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Lockett J, Inder WJ, Clifton VL. The Glucocorticoid Receptor: Isoforms, Functions, and Contribution to Glucocorticoid Sensitivity. Endocr Rev 2024; 45:593-624. [PMID: 38551091 PMCID: PMC11244253 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids exert pleiotropic effects on all tissues to regulate cellular and metabolic homeostasis. Synthetic forms are used therapeutically in a wide range of conditions for their anti-inflammatory benefits, at the cost of dose and duration-dependent side effects. Significant variability occurs between tissues, disease states, and individuals with regard to both the beneficial and deleterious effects. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is the site of action for these hormones and a vast body of work has been conducted understanding its function. Traditionally, it was thought that the anti-inflammatory benefits of glucocorticoids were mediated by transrepression of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, while the adverse metabolic effects resulted from direct transactivation. This canonical understanding of the GR function has been brought into question over the past 2 decades with advances in the resolution of scientific techniques, and the discovery of multiple isoforms of the receptor present in most tissues. Here we review the structure and function of the GR, the nature of the receptor isoforms, and the contribution of the receptor to glucocorticoid sensitivity, or resistance in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Lockett
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4101, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Warrick J Inder
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4101, Australia
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2
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Mposhi A, Turner JD. How can early life adversity still exert an effect decades later? A question of timing, tissues and mechanisms. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1215544. [PMID: 37457711 PMCID: PMC10348484 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1215544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to any number of stressors during the first 1000 days from conception to age 2 years is important in shaping an individual's life trajectory of health and disease. Despite the expanding range of stressors as well as later-life phenotypes and outcomes, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Our previous data strongly suggests that early-life exposure to a stressor reduces the capacity of the immune system to generate subsequent generations of naïve cells, while others have shown that, early life stress impairs the capacity of neuronal stem cells to proliferate as they age. This leads us to the "stem cell hypothesis" whereby exposure to adversity during a sensitive period acts through a common mechanism in all the cell types by programming the tissue resident progenitor cells. Furthermore, we review the mechanistic differences observed in fully differentiated cells and suggest that early life adversity (ELA) may alter mitochondria in stem cells. This may consequently alter the destiny of these cells, producing the lifelong "supply" of functionally altered fully differentiated cells.
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Methylation and expression of glucocorticoid receptor exon-1 variants and FKBP5 in teenage suicide-completers. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:53. [PMID: 36781843 PMCID: PMC9925759 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02345-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has repeatedly been demonstrated to play a fundamental role in psychiatric disorders and suicide, yet the mechanisms underlying this dysregulation are not clear. Decreased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene, which is also susceptible to epigenetic modulation, is a strong indicator of impaired HPA axis control. In the context of teenage suicide-completers, we have systematically analyzed the 5'UTR of the GR gene to determine the expression levels of all GR exon-1 transcript variants and their epigenetic state. We also measured the expression and the epigenetic state of the FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP5/FKBP51), an important modulator of GR activity. Furthermore, steady-state DNA methylation levels depend upon the interplay between enzymes that promote DNA methylation and demethylation activities, thus we analyzed DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), ten-eleven translocation enzymes (TETs), and growth arrest- and DNA-damage-inducible proteins (GADD45). Focusing on both the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, our results show decreased expression in specific GR exon-1 variants and a strong correlation of DNA methylation changes with gene expression in the PFC. FKBP5 expression is also increased in both areas suggesting a decreased GR sensitivity to cortisol binding. We also identified aberrant expression of DNA methylating and demethylating enzymes in both brain regions. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex transcriptional regulation of GR, providing evidence of epigenetically mediated reprogramming of the GR gene, which could lead to possible epigenetic influences that result in lasting modifications underlying an individual's overall HPA axis response and resilience to stress.
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Lim M, Carollo A, Neoh MJY, Esposito G. Mapping miRNA Research in Schizophrenia: A Scientometric Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010436. [PMID: 36613876 PMCID: PMC9820708 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro RNA (miRNA) research has great implications in uncovering the aetiology of neuropsychiatric conditions due to the role of miRNA in brain development and function. Schizophrenia, a complex yet devastating neuropsychiatric disorder, is one such condition that had been extensively studied in the realm of miRNA. Although a relatively new field of research, this area of study has progressed sufficiently to warrant dozens of reviews summarising findings from past to present. However, as a majority of reviews cannot encapsulate the full body of research, there is still a need to synthesise the diversity of publications made in this area in a systematic but easy-to-understand manner. Therefore, this study adopted bibliometrics and scientometrics, specifically document co-citation analysis (DCA), to review the literature on miRNAs in the context of schizophrenia over the course of history. From a literature search on Scopus, 992 papers were found and analysed with CiteSpace. DCA analysis generated a network of 13 major clusters with different thematic focuses within the subject area. Finally, these clusters are qualitatively discussed. miRNA research has branched into schizophrenia, among other medical and psychiatric conditions, due to previous findings in other forms of non-coding RNA. With the rise of big data, bioinformatics analyses are increasingly common in this field of research. The future of research is projected to rely more heavily on interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, it can be expected that there will be more translational studies focusing on the application of these findings to the development of effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Lim
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639818, Singapore
| | - Alessandro Carollo
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Michelle Jin Yee Neoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639818, Singapore
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Begum N, Mandhare A, Tryphena KP, Srivastava S, Shaikh MF, Singh SB, Khatri DK. Epigenetics in depression and gut-brain axis: A molecular crosstalk. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1048333. [PMID: 36583185 PMCID: PMC9794020 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1048333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut-brain axis is a dynamic, complex, and bidirectional communication network between the gut and brain. Changes in the microbiota-gut-brain axis are responsible for developing various metabolic, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders. According to clinical and preclinical findings, the gut microbiota is a significant regulator of the gut-brain axis. In addition to interacting with intestinal cells and the enteric nervous system, it has been discovered that microbes in the gut can modify the central nervous system through metabolic and neuroendocrine pathways. The metabolites of the gut microbiome can modulate a number of diseases by inducing epigenetic alteration through DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-associated gene silencing. Short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, are well-known histone deacetylases inhibitors. Similarly, other microbial metabolites such as folate, choline, and trimethylamine-N-oxide also regulate epigenetics mechanisms. Furthermore, various studies have revealed the potential role of microbiome dysbiosis and epigenetics in the pathophysiology of depression. Hence, in this review, we have highlighted the role of gut dysbiosis in epigenetic regulation, causal interaction between host epigenetic modification and the gut microbiome in depression and suggest microbiome and epigenome as a possible target for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nusrat Begum
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Aniket Mandhare
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Kamatham Pushpa Tryphena
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Saurabh Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India,*Correspondence: Saurabh Srivastava,
| | - Mohd Farooq Shaikh
- Neuropharmacology Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia,Mohd Farooq Shaikh,
| | - Shashi Bala Singh
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Khatri
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India,Dharmendra Kumar Khatri,
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Vetrovoy O, Stratilov V, Lomert E, Tyulkova E. Prenatal Hypoxia-Induced Adverse Reaction to Mild Stress is Associated with Depressive-Like Changes in the Glucocorticoid System of Rats. Neurochem Res 2022; 48:1455-1467. [PMID: 36495386 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The effects of prenatal hypoxia on neurodevelopment are predominantly associated with impaired maternal glucocorticoid stimulation of the fetus, which is "imprinted" in altered sensitivity of glucocorticoid reception in brain structures of offspring and can affect brain plasticity during lifespan. This study aimed to investigate response of the brain glucocorticoid system to mild stress (MS) in adult rats that survived prenatal severe hypoxia (PSH) on embryonic days 14-16. In response to MS the control (but not PSH) rats demonstrate increased corticosterone levels, a decrease in exploratory activity and increased anxiety. In the raphe nuclei of adult PSH rats the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) is increased without changes in serotonin levels in comparison with the control. MS induces a decrease in GR expression accompanied by up-regulation of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (tph2) and down-regulation of monoamine oxidase A (maoa) transcription in the raphe nuclei of both control and PSH groups. PSH also causes significant deviations in GR expression and GR-dependent transcription in the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex, but not in the amygdala of rats. However, in response to MS, PSH rats demonstrate mild changes in their activity, while in control animals the MS-induced activity of the glucocorticoid system in these brain structures is similar to intact PSH animals. Impaired activity of the glucocorticoid system in the extrahypothalamic brain structures of PSH rats is accompanied by increase in the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) levels in comparison with the control regardless of MS. Synthesis of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the blood are decreased in response to MS in the pituitary of control rats, which demonstrates a negative glucocorticoid feedback mechanism. Meanwhile, in the pituitary of PSH rats reduced POMC levels were found regardless of MS. Thus, prenatal hypoxia causes depression-like patterns in the brain glucocorticoid system with adverse reaction to mild stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Vetrovoy
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, 199034, Saint- Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Viktor Stratilov
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Lomert
- Group of Molecular Genetics of Tumor Cells, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tihoretsky Pr. 4, 194064, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Tyulkova
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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Chalfun G, Araújo Brasil AD, Paravidino VB, Soares-Lima SC, Souza Almeida Lopes MD, Santos Salú MD, Barbosa E Dos Santos PV, P da Cunha Trompiere AC, Vieira Milone LT, Rodrigues-Santos G, Genuíno de Oliveira MB, Robaina JR, Lima-Setta F, Reis MM, Ledo Alves da Cunha AJ, Prata-Barbosa A, de Magalhães-Barbosa MC. NR3C1 gene methylation and cortisol levels in preterm and healthy full-term infants in the first 3 months of life. Epigenomics 2022; 14:1545-1561. [PMID: 36861354 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0444] [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] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To describe NR3C1 exon-1F methylation and cortisol levels in newborns. Materials & methods: Preterm ≤1500 g and full-term infants were included. Samples were collected at birth and at days 5, 30 and 90 (or at discharge). Results: 46 preterm and 49 full-term infants were included. Methylation was stable over time in full-term infants (p = 0.3116) but decreased in preterm infants (p = 0.0241). Preterm infants had higher cortisol levels on the fifth day, while full-term infants showed increasing levels (p = 0.0177) over time. Conclusion: Hypermethylated sites in NR3C1 at birth and higher cortisol levels on day 5 suggest that prematurity, reflecting prenatal stress, affects the epigenome. Methylation decrease over time in preterm infants suggests that postnatal factors may modify the epigenome, but their role needs to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Chalfun
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Department of Neonatology, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Aline de Araújo Brasil
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Vitor Barreto Paravidino
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Social Medicine, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), 20550-013, Brazil
- Department of Physical Education & Sports, Naval Academy, Brazilian Navy, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20021-010, Brazil
| | - Sheila Coelho Soares-Lima
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Program, Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230-130, Brazil
| | | | - Margarida Dos Santos Salú
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | | | - Leo Travassos Vieira Milone
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rodrigues-Santos
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | - Jaqueline Rodrigues Robaina
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Lima-Setta
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Martins Reis
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Antônio José Ledo Alves da Cunha
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Prata-Barbosa
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
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Mohammadi S, Beh-Pajooh A, Ahmadimanesh M, Amini M, Ghazi-Khansari M, Moallem SA, Hosseini R, Nourian YH, Ghahremani MH. Evaluation of DNA methylation in BDNF, SLC6A4, NR3C1 and FKBP5 before and after treatment with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor in major depressive disorder. Epigenomics 2022; 14:1269-1280. [DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To identify the DNA methylation status of related genes in major depressive disorder following selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment. Materials & methods: 45 patients with major depressive disorder and 45 healthy volunteers were considered experimental and control groups, respectively. High-resolution melting real-time PCR was implemented to evaluate DNA methylation. Results: After 100 days of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment, methylation of promoter CpG sites of BDNF, NR3C1, FKBP5 and SLC6A4 was significantly reduced. Compared with before treatment, patients' Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores were significantly reduced after selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment (p ≤ 0.0001). Conclusion: Based on the proven effect of antidepressants on DNA methylation and gene expression, these medications can improve the treatment process and reduce depression scores after treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeid Mohammadi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Beh-Pajooh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Ahmadimanesh
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohsen Amini
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Ghazi-Khansari
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Adel Moallem
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Al-Zahraa University for Women, Karbala, Iraq
| | - Rohollah Hosseini
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yazdan Hasani Nourian
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Ghahremani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Toxicology and Poisoning Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Stepanov YK, Speidel JD, Herrmann C, Schmid N, Behr R, Köhn FM, Stöckl JB, Pickl U, Trottmann M, Fröhlich T, Mayerhofer A, Welter H. Profound Effects of Dexamethasone on the Immunological State, Synthesis and Secretion Capacity of Human Testicular Peritubular Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193164. [PMID: 36231125 PMCID: PMC9562650 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The functions of human testicular peritubular cells (HTPCs), forming a small compartment located between the seminiferous epithelium and the interstitial areas of the testis, are not fully known but go beyond intratesticular sperm transport and include immunological roles. The expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) indicates that they may be regulated by glucocorticoids (GCs). Herein, we studied the consequences of the GC dexamethasone (Dex) in cultured HTPCs, which serves as a unique window into the human testis. We examined changes in cytokines, mainly by qPCR and ELISA. A holistic mass-spectrometry-based proteome analysis of cellular and secreted proteins was also performed. Dex, used in a therapeutic concentration, decreased the transcript level of proinflammatory cytokines, e.g., IL6, IL8 and MCP1. An siRNA-mediated knockdown of GR reduced the actions on IL6. Changes in IL6 were confirmed by ELISA measurements. Of note, Dex also lowered GR levels. The proteomic results revealed strong responses after 24 h (31 significantly altered cellular proteins) and more pronounced ones after 72 h of Dex exposure (30 less abundant and 42 more abundant cellular proteins). Dex also altered the composition of the secretome (33 proteins decreased, 13 increased) after 72 h. Among the regulated proteins were extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane components (e.g., FBLN2, COL1A2 and COL3A1), as well as PTX3 and StAR. These results pinpoint novel, profound effects of Dex in HTPCs. If transferrable to the human testis, changes specifically in ECM and the immunological state of the testis may occur in men upon treatment with Dex for medical reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Dominik Speidel
- Biomedical Center, Cell Biology, Anatomy III, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Carola Herrmann
- Biomedical Center, Cell Biology, Anatomy III, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nina Schmid
- Biomedical Center, Cell Biology, Anatomy III, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Behr
- Platform Degenerative Diseases, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Jan Bernd Stöckl
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis LAFUGA, Gene Center, LMU München, 81377 München, Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas Fröhlich
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis LAFUGA, Gene Center, LMU München, 81377 München, Germany
| | - Artur Mayerhofer
- Biomedical Center, Cell Biology, Anatomy III, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (H.W.); Tel.: +49-89218075859 (A.M.); +49-89218071882 (H.W.)
| | - Harald Welter
- Biomedical Center, Cell Biology, Anatomy III, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (H.W.); Tel.: +49-89218075859 (A.M.); +49-89218071882 (H.W.)
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10
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Wassink L, Huerta B, Larson D, Li W, Scribner K. Hatchery and wild larval lake sturgeon experience effects of captivity on stress reactivity, behavior and predation risk. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac062. [PMID: 36225539 PMCID: PMC9547518 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reintroduction programs are important tools for wildlife conservation. However, captive rearing environments may lead to maladaptive behavior and physiological alterations that reduce survival probability after release. For captive rearing programs that raise individuals captured from the wild during early ontogeny for later release, there is a lack of information about when during ontogeny the detrimental effects of captive rearing may become evident. In this study we compared cortisol levels, predation rates and swimming behavior between hatchery-produced and wild-caught larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), a threatened fish species, at three times over 9 days. Cortisol levels did not indicate that hatchery-produced individuals were more stressed, but cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor disappeared for both hatchery-produced and wild-caught larvae after 9 days in the hatchery. Swimming activity levels decreased over time for hatchery-produced larvae but increased over time for wild-caught larvae, suggesting that behavioral trajectories may be programmed prior to the larval stage. Neither increasing nor decreasing activity levels was advantageous for survival, as predation rates increased over time in captivity for larvae from both treatments. Results suggest that physiological and behavioral phenotypes may not accurately predict survival for individuals released from reintroduction programs and that the captive environment may inhibit transition to the wild even if cortisol levels do not indicate high stress. Findings emphasize that even a short amount of time in captivity during early ontogeny can affect phenotypes of individuals captured from wild populations, which may impact the success of reintroduction programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Wassink
- Corresponding author: 8350 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243 USA. Tel: 1-616-550-8380.
| | - Belinda Huerta
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing MI 48824, USA
| | - Doug Larson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing MI 48824, USA
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing MI 48824, USA
| | - Kim Scribner
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing MI 48824, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing MI 48824, USA
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11
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Hocher B, Lu YP, Reichetzeder C, Zhang X, Tsuprykov O, Rahnenführer J, Xie L, Li J, Hu L, Krämer BK, Hasan AA. Paternal eNOS deficiency in mice affects glucose homeostasis and liver glycogen in male offspring without inheritance of eNOS deficiency itself. Diabetologia 2022; 65:1222-1236. [PMID: 35488925 PMCID: PMC9174141 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-022-05700-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS It was shown that maternal endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) deficiency causes fatty liver disease and numerically lower fasting glucose in female wild-type offspring, suggesting that parental genetic variants may influence the offspring's phenotype via epigenetic modifications in the offspring despite the absence of a primary genetic defect. The aim of the current study was to analyse whether paternal eNOS deficiency may cause the same phenotype as seen with maternal eNOS deficiency. METHODS Heterozygous (+/-) male eNOS (Nos3) knockout mice or wild-type male mice were bred with female wild-type mice. The phenotype of wild-type offspring of heterozygous male eNOS knockout mice was compared with offspring from wild-type parents. RESULTS Global sperm DNA methylation decreased and sperm microRNA pattern altered substantially. Fasting glucose and liver glycogen storage were increased when analysing wild-type male and female offspring of +/- eNOS fathers. Wild-type male but not female offspring of +/- eNOS fathers had increased fasting insulin and increased insulin after glucose load. Analysing candidate genes for liver fat and carbohydrate metabolism revealed that the expression of genes encoding glucocorticoid receptor (Gr; also known as Nr3c1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (Pgc1a; also known as Ppargc1a) was increased while DNA methylation of Gr exon 1A and Pgc1a promoter was decreased in the liver of male wild-type offspring of +/- eNOS fathers. The endocrine pancreas in wild-type offspring was not affected. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Our study suggests that paternal genetic defects such as eNOS deficiency may alter the epigenome of the sperm without transmission of the paternal genetic defect itself. In later life wild-type male offspring of +/- eNOS fathers developed increased fasting insulin and increased insulin after glucose load. These effects are associated with increased Gr and Pgc1a gene expression due to altered methylation of these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berthold Hocher
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China.
- Institute of Medical Diagnostics, IMD Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Yong-Ping Lu
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Nephrology, Center of Kidney and Urology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oleg Tsuprykov
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Rahnenführer
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Li Xie
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Liang Hu
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bernhard K Krämer
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ahmed A Hasan
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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12
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Chalfun G, Reis MM, de Oliveira MBG, de Araújo Brasil A, Dos Santos Salú M, da Cunha AJLA, Prata-Barbosa A, de Magalhães-Barbosa MC. Perinatal stress and methylation of the NR3C1 gene in newborns: systematic review. Epigenetics 2021; 17:1003-1019. [PMID: 34519616 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1980691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse experiences in the perinatal period have been associated with the methylation of the human glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and long-term diseases. We conducted a systematic review on the association between adversities in the perinatal period and DNA methylation in the 1 F region of the NR3C1 gene in newborns. We explored the MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Scielo, and Lilacs databases without time or language limitations. Two independent reviewers performed the selection of articles and data extraction. A third participated in the methodological quality assessment and consensus meetings at all stages. Finally, ten studies were selected. Methodological quality was considered moderate in six and low in four. Methylation changes were reported in 41 of the 47 CpG sites of exon 1 F. Six studies addressed maternal conditions during pregnancy: two reported methylation changes at the same sites (CpG 10, 13, 20, 21 and 47), and four at one or more sites from CpG 35 to 39. Four studies addressed neonatal parameters and morbidities: methylation changes at the same sites 4, 8, 10, 16, 25, and 35 were reported in two. Hypermethylation associated with stressful conditions prevailed. Hypomethylation was more often associated with protective conditions (maternal-foetal attachment during pregnancy, breast milk intake, higher birth weight or Apgar). In conclusion, methylation changes in several sites of the 1 F region of the NR3C1 gene in newborns and very young infants were associated with perinatal stress, but more robust and comparable results are needed to corroborate site-specific associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Chalfun
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Ufrj), Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Martins Reis
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Aline de Araújo Brasil
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Margarida Dos Santos Salú
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Antônio José Ledo Alves da Cunha
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Ufrj), Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Prata-Barbosa
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (Idor), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Ufrj), Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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13
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Spies LML, Verhoog NJD, Louw A. Acquired Glucocorticoid Resistance Due to Homologous Glucocorticoid Receptor Downregulation: A Modern Look at an Age-Old Problem. Cells 2021; 10:2529. [PMID: 34685511 PMCID: PMC8533966 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
For over 70 years, the unique anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids (GCs), which mediate their effects via the ligand-activated transcription factor, the glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα), have allowed for the use of these steroid hormones in the treatment of various autoimmune and inflammatory-linked diseases. However, aside from the onset of severe side-effects, chronic GC therapy often leads to the ligand-mediated downregulation of the GRα which, in turn, leads to a decrease in GC sensitivity, and effectively, the development of acquired GC resistance. Although the ligand-mediated downregulation of GRα is well documented, the precise factors which influence this process are not well understood and, thus, the development of an acquired GC resistance presents an ever-increasing challenge to the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, however, studies have correlated the dimerization status of the GRα with its ligand-mediated downregulation. Therefore, the current review will be discussing the major role-players in the homologous downregulation of the GRα pool, with a specific focus on previously reported GC-mediated reductions in GRα mRNA and protein levels, the molecular mechanisms through which the GRα functional pool is maintained and the possible impact of receptor conformation on GC-mediated GRα downregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ann Louw
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Van de Byl Street, Stellenbosch 7200, South Africa; (L.-M.L.S.); (N.J.D.V.)
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14
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Lalonde C, Grandbois J, Khurana S, Murray A, Tharmalingam S, Tai TC. Late gestational exposure to dexamethasone and fetal programming of abnormal behavior in Wistar Kyoto rats. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02049. [PMID: 33528889 PMCID: PMC8035474 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal programming was characterized a few decades ago, explaining the correlation of physiological phenotypes of offspring exposed to early-life stress. High acute or chronic prenatal stress can overwhelm the enzymatic placental barrier, inducing transcriptional changes in the fetus that can result in different adverse behavioral and physiological phenotypes. The current study investigates the impact of exposure to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, during late gestation on behavioral outcomes. METHODS Pregnant Wistar Kyoto rats were given daily subcutaneous injections from gestational days 15-21 of either dexamethasone (0.9% NaCl, 4% EtOH, 100 µg kg-1 day-1 ) or were physically manipulated as naïve controls. Pups were raised normally until 17 weeks of age and underwent the Porsolt swim task and elevated plus maze for depressive and anxiety-like behaviors, respectively. Neural tissue was preserved for genetic analysis using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Statistical analyses show significant disruption of behavior and genetic profiles of offspring exposed to dexamethasone in-utero. Exposed animals spent more time immobile on the swim task and entered open arms of the elevated plus maze more often than their naïve counterparts. In the prefrontal cortex, there was a sex by treatment interaction on gene expression relevant to neural transmission in ryanodine receptor 2, as well as increased gene expression in SNAP25, COMT, and LSAMP in males prenatally exposed to dexamethasone compared with controls. Both dysregulated genes and behavior are linked to decreased anxiety and fear inhibition. CONCLUSION Our results indicate adult offspring exposed to dexamethasone in-utero have a tendency toward passive stress-coping strategies and an inhibition of anxiety on behavioral tasks. Methyltransferase activity, synaptic activity, and cellular processes were disrupted in the prefrontal cortices of these animals. Specifically, genes involved in emotional response pathways were overexpressed, supporting the link between the behavioral and genetic profiles. Combined, we determine that dexamethasone offspring have adaptive predispositions when faced with novel situations, with increased immobility in the swim task and increased exploration on the elevated plus maze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lalonde
- Biomolecular Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Grandbois
- Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Sandhya Khurana
- Biomolecular Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Alyssa Murray
- Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Sujeenthar Tharmalingam
- Biomolecular Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Chem/Biochem, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - T C Tai
- Biomolecular Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.,Department of Chem/Biochem, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
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15
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Saif Z, Meakin AS, Clifton VL. A preferential switch between placental GR exon 1 promoter variants in the presence of maternal asthma or inflammation upregulates GRα D isoforms. Placenta 2021; 108:64-72. [PMID: 33819863 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The human placenta expresses multiple glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoforms that may be partially regulated by the untranslated 5' exon 1 GR gene promoter region which consists of 9 different promoters and 13 splice variants. The objective of this study was to determine which GR exon 1 variants are expressed in the human placenta and relate these findings to GR mRNA and protein expression. METHODS Placental extracts from pregnancies with or without the complication of maternal asthma and trophoblast cells exposed to an inflammatory challenge in vitro were examined using PCR and Western blot to measure GR exon 1 variants, GR splice variant mRNA and GR protein isoforms, respectively. RESULTS All 9 GR exon 1 variants were detectable in the human placenta and included GR exons 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1H, 1I and 1J. In the presence of maternal asthma and a male fetus there was preferential expression of GR exon 1B, 1C, IF and 1J (KW-ANOVA, P < 0.05) which were positively correlated with GRα D3 protein isoform. In female placentae from pregnancies complicated by asthma there was no upregulation of any exon 1 variant (KW-ANOVA, P < 0.05). Exposure of BeWo trophoblast cell line to an inflammatory challenge, lipopolysaccharide, in vitro, resulted in preferential expression of GR exon 1B, 1D, 1E and 1H and associated with GRα-D1 protein upregulation. DISCUSSION The preferential expression of different GR exon 1 promoters drive the upregulation of GRα D isoforms and contribute to glucocorticoid resistance observed in male placentae of pregnancies complicated by asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarqa Saif
- Pregnancy and Development Group, Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | - Ashley S Meakin
- Pregnancy and Development Group, Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Pregnancy and Development Group, Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane QLD, Australia.
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16
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Berry A, Mazzelli M, Musillo C, Riva MA, Cattaneo A, Cirulli F. High-fat diet during adulthood interacts with prenatal stress, affecting both brain inflammatory and neuroendocrine markers in male rats. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:2326-2340. [PMID: 33711185 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PNS) affects foetal programming and, through an interaction with subsequent challenges, can increase vulnerability to mood and metabolic disorders. We have previously shown that, following PNS, adult male rats are characterized by increased vulnerability to a metabolic stressor experienced at adulthood (8-week-high-fat diet-HFD). In this study, we specifically assessed whether PNS might interact with an adult metabolic challenge to induce an inflammatory phenotype. Changes in the expression levels of inflammatory (Il-1β, Tnf-α, Il-6) and of stress response mediators (Nr3c1, Fkbp5) as well as of mood and metabolic regulators (Bdnf, Ghs-R) were investigated in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus, brain regions involved in the pathogenesis of depression and prone to inflammation in response to stress. Overall, PNS reduced the expression of Bdnf and Tnf-α, while HFD administered at adulthood counteracted this effect suggesting that PNS impinges upon the same pathways regulating responses to a metabolic challenge at adulthood. Furthermore, HFD and PNS affected the expression of both Nr3c1 and Fkbp5, two neuroendocrine mediators involved in the response to stress, metabolic challenges and in the modulation of the emotional profile (as shown by the correlation between Fkbp5 and the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze). Overall, these results indicate that the same metabolic and neuroendocrine effectors engaged by PNS are affected by metabolic challenges at adulthood, providing some mechanistic insight into the well-known comorbidity between mood and metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Berry
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Mazzelli
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Musillo
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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17
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Sharma VK, Singh TG. Navigating Alzheimer's Disease via Chronic Stress: The Role of Glucocorticoids. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 21:433-444. [PMID: 31625472 DOI: 10.2174/1389450120666191017114735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic intensifying incurable progressive disease leading to neurological deterioration manifested as impairment of memory and executive brain functioning affecting the physical ability like intellectual brilliance, common sense in patients. The recent therapeutic approach in Alzheimer's disease is only the symptomatic relief further emerging the need for therapeutic strategies to be targeted in managing the underlying silent killing progression of dreaded pathology. Therefore, the current research direction is focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms leading to the evolution of the understanding of the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease. The resultant saturation in the area of current targets (amyloid β, τ Protein, oxidative stress etc.) has led the scientific community to rethink of the mechanistic neurodegenerative pathways and reprogram the current research directions. Although, the role of stress has been recognized for many years and contributing to the development of cognitive impairment, the area of stress has got the much-needed impetus recently and is being recognized as a modifiable menace for AD. Stress is an unavoidable human experience that can be resolved and normalized but chronic activation of stress pathways unsettle the physiological status. Chronic stress mediated activation of neuroendocrine stimulation is generally linked to a high risk of developing AD. Chronic stress-driven physiological dysregulation and hypercortisolemia intermingle at the neuronal level and leads to functional (hypometabolism, excitotoxicity, inflammation) and anatomical remodeling of the brain architecture (senile plaques, τ tangles, hippocampal atrophy, retraction of spines) ending with severe cognitive deterioration. The present review is an effort to collect the most pertinent evidence that support chronic stress as a realistic and modifiable therapeutic earmark for AD and to advocate glucocorticoid receptors as therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Kumar Sharma
- Government College of Pharmacy, Rohru, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh-171207, India.,Department of Pharmacology, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab-140401, India
| | - Thakur Gurjeet Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab-140401, India
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18
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Her YR, Wang L, Chepelev I, Manterola M, Berkovits B, Cui K, Zhao K, Wolgemuth DJ. Genome-wide chromatin occupancy of BRDT and gene expression analysis suggest transcriptional partners and specific epigenetic landscapes that regulate gene expression during spermatogenesis. Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 88:141-157. [PMID: 33469999 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BRDT, a member of the BET family of double bromodomain-containing proteins, is essential for spermatogenesis in the mouse and has been postulated to be a key regulator of transcription in meiotic and post-meiotic cells. To understand the function of BRDT in these processes, we first characterized the genome-wide distribution of the BRDT binding sites, in particular within gene units, by ChIP-Seq analysis of enriched fractions of pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids. In both cell types, BRDT binding sites were mainly located in promoters, first exons, and introns of genes. BRDT binding sites in promoters overlapped with several histone modifications and histone variants associated with active transcription, and were enriched for consensus sequences for specific transcription factors, including MYB, RFX, ETS, and ELF1 in pachytene spermatocytes, and JunD, c-Jun, CRE, and RFX in round spermatids. Subsequent integration of the ChIP-seq data with available transcriptome data revealed that stage-specific gene expression programs are associated with BRDT binding to their gene promoters, with most of the BDRT-bound genes being upregulated. Gene Ontology analysis further identified unique sets of genes enriched in diverse biological processes essential for meiosis and spermiogenesis between the two cell types, suggesting distinct developmentally stage-specific functions for BRDT. Taken together, our data suggest that BRDT cooperates with different transcription factors at distinctive chromatin regions within gene units to regulate diverse downstream target genes that function in male meiosis and spermiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Ra Her
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Iouri Chepelev
- Systems Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Marcia Manterola
- Human Genetics Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Binyamin Berkovits
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kairong Cui
- Systems Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Keji Zhao
- Systems Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Debra J Wolgemuth
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department Obstetrics & Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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19
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Karin O, Raz M, Tendler A, Bar A, Korem Kohanim Y, Milo T, Alon U. A new model for the HPA axis explains dysregulation of stress hormones on the timescale of weeks. Mol Syst Biol 2020; 16:e9510. [PMID: 32672906 PMCID: PMC7364861 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20209510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress activates a complex network of hormones known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is dysregulated in chronic stress and psychiatric disorders, but the origin of this dysregulation is unclear and cannot be explained by current HPA models. To address this, we developed a mathematical model for the HPA axis that incorporates changes in the total functional mass of the HPA hormone-secreting glands. The mass changes are caused by HPA hormones which act as growth factors for the glands in the axis. We find that the HPA axis shows the property of dynamical compensation, where gland masses adjust over weeks to buffer variation in physiological parameters. These mass changes explain the experimental findings on dysregulation of cortisol and ACTH dynamics in alcoholism, anorexia, and postpartum. Dysregulation occurs for a wide range of parameters and is exacerbated by impaired glucocorticoid receptor (GR) feedback, providing an explanation for the implication of GR in mood disorders. These findings suggest that gland-mass dynamics may play an important role in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Karin
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Moriya Raz
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Avichai Tendler
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Alon Bar
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Yael Korem Kohanim
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Tomer Milo
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Uri Alon
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
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20
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Ridout KK, Coe JL, Parade SH, Marsit CJ, Kao HT, Porton B, Carpenter LL, Price LH, Tyrka AR. Molecular markers of neuroendocrine function and mitochondrial biogenesis associated with early life stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 116:104632. [PMID: 32199200 PMCID: PMC7887859 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) promoter methylation influences cellular expression of the glucocorticoid receptor and is a proposed mechanism by which early life stress impacts neuroendocrine function. Mitochondria are sensitive and responsive to neuroendocrine stress signaling through the glucocorticoid receptor, and recent evidence with this sample and others shows that mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) is increased in adults with a history of early stress. No prior work has examined the role of NR3C1 methylation in the association between early life stress and mtDNAcn alterations. METHODS Adult participants (n = 290) completed diagnostic interviews and questionnaires characterizing early stress and lifetime psychiatric symptoms. Medical conditions, active substance abuse, and prescription medications other than oral contraceptives were exclusionary. Subjects with a history of lifetime bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, or psychotic disorders were excluded; individuals with other forms of major psychopathology were included. Whole blood mtDNAcn was measured using qPCR; NR3C1 methylation was measured via pyrosequencing. Multiple regression and bootstrapping procedures tested NR3C1 methylation as a mediator of effects of early stress on mtDNAcn. RESULTS The positive association between early adversity and mtDNAcn (p = .02) was mediated by negative associations of early adversity with NR3C1 methylation (p = .02) and NR3C1 methylation with mtDNAcn (p < .001). The indirect effect involving early adversity, NR3C1 methylation, and mtDNAcn was significant (95 % CI [.002, .030]). CONCLUSIONS NR3C1 methylation significantly mediates the association between early stress and mtDNAcn, suggesting that glucocorticoid receptor signaling may be a mechanistic pathway underlying mtDNAcn alterations of interest for future longitudinal work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn K Ridout
- Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, San Jose, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Jesse L Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA; Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA; Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Linda L Carpenter
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lawrence H Price
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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21
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Pan X, Thymann T, Gao F, Sangild PT. Rapid Gut Adaptation to Preterm Birth Involves Feeding-Related DNA Methylation Reprogramming of Intestinal Genes in Pigs. Front Immunol 2020; 11:565. [PMID: 32351501 PMCID: PMC7174650 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Following preterm birth, the immature gut function and immunology must rapidly adapt to cope with bacterial colonization and enteral milk feeding. We hypothesized that intestinal epigenetic changes are involved in the gut response to preterm birth and the first feeding. Using piglets as models for infants, preterm, and term pigs were fed total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or partial enteral feeding for 5 days, followed by exclusive enteral feeding with bovine milk until day 26 (weaning age). Intestinal structure, function, microbiome, DNA methylome, and gene expressions were compared between preterm and term pigs on days 0, 5, and 26 (n = 8 in each group). At birth, the intestine of preterm pigs showed villus atrophy and global hypermethylation, affecting genes related to the Wnt signaling pathway. Hypermethylation-associated lowered expression of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and genes related to the Toll-like receptor 4 pathway were evident during the first 5 days of life, but most early methylation differences disappeared by day 26. Regardless, sucrase and maltase activities (adult-type brush border enzymes) remained reduced, and the gut microbiota altered (fewer Akkermansia, more Lachnoclostridia and Lactobacilli) until day 26 in preterm pigs. During the 0- to 5-day period, many new preterm–term methylation differences appeared, but mainly when no enteral feed was provided (TPN feeding). These methylation differences affected intestinal genes related to cell metabolism, including increased GCK (glucokinase) expression via promoter hypomethylation. In conclusion, the immature intestine has a remarkable capacity to adapt its gene methylation and expression after preterm birth, and only few preterm-related defects persisted until weaning. Early enteral feeding may be important to stimulate the methylation reprogramming of intestinal genes, allowing rapid intestinal adaptation to preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Pan
- Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Thymann
- Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fei Gao
- Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Per T Sangild
- Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neonatology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Pediatrics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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22
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Snider H, Villavarajan B, Peng Y, Shepherd LE, Robinson AC, Mueller CR. Region-specific glucocorticoid receptor promoter methylation has both positive and negative prognostic value in patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:155. [PMID: 31675993 PMCID: PMC6825343 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-019-0750-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1, GR) is frequently downregulated in breast tumors, and evidence suggests it acts as a tumor suppressor in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. We previously found that methylation of the GR promoter CpG island represses gene expression and occurs in ER+ breast tumors. In this study, the prognostic and predictive value of GR methylation was examined in ER+ patients from the CCTG MA.12 clinical trial of tamoxifen versus placebo in women with early breast cancer. METHODS We developed a targeted multiplex bisulfite next-generation sequencing assay to detect methylation at multiple GR promoter regions in DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. Following validation in a small cohort of breast tumors, ER+ FFPE tumor samples from MA.12 (n = 208) were tested. Survival analyses evaluated the impact of GR promoter methylation on patient overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS An analysis of TCGA data found that GR methylation is prevalent in ER+ tumors and is associated with decreased gene expression and analysis of public microarray data (KM Plotter) linked decreased GR expression to a poor outcome. In MA.12, two GR promoter regions (U and C) each had prognostic value, but with opposite effects on the outcome. U methylation was associated with poor OS (HR = 1.79, P = 0.041) whereas C methylation was associated with better OS (HR = 0.40, P = 0.040) and DFS (HR = 0.49, P = 0.037). The classification of patients based on the methylation status of the two regions was prognostic for OS (P = 0.006) and DFS (P = 0.041) and revealed a group of patients (U methylated, C unmethylated) with very poor outcomes. Placebo-treated patients in this high-risk group had worse OS (HR = 2.86, P = 0.002) and DFS (HR = 2.09, P = 0.014) compared to the rest of the cohort. CONCLUSION Region-specific GR promoter methylation was an independent prognostic marker for patient survival and identified a subset of patients with poor prognosis, particularly without tamoxifen treatment. These findings provide a foundation for future studies into GR methylation as a promising prognostic biomarker in ER+ breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Snider
- Division of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brithica Villavarajan
- Division of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yingwei Peng
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lois E Shepherd
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Canadian Cancer Trials Group, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Department of Oncology, Division of Medical Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Christopher R Mueller
- Division of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
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23
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Wassink L, Bussy U, Li W, Scribner K. High-stress rearing temperature in Acipenser fulvescens affects physiology, behaviour and predation rates. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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24
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Epigenetic and Neurological Impairments Associated with Early Life Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants. Int J Genomics 2019; 2019:2085496. [PMID: 30733955 PMCID: PMC6348822 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2085496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases worldwide has dramatically increased over the last decades. Although the aetiology remains uncertain, evidence is now growing that exposure to persistent organic pollutants during sensitive neurodevelopmental periods such as early life may be a strong risk factor, predisposing the individual to disease development later in life. Epidemiological studies have associated environmentally persistent organic pollutant exposure to brain disorders including neuropathies, cognitive, motor, and sensory impairments; neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In many ways, this expands the classical “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” paradigm to include exposure to pollutants. This model has been refined over the years to give the current “three-hit” model that considers the individual's genetic factors as a first “hit.” It has an immediate interaction with the early-life exposome (including persistent organic pollutants) that can be considered to be a second “hit.” Together, these first two “hits” produce a quiescent or latent phenotype, most probably encoded in the epigenome, which has become susceptible to a third environmental “hit” in later life. It is only after the third “hit” that the increased risk of disease symptoms is crystallised. However, if the individual is exposed to a different environment in later life, they would be expected to remain healthy. In this review, we examine the effect of exposure to persistent organic pollutants and particulate matters in early life and the relationship to subsequent neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. The roles of those environmental factors which may affect epigenetic DNA methylation and therefore influence normal neurodevelopment are then evaluated.
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25
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Papadopoulou Z, Vlaikou AM, Theodoridou D, Markopoulos GS, Tsoni K, Agakidou E, Drosou-Agakidou V, Turck CW, Filiou MD, Syrrou M. Stressful Newborn Memories: Pre-Conceptual, In Utero, and Postnatal Events. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:220. [PMID: 31057437 PMCID: PMC6482218 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stressful experiences are critical for plasticity and development, shaping adult neuroendocrine response and future health. Stress response is mediated by the autonomous nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis while various environmental stimuli are encoded via epigenetic marks. The stress response system maintains homeostasis by regulating adaptation to the environmental changes. Pre-conceptual and in utero stressors form the fetal epigenetic profile together with the individual genetic profile, providing the background for individual stress response, vulnerability, or resilience. Postnatal and adult stressful experiences may act as the definitive switch. This review addresses the issue of how preconceptual in utero and postnatal events, together with individual differences, shape future stress responses. Putative markers of early-life adverse effects such as prematurity and low birth weight are emphasized, and the epigenetic, mitochondrial, and genomic architecture regulation of such events are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Papadopoulou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Angeliki-Maria Vlaikou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.,Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Daniela Theodoridou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgios S Markopoulos
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Konstantina Tsoni
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Agakidou
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Drosou-Agakidou
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Michaela D Filiou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.,Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Syrrou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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26
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Dwivedi Y. MicroRNAs in depression and suicide: Recent insights and future perspectives. J Affect Disord 2018; 240:146-154. [PMID: 30071418 PMCID: PMC6108934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.07.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Suicide is a major public health concern. A significant proportion of depressed individuals show suicidal ideation. The currently available medications are not optimal and a large number of depressed/suicidal patients do not respond to these medications. Thus, there is an urgent need to fully understand the neurobiological mechanisms associated with depression and suicidal behavior and to find novel targets for therapeutic interventions. In this regard, microRNAs (miRNAs), member of small non-coding RNA family, have emerged as an invaluable tool not only to understand disease pathogenesis but also to precisely pinpoint the targets that can be developed as drugs. In this review, these aspects have been discussed in a comprehensive and critical manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, SC711 Sparks Center, 1720 7th Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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27
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From feedback loop transitions to biomarkers in the psycho-immune-neuroendocrine network: Detecting the critical transition from health to major depression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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28
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McNamara KM, Kannai A, Sasano H. Possible roles for glucocorticoid signalling in breast cancer. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 466:38-50. [PMID: 28687451 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of breast cancer biology, and our ability to manipulate breast cancers have grown exponentially in the last 20 years. Much of that expansion has focused on the roles of steroids in driving these neoplasms. Initially this research focused on estrogens and progesterone receptors, and more recently on androgen actions in breast cancers. This review aims to make the case for glucocorticoids as the next essential steroid subclass that contributes significantly to our understanding of steroidogenic regulation of these neoplasms. Glucocorticoids have the potential to play multiple roles in the regulation of breast cancers including their control of cellular differentiation, apoptosis and proliferation. Beyond this they also act as a master integrator of organ homeostats in relation to such as circadian rhythms and stress responses. Therefore a better understanding of glucocorticoids and breast cancer could help to explain some of the epidemiological links between circadian disruption and/or stress and breast cancer development. Finally glucocorticoids are currently used during chemotherapeutic treatment in breast cancer therapy and yet results of various studies suggest that this may have an adverse impact on treatment success. This review aims to summarise the current evidence for glucocorticoids as actors in breast cancer and then suggest future essential approaches in order to determine the roles of glucocorticoids in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely M McNamara
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, School of Graduate Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayako Kannai
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, School of Graduate Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hironobu Sasano
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, School of Graduate Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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29
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DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter in the placenta is associated with blood pressure regulation in human pregnancy. J Hypertens 2018; 35:2276-2286. [PMID: 28817493 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000001450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood pressure (BP) regulation during pregnancy is influenced by hormones of placental origin. It was shown that the glucocorticoid system is altered in hypertensive pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia. Epigenetic mechanism might influence the activity of genes involved in placental hormone/hormone receptor synthesis/action during pregnancy. METHOD In the current study, we analyzed the association of 5'-C-phosphate-G-3' (CpG) site methylation of different glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) promoter regions with BP during pregnancy. The study was performed as a nested case-control study (n = 80) out of 1045 mother/child pairs from the Berlin Birth Cohort. Placental DNA was extracted and bisulfite converted. Nested PCR products from six NR3C1 proximal promoter regions [glucocorticoid receptor gene promotor region B (GR-1B), C (GR-1C), D (GR-1D), E (GR-1E), F (GR-1F), and H (GR-1H)] were analyzed by next generation sequencing. RESULTS NR3C1 promoter regions GR-1D and GR-1E had a much higher degree of DNA methylation as compared to GR-1B, GR-1F or GR-1H when analyzing the entire study population. Comparison of placental NR3C1 CpG site methylation among hypotensive, normotensive and hypertensive mothers revealed several differently methylated CpG sites in the GR-1F promoter region only. Both hypertension and hypotension were associated with increased DNA methylation of GR-1F CpG sites. These associations were independent of confounding factors, such as family history of hypertension, smoking status before pregnancy and prepregnancy BMI. Assessment of placental glucocorticoid receptor expression by western blot showed that observed DNA methylation differences were not associated with altered levels of placental glucocorticoid receptor expression. However, correlation matrices of all NR3C1 proximal promoter regions demonstrated different correlation patterns of intraregional and interregional DNA methylation in the three BP groups, putatively indicating altered transcriptional control of glucocorticoid receptor isoforms. CONCLUSION Our study provides evidence of an independent association between placental NR3C1 proximal promoter methylation and maternal BP. Furthermore, we observed different patterns of NR3C1 promoter methylation in normotensive, hypertensive and hypotensive pregnancy.
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30
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Taylor KM, Wheeler R, Singh N, Vosloo D, Ray DW, Sommer P. The tobacco carcinogen NNK drives accumulation of DNMT1 at the GR promoter thereby reducing GR expression in untransformed lung fibroblasts. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4903. [PMID: 29559689 PMCID: PMC5861118 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23309-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive, predominantly cigarette smoke-induced tumour with poor prognosis. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a SCLC tumour suppressor gene, is typically reduced in SCLC. We now show that SCLC cells express high levels of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) which accumulates at the GR promoter. DNMT1 expression is further increased by exposure to the tobacco carcinogen NNK. In the untransformed human lung fibroblast cell line, MRC-5, short term NNK treatment decreases GRα mRNA and protein expression due to accumulation of DNMT1 at the GR promoter. Long term NNK treatment results in persistently augmented DNMT1 levels with lowered GR levels. Long term exposure to NNK slows cell proliferation and induces DNA damage, while the GR antagonist RU486 stimulates proliferation and protects against DNA damage. Although both NNK and RU486 treatment increases methylation at the GR promoter, neither are sufficient to prevent senescence in this context. NNK exposure results in accumulation of DNMT1 at the GR promoter in untransformed lung cells mimicking SCLC cells, directly linking tobacco smoke exposure to silencing of the GR, an important step in SCLC carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerryn M Taylor
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Roxanne Wheeler
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nimisha Singh
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Dalene Vosloo
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - David W Ray
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Sommer
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
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31
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O'Connell CP, Goldstein-Piekarski AN, Nemeroff CB, Schatzberg AF, Debattista C, Carrillo-Roa T, Binder EB, Dunlop BW, Craighead WE, Mayberg HS, Williams LM. Antidepressant Outcomes Predicted by Genetic Variation in Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Binding Protein. Am J Psychiatry 2018; 175:251-261. [PMID: 29241359 PMCID: PMC5832545 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17020172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Genetic variation within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been linked to risk for depression and antidepressant response. However, these associations have yet to produce clinical gains that inform treatment decisions. The authors investigated whether variation within HPA axis genes predicts antidepressant outcomes within two large clinical trials. METHOD The test sample comprised 636 patients from the International Study to Predict Optimized Treatment in Depression (iSPOT-D) who completed baseline and 8-week follow-up visits and for whom complete genotyping data were available. The authors tested the relationship between genotype at 16 candidate HPA axis single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and treatment outcomes for three commonly used antidepressants (escitalopram, sertraline, and extended-release venlafaxine), using multivariable linear and logistic regression with Bonferroni correction. Response and remission were defined using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Findings were then validated using the Predictors of Remission in Depression to Individual and Combined Treatments (PReDICT) study of outcome predictors in treatment-naive patients with major depression. RESULTS The authors found that the rs28365143 variant within the corticotropin-releasing hormone binding protein (CRHBP) gene predicted antidepressant outcomes for remission, response, and symptom change. Patients homozygous for the G allele of rs28365143 had greater remission rates, response rates, and symptom reductions. These effects were specific to drug class. Patients homozygous for the G allele responded significantly better to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors escitalopram and sertraline than did A allele carriers. In contrast, rs28365143 genotype was not associated with treatment outcomes for the serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine. When patients were stratified by race, the overall effect of genotype on treatment response remained. In the validation sample, the GG genotype was again associated with favorable antidepressant outcomes, with comparable effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that a specific CRHBP SNP, rs28365143, may have a role in predicting which patients will improve with antidepressants and which type of antidepressant may be most effective. The results add to the foundational knowledge needed to advance a precision approach to personalized antidepressant choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe P. O'Connell
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Andrea N. Goldstein-Piekarski
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305,Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Charles B. Nemeroff
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiary, Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alan F. Schatzberg
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Charles Debattista
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Tania Carrillo-Roa
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiary, Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136; Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiary, Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich, Germany,Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327
| | - Boadie W. Dunlop
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327
| | - W. Edward Craighead
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327,Dept. of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Helen S. Mayberg
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30327
| | - Leanne M. Williams
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305,Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304
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32
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A Tri-Nucleotide Pattern in a 3' UTR Segment Affects The Activity of a Human Glucocorticoid Receptor Isoform. Shock 2018; 47:148-157. [PMID: 27660999 DOI: 10.1097/shk.0000000000000750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We previously identified a truncated human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) isoform of 118 amino acids, hGR-S1(-349A), that despite lacking the major functional domains, was more hyperactive after glucocorticoid treatment than the full-length receptor. Furthermore, its 3' untranslated region (UTR) was required. To dissect the underlying mechanisms for hyperactivity, a series of hGR isoforms with consecutive deletions in the 3' UTR were created to test their transactivation potential using reporter assays. The hGR-S1(-349A) isoform retaining 1303 bp of 3' UTR displayed unusually high activity with or without glucocorticoid stimulation. Unexpectedly, a complete loss of significant activity was observed with isoforms retaining 1293 bp or 1263 bp of 3' UTR. Analysis of the 20 bp region neighboring the 1293 bp site showed a pattern: 3'UTR termination at every third base pair in this region resulted in a loss of transactivation potential while the other sites retained hyperactivity with or without glucocorticoid stimulation. Variations in the activity of an hGR isoform, due to changes in the 3' UTR sequence configuration, may provide an important link in explaining inconsistent responses to glucocorticoid treatment in individuals and ultimately enable tailored, patient-specific care. Furthermore, understanding the mechanisms underlying the cyclic hyperactivity/loss of activity phenomenon may be a step toward identifying a novel mechanism of gene regulation.
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Omer NA, Hu Y, Hu Y, Idriss AA, Abobaker H, Hou Z, Dong H, Zhao R. Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2018; 9:2. [PMID: 29375826 PMCID: PMC5773019 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-017-0218-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vitellogenin (VTG) is a precursor of egg yolk proteins synthesized within the liver of oviparous vertebrates. Betaine is an important methyl donor that is reported to improve egg production of laying hens with an unclear mechanism. In the present study, we fed betaine-supplemented diet (0.5%) to laying hens for 4 wk and investigated its effect on VTGII expression in the liver. Results Betaine did not affect chicken weight, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased egg laying rate accompanied with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in hepatic concentration and plasma level of VTGII. Plasma estrogen level did not change, but the hepatic expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) mRNA was significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated. Betaine did not affect the protein content of ERα, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased hepatic expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) at both mRNA and protein levels. Also, ERα/GR interaction tended to be enhanced in the liver nuclear lysates of betaine-supplemented hens as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, dietary betaine supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the hepatic expression of methyl-transfer enzymes, such as BHMT, GNMT, and DNMT1, which was associated with higher SAM/SAH ratio and hypomethylation of GR promoter regions. Conclusions Betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in association with modified DNA methylation of GR gene promoter, GR expression and ERα/GR interaction. Activation of hepatic VTGII expression may contribute, at least partly, to improved egg production in betaine-supplemented hens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagmeldin A Omer
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Hu
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Hu
- 4Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Yangzhou, Jiangsu China
| | - Abdulrahman A Idriss
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Halima Abobaker
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Hou
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Haibo Dong
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
| | - Ruqian Zhao
- 1MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,2Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, Nanjing, 210095 People's Republic of China
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Nagy C, Vaillancourt K, Turecki G. A role for activity-dependent epigenetics in the development and treatment of major depressive disorder. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12446. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry; McGill University; Montreal Canada
| | - K. Vaillancourt
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry; McGill University; Montreal Canada
| | - G. Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry; McGill University; Montreal Canada
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Clayton SA, Jones SW, Kurowska-Stolarska M, Clark AR. The role of microRNAs in glucocorticoid action. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:1865-1874. [PMID: 29301941 PMCID: PMC5808749 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r117.000366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroids with profound anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Synthetic GCs are widely used for managing chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, as immunosuppressants in transplantation, and as anti-tumor agents in certain hematological cancers. However, prolonged GC exposure can cause adverse effects. A detailed understanding of GCs' mechanisms of action may enable harnessing of their desirable actions while minimizing harmful effects. Here, we review the impact on the GC biology of microRNAs, small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs modulate GC production by the adrenal glands and the cells' responses to GCs. Furthermore, GCs influence cell proliferation, survival, and function at least in part by regulating microRNA expression. We propose that the beneficial effects of GCs may be enhanced through combination with reagents targeting specific microRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Clayton
- From the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB.,the Arthritis Research UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis Centre of Excellence (RACE), Glasgow, Birmingham, and Newcastle Universities, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Simon W Jones
- From the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB.,the Arthritis Research UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis Centre of Excellence (RACE), Glasgow, Birmingham, and Newcastle Universities, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Mariola Kurowska-Stolarska
- the Arthritis Research UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis Centre of Excellence (RACE), Glasgow, Birmingham, and Newcastle Universities, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland, United Kingdom.,the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland, and
| | - Andrew R Clark
- From the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, .,the Arthritis Research UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis Centre of Excellence (RACE), Glasgow, Birmingham, and Newcastle Universities, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland, United Kingdom
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36
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Agba OB, Lausser L, Huse K, Bergmeier C, Jahn N, Groth M, Bens M, Sahm A, Gall M, Witte OW, Kestler HA, Schwab M, Platzer M. Tissue-, sex-, and age-specific DNA methylation of rat glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter and insulin-like growth factor 2 imprinting control region. Physiol Genomics 2017; 49:690-702. [PMID: 28916632 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00009.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-, sex-, and age-specific epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation are largely unknown. Changes in DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and imprinting control region (ICR) of IGF2 and H19 genes during the lifespan are particularly interesting since these genes are susceptible to epigenetic modifications by prenatal stress or malnutrition. They are important regulators of development and aging. Methylation changes of NR3C1 affect glucocorticoid receptor expression, which is associated with stress sensitivity and stress-related diseases predominantly occurring during aging. Methylation changes of IGF2/H19 affect growth trajectory and nutrient use with risk of metabolic syndrome. Using a locus-specific approach, we characterized DNA methylation patterns of different Nr3c1 promoters and Igf2/H19 ICR in seven tissues of rats at 3, 9, and 24 mo of age. We found a complex pattern of locus-, tissue-, sex-, and age-specific DNA methylation. Tissue-specific methylation was most prominent at the shores of the Nr3c1 CpG island (CGI). Sex-specific differences in methylation peaked at 9 mo. During aging, Nr3c1 predominantly displayed hypomethylation mainly in females and at shores, whereas hypermethylation occurred within the CGI. Igf2/H19 ICR exhibited age-related hypomethylation occurring mainly in males. Methylation patterns of Nr3c1 in the skin correlated with those in the cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. Skin may serve as proxy for methylation changes in central parts of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hence for vulnerability to stress- and age-associated diseases. Thus, we provide in-depth insight into the complex DNA methylation changes of rat Nr3c1 and Igf2/H19 during aging that are tissue and sex specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogechukwu Brenda Agba
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Ludwig Lausser
- Systems Biology of Aging, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; and
| | - Klaus Huse
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Bergmeier
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Niels Jahn
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; and.,Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Marco Groth
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Bens
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Arne Sahm
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Maria Gall
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Otto W Witte
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Hans A Kestler
- Systems Biology of Aging, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; and
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Platzer
- Genome Analysis, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany;
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38
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Argentieri MA, Nagarajan S, Seddighzadeh B, Baccarelli AA, Shields AE. Epigenetic Pathways in Human Disease: The Impact of DNA Methylation on Stress-Related Pathogenesis and Current Challenges in Biomarker Development. EBioMedicine 2017; 18:327-350. [PMID: 28434943 PMCID: PMC5405197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
HPA axis genes implicated in glucocorticoid regulation play an important role in regulating the physiological impact of social and environmental stress, and have become a focal point for investigating the role of glucocorticoid regulation in the etiology of disease. We conducted a systematic review to critically assess the full range of clinical associations that have been reported in relation to DNA methylation of CRH, CRH-R1/2, CRH-BP, AVP, POMC, ACTH, ACTH-R, NR3C1, FKBP5, and HSD11β1/2 genes in adults. A total of 32 studies were identified. There is prospective evidence for an association between HSD11β2 methylation and hypertension, and functional evidence of an association between NR3C1 methylation and both small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and breast cancer. Strong associations have been reported between FKBP5 and NR3C1 methylation and PTSD, and biologically-plausible associations have been reported between FKBP5 methylation and Alzheimer's Disease. Mixed associations between NR3C1 methylation and mental health outcomes have been reported according to different social and environmental exposures, and according to varying gene regions investigated. We conclude by highlighting key challenges and future research directions that will need to be addressed in order to develop both clinically meaningful prognostic biomarkers and an evidence base that can inform public policy practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Austin Argentieri
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford St., Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sairaman Nagarajan
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11218, USA
| | - Bobak Seddighzadeh
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford St., Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford St., Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Staniford St., Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Cassarino MF, Sesta A, Pagliardini L, Losa M, Lasio G, Cavagnini F, Pecori Giraldi F. Proopiomelanocortin, glucocorticoid, and CRH receptor expression in human ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Endocrine 2017; 55:853-860. [PMID: 27220856 PMCID: PMC5316398 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-016-0990-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors are by definition partially autonomous, i.e., secrete ACTH independent of physiological control. However, only few, small-sized studies on proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and its regulation by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) or glucocorticoids are available. Objective of the present study was to report on constitutive and CRH- and dexamethasone-regulated POMC, CRH (CRH-R1), and glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) gene expression in a large series of human corticotrope adenomas. Fifty-three ACTH-secreting adenomas were incubated with 10 nM CRH or 10 nM dexamethasone for 24 h. POMC, CRH-R1, NR3C1, and its alpha and beta isoforms were quantified and medium ACTH measured. Constitutive POMC expression proved extremely variable, with macroadenomas exhibiting higher levels than microadenomas. POMC increased during CRH in most specimens; conversely, changes induced by dexamethasone were varied, ranging from decrease to paradoxical increase. No correlation between POMC and ACTH was detected in any experimental condition. CRH-R1 expression was not linked to the response to CRH while NR3C1 was expressed at greater levels in specimens who failed to inhibit during dexamethasone; glucocorticoid receptor α was the more abundant isoform and subject to down-regulation by dexamethasone. Our results demonstrate a considerable variability in POMC expression among tumors and no correlation between POMC and ACTH, suggesting that POMC peptide processing/transport plays a major role in modulating ACTH secretion. Further, CRH-R1 and NR3C1 expression were not linked to the expected ligand-induced outcome, indicating that receptor signaling rather than abundance determines corticotrope responses. Our findings pave the way to new avenues of research into Cushing's disease pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Francesca Cassarino
- Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Sesta
- Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Pagliardini
- Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Losa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedale San Raffaele IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Lasio
- Department of Neurosurgery, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Cavagnini
- Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Pecori Giraldi
- Neuroendocrinology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Piazzale Brescia 20, 20149, Milan, Italy.
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Zhou L, Zhong Y, Yang FH, Li ZB, Zhou J, Liu XH, Li M, Hu F. Kaiso represses the expression of glucocorticoid receptor via a methylation-dependent mechanism and attenuates the anti-apoptotic activity of glucocorticoids in breast cancer cells. BMB Rep 2017; 49:167-72. [PMID: 26424557 PMCID: PMC4915231 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2016.49.3.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Kaiso is a Pox Virus and Zinc Finger (POZ-ZF) transcription factor with bi-modal DNA-binding specificity. Here, we demonstrated that Kaiso expression is inversely correlated with glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in breast carcinomas. Knockdown of Kaiso increased GR expression, while overexpression of Kaiso inhibited GR expression in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, Kaiso repressed GR proximal promoter-reporter activity in a dose-dependent manner. Remarkably, ChIP experiments demonstrated that endogenous Kaiso was associated with the GR promoter sequence in a methylation-dependent manner. Since glucocorticoids inhibit chemotherapyinduced apoptosis and have been widely used as a co-treatment of patients with breast cancer, we assessed the role of Kasio in GR-mediated anti-apoptotic effects. We found that overexpression of Kaiso attenuated the anti-apoptotic effects of glucocorticoids in breast cancer cells. Our findings suggest that GR is a putative target gene of Kaiso and suggest Kaiso to be a potential therapeutic target in GC-combination chemotherapy in breast cancer. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(3): 167-172]
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory; Department of Anatomy Histology and Embryology, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Yan Zhong
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Fang-Hui Yang
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Zi-Bo Li
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Jiang Zhou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Xie-Hong Liu
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Fang Hu
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
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Childhood adversity and epigenetic regulation of glucocorticoid signaling genes: Associations in children and adults. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 28:1319-1331. [PMID: 27691985 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood experiences have lasting effects on development, including the risk for psychiatric disorders. Research examining the biologic underpinnings of these associations has revealed the impact of childhood maltreatment on the physiologic stress response and activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. A growing body of literature supports the hypothesis that environmental exposures mediate their biological effects via epigenetic mechanisms. Methylation, which is thought to be the most stable form of epigenetic change, is a likely mechanism by which early life exposures have lasting effects. We present recent evidence related to epigenetic regulation of genes involved in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation, namely, the glucocorticoid receptor gene (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 [NR3C1]) and FK506 binding protein 51 gene (FKBP5), after childhood adversity and associations with risk for psychiatric disorders. Implications for the development of interventions and future research are discussed.
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DNA methylation: conducting the orchestra from exposure to phenotype? Clin Epigenetics 2016; 8:92. [PMID: 27602172 PMCID: PMC5012062 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-016-0256-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation, through 5-methyl- and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5mC and 5hmC), is considered to be one of the principal interfaces between the genome and our environment, and it helps explain phenotypic variations in human populations. Initial reports of large differences in methylation level in genomic regulatory regions, coupled with clear gene expression data in both imprinted genes and malignant diseases, provided easily dissected molecular mechanisms for switching genes on or off. However, a more subtle process is becoming evident, where small (<10 %) changes to intermediate methylation levels are associated with complex disease phenotypes. This has resulted in two clear methylation paradigms. The latter “subtle change” paradigm is rapidly becoming the epigenetic hallmark of complex disease phenotypes, although we are currently hampered by a lack of data addressing the true biological significance and meaning of these small differences. Our initial expectation of rapidly identifying mechanisms linking environmental exposure to a disease phenotype led to numerous observational/association studies being performed. Although this expectation remains unmet, there is now a growing body of literature on specific genes, suggesting wide ranging transcriptional and translational consequences of such subtle methylation changes. Data from the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) has shown that a complex interplay between DNA methylation, extensive 5′UTR splicing, and microvariability gives rise to the overall level and relative distribution of total and N-terminal protein isoforms generated. Additionally, the presence of multiple AUG translation initiation codons throughout the complete, processed mRNA enables translation variability, hereby enhancing the translational isoforms and the resulting protein isoform diversity, providing a clear link between small changes in DNA methylation and significant changes in protein isoforms and cellular locations. Methylation changes in the NR3C1 CpG island alters the NR3C1 transcription and eventually protein isoforms in the tissues, resulting in subtle but visible physiological variability. This review addresses the current pathophysiological and clinical associations of such characteristically small DNA methylation changes, the ever-growing roles of DNA methylation and the evidence available, particularly from the glucocorticoid receptor of the cascade of events initiated by such subtle methylation changes, as well as addressing the underlying question as to what represents a genuine biologically significant difference in methylation.
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SUN Q, LI X, JIA Y, PAN S, LI R, YANG X, ZHAO R. Maternal betaine supplementation during gestation modifies hippocampal expression of GR and its regulatory miRNAs in neonatal piglets. J Vet Med Sci 2016; 78:921-8. [PMID: 26875838 PMCID: PMC4937150 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.15-0678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyl donor nutrients are critical for embryonic development of brain. Hippocampus is the most susceptible brain region to various factors including prenatal supply of methyl donors. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expressed in hippocampus is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis and stress sensitivity. Hippocampal GR expression is highly susceptible to epigenetic regulation, yet the effect of maternal methyl donor supplementation on epigenetic regulation of GR transcription in offspring hippocampus remains unclear. In this study, we fed sows with betaine (3 g/kg) throughout the gestation and analyzed the hippocampal expression of GR mRNA and its variants, as well as the CpG methylation status of the promoter and the microRNAs predicted to target 3' UTR of porcine GR gene in neonatal piglets. Total GR mRNA (P<0.01) and its variants GR 1-4 (P<0.05) and 1-9,10 (P<0.01), were significantly higher in the hippocampus of betaine-treated piglets, while the content of GR protein was not significantly changed. The CpGs located in the -1650 ~ -1515 segment of GR gene were hypermethylated (P<0.05). The hippocampal expression of miR-130b (P<0.05), miR-181a (P<0.05) and miR-181d (P<0.01) was significantly up-regulated. The targeting efficacy of miR-130b and miR-181d was validated in vitro using dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Our results demonstrate that maternal betaine supplementation during gestation enhances GR mRNA expression in offspring hippocampus, which involves alterations in miRNAs expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinwei SUN
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Xi LI
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Yimin JIA
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Shifeng PAN
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Runsheng LI
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing YANG
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
| | - Ruqian ZHAO
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing,
Quality and Safety Control, Nanjing 210095, P. R. China
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Leenen FAD, Vernocchi S, Hunewald OE, Schmitz S, Molitor AM, Muller CP, Turner JD. Where does transcription start? 5'-RACE adapted to next-generation sequencing. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:2628-45. [PMID: 26615195 PMCID: PMC4824077 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv1328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The variability and complexity of the transcription initiation process was examined by adapting RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of 5' cDNA ends (5'-RACE) to Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). We oligo-labelled 5'-m(7)G-capped mRNA from two genes, the simple mono-exonic Beta-2-Adrenoceptor (ADRB2R)and the complex multi-exonic Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR, NR3C1), and detected a variability in TSS location that has received little attention up to now. Transcription was not initiated at a fixed TSS, but from loci of 4 to 10 adjacent nucleotides. Individual TSSs had frequencies from <0.001% to 38.5% of the total gene-specific 5' m(7)G-capped transcripts. ADRB2R used a single locus consisting of 4 adjacent TSSs. Unstimulated, the GR used a total of 358 TSSs distributed throughout 38 loci, that were principally in the 5' UTRs and were spliced using established donor and acceptor sites. Complete demethylation of the epigenetically sensitive GR promoter with 5-azacytidine induced one new locus and 127 TSSs, 12 of which were unique. We induced GR transcription with dexamethasone and Interferon-γ, adding one new locus and 185 additional TSSs distributed throughout the promoter region. In-vitro the TSS microvariability regulated mRNA translation efficiency and the relative abundance of the different GRN-terminal protein isoform levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur A D Leenen
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Trier D-54290, Germany
| | - Sara Vernocchi
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Trier D-54290, Germany
| | - Oliver E Hunewald
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Stephanie Schmitz
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Anne M Molitor
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Claude P Muller
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, Trier D-54290, Germany
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette L-4354, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
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Li-Tempel T, Larra MF, Sandt E, Mériaux SB, Schote AB, Schächinger H, Muller CP, Turner JD. The cardiovascular and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress is controlled by glucocorticoid receptor sequence variants and promoter methylation. Clin Epigenetics 2016; 8:12. [PMID: 26823689 PMCID: PMC4730588 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-016-0180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender, genetic makeup, and prior experience interact to determine physiological responses to an external perceived stressor. Here, we investigated the contribution of both genetic variants and promoter methylation of the NR3C1 (glucocorticoid receptor) gene to the cardiovascular and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to the socially evaluated cold pressor test (seCPT). RESULTS Two hundred thirty-two healthy participants were recruited and underwent the experiment. They were randomly assigned to either the seCPT group (cold water) or a control group (warm water). The seCPT group had a clear stress reaction; salivary cortisol levels and peak systolic and diastolic blood pressure all increased significantly compared to the control group. GR genotype (TthIIII, NR3C1-I, 1H, E22E, R23K, BclI and 9beta) and methylation data were obtained from 218 participants. Haplotypes were built from the GR genotypes, and haplotype 2 (minor allele of BclI) carriers had a higher cortisol response to the seCPT in comparison to non-carriers (20.77 ± 13.22; 14.99 ± 8.42; p = 0.034), as well as independently of the experimental manipulation, higher baseline heart rate (72.44 ± 10.99; 68.74 ± 9.79; p = 0.022) and blood pressure (115.81 ± 10.47; 111.61 ± 10.74; p = 0.048). Average methylation levels throughout promoter 1F and 1H were low (2.76 and 1.69 %, respectively), but there was a strong correlation between individual CpGs and the distance separating them (Pearson's correlation r = 0.725, p = 3.03 × 10(-26)). Higher promoter-wide methylation levels were associated with decreased baseline blood pressure, and when incorporated into a linear mixed effect model significantly predicted lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure evolution over time in response to the experimental manipulation. The underlying genotype significantly predicted methylation levels; particularly, the homozygous BclI minor allele was associated with higher methylation in promoter 1H (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS This is one of the first studies linking epigenetic modifications of the GR promoter, receptor genotype and physiological measures of the stress response. At baseline, there were clear genetic and epigenetic effects on blood pressure. The seCPT induced a strong cardiovascular and HPA axis response, and both systems were affected by the functional genetic variants, although methylation also predicted blood pressure reactivity. The return to baseline was predominantly influenced by the genomic sequence. Overall, the physiological response to the seCPT is controlled by an exquisite mix of genetic and epigenetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li-Tempel
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, 54290 Trier, Germany
| | - Mauro F Larra
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, 54290 Trier, Germany
| | - Estelle Sandt
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 rue Henri Koch, Esch-sur-Alzette, 4354 Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Sophie B Mériaux
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 rue Henri Koch, Esch-sur-Alzette, 4354 Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Andrea B Schote
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, 54290 Trier, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schächinger
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, 54290 Trier, Germany
| | - Claude P Muller
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 rue Henri Koch, Esch-sur-Alzette, 4354 Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg ; Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier, 54290 Trier, Germany
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 29 rue Henri Koch, Esch-sur-Alzette, 4354 Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg
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Xiong F, Lin T, Song M, Ma Q, Martinez SR, Lv J, MataGreenwood E, Xiao D, Xu Z, Zhang L. Antenatal hypoxia induces epigenetic repression of glucocorticoid receptor and promotes ischemic-sensitive phenotype in the developing heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2016; 91:160-71. [PMID: 26779948 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2016.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Large studies in humans and animals have demonstrated a clear association of an adverse intrauterine environment with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Yet mechanisms remain largely elusive. The present study tested the hypothesis that gestational hypoxia leads to promoter hypermethylation and epigenetic repression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene in the developing heart, resulting in increased heart susceptibility to ischemia and reperfusion injury in offspring. Hypoxic treatment of pregnant rats from day 15 to 21 of gestation resulted in a significant decrease of GR exon 14, 15, 16, and 17 transcripts, leading to down-regulation of GR mRNA and protein in the fetal heart. Functional cAMP-response elements (CREs) at -4408 and -3896 and Sp1 binding sites at -3425 and -3034 were identified at GR untranslated exon 1 promoters. Hypoxia significantly increased CpG methylation at the CREs and Sp1 binding sites and decreased transcription factor binding to GR exon 1 promoter, accounting for the repression of the GR gene in the developing heart. Of importance, treatment of newborn pups with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine reversed hypoxia-induced promoter methylation, restored GR expression and prevented hypoxia-mediated increase in ischemia and reperfusion injury of the heart in offspring. The findings demonstrate a novel mechanism of epigenetic repression of the GR gene in fetal stress-mediated programming of ischemic-sensitive phenotype in the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuxia Xiong
- Institute for Fetology and Reproductive Medicine Center, First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Thant Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Minwoo Song
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Qingyi Ma
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Shannalee R Martinez
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Juanxiu Lv
- Institute for Fetology and Reproductive Medicine Center, First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Eugenia MataGreenwood
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Daliao Xiao
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Zhice Xu
- Institute for Fetology and Reproductive Medicine Center, First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Lubo Zhang
- Institute for Fetology and Reproductive Medicine Center, First Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
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Maekawa R, Sato S, Okada M, Lee L, Tamura I, Jozaki K, Kajimura T, Asada H, Yamagata Y, Tamura H, Yamamoto S, Sugino N. Tissue-Specific Expression of Estrogen Receptor 1 Is Regulated by DNA Methylation in a T-DMR. Mol Endocrinol 2015; 30:335-47. [PMID: 26683811 DOI: 10.1210/me.2015-1058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanism controlling tissue-specific expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) is unclear. In other genes, DNA methylation of a region called the tissue-dependent and differentially methylated region (T-DMR) has been associated with tissue-specific gene expression. This study investigated whether human ESR1 has a T-DMR and whether DNA methylation of the T-DMR regulates its expression. ESR1 expression was tissue-specific, being high in the endometrium and mammary gland and low/nil in the placenta and skin. Therefore, DNA methylation profiles of the promoter of ESR1 were analyzed in these tissues and in breast cancer tissues. In all of the normal tissues, the proximal promoter regions were unmethylated. On the other hand, the distal regions (T-DMR) were unmethylated in the endometrium and mammary gland, but were moderately methylated and hypermethylated in the placenta and skin, respectively. T-DMR-methylated reporter assay was performed to examine whether DNA methylation at the T-DMR suppresses ESR1 transcription. T-DMR, but not the promoter region, had transcriptional activities and DNA methylation of the T-DMR suppressed ESR1 transcription. Early growth response protein 1 was shown to be a possible transcription factor to bind the T-DMR and up-regulate ESR1 expression. ESR1 has several upstream exons, and each upstream exon, Exon-A/Exon-B/Exon-C, had its own T-DMR. In some breast cancer cases and breast cancer cell lines, ESR1 expression was not regulated by DNA methylation at T-DMR as it is in normal tissues. In conclusion, ESR1 has a T-DMR. DNA methylation status at the T-DMR is involved in tissue-specific ESR1 expression in normal tissues but not always in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Maekawa
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Shun Sato
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Maki Okada
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Lifa Lee
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Isao Tamura
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Kosuke Jozaki
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Takuya Kajimura
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Hiromi Asada
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Yamagata
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Tamura
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yamamoto
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sugino
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (R.M., S.S., M.O., L.L., I.T., K.J., T.K., H.A., Y.Y., H.T., N.S.) and Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (S.Y.), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube 755-8505, Japan
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Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis provides physiological adaptations to various environmental stimuli in mammals. These stimuli including maternal care, diet, immune challenge, stress, and others have the potential to stably modify or program the functioning of the HPA axis when experienced early in life or at later critical stages of development. Epigenetic mechanisms mediate the biological embedding of environmental stimuli or conditions. These changes are influenced by the genotype and both, environment and genotype contribute to the development of a specific phenotype with regard to the stress response that might be more susceptible or resilient to the development of mental conditions. The effects of stress might be a result of cumulative stress or a mismatch between the environments experienced early in life versus the conditions much later. These effects including the associated epigenetic modifications are potentially reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan P Buschdorf
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Canadian Neuroepigenetics Network, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Smart C, Strathdee G, Watson S, Murgatroyd C, McAllister-Williams RH. Early life trauma, depression and the glucocorticoid receptor gene--an epigenetic perspective. Psychol Med 2015; 45:3393-3410. [PMID: 26387521 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291715001555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hopes to identify genetic susceptibility loci accounting for the heritability seen in unipolar depression have not been fully realized. Family history remains the 'gold standard' for both risk stratification and prognosis in complex phenotypes such as depression. Meanwhile, the physiological mechanisms underlying life-event triggers for depression remain opaque. Epigenetics, comprising heritable changes in gene expression other than alterations of the nucleotide sequence, may offer a way to deepen our understanding of the aetiology and pathophysiology of unipolar depression and optimize treatments. A heuristic target for exploring the relevance of epigenetic changes in unipolar depression is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene (NR3C1) has been found to be susceptible to epigenetic modification, specifically DNA methylation, in the context of environmental stress such as early life trauma, which is an established risk for depression later in life. METHOD In this paper we discuss the progress that has been made by studies that have investigated the relationship between depression, early trauma, the HPA axis and the NR3C1 gene. Difficulties with the design of these studies are also explored. RESULTS Future efforts will need to comprehensively address epigenetic natural histories at the population, tissue, cell and gene levels. The complex interactions between the epigenome, genome and environment, as well as ongoing nosological difficulties, also pose significant challenges. CONCLUSIONS The work that has been done so far is nevertheless encouraging and suggests potential mechanistic and biomarker roles for differential DNA methylation patterns in NR3C1 as well as novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Smart
- Institute of Neuroscience,Newcastle University,Newcastle upon Tyne,UK
| | - G Strathdee
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research,Newcastle University,Newcastle upon Tyne,UK
| | - S Watson
- Institute of Neuroscience,Newcastle University,Newcastle upon Tyne,UK
| | - C Murgatroyd
- School of Healthcare Science,Manchester Metropolitan University,Manchester,UK
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50
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Adult male mice conceived by in vitro fertilization exhibit increased glucocorticoid receptor expression in fat tissue. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2015; 7:73-82. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174415007825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal development is highly plastic and readily influenced by the environment. Adverse conditions have been shown to alter organ development and predispose offspring to chronic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension. Notably, it appears that the changes in glucocorticoid hormones or glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels in peripheral tissues could play a role in the development of chronic diseases. We have previously demonstrated that in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation embryo culture is associated with growth alterations and glucose intolerance in mice. However, it is unknown if GR signaling is affected in adult IVF offspring. Here we show that GR expression is increased in inbred (C57Bl6/J) and outbred (CF-1× B6D2F1/J) blastocysts following in vitro culture and elevated levels are also present in the adipose tissue of adult male mice. Importantly, genes involved in lipolysis and triglyceride synthesis and responsive to GR were also increased in adipose tissue, indicating that increased GR activates downstream gene pathways. The promoter region of GR, previously reported to be epigenetically modified by perinatal manipulation, showed no changes in DNA methylation status. Our findings demonstrate that IVF results in a long-term change in GR gene expression in a sex- and tissue-specific manner. These changes in adipose tissues may well contribute to the metabolic phenotype in mice conceived by IVF.
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