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Bornbusch SL, Shinnerl HE, Gentry L, Keady MM, Glick V, Muletz-Wolz CR, Power ML. Local environment shapes milk microbiomes while evolutionary history constrains milk macronutrients in captive cercopithecine primates. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16664. [PMID: 38830671 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16664] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Milk is a complex biochemical fluid that includes macronutrients and microbiota, which, together, are known to facilitate infant growth, mediate the colonization of infant microbiomes, and promote immune development. Examining factors that shape milk microbiomes and milk-nutrient interplay across host taxa is critical to resolving the evolution of the milk environment. Using a comparative approach across four cercopithecine primate species housed at three facilities under similar management conditions, we test for the respective influences of the local environment (housing facility) and host species on milk (a) macronutrients (fat, sugar, and protein), (b) microbiomes (16S rRNA), and (c) predicted microbial functions. We found that milk macronutrients were structured according to host species, while milk microbiomes and predicted function were strongly shaped by the local environment and, to a lesser extent, host species. The milk microbiomes of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at two different facilities more closely resembled those of heterospecific facility-mates compared to conspecifics at a different facility. We found similar, facility-driven patterns of microbial functions linked to physiology and immune modulation, suggesting that milk microbiomes may influence infant health and development. These results provide novel insight into the complexity of milk and its potential impact on infants across species and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally L Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hannah E Shinnerl
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lindsey Gentry
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mia M Keady
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Virginia Glick
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard University, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carly R Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Michael L Power
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Power ML, Muletz-Wolz CR, Bornbusch SL. Microbiome: Mammalian milk microbiomes: sources of diversity, potential functions, and future research directions. REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY 2024; 5:e230056. [PMID: 38513351 PMCID: PMC11046322 DOI: 10.1530/raf-23-0056] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Graphical abstract Abstract Milk is an ancient, fundamental mammalian adaptation that provides nutrition and biochemical communication to offspring. Microbiomes have been detected in milk of all species studied to date. In this review, we discuss: (a) routes by which microbes may enter milk; (b) evidence for proposed milk microbiome adaptive functions; (c) variation in milk microbiomes across mammals; and (d) future research directions, including suggestions for how to address outstanding questions on the viability and functionality of milk microbiomes. Milk microbes may be sourced from the maternal gastrointestinal tract, oral, skin, and mammary gland microbiomes and from neonatal oral and skin microbiomes. Given the variety of microbial sources, stochastic processes strongly influence milk microbiome assembly, but milk microbiomes appear to be influenced by maternal evolutionary history, diet, environment, and milk nutrients. Milk microbes have been proposed to colonize the neonatal intestinal tract and produce gene and metabolic products that influence physiology, metabolism, and immune system development. Limited epidemiological data indicate that early-life exposure to milk microbes can result in positive, long-term health outcomes. Milk microbiomes can be modified by dietary changes including providing the mother with probiotics and prebiotics. Milk replacers (i.e. infant formula) may benefit from supplementation with probiotics and prebiotics, but data are lacking on probiotics' usefulness, and supplementation should be evidence based. Overall, milk microbiome literature outside of human and model systems is scarce. We highlight the need for mechanistic studies in model species paired with comparative studies across mammals to further our understanding of mammalian milk microbiome evolution. A broader study of milk microbiomes has the potential to inform animal care with relevance to ex situ endangered species. Lay summary Milk is an ancient adaptation that supports the growth and development of mammalian neonates and infants. Beyond its fundamental nutritional function, milk influences all aspects of neonatal development, especially immune function. All kinds of milks so far studied have contained a milk microbiome. In this review, we focus on what is known about the collection of bacterial members found in milk microbiomes. Milk microbiomes include members sourced from maternal and infant microbiomes and they appear to be influenced by maternal evolutionary history, diet, milk nutrients, and environment, as well as by random chance. Once a neonate begins nursing, microbes from milk colonize their gut and produce byproducts that influence their physiology, metabolism, and immune development. Empirical data on milk microbiomes outside of humans and model systems are sparse. Greater study of milk microbiomes across mammals will expand our understanding of mammalian evolution and improve the health of animals under human care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Power
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Carly R Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sally L Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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do Amaral CC, Nedel F, Ferrúa CP, Garcia TF, Corrêa GP, Giorgi R, Longoni dos Santos A, de Assis AM, de Avila Quevedo L, Ghisleni GC, de Matos MB, Pinheiro KAT, Trettim JP, Pinheiro RT. Maternal hsa-miR-423-5p associated with the cognitive development of babies in pregnant women without mental disorders. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1322820. [PMID: 38487105 PMCID: PMC10937415 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1322820] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs capable of regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally. MiRNAs are recognized as key regulators of diverse biological and developmental processes. During the pregnancy-puerperal cycle, numerous changes occur in the female body for the formation, growth, and development of the baby. After birth, there is a critical period in child development, as rapid gains in the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains constitute the "building blocks" of children's later growth. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal expression of hsa-miR-423-5p during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and neurocognitive development at 90 days of life in infants. Methods: This is a longitudinal study included in a population-based cohort study, carried out in a city in southern Brazil. The Bayley III was used to assess the babies' cognitive development. Blood samples from mothers were obtained for RNA extraction from serum and analysis of miRNA expression by qRT-PCR. Results In total, 87 dyads (mother-baby) were included. The average gestational age was 15.86 weeks (SD ± 5.55). An association of maternal miRNA with infant cognitive development was found; as maternal miR-423-5p increases, infants' cognitive development increases by 2.40 (95% CI 0.37; 4.43, p = 0.021) points at 3 months of age. Conclusion In this context, it is suggested to use this miRNA as a biomarker of child neurocognitive development detectable in the prenatal period, thus allowing the planning of early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cainá Corrêa do Amaral
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Nedel
- Anatomy Department, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Camila Perelló Ferrúa
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Tiago Fernandez Garcia
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | | | - Roberta Giorgi
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Mariana Bonati de Matos
- Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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Anyim R, Li S, Armstrong D, Spathis R, James GD, Little MA, Wander K. Predictors of milk cortisol in North American women. Am J Hum Biol 2024; 36:e23985. [PMID: 37712627 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23985] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Human milk content varies across mother-child dyads, environments, and populations. Among the hormones in milk is cortisol, a glucocorticoid; its impact on the breastfeeding child is unknown. Milk cortisol may constitute a signal to the child's developing physiology which can shape characteristics (e.g., growth, temperament) to prevailing environmental conditions. This exploratory study evaluated the maternal, breastfeeding, and infant characteristics associated with milk cortisol. METHODS We evaluated archived milk specimens for cortisol using enzyme immunoassay and employed an information-theoretic approach to assess associations between milk cortisol and participant characteristics with linear regression modeling. Because we employed secondary data, information for some variables likely to impact milk cortisol variation (e.g., time of day, socioeconomic status, maternal or infant body mass index, milk energy density) was unavailable. RESULTS Participants were 48 lactating mothers from upstate New York, aged 21-40 years. Milk cortisol ranged from 0.098 to 1.007 μg/dL. Child age ranged from 1 to 26 months. In linear regression employing best fit modeling criteria, milk cortisol increased with child age (B: 0.069; p: .000; a 7.1% increase in milk cortisol for each month of child age), while child symptoms of illness (B: -0.398; p: .057; a 33% decrease) and consumption of complementary foods (B: -.525; p: .020; a 41% decrease) were associated with lower milk cortisol. CONCLUSIONS We speculate that increasing milk cortisol with child age plays a role in signaling development (e.g., as increasing independence increases risk for injury and other negative health outcomes), independent of the maternal stressors we could capture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Anyim
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Shanita Li
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Armstrong
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Rita Spathis
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Gary D James
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Michael A Little
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
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Dib S, Fewtrell M, Wells JCK. Maternal capital predicts investment in infant growth and development through lactation. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1272938. [PMID: 37885440 PMCID: PMC10598761 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1272938] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maternal capital (MC) is a broad term from evolutionary biology, referring to any aspects of maternal phenotype that represent resources available for investment in offspring. We investigated MC in breastfeeding mothers of late preterm and early term infants, examining its relationship with infant and breastfeeding outcomes. We also determined whether MC modified the effect of the relaxation intervention on these outcomes. Methods The data was collected as part of a randomized controlled trial investigating breastfeeding relaxation in 72 mothers of late preterm and early term infants. Indicators of MC (socioeconomic, social, somatic, reproductive, psychological, and cognitive) were collected at baseline at 2-3 weeks post-delivery. Principal Component Analysis was conducted for the MC measures and two components were identified: 1."Subjective" maternal capital which included stress and depression scores, and 2."Objective" maternal capital which included height, infant birth weight, and verbal memory. Univariate linear regression was conducted to assess the relationship between objective and subjective MC (predictors) and infant growth, infant behavior, maternal behavior, and infant feeding variables (outcomes) at 6-8 weeks. The interaction of MC and intervention assignment with outcomes was assessed. Results Higher objective MC was significantly associated with higher infant weight (0.43; 95%CI 0.21,0.66) and length z-scores (0.47; 95%CI 0.19,0.76), shorter duration of crying (-17.5; 95%CI -33.2,-1.9), and lower food (-0.28; 95%CI -0.48,-0.08) and satiety responsiveness (-0.17; 95%CI -0.31,-0.02) at 6-8 weeks. It was also associated with greater maternal responsiveness to infant cues (-0.05, 95%CI -0.09,-0.02 for non-responsiveness). Greater subjective maternal capital was significantly associated with higher breastfeeding frequency (2.3; 95%CI 0.8,3.8) and infant appetite (0.30; 95%CI 0.07,0.54). There was a significant interaction between the intervention assignment and objective MC for infant length, with trends for infant weight and crying, which indicated that the intervention had greater effects among mothers with lower capital. Conclusion Higher MC was associated with better infant growth and shorter crying duration. This was possibly mediated through more frequent breastfeeding and prompt responsiveness to infant cues, reflecting greater maternal investment. The findings also suggest that a relaxation intervention was most effective among those with low MC, suggesting some reduction in social inequalities in health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jonathan C. K. Wells
- Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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Li L, Zhou H, Wang J, Li J, Lyu X, Wang W, Luo C, Huang H, Zhou D, Chen X, Xu L, Li P. Metabolic switch from glycogen to lipid in the liver maintains glucose homeostasis in neonatal mice. J Lipid Res 2023; 64:100440. [PMID: 37826876 PMCID: PMC10568567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2023.100440] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonates strive to acquire energy when the continuous transplacental nutrient supply ceases at birth, whereas milk consumption takes hours to start. Using murine models, we report the metabolic switches in the first days of life, with an unexpected discovery of glucose as the universal fuel essential for neonatal life. Blood glucose quickly drops as soon as birth, but immediately rebounds even before suckling and maintains stable afterward. Meanwhile, neonatal liver undergoes drastic metabolic changes, from extensive glycogenolysis before suckling to dramatically induced fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and gluconeogenesis after milk suckling. Unexpectedly, blocking hepatic glycogenolysis only caused a transient hypoglycemia before milk suckling without causing lethality. Limiting lipid supply in milk (low-fat milk, [LFM]) using Cidea-/- mice, however, led to a chronic and severe hypoglycemia and consequently claimed neonatal lives. While fat replenishment rescued LFM-caused neonatal lethality, the rescue effects were abolished by blocking FAO or gluconeogenesis, pointing to a funneling of lipids and downstream metabolites into glucose as the essential fuel. Finally, glucose administration also rescued LFM-caused neonatal lethality, independent on FAO or gluconeogenesis. Therefore, our results show that the liver works as an energy conversion center to maintain blood glucose homeostasis in neonates, providing theoretical basis for managing infant hypoglycemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangkui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haoyu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinhui Wang
- The Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xuchao Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenshan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chengting Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - He Huang
- The Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dawang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Peng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; The Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Keady MM, Jimenez RR, Bragg M, Wagner JCP, Bornbusch SL, Power ML, Muletz-Wolz CR. Ecoevolutionary processes structure milk microbiomes across the mammalian tree of life. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218900120. [PMID: 37399384 PMCID: PMC10334807 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218900120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Milk production is an ancient adaptation that unites all mammals. Milk contains a microbiome that can contribute to offspring health and microbial-immunological development. We generated a comprehensive milk microbiome dataset (16S rRNA gene) for the class Mammalia, representing 47 species from all placental superorders, to determine processes structuring milk microbiomes. We show that across Mammalia, milk exposes offspring to maternal bacterial and archaeal symbionts throughout lactation. Deterministic processes of environmental selection accounted for 20% of milk microbiome assembly processes; milk microbiomes were similar from mammals with the same host superorder (Afrotheria, Laurasiathera, Euarchontoglires, and Xenarthra: 6%), environment (marine captive, marine wild, terrestrial captive, and terrestrial wild: 6%), diet (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore, and insectivore: 5%), and milk nutrient content (sugar, fat, and protein: 3%). We found that diet directly and indirectly impacted milk microbiomes, with indirect effects being mediated by milk sugar content. Stochastic processes, such as ecological drift, accounted for 80% of milk microbiome assembly processes, which was high compared to mammalian gut and mammalian skin microbiomes (69% and 45%, respectively). Even amid high stochasticity and indirect effects, our results of direct dietary effects on milk microbiomes provide support for enteromammary trafficking, representing a mechanism by which bacteria are transferred from the mother's gut to mammary gland and then to offspring postnatally. The microbial species present in milk reflect both selective pressures and stochastic processes at the host level, exemplifying various ecological and evolutionary factors acting on milk microbiomes, which, in turn, set the stage for offspring health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia M. Keady
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53706
| | - Randall R. Jimenez
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
- Science Team, International Union for Conservation of Nature, 11501San José, Costa Rica
| | - Morgan Bragg
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA22030
| | - Jenna C. P. Wagner
- Nutrition Laboratory and Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC20008
| | - Sally L. Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
- Department of Nutrition Science, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
| | - Michael L. Power
- Nutrition Laboratory and Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC20008
| | - Carly R. Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC20008
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Peltoniemi O, Tanskanen T, Kareskoski M. One Health challenges for pig reproduction. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:420-435. [PMID: 36638261 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23666] [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: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The current state of the world challenges pig reproduction as an important part of One Health, which involves interrelationships between animal, human and environmental health. The One Health concept underlines a comparative aspect in reproductive physiology and disease occurrence, bridging knowledge from one species to another. Seasonal changes in the environment affect pig reproduction and climate change may further strengthen those effects. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and specifically phthalates and heavy metals, interfere with endocrine function, and thereby sexual behavior, fertilization capacity and steroidogenesis. Reproductive infections and extended semen storage are important indications for antimicrobial use. Innovative solutions are needed to explore alternatives to antimicrobials. Efforts to ensure reproductive efficiency have prolonged farrowing as litter size has doubled over the past three decades, compromising immune transfer and welfare. Physiological, metabolic and programming related events around parturition are key areas for future One Health research in pig reproduction. In conclusion, climate change challenges reproductive management and breeding. More resilient pigs that can tolerate harsh environment but maintain high reproductive performance are needed. EDCs continue to grow as an environmental challenge for reproductive management and alternatives to antibiotics will be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Peltoniemi
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki One Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Topi Tanskanen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki One Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Kareskoski
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Embleton ND, Berrington JE. Milk-Based Bionutrient Trials to Improve Outcomes in Preterm Infants: Challenges and Opportunities. Am J Perinatol 2022; 39:S68-S72. [PMID: 36470294 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1758857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Bionutrients (or immunonutrients) are dietary components present in milk, or supplements that could be added to milk diets, that impact health and disease. With few exceptions, most of these are present in human breastmilk and the majority are also present in amniotic fluid. STUDY DESIGN Bionutrients can be proteins and peptides including enzymes, hormones, immunoglobulins, and growth factors and can also be molecules such as human milk oligosaccharides, amino acids, or lipids such as docosahexaenoic acid. Many of these have ancient origins, are found in other species, and existed before mammalian lactation evolved. Bionutrients may act in diverse ways when administered enterally: they may impact gut bacterial communities or epithelial cell metabolism, or they may pass into the lamina propria where they interact with the gut and systemic immune systems. Clinical trials have often used bovine analogs such as lactoferrin or may use artificially synthesized or recombinant compounds including insulin, bile salt stimulated lipase, or oligosaccharides. RESULTS Challenges arise because the bioactivity of proteins, such as lactoferrin, may be affected by processing and pasteurization meaning that the impacts of commercial products may differ. The challenge of determining the optimal bioactivity of any single preparation may be even greater in complex compounds such as milk fat globule membrane. It is also possible that bioactivity is affected by the milk matrix, that is, may differ between formula and human milk. CONCLUSION Finally, it is important to appreciate that nutrients do not function in isolation, and most will not act like drugs, that is, they may take several days or longer to exert an affect. KEY POINTS · Breastmilk contains high concentrations of bionutrients and provides more than macro- and micronutrients.. · Bionutrients can be proteins (e.g. enzymes, hormones, or immunoglobulins) or molecules (e.g. human milk oligosaccharides or amino acids).. · Bionutrients can be added to milk feeds but high quality trials are needed..
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Embleton
- Newcastle Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.,Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Janet E Berrington
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.,Translational Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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Cleland TP, Power ML. Variation in Milk Proteins Across Lactation in Pongo pygmaeus and Gorilla gorilla. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:2647-2654. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P. Cleland
- Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, Maryland 20746, United States
| | - Michael L. Power
- Center for Species Survival, Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, District of Columbia 20008, Washington, D.C., United States
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11
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Bornbusch SL, Keady MM, Power ML, Muletz-Wolz CR. Milk microbiomes of three great ape species vary among host species and over time. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11017. [PMID: 35773288 PMCID: PMC9247006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15091-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian neonates, milk consumption provides nutrients, growth factors, immune molecules, and microbes. Milk microbiomes are increasingly recognized for their roles in seeding infant gut microbiomes and priming immune development. However, milk microbiome variation within and among individuals remains under investigation. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate factors shaping milk microbiomes in three captive great ape species: Gorilla gorilla gorilla (individuals, N = 4; samples, n = 29), Pongo abelii (N = 2; n = 16), and Pongo pygmaeus (N = 1; n = 9). We demonstrate variation among host species, over lactation, and between housing facilities. In phylogenetic community composition, milk microbiomes were distinct among the three ape species. We found only a few shared, abundant bacterial taxa and suggest that they likely serve functional roles. The diversity and community composition of milk microbiomes showed gradual changes over time in gorillas and the Bornean orangutan, which was detectable with our comprehensive sampling over lactation stages (> 300-day span). In gorillas, milk microbiomes differed between housing facilities, but were similar between dams within a facility. These results support the strong influence of evolutionary history in shaping milk microbiomes, but also indicate that more proximate cues from mother, offspring, and the environment affect the distribution of rarer microbial taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally L Bornbusch
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA. .,Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Mia M Keady
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Michael L Power
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Carly R Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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12
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Gestational Exercise Increases Male Offspring's Maximal Workload Capacity Early in Life. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073916. [PMID: 35409278 PMCID: PMC8999565 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mothers’ antenatal strategies to improve the intrauterine environment can positively decrease pregnancy-derived intercurrences. By challenging the mother–fetus unit, gestational exercise (GE) favorably modulates deleterious stimuli, such as high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet-induced adverse consequences for offspring. We aimed to analyze whether GE alters maternal HFHS-consumption effects on male offspring’s maximal workload performance (MWP) and in some skeletal muscle (the soleus—SOL and the tibialis anterior—TA) biomarkers associated with mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative fitness. Infant male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into experimental groups according to mothers’ dietary and/or exercise conditions: offspring of sedentary control diet-fed or HFHS-fed mothers (C–S or HFHS–S, respectively) and of exercised HFHS-fed mothers (HFHS–E). Although maternal HFHS did not significantly alter MWP, offspring from GE dams exhibited increased MWP. Lower SOL AMPk levels in HFHS–S were reverted by GE. SOL PGC-1α, OXPHOS C-I and C-IV subunits remained unaltered by maternal diet, although increased in HFHS–E offspring. Additionally, GE prevented maternal diet-related SOL miR-378a overexpression, while upregulated miR-34a expression. Decreased TA C-IV subunit expression in HFHS–S was reverted in HFHS–E, concomitantly with the downregulation of miR-338. In conclusion, GE in HFHS-fed dams increases the offspring’s MWP, which seems to be associated with the intrauterine modulation of SM mitochondrial density and functional markers.
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13
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Evolutionary Perspectives on Infant-Mother Conflict. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-76000-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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14
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Tingö L, Ahlberg E, Johansson L, Pedersen SA, Chawla K, Sætrom P, Cione E, Simpson MR. Non-Coding RNAs in Human Breast Milk: A Systematic Review. Front Immunol 2021; 12:725323. [PMID: 34539664 PMCID: PMC8440964 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.725323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition and hydration for the newborn infant but also plays an important role in the child’s first immune defense. Additionally, several breast milk factors have been implicated in immune-related health outcomes later in life, including immunoglobulins, cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and, more recently, non-coding RNA (ncRNA) species. In this systematic review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the current literature on endogenous ncRNAs found in human breast milk. Thirty (30) relevant studies were identified and, whilst the majority studies focused on microRNAs (miRNAs), there is evidence that breast milk contains high quantities of RNA which also include long-coding RNAs, circular RNAs, as well as other short RNAs and fragmented tRNA and rRNAs. Among studies investigating miRNAs, miR-148a-3p, miR-30a/d-5p, miR-22-3p, miR-146b-5p, miR-200a/c-3p, and the 5p end of the let-7 miRNAs were commonly reported among the top 10 miRNAs in the cell, lipid, and skim milk fractions of breast milk. Methodological difference and small sample sizes limit the possibility of conclusively identifying which maternal and infant characteristics affect the miRNA profile. The highly expressed miRNAs were generally reported to be similar across lactational stage, milk fraction, maternal and infant characteristics, or infant growth and health. All the same, individual studies identify potential differences in miRNA expression levels which should be confirmed by future studies. Stability, uptake, and physiological functions of miRNAs were also considered in several studies. Breast milk miRNAs are relatively resistant to a range of harsh conditions and uptake experiments suggest that extracellular vesicles containing miRNAs and circular RNAs can be taken up by intestinal epithelial cells. Although the evidence regarding the functional effect of breast milk miRNAs is limited, the predicted functions range from metabolic and biosynthetic processes to signaling pathways, cellular adhesion, communication, growth, and differentiation. Finally, this systematic review highlights some of the methodological challenges and knowledge gaps which can help direct future research in this field. In particular, it is important to further investigate the bioavailability of miRNAs in different milk fractions, and to characterize other ncRNAs which are largely unstudied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Tingö
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Örebro University Food and Health Programme, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Emelie Ahlberg
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lovisa Johansson
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sindre Andre Pedersen
- Library Section for Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Konika Chawla
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Bioinformatics Core Facility - BioCore, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Pål Sætrom
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Bioinformatics Core Facility - BioCore, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Computer Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Erika Cione
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Melanie Rae Simpson
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Clinic of Laboratory Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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15
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Paré P, Reales G, Paixão-Côrtes VR, Vargas-Pinilla P, Viscardi LH, Fam B, Pissinatti A, Santos FR, Bortolini MC. Molecular evolutionary insights from PRLR in mammals. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 309:113791. [PMID: 33872604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prolactin (PRL) is a pleiotropic neurohormone secreted by the mammalian pituitary gland into the blood, thus reaching many tissues and organs beyond the brain. PRL binds to its receptor, PRLR, eliciting a molecular signaling cascade. This system modulates essential mammalian behaviors and promotes notable modifications in the reproductive female tissues and organs. Here, we explore how the intracellular domain of PRLR (PRLR-ICD) modulates the expression of the PRLR gene. Despite differences in the reproductive strategies between eutherian and metatherian mammals, there is no clear distinction between PRLR-ICD functional motifs. However, we found selection signatures that showed differences between groups, with many conserved functional elements strongly maintained through purifying selection across the class Mammalia. We observed a few residues under relaxed selection, the levels of which were more pronounced in Eutheria and particularly striking in primates (Simiiformes), which could represent a pre-adaptive genetic element protected from purifying selection. Alternative, new motifs, such as YLDP (318-321) and others with residues Y283 and Y290, may already be functional. These motifs would have been co-opted in primates as part of a complex genetic repertoire related to some derived adaptive phenotypes, but these changes would have no impact on the primordial functions that characterize the mammals as a whole and that are related to the PRL-PRLR system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Paré
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guillermo Reales
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Vanessa R Paixão-Côrtes
- Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva e Genômica (LABEG), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Pedro Vargas-Pinilla
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Henriques Viscardi
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Bibiana Fam
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Fabrício R Santos
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Evolução Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo-Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Maria Cátira Bortolini
- Laboratório de Evolução Humana e Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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16
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Stead SM, Bădescu I, Boonstra R. Of mammals and milk: how maternal stress affects nursing offspring. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Stead
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Scarborough ONM1C 1A4Canada
| | - Iulia Bădescu
- Département d’Anthropologie Université de Montréal 3150 Rue Jean‐Brillant Montréal QCH3T 1N8Canada
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Scarborough ONM1C 1A4Canada
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17
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Himschoot EA, Wenker ES, Reed EG, Sampson J, Power ML. Macronutrient composition of milk from two captive African elephant (Loxodonta africana) cows. Zoo Biol 2021; 40:192-200. [PMID: 33705586 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21599] [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: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We assayed 31 milk samples collected from two African elephant cows housed at the Indianapolis Zoo across lactation (birth to calf age 973 days) for macronutrient composition (water, fat, protein, sugar, gross energy [GE], ash, calcium, and phosphorus). All assays were performed at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park Nutrition Laboratory, Washington, DC (SNZP) using standard methods developed at SNZP. Milk constituents are expressed on a weight-per-weight basis (%) and as a proportion each constituent contributes to milk energy. Calf weights were recorded, and growth rate calculated. The macronutrient composition of the African elephant milk samples was compared to previously published results for Asian elephants using analysis of covariance. African elephant milk is similar to Asian elephant milk, being moderately high in fat and energy and low in sugar. The mean values across lactation (excluding colostrum; n = 28) are 5.6 ± 0.3% crude protein, 3.1 ± 0.3% sugar, 13.0 ± 1.0% fat, and GE of 1.63 ± 0.10 kcal/g. Milk composition did not differ between cows. Milk composition significantly changed over lactation; fat and protein increased, and sugar decreased with calf age, comparable to previously reported data for African and Asian elephant milk. The proportion of milk energy from fat increased and that from sugar decreased over lactation, but the energy from protein was relatively constant. Protein contributed a higher proportion of energy to African elephant milk compared to Asian elephant milk (20.6% vs. 17.0%, p = .001). Despite this, calf growth rate was similar between the species, with the calves in this study gaining about 0.8 kg/day for the first 6 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Himschoot
- Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Wenker
- Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Eda G Reed
- Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Michael L Power
- Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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18
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Son JS, Chae SA, Wang H, Chen Y, Bravo Iniguez A, de Avila JM, Jiang Z, Zhu MJ, Du M. Maternal Inactivity Programs Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Offspring Mice by Attenuating Apelin Signaling and Mitochondrial Biogenesis. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108461. [PMID: 33264618 PMCID: PMC8137280 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although maternal exercise (ME) becomes increasingly uncommon, the effects of ME on offspring muscle metabolic health remain largely undefined. Maternal mice are subject to daily exercise during pregnancy, which enhances mitochondrial biogenesis during fetal muscle development; this is correlated with higher mitochondrial content and oxidative muscle fibers in offspring muscle and improved endurance capacity. Apelin, an exerkine, is elevated due to ME, and maternal apelin administration mirrors the effect of ME on mitochondrial biogenesis in fetal muscle. Importantly, both ME and apelin induce DNA demethylation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (Ppargc1a) promoter and enhance its expression and mitochondrial biogenesis in fetal muscle. Such changes in DNA methylation were maintained in offspring, with ME offspring muscle expressing higher levels of PGC-1α1/4 isoforms, explaining improved muscle function. In summary, ME enhances DNA demethylation of the Ppargc1a promoter in fetal muscle, which has positive programming effects on the exercise endurance capacity and protects offspring muscle against metabolic dysfunction. Son et al. demonstrate that maternal exercise facilitates fetal muscle development, which improves muscle function and exercise endurance in offspring. Maternal administration of apelin, an exerkine, mirrors the beneficial effects of maternal exercise on mitochondrial biogenesis and fetal muscle development. These findings suggest apelin and its receptor as potential drug targets for improving fetal muscle development of sedentary mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Seok Son
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Song Ah Chae
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanting Chen
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | | | - Jeanene M de Avila
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Zhihua Jiang
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Mei-Jun Zhu
- School of Food Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Min Du
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
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19
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Mikovic J, Brightwell C, Lindsay A, Wen Y, Kowalski G, Russell AP, Fry CS, Lamon S. An obesogenic maternal environment impairs mouse growth patterns, satellite cell activation, and markers of postnatal myogenesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2020; 319:E1008-E1018. [PMID: 32954829 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00398.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is sensitive to environmental cues that are first present in utero. Maternal overnutrition is a model of impaired muscle development leading to structural and metabolic dysfunction in adult life. In this study, we investigated the effect of an obesogenic maternal environment on growth and postnatal myogenesis in the offspring. Male C57BL/6J mice born to chow- or high-fat-diet-fed mothers were allocated to four different groups at the end of weaning. For the following 10 wk, half of the pups were maintained on the same diet as their mother and half of the pups were switched to the other diet (chow or high-fat). At 12 wk of age, muscle injury was induced using an intramuscular injection of barium chloride. Seven days later, mice were humanely killed and muscle tissue was harvested. A high-fat maternal diet impaired offspring growth patterns and downregulated satellite cell activation and markers of postnatal myogenesis 7 days after injury without altering the number of newly synthetized fibers over the whole 7-day period. Importantly, a healthy postnatal diet could not reverse any of these effects. In addition, we demonstrated that postnatal myogenesis was associated with a diet-independent upregulation of three miRNAs, mmu-miR-31-5p, mmu-miR-136-5p, and mmu-miR-296-5p. Furthermore, in vitro analysis confirmed the role of these miRNAs in myocyte proliferation. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that maternal overnutrition impairs markers of postnatal myogenesis in the offspring and are particularly relevant to today's society where the incidence of overweight/obesity in women of childbearing age is increasing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Mikovic
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Camille Brightwell
- Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Angus Lindsay
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Yuan Wen
- Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Greg Kowalski
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Aaron P Russell
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Christopher S Fry
- Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Séverine Lamon
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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20
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Edwards CA, Takahashi N, Corish JA, Ferguson-Smith AC. The origins of genomic imprinting in mammals. Reprod Fertil Dev 2020; 31:1203-1218. [PMID: 30615843 DOI: 10.1071/rd18176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is a process that causes genes to be expressed according to their parental origin. Imprinting appears to have evolved gradually in two of the three mammalian subclasses, with no imprinted genes yet identified in prototheria and only six found to be imprinted in marsupials to date. By interrogating the genomes of eutherian suborders, we determine that imprinting evolved at the majority of eutherian specific genes before the eutherian radiation. Theories considering the evolution of imprinting often relate to resource allocation and recently consider maternal-offspring interactions more generally, which, in marsupials, places a greater emphasis on lactation. In eutherians, the imprint memory is retained at least in part by zinc finger protein 57 (ZFP57), a Kruppel associated box (KRAB) zinc finger protein that binds specifically to methylated imprinting control regions. Some imprints are less dependent on ZFP57invivo and it may be no coincidence that these are the imprints that are found in marsupials. Because marsupials lack ZFP57, this suggests another more ancestral protein evolved to regulate imprints in non-eutherian subclasses, and contributes to imprinting control in eutherians. Hence, understanding the mechanisms acting at imprinting control regions across mammals has the potential to provide valuable insights into our understanding of the origins and evolution of genomic imprinting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Edwards
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Nozomi Takahashi
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Jennifer A Corish
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Anne C Ferguson-Smith
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
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21
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22
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Falcão-Tebas F, Marin EC, Kuang J, Bishop DJ, McConell GK. Maternal exercise attenuates the lower skeletal muscle glucose uptake and insulin secretion caused by paternal obesity in female adult rat offspring. J Physiol 2020; 598:4251-4270. [PMID: 32539156 PMCID: PMC7586952 DOI: 10.1113/jp279582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Paternal obesity negatively influences metabolic outcomes in adult rat offspring. Maternal voluntary physical activity has previously been reported to improve glucose metabolism in adult rat offspring sired by healthy fathers. Here, we investigated whether a structured programme of maternal exercise training before and during gestation can attenuate the negative impacts that paternal obesity has on insulin sensitivity and secretion in female adult offspring. Exercise before and during pregnancy normalised the lower insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and the lower insulin secretion observed in female offspring sired by obese fathers. This paper presents a feasible, low-cost and translatable intervention strategy that can be applied perinatally to support multifactor interventions to break the cycle of metabolic dysfunction caused by paternal obesity. ABSTRACT We investigated whether maternal exercise before and during gestation could attenuate the negative metabolic effects of paternal high-fat diet-induced obesity in female adult rat offspring. Fathers consumed a normal chow or high-fat diet before mating. Mothers exercised on a treadmill before and during gestation or remained sedentary. In adulthood, female offspring were assessed using intraperitoneal insulin and glucose tolerance tests (IPITT and IPGTT, respectively), pancreatic morphology, ex vivo skeletal muscle insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and mitochondrial respiratory function. Paternal obesity impaired whole-body and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in adult offspring. Maternal exercise attenuated the lower insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in offspring sired by obese fathers but distal insulin signalling components (p-AKT Thr308 and Ser473, p-TBC1D4 Thr642 and GLUT4) remained unchanged (P > 0.05). Maternal exercise increased citrate synthase activity only in offspring sired by obese fathers. Maternal exercise also reversed the lower insulin secretion in vivo observed in offspring of obese fathers, probably due to an attenuation of the decrease in pancreatic beta cell mass. In summary, maternal exercise before and during pregnancy in rats attenuated skeletal muscle insulin resistance and attenuated the decrease in pancreatic beta cell mass and insulin secretion observed in the female offspring of obese fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippe Falcão-Tebas
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.,The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Evelyn C Marin
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jujiao Kuang
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - David J Bishop
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Glenn K McConell
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.,College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
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23
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Stannard HJ, Miller RD, Old JM. Marsupial and monotreme milk-a review of its nutrient and immune properties. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9335. [PMID: 32612884 PMCID: PMC7319036 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
All mammals are characterized by the ability of females to produce milk. Marsupial (metatherian) and monotreme (prototherian) young are born in a highly altricial state and rely on their mother’s milk for the first part of their life. Here we review the role and importance of milk in marsupial and monotreme development. Milk is the primary source of sustenance for young marsupials and monotremes and its composition varies at different stages of development. We applied nutritional geometry techniques to a limited number of species with values available to analyze changes in macronutrient composition of milk at different stages. Macronutrient energy composition of marsupial milk varies between species and changes concentration during the course of lactation. As well as nourishment, marsupial and monotreme milk supplies growth and immune factors. Neonates are unable to mount a specific immune response shortly after birth and therefore rely on immunoglobulins, immunological cells and other immunologically important molecules transferred through milk. Milk is also essential to the development of the maternal-young bond and is achieved through feedback systems and odor preferences in eutherian mammals. However, we have much to learn about the role of milk in marsupial and monotreme mother-young bonding. Further research is warranted in gaining a better understanding of the role of milk as a source of nutrition, developmental factors and immunity, in a broader range of marsupial species, and monotremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J Stannard
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert D Miller
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julie M Old
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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24
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Marrero MG, Field SL, Skibiel AL, Dado-Senn B, Driver JP, Laporta J. Increasing serotonin bioavailability alters gene expression in peripheral leukocytes and lymphoid tissues of dairy calves. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9712. [PMID: 32546841 PMCID: PMC7297988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66326-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Dairy calves are born with a naïve immune system, making the pre-weaning phase a critical window for immune development. In the U.S., 40-60% of dairy farms feed milk replacer to pre-weaned calves, which are devoid of bioactive factors with immunological roles. Serotonin is a bioactive factor with immunoregulatory properties naturally produced by the calf and present in milk. Human and rodent immune cells express the serotonin machinery, but little is known about the role of serotonin in the bovine immune system. Supplementing milk replacer with 5-hydroxytryptophan (serotonin precursor) or fluoxetine (reuptake inhibitor) increases serotonin bioavailability. We hypothesized that increased serotonin bioavailability promotes serotonergic signaling and modulates the expression of immune related genes in peripheral leukocytes and immune-related tissues of dairy calves. The present experiment targeted candidate genes involved in serotonin production, metabolism, transport, signaling and immune regulation. We established that bovine peripheral leukocytes express all known serotonin receptors, and can synthesize, uptake and degrade serotonin due to the expression of serotonin metabolism-related genes. Indeed, we showed that increasing serotonin bioavailability alters gene expression of serotonin receptors and immune-related genes. Further research will determine whether manipulation of the serotonin pathway could be a feasible approach to bolster dairy calves' immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Marrero
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA
| | - S L Field
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA
| | - A L Skibiel
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Idaho, Idaho, USA
| | - B Dado-Senn
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA
| | - J P Driver
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA
| | - J Laporta
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Florida, USA.
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Dib S, Wells JCK, Fewtrell M. Mother And late Preterm Lactation Study (MAPLeS): a randomised controlled trial testing the use of a breastfeeding meditation by mothers of late preterm infants on maternal psychological state, breast milk composition and volume, and infant behaviour and growth. Trials 2020; 21:318. [PMID: 32264947 PMCID: PMC7137320 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-020-4225-3] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Late preterm infants suffer from more complications and are less likely to be breastfed compared to term infants and their mothers experience higher levels of stress than mothers with term infants. The physiological or hormonal responses that influence milk ejection, milk production, and/or maternal behaviour are possible mechanisms by which maternal distress could negatively influence breastfeeding success. Maternal mood might also affect infant behaviour (feeding, sleeping, and crying) through changes in milk volume and composition, and consequently breastfeeding success and infant growth. Previous research, using relaxation therapy in 64 Malaysian first-time mothers breastfeeding their full-term infants, demonstrated that the therapy was effective in reducing maternal stress and improving infant growth. We hypothesise that expected benefits are even greater in a more vulnerable population where additional breastfeeding support is especially needed, such as in mothers of late preterm infants. Methods/design This protocol describes our randomised controlled trial that tests whether a breastfeeding meditation audio reduces maternal stress in mothers of late preterm infants in London. Home visits will be conducted at 2–3 and 6–8 weeks post-delivery. Participants will be randomised to a control group or an intervention group, where mothers will be asked to listen to a meditation tape on a daily basis while breastfeeding. The main outcomes of the intervention will be maternal stress markers and infant weight Z-score. Potential mediators will be the secondary outcomes and include breast milk macronutrient and hormone levels (ghrelin, leptin, cortisol, and adiponectin), milk volume assessed by 48-h test-weighing, and maternal engagement with the infant. Infant behaviour, including crying and sleeping, and infant appetite will be evaluated. Data about other mediators such as maternal perception of milk supply and salivary oxytocin will be collected. Discussion We hypothesise that the use of the breastfeeding meditation will reduce maternal stress and consequently improve infant growth mediated by changes in milk composition and volume and maternal behaviour. This study will allow us to understand the mother–infant factors that influence breastfeeding in late preterm infants and potentially identify a method that could improve mother, infant, and breastfeeding outcomes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03791749. Registered 1 January 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Dib
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Jonathan C K Wells
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mary Fewtrell
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
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Power ML, Snead C, Reed EG, Schulkin J. Integrating evolution into medical education for women's health care practitioners. Evol Med Public Health 2020; 2020:60-67. [PMID: 32382419 PMCID: PMC7196338 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution is a fundamental principle in biology; however, it has been neglected in medical education. We argue that an evolutionary perspective is especially important for women's health care providers, as selection will act strongly on reproductive parameters, and the biological costs of female reproduction are generally more resource expensive than for men (e.g. due to gestation and lactation) with greater effects on health and wellbeing. An evolutionary perspective is needed to understand antibiotic resistance, disease and health risks associated with mismatches between our evolved adaptations and current conditions, the importance of the microbiome and the maternal role in how infants acquire and develop their early-life microbiome (vaginal birth, lactation), and the importance of breastmilk as a biochemical signal from mothers to their babies. We present data that obstetrician-gynecologists' views regarding the inclusion of evolution within their training is generally positive, but many barriers are perceived. Requiring coursework in evolutionary biology with an emphasis on evolutionary medicine prior to enrollment in medical school may be a solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Power
- Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC 20024-2188, USA
| | - Carrie Snead
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC 20024-2188, USA
| | - Eda G Reed
- Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Fewtrell MS, Mohd Shukri NH, Wells JCK. 'Optimising' breastfeeding: what can we learn from evolutionary, comparative and anthropological aspects of lactation? BMC Med 2020; 18:4. [PMID: 31915002 PMCID: PMC6950880 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1473-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Promoting breastfeeding is an important public health intervention, with benefits for infants and mothers. Even modest increases in prevalence and duration may yield considerable economic savings. However, despite many initiatives, compliance with recommendations is poor in most settings - particularly for exclusive breastfeeding. Mothers commonly consult health professionals for infant feeding and behavioural problems. MAIN BODY We argue that broader consideration of lactation, incorporating evolutionary, comparative and anthropological aspects, could provide new insights into breastfeeding practices and problems, enhance research and ultimately help to develop novel approaches to improve initiation and maintenance. Our current focus on breastfeeding as a strategy to improve health outcomes must engage with the evolution of lactation as a flexible trait under selective pressure to maximise reproductive fitness. Poor understanding of the dynamic nature of breastfeeding may partly explain why some women are unwilling or unable to follow recommendations. CONCLUSIONS We identify three key implications for health professionals, researchers and policymakers. Firstly, breastfeeding is an adaptive process during which, as in other mammals, variability allows adaptation to ecological circumstances and reflects mothers' phenotypic variability. Since these factors vary within and between humans, the likelihood that a 'one size fits all' approach will be appropriate for all mother-infant dyads is counterintuitive; flexibility is expected. From an anthropological perspective, lactation is a period of tension between mother and offspring due to genetic 'conflicts of interest'. This may underlie common breastfeeding 'problems' including perceived milk insufficiency and problematic infant crying. Understanding this - and adopting a more flexible, individualised approach - may allow a more creative approach to solving these problems. Incorporating evolutionary concepts may enhance research investigating mother-infant signalling during breastfeeding; where possible, studies should be experimental to allow identification of causal effects and mechanisms. Finally, the importance of learned behaviour, social and cultural aspects of primate (especially human) lactation may partly explain why, in cultures where breastfeeding has lost cultural primacy, promotion starting in pregnancy may be ineffective. In such settings, educating children and young adults may be important to raise awareness and provide learning opportunities that may be essential in our species, as in other primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary S Fewtrell
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | - Nurul H Mohd Shukri
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.,Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jonathan C K Wells
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
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Van Hese I, Goossens K, Vandaele L, Opsomer G. Invited review: MicroRNAs in bovine colostrum-Focus on their origin and potential health benefits for the calf. J Dairy Sci 2019; 103:1-15. [PMID: 31677833 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-16959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Colostrum is the first milk produced by a cow after she gives birth. Compared with mature milk, it has a high concentration of immunoglobulin G. Calves are born without circulating antibodies, thus ingestion of colostrum is necessary to protect the calf against pathogens in the first challenging weeks of life. In addition to the life-saving supply of antibodies, colostrum contains minerals, vitamins, growth factors, and immune cells. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) were added to that list. MicroRNAs are short, non-coding RNA molecules that can regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They are thought to act as key regulators of diverse biological and developmental processes. Colostrum contains higher amounts of miRNAs than mature milk; immune- and development-related miRNAs are prominent. Their expression pattern in milk is likely to be influenced by maternal nutrition and environment. The fat content of the maternal diet appears to have a major effect on expression of miRNAs in milk and in the neonate. The immunological state of the mammary gland seems to affect miRNA expression as well. In cows diagnosed with subclinical mastitis, alterations in the expression of miRNAs in milk have been observed. It is believed that miRNAs in colostrum and milk are signaling molecules passed from mother to newborn. They are packaged in extracellular vesicles, which makes them resistant to the harsh conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, they can reach the small intestine, where they are absorbed and transferred into the bloodstream. MicroRNAs are important for the development of the intestines. For example, miRNAs stimulate cell viability, proliferation, and stem cell activity of the intestinal epithelium. Furthermore, miRNAs seem to act as key players in the development of the complete immune system. They can, among other things, regulate B- and T-cell differentiation and affect interleukin production of macrophages. The abundance of miRNAs in colostrum and milk and the possibility for their absorption in the intestines of the neonate supports the hypothesis that these tiny molecules are important for the development of the newborn. The probable relation of diet to the expression of miRNAs by the mother creates a possible avenue to optimize expression of miRNAs and improve neonatal maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Van Hese
- Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg, Melle, 9090, Belgium; Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium.
| | - K Goossens
- Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg, Melle, 9090, Belgium
| | - L Vandaele
- Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg, Melle, 9090, Belgium
| | - G Opsomer
- Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium
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Abstract
Maternal effects on development are profound. Together, genetic and epigenetic maternal effects define the developmental trajectory of progeny and, ultimately, offspring phenotype. Maternally provisioned environmental conditions and signals affect conceptus, fetoplacental and postnatal development from the time of conception until weaning. In the pig, reproductive tract development is completed postnatally. Porcine uterine growth and uterine endometrial development occur in an ovary-independent manner between birth (postnatal day = PND 0) and PND 60. Milk-borne bioactive factors (MbFs), exemplified by relaxin, communicated from lactating dam to nursing offspring via a lactocrine mechanism, represent an important source of extraovarian uterotrophic support in the neonatal pig. Lactocrine deficiency from birth affects both the neonatal porcine uterine developmental program and trajectory of uterine development, with lasting consequences for endometrial function and uterine capacity in adult female pigs. The potential lactocrine signaling window extends from birth until the time of weaning. However, it is likely that the maternal lactocrine programming window - that period when MbFs communicated to nursing offspring have the greatest potential to affect critical organizational events in the neonate - encompasses a comparatively short period of time within 48 h of birth. Lactocrine deficiency from birth was associated with altered patterns of endometrial gene expression in neonatally lactocrine-deficient adult gilts during a critical period for conceptus-endometrial interaction on pregnancy day 13, and with reduced litter size, estimated at 1.4 pigs per litter, with no effect of parity. Data were interpreted to indicate that reproductive performance of female pigs that do not receive sufficient colostrum from birth is permanently impaired. Observations to date suggest that lactocrine-dependent maternal effects program postnatal development of the porcine uterus, endometrial functionality and uterine capacity. In this context, reproductive management strategies and husbandry guidelines should be refined to ensure that such practices promote environmental conditions that will optimize uterine capacity and fecundity. This will entail careful consideration of factors affecting lactation, the quality and abundance of colostrum/milk, and practices that will afford neonatal pigs with the opportunity to nurse and consume adequate amounts of colostrum.
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Pollak DD, Weber-Stadlbauer U. Transgenerational consequences of maternal immune activation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 97:181-188. [PMID: 31233834 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to infectious or inflammatory insults is increasingly recognized in the etiology of neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, autism, depression and bipolar disorder. New discoveries highlight that maternal immune activation can lead to pathological effects on brain and behavior in multiple generations. This review describes the transgenerational consequences of maternal immune activation in shaping brain and behavior anomalies and disease risk across generations. We discuss potential underlying mechanisms of transmission, by which prenatal immune activation can mediate generation-spanning changes in brain development and functions and how external influences could further determine the specificity of the phenotype across generations. The identification of the underlying mechanisms appears relevant to infection-related neuropsychiatric illnesses independently of existing diagnostic classifications and may help identifying complex patterns of generation-spanning transmission beyond genetic inheritance. The herein described principles emphasize the importance of considering ancestral infectious histories in clinical research aiming at developing new preventive treatment strategies against infection-related neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela D Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
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31
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Natri H, Garcia AR, Buetow KH, Trumble BC, Wilson MA. The Pregnancy Pickle: Evolved Immune Compensation Due to Pregnancy Underlies Sex Differences in Human Diseases. Trends Genet 2019; 35:478-488. [PMID: 31200807 PMCID: PMC6611699 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
We hypothesize that, ancestrally, sex-specific immune modulation evolved to facilitate survival of the pregnant person in the presence of an invasive placenta and an immunologically challenging pregnancy - an idea we term the 'pregnancy compensation hypothesis' (PCH). Further, we propose that sex differences in immune function are mediated, at least in part, by the evolution of gene content and dosage on the sex chromosomes, and are regulated by reproductive hormones. Finally, we propose that changes in reproductive ecology in industrialized environments exacerbate these evolved sex differences, resulting in the increasing risk of autoimmune disease observed in females, and a counteracting reduction in diseases such as cancer that can be combated by heightened immune surveillance. The PCH generates a series of expectations that can be tested empirically and that may help to identify the mechanisms underlying sex differences in modern human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heini Natri
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Angela R Garcia
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Kenneth H Buetow
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Benjamin C Trumble
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Melissa A Wilson
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
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Bagnell CA, Bartol FF. Relaxin and the 'Milky Way': The lactocrine hypothesis and maternal programming of development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 487:18-23. [PMID: 30629990 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Maternal effects on early postnatal development in mammals are mediated, in part, by milk-borne bioactive factors transmitted from mother to nursing offspring. The term 'lactocrine' was coined to describe this mode of signaling. Relaxin (RLX), one of a family of neohormones found in mammals, is detectable in milk from multiple species. In the pig, evidence of bioactive proRLX in colostrum/milk, immunoreactive RLX in the circulation of nursed neonates, and RLX receptor expression in RLX-sensitive neonatal female reproductive tract tissues, established RLX as a prototypical lactocrine-active factor. Observations provided the foundation for the lactocrine hypothesis for maternal programming of postnatal development. Studies designed to test the lactocrine hypothesis provided insights into both short-term effects of milk-borne bioactive factors in the neonate, and long-term consequences of maternal lactocrine programming of endometrial function and fecundity in adults. Thus, RLX led to the 'Milky Way'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Bagnell
- Department of Animal Sciences, Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8525, USA.
| | - Frank F Bartol
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Cellular and Molecular Biosciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849-5517, USA
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Monks J, Orlicky DJ, Stefanski AL, Libby AE, Bales ES, Rudolph MC, Johnson GC, Sherk VD, Jackman MR, Williamson K, Carlson NE, MacLean PS, McManaman JL. Maternal obesity during lactation may protect offspring from high fat diet-induced metabolic dysfunction. Nutr Diabetes 2018; 8:18. [PMID: 29695710 PMCID: PMC5916951 DOI: 10.1038/s41387-018-0027-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives The current obesity epidemic has spurred exploration of the developmental origin of adult heath and disease. A mother’s dietary choices and health can affect both the early wellbeing and lifelong disease-risk of the offspring. Subjects/Methods To determine if changes in the mother’s diet and adiposity have long-term effects on the baby’s metabolism, independently from a prenatal insult, we utilized a mouse model of diet-induced-obesity and cross-fostering. All pups were born to lean dams fed a low fat diet but were fostered onto lean or obese dams fed a high fat diet. This study design allowed us to discern the effects of a poor diet from those of mother’s adiposity and metabolism. The weaned offspring were placed on a high fat diet to test their metabolic function. Results In this feeding challenge, all male (but not female) offspring developed metabolic dysfunction. We saw increased weight gain in the pups nursed on an obesity-resistant dam fed a high fat diet, and increased pathogenesis including liver steatosis and adipose tissue inflammation, when compared to pups nursed on either obesity-prone dams on a high fat diet or lean dams on a low fat diet. Conclusion Exposure to maternal over-nutrition, through the milk, is sufficient to shape offspring health outcomes in a sex- and organ-specific manner, and milk from a mother who is obesity-prone may partially protect the offspring from the insult of a poor diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Monks
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - David J Orlicky
- Pathology Department, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Adrianne L Stefanski
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrew E Libby
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Elise S Bales
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Michael C Rudolph
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ginger C Johnson
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Vanessa D Sherk
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Matthew R Jackman
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kayla Williamson
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nichole E Carlson
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Paul S MacLean
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, & Diabetes, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James L McManaman
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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Thayer ZM, Wilson MA, Kim AW, Jaeggi AV. Impact of prenatal stress on offspring glucocorticoid levels: A phylogenetic meta-analysis across 14 vertebrate species. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4942. [PMID: 29563562 PMCID: PMC5862967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23169-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal stress is commonly associated with variation in Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA)-axis functioning in offspring. However, the strength or consistency of this response has never been empirically evaluated across vertebrate species. Here we meta-analyzed 114 results from 39 studies across 14 vertebrate species using Bayesian phylogenetic mixed-effects models. We found a positive overall effect of prenatal stress on offspring glucocorticoids (d' = 0.43) though the 95% Highest Posterior Density Interval overlapped with 0 (-0.16-0.95). Meta-regressions of potential moderators highlighted that phylogeny and life history variables predicted relatively little variation in effect size. Experimental studies (d' = 0.64) produced stronger effects than observational ones (d' = -0.01), while prenatal stress affected glucocorticoid recovery following offspring stress exposure more strongly (d' = 0.75) than baseline levels (d' = 0.48) or glucocorticoid peak response (d' = 0.36). These findings are consistent with the argument that HPA-axis sensitivity to prenatal stress is evolutionarily ancient and occurs regardless of a species' overall life history strategy. These effects may therefore be especially important for mediating intra-specific life-history variation. In addition, these findings suggest that animal models of prenatal HPA-axis programming may be appropriate for studying similar effects in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaneta M Thayer
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, USA.
| | - Meredith A Wilson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Andrew W Kim
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Illinois, USA
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Dettmer AM, Murphy AM, Guitarra D, Slonecker E, Suomi SJ, Rosenberg KL, Novak MA, Meyer JS, Hinde K. Cortisol in Neonatal Mother's Milk Predicts Later Infant Social and Cognitive Functioning in Rhesus Monkeys. Child Dev 2017; 89:525-538. [PMID: 28369689 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Milk provides not only the building blocks for somatic development but also the hormonal signals that contribute to the biopsychological organization of the infant. Among mammals, glucocorticoids (GCs) in mother's milk have been associated with infant temperament. This study extended prior work to investigate rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) mother-infant dyads (N = 34) from birth through 8 months postpartum. Regression analysis revealed that cortisol concentrations in milk during the neonatal period predicted impulsivity on a cognitive task, but not global social behaviors, months later. During this time period, sex-differentiated social behavior emerged. For female infants, milk cortisol concentrations predicted total frequency of play. Collectively, these findings support and extend the "lactational programming" hypothesis on the impact of maternal-origin hormones ingested via milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Dettmer
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Ashley M Murphy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Denisse Guitarra
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Emily Slonecker
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
| | - Stephen J Suomi
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
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36
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Melnik BC, Schmitz G. Milk's Role as an Epigenetic Regulator in Health and Disease. Diseases 2017; 5:diseases5010012. [PMID: 28933365 PMCID: PMC5456335 DOI: 10.3390/diseases5010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is the intention of this review to characterize milk's role as an epigenetic regulator in health and disease. Based on translational research, we identify milk as a major epigenetic modulator of gene expression of the milk recipient. Milk is presented as an epigenetic "doping system" of mammalian development. Milk exosome-derived micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) that target DNA methyltransferases are implicated to play the key role in the upregulation of developmental genes such as FTO, INS, and IGF1. In contrast to miRNA-deficient infant formula, breastfeeding via physiological miRNA transfer provides the appropriate signals for adequate epigenetic programming of the newborn infant. Whereas breastfeeding is restricted to the lactation period, continued consumption of cow's milk results in persistent epigenetic upregulation of genes critically involved in the development of diseases of civilization such as diabesity, neurodegeneration, and cancer. We hypothesize that the same miRNAs that epigenetically increase lactation, upregulate gene expression of the milk recipient via milk-derived miRNAs. It is of critical concern that persistent consumption of pasteurized cow's milk contaminates the human food chain with bovine miRNAs, that are identical to their human analogs. Commercial interest to enhance dairy lactation performance may further increase the epigenetic miRNA burden for the milk consumer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodo C Melnik
- Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Osnabrück, Am Finkenhügel 7a, D-49076 Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - Gerd Schmitz
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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37
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Veloso FA. On the developmental self-regulatory dynamics and evolution of individuated multicellular organisms. J Theor Biol 2016; 417:84-99. [PMID: 28048969 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Changes in gene expression are thought to regulate the cell differentiation process intrinsically through complex epigenetic mechanisms. In fundamental terms, however, this assumed regulation refers only to the intricate propagation of changes in gene expression or else leads to non-explanatory regresses. The developmental self-regulatory dynamics and evolution of individuated multicellular organisms also lack a unified and falsifiable description. To fill this gap, I computationally analyzed publicly available high-throughput data of histone H3 post-translational modifications and mRNA abundance for different Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, and Drosophila melanogaster cell-type/developmental-period samples. My analysis of genomic regions adjacent to transcription start sites generated a profile from pairwise partial correlations between histone modifications controlling for the respective mRNA levels for each cell-type/developmental-period dataset. I found that these profiles, while explicitly uncorrelated with the respective transcriptional "identities" by construction, associate strongly with cell differentiation states. This association is not expected if cell differentiation is, in effect, regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Based on these results, I propose a general, falsifiable theory of individuated multicellularity, which relies on the synergistic coupling across the extracellular space of two explicitly uncorrelated "self-organizing" systems constraining histone modification states at the same sites. This theory describes how the simplest multicellular individual-understood as an intrinsic, higher-order constraint-emerges from proliferating undifferentiated cells, and could explain the intrinsic regulation of gene transcriptional changes for cell differentiation and the evolution of individuated multicellular organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A Veloso
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Science, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago 8580745, Chile.
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Floris I, Kraft JD, Altosaar I. Roles of MicroRNA across Prenatal and Postnatal Periods. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17121994. [PMID: 27916805 PMCID: PMC5187794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17121994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication between mother and offspring in mammals starts at implantation via the maternal-placental-fetal axis, and continues postpartum via milk targeted to the intestinal mucosa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short, noncoding single-stranded RNAs, of about 22 nucleotides in length, are actively involved in many developmental and physiological processes. Here we highlight the role of miRNA in the dynamic signaling that guides infant development, starting from implantation of conceptus and persisting through the prenatal and postnatal periods. miRNAs in body fluids, particularly in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and breast milk may offer new opportunities to investigate physiological and/or pathological molecular mechanisms that portend to open novel research avenues for the identification of noninvasive biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Floris
- Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada.
| | - Jamie D Kraft
- Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada.
| | - Illimar Altosaar
- Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada.
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Power ML, Schulkin J, Drought H, Milligan LA, Murtough KL, Bernstein RM. Patterns of milk macronutrients and bioactive molecules across lactation in a western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and a Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii). Am J Primatol 2016; 79:1-11. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Power
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Conservation Ecology Center; Nutrition; Laboratory, National Zoological Park; Washington District of Columbia
- Research Department; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Washington District of Columbia
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Research Department; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Washington District of Columbia
- Department of Neuroscience; Georgetown University; Washington District of Columbia
| | - Heather Drought
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University; Washington District of Columbia
| | - Lauren A. Milligan
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Conservation Ecology Center; Nutrition; Laboratory, National Zoological Park; Washington District of Columbia
- Anthropology Department, Mira Costa College; Oceanside California
| | - Katie L. Murtough
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Conservation Ecology Center; Nutrition; Laboratory, National Zoological Park; Washington District of Columbia
- College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences; University of Maryland; College Park Maryland
| | - Robin M. Bernstein
- Department of Anthropology; University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder Colorado
- Health and Society Program; Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder Colorado
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Podgorac J, Pešić V, Pavković Ž, Martać L, Kanazir S, Filipović L, Sekulić S. Early physical and motor development of mouse offspring exposed to valproic acid throughout intrauterine development. Behav Brain Res 2016; 311:99-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Li R, Dudemaine PL, Zhao X, Lei C, Ibeagha-Awemu EM. Comparative Analysis of the miRNome of Bovine Milk Fat, Whey and Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154129. [PMID: 27100870 PMCID: PMC4839614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abundant miRNAs have been identified in milk and mammary gland tissues of different species. Typically, RNA in milk can be extracted from different fractions including fat, whey and cells and the mRNA transcriptome of milk could serve as an indicator of the transcriptome of mammary gland tissue. However, it has not been adequately validated if the miRNA transcriptome of any milk fraction could be representative of that of mammary gland tissue. The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize the miRNA expression spectra from three milk fractions- fat, whey and cells; (2) compare miRNome profiles of milk fractions (fat, whey and cells) with mammary gland tissue miRNome, and (3) determine which milk fraction miRNome profile could be a better representative of the miRNome profile of mammary gland tissue. Milk from four healthy Canadian Holstein cows in mid lactation was collected and fractionated. Total RNA extracted from each fraction was used for library preparation followed by small RNA sequencing. In addition, miRNA transcripts of mammary gland tissues from twelve Holstein cows in our previous study were used to compare our data. We identified 210, 200 and 249 known miRNAs from milk fat, whey and cells, respectively, with 188 universally expressed in the three fractions. In addition, 33, 31 and 36 novel miRNAs from milk fat, whey and cells were identified, with 28 common in the three fractions. Among 20 most highly expressed miRNAs in each fraction, 14 were expressed in common and 11 were further shared with mammary gland tissue. The three milk fractions demonstrated a clear separation from each other using a hierarchical cluster analysis with milk fat and whey being most closely related. The miRNome correlation between milk fat and mammary gland tissue (rmean = 0.866) was significantly higher than the other two pairs (p < 0.01), whey/mammary gland tissue (rmean = 0.755) and milk cell/mammary gland tissue (rmean = 0.75), suggesting that milk fat could be an alternative non-invasive source of RNA in assessing miRNA activities in bovine mammary gland. Predicted target genes (1802) of 14 highly expressed miRNAs in milk fractions were enriched in fundamental cellular functions, infection, organ and tissue development. Furthermore, some miRNAs were highly enriched (FDR <0.05) in milk whey (3), cells (11) and mammary gland tissue (14) suggesting specific regulatory functions in the various fractions. In conclusion, we have obtained a comprehensive miRNA profile of the different milk fractions using high throughput sequencing. Our comparative analysis showed that miRNAs from milk fat accurately portrayed the miRNome of mammary gland tissue. Functional annotation of the top expressed miRNAs in milk confirmed their critical regulatory roles in mammary gland functions and potentially to milk recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 712100, China
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1M 0C8, Canada
| | - Pier-Luc Dudemaine
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1M 0C8, Canada
| | - Xin Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 712100, China
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, 21111, Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de Bellevue, Quebec, J1M 0C8, Canada
| | - Chuzhao Lei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Eveline Mengwi Ibeagha-Awemu
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1M 0C8, Canada
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Bernstein RM, Hinde K. Bioactive factors in milk across lactation: Maternal effects and influence on infant growth in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Am J Primatol 2016; 78:838-50. [PMID: 27029025 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Among mammals, numerous bioactive factors in milk vary across mothers and influence offspring outcomes. This emerging area of research has primarily investigated such dynamics within rodent biomedical models, domesticated dairy breeds, and among humans in clinical contexts. Less understood are signaling factors in the milk of non-human primates. Here, we report on multiple bioactive components in rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) milk and their associations with maternal and infant characteristics. Milk samples were collected from 59 macaques at multiple time points across lactation in conjunction with maternal and infant morphometrics and life-history animal records. Milk was assayed for adiponectin (APN), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGF-R), and transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β2 ). Regression models were constructed to assess the contributions of maternal factors on variation in milk bioactives, and on the relationship of this variation to infant body mass and growth. Maternal body mass, parity, social rank, and infant sex were all predictive of concentrations of milk bioactives. Primiparous mothers produced milk with higher adiponectin, but lower EGF, than multiparous mothers. Heavier mothers produced milk with lower EGF and EGF-R, but higher TGF-β2 . Mothers of daughters produced milk with higher TGF-β2 . Mid-ranking mothers produced milk with higher mean EGF and adiponectin concentrations than low-ranking mothers. Milk EGF and EGF-R were positively associated with infant body mass and growth rate. Importantly, these signaling bioactives (APN, EGF, EGF-R, and TGF-β2 ) were significantly correlated with nutritional values of milk. The effects of milk signals remained after controlling for the available energy in milk revealing the added physiological role of non-nutritive milk bioactives in the developing infant. Integrating analyses of energetic and other bioactive components of milk yields an important perspective for interpreting the magnitude, sources, and consequences of inter-individual variation in milk synthesis. Am. J. Primatol. 78:838-850, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin M Bernstein
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.,Health and Society Program, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Katie Hinde
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Arizona.,Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Arizona.,Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, California
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Simpson MR, Brede G, Johansen J, Johnsen R, Storrø O, Sætrom P, Øien T. Human Breast Milk miRNA, Maternal Probiotic Supplementation and Atopic Dermatitis in Offspring. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143496. [PMID: 26657066 PMCID: PMC4682386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Perinatal probiotic ingestion has been shown to prevent atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy in a number of randomised trials. The Probiotics in the Prevention of Allergy among Children in Trondheim (ProPACT) trial involved a probiotic supplementation regime given solely to mothers in the perinatal period and demonstrated a ~40% relative risk reduction in the cumulative incidence of AD at 2 years of age. However, the mechanisms behind this effect are incompletely understood. Micro-RNAs (miRNA) are abundant in mammalian milk and may influence the developing gastrointestinal and immune systems of newborn infants. The objectives of this study were to describe the miRNA profile of human breast milk, and to investigate breast milk miRNAs as possible mediators of the observed preventative effect of probiotics. Methods Small RNA sequencing was conducted on samples collected 3 months postpartum from 54 women participating in the ProPACT trial. Differential expression of miRNA was assessed for the probiotic vs placebo and AD vs non-AD groups. The results were further analysed using functional prediction techniques. Results Human breast milk samples contain a relatively stable core group of highly expressed miRNAs, including miR-148a-3p, miR-22-3p, miR-30d-5p, let-7b-5p and miR-200a-3p. Functional analysis of these miRNAs revealed enrichment in a broad range of biological processes and molecular functions. Although several miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed on comparison of the probiotic vs placebo and AD vs non-AD groups, none had an acceptable false discovery rate and their biological significance in the development of AD is not immediately apparent from their predicted functional consequences. Conclusion Whilst breast milk miRNAs have the potential to be active in a diverse range of tissues and biological process, individual miRNAs in breast milk 3 months postpartum are unlikely to play a major role in the prevention of atopic dermatitis in infancy by probiotics ingestion in the perinatal period. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00159523
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Rae Simpson
- Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Gaute Brede
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jostein Johansen
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Roar Johnsen
- Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ola Storrø
- Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Pål Sætrom
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torbjørn Øien
- Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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44
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Floris I, Billard H, Boquien CY, Joram-Gauvard E, Simon L, Legrand A, Boscher C, Rozé JC, Bolaños-Jiménez F, Kaeffer B. MiRNA Analysis by Quantitative PCR in Preterm Human Breast Milk Reveals Daily Fluctuations of hsa-miR-16-5p. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140488. [PMID: 26474056 PMCID: PMC4608744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Human breast milk is an extremely dynamic fluid containing many biologically-active components which change throughout the feeding period and throughout the day. We designed a miRNA assay on minimized amounts of raw milk obtained from mothers of preterm infants. We investigated changes in miRNA expression within month 2 of lactation and then over the course of 24 hours. Materials and Methods Analyses were performed on pooled breast milk, made by combining samples collected at different clock times from the same mother donor, along with time series collected over 24 hours from four unsynchronized mothers. Whole milk, lipids or skim milk fractions were processed and analyzed by qPCR. We measured hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-146-5p, and hsa-let-7a, d and g (all -5p). Stability of miRNA endogenous controls was evaluated using RefFinder, a web tool integrating geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper and the comparative ΔΔCt method. Results MiR-21 and miR-16 were stably expressed in whole milk collected within month 2 of lactation from four mothers. Analysis of lipids and skim milk revealed that miR-146b and let-7d were better references in both fractions. Time series (5H-23H) allowed the identification of a set of three endogenous reference genes (hsa-let-7d, hsa-let-7g and miR-146b) to normalize raw quantification cycle (Cq) data. We identified a daily oscillation of miR-16-5p. Perspectives Our assay allows exploring miRNA levels of breast milk from mother with preterm baby collected in time series over 48–72 hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Floris
- UMR-1280, INRA, University of Nantes, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Nantes, France
- * E-mail: (IF); (BK)
| | - Hélène Billard
- UMR-1280, INRA, University of Nantes, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Nantes, France
| | - Clair-Yves Boquien
- UMR-1280, INRA, University of Nantes, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Nantes, France
| | | | - Laure Simon
- University of Nantes, Hospital of Mother and Child, Nantes, France
| | - Arnaud Legrand
- University of Nantes, Hospital of Mother and Child, Nantes, France
| | - Cécile Boscher
- University of Nantes, Hospital of Mother and Child, Nantes, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Rozé
- UMR-1280, INRA, University of Nantes, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Nantes, France
- University of Nantes, Hospital of Mother and Child, Nantes, France
| | | | - Bertrand Kaeffer
- UMR-1280, INRA, University of Nantes, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutritionnelles, Nantes, France
- * E-mail: (IF); (BK)
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Allen-Blevins CR, Sela DA, Hinde K. Milk bioactives may manipulate microbes to mediate parent-offspring conflict. Evol Med Public Health 2015; 2015:106-21. [PMID: 25835022 PMCID: PMC4512713 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eov007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Among mammals, milk constituents directly influence the ecology of the infant's commensal microbiota. The immunological and nutritional impacts of breast milk and microbiota are increasingly well understood; less clear are the consequences for infant behavior. Here, we propose that interactions among bioactives in mother's milk and microbes in the infant gut contribute to infant behavioral phenotype and, in part, have the potential to mediate parent-offspring conflict. We hypothesize that infant behavior likely varies as a function of their mother's milk composition interacting with the infant's neurobiology directly and indirectly through the commensal gut bacteria. In this article, we will explore our hypothesis of a milk-microbiota-brain-behavior dynamic in the context of the coevolution between human milk oligosaccharides, bacteria, the gut-brain axis and behavior. Integrating established features of these systems allows us to generate novel hypotheses to motivate future research and consider potential implications of current and emerging clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cary R Allen-Blevins
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David A Sela
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Katie Hinde
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Sharp JA, Modepalli V, Enjapoori AK, Bisana S, Abud HE, Lefevre C, Nicholas KR. Bioactive Functions of Milk Proteins: a Comparative Genomics Approach. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2014; 19:289-302. [PMID: 26115887 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-015-9331-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition of milk includes factors required to provide appropriate nutrition for the growth of the neonate. However, it is now clear that milk has many functions and comprises bioactive molecules that play a central role in regulating developmental processes in the young while providing a protective function for both the suckled young and the mammary gland during the lactation cycle. Identifying these bioactives and their physiological function in eutherians can be difficult and requires extensive screening of milk components that may function to improve well-being and options for prevention and treatment of disease. New animal models with unique reproductive strategies are now becoming increasingly relevant to search for these factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Sharp
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, 3216, Australia,
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Hinde K, Skibiel AL, Foster AB, Del Rosso L, Mendoza SP, Capitanio JP. Cortisol in mother's milk across lactation reflects maternal life history and predicts infant temperament. Behav Ecol 2014; 26:269-281. [PMID: 25713475 PMCID: PMC4309982 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Revised: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In monkeys, high cortisol and changes in cortisol levels in mother’s milk are associated with more nervous and less confident infants. Sons are more sensitive than are daughters to changes in cortisol in mother’s milk across lactation. Females that are earlier in their reproductive career tend to have higher cortisol in their milk. Mothers may be “programming” behaviorally cautious offspring that prioritize growth through cortisol signaling. The maternal environment exerts important influences on offspring mass/growth, metabolism, reproduction, neurobiology, immune function, and behavior among birds, insects, reptiles, fish, and mammals. For mammals, mother’s milk is an important physiological pathway for nutrient transfer and glucocorticoid signaling that potentially influences offspring growth and behavioral phenotype. Glucocorticoids in mother’s milk have been associated with offspring behavioral phenotype in several mammals, but studies have been handicapped by not simultaneously evaluating milk energy density and yield. This is problematic as milk glucocorticoids and nutrients likely have simultaneous effects on offspring phenotype. We investigated mother’s milk and infant temperament and growth in a cohort of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) mother–infant dyads at the California National Primate Research Center (N = 108). Glucocorticoids in mother’s milk, independent of available milk energy, predicted a more Nervous, less Confident temperament in both sons and daughters. We additionally found sex differences in the windows of sensitivity and the magnitude of sensitivity to maternal-origin glucocorticoids. Lower parity mothers produced milk with higher cortisol concentrations. Lastly, higher cortisol concentrations in milk were associated with greater infant weight gain across time. Taken together, these results suggest that mothers with fewer somatic resources, even in captivity, may be “programming” through cortisol signaling, behaviorally cautious offspring that prioritize growth. Glucocorticoids ingested through milk may importantly contribute to the assimilation of available milk energy, development of temperament, and orchestrate, in part, the allocation of maternal milk energy between growth and behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Hinde
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University , 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 , USA , ; Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of Califoria, One Shields Avenue , Davis CA 95616 , USA , ; Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian National Zoological Park , 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 , USA
| | - Amy L Skibiel
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University , 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 , USA , ; Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University , 101 Rouse Life Science Rd, Auburn, AL, 36849 , USA
| | - Alison B Foster
- Division of Early Childhood, Mills College , 5000 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA, 94613 , USA , and
| | - Laura Del Rosso
- Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of Califoria, One Shields Avenue , Davis CA 95616 , USA
| | - Sally P Mendoza
- Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of Califoria, One Shields Avenue , Davis CA 95616 , USA , ; Department of Psychology, University of California Davis , One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616 , USA
| | - John P Capitanio
- Brain, Mind, and Behavior Unit, California National Primate Research Center, University of Califoria, One Shields Avenue , Davis CA 95616 , USA , ; Department of Psychology, University of California Davis , One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616 , USA
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48
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Enjapoori AK, Grant TR, Nicol SC, Lefèvre CM, Nicholas KR, Sharp JA. Monotreme lactation protein is highly expressed in monotreme milk and provides antimicrobial protection. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 6:2754-73. [PMID: 25245409 PMCID: PMC4224336 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Monotremes (platypus and echidna) are the descendants of the oldest ancestor of all extant mammals distinguished from other mammals by mode of reproduction. Monotremes lay eggs following a short gestation period and after an even briefer incubation period, altricial hatchlings are nourished over a long lactation period with milk secreted by nipple-less mammary patches located on the female’s abdomen. Milk is the sole source of nutrition and immune protection for the developing young until weaning. Using transcriptome and mass spectrometry analysis of milk cells and milk proteins, respectively, a novel Monotreme Lactation Protein (MLP) was identified as a major secreted protein in milk. We show that platypus and short-beaked echidna MLP genes show significant homology and are unique to monotremes. The MLP transcript was shown to be expressed in a variety of tissues; however, highest expression was observed in milk cells and was expressed constitutively from early to late lactation. Analysis of recombinant MLP showed that it is an N-linked glycosylated protein and biophysical studies predicted that MLP is an amphipathic, α-helical protein, a typical feature of antimicrobial proteins. Functional analysis revealed MLP antibacterial activity against both opportunistic pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus and commensal Enterococcus faecalis bacteria but showed no effect on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Salmonella enterica. Our data suggest that MLP is an evolutionarily ancient component of milk-mediated innate immunity absent in other mammals. We propose that MLP evolved specifically in the monotreme lineage supporting the evolution of lactation in these species to provide bacterial protection, at a time when mammals lacked nipples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom R Grant
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stewart C Nicol
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Kevin R Nicholas
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie A Sharp
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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