alcohol-dependent regulation in brain.
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17
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Burrowes SG, Salem NA, Tseng AM, Balaraman S, Pinson MR, Garcia C, Miranda RC. The BAF (BRG1/BRM-Associated Factor) chromatin-remodeling complex exhibits ethanol sensitivity in fetal neural progenitor cells and regulates transcription at the miR-9-2 encoding gene locus. Alcohol 2017; 60:149-158. [PMID: 28438527 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a leading cause of intellectual disability worldwide. Previous studies have shown that developmental ethanol exposure results in loss of microRNAs (miRNAs), including miR-9, and loss of these miRNAs, in turn, mediates some of ethanol's teratogenic effects in the developing brain. We previously found that ethanol increased methylation at the miR-9-2 encoding gene locus in mouse fetal neural stem cells (NSC), advancing a mechanism for epigenetic silencing of this locus and consequently, miR-9 loss in NSCs. Therefore, we assessed the role of the BAF (BRG1/BRM-Associated Factor) complex, which disassembles nucleosomes to facilitate access to chromatin, as an epigenetic mediator of ethanol's effects on miR-9. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and DNAse I-hypersensitivity analyses showed that the BAF complex was associated with both transcriptionally accessible and heterochromatic regions of the miR-9-2 locus, and that disintegration of the BAF complex by combined knockdown of BAF170 and BAF155 resulted in a significant decrease in miR-9. We hypothesized that ethanol exposure would result in loss of BAF-complex function at the miR-9-2 locus. However, ethanol exposure significantly increased mRNA transcripts for maturation-associated BAF-complex members BAF170, SS18, ARID2, BAF60a, BRM/BAF190b, and BAF53b. Ethanol also significantly increased BAF-complex binding within an intron containing a CpG island and in the terminal exon encoding precursor (pre)-miR-9-2. These data suggest that the BAF complex may adaptively respond to ethanol exposure to protect against a complete loss of miR-9-2 in fetal NSCs. Chromatin remodeling factors may adapt to the presence of a teratogen, to maintain transcription of critical miRNA regulatory pathways.
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18
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Mahnke AH, Miranda RC, Homanics GE. Epigenetic mediators and consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol 2017; 60:1-6. [PMID: 28395929 PMCID: PMC5439216 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.02.357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States.
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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19
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Balaraman S, Idrus NM, Miranda RC, Thomas JD. Postnatal choline supplementation selectively attenuates hippocampal microRNA alterations associated with developmental alcohol exposure. Alcohol 2017; 60:159-167. [PMID: 28433422 PMCID: PMC5559286 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a range of physical, neuropathological, and behavioral alterations, collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We have shown that supplementation with the nutrient choline reduces the severity of developmental alcohol-associated deficits in hippocampal-dependent behaviors and normalizes some aspects of hippocampal cholinergic development and DNA methylation patterns. Alcohol's developmental effects may also be mediated, in part, by altering microRNAs (miRNAs) that serve as negative regulators of gene translation. To determine whether choline supplementation alters ethanol's long-lasting effects on miRNAs, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 5.25 g/kg/day ethanol from postnatal days (PD) 4-9 via intubation; controls received sham intubations. Subjects were treated with choline chloride (100 mg/kg/day) or saline vehicle subcutaneously (s.c.) from PD 4-21. On PD 22, subjects were sacrificed, and RNA was isolated from the hippocampus. MiRNA expression was assessed with TaqMan Human MicroRNA Panel Low-Density Arrays. Ethanol significantly increased miRNA expression variance, an effect that was attenuated with choline supplementation. Cluster analysis of stably expressed miRNAs that exceeded an ANOVA p < 0.05 criterion indicated that for both male and female offspring, control and ethanol-exposed groups were most dissimilar from each other, with choline-supplemented groups in between. MiRNAs that expressed an average 2-fold change due to ethanol exposure were further analyzed to identify which ethanol-sensitive miRNAs were protected by choline supplementation. We found that at a false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted criterion of p < 0.05, miR-200c was induced by ethanol exposure and that choline prevented this effect. Collectively, our data show that choline supplementation can normalize disturbances in miRNA expression following developmental alcohol exposure and can protect specific miRNAs from induction by ethanol. These findings have important implications for the mechanisms by which choline may serve as a potential treatment for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sridevi Balaraman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Nirelia M Idrus
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jennifer D Thomas
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.
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Lussier AA, Weinberg J, Kobor MS. Epigenetics studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: where are we now? Epigenomics 2017; 9:291-311. [PMID: 28234026 PMCID: PMC5549650 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse in utero events can alter the development and function of numerous physiological systems, giving rise to lasting neurodevelopmental deficits. In particular, data have shown that prenatal alcohol exposure can reprogram neurobiological systems, altering developmental trajectories and resulting in increased vulnerability to adverse neurobiological, behavioral and health outcomes. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms are potential mediators for the reprogramming of neurobiological systems, as they may provide a link between the genome, environmental conditions and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This review outlines the current state of epigenetic research in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, highlighting the role of epigenetic mechanisms in the reprogramming of neurobiological systems by alcohol and as potential diagnostic tools for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. We also present an assessment of the current limitations in studies of prenatal alcohol exposure, and highlight the future steps needed in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Lussier
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine & Therapeutics, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine & Therapeutics, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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21
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Doehner W, Praße L, Wolpers J, Brückner MK, Ueberham U, Arendt T. Transgenerational transmission of an anticholinergic endophenotype with memory dysfunction. Neurobiol Aging 2016; 51:19-30. [PMID: 28033505 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Impaired cholinergic neurotransmission associated with cognitive dysfunction occurs in various mental disorders of different etiologies including Alzheimer's disease and postalcoholic dementia and others. To address the question whether there exists a common endophenotype with a defined genetic and/or epigenetic signature causing mental dysfunction in these disorders, we investigated 2 generations of offspring born to alcohol-treated mothers. Here, we show that memory impairment and reduced synthesis of acetylcholine occurs in both F1 (exposed to ethanol in utero) and F2 generation (never been exposed to ethanol). Effects in the F2 generation are most likely consequences of transgenerationally transmitted epigenetic modifications in stem cells induced by alcohol. This clearly documents the role of ancestral history of drug abuse on the brain development of subsequent generations. The results further suggest an epigenetic trait for an anticholinergic endophenotype associated with cognitive dysfunction which might be relevant to our understanding of mental impairment in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfram Doehner
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lieselotte Praße
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - James Wolpers
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martina K Brückner
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uwe Ueberham
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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22
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Tian H, Ye X, Hou X, Yang X, Yang J, Wu C. SVCT2, a potential therapeutic target, protects against oxidative stress during ethanol-induced neurotoxicity via JNK/p38 MAPKs, NF-κB and miRNA125a-5p. Free Radic Biol Med 2016; 96:362-73. [PMID: 27085842 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Sodium vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2) plays a key role in transporting ascorbic acid (AA), an important intracellular antioxidant, into neurons. It is well known that ethanol (EtOH) abuse causes significant neurodegeneration, as well as endogenous AA release in certain encephalic regions. Here, we identified that SVCT2 forms part of a self-defense mechanism that protects against oxidative stress in binge drinking rats, and SVCT2 levels are correlated with antioxidants and neuronal injury. Four days of binge drinking led to massive neuron degeneration in prefrontal cortex (PFC), accompanied by increased levels of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-adducted proteins and SVCT2 expression, as well as dramatic changes in AA levels in rat brain. AA levels were decreased in PFC and increased in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after binge drinking, but returned to normal on the 7th day following EtOH withdrawal. These processes were further evaluated in primary cortical neurons exposed to 100mM EtOH in vitro. Neurons transfected with SVCT2 siRNA were more susceptible than controls to certain aspects of EtOH-induced injury, including cell death, dendrite damage and increased oxidative stress. EtOH-induced up-regulation of SVCT2 was associated with activation of JNK and p38 MAPKs and the NF-κB pathway. More importantly, miRNA-125a-5p was down-regulated in PFC of 4-day binge drinking rats and negatively regulated protein expression during EtOH-induced neuronal injury. MiR-125a-5p over-expression attenuated intracellular AA levels, promoted cell death and suppressed the EtOH-induced up-regulation of p38 MAPK and SVCT2, which suggested that miR-125a-5p plays an important role in SVCT2 function in EtOH-induced neuronal injury. We speculate that SVCT2, possibly regulated by JNK/p38 MAPKs, NF-κB signaling and miR-125a-5p, has a neuroprotective effect against EtOH-induced oxidative stress. Promotion of SVCT2 expression or stimulation of SVCT2 activity may be a promising therapeutic strategy for the prevention of EtOH-associated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China; Department of Pharmacology, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China
| | - Xiaoxia Ye
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Xiaojie Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Xiaowei Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Jingyu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
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In utero exposure to carcinogens: Epigenetics, developmental disruption and consequences in later life. Maturitas 2016; 86:59-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Cameron BE, Craig PM, Trudeau VL. Implication of microRNA deregulation in the response of vertebrates to endocrine disrupting chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2016; 35:788-793. [PMID: 25982118 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2015] [Revised: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are recently discovered small regulatory molecules that control messenger RNA (mRNA) translation in plants and animals and have been implicated in a variety of hormone-related physiological pathways. Estrogens, thyroid hormones, and gonadotropins are all known to act on miRNA abundance to cause major shifts in cellular activity, physiology, and homeostatic control mechanisms. Research on cancer biology has also recently considered miRNA as therapeutic targets, because the deregulation of specific miRNAs in various tissues has been correlated with tumorigenesis and other carcinogenic responses. Because many pharmaceuticals are considered to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), their effects on miRNAs may be important to our understanding of basic physiological control and phenotypic outcomes of wildlife exposed to EDCs. Presented is a brief overview of the synthesis, control, and action of miRNAs, focusing on endocrine systems. The antidepressant fluoxetine will be used as an example for miRNA studies in aquatic species, one of the few examples in ecotoxicology. Given the mounting evidence that miRNAs are regulated by hormones, a clear need exists to investigate the potential for environmental EDCs to deregulate miRNA expression and action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul M Craig
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vance L Trudeau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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