1
|
Oliver MH, Jaquiery AL, Connor KL, Phua HH, Harding JE, Thorstensen EB, Bloomfield FH. Effect of maternal periconceptional undernutrition in sheep on cortisol regulation in offspring from mid-late gestation, through to adulthood. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1122432. [PMID: 36817600 PMCID: PMC9932192 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1122432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Maternal periconceptional undernutrition (PCUN) alters fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) function and placental glucocorticoid metabolism in sheep. The effects of PCUN on HPAA function in adult life are not known. We investigated the effects of PCUN on fetal adrenal development across gestation and on cortisol regulation in adult offspring. METHODS Ewes were undernourished from 61 days before to 30 days after conception ('PCUN') or fed ad libitum ('N'). mRNA expression in the fetal adrenal gland of ACTH receptor (ACTHR), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1), 11beta-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2), insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2), and in the fetal hippocampus of 11βHSD1, 11βHSD2, mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was determined at 50 (adrenal only), 85, 120 and 131 days of gestation (term=148 days). In adult offspring (≥ 3 years, N; 10 female, 5 male, PCUN; 10 female, 10 male) a combined arginine vasopressin (AVP, 0.1 μg/kg) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, 0.5 μg/kg) challenge and a metyrapone (40 mg/kg) challenge were undertaken. mRNA expression of ACTHR, STAR and CYP17A1 were determined in adult adrenals. RESULTS Fetal adrenal STAR, CYP17A1 and IGF2 mRNA expression were not different between groups in early gestation but were higher in PCUN than N at 131 days' gestation (all p<0.01). PCUN reduced fetal hippocampal MR and GR mRNA expression by 50% at 85 day, but not in later gestation. Adult offspring plasma cortisol responses to AVP+CRH or metyrapone were not different between groups. Plasma ACTH response to AVP+CRH was lower in PCUN males but ACTH response to metyrapone was not different between groups. Adult adrenal ACTHR, STAR, and CYP17A1 mRNA expression were not affected by PCUN. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the effects of PCUN on fetal HPAA function that became apparent in late gestation, are not reflected in adrenal cortisol secretion in mid-adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark H. Oliver
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- *Correspondence: Mark H. Oliver,
| | - Anne L. Jaquiery
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kristin L. Connor
- Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hui Hui Phua
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jane E. Harding
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Froelich M, Lemes SAF, Elias MPS, Oliveira APSS, Lisboa PC, Souza JRDE, Moura EG, Almeida FJS, Pereira MP, Latorraca MQ, Kawashita NH. Hyperphagia and hyperleptinemia induced by low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet is reversed at a later stage of development in rats. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20210902. [PMID: 35857934 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated whether increased food intake after 15 days of low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) and its normalization in the later period of development change the content of key proteins related to leptin or adiponectin signaling in the hypothalamus. Male rats were divided into five groups: Control groups received a control diet (17% protein, 63% carbohydrate) for 15 (C15) or 45 (C45) days; LPHC groups received an LPHC diet (6% protein, 74% carbohydrate) for 15 (LPHC15) or 45 (LPHC45) days; and Reverse group (R): received LPHC diet for 15 days followed by control diet for another 30 days. The LPHC15 group showed increased adiposity index, leptin level, and adiponectin level, as well as decreased the leptin receptor (ObRb) and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) content in the hypothalamus compared with the C15 group. LPHC diet for 45 days or diet reversion (R group) rescued these alterations, except the adiponectin level in LPHC45 rats, which was higher. In summary, LPHC diet reduced hypothalamic leptin action by diminishing ObRb and POMC levels, leading to hyperphagia and adiposity body. Medium-term administration of LPHC diet or reverting to control diet restored the levels of these proteins, thereby improving body lipid mass rearrangement in adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mendalli Froelich
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Suelem A F Lemes
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Maísa P S Elias
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula S S Oliveira
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Centro Biomédico, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Boulevard vinte e oito de setembro 87, 20551-031 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, NUMPEX-Bio, Campus Duque de Caxias, BR-040, Km 105, Santa Cruz da Serra, 25245-390 Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia C Lisboa
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Centro Biomédico, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Boulevard vinte e oito de setembro 87, 20551-031 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Ricardo DE Souza
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Egberto G Moura
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Centro Biomédico, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Boulevard vinte e oito de setembro 87, 20551-031 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fhelipe J S Almeida
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Mayara P Pereira
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Marcia Q Latorraca
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Nutrição, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Nair H Kawashita
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Departamento de Química, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Long-term effects of pro-opiomelanocortin methylation induced in food-restricted dams on metabolic phenotypes in male rat offspring. Obstet Gynecol Sci 2020; 63:239-250. [PMID: 32489968 PMCID: PMC7231940 DOI: 10.5468/ogs.2020.63.3.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Maternal malnutrition affects the growth and metabolic health of the offspring. Little is known about the long-term effect on metabolic indices of epigenetic changes in the brain caused by maternal diet. Thus, we explored the effect of maternal food restriction during pregnancy on metabolic profiles of the offspring, by evaluating the DNA methylation of hypothalamic appetite regulators at 3 weeks of age. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups: a control group and a group with a 50% food-restricted (FR) diet during pregnancy. Methylation and expression of appetite regulator genes were measured in 3-week-old offspring using pyrosequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting analyses. We analyzed the relationship between DNA methylation and metabolic profiles by Pearson's correlation analysis. Results The expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) decreased, whereas DNA methylation significantly increased in male offspring of the FR dams, compared to the male offspring of control dams. Hypermethylation of POMC was positively correlated with the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 3-week-old male offspring. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between hypermethylation of POMC and the levels of triglycerides, HDL-C, and leptin in 6-month-old male offspring. Conclusion Our findings suggest that maternal food restriction during pregnancy influences the expression of hypothalamic appetite regulators via epigenetic changes, leading to the development of metabolic disorders in the offspring.
Collapse
|
4
|
Ivanov DO, Evsyukova II, Mazzoccoli G, Anderson G, Polyakova VO, Kvetnoy IM, Carbone A, Nasyrov RA. The Role of Prenatal Melatonin in the Regulation of Childhood Obesity. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9040072. [PMID: 32260529 PMCID: PMC7235795 DOI: 10.3390/biology9040072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing awareness that pregnancy can set the foundations for an array of diverse medical conditions in the offspring, including obesity. A wide assortment of factors, including genetic, epigenetic, lifestyle, and diet can influence foetal outcomes. This article reviews the role of melatonin in the prenatal modulation of offspring obesity. A growing number of studies show that many prenatal risk factors for poor foetal metabolic outcomes, including gestational diabetes and night-shift work, are associated with a decrease in pineal gland-derived melatonin and associated alterations in the circadian rhythm. An important aspect of circadian melatonin’s effects is mediated via the circadian gene, BMAL1, including in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism and the mitochondrial melatoninergic pathway. Alterations in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolic shifts between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in immune and glia cells seem crucial to a host of human medical conditions, including in the development of obesity and the association of obesity with the risk of other medical conditions. The gut microbiome is another important hub in the pathoetiology and pathophysiology of many medical conditions, with negative consequences mediated by a decrease in the short-chain fatty acid, butyrate. The effects of butyrate are partly mediated via an increase in the melatoninergic pathway, indicating interactions of the gut microbiome with melatonin. Some of the effects of melatonin seem mediated via the alpha 7 nicotinic receptor, whilst both melatonin and butyrate may regulate obesity through the opioidergic system. Oxytocin, a recently recognized inhibitor of obesity, may also be acting via the opioidergic system. The early developmental regulation of these processes and factors by melatonin are crucial to the development of obesity and many diverse comorbidities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry O. Ivanov
- Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia; (D.O.I.); (V.O.P.); (R.A.N.)
| | - Inna I. Evsyukova
- Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Gianluigi Mazzoccoli
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +039-0882-410255
| | | | - Victoria O. Polyakova
- Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia; (D.O.I.); (V.O.P.); (R.A.N.)
| | - Igor M. Kvetnoy
- Saint-Petersburg State University, University Embankment 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Annalucia Carbone
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Ruslan A. Nasyrov
- Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia; (D.O.I.); (V.O.P.); (R.A.N.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hammoud R, Pannia E, Kubant R, Liao CS, Ho M, Yang NV, Chatterjee D, Caudill MA, Malysheva OV, Pausova Z, Anderson GH. Maternal Choline Intake Programs Hypothalamic Energy Regulation and Later-Life Phenotype of Male Wistar Rat Offspring. Mol Nutr Food Res 2020; 64:e1901178. [PMID: 32110848 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201901178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
SCOPE High-folic-acid diets during pregnancy result in obesity in the offspring, associated with altered DNA-methylation of hypothalamic food intake neurons. Like folic acid, the methyl-donor choline modulates foetal brain development, but its long-term programing effects on energy regulation remain undefined. This study aims to describe the effect of choline intake during pregnancy on offspring phenotype and hypothalamic energy-regulatory mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS Wistar rat dams are fed an AIN-93G diet with recommended choline (RC, 1 g kg-1 diet), low choline (LC, 0.5-fold), or high choline (HC, 2.5-fold) during pregnancy. Male pups are terminated at birth and 17 weeks post-weaning. Brain 1-carbon metabolites, body weight, food intake, energy expenditure, plasma hormones, and protein expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides are measured. HC pups have higher expression of the orexigenic neuropeptide-Y neurons at birth, consistent with higher cumulative food intake and body weight gain post-weaning compared to RC and LC offspring. LC pups have lower leptin receptor expression at birth and lower energy expenditure and activity during adulthood. CONCLUSION Choline content of diets that are consumed by rats during pregnancy affects the later-life phenotype of offspring, associated with altered in utero programing of hypothalamic food intake regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rola Hammoud
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Emanuela Pannia
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Ruslan Kubant
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Chih-Sheng Liao
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Mandy Ho
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Neil V Yang
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Diptendu Chatterjee
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Marie A Caudill
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 228 Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Olga V Malysheva
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 228 Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
- Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Rm. 109705, Toronto, Ontario, M5G0A4, Canada
| | - G Harvey Anderson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Rm. 5360, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Barra R, Morgan C, Sáez-Briones P, Reyes-Parada M, Burgos H, Morales B, Hernández A. Facts and hypotheses about the programming of neuroplastic deficits by prenatal malnutrition. Nutr Rev 2020; 77:65-80. [PMID: 30445479 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in rats have shown that a decrease in either protein content or total dietary calories results in molecular, structural, and functional changes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, among other brain regions, which lead to behavioral disturbances, including learning and memory deficits. The neurobiological bases underlying those effects depend at least in part on fetal programming of the developing brain, which in turn relies on epigenetic regulation of specific genes via stable and heritable modifications of chromatin. Prenatal malnutrition also leads to epigenetic programming of obesity, and obesity on its own can lead to poor cognitive performance in humans and experimental animals, complicating understanding of the factors involved in the fetal programming of neuroplasticity deficits. This review focuses on the role of epigenetic mechanisms involved in prenatal malnutrition-induced brain disturbances, which are apparent at a later postnatal age, through either a direct effect of fetal programming on brain plasticity or an indirect effect on the brain mediated by the postnatal development of obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Barra
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Morgan
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricio Sáez-Briones
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Reyes-Parada
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
| | - Héctor Burgos
- Núcleo Disciplinar Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.,Center of Innovation on Information Technologies for Social Applications (CITIAPS), University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bernardo Morales
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandro Hernández
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Low birth weight, a risk factor for diseases in later life, is a surrogate of insulin resistance at birth. J Hypertens 2019; 37:2123-2134. [DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000002156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
8
|
Fernandez-Twinn DS, Hjort L, Novakovic B, Ozanne SE, Saffery R. Intrauterine programming of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia 2019; 62:1789-1801. [PMID: 31451874 PMCID: PMC6731191 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-019-4951-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The type 2 diabetes epidemic and one of its predisposing factors, obesity, are major influences on global health and economic burden. It is accepted that genetics and the current environment contribute to this epidemic; however, in the last two decades, both human and animal studies have consolidated considerable evidence supporting the 'developmental programming' of these conditions, specifically by the intrauterine environment. Here, we review the various in utero exposures that are linked to offspring obesity and diabetes in later life, including epidemiological insights gained from natural historical events, such as the Dutch Hunger Winter, the Chinese famine and the more recent Quebec Ice Storm. We also describe the effects of gestational exposure to endocrine disruptors, maternal infection and smoking to the fetus in relation to metabolic programming. Causal evidence from animal studies, motivated by human observations, is also discussed, as well as some of the proposed underlying molecular mechanisms for developmental programming of obesity and type 2 diabetes, including epigenetics (e.g. DNA methylation and histone modifications) and microRNA interactions. Finally, we examine the effects of non-pharmacological interventions, such as improving maternal dietary habits and/or increasing physical activity, on the offspring epigenome and metabolic outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denise S Fernandez-Twinn
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Level 4, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Line Hjort
- Department of Endocrinology, the Diabetes and Bone-metabolic Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Obstetrics, Center for Pregnant Women with Diabetes, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Boris Novakovic
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Level 4, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Obri A, Claret M. The role of epigenetics in hypothalamic energy balance control: implications for obesity. Cell Stress 2019; 3:208-220. [PMID: 31309172 PMCID: PMC6612891 DOI: 10.15698/cst2019.07.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite enormous social and scientific efforts, obesity rates continue to increase worldwide. While genetic factors contribute to obesity development, genetics alone cannot explain the current epidemic. Obesity is essentially the consequence of complex genetic-environmental interactions. Evidence suggests that contemporary lifestyles trigger epigenetic changes, which can dysregulate energy balance and thus contribute to obesity. The hypothalamus plays a pivotal role in the regulation of body weight, through a sophisticated network of neuronal systems. Alterations in the activity of these neuronal pathways have been implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity. Here, we review the current knowledge on the central control of energy balance with a focus on recent studies linking epigenetic mechanisms in the hypothalamus to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Obri
- Neuronal Control of Metabolism Laboratory, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Claret
- Neuronal Control of Metabolism Laboratory, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chang X, Song P, Wang M, An L. The Risks of Overweight, Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Middle Age after Exposure to Famine in Early Life: Evidence from the China's 1959-1961 Famine. J Nutr Health Aging 2018; 22:1198-1204. [PMID: 30498826 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-018-1144-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several studies have revealed that exposure to famine in early life was associated with higher body mass index(BMI) and waist circumference, and most of them used data from cross-sectional studies and defined those born before or after the famine period as non-exposed participants, which ignored the effects caused by age. Our objective was to study the effects of undernutrition in early life on overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity in those aged 54-56. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study with the status at age of 54-56 as outcomes. 1092 participants born between 1959 and 1961 from 2015 wave of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were defined as exposed and 1616 born between 1955 and 1957 from 2011 wave of CHARLS were defined as control. We used the prevalence odds ratios(ORs) to estimate the risks of overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, and stratified by famine severity and sex separately for comparisons. RESULTS Exposed group had higher risks of overweight (OR 1.357, 95%CI 1.067,1.727) and obesity (OR 1.356, 95%CI 1.001,1.836) in women, not in men. Participants in exposed group were more likely to have abdominal obesity (OR 1.362, 95%CI 1.139,1.629), regardless of famine severity and gender. CONCLUSION Undernutrition in early life increased the risks of overweight and obesity in women not in men. And the risk of abdominal obesity was increased with the experience of undernutrition at early age both in men and women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- X Chang
- Lin An, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Derghal A, Djelloul M, Trouslard J, Mounien L. The Role of MicroRNA in the Modulation of the Melanocortinergic System. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:181. [PMID: 28424580 PMCID: PMC5380727 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central control of energy balance involves a highly regulated neuronal network within the hypothalamus and the dorsal vagal complex. In these structures, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons are known to reduce meal size and to increase energy expenditure. In addition, leptin, a peripheral signal that relays information regarding body fat content, modulates the activity of melanocortin pathway neurons including POMC-, Agouti-related peptide (AgRP)/Neuropeptide Y (NPY)-, melanocortin receptors (MC3R and MC4R)-expressing neurons. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs of 22–26 nucleotides that post-transcriptionally interfere with target gene expression by binding to their mRNAs. Evidence has demonstrated that miRNAs play important roles in the central regulation of energy balance. In this context, different studies identified miRNAs including miR-200 family, miR-103, or miR-488 that could target the genes of melanocortin pathway. More precisely, these different miRNAs can modulate energy homeostasis by affecting leptin transduction pathway in the POMC, or AgRP/NPY neurons. This article reviews the role of identified miRNAs in the modulation of melanocortin pathway in the context of energy homeostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adel Derghal
- Physiologie et Physiopathologie du Système Nerveux Somatomoteur et Neurovégétatif (PPSN), Aix Marseille UniversityMarseille, France
| | - Mehdi Djelloul
- Physiologie et Physiopathologie du Système Nerveux Somatomoteur et Neurovégétatif (PPSN), Aix Marseille UniversityMarseille, France.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska InstituteStockholm, Sweden
| | - Jérôme Trouslard
- Physiologie et Physiopathologie du Système Nerveux Somatomoteur et Neurovégétatif (PPSN), Aix Marseille UniversityMarseille, France
| | - Lourdes Mounien
- Physiologie et Physiopathologie du Système Nerveux Somatomoteur et Neurovégétatif (PPSN), Aix Marseille UniversityMarseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Grissom N, George R, Reyes T. The hypothalamic transcriptional response to stress is severely impaired in offspring exposed to adverse nutrition during gestation. Neuroscience 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
13
|
Uenoyama Y, Tomikawa J, Inoue N, Goto T, Minabe S, Ieda N, Nakamura S, Watanabe Y, Ikegami K, Matsuda F, Ohkura S, Maeda KI, Tsukamura H. Molecular and Epigenetic Mechanism Regulating Hypothalamic Kiss1 Gene Expression in Mammals. Neuroendocrinology 2016; 103:640-9. [PMID: 26964105 DOI: 10.1159/000445207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
After the discovery of hypothalamic kisspeptin encoded by the Kiss1 gene, the central mechanism regulating gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, and hence gonadotropin secretion, is gradually being unraveled. This has increased our understanding of the central mechanism regulating puberty and subsequent reproductive performance in mammals. Recently, emerging evidence has indicated the molecular and epigenetic mechanism regulating hypothalamic Kiss1 gene expression. Here we compile data regarding DNA and histone modifications in the Kiss1 promoter region and provide a hypothetic scheme of the molecular and epigenetic mechanism regulating Kiss1 gene expression in two populations of hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons, which govern puberty and subsequent reproductive performance via GnRH/gonadotropin secretion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihisa Uenoyama
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hoile SP, Grenfell LM, Hanson MA, Lillycrop KA, Burdge GC. Fat and carbohydrate intake over three generations modify growth, metabolism and cardiovascular phenotype in female mice in an age-related manner. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134664. [PMID: 26266533 PMCID: PMC4534415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental challenges such as a high fat diet during pregnancy can induce changes in offspring growth, metabolism and cardiovascular function. However, challenges that are sustained over several generations can induce progressive compensatory metabolic adjustments in young adults. It is not known if such effects persist during ageing. We investigated whether diets with different fat and carbohydrate contents over three generations modifies markers of ageing. Female C57BL/6 F0 mice were fed diets containing 5% or 21% fat (w/w) throughout pregnancy and lactation. Female offspring were fed the same diet as their dams until the F3 generation. In each generation, body weight, 24-hour food intake were recorded weekly, and plasma metabolites were measured by colorimetric assays, blood pressure by tail cuff plethysmography and vasoconstriction by myography on postnatal day 90 or 456. There was little effect of diet or generation on phenotypic markers in day 90 adults. There was a significant increase in whole body, liver and heart weight with ageing (d456) in the F3 21% fat group compared to the F1 and F3 5% groups. Fasting plasma glucose concentration was significantly increased with ageing in the 5% group in the F3 generation and in the 21% group in both generations. There was a significant effect of diet and generation on ex-vivo vasoconstriction in ageing females. Differences in dietary fat may induce metabolic compensation in young adults that persist over three generations. However, such compensatory effects decline during ageing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel P. Hoile
- Academic Unit of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Leonie M. Grenfell
- Academic Unit of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A. Hanson
- Academic Unit of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Karen A. Lillycrop
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Natural Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Graham C. Burdge
- Academic Unit of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Brain development is an organized, but constantly adaptive, process in which genetic and epigenetic signals allow neurons to differentiate, to migrate, and to develop correct connections. Gender specific prenatal sex hormone milieu participates in the dimorphic development of many neuronal networks. Environmental cues may interfere with these developmental programs, producing adverse outcomes. Bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogenic/antiandrogenic endocrine disruptor widely diffused in the environment, produces adverse effects at levels below the acceptable daily intake. This review analyzes the recent literature on the consequences of perinatal exposure to BPA environmental doses on the development of a dimorphic brain. The BPA interference with the development and function of the neuroendocrine hypothalamus and of the nuclei controlling energy balance, and with the hippocampal memory processing is also discussed. The detrimental action of BPA appears complex, involving different hormonal and epigenetic pathways activated, often in a dimorphic way, within clearcut susceptibility windows. To date, discrepancies in experimental approaches and in related outcomes make unfeasible to translate the available information into clear dose-response models for human risk assessment. Evaluation of BPA brain levels in relation to the appearance of adverse effects in future basic studies will certainly give better definition of the warning threshold for human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Negri-Cesi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Biomedicine and Endocrinology, INBB Research Unit, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gibson LC, Shin BC, Dai Y, Freije W, Kositamongkol S, Cho J, Devaskar SU. Early leptin intervention reverses perturbed energy balance regulating hypothalamic neuropeptides in the pre- and postnatal calorie-restricted female rat offspring. J Neurosci Res 2015; 93:902-12. [PMID: 25639584 PMCID: PMC4533910 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Pre- and postnatal calorie restriction is associated with postnatal growth restriction, reduced circulating leptin concentrations, and perturbed energy balance. Hypothalamic regulation of energy balance demonstrates enhanced orexigenic (NPY, AgRP) and diminished anorexigenic (POMC, CART) neuropeptide expression (PN21), setting the stage for subsequent development of obesity in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Leptin replenishment during the early postnatal period (PN2-PN8) led to reversal of the hypothalamic orexigenic:anorexigenic neuropeptide ratio at PN21 by reducing only the orexigenic (NPY, AgRP), without affecting the anorexigenic (POMC, CART) neuropeptide expression. This hypothalamic effect was mediated via enhanced leptin receptor (ObRb) signaling that involved increased pSTAT3/STAT3 but reduced PTP1B. This was further confirmed by an increase in body weight at PN21 in response to intracerebroventricular administration of antisense ObRb oligonucleotides (PN2-PN8). The change in the hypothalamic neuropeptide balance in response to leptin administration was associated with increased oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and physical activity, which resulted in increased milk intake (PN14) with no change in body weight. This is in contrast to the reduction in milk intake with no effect on energy expenditure and physical activity observed in controls. We conclude that pre- and postnatal calorie restriction perturbs hypothalamic neuropeptide regulation of energy balance, setting the stage for hyperphagia and reduced energy expenditure, hallmarks of obesity. Leptin in turn reverses this phenotype by increasing hypothalamic ObRb signaling (sensitivity) and affecting only the orexigenic arm of the neuropeptide balance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leena Caroline Gibson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - Bo-Chul Shin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - Yun Dai
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - William Freije
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - Sudatip Kositamongkol
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - John Cho
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| | - Sherin U. Devaskar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology and Neonatal Research Center at the UCLA Children’s Discovery and Innovation Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1752
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gali Ramamoorthy T, Begum G, Harno E, White A. Developmental programming of hypothalamic neuronal circuits: impact on energy balance control. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:126. [PMID: 25954145 PMCID: PMC4404811 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity in adults and children has increased globally at an alarming rate. Mounting evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal models indicates that adult obesity and associated metabolic disorders can be programmed by intrauterine and early postnatal environment- a phenomenon known as "fetal programming of adult disease." Data from nutritional intervention studies in animals including maternal under- and over-nutrition support the developmental origins of obesity and metabolic syndrome. The hypothalamic neuronal circuits located in the arcuate nucleus controlling appetite and energy expenditure are set early in life and are perturbed by maternal nutritional insults. In this review, we focus on the effects of maternal nutrition in programming permanent changes in these hypothalamic circuits, with experimental evidence from animal models of maternal under- and over-nutrition. We discuss the epigenetic modifications which regulate hypothalamic gene expression as potential molecular mechanisms linking maternal diet during pregnancy to the offspring's risk of obesity at a later age. Understanding these mechanisms in key metabolic genes may provide insights into the development of preventative intervention strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ghazala Begum
- School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Birmingham Birmingham, UK
| | - Erika Harno
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
| | - Anne White
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Manchester, UK ; Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Majnik A, Gunn V, Fu Q, Lane RH. Epigenetics: an accessible mechanism through which to track and respond to an obesogenic environment. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2014; 9:605-614. [PMID: 30736198 DOI: 10.1586/17446651.2014.949241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Obesity and its consequences impact everyone. Obesity occurs because of an interaction between an obesogenic environment and genetics. In order to confront obesity, we must understand the contribution of each of these components. Environmental influences on obesity include our extrinsic environment, such as food deserts, as well as our intrinsic environment, like perinatal exposures. Epigenetics provides a biological mechanism to reveal the accumulation of extrinsic and intrinsic environmental exposures from fetal life to adulthood. Human and animal studies demonstrate changes in epigenetic modifications which are associated with an obesogenic environment. Furthermore, evidence exists in humans and animal models that suggest environmental epigenetics may serve as a biomarker or a target for intervention. To successfully target obesity, we must intervene on an environmental as well as genetic level. Combating food deserts for example will help to change the extrinsic environment, while targeting epigenetic modification remains a goal for changing our biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber Majnik
- a Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, TBRC-CRI C2485, Milwaukee WI 53226, USA
| | - Veronica Gunn
- b Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Children's Corporate Center, Suite 525, PO Box 1997, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1997, USA
| | - Qi Fu
- a Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, TBRC-CRI C2485, Milwaukee WI 53226, USA
| | - Robert H Lane
- b Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Children's Corporate Center, Suite 525, PO Box 1997, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1997, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Lira LA, Almeida LC, Silva AA, Cavalcante TC, Melo DD, Souza JA, Campina RC, Souza SL. Perinatal undernutrition increases meal size and neuronal activation of the nucleus of the solitary tract in response to feeding stimulation in adult rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2014; 38:23-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2014.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2014] [Revised: 07/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lívia A. Lira
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | - Larissa C.A. Almeida
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | - Amanda A.M. Silva
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | | | - Diogo D.C.B. Melo
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | - Julliet A. Souza
- Department of NutritionUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | - Renata C.F. Campina
- Department of AnatomyUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| | - Sandra L. Souza
- Department of AnatomyUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
- Postgraduate Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversidade Federal Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
- Department of NutritionUniversidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPERecifePEBrazil
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Sánchez-Hernández D, Cho CE, Kubant R, Reza-López SA, Poon AN, Wang J, Huot PSP, Smith CE, Anderson GH. Increasing vitamin A in post-weaning diets reduces food intake and body weight and modifies gene expression in brains of male rats born to dams fed a high multivitamin diet. J Nutr Biochem 2014; 25:991-6. [PMID: 24993918 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Revised: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
High multivitamin gestational diets (HV, 10-fold AIN-93G levels) increase body weight (BW) and food intake (FI) in rat offspring weaned to a recommended multivitamin (RV), but not to a HV diet. We hypothesized that high vitamin A (HA) alone, similar to HV, in post-weaning diets would prevent these effects of the HV maternal diet consistent with gene expression in FI and reward pathways. Male offspring from dams fed HV diets were weaned to a high vitamin A (HA, 10-fold AIN-93G levels), HV or RV diet for 29 weeks. BW, FI, expression of genes involved in regulation of FI and reward and global and gene-specific DNA methylation of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the hypothalamus were measured. Both HV and HA diets slowed post-weaning weight gain and modified gene expression in offspring compared to offspring fed an RV post-weaning diet. Hypothalamic POMC expression in HA offspring was not different from either HV or RV, and dopamine receptor 1 was 30% (P<.05) higher in HA vs. HV, but not different from RV group. Hippocampal expression of serotonin receptor 1A (40%, P<.01), dopamine receptor 2 (40%, P<.05) and dopamine receptor 5 (70%, P<.0001) was greater in HA vs. RV fed pups and is 40% (P<.01), 50% (P<.05) and 40% (P<.0001) in HA vs. HV pups, respectively. POMC DNA methylation was lower in HA vs. RV offspring (P<.05). We conclude that high vitamin A in post-weaning diets reduces post-weaning weight gain and FI and modifies gene expression in FI and reward pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Clara E Cho
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruslan Kubant
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandra A Reza-López
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Abraham N Poon
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jingzhou Wang
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pedro S P Huot
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher E Smith
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - G Harvey Anderson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Muschler MAN, Lenz B, Hillemacher T, Kraus C, Kornhuber J, Frieling H, Bleich S. CAGn repeat of the androgen receptor is linked to proopiomelanocortin promoter methylation-relevance for craving of male alcohol-dependent patients? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:2059-66. [PMID: 24271034 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3349-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous findings of the Franconian Alcoholism Research Studies showed that both the CAGn of the androgen receptor (AR) and the promoter methylation of the hypothalamic peptide proopiomelanocortin (POMC) were associated with craving of male alcohol-dependent patients. OBJECTIVES Based on the strong interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), this study investigated the relationships between the CAGn repeat of the AR, POMC promoter methylation and craving of male alcohol-dependent patients. METHODS This analysis covers 84 male patients with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence (DSM-IV). We sequenced the POMC gene promoter using bisulfite modified DNA to display the methylation status. Furthermore, we sequenced the CAGn repeat within exon 1 of the AR gene. Craving was quantified by the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale. RESULTS We found an inverse correlation between the number of CAGn repeats of the AR and the POMC methylation status in this study. Altogether, the POMC promoter methylation accounted for 33 % of the relationship between CAGn AR polymorphism and craving. CONCLUSIONS This work shows that the AR and the POMC gene might functionally interact with each other and subsequently mediate craving in alcohol-dependent patients. The paper discusses different mechanisms which might underlie our findings involving sex hormones' and sex determining region of Y-gene's regulatory function on DNA-methyltransferase activity. In conclusion, the results give insight in the interaction between HPG and HPA axis. This study is a further step on the way to a better understanding of genetic and non-genetic factors underlying craving for alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc Andre Nicolas Muschler
- Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Addiction Research, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Yoo JY, Lee S, Lee HA, Park H, Park YJ, Ha EH, Kim YJ. Can proopiomelanocortin methylation be used as an early predictor of metabolic syndrome? Diabetes Care 2014; 37:734-9. [PMID: 24222450 DOI: 10.2337/dc13-1012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to compare early predictive marker of the metabolic syndrome with proopiomelanocortin (POMC) methylation status and to determine the association among birth weight, ponderal index, and cord blood methylation status. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We collected pregnancy outcome data from pregnant women, cord blood samples at delivery, and blood from children (7-9 years old; n = 90) through a prospective cohort study at Ewha Womans University, MokDong Hospital (Seoul, Korea), from 2003-2005. POMC methylation was assessed by pyrosequencing. We divided subjects into three groups according to cord blood POMC methylation: the low methylation (<10th percentile), mid-methylation, and high methylation (>90th percentile) groups. We analyzed the association of POMC methylation status at birth with adiposity and metabolic components using ANCOVA and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS Birth weights (P = 0.01) and ponderal indices (P = 0.01) in the high POMC methylation group were significantly lower than in the mid-POMC methylation group. In terms of metabolic components of childhood, blood triglycerides (57.97, 67.29 vs. 113.89 mg/dL; P = 0.03, 0.01) and insulin (7.10, 7.64 vs. 10.13 μIU/mL; P = 0.05, 0.02) at childhood were significantly higher in the high POMC methylation group than in the low and mid-POMC methylation group. CONCLUSIONS High POMC methylation in cord blood was associated with lower birth weight, and children with high POMC methylation in cord blood showed higher triglycerides and higher insulin concentrations in blood. Thus, POMC methylation status in cord blood may be an early predictive marker of future metabolic syndrome.
Collapse
|
23
|
|
24
|
Wang X, Lacza Z, Sun YE, Han W. Leptin resistance and obesity in mice with deletion of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. Diabetologia 2014; 57:236-45. [PMID: 24078059 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-013-3072-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) regulate energy homeostasis by secreting α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), derived from POMC precursor, in response to leptin signalling. Expression of Pomc is subject to multiple modes of regulation, including epigenetic regulation. Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a nuclear protein essential for neuronal function, interacts with promoters to influence gene expression. We aim to address whether MeCP2 regulates hypothalamic Pomc expression and to investigate the role of epigenetics, particularly DNA methylation, in this process. METHODS We generated a mouse line with MeCP2 specifically deleted in POMC neurons (Mecp2 flox/y /Pomc-Cre [PKO]) and characterised its metabolic phenotypes. We examined the DNA methylation pattern of the Pomc promoter and its impact on hypothalamic gene expression. We also studied the requirement of MeCP2 for, and the effects of, DNA methylation on Pomc promoter activity using luciferase assays. RESULTS PKO mice are overweight, with increased fat mass resulting from increased food intake and respiratory exchange ratio. PKO mice also exhibit elevated plasma leptin. Deletion of MeCP2 in POMC neurons leads to increased DNA methylation of the hypothalamic Pomc promoter and reduced Pomc expression. Furthermore, in vitro studies show that hypermethylation of the Pomc promoter reduces its transcriptional activity and reveal a functional synergy between MeCP2 and cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1) in positively regulating the Pomc promoter. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Our results demonstrate that MeCP2 positively regulates Pomc expression in the hypothalamus. Absence of MeCP2 in POMC neurons leads to increased DNA methylation of the Pomc promoter, which, in turn, downregulates Pomc expression, leading to obesity in mice with an accentuating degree of leptin resistance.
Collapse
|
25
|
Manuel-Apolinar L, Rocha L, Damasio L, Tesoro-Cruz E, Zarate A. Role of prenatal undernutrition in the expression of serotonin, dopamine and leptin receptors in adult mice: implications of food intake. Mol Med Rep 2013; 9:407-12. [PMID: 24337628 PMCID: PMC3896523 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2013.1853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Perturbations in the levels of serotonin expression have a significant impact on behavior and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neuropsychiatric disorders including anxiety, mood and appetite. Fetal programming is a risk factor for the development of metabolic diseases during adulthood. Moreover, previous studies have shown that serotonin (5-HT), dopamine and leptin are important in energy balance. In the present study, the impact of maternal malnutrition-induced prenatal undernutrition (UN) was investigated in mice and the expression of 5-HT1A, dopamine (D)1, D2 and Ob-Rb receptors was analyzed in the hypothalamus during adulthood. The UN group showed a low birth weight compared with the control group. With regard to receptor expression, 5-HT1A in the UN group was increased in the hypothalamus and D1 was reduced, whereas D2 showed an increase from postnatal day (P)14 in the arcuate nucleus. Ob-Rb receptor expression was increased in the hypothalamus at P14 and P90. These observations indicated that maternal caloric restriction programs a postnatal body weight gain in offspring with an increased food intake in early postnatal life which continues into adulthood. In addition, UN in mice was found to be affected by Ob-Rb, 5-HT1A and D1/2 receptor expression, indicating that these observations may be associated with hyperphagia and obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Manuel-Apolinar
- Endocrine Research Unit, National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luisa Rocha
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Leticia Damasio
- Endocrine Research Unit, National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Arturo Zarate
- Endocrine Research Unit, National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Kuehnen P, Mischke M, Wiegand S, Sers C, Horsthemke B, Lau S, Keil T, Lee YA, Grueters A, Krude H. An Alu element-associated hypermethylation variant of the POMC gene is associated with childhood obesity. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002543. [PMID: 22438814 PMCID: PMC3305357 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The individual risk for common diseases not only depends on genetic but also on epigenetic polymorphisms. To assess the role of epigenetic variations in the individual risk for obesity, we have determined the methylation status of two CpG islands at the POMC locus in obese and normal-weight children. We found a hypermethylation variant targeting individual CpGs at the intron2–exon3 boundary of the POMC gene by bisulphite sequencing that was significantly associated with obesity. POMC exon3 hypermethylation interferes with binding of the transcription enhancer P300 and reduces expression of the POMC transcript. Since intron2 contains Alu elements that are known to influence methylation in their genomic vicinity, the exon3 methylation variant seems to result from an Alu element–triggered default state of methylation boundary definition. Exon3 hypermethylation in the POMC locus represents the first identified DNA methylation variant that is associated with the individual risk for obesity. Twin studies reveal a strong genetic background of body-weight regulation. However, gene mutations in early onset obesity patients are rare. Results from large genome-wide association studies explain less than 4% of body-weight variability. Therefore, other mechanisms like epigenetic alterations may play a role in body-weight regulation. We analysed the DNA methylation of the POMC gene, which plays a central role in body-weight regulation within the hypothalamus. We observed a significant increase in the methylation score in obese children as compared to normal-weight individuals. This DNA methylation variant affects POMC gene dosage regulation. Therefore we conclude that this DNA hypermethylation variant in obese patients leads by modification of POMC gene expression to an increased individual risk for the development of obesity. This result illustrates how DNA methylation alterations increase the susceptibility to a common disease like obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kuehnen
- Institut für Experimentelle Pädiatrische Endokrinologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Begum G, Stevens A, Smith EB, Connor K, Challis JRG, Bloomfield F, White A. Epigenetic changes in fetal hypothalamic energy regulating pathways are associated with maternal undernutrition and twinning. FASEB J 2012; 26:1694-703. [PMID: 22223754 DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-198762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Undernutrition during pregnancy is implicated in the programming of offspring for the development of obesity and diabetes. We hypothesized that maternal programming causes epigenetic changes in fetal hypothalamic pathways regulating metabolism. This study used sheep to examine the effect of moderate maternal undernutrition (60 d before to 30 d after mating) and twinning to investigate changes in the key metabolic regulators proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in fetal hypothalami. Methylation of the fetal hypothalamic POMC promoter was reduced in underfed singleton, fed twin, and underfed twin groups (60, 73, and 63% decrease, respectively). This was associated with reduced DNA methyltransferase activity and altered histone methylation and acetylation. Methylation of the hypothalamic GR promoter was decreased in both twin groups and in maternally underfed singleton fetuses (52, 65, and 55% decrease, respectively). This correlated with changes in histone methylation and acetylation and increased GR mRNA expression in the maternally underfed singleton group. Alterations in GR were hypothalamic specific, with no changes in hippocampi. Unaltered levels of OCT4 promoter methylation indicated gene-specific effects. In conclusion, twinning and periconceptional undernutrition are associated with epigenetic changes in fetal hypothalamic POMC and GR genes, potentially resulting in altered energy balance regulation in the offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ghazala Begum
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Martins VJB, Toledo Florêncio TMM, Grillo LP, Franco MDCP, Martins PA, Clemente APG, Santos CDL, Vieira MDFA, Sawaya AL. Long-lasting effects of undernutrition. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2011; 8:1817-46. [PMID: 21776204 PMCID: PMC3137999 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph8061817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2011] [Revised: 05/12/2011] [Accepted: 05/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Undernutrition is one of the most important public health problems, affecting more than 900 million individuals around the World. It is responsible for the highest mortality rate in children and has long-lasting physiologic effects, including an increased susceptibility to fat accumulation mostly in the central region of the body, lower fat oxidation, lower resting and postprandial energy expenditure, insulin resistance in adulthood, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and a reduced capacity for manual work, among other impairments. Marked changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system have been described in undernourished experimental animals. Some of these effects seem to be epigenetic, passing on to the next generation. Undernutrition in children has been linked to poor mental development and school achievement as well as behavioural abnormalities. However, there is still a debate in the literature regarding whether some of these effects are permanent or reversible. Stunted children who had experienced catch-up growth had verbal vocabulary and quantitative test scores that did not differ from children who were not stunted. Children treated before 6 years of age in day-hospitals and who recovered in weight and height have normal body compositions, bone mineral densities and insulin production and sensitivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius J. B. Martins
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: (M.C.P.F.); (A.P.G.C.); (C.D.L.S); (A.L.S.)
| | - Telma M. M. Toledo Florêncio
- Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Alagoas, Rua Hélio Pradines, 225/301 Ponta Verde, CEP 57035-220 Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Luciane P. Grillo
- Professional Masters Program in Health and Work Management, Vale of Itajaí University, Rua Uruguai 458, Bloco 25 B, Sala 402, Centro, CEP 88302-202 Itajaí, SC, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Maria do Carmo P. Franco
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: (M.C.P.F.); (A.P.G.C.); (C.D.L.S); (A.L.S.)
| | - Paula A. Martins
- Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Av. Ana Costa, 95 Vila Matias CEP 11060-001, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Ana Paula G. Clemente
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: (M.C.P.F.); (A.P.G.C.); (C.D.L.S); (A.L.S.)
| | - Carla D. L. Santos
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: (M.C.P.F.); (A.P.G.C.); (C.D.L.S); (A.L.S.)
| | - Maria de Fatima A. Vieira
- Nutrition College, Federal University of Pelotas, Campus Universitário, CP 354, Pelotas, RS, Brazil; E-Mail:
| | - Ana Lydia Sawaya
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 2°andar CEP 04023-060 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; E-Mails: (M.C.P.F.); (A.P.G.C.); (C.D.L.S); (A.L.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ornoy A. Prenatal origin of obesity and their complications: Gestational diabetes, maternal overweight and the paradoxical effects of fetal growth restriction and macrosomia. Reprod Toxicol 2011; 32:205-12. [PMID: 21620955 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2011] [Revised: 05/07/2011] [Accepted: 05/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Pregestational (PGDM) and gestational (GDM) diabetes may be associated with a variety of fetal effects including increased rate of spontaneous abortions, intrauterine fetal death, congenital anomalies, neurodevelopmental problems and increased risk of perinatal complications. Additional problems of concern are fetal growth disturbances causing increased or decreased birth weight. Optimal control of maternal blood glucose is known to reduce these changes. Among the long lasting effects of these phenomena are a high rate of overweight and obesity at childhood and a high tendency to develop the "metabolic syndrome" characterized by hypertension, cardio-vascular complications and type 2 diabetes. Similarly, maternal overweight and obesity during pregnancy or excessive weight gain are also associated with increased obesity and complications in the offspring. Although there are different causes for fetal growth restriction (FGR) or for fetal excessive growth (macrosomis), paradoxically both are associated with the "metabolic syndrome" and its long term consequences. The exact mechanism(s) underlying these long term effects on growth are not fully elucidated, but they involve insulin resistance, fetal hyperleptinemia, hypothalamic changes and most probably epigenetic changes. Preventive measures to avoid the metabolic syndrome and its complications seem to be a tight dietary control and physical activity in the children born to obese or diabetic mothers or who had antenatal growth disturbances for other known or unknown reasons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asher Ornoy
- Laboratory of Teratology, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Israel Canada Institute of Medical Sciences, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|