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Heidari N, Hajikarim-Hamedani A, Heidari A, Ghane Y, Ashabi G, Zarrindast MR, Sadat-Shirazi MS. Alcohol: Epigenome alteration and inter/transgenerational effect. Alcohol 2024; 117:27-41. [PMID: 38508286 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
While DNA serves as the fundamental genetic blueprint for an organism, it is not a static entity. Gene expression, the process by which genetic information is utilized to create functional products like proteins, can be modulated by a diverse range of environmental factors. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNAs, play a pivotal role in mediating the intricate interplay between the environment and gene expression. Intriguingly, alterations in the epigenome have the potential to be inherited across generations. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) poses significant health issues worldwide. Alcohol has the capability to induce changes in the epigenome, which can be inherited by offspring, thus impacting them even in the absence of direct alcohol exposure. This review delves into the impact of alcohol on the epigenome, examining how its effects vary based on factors such as the age of exposure (adolescence or adulthood), the duration of exposure (chronic or acute), and the specific sample collected (brain, blood, or sperm). The literature underscores that alcohol exposure can elicit diverse effects on the epigenome during different life stages. Furthermore, compelling evidence from human and animal studies demonstrates that alcohol induces alterations in epigenome content, affecting both the brain and blood. Notably, rodent studies suggest that these epigenetic changes can result in lasting phenotype alterations that extend across at least two generations. In conclusion, the comprehensive literature analysis supports the notion that alcohol exposure induces lasting epigenetic alterations, influencing the behavior and health of future generations. This knowledge emphasizes the significance of addressing the potential transgenerational effects of alcohol and highlights the importance of preventive measures to minimize the adverse impact on offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazila Heidari
- School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Amirhossein Heidari
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yekta Ghane
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghorbangol Ashabi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Zarrindast
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Rice RC, Gil DV, Baratta AM, Frawley RR, Hill SY, Farris SP, Homanics GE. Inter- and transgenerational heritability of preconception chronic stress or alcohol exposure: Translational outcomes in brain and behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100603. [PMID: 38234394 PMCID: PMC10792982 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress and alcohol (ethanol) use are highly interrelated and can change an individual's behavior through molecular adaptations that do not change the DNA sequence, but instead change gene expression. A recent wealth of research has found that these nongenomic changes can be transmitted across generations, which could partially account for the "missing heritability" observed in genome-wide association studies of alcohol use disorder and other stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we summarize the molecular and behavioral outcomes of nongenomic inheritance of chronic stress and ethanol exposure and the germline mechanisms that could give rise to this heritability. In doing so, we outline the need for further research to: (1) Investigate individual germline mechanisms of paternal, maternal, and biparental nongenomic chronic stress- and ethanol-related inheritance; (2) Synthesize and dissect cross-generational chronic stress and ethanol exposure; (3) Determine cross-generational molecular outcomes of preconception ethanol exposure that contribute to alcohol-related disease risk, using cancer as an example. A detailed understanding of the cross-generational nongenomic effects of stress and/or ethanol will yield novel insight into the impact of ancestral perturbations on disease risk across generations and uncover actionable targets to improve human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Rice
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniela V. Gil
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Annalisa M. Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Remy R. Frawley
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shirley Y. Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sean P. Farris
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregg E. Homanics
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Zheng Q, Wang H, Yan A, Yin F, Qiao X. DNA Methylation in Alcohol Use Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10130. [PMID: 37373281 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive drinking damages the central nervous system of individuals and can even cause alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. Genes determine susceptibility to alcohol, and the dysregulation of epigenome drives the abnormal transcription program and promotes the occurrence and development of AUD. DNA methylation is one of the earliest and most widely studied epigenetic mechanisms that can be inherited stably. In ontogeny, DNA methylation pattern is a dynamic process, showing differences and characteristics at different stages. DNA dysmethylation is prevalent in human cancer and alcohol-related psychiatric disorders, resulting in local hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of related genes. Here, we summarize recent findings on the roles and regulatory mechanisms of DNA methylation, the development of methyltransferase inhibitors, methylation alteration during alcohol exposure at different stages of life, and possible therapeutic options for targeting methylation in human and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmeng Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Heng Wang
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - An Yan
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fangyuan Yin
- School of Medicine, College of Forensic Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaomeng Qiao
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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Jarczak J, Miszczak M, Radwanska K. Is DNA methylation in the brain a mechanism of alcohol use disorder? Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:957203. [PMID: 36778133 PMCID: PMC9908583 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.957203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a worldwide problem. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms of alcohol misuse are still poorly understood, therefore successful therapeutic approaches are limited. Accumulating data indicate that the tendency for compulsive alcohol use is inherited, suggesting a genetic background as an important factor. However, the probability to develop AUD is also affected by life experience and environmental factors. Therefore, the epigenetic modifications that are altered over lifetime likely contribute to increased risk of alcohol misuse. Here, we review the literature looking for the link between DNA methylation in the brain, a common epigenetic modification, and AUD-related behaviors in humans, mice and rats. We sum up the main findings, identify the existing gaps in our knowledge and indicate future directions of the research.
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Fioravante VC, Godoi AR, Camargo VMDB, Pinheiro PFF, Martinez M, Padovani CR, Martinez FE. Low and high postpubertal ethanol use: damage on adulthood reproduction and offspring. REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9422253 DOI: 10.1530/raf-22-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Graphical abstract
Abstract The relationship between adolescent ethanol uses and its impacts throughout life are not conclusive. Thus, we evaluated if the low and high consumption of ethanol at postpuberty interferes with the reproduction and ethanol-naive offspring and if the effects are dose-related. Female and male rats were divided into three groups: low drinker (L), high drinker (H) and control (C). The L and H groups were exposed to ethanol up to 10 % from 65 to 80 days with withdrawal after this period. The ethanol consumed by low drinkers was 1.41 ± 0.21 g/kg/day and by high drinkers 4.59 ± 0.45 g/kg/day. The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase verified the reproductive capacity in adulthood on generations (litter size and sex ratio). Data were collected over 10 years. The second phase analyzed the parent reproductive parameters (body weight, reproductive organ weight, sperm parameters and estrous cycle) and the pup development. We observed a reduced litter size in both drinker groups. Gestational body weight gain and feed consumption were lower in L and H. We observed an alteration in reproductive organs weight in both sexes of H. Females presented a longer estrous cycle duration. Males presented an increase in abnormal sperm, a decrease in sperm count and accelerated transit time. The ethanol-naive offspring development was also impaired. We conclude that low and high postpubertal alcohol use impairs long-term reproductive parameters, even after alcohol withdrawal. There is also impaired ethanol-naive offspring. Besides, the effects are dose-related. Lay summary The effects of alcohol use have been reported in several studies. However, better knowledge about early alcohol use and its impact on reproduction in adulthood, after abstinence and on ethanol-naive offspring could help improve preventive measures and mechanisms of action. One of the methods used was retrospective analysis which allows to evaluate the effects of postpubertal ethanol use on the reproductive capacity of rats over generations. Despite our limitations, we verified that the post-adolescent period acts as a susceptibility window, and lifestyle at this age modulates the long-term reproductive parameters. The early ethanol use impairs reproduction function since sperm parameters and the estrous cycle have been altered. The dose of alcohol also contributes to damage on the drinkers’ reproduction and on the physical development of ethanol-naive offspring. Future studies are necessary to identify the mechanism involved in long-term alcohol use effects, even in withdrawal, as well as ethanol-naive offspring outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Caroline Fioravante
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alana Rezende Godoi
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Victória Mokarzel de Barros Camargo
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patricia Fernanda Felipe Pinheiro
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Martinez
- Department of Morphology and Pathology, Univ Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Carlos Roberto Padovani
- Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco Eduardo Martinez
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu (IBB), UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
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Konkov VG, Kudrin VS, Narkevich VB, Efimova AO, Nikiforova TD, Kolik LG. Neurochemical Changes in the Insular Cortex and Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Intact Males and Females of the First Generation of Rats Exposed to Chronic Ethanol Consumption. NEUROCHEM J+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712422010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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7
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Varela RB, Cararo JH, Tye SJ, Carvalho AF, Valvassori SS, Fries GR, Quevedo J. Contributions of epigenetic inheritance to the predisposition of major psychiatric disorders: theoretical framework, evidence, and implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104579. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Wu L, Zhang Y, Ren J. Epigenetic modification in alcohol use disorder and alcoholic cardiomyopathy: From pathophysiology to therapeutic opportunities. Metabolism 2021; 125:154909. [PMID: 34627873 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2021.154909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption prompts detrimental psychological, pathophysiological and health issues, representing one of the major causes of death worldwide. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is characterized by compulsive alcohol intake and loss of control over alcohol usage, arises from a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. More importantly, long-term abuse of alcohol is often tied with unfavorable cardiac remodeling and contractile alterations, a cadre of cardiac responses collectively known as alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM). Recent evidence has denoted a pivotal role for ethanol-triggered epigenetic modifications, the interface between genome and environmental cues, in the organismal and cellular responses to ethanol exposure. To-date, three major epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA-based mechanisms) have been identified for the onset and development of AUD and ACM. Importantly, these epigenetic changes induced by alcohol may be detectable in the blood, thus offering diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic promises of epigenetic markers for AUD and alcoholic complications. In addition, several epigenetic drugs have shown efficacies in the management of alcohol abuse, loss of control for alcohol usage, relapse, drinking-related anxiety and behavior in withdrawal. In this context, medications targeting epigenetic modifications may hold promises for pharmaceutical management of AUD and ACM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wu
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yingmei Zhang
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jun Ren
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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9
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Brocato E, Wolstenholme JT. Neuroepigenetic consequences of adolescent ethanol exposure. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 160:45-84. [PMID: 34696879 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical developmental period characterized by ongoing brain maturation processes including myelination and synaptic pruning. Adolescents experience heightened reward sensitivity, sensation seeking, impulsivity, and diminished inhibitory self-control, which contribute to increased participation in risky behaviors, including the initiation of alcohol use. Ethanol exposure in adolescence alters memory and cognition, anxiety-like behavior, and ethanol sensitivity as well as brain myelination and dendritic spine morphology, with effects lasting into adulthood. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic modifications may explain these lasting effects. Focusing on the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, we review studies investigating the epigenetic consequences of adolescent ethanol exposure. Ethanol metabolism globally increases donor substrates for histone acetylation and histone and DNA methylation, and this chapter discusses how this can further impact epigenetic programming of the adolescent brain. Elucidation of the mechanisms through which ethanol can alter the epigenetic code at specific transcripts may provide therapeutic targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Brocato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Jennifer T Wolstenholme
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU-Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States.
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10
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Demery-Poulos C, Chambers JM. Genetic variation in alcoholism and opioid addiction susceptibility and treatment: a pharmacogenomic approach. AIMS MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3934/molsci.2021016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
<abstract>
<p>Alcohol and opioid abuse have pervasive and detrimental consequences from the individual to societal level. The extent of genetic contribution to alcoholism has been studied for decades, yielding speculative and often inconsistent results since the previous discovery of two pharmacokinetic variants strongly protective against alcoholism. The neurobiology of addiction involves innumerate genes with combinatorial and epistatic interactions, creating a difficult landscape for concrete conclusions. In contrast, pharmacogenomic variation in the treatment of alcoholism yields more immediate clinical utility, while also emphasizing pathways crucial to the progression of addiction. An improved understanding of genetic predisposition to alcohol abuse has inherent significance for opioid addiction and treatment, as the two drugs induce the same reward pathway. This review outlines current knowledge, treatments, and research regarding genetic predisposition to alcoholism, focusing on pharmacodynamic variation within the dopaminergic system and shared implications for opioid abuse. Multifaceted and highly polygenic, the phenotype of addiction seems to grow more complex as new research extends the scope of its impact on the brain, body, and progeny.</p>
</abstract>
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11
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Salmanzadeh H, Ahmadi-Soleimani SM, Azadi M, Halliwell RF, Azizi H. Adolescent Substance Abuse, Transgenerational Consequences and Epigenetics. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:1560-1569. [PMID: 33655865 PMCID: PMC8762180 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666210303121519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is the transitional period between childhood and adulthood and a critical period in brain development. Adolescence in humans is also associated with increased expression of risk-taking behaviors. Epidemiological and clinical studies, for example, show a surge of drug abuse and raise the hypothesis that the adolescent brain undergoes critical changes resulting in diminished control. Determining how substance abuse during this critical period might cause longterm neurobiological changes in cognition and behavior is therefore critically important. The present work aims to provide an evaluation of the transgenerational and multi-generational phenotypes derived from parent animals exposed to drugs of abuse only during their adolescence. Specifically, we will consider changes found following the administration of cannabinoids, nicotine, alcohol and opiates. In addition, epigenetic modifications of the genome following drug exposure will be discussed as emerging evidence of the underlying adverse transgenerational effects. Notwithstanding, much of the new data discussed here is from animal models, indicating that future clinical studies are much needed to better understand the neurobiological consequences and mechanisms of drug actions on the human brains' development and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert F. Halliwell
- Address correspondence to this author at the TJ Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA; Tel: +1 (209) 946 2074; E-mail: and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Tel: +98-21-82884587; Fax: +98-21-82884528; E-mail:
| | - Hossein Azizi
- Address correspondence to this author at the TJ Long School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA; Tel: +1 (209) 946 2074; E-mail: and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Tel: +98-21-82884587; Fax: +98-21-82884528; E-mail:
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Marrocco J, Einhorn NR, McEwen BS. Environmental epigenetics of sex differences in the brain. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 175:209-220. [PMID: 33008526 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64123-6.00015-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Experiences throughout the life course lead to unique phenotypes even among those with the same genotype. Genotype sets the substrate on which physiologic processes, which communicate with the brain, mediate the effects of life experiences via epigenetics. Epigenetics modify the expression of genes in the brain and body in response to circulating hormones and other mediators, which are activated to facilitate survival responses through a process called allostasis. Epigenetic signatures can even be inherited, resulting in transgenerational effects. This chapter addresses epigenetics in the context of sex differences, discussing the intersection between genetics and gonadal hormones and their effect in the brain at discrete developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Marrocco
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Nathan R Einhorn
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
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Baratta AM, Rathod RS, Plasil SL, Seth A, Homanics GE. Exposure to drugs of abuse induce effects that persist across generations. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:217-277. [PMID: 33461664 PMCID: PMC8167819 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders are highly prevalent and continue to be one of the leading causes of disability in the world. Notably, not all people who use addictive drugs develop a substance use disorder. Although substance use disorders are highly heritable, patterns of inheritance cannot be explained purely by Mendelian genetic mechanisms. Vulnerability to developing drug addiction depends on the interplay between genetics and environment. Additionally, evidence from the past decade has pointed to the role of epigenetic inheritance in drug addiction. This emerging field focuses on how environmental perturbations, including exposure to addictive drugs, induce epigenetic modifications that are transmitted to the embryo at fertilization and modify developmental gene expression programs to ultimately impact subsequent generations. This chapter highlights intergenerational and transgenerational phenotypes in offspring following a history of parental drug exposure. Special attention is paid to parental preconception exposure studies of five drugs of abuse (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, cannabinoids, and opiates) and associated behavioral and physiological outcomes in offspring. The highlighted studies demonstrate that parental exposure to drugs of abuse has enduring effects that persist into subsequent generations. Understanding the contribution of epigenetic inheritance in drug addiction may provide clues for better treatments and therapies for substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa M Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Richa S Rathod
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Sonja L Plasil
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Amit Seth
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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14
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Mierzejewski P, Zakrzewska A, Kuczyńska J, Wyszogrodzka E, Dominiak M. Intergenerational implications of alcohol intake: metabolic disorders in alcohol-naïve rat offspring. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9886. [PMID: 32974100 PMCID: PMC7489241 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol drinking may be associated with an increased risk of various metabolic diseases. Rat lines selectively bred for alcohol preference and alcohol avoidance constitute an interesting model to study inherited factors related to alcohol drinking and metabolic disorders. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of selected laboratory biomarkers of metabolic disorders in blood samples from naïve offspring of Warsaw alcohol high-preferring (WHP), Warsaw alcohol low-preferring (WLP), and wild Wistar rats. Blood samples were collected from 3-month old (300–350 g) alcohol-naïve, male offspring of WHP (n = 8) and WLP rats (n = 8), as well as alcohol-naïve, male, wild Wistar rats. Markers of metabolic, hepatic, and pancreatic disorders were analysed (levels of homocysteine, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and amylase serum activities). Alcohol-naïve offspring of WHP, WLP, and wild Wistar rats differed significantly in the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, homocysteine, as well as in the activity of GGT, ALT, AST, and amylase enzymes. Most markers in the alcohol-naïve offspring of WHP rats were altered even thought they were never exposed to alcohol pre- or postnatally. This may suggest that parental alcohol abuse can have a detrimental influence on offspring vulnerability to metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Mierzejewski
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Zakrzewska
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julita Kuczyńska
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Edyta Wyszogrodzka
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Dominiak
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
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Salguero A, Suarez A, Luque M, Ruiz-Leyva L, Cendán CM, Morón I, Pautassi RM. Binge-Like, Naloxone-Sensitive, Voluntary Ethanol Intake at Adolescence Is Greater Than at Adulthood, but Does Not Exacerbate Subsequent Two-Bottle Choice Drinking. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:50. [PMID: 32327981 PMCID: PMC7161160 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study assessed the effects of ethanol exposure during adolescence or adulthood. We exposed Wistar rats, males or females, to self-administered 8–10% (v/v) ethanol (BINGE group) during the first 2 h of the dark cycle, three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) during postnatal days (PDs) 32–54 or 72–94 (adolescent and adults, respectively). During this period, controls were only handled, and a third (IP) condition was given ethanol intraperitoneal administrations, three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), at doses that matched those self-administered by the BINGE group. The rats were tested for ethanol intake and preference in a two-bottle (24 h long) choice test, shortly before (PD 30 or 70) and shortly after (PD 56 or 96) exposure to the binge or intraperitoneal protocol; and then tested for free-choice drinking during late adulthood (PDs 120–139) in intermittent two-bottle intake tests. Binge drinking was significantly greater in adolescents vs. adults, and was blocked by naloxone (5.0 mg/kg) administered immediately before the binge session. Mean blood ethanol levels (mg/dl) at termination of binge session 3 were 60.82 ± 22.39. Ethanol exposure at adolescence, but not at adulthood, significantly reduced exploration of an open field-like chamber and significantly increased shelter-seeking behavior in the multivariate concentric square field. The rats that had been initially exposed to ethanol at adolescence drank, during the intake tests conducted at adulthood, significantly more than those that had their first experience with ethanol at adulthood, an effect that was similar among BINGE, IP and control groups. The study indicates that binge ethanol drinking is greater in adolescent that in adults and is associated with heightened ethanol intake at adulthood. Preventing alcohol access to adolescents should reduce the likelihood of problematic alcohol use or alcohol-related consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Salguero
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrea Suarez
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maribel Luque
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - L Ruiz-Leyva
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Biosanitary Research Institute (IBS), University Hospital Complex of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Cruz Miguel Cendán
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Center (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Biosanitary Research Institute (IBS), University Hospital Complex of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ignacio Morón
- Department of Psychobiology and Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Faculty of Psychology, Granada, Spain
| | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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16
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Asimes A, Kim CK, Rao YS, Bartelt K, Pak TR. microRNA Expression Profiles in the Ventral Hippocampus during Pubertal Development and the Impact of Peri-Pubertal Binge Alcohol Exposure. Noncoding RNA 2019; 5:ncrna5010021. [PMID: 30841593 PMCID: PMC6468757 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna5010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is hallmarked by two parallel processes of sexual maturation and adult patterning of the brain. Therefore, adolescence represents a vulnerable postnatal period for neurodevelopment where exogenous factors can negatively impact adult brain function. For example, alcohol exposure during pubertal development can lead to long-term and widespread neurobiological dysfunction and these effects have been shown to persist even in the absence of future alcohol exposure. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating the persistent effects of alcohol are unclear. We propose that dysregulation of microRNAs (miR) could be a unifying epigenetic mechanism underlying these widespread long-term changes. We tested the hypothesis that repeated alcohol exposure during pubertal development would cause disruption of normal miR expression profiles during puberty and, subsequently, their downstream mRNA target genes in the ventral hippocampus using an established rat model of adolescent binge drinking. We found 6 alcohol-sensitive miRs that were all downregulated following alcohol exposure and we also investigated the normal age-dependent changes in those miRs throughout the pubertal period. Interestingly, these miRs were normally decreased throughout the process of puberty, but alcohol prematurely exacerbated the normal decline in miR expression levels. The work presented herein provides foundational knowledge about the expression patterns of miRs during this critical period of neurodevelopment. Further, this regulation of miR and mRNA expression by alcohol exposure presents a complex regulatory mechanism by which perturbation in this time-sensitive period could lead to long-term neurological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnaDorothea Asimes
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Chun K Kim
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Yathindar S Rao
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Kyle Bartelt
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Toni R Pak
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
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17
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De Sa Nogueira D, Merienne K, Befort K. Neuroepigenetics and addictive behaviors: Where do we stand? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 106:58-72. [PMID: 30205119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 07/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorders involve long-term changes in the brain that lead to compulsive drug seeking, craving, and a high probability of relapse. Recent findings have highlighted the role of epigenetic regulations in controlling chromatin access and regulation of gene expression following exposure to drugs of abuse. In the present review, we focus on data investigating genome-wide epigenetic modifications in the brain of addicted patients or in rodent models exposed to drugs of abuse, with a particular focus on DNA methylation and histone modifications associated with transcriptional studies. We highlight critical factors for epigenomic studies in addiction. We discuss new findings related to psychostimulants, alcohol, opiate, nicotine and cannabinoids. We examine the possible transmission of these changes across generations. We highlight developing tools, specifically those that allow investigation of structural reorganization of the chromatin. These have the potential to increase our understanding of alteration of chromatin architecture at gene regulatory regions. Neuroepigenetic mechanisms involved in addictive behaviors could explain persistent phenotypic effects of drugs and, in particular, vulnerability to relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- David De Sa Nogueira
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Team 3 « Abuse of Drugs and Neuroadaptations », Faculté de Psychologie, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Team 1 « Dynamics of Memory and Epigenetics », Faculté de Psychologie, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, France
| | - Katia Befort
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Team 3 « Abuse of Drugs and Neuroadaptations », Faculté de Psychologie, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, France.
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18
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Asimes A, Kim CK, Cuarenta A, Auger AP, Pak TR. Binge Drinking and Intergenerational Implications: Parental Preconception Alcohol Impacts Offspring Development in Rats. J Endocr Soc 2018; 2:672-686. [PMID: 29946576 PMCID: PMC6014138 DOI: 10.1210/js.2018-00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Preconception behaviors and experiences of mothers and fathers can affect future offspring. Recently, our laboratory showed that alcohol-naive offspring of parents who were exposed to repeated binge alcohol during adolescence showed altered DNA methylation patterns in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in regulation of pubertal development, stress, and behavior. These observations have potentially far-reaching consequences for human health, as more than 4.6 million Americans under the age of 21 years report engaging in the rapid intoxication behavior of binge-pattern alcohol (EtOH) drinking. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that offspring of binge EtOH‒exposed parents would have altered hypothalamic function manifested phenotypically as improper pubertal development, impaired socialization, and dysregulated stress response. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that parental EtOH exposure would confer adaptive protection from the negative effects of EtOH when offspring were themselves exposed to EtOH. Rats received EtOH via oral gavage once daily for 6 days at both early [postnatal day (PND) 37] and late puberty (PND 67). Animals were paired (EtOH-EtOH, vehicle-vehicle) for mating 24 hours after the last EtOH dose. After weaning, offspring were randomized to vehicle treatment to assess changes in normal development or to EtOH treatment to assess the effect of parental EtOH exposure on offspring response to this treatment. We found that offspring had smaller body weights and displayed fewer play behaviors when parents had been exposed to EtOH before conception. In addition, offspring showed a reduction in pubertal development markers that could indicate that parental preconception EtOH exposure confers maladaptive epigenetic traits in first-generation offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnaDorothea Asimes
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Chun K Kim
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Amelia Cuarenta
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin‒Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Anthony P Auger
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin‒Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Toni R Pak
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
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19
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Knopik VS, Marceau K, Bidwell LC, Rolan E. Prenatal substance exposure and offspring development: Does DNA methylation play a role? Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 71:50-63. [PMID: 29408446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The period of in utero development is one of the most critical windows during which adverse conditions and exposures may influence the growth and development of the fetus as well as its future postnatal health and behavior. Maternal substance use during pregnancy remains a relatively common but nonetheless hazardous in utero exposure. For example, previous epidemiological studies have associated prenatal substance exposure with reduced birth weight, poor developmental and psychological outcomes, and increased risk for diseases and behavioral disorders (e.g., externalizing behaviors like ADHD, conduct disorder, and substance use) later in life. Researchers are now learning that many of the mechanisms whereby adverse in utero exposures may affect key pathways crucial for proper fetal growth and development are epigenetic in nature, with the majority of work in humans considering DNA methylation specifically. This review will explore the research to date on epigenetic alterations tied to maternal substance use during pregnancy and will also discuss the possible role of DNA methylation in the robust relationship between maternal substance use and later behavioral and developmental sequelae in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie S Knopik
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Kristine Marceau
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - L Cinnamon Bidwell
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Emily Rolan
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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20
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Zhang D, Jing H, Dou C, Zhang L, Wu X, Wu Q, Song H, Li D, Wu F, Liu Y, Li W, Wang R. Supplement of Betaine into Embryo Culture Medium Can Rescue Injury Effect of Ethanol on Mouse Embryo Development. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1761. [PMID: 29379082 PMCID: PMC5789050 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20175-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammal embryos can be impaired by mother’s excessive ethanol uptake, which induces a higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interferes in one carbon unit metabolism. Here, our analysis by in vitro culture system reveals immediate effect of ethanol in medium on mouse embryo development presents concentration dependent. A preimplantation embryo culture using medium contained 1% ethanol could impact greatly early embryos development, and harmful effect of ethanol on preimplantation embryos would last during the whole development period including of reducing ratio of blastocyst formation and implantation, and deteriorating postimplantation development. Supplement of 50 μg/ml betaine into culture medium can effectively reduce the level of ROS caused by ethanol in embryo cells and rescue embryo development at each stage damaged by ethanol, but supplement of glycine can’t rescue embryo development as does betaine. Results of 5-methylcytosine immunodetection indicate that supplement of betaine into medium can reduce the rising global level of genome DNA methylation in blastocyst cells caused by 1% ethanol, but glycine can’t play the same impact. The current findings demonstrate that betaine can effectively rescue development of embryos harmed by ethanol, and possibly by restoring global level of genome DNA methylation in blastocysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China. .,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China.
| | - Huaijiang Jing
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Changfeng Dou
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wu
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Qingqing Wu
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Haoyang Song
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Dengkun Li
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Fengrui Wu
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Yong Liu
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Wenyong Li
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China.,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China
| | - Rong Wang
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Teachers College, Fuyang, 236037, China. .,Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation in Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, China.
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21
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Mahnke AH, Miranda RC, Homanics GE. Epigenetic mediators and consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol 2017; 60:1-6. [PMID: 28395929 PMCID: PMC5439216 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.02.357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States.
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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22
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Parira T, Laverde A, Agudelo M. Epigenetic Interactions between Alcohol and Cannabinergic Effects: Focus on Histone Modification and DNA Methylation. JOURNAL OF ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDENCE 2017; 5:259. [PMID: 28730160 PMCID: PMC5515243 DOI: 10.4172/2329-6488.1000259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic studies have led to a more profound understanding of the mechanisms involved in chronic conditions. In the case of alcohol addiction, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 16 million adults suffer from Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs). Even though therapeutic interventions like behavioral therapy and medications to prevent relapse are currently available, no robust cure exists, which stems from the lack of understanding the mechanisms of action of alcohol and the lack of development of precision medicine approaches to treat AUDs. Another common group of addictive substance, cannabinoids, have been studied extensively to reveal they work through cannabinoid receptors. Therapeutic applications have been found for the cannabinoids and a deeper understanding of the endocannabinoid system has been gained over the years. Recent reports of cannabinergic mechanisms in AUDs has opened an exciting realm of research that seeks to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of alcohol-induced end organ diseases and hopefully provide insight into new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AUDs. To date, several epigenetic mechanisms have been associated with alcohol and cannabinoids independently. Therefore, the scope of this review is to compile the most recent literature regarding alcohol and cannabinoids in terms of a possible epigenetic connection between the endocannabinoid system and alcohol effects. First, we will provide an overview of epigenetics, followed by an overview of alcohol and epigenetic mechanisms with an emphasis on histone modifications and DNA methylations. Then, we will provide an overview of cannabinoids and epigenetic mechanisms. Lastly, we will discuss evidence of interactions between alcohol and cannabinergic pathways and possible insights into the novel epigenetic mechanisms underlying alcohol-cannabinergic pathway activity. Finalizing the review will be a discussion of future directions and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiyash Parira
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, FL 33199, USA
| | - Alejandra Laverde
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, FL 33199, USA
| | - Marisela Agudelo
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, FL 33199, USA
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23
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Jimenez VA, Grant KA. Studies using macaque monkeys to address excessive alcohol drinking and stress interactions. Neuropharmacology 2017; 122:127-135. [PMID: 28347838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The use of non-human primates (NHPs) in studies of volitional, oral self-administration of alcohol can help address the complex interplay between stress and excessive alcohol consumption. There are aspects to brain, endocrine and behavior of NHPs, particularly macaques, that provide a critical translational link towards understanding the risks and consequences of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in humans. These include wide individual differences in escalating daily alcohol intake, accurate measures of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormonal interactions, neuroanatomical specificity of synaptic adaptations to chronic alcohol, genetic similarities to humans, and the ability to conduct in vivo brain imaging. When placed in a framework that alcohol addiction is a sequence of dysregulations in motivational circuitry associated with severity of AUD, the NHP can provide within-subject information on both risks for and consequences of repeatedly drinking to intoxication. Notably, long-term adaptations in neurocircuitry that mediate behavioral reinforcement, stress responses and executive functions are possible with NHPs. We review here the substantial progress made using NHPs to address the complex relationship between alcohol and stress as risk factors and consequences of daily drinking to intoxication. This review also highlights areas where future studies of brain and HPA axis adaptations are needed to better understand the mechanisms involved in stress leading to excessive alcohol consumption. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "Alcoholism".
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A Jimenez
- Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Portland, OR, USA; Oregon National Primate Research Center, Division of Neuroscience, Beaverton, OR, USA.
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