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Karas Kuželički N, Doljak B. Congenital Heart Disease and Genetic Changes in Folate/Methionine Cycles. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:872. [PMID: 39062651 PMCID: PMC11276067 DOI: 10.3390/genes15070872] [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: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease is one of the most common congenital malformations and thus represents a considerable public health burden. Hence, the identification of individuals and families with an increased genetic predisposition to congenital heart disease (CHD) and its possible prevention is important. Even though CHD is associated with the lack of folate during early pregnancy, the genetic background of folate and methionine metabolism perturbations and their influence on CHD risk is not clear. While some genes, such as those coding for cytosolic enzymes of folate/methionine cycles, have been extensively studied, genetic studies of folate transporters (de)glutamation enzymes and mitochondrial enzymes of the folate cycle are lacking. Among genes coding for cytoplasmic enzymes of the folate cycle, MTHFR, MTHFD1, MTR, and MTRR have the strongest association with CHD, while among genes for enzymes of the methionine cycle BHMT and BHMT2 are the most prominent. Among mitochondrial folate cycle enzymes, MTHFD2 plays the most important role in CHD formation, while FPGS was identified as important in the group of (de)glutamation enzymes. Among transporters, the strongest association with CHD was demonstrated for SLC19A1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataša Karas Kuželički
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bojan Doljak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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Król M, Skowron P, Skowron K, Gil K. The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders-An Overview of Experimental Models, Therapeutic Strategies, and Future Research Directions. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:531. [PMID: 38790526 PMCID: PMC11120554 DOI: 10.3390/children11050531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Since the establishment of a clear link between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and certain birth defects, the research into the treatment of FASD has become increasingly sophisticated. The field has begun to explore the possibility of intervening at different levels, and animal studies have provided valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease, forming the basis for implementing potential therapies with increasingly precise mechanisms. The recent reports suggest that compounds that reduce the severity of neurodevelopmental deficits, including glial cell function and myelination, and/or target oxidative stress and inflammation may be effective in treating FASD. Our goal in writing this article was to analyze and synthesize current experimental therapeutic interventions for FASD, elucidating their potential mechanisms of action, translational relevance, and implications for clinical application. This review exclusively focuses on animal models and the interventions used in these models to outline the current direction of research. We conclude that given the complexity of the underlying mechanisms, a multifactorial approach combining nutritional supplementation, pharmacotherapy, and behavioral techniques tailored to the stage and severity of the disease may be a promising avenue for further research in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Król
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Paweł Skowron
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Wroclaw Medical University, T. Chalubinskiego St. 10, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Kamil Skowron
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Krzysztof Gil
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
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Edri T, Cohen D, Shabtai Y, Fainsod A. Alcohol induces neural tube defects by reducing retinoic acid signaling and promoting neural plate expansion. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1282273. [PMID: 38116205 PMCID: PMC10728305 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1282273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most debilitating and common developmental defects in humans. The induction of NTDs has been attributed to abnormal folic acid (vitamin B9) metabolism, Wnt and BMP signaling, excess retinoic acid (RA), dietary components, environmental factors, and many others. In the present study we show that reduced RA signaling, including alcohol exposure, induces NTDs. Methods: Xenopus embryos were exposed to pharmacological RA biosynthesis inhibitors to study the induction of NTDs. Embryos were treated with DEAB, citral, or ethanol, all of which inhibit the biosynthesis of RA, or injected to overexpress Cyp26a1 to reduce RA. NTD induction was studied using neural plate and notochord markers together with morphological analysis. Expression of the neuroectodermal regulatory network and cell proliferation were analyzed to understand the morphological malformations of the neural plate. Results: Reducing RA signaling levels using retinaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors (ethanol, DEAB, and citral) or Cyp26a1-driven degradation efficiently induce NTDs. These NTDs can be rescued by providing precursors of RA. We mapped this RA requirement to early gastrula stages during the induction of neural plate precursors. This reduced RA signaling results in abnormal expression of neural network genes, including the neural plate stem cell maintenance genes, geminin, and foxd4l1.1. This abnormal expression of neural network genes results in increased proliferation of neural precursors giving rise to an expanded neural plate. Conclusion: We show that RA signaling is required for neural tube closure during embryogenesis. RA signaling plays a very early role in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of the neural plate soon after the induction of neural progenitors during gastrulation. RA signaling disruption leads to the induction of NTDs through the mis regulation of the early neuroectodermal network, leading to increased proliferation resulting in the expansion of the neural plate. Ethanol exposure induces NTDs through this mechanism involving reduced RA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Kakhki S, Goodarzi M, Abbaszade-Cheragheali A, Rajabi M, Masoumipour AH, Khatibi SR, Beheshti F. Folic acid supplementation improved cognitive deficits associated with lithium administration during pregnancy in rat offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:615-630. [PMID: 37582655 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The present study aimed to analyse both neurobehavioural and biochemical results of neonates born of mothers exposed to different doses of lithium along with the groups that received lithium at the highest dose with folic acid as a preventive treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male and female rats were mated in separate cages, and pregnant rats were divided into eight first group as (1) vehicle; (2) propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism; (3-4) received two different doses of lithium carbonate (15 and 30 mg/kg); (5-7) the highest doses of lithium (30 mg/kg) plus three different doses of folic acid (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg); and (8) received just folic acid (15 mg/kg). All treatments were dissolved in drinking water and continued until delivery, followed by returning to a regular diet without treatment. RESULTS Lithium (30 mg/kg) disrupts both behavioural and biochemical markers, including TSH, T3 and T4 as measuring indicators to assess thyroid function, IL-10 and TNF-α as anti-inflammatory and inflammatory agents, respectively, malondialdehyde as an oxidative stress marker, alongside SOD, and catalase activity as antioxidant indicators. Besides, folic acid, almost at the highest dose (15 mg/kg), attenuated memory impairement and anxiety-like behaviour caused by lithium. Moreover, the groups treated with folic acid alone in comparison with vehicles demonstrated higher levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory indicators. CONCLUSION According to the results, prenatal exposure to a high dose of lithium (30 mg/kg) leads to foetal neurodevelopmental disorder and growth restriction through various mechanisms more likely attributed to hypothyroidism, which means it should be either prohibited or prescribed cautiously during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Kakhki
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Mehrnoush Goodarzi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Ali Abbaszade-Cheragheali
- Student Research Committee, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Mojgan Rajabi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Masoumipour
- Student Research Committee, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Khatibi
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
| | - Farimah Beheshti
- Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
- Departments of Physiology, School of Medicine, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
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Forecki J, Morales C, Merzdorf C. Trails to Research: an Inquiry-Based Course Using Zebrafish To Provide Research Experience to Tribal College Students. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2023; 24:e00243-22. [PMID: 37614886 PMCID: PMC10443398 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00243-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic development is fascinating to follow and highly engaging and, therefore, lends itself for undergraduate students' first steps in experimental science. We developed the "Trails to Research" inquiry-based course, which exposes students to life science research using zebrafish as model organism. Zebrafish are ideal in the classroom: they are easy to maintain, their embryos develop rapidly, and they are easily manipulated. Further, they lend themselves to teach about embryo development and experimental design. We developed the course for undergraduates at 2-year colleges and, therefore, for students with little or no research experience. In this 5-day intensive course (which is taught during summers as a stand-alone course), students design treatment experiments for zebrafish embryos with known teratogens and with substances they select. The course comprises three modules that overlap over the 5 days: (i) introduction to developmental biology, model organisms, toxicology, and experimental design, (ii) zebrafish embryo experimental setup, and (iii) collecting, analyzing, and presenting data. Student learning was significant in the areas of experimental design, working with model systems, working with zebrafish embryos, using laboratory equipment, and presenting the results of their experiments using effective methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Forecki
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Chelsea Morales
- Allied Health Department, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Harlem, Montana, USA
| | - Christa Merzdorf
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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Andreu-Fernández V, Serra-Delgado M, Almeida-Toledano L, García-Meseguer À, Vieiros M, Ramos-Triguero A, Muñoz-Lozano C, Navarro-Tapia E, Martínez L, García-Algar Ó, Gómez-Roig MD. Effect of Postnatal Epigallocatechin-Gallate Treatment on Cardiac Function in Mice Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12051067. [PMID: 37237934 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12051067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure affects the cardiovascular health of the offspring. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) may be a protective agent against it, but no data are available regarding its impact on cardiac dysfunction. We investigated the presence of cardiac alterations in mice prenatally exposed to alcohol and the effect of postnatal EGCG treatment on cardiac function and related biochemical pathways. C57BL/6J pregnant mice received 1.5 g/kg/day (Mediterranean pattern), 4.5 g/kg/day (binge pattern) of ethanol, or maltodextrin until Day 19 of pregnancy. Post-delivery, treatment groups received EGCG-supplemented water. At post-natal Day 60, functional echocardiographies were performed. Heart biomarkers of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and cardiac damage were analyzed by Western blot. BNP and Hif1α increased and Nrf2 decreased in mice prenatally exposed to the Mediterranean alcohol pattern. Bcl-2 was downregulated in the binge PAE drinking pattern. Troponin I, glutathione peroxidase, and Bax increased in both ethanol exposure patterns. Prenatal alcohol exposure led to cardiac dysfunction in exposed mice, evidenced by a reduced ejection fraction, left ventricle posterior wall thickness at diastole, and Tei index. EGCG postnatal therapy restored the physiological levels of these biomarkers and improved cardiac dysfunction. These findings suggest that postnatal EGCG treatment attenuates the cardiac damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Andreu-Fernández
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Valencian International University (VIU), 46002 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariona Serra-Delgado
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Almeida-Toledano
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Àgueda García-Meseguer
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Melina Vieiros
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Ramos-Triguero
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Concha Muñoz-Lozano
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Navarro-Tapia
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Valencian International University (VIU), 46002 Valencia, Spain
| | - Leopoldo Martínez
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar García-Algar
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María D Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
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Wu L, Li N, Liu Y. Association Between Maternal Factors and Risk of Congenital Heart Disease in Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Matern Child Health J 2023; 27:29-48. [PMID: 36344649 PMCID: PMC9867685 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-022-03538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to summarize the evidence describing the relationship between maternal factors during gestation and risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring. METHODS PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for potentially relevant reports from inception to May 2021. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated by the random-effects model were used to evaluate the association between maternal factors and CHD risk. RESULTS There was a significant association between CHD risk and obesity in pregnancy (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.22-1.37; P < 0.001), smoking in pregnancy (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25; P < 0.001), maternal diabetes (OR 2.65, 95% CI 2.20-3.19; P < 0.001), and exposure of pregnant women to organic solvents (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.23-2.70; P = 0.003). No correlations were revealed between CHD susceptibility and advanced maternal age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.96-1.12; P = 0.328), underweight (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.96-1.08; P = 0.519), alcohol intake in pregnancy (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.95-1.22; P = 0.251), coffee intake (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.97-1.44; P = 0.105), and exposure to irradiation (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.85-3.80; P = 0.125). DISCUSSION Maternal factors including maternal obesity, smoking in pregnancy, maternal diabetes and exposure to organic solvents might predispose the offspring to CHD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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Ethanol Effects on Early Developmental Stages Studied Using the Zebrafish. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102555. [PMID: 36289818 PMCID: PMC9599251 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) results from prenatal ethanol exposure. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an outstanding in vivo FASD model. Early development produced the three germ layers and embryonic axes patterning. A critical pluripotency transcriptional gene circuit of sox2, pou5f1 (oct4; recently renamed pou5f3), and nanog maintain potency and self-renewal. Ethanol affects sox2 expression, which functions with pou5f1 to control target gene transcription. Various genes, like elf3, may interact and regulate sox2, and elf3 knockdown affects early development. Downstream of the pluripotency transcriptional circuit, developmental signaling activities regulate morphogenetic cell movements and lineage specification. These activities are also affected by ethanol exposure. Hedgehog signaling is a critical developmental signaling pathway that controls numerous developmental events, including neural axis specification. Sonic hedgehog activities are affected by embryonic ethanol exposure. Activation of sonic hedgehog expression is controlled by TGF-ß family members, Nodal and Bmp, during dorsoventral (DV) embryonic axis establishment. Ethanol may perturb TGF-ß family receptors and signaling activities, including the sonic hedgehog pathway. Significantly, experiments show that activation of sonic hedgehog signaling rescues some embryonic ethanol exposure effects. More research is needed to understand how ethanol affects early developmental signaling and morphogenesis.
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Soraya H, Sheikholeslami S, Shirpoor A, Nezami Majd F, Naderi R, Rasmi Y. Influence of Maternal Ethanol Exposure on Systemic Hemodynamic Variables and Histopathological Changes in the Aorta Wall of Male Rat Offspring: A Three-month Follow-up. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2022; 47:468-476. [PMID: 36117576 PMCID: PMC9445872 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2021.91047.2205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Alcohol consumption in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular abnormalities, but the mechanisms are unknown. This study evaluated the impact of ethanol exposure on the offspring's aorta structural, functional, and molecular alterations on postnatal (PN) both on days 21 and 90. Methods This experimental study was conducted at Urmia University of Medical Sciences (Urmia, Iran) in 2019. Twenty Pregnant Wistar rats on the seventh day of Gestation Day (GD) were randomly divided into two groups: control and ethanol-treated groups (n=10 per group). From the seventh day of GD throughout lactation, rats in the ethanol group were fed binge alcohol (4.5 g/Kg body weight) once daily. Systemic hemodynamic variables in the offspring were analyzed using waveform contour analysis 90 days after birth. On postnatal days (PN) 21 and 90, aorta wall histological alterations and the level of inflammatory factors were assessed in the aorta of male offspring. The statistical differences were examined via an independent samples t test. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The results revealed that offspring in the ethanol group had higher systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and dicrotic pressure than the control group (P<0.001). The level of aorta tissue tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, nuclear factor (NF)-κ, and endothelin-1 were significantly higher in the ethanol offspring group than in the control group (P<0.001). Histopathological changes such as total aorta thickness, tunica media, tunica adventitia, elastin fiber thickness, fiber interval, and elastin/media ratio significantly increased in the aorta of the offspring of the ethanol group compared to the control group 21 and 90 days after birth. Conclusion Our findings suggest that prenatal and early postnatal ethanol exposure-induced cardiovascular abnormalities are, in part, due to predisposing the aorta to atherosclerosis, which was mediated through the aorta wall remodeling and inflammation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Soraya
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Sama Sheikholeslami
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Alireza Shirpoor
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
- Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Farideh Nezami Majd
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Roya Naderi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
- Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Yousef Rasmi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
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Abraham S, Lindo C, Peoples J, Cox A, Lytle E, Nguyen V, Mehta M, Alvarez JD, Yooseph S, Pacher P, Ebert SN. Maternal binge alcohol consumption leads to distinctive acute perturbations in embryonic cardiac gene expression profiles. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1433-1448. [PMID: 35692084 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with high risk of congenital heart defects, but it is unclear how alcohol specifically affects heart development during the acute aftermath of a maternal binge drinking episode. We hypothesize that administration of a single maternal binge dose of alcohol to pregnant mice at embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5) causes perturbations in the expression patterns of specific genes in the developing heart in the acute period (1-3 days) following the binge episode. To test this hypothesis and identify strong candidate ethanol-sensitive target genes of interest, we adapted a mouse binge alcohol model that is associated with a high incidence of congenital heart defects as described below. METHODS/RESULTS Pregnant mice were administered a single dose of alcohol (2.5 g/kg in saline) or control (saline alone) via oral gavage. To evaluate the impact of maternal binge alcohol on cardiac gene expression profiles, we isolated embryonic hearts from both groups (n = 5/group) at 24, 48, and 72 h post-gavage for transcriptomic analyses. RNA was extracted and evaluated using quantitative RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) methods. To identify a cohort of binge-altered cardiac genes, we set the threshold for change at >2.0-fold difference with adjusted p < 0.05 versus control. RNA-Seq analysis of cardiac gene expression revealed that of the 17 genes that were altered within the first 48 h post-binge, with the largest category consisting of transcription factors (Alx1, Alx4, HoxB7, HoxD8, and Runx2), followed by signaling molecules (Adamts18, Dkk2, Rtl1, and Wnt7a). Furthermore, multiple comparative and pathway analyses suggested that several of the candidate genes identified through differential RNA-Seq analysis may interact through certain common pathways. To investigate this further, we performed gene-specific qPCR analyses for three representative candidate targets: Runx2, Wnt7a, and Mlxipl. Notably, only Wnt7a showed significantly (p < 0.05) decreased expression in response to maternal binge alcohol in the qPCR assays. CONCLUSIONS These findings identify Wnt7a and a short list of potential other candidate genes and pathways for further study, which could provide mechanistic insights into how maternal binge alcohol consumption produces congenital cardiac malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Abraham
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Chad Lindo
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Jessica Peoples
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Amanda Cox
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Erika Lytle
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Vu Nguyen
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Meeti Mehta
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Jose D Alvarez
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Shibu Yooseph
- Department of Computer Science, Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Pal Pacher
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury, National Institute of Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven N Ebert
- Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Science, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
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Untargeted Metabolome Analysis Reveals Reductions in Maternal Hepatic Glucose and Amino Acid Content That Correlate with Fetal Organ Weights in a Mouse Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14051096. [PMID: 35268071 PMCID: PMC8912878 DOI: 10.3390/nu14051096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes fetal growth restrictions. A major driver of fetal growth deficits is maternal metabolic disruption; this is under-investigated following PAE. Untargeted metabolomics on the dam and fetus exposed to alcohol (ALC) revealed that the hepatic metabolome of ALC and control (CON) dams were distinct, whereas that of ALC and CON fetuses were similar. Alcohol reduced maternal hepatic glucose content and enriched essential amino acid (AA) catabolites, N-acetylated AA products, urea content, and free fatty acids. These alterations suggest an attempt to minimize the glucose gap by increasing gluconeogenesis using AA and glycerol. In contrast, ALC fetuses had unchanged glucose and AA levels, suggesting an adequate draw of maternal nutrients, despite intensified stress on ALC dams. Maternal metabolites including glycolytic intermediates, AA catabolites, urea, and one-carbon-related metabolites correlated with fetal liver and brain weights, whereas lipid metabolites correlated with fetal body weight, indicating they may be drivers of fetal weight outcomes. Together, these data suggest that ALC alters maternal hepatic metabolic activity to limit glucose availability, thereby switching to alternate energy sources to meet the high-energy demands of pregnancy. Their correlation with fetal phenotypic outcomes indicates the influence of maternal metabolism on fetal growth and development.
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12
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Kable JA, Coles CD, Keen CL, Uriu-Adams JY, Jones KL, Yevtushok L, Kulikovsky Y, Zymak-Zakutnya N, Dubchak I, Akhmedzhanova D, Wertelecki W, Chambers CD. The impact of micronutrient supplementation in alcohol-exposed pregnancies on reaction time responses of preschoolers in Ukraine. Alcohol 2022; 99:49-58. [PMID: 34942330 PMCID: PMC8844237 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The potential of micronutrients to ameliorate the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on attentional regulation skills was explored in a randomized clinical trial conducted in Ukraine. Women who differed in prenatal alcohol use were recruited during pregnancy and assigned to one of three groups [No study-provided supplements, Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement (MVM), or MVM plus Choline]. Their offspring were seen in the preschool period and a reaction time task was administered. Participants were asked to press a response button as quickly as possible as 30 stimuli from the same category (animals) were presented consecutively and then followed by six stimuli from a novel category (vehicles). Number correct, mean latency of the response over trials, and variability in the latency were analyzed separately by sex. During the initial animal trials, boys whose mothers received MVM during pregnancy had more correct responses and reduced response latency compared to boys whose mothers had no MVM treatment. During vehicle trials, maternal choline supplementation was associated with increased response speed in males without a PAE history. Females receiving supplements did not show the same benefits from micronutrient supplementation and were more adversely impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure. Relationships between maternal levels of choline, betaine, and dimethylglycine (DMG) and task performance were also assessed. Although no effects were found for choline after adjusting for multiple comparisons, lower baseline DMG level was associated with greater accuracy and shorter latency of responses in the initial animal trials and shorter latency in the vehicle trials in female preschoolers. Level of betaine in Trimester 3 was associated with reduced variability in the latency of male responses during the animal trials. Maternal micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy appears to improve preschool reaction time performance, but the effects varied as a function of sex and PAE exposure status.
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Affiliation(s)
- JA Kable
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine,,Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - CD Coles
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine,,Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - CL Keen
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis
| | - JY Uriu-Adams
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis
| | - KL Jones
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego,,Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego
| | - L Yevtushok
- Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne, Ukraine,,Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - Y Kulikovsky
- Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne, Ukraine,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - N. Zymak-Zakutnya
- Khmelnytsky Perinatal Center, Khmelnytsky, Ukraine,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - Iryna Dubchak
- Khmelnytsky Perinatal Center, Khmelnytsky, Ukraine,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - D Akhmedzhanova
- Khmelnytsky Perinatal Center, Khmelnytsky, Ukraine,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - W Wertelecki
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego,,OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - CD Chambers
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego,,Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego
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13
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Wang T, Li Q, Chen L, Ni B, Sheng X, Huang P, Zhang S, Chen L, Qin J. Effect of maternal alcohol consumption during the pre-pregnancy/early-pregnancy period on congenital heart disease: A prospective cohort study in Central China. Prev Med 2022; 155:106963. [PMID: 35065976 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.106963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Evidence of associations between maternal alcohol consumption and congenital heart disease (CHD) are mixed. Previous studies have been potentially biased due to recall bias or unmeasured confounding. This study aimed to examine the association of maternal alcohol consumption in 3 months before pregnancy and in early pregnancy with risks of offspring congenital heart disease (CHD) and its seven common subtypes. A prospective cohort study was conducted in Central China. From 03/13/2013 to 12/31/2019, a total of 44,048 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies at 8-14 gestational weeks were included and followed to 3 months postpartum. 564 births were diagnosed with CHD at the end of follow-up. Multivariable modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) of CHD in offspring exposed to maternal alcohol consumption during the pre-pregnancy and early-pregnancy period, adjusting for confounders identified by directed acyclic graphs. In the multivariable analyses, increased risks of CHDs were found in offspring exposed to maternal alcohol consumption both in 3 months before pregnancy (adjusted-RR:3.14; 95% confidence intervals[CIs]:2.30-4.28) and in early pregnancy (adjusted-RR:1.86; 95%CIs:1.13-3.05). More specifically, the offspring exposed to maternal alcohol consumption in 3 months before pregnancy had the highest increased risk of Tetralogy of Fallot (adjusted-RR:8.62; 95%CIs:3.61-20.61). These findings persisted in analyses that were further adjusted for the other behavior variables other than the characteristic being assessed, and were also confirmed by sensitivity analyses. Our study supports the need for continued efforts for public health messages surrounding the potential risks of alcohol consumption prior to or during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qiongxuan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lizhang Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Ni
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoqi Sheng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Thoracic Cardiac Surgery, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Senmao Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Letao Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiabi Qin
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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14
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Harvey DC, De Zoysa P, Toubat O, Choi J, Kishore J, Tsukamoto H, Kumar SR. Concomitant genetic defects potentiate the adverse impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on cardiac outflow tract maturation. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:105-115. [PMID: 34859965 PMCID: PMC10033225 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with an increased incidence of congenital heart defects (CHD), in particular outflow tract (OFT) defects. However, the variability in the incidence of CHD following PAE has not been fully explored. We hypothesize that a concomitant, relevant genetic defect would potentiate the adverse effect of PAE and partially explain the variability of PAE-induced CHD incidence. METHODS The OFT is formed by the second heart field (SHF). Our PAE model consisted of two intraperitoneal injections (3 g/kg, separated by 6 hr) of 30% ethanol on E6.5 during SHF specification. The impact of genetic defects was studied by SHF-specific loss of Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4), fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) and Islet1. RESULTS Acute PAE alone significantly increased CHD incidence (4% vs. 26%, p = .015) with a particular increase in OFT alignment defects, viz., double outlet right ventricle (0 vs. 9%, p = .02). In embryos with a SHF genetic defect, acute PAE significantly increased CHD incidence (14 vs. 63%, p < .001), including double outlet right ventricle (6 vs. 50%, p < .001) compared to controls. PAE (p = .01) and heterozygous loss of Dll4 (p = .04) were found to independently contribute to CHD incidence, while neither Islet1 nor Fgf8 defects were found to be significant. CONCLUSIONS Our model recapitulates the increased incidence of OFT alignment defects seen in the clinic due to PAE. The presence of a concomitant SHF genetic mutation increases the incidence of PAE-related OFT defects. An apparent synergistic interaction between PAE and the loss of DLL4-mediated Notch signaling in OFT alignment requires further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drayton C Harvey
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Prashan De Zoysa
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Omar Toubat
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jongkyu Choi
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jahnavi Kishore
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hidekazu Tsukamoto
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - S Ram Kumar
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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Harvey DC, Baer RJ, Bandoli G, Chambers CD, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL, Kumar SR. Association of Alcohol Use Diagnostic Codes in Pregnancy and Offspring Conotruncal and Endocardial Cushion Heart Defects. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e022175. [PMID: 35014860 PMCID: PMC9238516 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Background The pathogenesis of congenital heart disease (CHD) remains largely unknown, with only a small percentage explained solely by genetic causes. Modifiable environmental risk factors, such as alcohol, are suggested to play an important role in CHD pathogenesis. We sought to evaluate the association between prenatal alcohol exposure and CHD to gain insight into which components of cardiac development may be most vulnerable to the teratogenic effects of alcohol. Methods and Results This was a retrospective analysis of hospital discharge records from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and linked birth certificate records restricted to singleton, live‐born infants from 2005 to 2017. Of the 5 820 961 births included, 16 953 had an alcohol‐related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions (ICD‐9; ICD‐10) code during pregnancy. Log linear regression was used to calculate risk ratios (RR) for CHD among individuals with an alcohol‐related ICD‐9 and ICD10 code during pregnancy versus those without. Three models were created: (1) unadjusted, (2) adjusted for maternal demographic factors, and (3) adjusted for maternal demographic factors and comorbidities. Maternal alcohol‐related code was associated with an increased risk for CHD in all models (RR, 1.33 to 1.84); conotruncal (RR, 1.62 to 2.11) and endocardial cushion (RR, 2.71 to 3.59) defects were individually associated with elevated risk in all models. Conclusions Alcohol‐related diagnostic codes in pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of an offspring with a CHD, with a particular risk for endocardial cushion and conotruncal defects. The mechanistic basis for this phenotypic enrichment requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drayton C Harvey
- Department of Surgery Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California Los Angeles CA
| | - Rebecca J Baer
- Department of Pediatrics and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science University of California San Diego La Jolla CA.,The California Preterm Birth Initiative University of California San Francisco San Francisco CA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences University of California San Francisco San Francisco CA
| | - Gretchen Bandoli
- Department of Pediatrics and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science University of California San Diego La Jolla CA
| | - Christina D Chambers
- Department of Pediatrics and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science University of California San Diego La Jolla CA
| | - Laura L Jelliffe-Pawlowski
- The California Preterm Birth Initiative University of California San Francisco San Francisco CA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California San Francisco San Francisco CA
| | - S Ram Kumar
- Department of Surgery Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California Los Angeles CA.,Department of Pediatrics Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California Los Angeles CA.,Heart Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles CA
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16
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Ling S, Jenkins MW, Watanabe M, Ford SM, Rollins AM. Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs the conduction delay at the atrioventricular junction in the looping heart. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2021; 321:H294-H305. [PMID: 34142884 PMCID: PMC8526336 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00107.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The etiology of ethanol-related congenital heart defects has been the focus of much study, but most research has concentrated on cellular and molecular mechanisms. We have shown with optical coherence tomography (OCT) that ethanol exposure led to increased retrograde flow and smaller atrioventricular (AV) cushions compared with controls. Since AV cushions play a role in patterning the conduction delay at the atrioventricular junction (AVJ), this study aims to investigate whether ethanol exposure alters the AVJ conduction in early looping hearts and whether this alteration is related to the decreased cushion size. Quail embryos were exposed to a single dose of ethanol at gastrulation, and Hamburger-Hamilton stage 19-20 hearts were dissected for imaging. Cardiac conduction was measured using an optical mapping microscope and we imaged the endocardial cushions using OCT. Our results showed that, compared with controls, ethanol-exposed embryos exhibited abnormally fast AVJ conduction and reduced cushion size. However, this increased conduction velocity (CV) did not strictly correlate with decreased cushion volume and thickness. By matching the CV map to the cushion-size map along the inflow heart tube, we found that the slowest conduction location was consistently at the atrial side of the AVJ, which had the thinner cushions, not at the thickest cushion location at the ventricular side as expected. Our findings reveal regional differences in the AVJ myocardium even at this early stage in heart development. These findings reveal the early steps leading to the heterogeneity and complexity of conduction at the mature AVJ, a site where arrhythmias can be initiated.NEW & NOTEWORTHY To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the impact of ethanol exposure on the early cardiac conduction system. Our results showed that ethanol-exposed embryos exhibited abnormally fast atrioventricular conduction. In addition, our findings, in CV measurements and endocardial cushion thickness, reveal regional differences in the AVJ myocardium even at this early stage in heart development, suggesting that the differentiation and maturation at this site are complex and warrant further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Ling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael W Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Stephanie M Ford
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
- Division of Neonatology, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Andrew M Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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17
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Ford SM, Pedersen CJ, Ford MR, Kim JW, Karunamuni GH, McPheeters MT, Jawaid S, Jenkins MW, Rollins AM, Watanabe M. Folic acid prevents functional and structural heart defects induced by prenatal ethanol exposure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00817.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
State-of-the-art biophotonic tools captured blood flow and endocardial cushion volumes in tiny beating quail embryo hearts, an accessible model for studying four-chambered heart development. Both hemodynamic flow and endocardial cushion volumes were altered with ethanol exposure but normalized when folic acid was introduced with ethanol. Folic acid supplementation preserved hemodynamic function that is intimately involved in sculpting the heart from the earliest stages of heart development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Ford
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Cameron J. Pedersen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Matthew R. Ford
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Ohio
| | - Jun W. Kim
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ganga H. Karunamuni
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Matthew T. McPheeters
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Safdar Jawaid
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael W. Jenkins
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Andrew M. Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
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18
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Gao X, Zhang C, Zheng P, Dan Q, Luo H, Ma X, Lu C. Arsenic suppresses GDF1 expression via ROS-dependent downregulation of specificity protein 1. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 271:116302. [PMID: 33360347 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic, an environmental contaminant, has adverse health outcomes. Our previous studies showed that arsenic causes abnormal cardiac development in zebrafish embryos by downregulating Dvr1/GDF1 expression and that folic acid protects against these effects. However, the mechanism by which arsenic represses Dvr1/GDF1 expression remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that specificity protein 1 (Sp1) acts as a transcriptional activator of GDF1. Arsenic treatment downregulated Sp1 at both the mRNA and protein level and its downstream targets GDF1 and SIRT1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the occupancy of Sp1 on the GDF1 or SIRT1 promoter was significantly reduced in response to arsenite. Further investigation showed that Sp1 overexpression inhibited the arsenic-mediated decrease in GDF1 and SIRT1, while Sp1 knockdown had the opposite effect. We found that expression of the oxidative adaptor p66shc was inversely related to that of SIRT1 and that the binding of SIRT1 to the p66shc promoter was sharply attenuated by arsenite treatment. SIRT1 overexpression attenuated p66shc expression but enhanced GDF1 protein expression, while SIRT1 depletion exerted the opposite effect. Both the antioxidants N-acetylcysteine and folic acid reversed the arsenic-mediated repression of Sp1, GDF1 and SIRT1. Moreover, wild-type p66shc overexpression enhanced the arsenic-mediated repression of Sp1, GDF1 and SIRT1, which was accompanied by an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, while both overexpression of a dominant negative p66shcSer36Ala mutant and deficiency in p66shc reversed these effects. Taken together, our results revealed that arsenic suppresses GDF1 expression via the ROS-dependent downregulation of the Sp1/SIRT1 axis, which forms a negative feedback loop with p66shc to regulate oxidative stress. Our findings reveal a novel molecular mechanism underlying arsenic toxicity and provide new insight into the protective effect of folic acid in arsenic-mediated toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Gao
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Panpan Zheng
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qinghua Dan
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyan Luo
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Ma
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Cailing Lu
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China; Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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19
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Jawaid S, Strainic JP, Kim J, Ford MR, Thrane L, Karunamuni GH, Sheehan MM, Chowdhury A, Gillespie CA, Rollins AM, Jenkins MW, Watanabe M, Ford SM. Glutathione Protects the Developing Heart from Defects and Global DNA Hypomethylation Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:69-78. [PMID: 33206417 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14511] [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: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), the intake of ethanol (C2 H5 OH) during pregnancy. Features of FASD cover a range of structural and functional defects including congenital heart defects (CHDs). Folic acid and choline, contributors of methyl groups to one-carbon metabolism (OCM), prevent CHDs in humans. Using our avian model of FASD, we have previously reported that betaine, another methyl donor downstream of choline, prevents CHDs. The CHD preventions are substantial but incomplete. Ethanol causes oxidative stress as well as depleting methyl groups for OCM to support DNA methylation and other epigenetic alterations. To identify more compounds that can safely and effectively prevent CHDs and other effects of PAE, we tested glutathione (GSH), a compound that regulates OCM and is known as a "master antioxidant." METHODS/RESULTS Quail embryos injected with a single dose of ethanol at gastrulation exhibited congenital defects including CHDs similar to those identified in FASD individuals. GSH injected simultaneously with ethanol not only prevented CHDs, but also improved survival and prevented other PAE-induced defects. Assays of hearts at 8 days (HH stage 34) of quail development, when the heart normally has developed 4-chambers, showed that this single dose of PAE reduced global DNA methylation. GSH supplementation concurrent with PAE normalized global DNA methylation levels. The same assays performed on quail hearts at 3 days (HH stage 19-20) of development, showed no difference in global DNA methylation between controls, ethanol-treated, GSH alone, and GSH plus ethanol-treated cohorts. CONCLUSIONS GSH supplementation shows promise to inhibit effects of PAE by improving survival, reducing the incidence of morphological defects including CHDs, and preventing global hypomethylation of DNA in heart tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safdar Jawaid
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, (SJ, MMS, AMR, MWJ), School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - James P Strainic
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jun Kim
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Lars Thrane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, (SJ, MMS, AMR, MWJ), School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ganga H Karunamuni
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Megan M Sheehan
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, (SJ, MMS, AMR, MWJ), School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Amrin Chowdhury
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, (AC), Broadview Heights, Ohio, USA
| | - Caitlyn A Gillespie
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Fisk University, (CAG), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew M Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, (SJ, MMS, AMR, MWJ), School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael W Jenkins
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, (SJ, MMS, AMR, MWJ), School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Stephanie M Ford
- From the, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, (SJ, JPS, GHK, MMS, AC, CAG, MWJ, MW, SMF), Department of Pediatrics, The Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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20
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Everson JL, Batchu R, Eberhart JK. Multifactorial Genetic and Environmental Hedgehog Pathway Disruption Sensitizes Embryos to Alcohol-Induced Craniofacial Defects. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1988-1996. [PMID: 32767777 PMCID: PMC7692922 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is perhaps the most common environmental cause of human birth defects. These exposures cause a range of structural and neurological defects, including facial dysmorphologies, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). While PAE causes FASD, phenotypic outcomes vary widely. It is thought that multifactorial genetic and environmental interactions modify the effects of PAE. However, little is known of the nature of these modifiers. Disruption of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been suggested as a modifier of ethanol teratogenicity. In addition to regulating the morphogenesis of craniofacial tissues commonly disrupted in FASD, a core member of the Hh pathway, Smoothened, is susceptible to modulation by structurally diverse chemicals. These include environmentally prevalent teratogens like piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist found in thousands of pesticide formulations. METHODS Here, we characterize multifactorial genetic and environmental interactions using a zebrafish model of craniofacial development. RESULTS We show that loss of a single allele of shha sensitized embryos to both alcohol- and PBO-induced facial defects. Co-exposure of PBO and alcohol synergized to cause more frequent and severe defects. The effects of this co-exposure were even more profound in the genetically susceptible shha heterozygotes. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings shed light on the multifactorial basis of alcohol-induced craniofacial defects. In addition to further implicating genetic disruption of the Hh pathway in alcohol teratogenicity, our findings suggest that co-exposure to environmental chemicals that perturb Hh signaling may be important variables in FASD and related craniofacial disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L. Everson
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchSchool of PharmacyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Rithik Batchu
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Johann K. Eberhart
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchSchool of PharmacyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
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21
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Chen Z, Li S, Guo L, Peng X, Liu Y. Prenatal alcohol exposure induced congenital heart diseases: From bench to bedside. Birth Defects Res 2020; 113:521-534. [PMID: 32578335 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption is increasing worldwide. Many child-bearing-aged women consume alcohol during pregnancy, intentionally or unintentionally, thereby increasing the potential risk for severe congenital diseases. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect worldwide and can result from both hereditary and acquired factors. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is considered a key factor that leads to teratogenesis in CHD and its specific phenotypes, especially defects of the cardiac septa, cardiac valves, cardiac canals, and great arteries, adjacent to the chambers, both in animal experiments and clinical retrospective studies. The mechanisms underlying CHD and its phenotypes caused by PAE are associated with changes in retinoic acid biosynthesis and its signaling pathway, apoptosis and defective function of cardiac neural crest cells, disturbance of the Wntβ-catenin signaling pathway, suppression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, and other epigenetic mechanisms. Drug supplements and early diagnosis can help prevent PAE from inducing CHDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyan Chen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation, Zigong, Sichuan, China.,Department of Research, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong, Sichuan, China
| | - Sheng Li
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation, Zigong, Sichuan, China.,Department of Research, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong, Sichuan, China
| | - Linghong Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Basic Sciences & Forensic Medicine; Animal Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xu Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Basic Sciences & Forensic Medicine; Animal Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yin Liu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation, Zigong, Sichuan, China.,Department of Research, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong, Sichuan, China.,Department of Pharmacology, West China School of Basic Sciences & Forensic Medicine; Animal Research Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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22
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Na L, Q B, Xiumei Z, Lingzi Z, Deqin H, Xuanxuan Z, Huanhuan G, Yuan L, Xiujuan C. Research into the intervention effect of folic acid on arsenic-induced heart abnormalities in fetal rats during the periconception period. BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2020; 20:139. [PMID: 32183703 PMCID: PMC7079454 DOI: 10.1186/s12872-020-01418-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of CHD is the highest among birth defects and is increasing year to year. CHD seriously harms the health of infants and young children and presents a large economic burden to families and society. The pathogenesis of CHD and preventive measures are the focus of current research. Our research aimed to explore the intervention effect of folic acid on heart abnormalities resulting from sodium arsenic (NaAsO2) exposure during the periconception period. METHODS Sixty 35-day-old female SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 12 rats in each group. Group A was the control group. The rats were given distilled water and ordinary chow. The rats in group B were given distilled water containing 75 mg/L NaAsO2 and ordinary chow. The rats in groups C, D, and E were given distilled water containing 75 mg/L NaAsO2 and chow containing 0.53 mg/kg, 5.3 mg/kg, and 10.6 mg/kg folic acid, respectively. The general condition of the embryos and the histopathology of the embryonic hearts were examined. The acetylation levels of histone H3K9 in heart tissues and the expression levels of Mef2C (which is related to heart development) were observed. RESULTS The embryo weight and placental weight of groups B-E were significantly lower than those of group A (P < 0.05). The heart malformation rate of the fetal rats in groups B-E was significantly higher than that of the fetal rats in group A (P < 0.05). We found that the level of H3K9 acetylation in fetal rat cardiomyocytes in groups B-E was significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05) and that the level of H3K9 acetylation in groups C-E was lower than that in group B (P < 0.05). The mRNA level of Mef2C in fetal rat cardiomyocytes in group B-E was significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05), and the mRNA level of Mef2C in groups C-E was significantly lower than that in group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Supplementation with folic acid during the periconception period can interfere with the toxic effects of arsenic on the heart. The mechanism may be that lowering the acetylation levels of histone H3K9 in heart tissues leads to decreased expression levels of Mef2C, which may play a protective role in heart development in fetal rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Na
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bai Q
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhao Xiumei
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhuang Lingzi
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - He Deqin
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhuang Xuanxuan
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guo Huanhuan
- Department of the Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lin Yuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Daoshan Road 18, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, China.
| | - Chen Xiujuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Daoshan Road 18, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, China.
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23
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Ramírez-Cheyne J. Caracterización de la exposición prenatal de un grupo de niños de 0 a 5 años con cardiopatía congénita atendidos en Cali, Colombia. La importancia del ácido fólico. REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE MEDICINA 2020. [DOI: 10.15446/revfacmed.v68n1.69885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introducción. Con una prevalencia estimada de 4 a 9 casos por cada 1 000 nacimientos, las cardiopatías congénitas (CC) tienen gran impacto en la morbimortalidad pediátrica. La variabilidad de prevalencia se ha atribuido a diferencias regionales en cuanto a factores genéticos, ambientales, entre otros.Objetivo. Obtener datos sobre variables de exposición prenatales de pacientes con CC atendidos en Cali, Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Se aplicó una encuesta a las madres de 30 pacientes de 0 a 5 años con CC atendidos en 2 clínicas de alta complejidad (tercer y cuarto nivel) de Cali. La encuesta estaba orientada a múltiples variables de exposición y la información recolectada fue digitalizada en una base de datos en el programa Microsoft Excel para hacer un análisis estadístico descriptivo.Resultados. Se evidenciaron varias exposiciones potencialmente asociadas a CC, tales como índice de masa corporal alterado, administración inadecuada de suplementos de ácido fólico y exposición a vitamina A, rayos X, alcohol y cigarrillo.Conclusión. El consumo insuficiente o inoportuno de ácido fólico podría facilitar la generación de efectos teratogénicos de sustancias oxidantes. Por lo tanto, se debe educar a las mujeres de Cali sobre la importancia de una ingesta adecuada de ácido fólico y sobre los riesgos de la exposición a agentes teratogénicos durante el embarazo para reducir las tasas de incidencia de CC en esta ciudad.
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Zhang S, Wang L, Yang T, Chen L, Zhao L, Wang T, Chen L, Ye Z, Zheng Z, Qin J. Parental alcohol consumption and the risk of congenital heart diseases in offspring: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2019; 27:410-421. [PMID: 31578093 DOI: 10.1177/2047487319874530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to provide updated evidence to assess the association between parental alcohol consumption and the risk of total congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and specific CHD phenotypes in offspring, and explore the possible dose-response pattern. METHODS PubMed, Embase and Chinese databases were searched with an end-date parameter of July 24, 2019 to identify studies meeting pre-stated inclusion criteria. A random-effects model was used to calculate the overall combined risk estimates. A meta-analysis of the dose-response relationship was performed. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and Galbraith plot were conducted to explore potential heterogeneity moderators. RESULTS A total of 55 studies involving 41,747 CHD cases and 297,587 controls were identified. Overall, both maternal (odds ratio (OR) = 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.27) and paternal (OR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.19-1.74) alcohol exposures were significantly associated with risk of total CHDs in offspring. Additionally, a nonlinear dose-response relationship between parental alcohol exposure and risk of total CHDs was observed. With an increase in parental alcohol consumption, the risk of total CHDs in offspring also gradually increases. For specific CHD phenotypes, a statistically significant association was found between maternal alcohol consumption and risk of tetralogy of fallot (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.08-1.33). Relevant heterogeneity moderators have been identified by subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis yielded consistent results. CONCLUSIONS Although the role of potential bias and evidence of heterogeneity should be carefully evaluated, our review indicates that parental alcohol exposures are significantly associated with the risk of CHDs in offspring, which highlights the necessity of improving health awareness to prevent alcohol exposure during preconception and conception periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senmao Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Lesan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Tubao Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Lizhang Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Lijuan Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Letao Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Ziwei Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Zan Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Jiabi Qin
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Hunan, China
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25
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Ninh VK, El Hajj EC, Mouton AJ, Gardner JD. Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Causes Adverse Cardiac Extracellular Matrix Changes and Dysfunction in Neonatal Mice. Cardiovasc Toxicol 2019; 19:389-400. [PMID: 30684169 PMCID: PMC7261018 DOI: 10.1007/s12012-018-09503-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most severe condition of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and is associated with congenital heart defects. However, more subtle defects such as ventricular wall thinning and cardiac compliance may be overlooked in FASD. Our studies focus on the role of cardiac fibroblasts in the neonatal heart, and how they are affected by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). We hypothesize that PAE affects fibroblast function contributing to dysregulated collagen synthesis, which leads to cardiac dysfunction. To investigate these effects, pregnant C57/BL6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 2.9 g EtOH/kg dose to achieve a blood alcohol content of approximately 0.35 on gestation days 6.75 and 7.25. Pups were sacrificed on neonatal day 5 following echocardiography measurements of left ventricular (LV) chamber dimension and function. Hearts were used for primary cardiac fibroblast isolation or protein expression analysis. PAE animals had thinner ventricular walls than saline exposed animals, which was associated with increased LV wall stress and decreased ejection fraction. In isolated fibroblasts, PAE decreased collagen I/III ratio and increased gene expression of profibrotic markers, including α-smooth muscle actin and lysyl oxidase. Notch1 signaling was assessed as a possible mechanism for fibroblast activation, and indicated that gene expression of Notch1 receptor and downstream Hey1 transcription factor were increased. Cardiac tissue analysis revealed decreased collagen I/III ratio and increased protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin and lysyl oxidase. However, Notch1 signaling components decreased in whole heart tissue. Our study demonstrates that PAE caused adverse changes in the cardiac collagen profile and a decline in cardiac function in the neonatal heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van K Ninh
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Elia C El Hajj
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Alan J Mouton
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Jason D Gardner
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
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26
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N-Acetylcysteine prevents the decreases in cardiac collagen I/III ratio and systolic function in neonatal mice with prenatal alcohol exposure. Toxicol Lett 2019; 315:87-95. [PMID: 31425726 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is often associated with congenital heart defects, most commonly septal, valvular, and great vessel defects. However, there have been no known studies on whether PAE affects the resulting fibroblast population after development, and whether this has any consequences in the postnatal period. Our previous study focused on the effects of PAE on the postnatal fibroblast population, which translated into changes in cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and cardiac function in the neonatal heart. Moreover, our lab has previously demonstrated that alcohol-induced fibrosis is mediated by oxidative stress mechanisms in adult rat hearts following chronic alcohol exposure. Thus, we hypothesize that PAE alters cardiac ECM composition that persists into the postnatal period, leading to cardiac dysfunction, and these effects are prevented by antioxidant treatment. To investigate these effects, pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with 2.9 g EtOH/kg body weight on gestation days 6.75 and 7.25. Controls were injected with vehicle saline. Randomly selected dams in both groups were then treated with 100 mg/kg body weight of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) immediately after EtOH or vehicle administration. Left ventricular (LV) chamber dimension and function were assessed in sedated animals on neonatal day 5 using echocardiography. Ejection fraction decreased in the PAE group. NAC treatment prevented this depression of systolic function in PAE neonates. Hearts were analyzed for expression of fibroblast activation markers. Alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) increased in PAE neonatal hearts, and this increase was prevented by NAC treatment. In PAE pups, collagen I decreased, but collagen III expression increased compared to saline animals; the overall collagen I/III ratio significantly decreased. When PAE mice were treated with NAC, collagen I/III ratio did not change. Overall, our data demonstrate that prenatal alcohol exposure produces changes in collagen subtype in neonatal cardiac ECM and a decline in systolic function, and these adverse effects were prevented by NAC treatment.
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27
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Tseng AM, Mahnke AH, Wells AB, Salem NA, Allan AM, Roberts VH, Newman N, Walter NA, Kroenke CD, Grant KA, Akison LK, Moritz KM, Chambers CD, Miranda RC. Maternal circulating miRNAs that predict infant FASD outcomes influence placental maturation. Life Sci Alliance 2019; 2:2/2/e201800252. [PMID: 30833415 PMCID: PMC6399548 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201800252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal gestational circulating microRNAs, predictive of adverse infant outcomes, including growth deficits, following prenatal alcohol exposure, contribute to placental pathology by impairing the EMT pathway in trophoblasts. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), like other pregnancy complications, can result in placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction, although the linking causal mechanisms are unclear. We previously identified 11 gestationally elevated maternal circulating miRNAs (HEamiRNAs) that predicted infant growth deficits following PAE. Here, we investigated whether these HEamiRNAs contribute to the pathology of PAE, by inhibiting trophoblast epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a pathway critical for placental development. We now report for the first time that PAE inhibits expression of placental pro-EMT pathway members in both rodents and primates, and that HEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, mediate placental EMT inhibition. HEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, also inhibited cell proliferation and the EMT pathway in cultured trophoblasts, while inducing cell stress, and following trophoblast syncytialization, aberrant endocrine maturation. Moreover, a single intravascular administration of the pooled murine-expressed HEamiRNAs, to pregnant mice, decreased placental and fetal growth and inhibited the expression of pro-EMT transcripts in the placenta. Our data suggest that HEamiRNAs collectively interfere with placental development, contributing to the pathology of PAE, and perhaps also, to other causes of fetal growth restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Alan B Wells
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nihal A Salem
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Andrea M Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Victoria Hj Roberts
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Natali Newman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Nicole Ar Walter
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Lisa K Akison
- Child Health Research Centre and School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karen M Moritz
- Child Health Research Centre and School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christina D Chambers
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA .,Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
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28
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Petrelli B, Bendelac L, Hicks GG, Fainsod A. Insights into retinoic acid deficiency and the induction of craniofacial malformations and microcephaly in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Genesis 2019; 57:e23278. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Berardino Petrelli
- Regenerative Medicine Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Liat Bendelac
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel‐CanadaFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel
| | - Geoffrey G. Hicks
- Regenerative Medicine Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel‐CanadaFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel
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29
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Courtney JA, Cnota JF, Jones HN. The Role of Abnormal Placentation in Congenital Heart Disease; Cause, Correlate, or Consequence? Front Physiol 2018; 9:1045. [PMID: 30131711 PMCID: PMC6091057 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, affecting ~1% of all live births (van der Linde et al., 2011). Despite improvements in clinical care, it is the leading cause of infant mortality related to birth defects (Yang et al., 2006) and burdens survivors with significant morbidity (Gilboa et al., 2016). Furthermore, CHD accounts for the largest proportion (26.7%) of birth defect-associated hospitalization costs—up to $6.1 billion in 2013 (Arth et al., 2017). Yet after decades of research with a primary focus on genetic etiology, the underlying cause of these defects remains unknown in the majority of cases (Zaidi and Brueckner, 2017). Unexplained CHD may be secondary to undiscovered roles of noncoding genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, among others (Russell et al., 2018). Population studies have recently demonstrated that pregnancies complicated by CHD also carry a higher risk of developing pathologies associated with an abnormal placenta including growth disturbances (Puri et al., 2017), preeclampsia (Auger et al., 2015; Brodwall et al., 2016), preterm birth (Laas et al., 2012), and stillbirth (Jorgensen et al., 2014). Both the heart and placenta are vascular organs and develop concurrently; therefore, shared pathways almost certainly direct the development of both. The involvement of placental abnormalities in congenital heart disease, whether causal, commensurate or reactive, is under investigated and given the common developmental window and shared developmental pathways of the heart and placenta and concurrent vasculature development, we propose that further investigation combining clinical data, in vitro, in vivo, and computer modeling is fundamental to our understanding and the potential to develop therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Courtney
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of General Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Center for Fetal and Placental Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - James F Cnota
- Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Helen N Jones
- Division of General Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Center for Fetal and Placental Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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30
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Muralidharan P, Sarmah S, Marrs JA. Retinal Wnt signaling defect in a zebrafish fetal alcohol spectrum disorder model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201659. [PMID: 30067812 PMCID: PMC6070267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure includes ocular abnormalities (microphthalmia, photoreceptor dysfunction, cataracts). Zebrafish embryos exposed to ethanol from gastrulation through somitogenesis show severe ocular defects, including microphthalmia and photoreceptor differentiation defects. Ethanol-treated zebrafish had an enlarged ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) relative to the retina size and reduced Müller glial cells (MGCs). Ethanol exposure produced immature photoreceptors with increased proliferation, indicating cell cycle exit failure. Signaling mechanisms in the CMZ were affected by embryonic ethanol exposure, including Wnt signaling in the CMZ, Notch signaling and neurod gene expression. Retinoic acid or folic acid co-supplementation with ethanol rescued Wnt signaling and retinal differentiation. Activating Wnt signaling using GSK3 inhibitor (LSN 2105786; Eli Lilly and Co.) restored retinal cell differentiation pathways. Ethanol exposed embryos were treated with Wnt agonist, which rescued Wnt-active cells in the CMZ, Notch-active cells in the retina, proliferation, and photoreceptor terminal differentiation. Our results illustrate the critical role of Wnt signaling in ethanol-induced retinal defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Muralidharan
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Swapnalee Sarmah
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - James A Marrs
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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31
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Tang X, Eberhart JK, Cleves MA, Li J, Li M, MacLeod S, Nembhard WN, Hobbs CA. PDGFRA gene, maternal binge drinking and obstructive heart defects. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11083. [PMID: 30038270 PMCID: PMC6056529 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29160-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Obstructive heart defects (OHDs) are a major health concern worldwide. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) genes are known to have regulatory functions that are essential for proper heart development. In a zebrafish model, Pdgfra was further demonstrated to interact with ethanol during craniofacial development. In this article, we investigated interactions between variants in PDGF genes and periconceptional alcohol exposure on the risk of OHDs by applying log-linear models to 806 OHD case and 995 control families enrolled in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. The interactions between four variants in PDGFA and maternal binge drinking reached a nominal significance level. The maternal T allele of rs869978 was estimated to increase OHD risk among women who binge drink, while infant genotypes of rs2291591, rs2228230, rs1547904, and rs869978 may reduce the risk. Although none of these associations remain statistically significant after multiple testing adjustment and the estimated maternal effect may be influenced by unknown confounding factors, such as maternal smoking, these findings are consistent with previous animal studies supporting potential interactions between the PDGFRA gene and maternal alcohol exposure. Replication studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further elucidate this potential interplay and its influence on OHD risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Tang
- Biostatistics Program, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA
| | - Johann K Eberhart
- Department of Molecular and Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Mario A Cleves
- Biostatistics Program, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA
| | - Jingyun Li
- Biostatistics Program, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Indiana University at Bloomington, Bloomington, 47405, USA
| | - Stewart MacLeod
- Division of Birth Defects Research, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA
| | - Wendy N Nembhard
- Division of Birth Defects Research, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA
| | - Charlotte A Hobbs
- Division of Birth Defects Research, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, 72202, USA.
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32
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Raghunathan R, Wu C, Singh M, Liu CH, Miranda RC, Larin KV. Evaluating the effects of maternal alcohol consumption on murine fetal brain vasculature using optical coherence tomography. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2018; 11:e201700238. [PMID: 29292845 PMCID: PMC6292438 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201700238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in a range of anomalies including brain and behavioral dysfunctions, collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. PAE during the 1st and 2nd trimester is common, and research in animal models has documented significant neural developmental deficits associated with PAE during this period. However, little is known about the immediate effects of PAE on fetal brain vasculature. In this study, we used in utero speckle variance optical coherence tomography, a high spatial- and temporal-resolution imaging modality, to evaluate dynamic changes in microvasculature of the 2nd trimester equivalent murine fetal brain, minutes after binge-like maternal alcohol exposure. Acute binge-like PAE resulted in a rapid (<1 hour) and significant decrease (P < .001) in vessel diameter as compared to the sham group. The data show that a single binge-like maternal alcohol exposure resulted in swift vasoconstriction in fetal brain vessels during the critical period of neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raksha Raghunathan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Chih-Hao Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Rajesh C. Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, College Station, Texas
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biophotonics, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Correspondence: Kirill V. Larin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX.
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33
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Lin KH, Chiu CH, Kuo WW, Ju DT, Shen CY, Chen RJ, Lin CC, Viswanadha VP, Liu JS, Huang RFS, Huang CY. The preventive effects of edible folic acid on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and survival in early onset triple-transgenic Alzheimer's disease model mice. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2018; 33:83-92. [PMID: 29068127 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, neuropathological and epidemiological studies have indicated an association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and several cardiovascular risk factors. In this study, the cardio-protective effects of folic acid (FA) in early stage AD was elucidated using a triple-transgenic (3xTg) Alzheimer's mouse model. Eleven-month-old C57BL/6 mice and 3xTg mice were assigned to five groups. During the four-month treatment period, the low-FA treatment group received FA through their diet, and the high-FA treatment groups received 3 mg/dl folate in drinking water and were also gastric-fed 1.2 mg/kg folate every day. In the C57B1/6J mice, treatment with high doses of FA (HFA) did not show any considerable effect compared to the control group or the low-dose dietary FA treatment group. However, Alzheimer's mice treated with HFA showed enhanced cardio-protection. Western blot analysis revealed that FA treatment restored SIRT1 expression, which was suppressed in 3xTg mice, through enhanced AMPK expression. FA significantly enhanced the IGF1 receptor survival mechanism in the hearts of the 3xTg mice and suppressed the expression-intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis-associated proteins. The results suggest that FA intake may significantly alleviate cellular pathological events in the heart associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Ho Lin
- College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hao Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Wen Kuo
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Da-Tong Ju
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yao Shen
- Department of Nursing, Meiho University, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Ray-Jade Chen
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chung Lin
- Orthopaedic Department, Armed Forces General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Jian-Sheng Liu
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin County, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin County, Taiwan
| | - Rwei-Fen S Huang
- Department of Nutritional Science, , Graduate Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Fu Jen University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yang Huang
- Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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34
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Flentke GR, Smith SM. The avian embryo as a model for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 96:98-106. [PMID: 29024604 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2017-0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) remains a leading preventable cause of structural birth defects and permanent neurodevelopmental disability. The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a powerful embryological research model, and was possibly the first in which the teratogenicity of alcohol was demonstrated. Pharmacologically relevant exposure to alcohol in the range of 20-70 mmol/L (20-80 mg/egg) disrupt the growth of chicken embryos, morphogenesis, and behavior, and the resulting phenotypes strongly parallel those of mammalian models. The avian embryo's direct accessibility has enabled novel insights into the teratogenic mechanisms of alcohol. These include the contribution of IGF1 signaling to growth suppression, the altered flow dynamics that reshape valvuloseptal morphogenesis and mediate its cardiac teratogenicity, and the suppression of Wnt and Shh signals thereby disrupting the migration, expansion, and survival of the neural crest, and underlie its characteristic craniofacial deficits. The genetic diversity within commercial avian strains has enabled the identification of unique loci, such as ribosome biogenesis, that modify vulnerability to alcohol. This venerable research model is equally relevant for the future, as the application of technological advances including CRISPR, optogenetics, and biophotonics to the embryo's ready accessibility creates a unique model in which investigators can manipulate and monitor the embryo in real-time to investigate the effect of alcohol on cell fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- George R Flentke
- UNC-Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA.,UNC-Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Susan M Smith
- UNC-Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA.,UNC-Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
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35
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Karunamuni G, Sheehan MM, Doughman YQ, Gu S, Sun J, Li Y, Strainic JP, Rollins AM, Jenkins MW, Watanabe M. Supplementation with the Methyl Donor Betaine Prevents Congenital Defects Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1917-1927. [PMID: 28888041 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite decades of public education about dire consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), drinking alcohol during pregnancy remains prevalent. As high as 40% of live-born infants exposed to alcohol during gestation and diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome have congenital heart defects that can be life-threatening. In animal models, the methyl donor betaine, found in foods such as wheat bran, quinoa, beets, and spinach, ameliorated neurobehavioral deficits associated with PAE, but effects on heart development are unknown. METHODS Previously, we modeled a binge drinking episode during the first trimester in avian embryos. Here, we investigated whether betaine could prevent adverse effects of alcohol on heart development. Embryos exposed to ethanol (EtOH) with and without an optimal dose of betaine (5 μM) were analyzed at late developmental stages. Cardiac morphology parameters were rapidly analyzed and quantified using optical coherence tomography. DNA methylation at early stages was detected by immunofluorescent staining for 5-methylcytosine in sections of embryos treated with EtOH or cotreated with betaine. RESULTS Compared to EtOH-exposed embryos, betaine-supplemented embryos had higher late-stage survival rates and fewer gross head and body defects than seen after alcohol exposure alone. Betaine also reduced the incidence of late-stage cardiac defects such as absent vessels, abnormal atrioventricular (AV) valves, and hypertrophic ventricles. Furthermore, betaine cotreatment brought measurements of great vessel diameters, interventricular septum thickness, and AV leaflet volumes in betaine-supplemented embryos close to control values. Early-stage 5-methycytosine staining revealed that DNA methylation levels were reduced by EtOH exposure and normalized by co-administration with betaine. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study demonstrating efficacy of the methyl donor betaine in alleviating cardiac defects associated with PAE. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of low-concentration betaine doses in mitigating PAE-induced birth defects and have implications for prenatal nutrition policies, especially for women who may not be responsive to folate supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganga Karunamuni
- Department of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Collaborative, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Megan M Sheehan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Yong Qiu Doughman
- Department of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Collaborative, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Shi Gu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jiayang Sun
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Statistical Research, Computing and Collaboration, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Youjun Li
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Center for Statistical Research, Computing and Collaboration, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - James P Strainic
- Department of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Collaborative, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Andrew M Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michael W Jenkins
- Department of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Collaborative, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- Department of Pediatrics, Congenital Heart Collaborative, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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36
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Yue C, Ji C, Zhang H, Zhang LW, Tong J, Jiang Y, Chen T. Protective effects of folic acid on PM2.5-induced cardiac developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos by targeting AhR and Wnt/β-catenin signal pathways. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2017; 32:2316-2322. [PMID: 28722335 DOI: 10.1002/tox.22448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Our previous observations indicated that extractable organic matter (EOM) from PM2.5 induced malformations in the heart of zebrafish embryos by activating AhR and inhibiting canonical Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. As a nutritional factor, folic acid (FA) is reported to prevent cardiac defects during embryo development. Hence, we hypothesize that FA may prevent PM2.5-induced heart defects by interfering with AhR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. Our results showed that FA supplementation alleviated the EOM-induced heart defects in zebrafish embryos, and both AhR inhibitor CH223191 and Wnt activator CHIR99021 enhanced the protective efficiency of FA. Furthermore, FA supplementation attenuated the EOM-induced upregulation of AhR and its target genes including Cyp1a1, Cyp1b1, Ahrra, and Ahrrb. EROD assay confirmed that the EOM agonized Cyp1a1 activity was diminished by FA. The EOM-induced downregulation of β-catenin and its target genes including Nkx2.5, Axin2, Sox9b, and Cox2b were recovered or even overexpressed in embryos exposed to EOM plus FA. In conclusion, our study suggested that FA supplementation protected against PM2.5 cardiac development toxicity by targeting AhR and Wnt/β-catenin signal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Yue
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Cheng Ji
- Department of Genetics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hang Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Leshuai W Zhang
- School for Radiological and interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215123, China
| | - Jian Tong
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Physiology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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37
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Alcohol Regulates BK Surface Expression via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling. J Neurosci 2017; 36:10625-10639. [PMID: 27733613 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0491-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that drug tolerance represents a form of learning and memory, but this has not been experimentally established at the molecular level. We show that a component of alcohol molecular tolerance (channel internalization) from rat hippocampal neurons requires protein synthesis, in common with other forms of learning and memory. We identify β-catenin as a primary necessary protein. Alcohol increases β-catenin, and blocking accumulation of β-catenin blocks alcohol-induced internalization in these neurons. In transfected HEK293 cells, suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling blocks ethanol-induced internalization. Conversely, activation of Wnt/β-catenin reduces BK current density. A point mutation in a putative glycogen synthase kinase phosophorylation site within the S10 region of BK blocks internalization, suggesting that Wnt/β-catenin directly regulates alcohol-induced BK internalization via glycogen synthase kinase phosphorylation. These findings establish de novo protein synthesis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling as critical in mediating a persistent form of BK molecular alcohol tolerance establishing a commonality with other forms of long-term plasticity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alcohol tolerance is a key step toward escalating alcohol consumption and subsequent dependence. Our research aims to make significant contributions toward novel, therapeutic approaches to prevent and treat alcohol misuse by understanding the molecular mechanisms of alcohol tolerance. In our current study, we identify the role of a key regulatory pathway in alcohol-induced persistent molecular changes within the hippocampus. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates BK channel surface expression in a protein synthesis-dependent manner reminiscent of other forms of long-term hippocampal neuronal adaptations. This unique insight opens the possibility of using clinically tested drugs, targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, for the novel use of preventing and treating alcohol dependency.
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38
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Touma M, Reemtsen B, Halnon N, Alejos J, Finn JP, Nelson SF, Wang Y. A Path to Implement Precision Child Health Cardiovascular Medicine. Front Cardiovasc Med 2017; 4:36. [PMID: 28620608 PMCID: PMC5451507 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2017.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect approximately 1% of live births and are a major source of childhood morbidity and mortality even in countries with advanced healthcare systems. Along with phenotypic heterogeneity, the underlying etiology of CHDs is multifactorial, involving genetic, epigenetic, and/or environmental contributors. Clear dissection of the underlying mechanism is a powerful step to establish individualized therapies. However, the majority of CHDs are yet to be clearly diagnosed for the underlying genetic and environmental factors, and even less with effective therapies. Although the survival rate for CHDs is steadily improving, there is still a significant unmet need for refining diagnostic precision and establishing targeted therapies to optimize life quality and to minimize future complications. In particular, proper identification of disease associated genetic variants in humans has been challenging, and this greatly impedes our ability to delineate gene–environment interactions that contribute to the pathogenesis of CHDs. Implementing a systematic multileveled approach can establish a continuum from phenotypic characterization in the clinic to molecular dissection using combined next-generation sequencing platforms and validation studies in suitable models at the bench. Key elements necessary to advance the field are: first, proper delineation of the phenotypic spectrum of CHDs; second, defining the molecular genotype/phenotype by combining whole-exome sequencing and transcriptome analysis; third, integration of phenotypic, genotypic, and molecular datasets to identify molecular network contributing to CHDs; fourth, generation of relevant disease models and multileveled experimental investigations. In order to achieve all these goals, access to high-quality biological specimens from well-defined patient cohorts is a crucial step. Therefore, establishing a CHD BioCore is an essential infrastructure and a critical step on the path toward precision child health cardiovascular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlin Touma
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Brian Reemtsen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nancy Halnon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Juan Alejos
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - J Paul Finn
- Department of Radiology, Cardiovascular Imaging, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Stanley F Nelson
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yibin Wang
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Physiology and Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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39
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Ford SM, McPheeters MT, Wang YT, Ma P, Gu S, Strainic J, Snyder C, Rollins AM, Watanabe M, Jenkins MW. Increased regurgitant flow causes endocardial cushion defects in an avian embryonic model of congenital heart disease. CONGENIT HEART DIS 2017; 12:322-331. [PMID: 28211263 PMCID: PMC5467887 DOI: 10.1111/chd.12443] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between changes in endocardial cushion and resultant congenital heart diseases (CHD) has yet to be established. It has been shown that increased regurgitant flow early in embryonic heart development leads to endocardial cushion defects, but it remains unclear how abnormal endocardial cushions during the looping stages might affect the fully septated heart. The goal of this study was to reproducibly alter blood flow in vivo and then quantify the resultant effects on morphology of endocardial cushions in the looping heart and on CHDs in the septated heart. METHODS Optical pacing was applied to create regurgitant flow in embryonic hearts, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was utilized to quantify regurgitation and morphology. Embryonic quail hearts were optically paced at 3 Hz (180 bpm, well above intrinsic rate 60-110 bpm) at stage 13 of development (3-4 weeks human) for 5 min. Pacing fatigued the heart and led to at least 1 h of increased regurgitant flow. Resultant morphological changes were quantified with OCT imaging at stage 19 (cardiac looping-4-5 weeks human) or stage 35 (4 chambered heart-8 weeks human). RESULTS All paced embryos imaged at stage 19 displayed structural changes in cardiac cushions. The amount of regurgitant flow immediately after pacing was inversely correlated with cardiac cushion size 24-h post pacing (P value < .01). The embryos with the most regurgitant flow and smallest cushions after pacing had a decreased survival rate at 8 days (P < .05), indicating that those most severe endocardial cushion defects were lethal. Of the embryos that survived to stage 35, 17/18 exhibited CHDs including valve defects, ventricular septal defects, hypoplastic ventricles, and common AV canal. CONCLUSION The data illustrate a strong inverse relationship in which regurgitant flow precedes abnormal and smaller cardiac cushions, resulting in the development of CHDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Ford
- Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital Division of Neonatology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew T McPheeters
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Yves T Wang
- Case Western Reserve University Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Pei Ma
- Case Western Reserve University Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Shi Gu
- Case Western Reserve University Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - James Strainic
- Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Christopher Snyder
- Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew M Rollins
- Case Western Reserve University Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael W Jenkins
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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40
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Peterson LM, Gu S, Karunamuni G, Jenkins MW, Watanabe M, Rollins AM. Embryonic aortic arch hemodynamics are a functional biomarker for ethanol-induced congenital heart defects [Invited]. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 8:1823-1837. [PMID: 28663868 PMCID: PMC5480583 DOI: 10.1364/boe.8.001823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The great arteries develop from symmetrical aortic arch arteries which are extensively remodeled. These events are vulnerable to perturbations. Hemodynamic forces have a significant role in this remodeling. In this study, optical coherence tomography (OCT) visualized live avian embryos for staging and measuring pharyngeal arch morphology. Measurements acquired with our orientation-independent, dual-angle Doppler OCT technique revealed that ethanol exposure leads to higher absolute blood flow, shear stress, and retrograde flow. Ethanol-exposed embryos had smaller cardiac neural crest (CNC) derived pharyngeal arch mesenchyme and fewer migrating CNC-derived cells. These differences in forces and CNC cell numbers could explain the abnormal aortic arch remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsy M. Peterson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Shi Gu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Ganga Karunamuni
- Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Michael W. Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
- Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Michiko Watanabe
- Congenital Heart Collaborative, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
| | - Andrew M. Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
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41
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Abstract
Alcohol has always been present in human life, and currently it is estimated that 50% of women of childbearing age consume alcohol. It has become increasingly clear over the last years that alcohol exposure during fetal development can have detrimental effects on various organ systems, and these effects are exerted by alcohol through multiple means, including effects on free radical formation, cellular apoptosis, as well as gene expression. Fetal alcohol exposure can lead to a spectrum of short term as well as long-term problems, with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome being on the more severe end of that spectrum. This syndrome is morbid, yet preventable, and is characterized by midfacial hypoplasia, thin upper lip, widely spaced small eyes, long smooth philtrum and inner epicanthal folds. Other findings include growth restriction as well as various neurodevelopmental abnormalities. This article is the first comprehensive review combining the molecular as well as the gross physiological and anatomical effects of alcohol exposure during pregnancy on various organ systems in the body. Our knowledge of these various mechanisms is crucial for our understanding of how alcohol exposure during fetal development can lead to its detrimental effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie R Nakhoul
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, D.C, USA
| | - Karl E Seif
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, D.C, USA
| | - Natasha Haddad
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, D.C, USA
| | - Georges E Haddad
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, D.C, USA
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42
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Shi J, Zhao W, Pan B, Zheng M, Si L, Zhu J, Liu L, Tian J. Alcohol Exposure Causes Overexpression of Heart Development-Related Genes by Affecting the Histone H3 Acetylation via BMP Signaling Pathway in Cardiomyoblast Cells. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 41:87-95. [PMID: 27883221 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abusive alcohol utilization of pregnant woman may cause congenital heart disease (CHD) of fetus, where alcohol ignites histone H3 hyperacetylation leading to abnormal development of heart morphogenesis and associated genes. Knowledge about the regularized upstream genes is little, but bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling may actively and prominently take part in alteration in acetylation of histone H3. The supreme objective of this study was to unearth the involvement of BMP signaling pathway in alcohol-driven hyperacetylation of histone H3 in cardiomyoblast cells. METHODS Cardiomyoblast cells (H9c2 cells) were addicted with alcohol (100 mM) for 24 hours. Dorsomorphin (5 μM) was used for the inhibition of BMP signaling pathway. We detected the phosphorylation activity of SMAD1/5/8, mRNA expression, histone acetyltransferases (HAT)/histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, and acetylation of histone H3. RESULTS Following alcohol exposure, phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8 and HAT activities was increased to a significant extent, while histone H3 acetylation and expression of heart development-related genes were also increased. The said phenomenon influenced by alcohol was reverted upon dorsomorphin treatment to the cells without effecting HDAC activity. CONCLUSIONS The data clearly identified that BMP-mediated histone H3 acetylation of heart development-related genes might be one of the possible cellular mechanisms to control alcohol-induced expression of heart development-related genes. Dorsomorphin, on the other hand, may modulate alcohol-induced hyperacetylation of histone H3 through BMP targeting, which could be a potential way to block CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Shi
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Developmental Disease in Childhood, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Weian Zhao
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Developmental Disease in Childhood, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Pan
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lina Si
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Disease in Childhood, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingjuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Disease in Childhood, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Tian
- Heart Centre, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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43
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Embryonic Ethanol Exposure Dysregulates BMP and Notch Signaling, Leading to Persistent Atrio-Ventricular Valve Defects in Zebrafish. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161205. [PMID: 27556898 PMCID: PMC4996461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), birth defects associated with ethanol exposure in utero, includes a wide spectrum of congenital heart defects (CHDs), the most prevalent of which are septal and conotruncal defects. Zebrafish FASD model was used to dissect the mechanisms underlying FASD-associated CHDs. Embryonic ethanol exposure (3–24 hours post fertilization) led to defects in atrio-ventricular (AV) valvulogenesis beginning around 37 hpf, a morphogenetic event that arises long after ethanol withdrawal. Valve leaflets of the control embryos comprised two layers of cells confined at the compact atrio-ventricular canal (AVC). Ethanol treated embryos had extended AVC and valve forming cells were found either as rows of cells spanning the AVC or as unorganized clusters near the AV boundary. Ethanol exposure reduced valve precursors at the AVC, but some ventricular cells in ethanol treated embryos exhibited few characteristics of valve precursors. Late staged larvae and juvenile fish exposed to ethanol during embryonic development had faulty AV valves. Examination of AVC morphogenesis regulatory networks revealed that early ethanol exposure disrupted the Bmp signaling gradient in the heart during valve formation. Bmp signaling was prominent at the AVC in controls, but ethanol-exposed embryos displayed active Bmp signaling throughout the ventricle. Ethanol exposure also led to mislocalization of Notch signaling cells in endocardium during AV valve formation. Normally, highly active Notch signaling cells were organized at the AVC. In ethanol-exposed embryos, highly active Notch signaling cells were dispersed throughout the ventricle. At later stages, ethanol-exposed embryos exhibited reduced Wnt/β-catenin activity at the AVC. We conclude that early embryonic ethanol exposure alters Bmp, Notch and other signaling activities during AVC differentiation leading to faulty valve morphogenesis and valve defects persist in juvenile fish.
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44
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Linask KK, Han M. Acute alcohol exposure during mouse gastrulation alters lipid metabolism in placental and heart development: Folate prevention. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 106:749-60. [PMID: 27296863 PMCID: PMC5094567 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Embryonic acute exposure to ethanol (EtOH), lithium, and homocysteine (HCy) induces cardiac defects at the time of exposure; folic acid (FA) supplementation protects normal cardiogenesis (Han et al., 2009, 2012; Serrano et al., 2010). Our hypothesis is that EtOH exposure and FA protection relate to lipid and FA metabolism during mouse cardiogenesis and placentation. Methods On the morning of conception, pregnant C57BL/6J mice were placed on either of two FA‐containing diets: a 3.3 mg health maintenance diet or a high FA diet of 10.5 mg/kg. Mice were injected a binge level of EtOH, HCy, or saline on embryonic day (E) 6.75, targeting gastrulation. On E15.5, cardiac and umbilical blood flow were examined by ultrasound. Embryonic cardiac tissues were processed for gene expression of lipid and FA metabolism; the placenta and heart tissues for neutral lipid droplets, or for medium chain acyl‐dehydrogenase (MCAD) protein. Results EtOH exposure altered lipid‐related gene expression on E7.5 in comparison to control or FA‐supplemented groups and remained altered on E15.5 similarly to changes with HCy, signifying FA deficiency. In comparison to control tissues, the lipid‐related acyl CoA dehydrogenase medium length chain gene and its protein MCAD were altered with EtOH exposure, as were neutral lipid droplet localization in the heart and placenta. Conclusion EtOH altered gene expression associated with lipid and folate metabolism, as well as neutral lipids, in the E15.5 abnormally functioning heart and placenta. In comparison to controls, the high FA diet protected the embryo and placenta from these effects allowing normal development. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:749–760, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kersti K Linask
- Department of Pediatrics, USF Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida.
| | - Mingda Han
- Department of Pediatrics, USF Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida
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45
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Kable JA, O'Connor MJ, Olson HC, Paley B, Mattson SN, Anderson SM, Riley EP. Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE): Proposed DSM-5 Diagnosis. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2016. [PMID: 26202432 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-015-0566-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 40 years, a significant body of animal and human research has documented the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Neurobehavioral Disorder associated with PAE is proposed as a new clarifying term, intended to encompass the neurodevelopmental and mental health symptoms associated with PAE. Defining this disorder is a necessary step to adequately characterize these symptoms and allow clinical assessment not possible using existing physically-based diagnostic schemes. Without appropriate diagnostic guidelines, affected individuals are frequently misdiagnosed and treated inappropriately (often to their considerable detriment) by mental health, educational, and criminal justice systems. Three core areas of deficits identified from the available research, including neurocognitive, self-regulation, and adaptive functioning impairments, are discussed and information regarding associated features and disorders, prevalence, course, familial patterns, differential diagnosis, and treatment of the proposed disorder are also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Kable
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Mary J O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Heather Carmichael Olson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Blair Paley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah N Mattson
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Sally M Anderson
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MA, USA
| | - Edward P Riley
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
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46
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Wen Z, Yu D, Zhang W, Fan C, Hu L, Feng Y, Yang L, Wu Z, Chen R, Yin KJ, Mo X. Association between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and risks of congenital heart defects in offspring: meta-analysis of epidemiological observational studies. Ital J Pediatr 2016; 42:12. [PMID: 26843087 PMCID: PMC4739085 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-016-0222-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To explore the association between maternal alcohol consumption and/or binge drinking and congenital heart defects (CHDs), we conducted a meta-analysis for more sufficient evidence on this issue. Methods We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from their inceptions to December 2014 for case-control and cohort studies that assessed the association between maternal alcohol consumption and CHD risk. Study-specific relative risk estimates were calculated using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Results A total of 19 case-control studies and 4 cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. We observed a null association between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the risk of CHDs. Even in the analysis of different trimesters of pregnancy, we found little association between the two. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that maternal alcohol consumption is modestly not associated with the risk of CHDs. However, further investigation is needed to confirm this conclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyuan Wen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Di Yu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Weiyan Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Changfeng Fan
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Liang Hu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Yu Feng
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Zeyu Wu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Runsen Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Ke-Jie Yin
- Department of Neurology, Center for the Study of Nervous System Injury, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Xuming Mo
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
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47
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Nuttall JR. The plausibility of maternal toxicant exposure and nutritional status as contributing factors to the risk of autism spectrum disorders. Nutr Neurosci 2015; 20:209-218. [DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2015.1103437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johnathan R. Nuttall
- Departments of Nutrition and Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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48
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Natarajan SK, Pachunka JM, Mott JL. Role of microRNAs in Alcohol-Induced Multi-Organ Injury. Biomolecules 2015; 5:3309-38. [PMID: 26610589 PMCID: PMC4693280 DOI: 10.3390/biom5043309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption and its abuse is a major health problem resulting in significant healthcare cost in the United States. Chronic alcoholism results in damage to most of the vital organs in the human body. Among the alcohol-induced injuries, alcoholic liver disease is one of the most prevalent in the United States. Remarkably, ethanol alters expression of a wide variety of microRNAs that can regulate alcohol-induced complications or dysfunctions. In this review, we will discuss the role of microRNAs in alcoholic pancreatitis, alcohol-induced liver damage, intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, and brain damage including altered hippocampus structure and function, and neuronal loss, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and muscle damage. Further, we have reviewed the role of altered microRNAs in the circulation, teratogenic effects of alcohol, and during maternal or paternal alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathish Kumar Natarajan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
| | - Joseph M Pachunka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
| | - Justin L Mott
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
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49
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Ma Y, Zhang C, Gao XB, Luo HY, Chen Y, Li HH, Ma X, Lu CL. Folic acid protects against arsenic-mediated embryo toxicity by up-regulating the expression of Dvr1. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16093. [PMID: 26537450 PMCID: PMC4633590 DOI: 10.1038/srep16093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As a nutritional factor, folic acid can prevent cardiac and neural defects during embryo development. Our previous study showed that arsenic impairs embryo development by down-regulating Dvr1/GDF1 expression in zebrafish. Here, we investigated whether folic acid could protect against arsenic-mediated embryo toxicity. We found that folic acid supplementation increases hatching and survival rates, decreases malformation rate and ameliorates abnormal cardiac and neural development of zebrafish embryos exposed to arsenite. Both real-time PCR analysis and whole in-mount hybridization showed that folic acid significantly rescued the decrease in Dvr1 expression caused by arsenite. Subsequently, our data demonstrated that arsenite significantly decreased cell viability and GDF1 mRNA and protein levels in HEK293ET cells, while folic acid reversed these effects. Folic acid attenuated the increase in subcellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and oxidative adaptor p66Shc protein expression in parallel with the changes in GDF1 expression and cell viability. P66Shc knockdown significantly inhibited the production of ROS and the down-regulation of GDF1 induced by arsenite. Our data demonstrated that folic acid supplementation protected against arsenic-mediated embryo toxicity by up-regulating the expression of Dvr1/GDF1, and folic acid enhanced the expression of GDF1 by decreasing p66Shc expression and subcellular ROS levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ma
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Gao
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Hai-Yan Luo
- Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, TNLIST Bioinformatics Division &Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-hua Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.,Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xu Ma
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Cai-Ling Lu
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Genetics, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
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50
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Kable JA, Coles CD, Keen CL, Uriu-Adams JY, Jones KL, Yevtushok L, Kulikovsky Y, Wertelecki W, Pedersen TL, Chambers CD. The impact of micronutrient supplementation in alcohol-exposed pregnancies on information processing skills in Ukrainian infants. Alcohol 2015; 49:647-56. [PMID: 26493109 PMCID: PMC4636447 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2015.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The potential of micronutrients to ameliorate the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) was explored in a clinical trial conducted in Ukraine. Cardiac orienting responses (ORs) during a habituation/dishabituation learning paradigm were obtained from 6 to 12 month-olds to assess neurophysiological encoding and memory. Women who differed in prenatal alcohol use were recruited during pregnancy and assigned to a group (No study-provided supplements, multivitamin/mineral supplement, or multivitamin/mineral supplement plus choline supplement). Heart rate was collected for 30 s prior to stimulus onset and 12 s post-stimulus onset. Difference values (∆HR) for the first 3 trials of each condition were aggregated for analysis. Gestational blood samples were collected to assess maternal nutritional status and changes as a function of the intervention. Choline supplementation resulted in a greater ∆HR on the visual habituation trials for all infants and for the infants with no PAE on the dishabituation trials. The latency of the response was reduced in both conditions for all infants whose mothers received choline supplementation. Change in gestational choline level was positively related to ∆HR during habituation trials and levels of one choline metabolite, dimethylglycine (DMG), predicted ∆HR during habituation trials and latency of responses. A trend was found between DMG and ∆HR on the dishabituation trials and latency of the response. Supplementation did not affect ORs to auditory stimuli. Choline supplementation when administered together with routinely recommended multivitamin/mineral prenatal supplements during pregnancy may provide a beneficial impact to basic learning mechanisms involved in encoding and memory of environmental events in alcohol-exposed pregnancies as well as non- or low alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Changes in maternal nutrient status suggested that one mechanism by which choline supplementation may positively impact brain development is through prevention of fetal alcohol-related depletion of DMG, a metabolic nutrient that can protect against overproduction of glycine, during critical periods of neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Kable
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA.
| | - C D Coles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - C L Keen
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - J Y Uriu-Adams
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - K L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - L Yevtushok
- OMNI-Net for Children International Charitable Fund, Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne Province, Ukraine
| | - Y Kulikovsky
- OMNI-Net for Children International Charitable Fund, Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne Province, Ukraine
| | - W Wertelecki
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, USA; Department of Medical Genetics, University of South Alabama, USA
| | - T L Pedersen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - C D Chambers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, USA; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, USA
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