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Bakhireva LN, Solomon E, Roberts MH, Ma X, Rai R, Wiesel A, Jacobson SW, Weinberg J, Milligan ED. Independent and Combined Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Prenatal Stress on Fetal HPA Axis Development. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2690. [PMID: 38473937 PMCID: PMC10932119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052690] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and prenatal stress (PS) are highly prevalent conditions known to affect fetal programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of light PAE, PS, and PAE-PS interaction on fetal HPA axis activity assessed via placental and umbilical cord blood biomarkers. Participants of the ENRICH-2 cohort were recruited during the second trimester and classified into the PAE and unexposed control groups. PS was assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale. Placental tissue was collected promptly after delivery; gene and protein analysis for 11β-HSD1, 11β-HSD2, and pCRH were conducted by qPCR and ELISA, respectively. Umbilical cord blood was analyzed for cortisone and cortisol. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression examined the association of PAE and PS with HPA axis biomarkers. Mean alcohol consumption in the PAE group was ~2 drinks/week. Higher PS was observed in the PAE group (p < 0.01). In multivariable modeling, PS was associated with pCRH gene expression (β = 0.006, p < 0.01), while PAE was associated with 11β-HSD2 protein expression (β = 0.56, p < 0.01). A significant alcohol-by-stress interaction was observed with respect to 11β-HSD2 protein expression (p < 0.01). Results indicate that PAE and PS may independently and in combination affect fetal programming of the HPA axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila N. Bakhireva
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Elizabeth Solomon
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Melissa H. Roberts
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Xingya Ma
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Rajani Rai
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Alexandria Wiesel
- College of Pharmacy Substance Use Research and Education Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (M.H.R.); (X.M.); (R.R.); (A.W.)
| | - Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA;
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Erin D. Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; (E.S.); (E.D.M.)
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Williams RP, Lesseur C, Cheng H, Li Q, Deyssenroth M, Molteno CD, Meintjes EM, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Wainwright H, Hao K, Chen J, Carter RC. RNA-seq analysis reveals prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with placental inflammatory cells and gene expression. Gene 2024; 894:147951. [PMID: 37918548 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most common preventable cause of birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide. The placenta is the crucial interface between mother and fetus. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been shown to alter placental structure and expression of genes in bulk placental tissue samples, but prior studies have not examined effects on placental cell-type composition or taken cell-type into consideration in transcriptome analyses. METHODS We leveraged an existent placenta single-cell RNA-seq dataset to perform cell-type deconvolution of bulk placental RNA-seq data from 35 heavy drinking pregnant women and 33 controls in a prospective birth cohort in Cape Town, South Africa. We used bivariate analyses and multivariable adjusted linear regression models to assess the relation of PAE on inferred placental cell-type proportions. We also examined differential expression of inflammatory response genes and PAE, using multivariable adjusted linear models. RESULTS Deconvolution analyses showed heterogeneous placenta cell-type composition in which stromal (27 %), endothelial (26 %) and cytotrophoblasts (18 %) were the predominant cell-types. PAE around conception was associated with a higher proportion of Hofbauer cells (B = 0.51, p = 0.035) in linear models adjusted for maternal age, infant sex, and gestational age. Among the 652 inflammatory genes examined, 35 were differential expressed in alcohol exposed placentas (FDR p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that heavy alcohol exposure during pregnancy can influence the proportion of fetal placental villi macrophages (Hofbauer cells) and increased expression of inflammatory genes. Future studies are needed to further characterize these effects and to assess the potential functional roles of placental inflammation in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Haoxiang Cheng
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Helen Wainwright
- Department of Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
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Deyssenroth MA, Williams RP, Lesseur C, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Cheng H, Bose P, Li Q, Wainwright H, Meintjes EM, Hao K, Chen J, Carter RC. Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with changes in placental gene co-expression networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2687. [PMID: 38302628 PMCID: PMC10834523 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52737-6] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a range of adverse postnatal outcomes among exposed children. However, identifying at-risk children is challenging given the difficulty to confirm prenatal alcohol exposure and the lack of early diagnostic tools. Placental surveys present an important opportunity to uncover early biomarkers to identify those at risk. Here, we report the first transcriptome-wide evaluation to comprehensively evaluate human placental pathways altered by fetal alcohol exposure. In a prospective longitudinal birth cohort in Cape Town, South Africa, we performed bulk tissue RNAseq in placenta samples from 32 women reporting heavy drinking during pregnancy and 30 abstainers/light drinkers. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene expression analysis were performed to assess associations between fetal alcohol exposure and placental gene expression patterns at a network-wide and single gene level, respectively. The results revealed altered expression in genes related to erythropoiesis and angiogenesis, which are implicated in established postnatal phenotypes related to alcohol exposure, including disruptions in iron homeostasis, growth, and neurodevelopment. The reported findings provide insights into the molecular pathways affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and highlight the potential of placental biomarkers for detecting and understanding the effects of alcohol on fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya A Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Randy P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Haoxiang Cheng
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Promita Bose
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helen Wainwright
- Department of Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
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Sautreuil C, Lecointre M, Dalmasso J, Lebon A, Leuillier M, Janin F, Lecuyer M, Bekri S, Marret S, Laquerrière A, Brasse-Lagnel C, Gil S, Gonzalez BJ. Expression of placental CD146 is dysregulated by prenatal alcohol exposure and contributes in cortical vasculature development and positioning of vessel-associated oligodendrocytes. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1294746. [PMID: 38269113 PMCID: PMC10806802 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1294746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent data showed that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs the "placenta-brain" axis controlling fetal brain angiogenesis in human and preclinical models. Placental growth factor (PlGF) has been identified as a proangiogenic messenger between these two organs. CD146, a partner of the VEGFR-1/2 signalosome, is involved in placental angiogenesis and exists as a soluble circulating form. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether placental CD146 may contribute to brain vascular defects described in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. At a physiological level, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction experiments performed in human placenta showed that CD146 is expressed in developing villi and that membrane and soluble forms of CD146 are differentially expressed from the first trimester to term. In the mouse placenta, a similar expression pattern of CD146 was found. CD146 immunoreactivity was detected in the labyrinth zone and colocalized with CD31-positive endothelial cells. Significant amounts of soluble CD146 were quantified by ELISA in fetal blood, and the levels decreased after birth. In the fetal brain, the membrane form of CD146 was the majority and colocalized with microvessels. At a pathophysiological level, PAE induced marked dysregulation of CD146 expression. The soluble form of CD146 decreased in both placenta and fetal blood, whereas it increased in the fetal brain. Similarly, the expression of several members of the CD146 signalosome, such as VEGFR2 and PSEN, was differentially impaired between the two organs by PAE. At a functional level, targeted repression of placental CD146 by in utero electroporation (IUE) of CRISPR/Cas9 lentiviral plasmids resulted in (i) a decrease in cortical vessel density, (ii) a loss of radial vascular organization, and (iii) a reduced density of oligodendrocytes. Statistical analysis showed that the more the vasculature was impaired, the more the cortical oligodendrocyte density was reduced. Altogether, these data support that placental CD146 contributes to the proangiogenic "placenta-brain" axis and that placental CD146 dysfunction contributes to the cortical oligo-vascular development. Soluble CD146 would represent a promising placental biomarker candidate representative of alcohol-induced neurovascular defects in neonates, as recently suggested by PlGF (patents WO2016207253 and WO2018100143).
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Sautreuil
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
| | - Maryline Lecointre
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
| | | | - Alexis Lebon
- Rouen Université, US51 HeRacLeS, PRIMACEN Platform, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Normandie Université, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | | | - François Janin
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
| | - Matthieu Lecuyer
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
| | - Soumeya Bekri
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
- Rouen Université, CHU Rouen, Department of Metabolic Biochemistry, Normandie University, Rouen, France
| | - Stéphane Marret
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
- Rouen Université, CHU Rouen, Department of Neonatal Pediatrics and Intensive Care, Rouen, France
| | - Annie Laquerrière
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
- Rouen Université, CHU Rouen, Department of Pathology, Rouen Normandy Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Carole Brasse-Lagnel
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
| | - Sophie Gil
- Université de Paris, INSERM, UMR-S 1139, 3PHM, Paris, France
| | - Bruno J. Gonzalez
- Rouen Université, Inserm U1245 – Team “Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, Normandie Université, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Rouen, France
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Pinson MR, Tseng AM, Lehman TE, Chung K, Gutierrez J, Larin KV, Chambers CD, Miranda RC. Maternal circulating miRNAs contribute to negative pregnancy outcomes by altering placental transcriptome and fetal vascular dynamics. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290720. [PMID: 37930978 PMCID: PMC10627460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating miRNAs the in blood are promising biomarkers for predicting pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. Previous work identified 11 gestationally elevated maternal circulating miRNAs (HEamiRNAs) that predicted infant growth deficits following prenatal alcohol exposure and regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the placenta. Here we show that a single intravascular administration of pooled murine-conserved HEamiRNAs to pregnant mice on gestational day 10 (GD10) attenuates umbilical cord blood flow during gestation, explaining the observed intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), specifically decreased fetal weight, and morphometric indices of cranial growth. Moreover, RNAseq of the fetal portion of the placenta demonstrated that this single exposure has lasting transcriptomic changes, including upregulation of members of the Notch pathway (Dll4, Rfng, Hey1), which is a pathway important for trophoblast migration and differentiation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis also identified chemokine signaling, which is responsible for regulating immune cell-mediated angiogenesis in the placenta, as an important predictor of fetal growth and head size. Our data suggest that HEamiRNAs perturb the expression of placental genes relevant for angiogenesis, resulting in impaired umbilical cord blood flow and subsequently, IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R. Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Alexander M. Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Tenley E. Lehman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Karen Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Jessica Gutierrez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Christina D. Chambers
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Rajesh C. Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
- Women’s Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
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Bake S, Rouzer SK, Mavuri S, Miranda RC, Mahnke AH. The interaction of genetic sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on health across the lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101103. [PMID: 37802472 PMCID: PMC10922031 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can reprogram the development of cells and tissues, resulting in a spectrum of physical and neurobehavioral teratology. PAE immediately impacts fetal growth, but its effects carry forward post-parturition, into adolescence and adulthood, and can result in a cluster of disabilities, collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Emerging preclinical and clinical research investigating neurological and behavioral outcomes in exposed offspring point to genetic sex as an important modifier of the effects of PAE. In this review, we discuss the literature on sex differences following PAE, with studies spanning the fetal period through adulthood, and highlight gaps in research where sex differences are likely, but currently under-investigated. Understanding how sex and PAE interact to affect offspring health outcomes across the lifespan is critical for identifying the full complement of PAE-associated secondary conditions, and for refining targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Shruti Mavuri
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States.
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Sautreuil C, Lecointre M, Derambure C, Brasse-Lagnel C, Leroux P, Laquerrière A, Nicolas G, Gil S, Savage DD, Marret S, Marguet F, Falluel-Morel A, Gonzalez BJ. Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Impairs the Placenta-Cortex Transcriptomic Signature, Leading to Dysregulation of Angiogenic Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13484. [PMID: 37686296 PMCID: PMC10488081 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Although alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a major cause of behavioral and learning disabilities, most FASD infants are late- or even misdiagnosed due to clinician's difficulties achieving early detection of alcohol-induced neurodevelopmental impairments. Neuroplacentology has emerged as a new field of research focusing on the role of the placenta in fetal brain development. Several studies have reported that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) dysregulates a functional placenta-cortex axis, which is involved in the control of angiogenesis and leads to neurovascular-related defects. However, these studies were focused on PlGF, a pro-angiogenic factor. The aim of the present study is to provide the first transcriptomic "placenta-cortex" signature of the effects of PAE on fetal angiogenesis. Whole mouse genome microarrays of paired placentas and cortices were performed to establish the transcriptomic inter-organ "placenta-cortex" signature in control and PAE groups at gestational day 20. Genespring comparison of the control and PAE signatures revealed that 895 and 1501 genes were only detected in one of two placenta-cortex expression profiles, respectively. Gene ontology analysis indicated that 107 of these genes were associated with vascular development, and String protein-protein interaction analysis showed that they were associated with three functional clusters. PANTHER functional classification analysis indicated that "intercellular communication" was a significantly enriched biological process, and 27 genes were encoded for neuroactive ligand/receptors interactors. Protein validation experiments involving Western blot for one ligand-receptor couple (Agt/AGTR1/2) confirmed the transcriptomic data, and Pearson statistical analysis of paired placentas and fetal cortices revealed a negative correlation between placental Atg and cortical AGTR1, which was significantly impacted by PAE. In humans, a comparison of a 38WG control placenta with a 36WG alcohol-exposed placenta revealed low Agt immunolabeling in the syncytiotrophoblast layer of the alcohol case. In conclusion, this study establishes the first transcriptomic placenta-cortex signature of a developing mouse. The data show that PAE markedly unbalances this inter-organ signature; in particular, several ligands and/or receptors involved in the control of angiogenesis. These data support that PAE modifies the existing communication between the two organs and opens new research avenues regarding the impact of placental dysfunction on the neurovascular development of fetuses. Such a signature would present a clinical value for early diagnosis of brain defects in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Sautreuil
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
| | - Maryline Lecointre
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
| | - Céline Derambure
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Genetic Predisposition to Cancer, 76000 Rouen, France;
- Joint Genomics Facilities, Rouen University, 76183 Rouen, France
| | - Carole Brasse-Lagnel
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
| | - Philippe Leroux
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
| | - Annie Laquerrière
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
- Department of Pathology, Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France
| | - Gaël Nicolas
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Genomics for Brain Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France;
| | - Sophie Gil
- INSERM UMR-S1144, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Descartes, 75006 Paris, France;
| | - Daniel D. Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Stéphane Marret
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
- Department of Neonatal Paediatrics and Intensive Care, Rouen University Hospital, University Rouen Normandie and CHU Rouen, 76183 Rouen, France
| | - Florent Marguet
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
- Department of Pathology, Rouen University Hospital, 76183 Rouen, France
| | - Anthony Falluel-Morel
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
| | - Bruno J. Gonzalez
- University Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Team Epigenetics and Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 76183 Rouen, France; (C.S.); (M.L.); (C.B.-L.); (P.L.); (A.L.); (S.M.); (F.M.); (A.F.-M.)
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Gualdoni GS, Barril C, Jacobo PV, Pacheco Rodríguez LN, Cebral E. Involvement of metalloproteinase and nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide mechanisms in early decidual angiogenesis-vascularization of normal and experimental pathological mouse placenta related to maternal alcohol exposure. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1207671. [PMID: 37670932 PMCID: PMC10476144 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1207671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Successful pregnancy for optimal fetal growth requires adequate early angiogenesis and remodeling of decidual spiral arterioles during placentation. Prior to the initiation of invasion and endothelial replacement by trophoblasts, interactions between decidual stromal cells and maternal leukocytes, such as uterine natural killer cells and macrophages, play crucial roles in the processes of early maternal vascularization, such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, differentiation, and matrix and vessel remodeling. These placental angiogenic events are highly dependent on the coordination of several mechanisms at the early maternal-fetal interface, and one of them is the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and endothelial nitric oxide synthases (NOSs). Inadequate balances of MMPs and nitric oxide (NO) are involved in several placentopathies and pregnancy complications. Since alcohol consumption during gestation can affect fetal growth associated with abnormal placental development, recently, we showed, in a mouse model, that perigestational alcohol consumption up to organogenesis induces fetal malformations related to deficient growth and vascular morphogenesis of the placenta at term. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the early processes of maternal vascularization that lead to the formation of the definitive placenta and the roles of angiogenic MMP and NOS/NO mechanisms during normal and altered early gestation in mice. Then, we propose hypothetical defective decidual cellular and MMP and NOS/NO mechanisms involved in abnormal decidual vascularization induced by perigestational alcohol consumption in an experimental mouse model. This review highlights the important roles of decidual cells and their MMP and NOS balances in the physiological and pathophysiological early maternal angiogenesis-vascularization during placentation in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Elisa Cebral
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Fisiología Materno-Embrionaria, Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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9
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Pinson MR, Tseng AM, Adams A, Lehman TE, Chung K, Gutierrez J, Larin KV, Chambers C, Miranda RC. Prenatal alcohol exposure contributes to negative pregnancy outcomes by altering fetal vascular dynamics and the placental transcriptome. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1036-1049. [PMID: 35474222 PMCID: PMC9325399 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been shown to alter fetal blood flow in utero and is also associated with placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), suggesting an underlying connection between perturbed circulation and pregnancy outcomes. Methods Timed‐pregnant C57/BL6NHsd mice, bred in‐house, were exposed by gavage on gestational day 10 (GD10) to ethanol (3 g/kg) or purified water, as a control. Pulse‐wave Doppler ultrasound measurements for umbilical arteries and ascending aorta were obtained post‐gavage (GD12, GD14, GD18) on 2 fetuses/litter. RNA from the non‐decidual (labyrinthine and junctional zone) portion of placentas was isolated and processed for RNA‐seq and subsequent bioinformatic analyses, and the association between transcriptomic changes and fetal phenotypes assessed. Results Exposure to ethanol in pregnant mice on GD10 attenuates umbilical cord blood flow transiently during gestation, and is associated with indices of IUGR, specifically decreased fetal weight and morphometric indices of cranial growth. Moreover, RNA‐seq of the fetal portion of the placenta demonstrated that this single exposure has lasting transcriptomic changes, including upregulation of Tet3, which is associated with spontaneous abortion. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified erythrocyte differentiation and homeostasis as important pathways associated with improved umbilical cord blood flow as gestation progresses. WGCNA also identified sensory perception of chemical stimulus/odorant and receptor activity as important pathways associated with cranial growth. Conclusion Our data suggest that PAE perturbs the expression of placental genes relevant for placental hematopoiesis and environmental sensing, resulting in transient impairment of umbilical cord blood flow and, subsequently, IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander M Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Adams
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Tenley E Lehman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica Gutierrez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kirill V Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Christina Chambers
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Interdisciplinary Program of Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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10
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Gualdoni GS, Jacobo PV, Barril C, Ventureira MR, Cebral E. Early Abnormal Placentation and Evidence of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor System Dysregulation at the Feto-Maternal Interface After Periconceptional Alcohol Consumption. Front Physiol 2022; 12:815760. [PMID: 35185604 PMCID: PMC8847216 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.815760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Adequate placentation, placental tissue remodeling and vascularization is essential for the success of gestation and optimal fetal growth. Recently, it was suggested that abnormal placenta induced by maternal alcohol consumption may participate in fetal growth restriction and relevant clinical manifestations of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Particularly, periconceptional alcohol consumption up to early gestation can alter placentation and angiogenesis that persists in pregnancy beyond the exposure period. Experimental evidence suggests that abnormal placenta following maternal alcohol intake is associated with insufficient vascularization and defective trophoblast development, growth and function in early gestation. Accumulated data indicate that impaired vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system, including their downstream effectors, the nitric oxide (NO) and metalloproteinases (MMPs), is a pivotal spatio-temporal altered mechanism underlying the early placental vascular alterations induced by maternal alcohol consumption. In this review we propose that the periconceptional alcohol intake up to early organogenesis (first trimester) alters the VEGF-NO-MMPs system in trophoblastic-decidual tissues, generating imbalances in the trophoblastic proliferation/apoptosis, insufficient trophoblastic development, differentiation and migration, deficient labyrinthine vascularization, and uncompleted remodelation and transformation of decidual spiral arterioles. Consequently, abnormal placenta with insufficiency blood perfusion, vasoconstriction and reduced labyrinthine blood exchange can be generated. Herein, we review emerging knowledge of abnormal placenta linked to pregnancy complications and FASD produced by gestational alcohol ingestion and provide evidence of the early abnormal placental angiogenesis-vascularization and growth associated to decidual-trophoblastic dysregulation of VEGF system after periconceptional alcohol consumption up to mid-gestation, in a mouse model.
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11
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Steane SE, Young SL, Clifton VL, Gallo LA, Akison LK, Moritz KM. Prenatal alcohol consumption and placental outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; 225:607.e1-607.e22. [PMID: 34181895 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.06.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A systematic review was conducted to determine placental outcomes following prenatal alcohol exposure in women. DATA SOURCES The search terms "maternal OR prenatal OR pregnant OR periconception" AND "placenta" AND "alcohol OR ethanol" were used across 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL) from inception until November 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Articles were included if they reported placental outcomes in an alcohol exposure group compared with a control group. Studies were excluded if placentas were from elective termination before 20 weeks' gestation, animal studies, in vitro studies, case studies, or coexposure studies. METHODS Study quality was assessed by 2 reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Title and abstract screening was conducted by 2 reviewers to remove duplicates and irrelevant studies. Remaining full text articles were screened by 2 reviewers against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Placental outcome data were extracted and tabulated separately for studies of placentation, placental weight, placental morphology, and placental molecular studies. Meta-analyses were conducted for outcomes reported by >3 studies. RESULTS Database searching retrieved 640 unique records. Screening against inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in 33 included studies. The quality assessment identified that 61% of studies were high quality, 30% were average quality, and 9% were low quality. Meta-analyses indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure increased the likelihood of placental abruption (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-1.60) but not placenta previa (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.34) and resulted in a reduction in placental weight of 51 g (95% confidence interval, -82.8 to -19.3). Reports of altered placental vasculature, placental DNA methylation, and gene expression following prenatal alcohol exposure were identified. A single study examined placentas from male and female infants separately and found sex-specific placental outcomes. CONCLUSION Prenatal alcohol exposure increases the likelihood of placental abruption and is associated with decreased placental weight, altered placental vasculature, DNA methylation, and molecular pathways. Given the critical role of the placenta in determining pregnancy outcomes, further studies investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced placental dysfunction are required. Sex-specific placental adaptations to adverse conditions in utero have been well documented; thus, future studies should examine prenatal alcohol exposure-associated placental outcomes separately by sex.
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12
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Prenatal ethanol exposure increases maternal bile acids through placental transport pathway. Toxicology 2021; 458:152848. [PMID: 34217791 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
High maternal serum bile acid level is common and sometimes harmful to the gravida. This study aimed to confirm the bile acid phenotypic change caused by prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) and elucidate its placental mechanism. Pregnant Wistar rats were administered intragastrically with ethanol 4 g/kg⋅d from gestational day 9-20. Total bile acids (TBA) were detected in maternal, fetal serum and placental tissues, increasing significantly in the serum but no significant change in the placental tissues. Meta-analysis was performed and verified the efficacy of the PEE-induced model based on published data from several relevant studies. Mining of microarray data from human and rat placental sources identified the involvement of bile acid metabolism and its significant genes, which were verified by RT-qPCR and western blotting on tissues and treated BeWo cells with the administration of FXR/PXR siRNAs or FXR/PXR agonists. Our examination, consistent with microarray data and wet experiments, showed that organic anion transporter polypeptide-related protein 2B1 (Oatp2b1), multidrug resistance-associated proteins 3 (Mrp3) and breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) expression were increased, while nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (Fxr) was decreased but pregnane X receptor (Pxr) was increased. Furthermore, the interventional experiments confirmed that FXR regulated Bcrp while PXR regulated Oatp2b1 and Mrp3. In summary, PEE could induce high bile acid level in maternal serum and its mechanism is associated with the high expression of BCRP/MRP3/OATP2B1 in the placenta through up-regulating PXR and down-regulating FXR, thereby leading to an excessive bile acid transport to maternal blood via the placenta. Our study provides a novel perspective in terms of placenta, explaining the increased maternal blood bile acids under the toxicity of PEE.
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13
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Bermudez LG, Madariaga I, Zuñiga MI, Olaya M, Cañas A, Rodriguez LS, Moreno OM, Rojas A. RUNX1 gene expression changes in the placentas of women smokers. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:902. [PMID: 34257715 PMCID: PMC8243315 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta can be affected by environmental factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke. This exposure in the fetal context is considered a risk factor for the development of short-term postnatal diseases, such as asthma. Asthma is an inflammatory disease characterized by predominant acquisition of CD4 T lymphocytes (TLs) of the Th2 type. Transcription factors such as GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) and STAT6 actively participate in the differentiation of virgin TLs towards the Th2 profile, while transcription factors such as STAT1, T-Box transcription factor 21 (T-BET), RUNX1 and RUNX3 participate in their differentiation towards the Th1 profile. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of exposure to cigarette smoke on the gene expression of STAT1, T-BET, GATA3, IL-4, RUNX1 and RUNX3 during the gestation period, and to determine whether the expression levels of these genes are associated with changes in global methylation. STAT1, GATA3, RUNX1 and RUNX3 protein and mRNA expression levels in the placental tissue of women smokers and non-smoking women were determined via immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR (qPCR) respectively. Additionally, T-BET and IL-4 mRNA expression levels were determined by qPCR. On the other hand, global methylation was determined via ELISA. In the present study, significant increases were observed in RUNX1 transcription factor expression in placentas from women smokers when compared with placentas of non-smoking women. Similarly, significant increases in the expression of GATA3, IL-4 and RUNX3 mRNA were observed. The changes in gene expression were not associated with changes in the global methylation levels. Finally, a higher frequency of low-birth-weight infants were identified in cases of exposure to cigarette smoke during pregnancy when compared with infants not exposed to cigarette smoke during pregnancy. Thus, the data of the present study contributed to the understanding of the genetic and clinical impacts of exposure to cigarette smoke during pregnancy and its importance in maternal and fetal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Litzy Gisella Bermudez
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Ithzayana Madariaga
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Maria Isabel Zuñiga
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Mercedes Olaya
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Alejandra Cañas
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Luz-Stella Rodriguez
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Olga Maria Moreno
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Adriana Rojas
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
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14
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Lim N, Tesar S, Belmadani M, Poirier-Morency G, Mancarci BO, Sicherman J, Jacobson M, Leong J, Tan P, Pavlidis P. Curation of over 10 000 transcriptomic studies to enable data reuse. Database (Oxford) 2021; 2021:6143045. [PMID: 33599246 PMCID: PMC7904053 DOI: 10.1093/database/baab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Vast amounts of transcriptomic data reside in public repositories, but effective reuse remains challenging. Issues include unstructured dataset metadata, inconsistent data processing and quality control, and inconsistent probe-gene mappings across microarray technologies. Thus, extensive curation and data reprocessing are necessary prior to any reuse. The Gemma bioinformatics system was created to help address these issues. Gemma consists of a database of curated transcriptomic datasets, analytical software, a web interface and web services. Here we present an update on Gemma's holdings, data processing and analysis pipelines, our curation guidelines, and software features. As of June 2020, Gemma contains 10 811 manually curated datasets (primarily human, mouse and rat), over 395 000 samples and hundreds of curated transcriptomic platforms (both microarray and RNA sequencing). Dataset topics were represented with 10 215 distinct terms from 12 ontologies, for a total of 54 316 topic annotations (mean topics/dataset = 5.2). While Gemma has broad coverage of conditions and tissues, it captures a large majority of available brain-related datasets, accounting for 34% of its holdings. Users can access the curated data and differential expression analyses through the Gemma website, RESTful service and an R package. Database URL: https://gemma.msl.ubc.ca/home.html.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Lim
- Genome Science and Technology Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada,Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Stepan Tesar
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Manuel Belmadani
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Guillaume Poirier-Morency
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Burak Ogan Mancarci
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada,Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Jordan Sicherman
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada,Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Matthew Jacobson
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Justin Leong
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Patrick Tan
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada
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15
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Almeida-Toledano L, Andreu-Fernández V, Aras-López R, García-Algar Ó, Martínez L, Gómez-Roig MD. Epigallocatechin Gallate Ameliorates the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder-Like Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020715. [PMID: 33450816 PMCID: PMC7828292 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the main preventable cause of intellectual disability in the Western world. Although binge drinking is the most studied prenatal alcohol exposure pattern, other types of exposure, such as the Mediterranean, are common in specific geographic areas. In this study, we analyze the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in binge and Mediterranean human drinking patterns on placenta and brain development in C57BL/6J mice. We also assess the impact of prenatal treatment with the epigallocatechin-3-gallate antioxidant in both groups. Study experimental groups for Mediterranean or binge patterns: (1) control; (2) ethanol; (3) ethanol + epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Brain and placental tissue were collected on gestational Day 19. The molecular pathways studied were fetal and placental growth, placental angiogenesis (VEGF-A, PLGF, VEGF-R), oxidative stress (Nrf2), and neurodevelopmental processes including maturation (NeuN, DCX), differentiation (GFAP) and neural plasticity (BDNF). Prenatal alcohol exposure resulted in fetal growth restriction and produced imbalances of placental angiogenic factors. Moreover, prenatal alcohol exposure increased oxidative stress and caused significant alterations in neuronal maturation and astrocyte differentiation. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate therapy ameliorated fetal growth restriction, attenuated alcohol-induced changes in placental angiogenic factors, and partially rescued neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN), (doublecortin) DCX, and (glial fibrillary acidic protein) GFAP levels. Any alcohol consumption (Mediterranean or binge) during pregnancy may generate a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotype and the consequences may be partially attenuated by a prenatal treatment with epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Almeida-Toledano
- BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (L.A.-T.); (Ó.G.-A.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-L.); (L.M.)
| | - Vicente Andreu-Fernández
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Valencian International University (VIU), 46002 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: (V.A.-F.); (M.D.G.-R.); Tel.: +34-609709258 (V.A.-F.); +34-670061359 (M.D.G.-R.)
| | - Rosa Aras-López
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-L.); (L.M.)
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz University Hospital (IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar García-Algar
- BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (L.A.-T.); (Ó.G.-A.)
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-L.); (L.M.)
- 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
| | - Leopoldo Martínez
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-L.); (L.M.)
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz University Hospital (IdiPAZ), 28046 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (L.A.-T.); (Ó.G.-A.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-L.); (L.M.)
- Correspondence: (V.A.-F.); (M.D.G.-R.); Tel.: +34-609709258 (V.A.-F.); +34-670061359 (M.D.G.-R.)
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16
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Tavanasefat H, Li F, Koyano K, Gourtani BK, Marty V, Mulpuri Y, Lee SH, Shin KH, Wong DTW, Xiao X, Spigelman I, Kim Y. Molecular consequences of fetal alcohol exposure on amniotic exosomal miRNAs with functional implications for stem cell potency and differentiation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242276. [PMID: 33196678 PMCID: PMC7668603 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) consumption during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which are characterized by prenatal and postnatal growth restriction and craniofacial dysmorphology. Recently, cell-derived extracellular vesicles, including exosomes and microvesicles containing several species of RNAs (exRNAs), have emerged as a mechanism of cell-to-cell communication. However, EtOH's effects on the biogenesis and function of non-coding exRNAs during fetal development have not been explored. Therefore, we studied the effects of maternal EtOH exposure on the composition of exosomal RNAs in the amniotic fluid (AF) using rat fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) model. Through RNA-Seq analysis we identified and verified AF exosomal miRNAs with differential expression levels specifically associated with maternal EtOH exposure. Uptake of purified FAE AF exosomes by rBMSCs resulted in significant alteration of molecular markers associated with osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. We also determined putative functional roles for AF exosomal miRNAs (miR-199a-3p, miR-214-3p and let-7g) that are dysregulated by FAE in osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. Our results demonstrate that FAE alters AF exosomal miRNAs and that exosomal transfer of dysregulated miRNAs has significant molecular effects on stem cell regulation and differentiation. Our results further suggest the usefulness of assessing molecular alterations in AF exRNAs to study the mechanisms of FAE teratogenesis that should be further investigated by using an in vivo model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honey Tavanasefat
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Cancer Epigenetic Research, School of Dentistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- CSUN-UCLA Stem Cell Research Bridge Program, Department of Biology, California State University at Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America
| | - Feng Li
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Kikuye Koyano
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Bahar Khalilian Gourtani
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Cancer Epigenetic Research, School of Dentistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Vincent Marty
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yatendra Mulpuri
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Sung Hee Lee
- The Shapiro Family Laboratory of Viral Oncology and Aging Research, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ki-Hyuk Shin
- The Shapiro Family Laboratory of Viral Oncology and Aging Research, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - David T. W. Wong
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Igor Spigelman
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yong Kim
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Cancer Epigenetic Research, School of Dentistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Oral Biology & Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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Savage DD, Rosenberg MJ, Coquet L, Porch MW, Allen NA, Roux C, Aligny C, Jouenne T, Gonzalez BJ. Ethanol-Induced Alterations in Placental and Fetal Cerebrocortical Annexin-A4 and Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Protein 3 Are Associated With Reductions in Fetal Cortical VEGF Receptor Binding and Microvascular Density. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:519. [PMID: 32655346 PMCID: PMC7325964 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Jegou et al. (2012) have reported prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-induced reductions of angiogenesis-related proteins in mouse placenta. These effects were associated with striking alterations in microvascular development in neonatal cerebral cortex. Here, we employed a rat model of moderate PAE to search for additional proteins whose placental and fetal cortical expression is altered by PAE, along with a subsequent examination of fetal cerebral cortical alterations associated with altered protein expression. Long-Evans rat dams voluntarily consumed either a 0 or 5% ethanol solution 4 h each day throughout gestation. Daily ethanol consumption, which resulted in a mean peak maternal serum ethanol concentration of 60.8 mg/dL, did not affect maternal weight gain, litter size, or placental or fetal body weight. On gestational day 20, rat placental: fetal units were removed by Caesarian section. Placental protein expression, analyzed by 2D-PAGE – tandem mass spectroscopy, identified a total of 1,117 protein spots, 20 of which were significantly altered by PAE. To date, 14 of these PAE-altered proteins have been identified. Western blotting confirmed the alterations of two of these placental proteins, namely, annexin-A4 (ANX-A4) and cerebral cavernous malformation protein 3 (CCM-3). Specifically, PAE elevated ANX-A4 and decreased CCM-3 in placenta. Subsequently, these two proteins were measured in fetal cerebral cortex, along with radiohistochemical studies of VEGF binding and histofluorescence studies of microvascular density in fetal cerebral cortex. PAE elevated ANX-A4 and decreased CCM-3 in fetal cerebral cortex, in a pattern similar to the alterations observed in placenta. Further, both VEGF receptor binding and microvascular density and orientation, measures that are sensitive to reduced CCM-3 expression in developing brain, were significantly reduced in the ventricular zone of fetal cerebral cortex. These results suggest that the expression angiogenesis-related proteins in placenta might serve as a biomarker of ethanol-induced alterations in microvascular development in fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Martina J Rosenberg
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laurent Coquet
- UMR 6270, CNRS, Normandie University, UNIROUEN, Proteomic Facility PISSARO, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Morgan W Porch
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nyika A Allen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Christian Roux
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Caroline Aligny
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Thierry Jouenne
- UMR 6270, CNRS, Normandie University, UNIROUEN, Proteomic Facility PISSARO, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Bruno J Gonzalez
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
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18
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Alberry BLJ, Castellani CA, Singh SM. Hippocampal transcriptome analysis following maternal separation implicates altered RNA processing in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:15. [PMID: 32416732 PMCID: PMC7231420 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09316-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are common, seen in 1–5% of the population in the USA and Canada. Children diagnosed with FASD are not likely to remain with their biological parents, facing early maternal separation and foster placements throughout childhood. Methods We model FASD in mice via prenatal alcohol exposure and further induce early life stress through maternal separation. We use RNA-seq followed by clustering of expression profiles through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to analyze transcriptomic changes that result from the treatments. We use reverse transcription qPCR to validate these changes in the mouse hippocampus. Results We report an association between adult hippocampal gene expression and prenatal ethanol exposure followed by postnatal separation stress that is related to behavioral changes. Expression profile clustering using WGCNA identifies a set of transcripts, module 19, associated with anxiety-like behavior (r = 0.79, p = 0.002) as well as treatment group (r = 0.68, p = 0.015). Genes in this module are overrepresented by genes involved in transcriptional regulation and other pathways related to neurodevelopment. Interestingly, one member of this module, Polr2a, polymerase (RNA) II (DNA directed) polypeptide A, is downregulated by the combination of prenatal ethanol and postnatal stress in an RNA-Seq experiment and qPCR validation (q = 2e−12, p = 0.004, respectively). Conclusions Together, transcriptional control in the hippocampus is implicated as a potential underlying mechanism leading to anxiety-like behavior via environmental insults. Further research is required to elucidate the mechanism involved and use this insight towards early diagnosis and amelioration strategies involving children born with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie L J Alberry
- Department of Biology, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Christina A Castellani
- McKusick-Nathans Institute, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shiva M Singh
- Department of Biology, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada.
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19
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Sautreuil C, Laquerrière A, Lecuyer M, Brasse-Lagnel C, Jégou S, Bekri S, Marcorelles P, Gil S, Marret S, Gonzalez BJ. [Fetal alcohol exposure: when placenta would help to the early diagnosis of child brain impairments]. Med Sci (Paris) 2019; 35:859-865. [PMID: 31845877 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2019167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy constitutes a major cause of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disabilities. Whereas it is possible for clinicians to establish a perinatal diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, the more severe expression of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), most FASD children are late or mis-diagnosed due to a lack of clear morphological and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Several precious years of care are consequently lost. Recent data revealed a functional placenta-brain axis involved in the control of the fetal brain angiogenesis which is impaired by in utero alcohol exposure. Because in the developing fetal brain a correct angiogenesis is required for a correct neurodevelopment, these preclinical and clinical advances pave the way for a new generation of placental biomarkers for early diagnosis of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Sautreuil
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | - Annie Laquerrière
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Pathologie, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, France
| | - Matthieu Lecuyer
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | | | - Sylvie Jégou
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | - Soumeya Bekri
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Biochimie métabolique, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, France
| | | | - Sophie Gil
- Inserm UMR-S1139, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Fondation PremUp, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Marret
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Pédiatrie Néonatale et Réanimation, Neuropédiatrie, Camsp, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, 37 boulevard Gambetta, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Bruno J Gonzalez
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
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20
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Shanmugam S, Patel D, Wolpert JM, Keshvani C, Liu X, Bergeson SE, Kidambi S, Mahimainathan L, Henderson GI, Narasimhan M. Ethanol Impairs NRF2/Antioxidant and Growth Signaling in the Intact Placenta In Vivo and in Human Trophoblasts. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9110669. [PMID: 31671572 PMCID: PMC6921053 DOI: 10.3390/biom9110669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
NRF2 is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that depending on the duration or magnitude of the stress, either translocates to the nucleus (beneficial) or is degraded in the cytosol (harmful). However, the role of NRF2-based mechanism(s) under ethanol (E)-induced developmental toxicity in the placental context remains unknown. Here, we used a rat prenatal model of maternal alcohol stress consisting of intermittent ethanol vapor (IEV) daily from GD11 to GD20 with a 6 h ON/18 h OFF in a vapor chamber and in vitro placental model consisting of HTR-8 trophoblasts exposed to 86 mM of E for either 24 h or 48 h. The role of NRF2 was evaluated through the NRF2-transactivation reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting for NRF2 and cell growth-promoting protein, and cell proliferation assay. In utero and in vitro E decreased the nuclear NRF2 content and diminished its transactivation ability along with dysregulation of the proliferation indices, PCNA, CYCLIN-D1, and p21. This was associated with a ~50% reduction in cell proliferation in vitro in trophoblasts. Interestingly, this was found to be partially rescued by ectopic Nrf2 overexpression. These results indicate that ethanol-induced dysregulation of NRF2 coordinately regulates PCNA/CYCLIN-D1/p21 involving growth network, at least partially to set a stage for placental perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sambantham Shanmugam
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Dhyanesh Patel
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - John M Wolpert
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Caezaan Keshvani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Susan E Bergeson
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Srivatsan Kidambi
- Department of Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Lenin Mahimainathan
- Department Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - George I Henderson
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
| | - Madhusudhanan Narasimhan
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
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21
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Wu G, Li R, Tong C, He M, Qi Z, Chen H, Deng T, Liu H, Qi H. Non-invasive prenatal testing reveals copy number variations related to pregnancy complications. Mol Cytogenet 2019; 12:38. [PMID: 31485271 PMCID: PMC6716937 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-019-0451-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pregnancy complications could lead to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosing and managing complications have been associated with good outcomes. The placenta was an important organ for development of pregnancy complications. Thus, non-invasive prenatal testing technologies could detect genetic variations, such as aneuploidies and sub-chromosomal copy number variations, reflecting defective placenta by maternal plasma cffDNAs. Maternal cffDNAs had been proved to derive from trophoblast cells of placenta. Results In order to find out the relationship between genetic variations and pregnancy complications, we reviewed NIPT results for subchromosomal copy number variations in a cohort of 3890 pregnancies without complications and 441 pregnancies with pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) and placenta implantation abnormalities (PIA). For GDMs, we identified three CNV regions containing some members of alpha- and beta-defensins, such as DEFA1, DEFA3, DEFB1. For PIHs, we found three duplication and one deletion region including Pcdhα, Pcdhβ, and Pcdhγ, known as protocadherins, which were complicated by hypertensive disorders. For PPROMs and PIAs, we identified one and two CNV regions, respectively. SFTPA2, SFTPD and SFTPA1, belonging to surfactant protein, was considered to moderated the inflammatory activation within the fetal extra-embryonic compartment, associated to duration of preterm prelabor rupture of fetal membranes, while MEF2C and TM6SF1 could be involved in trophoblast invasion and differentiation. Conclusions Our findings gave a clue to correlation between genetic variations of maternal cell-free DNAs and pregnancy complications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13039-019-0451-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangping Wu
- 1Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,2State Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of Chongqing Municipality, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,3International Collaborative Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Li
- 1Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,2State Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of Chongqing Municipality, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,3International Collaborative Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Tong
- 1Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,2State Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of Chongqing Municipality, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,3International Collaborative Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China
| | - Miaonan He
- Beijing CapitalBio Medical Laboratory, Beijing, 101111 China
| | - Zhiwei Qi
- Beijing CapitalBio Medical Laboratory, Beijing, 101111 China
| | - Huijuan Chen
- Beijing CapitalBio Medical Laboratory, Beijing, 101111 China
| | - Tao Deng
- Beijing CapitalBio Medical Laboratory, Beijing, 101111 China
| | - Hailiang Liu
- CapitalBio Technology Inc., Beijing, 101111 China.,6Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Hongbo Qi
- 1Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,2State Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of Chongqing Municipality, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China.,3International Collaborative Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016 People's Republic of China
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22
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Holbrook BD, Davies S, Cano S, Shrestha S, Jantzie LL, Rayburn WF, Bakhireva LN, Savage DD. The association between prenatal alcohol exposure and protein expression in human placenta. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:749-759. [PMID: 30891944 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The need for earlier recognition of children at risk for neurobehavioral problems associated with prenatal ethanol exposure (PAE) has prompted investigations of biomarkers prognostic for altered fetal development. Here, we examined whether PAE alters the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins and cytokines in human placenta in subjects from an Ethanol, Neurodevelopment, Infant and Child Health prospective cohort. METHODS PAE was ascertained by screening questionnaires, Time-line Follow-back interviews and a panel of ethanol biomarkers at two study visits. After delivery, placental tissue samples were collected for protein analysis. RESULTS No significant differences in the prevalence of substance use, demographic or medical characteristics were observed between the No PAE and PAE groups. PAE was associated with significant reductions in placental expression of VEGFR2 and annexin-A4, while the levels of VEGFR1 and CCM-3 trended downward. A trend toward higher expression of the cytokines TNF-α and IL-13 was also observed in the PAE group. Receiver operating characteristic analyses of the data demonstrated a moderate-to-high degree of diagnostic accuracy for individual placental proteins. Combinations of proteins substantially increased their ability to differentiate between PAE and No PAE subjects. CONCLUSIONS These results establish the feasibility of harvesting placental tissue for protein analyses of PAE in a prospective manner. In addition, given the importance of vascular remodeling in both placenta and developing brain, the role of angiogenic and cytokine proteins in this process warrants further investigation for their utility for predicting alterations in brain development, as well as their mechanistic role in PAE-induced pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley D Holbrook
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Sandra Cano
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Shikhar Shrestha
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - William F Rayburn
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Ludmila N Bakhireva
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Family & Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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23
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Ehrhart F, Roozen S, Verbeek J, Koek G, Kok G, van Kranen H, Evelo CT, Curfs LMG. Review and gap analysis: molecular pathways leading to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:10-17. [PMID: 29892052 PMCID: PMC6325721 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0095-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy affects the development of the fetus in various ways and may lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). FASD is one of the leading preventable forms of neurodevelopmental disorders. In the light of prevention and early intervention, knowledge on how ethanol exposure induces fetal damage is urgently needed. Besides direct ethanol and acetaldehyde toxicity, alcohol increases oxidative stress, and subsequent general effects (e.g., epigenetic imprinting, gene expression, and metabolite levels). The current review provides an overview of the existing knowledge about specific downstream pathways for FASD that affects e.g., the SHH pathway, cholesterol homeostasis, neurotransmitter signaling, and effects on the cytoskeleton. Available human data vary greatly, while animal studies with controlled ethanol exposition are only to a certain limit transferable to humans. The main deficits in knowledge about FASD are the lack of pathophysiological understanding and dose-response relationships, together with the lack of reliable biomarkers for either FASD detection or estimation of susceptibility. In addition to single outcome experiments, omics data should be generated to overcome this problem. Therefore, for future studies we recommend holistic data driven analysis, which allows integrative analyses over multiple levels of genetic variation, transcriptomics and metabolomics data to investigate the whole image of FASD development and to provide insight in potential drug targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Ehrhart
- Governor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands. .,Department of Bioinformatics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Sylvia Roozen
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jef Verbeek
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ger Koek
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Gerjo Kok
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk van Kranen
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Institute for Public Health Genomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Chris T. Evelo
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Bioinformatics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Leopold M. G. Curfs
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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24
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Brunst KJ, Tignor N, Just A, Liu Z, Lin X, Hacker MR, Bosquet Enlow M, Wright RO, Wang P, Baccarelli AA, Wright RJ. Cumulative lifetime maternal stress and epigenome-wide placental DNA methylation in the PRISM cohort. Epigenetics 2018; 13:665-681. [PMID: 30001177 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1497387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolving evidence links maternal stress exposure to changes in placental DNA methylation of specific genes regulating placental function that may have implications for the programming of a host of chronic disorders. Few studies have implemented an epigenome-wide approach. Using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450K), we investigated epigenome-wide placental DNA methylation in relation to maternal experiences of traumatic and non-traumatic stressors over her lifetime assessed using the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R) survey (n = 207). We found differential DNA methylation at epigenome-wide statistical significance (FDR = 0.05) for 112 CpGs. Additionally, we observed three clusters that exhibited differential methylation in response to high maternal lifetime stress. Enrichment analyses, conducted at an FDR = 0.20, revealed lysine degradation to be the most significant pathway associated with maternal lifetimes stress exposure. Targeted enrichment analyses of the three largest clusters of probes, identified using the gap statistic, were enriched for genes associated with endocytosis (i.e., SMAP1, ANKFY1), tight junctions (i.e., EPB41L4B), and metabolic pathways (i.e., INPP5E, EEF1B2). These pathways, also identified in the top 10 KEGG pathways associated with maternal lifetime stress exposure, play important roles in multiple physiological functions necessary for proper fetal development. Further, two genes were identified to exhibit multiple probes associated with maternal lifetime stress (i.e., ANKFY1, TM6SF1). The methylation status of the probes belonging to each cluster and/or genes exhibiting multiple hits, may play a role in the pathogenesis of adverse health outcomes in children born to mothers with increased lifetime stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Brunst
- a Department of Environmental Health , University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Nicole Tignor
- b Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai One Gustave L. Levy Place , New York , NY , USA
| | - Allan Just
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- d Department of Biostatistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Xihong Lin
- d Department of Biostatistics , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michele R Hacker
- e Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.,f Department of Obstetrics , Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- g Department of Psychiatry, Program for Behavioral Science, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
| | - Pei Wang
- b Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai One Gustave L. Levy Place , New York , NY , USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- h Department of Environmental Health Sciences , Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- c Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA.,i Department of Pediatrics , Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York , NY , USA
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25
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Davis-Anderson KL, Berger S, Lunde-Young ER, Naik VD, Seo H, Johnson GA, Steen H, Ramadoss J. Placental Proteomics Reveal Insights into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1551-1558. [PMID: 28722160 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) describe many of the well-known neurodevelopmental deficits afflicting children exposed to alcohol in utero. The effects of alcohol on the maternal-fetal interface, especially the placenta, have been less explored. We herein hypothesized that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy significantly alters the placental protein profile in a rat FASD model. METHODS Pregnant rats were orogastrically treated daily with alcohol (4.5 g/kg, gestational day [GD] 5 to 10; 6.0 g/kg, GD 11 to 19) or 50% maltose dextrin (isocalorically matched pair-fed controls). On GD 20, placentae were collected, flash-frozen, and stored until tissues were homogenized. Protein lysates were denatured, reduced, captured on a 10-kDa spin filter, and digested. Peptides were eluted, reconstituted, and analyzed by a Q Exactive™ Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap™ mass spectrometer. RESULTS Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis identified 2,285 placental proteins based on normalized spectral counts and 2,000 proteins by intensity-based absolute quantification. Forty-five placental proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) altered by gestational alcohol exposure by both quantification approaches. These included proteins directly related to alcohol metabolism; specific isoforms of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase were up-regulated in the alcohol group. Ingenuity analysis identified ethanol degradation as the most significantly altered canonical pathway in placenta, and fetal/organ development as most altered function, with increased risk for metabolic, neurological, and cardiovascular diseases. Physiological roles of the significantly altered proteins were related to early pregnancy adaptations, implantation, gestational diseases, fetal organ development, neurodevelopment, and immune functions. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the placenta is a valuable organ not only to understand FASD etiology but it may also serve as a diagnostic tool to identify novel biomarkers for detecting the outcome of fetal alcohol exposure. Placental MS analysis can offer sophisticated insights into identifying alcohol metabolism-related enzymes and regulators of fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L Davis-Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Sebastian Berger
- Departments of Pathology, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Emilie R Lunde-Young
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Vishal D Naik
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Heewon Seo
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Greg A Johnson
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Hanno Steen
- Departments of Pathology, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jayanth Ramadoss
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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Lecuyer M, Laquerrière A, Bekri S, Lesueur C, Ramdani Y, Jégou S, Uguen A, Marcorelles P, Marret S, Gonzalez BJ. PLGF, a placental marker of fetal brain defects after in utero alcohol exposure. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:44. [PMID: 28587682 PMCID: PMC5461764 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0444-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Most children with in utero alcohol exposure do not exhibit all features of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and a challenge for clinicians is to make an early diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) to avoid lost opportunities for care. In brain, correct neurodevelopment requires proper angiogenesis. Since alcohol alters brain angiogenesis and the placenta is a major source of angiogenic factors, we hypothesized that it is involved in alcohol-induced brain vascular defects. In mouse, using in vivo repression and overexpression of PLGF, we investigated the contribution of placenta on fetal brain angiogenesis. In human, we performed a comparative molecular and morphological analysis of brain/placenta angiogenesis in alcohol-exposed fetuses. Results showed that prenatal alcohol exposure impairs placental angiogenesis, reduces PLGF levels and consequently alters fetal brain vasculature. Placental repression of PLGF altered brain VEGF-R1 expression and mimicked alcohol-induced vascular defects in the cortex. Over-expression of placental PGF rescued alcohol effects on fetal brain vessels. In human, alcohol exposure disrupted both placental and brain angiogenesis. PLGF expression was strongly decreased and angiogenesis defects observed in the fetal brain markedly correlated with placental vascular impairments. Placental PGF disruption impairs brain angiogenesis and likely predicts brain disabilities after in utero alcohol exposure. PLGF assay at birth could contribute to the early diagnosis of FASD.
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Carter RC, Wainwright H, Molteno CD, Georgieff MK, Dodge NC, Warton F, Meintjes EM, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Alcohol, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana Exposure Have Distinct Effects on the Human Placenta. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:753-64. [PMID: 27038593 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal studies have demonstrated adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on placental development, but few studies have examined these effects in humans. Little is known about effects of prenatal exposure to methamphetamine, marijuana, and cigarette smoking on placental development. METHODS Placentas were collected from 103 Cape Coloured (mixed ancestry) pregnant women recruited at their first antenatal clinic visit in Cape Town, South Africa. Sixty-six heavy drinkers and 37 nondrinkers were interviewed about their alcohol, cigarette smoking, and drug use at 3 antenatal visits. A senior pathologist, blinded to exposure status, performed comprehensive pathology examinations on each placenta using a standardized protocol. In multivariable regression models, effects of prenatal exposure were examined on placental size, structure, and presence of infections and meconium. RESULTS Drinkers reported a binge pattern of heavy drinking, averaging 8.0 drinks/occasion across pregnancy on 1.4 d/wk. 79.6% smoked cigarettes; 22.3% used marijuana; and 17.5% used methamphetamine. Alcohol exposure was related to decreased placental weight and a smaller placenta-to-birthweight ratio. By contrast, methamphetamine was associated with larger placental weight and a larger placenta-to-birthweight ratio. Marijuana was also associated with larger placental weight. Alcohol exposure was associated with increased risk of placental hemorrhage. Prenatal alcohol, drug, and cigarette use were not associated with chorioamnionitis, villitis, deciduitis, or maternal vascular underperfusion. Alcohol and cigarette smoking were associated with a decreased risk of intrauterine passing of meconium, a sign of acute fetal stress and/or hypoxia; methamphetamine, with an increased risk. CONCLUSIONS This is the first human study to show that alcohol, methamphetamine, and marijuana were associated with distinct patterns of pathology, suggesting different mechanisms mediating their effects on placental development. Given the growing body of evidence linking placental abnormalities to neurodevelopmental deficits, these findings may be important in the long-term teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol and drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Colin Carter
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Helen Wainwright
- Department of Pathology (National Health Laboratory Service), University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michael K Georgieff
- Division of Neonatology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Fleur Warton
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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Prenatal alcohol exposure and prenatal stress differentially alter glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain. Neuroscience 2015; 342:167-179. [PMID: 26342748 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine environments increase vulnerability to chronic diseases across the lifespan. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which integrates multiple neuronal signals and ultimately controls the response to stressors, may provide a final common pathway linking early adversity and adult diseases. Both prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and prenatal stress (PS) induce a hyperresponsive HPA phenotype in adulthood. As glucocorticoids are pivotal for the normal development of many fetal tissues including the brain, we used animal models of PAE and PS to investigate possible mechanisms underlying fetal programing of glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain at gestation day (GD) 21. We found that both PAE and PS dams had higher corticosterone (CORT) levels than control dams. However, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) enzyme levels were increased in PAE and unchanged in PS placentae, although there were no differences in 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) levels. Moreover, only PAE fetuses showed decreased body weight and increased placental weight, and hence a lower fetal/placental weight ratio, a marker of placenta efficiency, compared to all other prenatal groups. Importantly, PAE and PS differentially altered corticosteroid receptor levels in placentae and brains. In the PS condition, maternal CORT was negatively correlated with both 11β-HSD1 and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) protein levels in male and female placentae, whereas in the PAE condition, there were trends for a positive correlation between maternal CORT and 11β-HSD1, regardless of sex, and a negative correlation between maternal alcohol intake and MR in male placentae. In fetal brains, sexually dimorphic changes in MR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels, and the MR/GR ratio seen in C fetuses were absent in PAE and PS fetuses. In addition, PS but not PAE female fetuses had higher MR and lower GR expression levels in certain limbic areas compared to C female fetuses. Thus the similar adult HPA hyperresponsive phenotype in PAE and PS animals likely occurs through differential effects on glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain.
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Ngai YF, Sulistyoningrum DC, O'Neill R, Innis SM, Weinberg J, Devlin AM. Prenatal alcohol exposure alters methyl metabolism and programs serotonin transporter and glucocorticoid receptor expression in brain. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2015; 309:R613-22. [PMID: 26180184 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00075.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) programs the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in HPA dysregulation and hyperresponsiveness to stressors in adulthood. Molecular mechanisms mediating these alterations are not fully understood. Disturbances in one-carbon metabolism, a source of methyl donors for epigenetic processes, contributes to alcoholic liver disease. We assessed whether PAE affects one-carbon metabolism (including Mtr, Mat2a, Mthfr, and Cbs mRNA) and programming of HPA function genes (Nr3c1, Nr3c2, and Slc6a4) in offspring from ethanol-fed (E), pair-fed (PF), and ad libitum-fed control (C) dams. At gestation day 21, plasma total homocysteine and methionine concentrations were higher in E compared with C dams, and E fetuses had higher plasma methionine concentrations and lower whole brain Mtr and Mat2a mRNA compared with C fetuses. In adulthood (55 days), hippocampal Mtr and Cbs mRNA was lower in E compared with C males, whereas Mtr, Mat2a, Mthfr, and Cbs mRNA were higher in E compared with C females. We found lower Nr3c1 mRNA and lower nerve growth factor inducible protein A (NGFI-A) protein in the hippocampus of E compared with PF females, whereas hippocampal Slc6a4 mRNA was higher in E than C males. By contrast, hypothalamic Slc6a4 mRNA was lower in E males and females compared with C offspring. This was accompanied by higher hypothalamic Slc6a4 mean promoter methylation in E compared with PF females. These findings demonstrate that PAE is associated with alterations in one-carbon metabolism and has long-term and region-specific effects on gene expression in the brain. These findings advance our understanding of mechanisms of HPA dysregulation associated with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Fai Ngai
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dian C Sulistyoningrum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ryan O'Neill
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia; and
| | - Sheila M Innis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia; and Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Angela M Devlin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Zhou FC. Dissecting FASD through the global transcriptome. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:408-12. [PMID: 25702586 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Feng C Zhou
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Stark Research Institute of Neuroscience, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Psychology, Indiana University & Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, Indiana
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Muggli E, O'Leary C, Forster D, Anderson P, Lewis S, Nagle C, Craig JM, Donath S, Elliott E, Halliday J. Study protocol: Asking QUestions about Alcohol in pregnancy (AQUA): a longitudinal cohort study of fetal effects of low to moderate alcohol exposure. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2014; 14:302. [PMID: 25187010 PMCID: PMC4168250 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2393-14-302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite extensive research, a direct correlation between low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders has been elusive. Conflicting results are attributed to a lack of accurate and detailed data on PAE and incomplete information on contributing factors. The public health effectiveness of policies recommending complete abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy is challenged by the high frequency of unplanned pregnancies, where many women consumed some alcohol prior to pregnancy recognition. There is a need for research evidence emphasizing timing and dosage of PAE and its effects on child development. Methods/Design Asking QUestions about Alcohol (AQUA) is a longitudinal cohort aiming to clarify the complex effects of low to moderate PAE using specifically developed and tested questions incorporating dose, pattern and timing of exposure. From 2011, 2146 pregnant women completed a questionnaire at 8-18 weeks of pregnancy. Further prenatal data collection took place via a questionnaire at 26-28 weeks and 35 weeks gestation. Extensive information was obtained on a large number of risk factors to assist in understanding the heterogeneous nature of PAE effects. 1571 women (73%) completed all three pregnancy questionnaires. A biobank of DNA from maternal and infant buccal cells, placental biopsies and cord blood mononuclear cells will be used to examine epigenetic state at birth as well as genetic factors in the mother and child. Participants will be followed up at 12 and 24 months after birth to assess child health and measure infant behavioural and sensory difficulties, as well as family environment and parenting styles. A subgroup of the cohort will have 3D facial photography of their child at 12 months and a comprehensive developmental assessment (Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development, Bayley-III) at two years of age. Discussion Using detailed, prospective methods of data collection, the AQUA study will comprehensively examine the effects of low to moderate alcohol consumption throughout pregnancy on child health and development, including the role of key mediators and confounders. These data will ultimately contribute to policy review and development, health professional education and information about alcohol consumption for pregnant women in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Muggli
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Victoria, Australia.
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Subramanian K, Naik VD, Sathishkumar K, Yallampalli C, Saade GR, Hankins GD, Ramadoss J. Chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy impairs rat maternal uterine vascular function. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2014; 38:1832-8. [PMID: 24962648 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol exposure during pregnancy results in an array of structural and functional abnormalities called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Alcohol dysregulates the exquisite coordination and regulation of gestational adaptations at the level of the uterine vasculature. We herein hypothesized that chronic binge-like alcohol results in uterine vascular dysfunction and impairs maternal uterine artery reactivity to vasoconstrictors and dilators. METHODS We utilized a once-daily binge alcohol (4.5 g/kg body weight) exposure paradigm (gestational day 7 to 17) in a pregnant rat model system and investigated primary uterine artery function in response to vasoconstrictors and vasodilators utilizing wire myography. RESULTS Alcohol (peak blood alcohol concentration, 216 mg/dl) produced uterine vascular dysfunction. Alcohol did not produce altered uterine vascular reactivity to α1 adrenergic agonist phenylephrine or the prostanoid thromboxane. However, alcohol specifically impaired acetylcholine (ACh)-mediated uterine artery vasodilation but exogenous endothelium-independent vasodilators like sodium nitroprusside exhibited no alcohol effect; ACh significantly decreased vessel relaxation (p = 0.003; ↓pD2 [negative log molar ACh concentration producing the half maximum response], -7.004 ± 0.215 vs. -6.310 ± 0.208; EMax [maximal ACh response], 92% vs. 75%). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that moderate alcohol exposure impairs uterine vascular function in pregnant mothers. Alcohol specifically impairs agonist-induced uterine artery vasodilation. In summary, the maternal uterine compartment may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of FASD. Thus, the mechanistic targets of alcohol at the level of both the mother and the fetus need to be considered in order to develop effective therapeutic treatment strategies for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaviarasan Subramanian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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Prenatal ethanol exposure disrupts intraneocortical circuitry, cortical gene expression, and behavior in a mouse model of FASD. J Neurosci 2014; 33:18893-905. [PMID: 24285895 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3721-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In utero ethanol exposure from a mother's consumption of alcoholic beverages impacts brain and cognitive development, creating a range of deficits in the child (Levitt, 1998; Lebel et al., 2012). Children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are often born with facial dysmorphology and may exhibit cognitive, behavioral, and motor deficits from ethanol-related neurobiological damage in early development. Prenatal ethanol exposure (PrEE) is the number one cause of preventable mental and intellectual dysfunction globally, therefore the neurobiological underpinnings warrant systematic research. We document novel anatomical and gene expression abnormalities in the neocortex of newborn mice exposed to ethanol in utero. This is the first study to demonstrate large-scale changes in intraneocortical connections and disruption of normal patterns of neocortical gene expression in any prenatal ethanol exposure animal model. Neuroanatomical defects and abnormal neocortical RZRβ, Id2, and Cadherin8 expression patterns are observed in PrEE newborns, and abnormal behavior is present in 20-d-old PrEE mice. The vast network of neocortical connections is responsible for high-level sensory and motor processing as well as complex cognitive thought and behavior in humans. Disruptions to this network from PrEE-related changes in gene expression may underlie some of the cognitive-behavioral phenotypes observed in children with FASD.
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Jégou S, El Ghazi F, de Lendeu PK, Marret S, Laudenbach V, Uguen A, Marcorelles P, Roy V, Laquerrière A, Gonzalez BJ. Prenatal alcohol exposure affects vasculature development in the neonatal brain. Ann Neurol 2013; 72:952-60. [PMID: 23280843 DOI: 10.1002/ana.23699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2011] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In humans, antenatal alcohol exposure elicits various developmental disorders, in particular in the brain. Numerous studies focus on the deleterious effects of alcohol on neural cells. Although recent studies suggest that alcohol can affect angiogenesis in adults, the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on brain microvasculature remains poorly understood. METHODS We used a mouse model to investigate effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the cortical microvascular network in vivo and ex vivo and the action of alcohol, glutamate, and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) on activity, plasticity, and survival of microvessels. We used quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, calcimetry, and videomicroscopy. We characterized the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on the cortical microvascular network in human controls and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)/partial FAS (pFAS) patients at different developmental stages. RESULTS In mice, prenatal alcohol exposure induced a reduction of cortical vascular density, loss of the radial orientation of microvessels, and altered expression of VEGF receptors. Time-lapse experiments performed on brain slices revealed that ethanol inhibited glutamate-induced calcium mobilization in endothelial cells, affected plasticity, and promoted death of microvessels. These effects were prevented by VEGF. In humans, we evidenced a stage-dependent alteration of the vascular network in the cortices of fetuses with pFAS/FAS. Whereas no modification was observed from gestational week 20 (WG20) to WG22, the radial organization of cortical microvessels was clearly altered in pFAS/FAS patients from WG30 to WG38. INTERPRETATION Prenatal alcohol exposure affects cortical angiogenesis both in mice and in pFAS/FAS patients, suggesting that vascular defects contribute to alcohol-induced brain abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Jégou
- Region-INSERM Team, ERI28, Laboratory of Microvascular Endothelium and Neonate Brain Lesions, IRIB, Normandy University, Rouen, France
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Hutson JR, Lubetsky A, Eichhorst J, Hackmon R, Koren G, Kapur BM. Adverse placental effect of formic acid on hCG secretion is mitigated by folic acid. Alcohol Alcohol 2013; 48:283-7. [PMID: 23408242 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agt008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Formic acid has recently been detected in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood of infants born to alcohol abusing mothers. This toxic metabolite of methanol requires folate for detoxification. We hypothesized that formic acid produced in the maternal circulation will transfer across the placenta and will be toxic to the placenta. Our objectives were, first, to determine whether formic acid transfers across the human placenta and whether it is toxic to the placenta and second, to determine whether folate can decrease transplacental transfer of formic acid and mitigate toxicity. METHODS Dual perfusion of a single placental lobule ex vivo was used to characterize the transfer of formic acid across the placenta. After a 1-h control period, formic acid (2 mM) was introduced into the maternal circulation with (n = 4) or without folate (1 µM) (n = 4) and was allowed to equilibrate for 3 h. RESULTS Formic acid transferred rapidly from the maternal to the fetal circulation, and transfer was not altered with the addition of folate. Compared with the control period, there was a significant decrease in hCG secretion (P = 0.03) after addition of formic acid. The addition of folic acid to the perfusate mitigated the decrease in hCG. CONCLUSIONS Formic acid rapidly transfers across the placenta and thus has the potential to be toxic to the developing fetus. Formic acid decreases hCG secretion in the placenta, which may alter steroidogenesis and differentiation of the cytotrophoblasts, and this adverse effect can be mitigated by folate.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Hutson
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
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Lee SA, Ding C. The dysfunctional placenta epigenome: causes and consequences. Epigenomics 2012; 4:561-9. [DOI: 10.2217/epi.12.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta is a fetal–maternal endocrine organ responsible for ensuring proper fetal development throughout pregnancy. Adverse insults to the intrauterine environment often lead to expression level changes in placental genes, many of which are epigenetically regulated by DNA methylation, histone modifications and ncRNA interference. These epigenetic alterations may cause placental dysfunction, resulting in offspring of low birthweight owing to adverse pregnancy complications such as intrauterine growth restriction. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between low birthweight and increased risk of developing metabolic diseases and neurological imbalances in adulthood, and in subsequent generations, indicating that epigenetic regulation of gene expression can be propagated stably with long-term effects on health. This article provides an overview of the various environmental factors capable of inducing detrimental changes to the placental epigenome, as well as the corresponding mechanisms that prime the offspring for onset of disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue-Ann Lee
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), Brenner Center for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609
| | - Chunming Ding
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), Brenner Center for Molecular Medicine, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117609
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Ramadoss J, Magness RR. Alcohol-induced alterations in maternal uterine endothelial proteome: a quantitative iTRAQ mass spectrometric approach. Reprod Toxicol 2012; 34:538-44. [PMID: 22960358 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2012.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To quantitate alcohol-induced alterations in the maternal uterine endothelial proteome utilizing iTRAQ-based mass spectrometry. STUDY DESIGN Uterine artery endothelial cells from third trimester pregnant ewes were FAC sorted, validated and treated without or with binge-like alcohol. Lysates were trypsin digested, iTRAQ-labeled, and analyzed using nano LC MS/MS. RESULTS Alcohol significantly upregulated 14 and downregulated 17 proteins (P<0.05) including those related to cell structure, transcription/translation regulation, histones, Ca(2+)/NO, and redox balance. Gene Ontology and ArrayTrack analyses revealed alterations to protein processing, binding, and nutrient metabolism pathways. Further, alcohol altered proteins previously correlated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and those that regulate epigenetic, transcriptional, and translational processes. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol differentially alters the proteome in the maternal uterine compartment at the level of the endothelium. iTRAQ mass spectrometry provides a robust high throughput platform to comprehend the multi-mechanistic actions of alcohol and develop appropriate biomarkers and ameliorative measures for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanth Ramadoss
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
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Ramadoss J, Magness RR. Multiplexed digital quantification of binge-like alcohol-mediated alterations in maternal uterine angiogenic mRNA transcriptome. Physiol Genomics 2012; 44:622-8. [PMID: 22535877 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00009.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic studies on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have utilized either genome-wide microarrays/bioinformatics or targeted real-time PCR (RT-PCR). We utilized herein for the first time a novel digital approach with high throughput as well as the capability to focus on one physiological system. The aim of the present study was to investigate alcohol-induced alterations in uterine angiogenesis-related mRNA abundance using digital mRNA technology. Four biological and three technical replicates of uterine arterial endothelial cells from third-trimester ewes were fluorescence-activated cell sorted, validated, and treated without or with binge-like alcohol. A capture probe covalently bound to an oligonucleotide containing biotin and a color-coded reporter probe were designed for 85 angiogenesis-related genes and analyzed with the Nanostring nCounter system. Twenty genes were downregulated (↓) and two upregulated (↑), including angiogenic growth factors/receptors (↓placental growth factor), adhesion molecules (↓angiopoietin-like-3; ↓collagen-18A1; ↓endoglin), proteases/matrix proteins/inhibitors (↓alanyl aminopeptidase; ↓collagen-4A3; ↓heparanase; ↓plasminogen, ↑plasminogen activator urokinase; ↓platelet factor-4; ↓plexin domain containing-1; ↓tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3), transcription/signaling molecules (↓heart and neural crest derivatives-2; ↓DNA-binding protein inhibitor; ↓NOTCH-4; ↓ribosomal protein-L13a1; ↓ribosomal protein large-P1), cytokines/chemokines (↓interleukin-1B), and miscellaneous growth factors (↓leptin; ↓platelet-derived growth factor-α); ↓transforming growth factor (TGF-α; ↑TGF-β receptor-1). These novel data show significant detrimental alcohol effects on genes controlling angiogenesis supporting a mechanistic role for abnormal uteroplacental vascular development in FASD. The tripartite digital gene expression system is therefore a valuable tool to answer many additional questions about FASD from both mechanistic as well as ameliorative perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanth Ramadoss
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA.
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Bosco C, Diaz E. Placental Hypoxia and Foetal Development Versus Alcohol Exposure in Pregnancy. Alcohol Alcohol 2012; 47:109-17. [DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agr166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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Feasibility of Medaka (Oryzias latipes) as an Animal Model to Study Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. ADVANCES IN MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY VOLUME 6 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-59389-4.00003-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Ramadoss J, Magness RR. 2-D DIGE uterine endothelial proteomic profile for maternal chronic binge-like alcohol exposure. J Proteomics 2011; 74:2986-94. [PMID: 21839868 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2011.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2011] [Revised: 07/15/2011] [Accepted: 07/25/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about alcohol effects on the utero-placental compartment during pregnancy. For the first time, we utilized 2-D DIGE quantitative proteomics to evaluate the role of the uterus in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) pathogenesis. Uterine artery endothelial cells were isolated from pregnant ewes, FAC sorted, validated, and maintained in culture. To mimic maternal binge drinking patterns, cells were cultured in the absence or presence of alcohol (300 mg/dl) in a compensating sealed humidified chamber system equilibrated with aqueous alcohol for 3 h on 3 consecutive days for two weeks. CyDye switch combined with 2-D DIGE followed by MALDI-TOF and tandem MS/MS were utilized. Validation was performed using Western immunoblot analysis. Chronic binge-like alcohol significantly (P<0.05) decreased 30 proteins and increased 19 others. Gene-enrichment and functional annotation cluster analysis revealed significant enrichment (P<0.05) in three categories: glutathione S transferase, thioredoxin, and vesicle transport-related. Furthermore, alcohol differentially altered proteins with certain isoforms being downregulated while others were upregulated. In summary, binge alcohol has specific effects on the maternal uterine proteome, especially those related to oxidative stress. The current study also demonstrates a great need to utilize proteomic approaches for diagnostic, mechanistic and therapeutic aspects of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayanth Ramadoss
- Perinatal Research Laboratories, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53715, USA.
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Bakhireva LN, Savage DD. Focus on: biomarkers of fetal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol effects. ALCOHOL RESEARCH & HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM 2011; 34:56-63. [PMID: 23580042 PMCID: PMC3860558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
One of the ongoing challenges for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is the difficulty of confirming whether a mother drank during her pregnancy. Commonly used screening questionnaires often are unreliable, and current established biomarkers of alcohol consumption are not sensitive enough for use with many pregnant women. These limitations underscore the critical need to develop novel biomarkers with greater sensitivity for detecting moderate levels of drinking during pregnancy for longer periods of time after the last drinking episode. In addition, developing reliable biomarkers of fetal alcohol effects that can identify children at risk for adverse neurobehavioral outcomes could lead to behavioral interventions earlier in development. The use of animal models of FASD in biomarker development could accelerate progress in this challenging field of research.
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Shukla PK, Sittig LJ, Ullmann TM, Redei EE. Candidate placental biomarkers for intrauterine alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2010; 35:559-65. [PMID: 21143252 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01373.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a leading cause of nongenetic mental retardation and other neurodevelopmental deficits. Earlier diagnosis of FASD would greatly improve prognosis for individuals and families affected by this disorder. Here, we identify candidate placental biomarkers in an animal model of FASD that recapitulates many aspects of human FASD. METHODS Pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) females were assigned to 1 of 3 diet groups on gestation day 8 (G8): Ethanol (E), Pair-fed (PF) or Control (C). E dams received ethanol-containing liquid diet and PF dams received isocaloric liquid diet in an amount that matched the paired E dam's diet consumption the previous day. Control dams received laboratory chow and water ad libitum. Whole placentae from individual fetuses were collected on gestational day 21 (G21) for analyses. Western blotting and quantitative real-time RT-PCR were used to measure protein and mRNA levels of placental iodothyronine deiodinase III (Dio3), thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Placental mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf-2), pleckstrin homology-like domain family A member 2 (Phlda2), and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1C (Cdkn1c) were also measured. RESULTS Placental protein and mRNA levels from ethanol (E)-consuming dams showed the following changes: increased Dio3, decreased TRα1, and decreased GR compared to both C and PF dams. Placental mRNA levels of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) markers Igf-2, Phlda2, and Cdkn1c were altered similarly in PF and E dams. CONCLUSIONS We propose the specific pattern of increased Dio3 and decreased TRα1 and GR protein levels in the placenta as selective biomarker for intrauterine alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep K Shukla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Asher Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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