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Kumar SH, Acharyya S, Chouksey A, Soni N, Nazeer N, Mishra PK. Air pollution-linked epigenetic modifications in placental DNA: Prognostic potential for identifying future foetal anomalies. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 129:108675. [PMID: 39074641 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to air pollution is a significant risk factor for the mother and the developing foetus. The accumulation of pollutants in the placenta can cause a self-cascade loop of pro-inflammatory cytokine responses and DNA double-strand breaks. Previous research has shown that airborne particulate matter can damage the epigenome and disturb mitochondrial machinery, ultimately impairing placental function. Mitochondria are essential for preserving cellular homeostasis, energy metabolism, redox equilibrium, and epigenetic reprogramming. As these organelles are subtle targets of environmental exposures, any disruption in the signaling pathways can result in epigenomic instability, which can impact gene expression and mitochondrial function. This, in turn, can lead to changes in DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and aberrant expression of microRNAs in proliferating trophoblast cells. The placenta has two distinct layers, cytotrophoblasts, and syncytiotrophoblasts, each with its mitochondria, which play important roles in preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and overall health. Foetal nucleic acids enter maternal circulation during placental development because of necrotic, apoptotic, and inflammatory mechanisms. These nucleic acids reflect normal or abnormal ongoing cellular changes during prenatal foetal development. Detecting cell-free DNA in the bloodstream can be a biomarker for predicting negative pregnancy-related outcomes and recognizing abnormalities in foetal growth. Hence, a thorough understanding of how air pollution induces epigenetic variations within the placenta could offer crucial insights into underlying mechanisms and prolonged repercussions on foetal development and susceptibility in later stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sruthy Hari Kumar
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India
| | - Sayanti Acharyya
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India
| | - Apoorva Chouksey
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India
| | - Nikita Soni
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India
| | - Nazim Nazeer
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India
| | - Pradyumna Kumar Mishra
- Division of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics & Molecular Biology (EBGMB), ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal, India.
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Shaoyong W, Wang W, Pan B, Liu R, Yin L, Wangjie R, Tian H, Wang Y, Jin M. Transgenerational Inheritance Effects of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuONPs) Induced Asthenospermia and Infertility via Gamete H3K9me3 Insufficiency Pathway in Mice. ACS NANO 2024. [PMID: 39058239 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c05660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The widespread use of colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) poses substantial health risks to humans. CuONPs can penetrate the blood-testis barrier and induce spermatocide, and the understanding of the adverse effects of asthenospermia on spermatogenesis, embryonic development, and transgenerational inheritance is limited. In this study, male mice were orally administered different doses of CuONPs via continuous exposure for one spermatozoon development period (35 days) and then exposed without CuONPs for another 35 days. The CuONPs that accumulated in the testes induced oxidative stress (OS), affected the progress of spermatogenesis and sperm capacitation, and compromised epigenetic modifications, resulting in asthenospermia and embryonic development anomalies in male offspring. In a mechanism, CuONP exposure impaired the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) via the GDNF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway under OS. Importantly, CuONP exposure was found to potentially lower H3K9me3 levels in paternal sperm, which would further transgenerational transmission and interfere with sperm mitochondrial energy metabolism and motility, leading to asthenospermia and subfertility in the offspring. Collectively, these data reveal a molecular mechanism by which CuONP exposure disturbs H3K9me3 levels via the OS pathway, which further mediates the asthenospermic effects of reproductive failure by interfering with mitochondrial arrangement and formation in the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weike Shaoyong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province; College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Center for Metabolic & Gastroenterology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Wusu Wang
- International Institutes of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Bo Pan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rui Liu
- International Institutes of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Lin Yin
- International Institutes of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Reshouyang Wangjie
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Haolun Tian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yizhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province; College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingliang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province; College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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3
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S Y, I I, D Z, E A, D A. The possible role of epigenetics in the etiology of hypospadias. J Pediatr Urol 2024:S1477-5131(24)00353-X. [PMID: 39033034 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hypospadias is a common malformation of the genitourinary system and is thought with a complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors likely contributing to its pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the receptor gene expressions of sex hormones, FGFR2, FGF8 and BMP7 and DNA methylations in these genes as an epigenetic mark, which may play a role in the etiology of hypospadias. MATERIAL AND METHODS The samples from the foreskin of 20 patients with hypospadias and 20 healthy children who underwent circumcision operations were collected. AR, ESR1, FGF8, FGFR2 and BMP7 gene expressions and DNA methylation rates of these genes were investigated in tissues. RESULTS While ESR1, FGFR2 and BMP7 gene expressions were found to be significantly higher in the hypospadias group, AR gene expression was found to be lower. In the hypospadias group, DNA methylation rates were found to be significantly higher in the ESR1, FGF8 and FGFR2 genes, but lower in the AR gene (Table). DISCUSSION Recent clinical studies suggest that epigenetic modifications may play a significant role in genital development, potentially contributing to the etiology of hypospadias. Our recent study demonstrated significant differences in foreskin AR, ESR1, and FGFR2 gene expression between patients with hypospadias and controls. To address this, the present study investigated DNA methylation levels of these same genes in hypospadias patients, hypothesizing that epigenetic modifications might be responsible for the observed gene expression changes. We again observed abnormalities in AR, ESR1, and FGFR2 gene expression in hypospadias patients. Furthermore, we found that DNA methylation patterns associated with these genes differed significantly between hypospadias and control groups. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates significant alterations in DNA methylation of sex hormone receptor genes (ESR1 and AR), FGFR2, and FGF8, which correlate with abnormal expression of these genes in hypospadias cases. These findings suggest a potential role for epigenetic modifications in hypospadias etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yıldız S
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.
| | - Inanç I
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.
| | - Zhuri D
- Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.
| | - Atlı E
- Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.
| | - Avlan D
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Division of Pediatric Urology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, 22030, Edirne, Turkey.
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Aquino AM, Fioretto MN, Alonso-Costa LG, Rocha VA, Souza PV, Magosso N, Barbisan LF, Justulin LA, Flaws JA, Scarano WR. In silico investigation of the role of miRNAs in a possible developmental origin of prostate cancer in F1 and F2 offspring of mothers exposed to a phthalate mixture. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024; 39:3523-3536. [PMID: 38465474 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
A previous study using miRNA sequencing revealed that exposure to a mixture of phthalates during pregnancy and lactation dysregulated rno-miR-184 and rno-miR-141-3p in the ventral prostate (VP) of offspring. Here, rno-miR-184 and rno-miR-141-3 expressions were obtained by RT-qPCR in the VP of F1 males as well as in F2 offspring, aiming to establish a relationship with possible oncogenic targets through in silico analyses with multigenerational approach. Additionally, some targets were measured by western blots to highlight a possible relationship between the deregulated miRNAs and some of their targets. VP samples from rats exposed to a mixture of phthalates maternally during pregnancy and lactation (GD10 to PND21-F1) and VP from offspring (F2) were examined. The phthalate mixture at both concentrations (20 μg and 200 mg/kg/day) increased the expression of both miRNAs in the F1 (PND22 and 120) and F2 (descendants of F1-treated males) prostate. Target prediction analysis revealed that both microRNAs are responsible for modulating the expression and synthesis of 40 common targets. A phthalate target association analysis and the HPA database showed an interesting relationship among these possible miRNAs modulated targets with prostate adenocarcinoma and other oncogenic processes. Western blots showed alteration in P63, P53, WNT5, and STAT3 expression, which are targeted by the miRNAs, in the VP of F1/F2 males. The data draw attention to the epigenetic modulation in the prostate of descendants exposed to phthalates and adds to one of the few currently found in the literature to point to microRNAs signature as biomarkers of exposure to plasticizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Aquino
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M N Fioretto
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L G Alonso-Costa
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - V A Rocha
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - P V Souza
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - N Magosso
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L F Barbisan
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L A Justulin
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J A Flaws
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - W R Scarano
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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5
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Kumar C, Roy JK. Decoding the epigenetic mechanism of mammalian sex determination. Exp Cell Res 2024; 439:114011. [PMID: 38531506 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Sex determination embodies a dynamic and intricate developmental process wielding significant influence over the destiny of bipotential gonads, steering them towards male or female gonads. Gonadal differentiation and the postnatal manifestation of the gonadal phenotype involve a sophisticated interplay of transcription factors such as SOX9 and FOXL2. Central to this interplay are chromatin modifiers regulating the mutual antagonism during this interplay. In this review, the key findings and knowledge gaps in DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-mediated control throughout mammalian gonadal development are covered. Furthermore, it explores the role of the developing brain in playing a pivotal role in the initiation of gonadogenesis and the subsequent involvement of gonadal hormone/hormone receptor in fine-tuning sexual differentiation. Based on promising facts, the role of the developing brain through the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis is explained and suggested as a novel hypothesis. The article also discusses the potential impact of ecological factors on the human epigenome in relation to sex determination and trans-generational epigenetics in uncovering novel genes and mechanisms involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation. We have subtly emphasized the disruptions in epigenetic regulations contributing to sexual disorders, which further allows us to raise certain questions, decipher approaches for handling these questions and setting up the direction of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cash Kumar
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Jagat Kumar Roy
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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6
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Panga MJ, Zhao Y. Male Reproductive Toxicity of Antifouling Chemicals: Insights into Oxidative Stress-Induced Infertility and Molecular Mechanisms of Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT). Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:173. [PMID: 38397771 PMCID: PMC10886347 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13020173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Zinc pyrithione (ZPT), a widely utilized industrial chemical, is recognized for its versatile properties, including antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, and antifouling activities. Despite its widespread use, recent research has shed light on its toxicity, particularly towards the male reproductive system. While investigations into ZPT's impact on male reproduction have been conducted, most of the attention has been directed towards marine organisms. Notably, ZPT has been identified as a catalyst for oxidative stress, contributing to various indicators of male infertility, such as a reduced sperm count, impaired sperm motility, diminished testosterone levels, apoptosis, and degenerative changes in the testicular tissue. Furthermore, discussions surrounding ZPT's effects on DNA and cellular structures have emerged. Despite the abundance of information regarding reproductive toxicity, the molecular mechanisms underlying ZPT's detrimental effects on the male reproductive system remain poorly understood. This review focuses specifically on ZPT, delving into its reported toxicity on male reproduction, while also addressing the broader context by discussing other antifouling chemicals, and emphasizing the need for further exploration into its molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ye Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
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7
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Evangelinakis N, Geladari EV, Geladari CV, Kontogeorgi A, Papaioannou GK, Peppa M, Kalantaridou S. The influence of environmental factors on premature ovarian insufficiency and ovarian aging. Maturitas 2024; 179:107871. [PMID: 37925867 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.107871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Premature ovarian insufficiency and ovarian aging are complex conditions that affect women's reproductive health and overall well-being. They are both characterized by hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and infertility, and together affect about 1 in 100 women by the age of 40. This review explores the influence of environmental factors on the development and progression of premature ovarian insufficiency and ovarian aging. When referring to environmental factors, we include a wide range of external agents and conditions, including chemicals, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle choices. Through a review of the literature, we attempt to highlight the link between environmental factors and ovarian health. We examine the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as bisphenol A and phthalates, on ovarian function and investigate the mechanisms by which these chemicals can disrupt hormone signaling pathways, leading to alterations in ovarian reserve, oocyte quality, and folliculogenesis. Moreover, we explore lifestyle factors like obesity, stress, smoking and alcohol in relation to their effects on ovarian aging. Epigenetic changes may play a crucial role in the prevalence of premature ovarian insufficiency. Understanding the impact of environmental factors on premature ovarian insufficiency and ovarian aging is very important in public and clinical health contexts. By identifying risk factors, healthcare providers can develop targeted and strategic prevention and intervention plans. Furthermore, this knowledge can promote reproductive health and minimize exposure to harmful environmental agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Evangelinakis
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni V Geladari
- 3rd Internal Medicine Department, Evangelismos General Hospital, Liver Outpatient Clinic, Ypsilantou 45-47, Athens 106 76, Greece
| | - Charalampia V Geladari
- Hellenic Society of Environmental and Climate Medicine, 92 Danaon Street, 13122 Ilion, Athens, Greece
| | - Adamantia Kontogeorgi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Crete, Andrea Kalokerinou 13, Giofirakia, 71500 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Melpomeni Peppa
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Diabetes Center, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital 1 Rimini Street, 12462, Chaidari, Greece
| | - Sophia Kalantaridou
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital 1 Rimini Street, 12462 Chaidari, Athens, Greece.
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8
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Lee SG, Park JE, Cheon YP, Kim JM. Gestational Exposure to Bisphenol A Causes DNA Hypomethylation and the Upregulation of Progesterone Receptor Expression in the Uterus in Adult Female Offspring Rats. Dev Reprod 2023; 27:195-203. [PMID: 38292232 PMCID: PMC10824565 DOI: 10.12717/dr.2023.27.4.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, during the gestational period can have profound adverse effects on several organs in offspring. Bisphenol A (BPA) can infiltrate the human body through food and drinks, and its metabolites can cross both the placental and the blood-brain barriers. In this study, we investigate the effect of gestational exposure to BPA on epigenetic, biochemical, and histological modifications in the uterine tissues of F1 adult offspring rats. Pregnant rats were exposed to BPA from gestational day 8-15, and changes in global DNA methylation in uterine tissues obtained from adult offspring born to the exposed mothers were analyzed. Global DNA methylation analysis revealed that gestational exposure to BPA resulted in DNA hypomethylation in the uterus. Progesterone receptor (PR) protein expression in uterine tissues was monitored using western blot analysis, which revealed that the PR protein content was considerably higher in all BPA-exposed groups than in the control. Immunohistochemical examination for the PR revealed that intense PR-positive cells were more frequently observed in the BPA-exposed group than in the control group. To date, the evidence that the upregulation of PRs observed in the present study was caused by the non-methylation of specific PR promoter regions is lacking. Conclusively, these results indicate that exposure to BPA during gestation induces epigenetic alterations in the uteri of adult female offspring. We speculate that the global DNA hypomethylation and upregulation of the PR observed simultaneously in this study might be associated with the uterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Gee Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology,
College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan
49201, Korea
| | - Ji-Eun Park
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology,
College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan
49201, Korea
| | - Yong-Pil Cheon
- Division of Developmental Biology and
Physiology, Department of Biotechnology, Sungshin University,
Seoul 02844, Korea
| | - Jong-Min Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology,
College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan
49201, Korea
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9
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Santos-Pereira M, Pereira SC, Rebelo I, Spadella MA, Oliveira PF, Alves MG. Decoding the Influence of Obesity on Prostate Cancer and Its Transgenerational Impact. Nutrients 2023; 15:4858. [PMID: 38068717 PMCID: PMC10707940 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234858] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the escalating prevalence of metabolic disorders, notably obesity and being overweight, has emerged as a pressing concern in public health. Projections for the future indicate a continual upward trajectory in obesity rates, primarily attributable to unhealthy dietary patterns and sedentary lifestyles. The ramifications of obesity extend beyond its visible manifestations, intricately weaving a web of hormonal dysregulation, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress. This nexus of factors holds particular significance in the context of carcinogenesis, notably in the case of prostate cancer (PCa), which is a pervasive malignancy and a leading cause of mortality among men. A compelling hypothesis arises from the perspective of transgenerational inheritance, wherein genetic and epigenetic imprints associated with obesity may wield influence over the development of PCa. This review proposes a comprehensive exploration of the nuanced mechanisms through which obesity disrupts prostate homeostasis and serves as a catalyst for PCa initiation. Additionally, it delves into the intriguing interplay between the transgenerational transmission of both obesity-related traits and the predisposition to PCa. Drawing insights from a spectrum of sources, ranging from in vitro and animal model research to human studies, this review endeavors to discuss the intricate connections between obesity and PCa. However, the landscape remains partially obscured as the current state of knowledge unveils only fragments of the complex mechanisms linking these phenomena. As research advances, unraveling the associated factors and underlying mechanisms promises to unveil novel avenues for understanding and potentially mitigating the nexus between obesity and the development of PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Santos-Pereira
- iBiMED-Institute of Biomedicine and Department of Medical Science, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
- Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara C. Pereira
- Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE and Department of Chemistry, Campus Universitario de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Irene Rebelo
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biologic Sciences, Pharmaceutical Faculty, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Maria A. Spadella
- Human Embryology Laboratory, Marília Medical School, Marília 17519-030, SP, Brazil;
| | - Pedro F. Oliveira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE and Department of Chemistry, Campus Universitario de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Marco G. Alves
- iBiMED-Institute of Biomedicine and Department of Medical Science, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
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10
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Lahimer M, Abou Diwan M, Montjean D, Cabry R, Bach V, Ajina M, Ben Ali H, Benkhalifa M, Khorsi-Cauet H. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and male fertility: from physiological to molecular effects. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1232646. [PMID: 37886048 PMCID: PMC10598475 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1232646] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The deleterious effects of chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors (EDs) on male fertility potential is well documented but still not fully elucidated. For example, the detection of industrial chemicals' metabolites in seminal plasma and follicular fluid can affect efficiency of the gametogenesis, the maturation and competency of gametes and has guided scientists to hypothesize that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may disrupt hormonal homoeostasis by leading to a wide range of hormonal control impairments. The effects of EDCs exposure on reproductive health are highly dependent on factors including the type of EDCs, the duration of exposure, individual susceptibility, and the presence of other co-factors. Research and scientists continue to study these complex interactions. The aim of this review is to summarize the literature to better understand the potential reproductive health risks of EDCs in France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Lahimer
- ART and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, University Hospital and School of Medicine, CHU Sud, Amiens, France
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
- Exercise Physiology and Physiopathology: from Integrated to Molecular “Biology, Medicine and Health” (Code: LR19ES09), Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Maria Abou Diwan
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
| | - Debbie Montjean
- Fertilys, Centres de Fertilité, Laval and Brossard, QC, Canada
| | - Rosalie Cabry
- ART and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, University Hospital and School of Medicine, CHU Sud, Amiens, France
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
| | - Véronique Bach
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
| | - Mounir Ajina
- Service of Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Habib Ben Ali
- Laboratory Histology Embryology, Faculty of Medicine Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Moncef Benkhalifa
- ART and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, University Hospital and School of Medicine, CHU Sud, Amiens, France
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
| | - Hafida Khorsi-Cauet
- ART and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, University Hospital and School of Medicine, CHU Sud, Amiens, France
- PERITOX-(UMR-I 01), UPJV/INERIS, UPJV, CURS, Chemin du Thil, Amiens, France
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11
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Rogers RE, Chai S, Pask AJ, Mattiske DM. Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol has long-lasting, transgenerational impacts on fertility and reproductive development. Toxicol Sci 2023; 195:53-60. [PMID: 37471692 PMCID: PMC10464516 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant decreases in fertility have been observed over the past 50 years, with female conception rates dropping by 44% and male sperm counts decreasing by over 50%. This dramatic decrease in fertility can be attributed in part to our increasing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is an estrogenic EDC that was prescribed to millions of pregnant women between 1940 and 1970 and resulted in detrimental reproductive effects in the offspring that were exposed in utero. Women who were exposed to DES in utero experienced higher rates of infertility, pregnancy complications, and reproductive cancers. Alarmingly, there is evidence to suggest that these effects may persist in the grandchildren and great grandchildren of exposed women. To define the transgenerational reproductive impacts in females following exposure to DES, gestating mice were exposed to DES and the effects monitored in the female descendants across 3 generations. There was a trend for reduced pregnancy rate and fertility index seen across the generations and moreover, the anogenital distance (AGD) was significantly reduced up until the third, unexposed generation. The onset of puberty was also significantly affected, with the timing of vaginal opening occurring significantly earlier in DES descendants. These results indicate a transgenerational effect of DES on multiple reproductive parameters including fertility, timing of puberty, and AGD. These data have significant implications for more than 50 million DES descendants worldwide as well as raising concerns for the ongoing health impacts caused by exposures to other estrogenic EDCs which are pervasive in our environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Rogers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Shuyi Chai
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Deidre M Mattiske
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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12
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Vogt G. Phenotypic plasticity in the monoclonal marbled crayfish is associated with very low genetic diversity but pronounced epigenetic diversity. Curr Zool 2023; 69:426-441. [PMID: 37614917 PMCID: PMC10443617 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Clonal organisms are particularly useful to investigate the contribution of epigenetics to phenotypic plasticity, because confounding effects of genetic variation are negligible. In the last decade, the apomictic parthenogenetic marbled crayfish, Procambarus virginalis, has been developed as a model to investigate the relationships between phenotypic plasticity and genetic and epigenetic diversity in detail. This crayfish originated about 30 years ago by autotriploidy from a single slough crayfish Procambarus fallax. As the result of human releases and active spreading, marbled crayfish has established numerous populations in very diverse habitats in 22 countries from the tropics to cold temperate regions. Studies in the laboratory and field revealed considerable plasticity in coloration, spination, morphometric parameters, growth, food preference, population structure, trophic position, and niche width. Illumina and PacBio whole-genome sequencing of marbled crayfish from representatives of 19 populations in Europe and Madagascar demonstrated extremely low genetic diversity within and among populations, indicating that the observed phenotypic diversity and ability to live in strikingly different environments are not due to adaptation by selection on genetic variation. In contrast, considerable differences were found between populations in the DNA methylation patterns of hundreds of genes, suggesting that the environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity is mediated by epigenetic mechanisms and corresponding changes in gene expression. Specific DNA methylation fingerprints persisted in local populations over successive years indicating the existence of epigenetic ecotypes, but there is presently no information as to whether these epigenetic signatures are transgenerationally inherited or established anew in each generation and whether the recorded phenotypic plasticity is adaptive or nonadaptive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter Vogt
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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13
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Inanc I, Avlan D, Eker D, Gurkan H. A Genetics Study in the Foreskin of Boys with Hypospadias. Mol Syndromol 2023; 14:185-190. [PMID: 37323199 PMCID: PMC10267525 DOI: 10.1159/000527405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hypospadias is a malformation of the genitourinary system in males, characterized by the placement of the urethral opening in the ventral surface of the penis. Although controversies continue about etiology, endocrine disrupting chemicals that disrupt normal endocrine signaling at the receptor or signal transduction level are thought to play an essential role in etiology. This study aimed to investigate the receptor gene expressions of the sex hormones and FGFR2, HOXA13, and TGFB1, which are considered to play an essential role in developing hypospadias. Methods The samples from the foreskin of 26 patients with hypospadias and 26 healthy children who underwent circumcision operations were collected. ESR1, AR, FGFR2, HOXA13, and TGFB gene expressions were investigated by real-time PCR in samples obtained during surgery. Results In the hypospadias group, ESR1 expression was increased (p = 0.013), and AR and FGFR2 expressions were decreased, which were found to be statistically significant (p = 0.027 and p = 0.003, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between hypospadias and control groups in TGFBand HOXA13expression levels (p > 0.05). Discussion The results suggest that sex hormone receptors and FGFR2 may play an essential role in developing male external genital structures at the gene level. The defects in the expression of these genes can contribute to understanding the development of hypospadias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Inanc
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Dincer Avlan
- Division of Pediatric Urology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Damla Eker
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Hakan Gurkan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
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14
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Lo JO, D’Mello RJ, Watch L, Schust DJ, Murphy SK. An epigenetic synopsis of parental substance use. Epigenomics 2023; 15:453-473. [PMID: 37282544 PMCID: PMC10308258 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The rate of substance use is rising, especially among reproductive-age individuals. Emerging evidence suggests that paternal pre-conception and maternal prenatal substance use may alter offspring epigenetic regulation (changes to gene expression without modifying DNA) and outcomes later in life, including neurodevelopment and mental health. However, relatively little is known due to the complexities and limitations of existing studies, making causal interpretations challenging. This review examines the contributions and influence of parental substance use on the gametes and potential transmissibility to the offspring's epigenome as possible areas to target public health warnings and healthcare provider counseling of individuals or couples in the pre-conception and prenatal periods to ultimately mitigate short- and long-term offspring morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie O Lo
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Rahul J D’Mello
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Lester Watch
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Danny J Schust
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Susan K Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27701, USA; Division of Environmental Sciences & Policy, Duke Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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15
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Giannubilo SR, Ciavattini A. Diabetes during Pregnancy: A Transgenerational Challenge. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12062144. [PMID: 36983148 PMCID: PMC10054379 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12062144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
For many years, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been defined as “a glucose intolerance of variable magnitude that begins or is first diagnosed in pregnancy” and that, in most cases, resolves after delivery [...]
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16
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Hernandez A, Martinez ME, Chaves C, Anselmo J. Epigenetic developmental programming and intergenerational effects of thyroid hormones. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2023; 122:23-49. [PMID: 36863795 PMCID: PMC10938172 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence is showing that altered signaling through the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily can cause abnormal, long-term epigenetic changes which translate into pathological modifications and susceptibility to disease. These effects seem to be more prominent if the exposure occurs early in life, when transcriptomic profiles are rapidly changing. At this time, the coordination of the complex coordinated processes of cell proliferation and differentiation that characterize mammalian development. Such exposures may also alter the epigenetic information of the germ line, potentially leading to developmental changes and abnormal outcomes in subsequent generations. Thyroid hormone (TH) signaling is mediated by specific nuclear receptors, which have the ability to markedly change chromatin structure and gene transcription, and can also regulate other determinants of epigenetic marks. TH exhibits pleiotropic effects in mammals, and during development, its action is regulated in a highly dynamic manner to suit the rapidly evolving needs of multiple tissues. Their molecular mechanisms of action, timely developmental regulation and broad biological effects place THs in a central position to play a role in the developmental epigenetic programming of adult pathophysiology and, through effects on the germ line, in inter- and trans-generational epigenetic phenomena. These areas of epigenetic research are in their infancy, and studies regarding THs are limited. In the context of their characteristics as epigenetic modifiers and their finely tuned developmental action, here we review some of the observations underscoring the role that altered TH action may play in the developmental programming of adult traits and in the phenotypes of subsequent generations via germ line transmission of altered epigenetic information. Considering the relatively high prevalence of thyroid disease and the ability of some environmental chemicals to disrupt TH action, the epigenetic effects of abnormal levels of TH action may be important contributors to the non-genetic etiology of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States; Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States; Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - M Elena Martinez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Carolina Chaves
- Serviço de Endocrinologia e Nutrição, Hospital Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
| | - Joao Anselmo
- Serviço de Endocrinologia e Nutrição, Hospital Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
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17
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Mogilicherla K, Roy A. Epigenetic regulations as drivers of insecticide resistance and resilience to climate change in arthropod pests. Front Genet 2023; 13:1044980. [PMID: 36685945 PMCID: PMC9853188 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1044980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod pests are remarkably capable of rapidly adapting to novel forms of environmental stress, including insecticides and climate change. The dynamic interplay between epigenetics and genetics explains the largely unexplored reality underlying rapid climatic adaptation and the development of insecticide resistance in insects. Epigenetic regulation modulates gene expression by methylating DNA and acetylating histones that play an essential role in governing insecticide resistance and adaptation to climate change. This review summarises and discusses the significance of recent advances in epigenetic regulation that facilitate phenotypic plasticity in insects and their symbiotic microbes to cope with selection pressure implied by extensive insecticide applications and climate change. We also discuss how epigenetic changes are passed on to multiple generations through sexual recombination, which remains enigmatic. Finally, we explain how these epigenetic signatures can be utilized to manage insecticide resistance and pest resilience to climate change in Anthropocene.
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18
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Vogt G. Environmental Adaptation of Genetically Uniform Organisms with the Help of Epigenetic Mechanisms-An Insightful Perspective on Ecoepigenetics. EPIGENOMES 2022; 7:1. [PMID: 36648862 PMCID: PMC9844400 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms adapt to different environments by selection of the most suitable phenotypes from the standing genetic variation or by phenotypic plasticity, the ability of single genotypes to produce different phenotypes in different environments. Because of near genetic identity, asexually reproducing populations are particularly suitable for the investigation of the potential and molecular underpinning of the latter alternative in depth. Recent analyses on the whole-genome scale of differently adapted clonal animals and plants demonstrated that epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs are among the molecular pathways supporting phenotypic plasticity and that epigenetic variation is used to stably adapt to different environments. Case studies revealed habitat-specific epigenetic fingerprints that were maintained over subsequent years pointing at the existence of epigenetic ecotypes. Environmentally induced epimutations and corresponding gene expression changes provide an ideal means for fast and directional adaptation to changing or new conditions, because they can synchronously alter phenotypes in many population members. Because microorganisms inclusive of human pathogens also exploit epigenetically mediated phenotypic variation for environmental adaptation, this phenomenon is considered a universal biological principle. The production of different phenotypes from the same DNA sequence in response to environmental cues by epigenetic mechanisms also provides a mechanistic explanation for the "general-purpose genotype hypothesis" and the "genetic paradox of invasions".
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter Vogt
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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19
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Molecular mechanisms regulating spermatogenesis in vertebrates: Environmental, metabolic, and epigenetic factor effects. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106896. [PMID: 34893378 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The renewal of the natural resources is one of the most concerning aspects of modern farming. In animal production, there are many barriers breeders and researchers have to overcome to develop new practices to improve reproductive potential and hasten sexual maturation of the commercially viable species, while maintaining meat quality and sustainability. With the utilization of molecular biology techniques, there have been relevant advances in the knowledge of spermatogenesis, especially in mammals, resulting in new possibilities to control male fertility and the selection of desirable characteristics. Most of these discoveries have not been implemented in animal production. In this review, recent studies are highlighted on the molecular pathways involved in spermatogenesis in the context of animal production. There is also exploration of the interaction between environmental factors and spermatogenesis and how this knowledge may revolutionize animal production techniques. Furthermore, new insights are described about the inheritance of desired characteristics in mammals and there is a review of nefarious actions of pollutants, nutrition, and metabolism on reproductive potential in subsequent generations. Even though there are these advances in knowledge base, results from recent studies indicate there are previously unrecognized environmental effects on spermatogenesis. The molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction are not well understood. Research in spermatogenesis, therefore, remains pivotal as a pillar of animal production sustainability.
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20
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Li YF, Rodrigues J, Campinho MA. Ioxynil and diethylstilbestrol increase the risks of cardiovascular and thyroid dysfunction in zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156386. [PMID: 35662599 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disruption results from exposure to chemicals that alter the function of the endocrine system in animals. Chronic 60 days of exposure to a low dose (0.1 μM) of ioxynil (IOX) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) via food was used to determine the effects of these chemicals on the physiology of the heart and thyroid follicles in juvenile zebrafish. Immunofluorescence analysis and subsequent 3D morphometric analysis of the zebrafish heart revealed that chronic exposure to IOX induced ventricle deformation and significant volume increase (p < 0.001). DES exposure caused a change in ventricle morphology, but volume was unaffected. Alongside, it was found that DES exposure upregulated endothelial related genes (angptl1b, mhc1lia, mybpc2a, ptgir, notch1b and vwf) involved in vascular homeostasis. Both IOX and DES exposure caused a change in thyroid follicle morphology. Notably, in IOX exposed juveniles, thyroid follicle hypertrophy was observed; and in DES-exposed fish, an enlarged thyroid field was present. In summary, chronic exposure of juvenile zebrafish to IOX and DES affected the heart and the thyroid. Given that both chemicals are able to change the morphology of the thyroid it indicates that they behave as endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs). Heart function dynamically changes thyroid morphology, and function and hence it is likely that the observed cardiac effects of IOX and DES are the source of altered thyroid status in these fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Feng Li
- International Research Centre for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Joana Rodrigues
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Marco A Campinho
- Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of the Algarve, Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
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21
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Epigenetics at the Intersection of COVID-19 Risk and Environmental Chemical Exposures. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:477-489. [PMID: 35648356 PMCID: PMC9157479 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00353-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Several environmental contaminants have been implicated as contributors to COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Immunomodulation and epigenetic regulation have been hypothesized as mediators of this relationship, but the precise underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-characterized. This review examines the evidence for epigenetic modification at the intersection of COVID-19 and environmental chemical exposures. RECENT FINDINGS Numerous environmental contaminants including air pollutants, toxic metal(loid)s, per- and polyfluorinated substances, and endocrine disrupting chemicals are hypothesized to increase susceptibility to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the risk of severe COVID-19, but few studies currently exist. Drawing on evidence that many environmental chemicals alter the epigenetic regulation of key immunity genes and pathways, we discuss how exposures likely perturb host antiviral responses. Specific mechanisms vary by contaminant but include general immunomodulation as well as regulation of viral entry and recognition, inflammation, and immunologic memory pathways, among others. Associations between environmental contaminants and COVID-19 are likely mediated, in part, by epigenetic regulation of key immune pathways involved in the host response to SARS-CoV-2.
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22
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Vogt G. Paradigm shifts in animal epigenetics: Research on non-model species leads to new insights into dependencies, functions and inheritance of DNA methylation. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200040. [PMID: 35618444 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Recent investigations with non-model species and whole-genome approaches have challenged several paradigms in animal epigenetics. They revealed that epigenetic variation in populations is not the mere consequence of genetic variation, but is a semi-independent or independent source of phenotypic variation, depending on mode of reproduction. DNA methylation is not positively correlated with genome size and phylogenetic position as earlier believed, but has evolved differently between and within higher taxa. Epigenetic marks are usually not completely erased in the zygote and germ cells as generalized from mouse, but often persist and can be transgenerationally inherited, making them evolutionarily relevant. Gene body methylation and promoter methylation are similar in vertebrates and invertebrates with well methylated genomes but transposon silencing through methylation is variable. The new data also suggest that animals use epigenetic mechanisms to cope with rapid environmental changes and to adapt to new environments. The main benefiters are asexual populations, invaders, sessile taxa and long-lived species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter Vogt
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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23
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Yim G, Roberts A, Ascherio A, Wypij D, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Weisskopf AMG. Smoking During Pregnancy and Risk of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Third Generation. Epidemiology 2022; 33:431-440. [PMID: 35213510 PMCID: PMC9010055 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal experiments indicate that environmental factors, such as cigarette smoke, can have multigenerational effects through the germline. However, there are little data on multigenerational effects of smoking in humans. We examined the associations between grandmothers' smoking while pregnant and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in her grandchildren. METHODS Our study population included 53,653 Nurses' Health Study II (NHS-II) participants (generation 1 [G1]), their mothers (generation 0 [G0]), and their 120,467 live-born children (generation 2 [G2]). In secondary analyses, we used data from 23,844 mothers of the nurses who were participants in the Nurses' Mothers' Cohort Study (NMCS), a substudy of NHS-II. RESULTS The prevalence of G0 smoking during the pregnancy with the G1 nurse was 25%. ADHD was diagnosed in 9,049 (7.5%) of the grandchildren (G2). Grand-maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of ADHD among the grandchildren (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 1.2), independent of G1 smoking during pregnancy. In the Nurses' Mothers' Cohort Study, odds of ADHD increased with increasing cigarettes smoked per day by the grandmother (1-14 cigarettes: aOR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0, 1.2; 15+: aOR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.0, 1.3), compared with nonsmoking grandmothers. CONCLUSIONS Grandmother smoking during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of ADHD among the grandchildren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyeyoon Yim
- From the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Andrea Roberts
- From the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Alberto Ascherio
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - David Wypij
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA
| | | | - And Marc G Weisskopf
- From the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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24
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Xu Y, Gu C, Wu L, Ye F, Li W, Li H, Liu Q, Wang Y, Zhang J. Intrauterine exposure of mice to arsenite induces abnormal and transgenerational glycometabolism. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 294:133757. [PMID: 35090851 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The adverse, transgenerational effects on health caused by environmental pollutants are receiving increasing attention. For humans and mice, inorganic arsenic (iAs), a widespread environmental contaminant, is associated with diabetic phenotypes. However, the transgenerational effects of arsenite-induced changes in glucose metabolism in mice have not been fully investigated. In the present study, F0 pregnant mice were exposed to arsenite via drinking water (0, 0.5, 5, or 50 ppm NaAsO2) from gestational day 0 (GD0) until parturition. We examined the effects of arsenite exposure on the metabolic phenotypes and the levels of proteins and genes related to glucose metabolism of dams and their offspring (F1∼F4). Arsenite exposure altered the glucose tolerance of offspring. Notably, glucose transporter-2 (GLUT2) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1), which are related to the maintenance of glucose homeostasis, were also changed. The homeostasis assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), an indicator of insulin resistance, was higher in the offspring from the F0 female mice exposed to arsenite. Furthermore, imprinted genes, insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 1 (KCNQ1), related to glycometabolism across multiple generations, were lower in the offspring. In sum, arsenite exposure during pregnancy transgenerationally affects glucose metabolism, which is related to altered levels of IGF2 and KCNQ1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xu
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Safety Assessment and Research Center for Drug, Pesticide, and Veterinary Drug, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenxi Gu
- Wuxi Binhu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214026, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Wu
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuping Ye
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqi Li
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Han Li
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qizhan Liu
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yubang Wang
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Safety Assessment and Research Center for Drug, Pesticide, and Veterinary Drug, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jingshu Zhang
- Center for Global Health, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Safety Assessment and Research Center for Drug, Pesticide, and Veterinary Drug, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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Nicolella HD, de Assis S. Epigenetic Inheritance: Intergenerational Effects of Pesticides and Other Endocrine Disruptors on Cancer Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4671. [PMID: 35563062 PMCID: PMC9102839 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental environmental experiences affect disease susceptibility in the progeny through epigenetic inheritance. Pesticides are substances or mixtures of chemicals-some of which are persistent environmental pollutants-that are used to control pests. This review explores the evidence linking parental exposure to pesticides and endocrine disruptors to intergenerational and transgenerational susceptibility of cancer in population studies and animal models. We also discuss the impact of pesticides and other endocrine disruptors on the germline epigenome as well as the emerging evidence for how epigenetic information is transmitted between generations. Finally, we discuss the importance of this mode of inheritance in the context of cancer prevention and the challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloiza Diniz Nicolella
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Sonia de Assis
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA;
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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26
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Lee GS, Conine CC. The Transmission of Intergenerational Epigenetic Information by Sperm microRNAs. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:12. [PMID: 35466187 PMCID: PMC9036291 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next, modulating the phenotype of offspring non-genetically in organisms ranging from plants to mammals. For intergenerational non-genetic inheritance to occur, epigenetic information must accumulate in germ cells. The three main carriers of epigenetic information-histone post-translational modifications, DNA modifications, and RNAs-all exhibit dynamic patterns of regulation during germ cell development. For example, histone modifications and DNA methylation are extensively reprogrammed and often eliminated during germ cell maturation and after fertilization during embryogenesis. Consequently, much attention has been given to RNAs, specifically small regulatory RNAs, as carriers of inherited epigenetic information. In this review, we discuss examples in which microRNAs have been implicated as key players in transmitting paternal epigenetic information intergenerationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace S. Lee
- Pharmacology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Colin C. Conine
- Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics—Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Center for Reproduction and Women’s Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Montjean D, Neyroud AS, Yefimova MG, Benkhalifa M, Cabry R, Ravel C. Impact of Endocrine Disruptors upon Non-Genetic Inheritance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:3350. [PMID: 35328771 PMCID: PMC8950994 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Similar to environmental factors, EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) can influence gene expression without modifying the DNA sequence. It is commonly accepted that the transgenerational inheritance of parentally acquired traits is conveyed by epigenetic alterations also known as "epimutations". DNA methylation, acetylation, histone modification, RNA-mediated effects and extracellular vesicle effects are the mechanisms that have been described so far to be responsible for these epimutations. They may lead to the transgenerational inheritance of diverse phenotypes in the progeny when they occur in the germ cells of an affected individual. While EDC-induced health effects have dramatically increased over the past decade, limited effects on sperm epigenetics have been described. However, there has been a gain of interest in this issue in recent years. The gametes (sperm and oocyte) represent targets for EDCs and thus a route for environmentally induced changes over several generations. This review aims at providing an overview of the epigenetic mechanisms that might be implicated in this transgenerational inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debbie Montjean
- Fertilys Fertility Center, 1950 Rue Maurice-Gauvin #103, Laval, QC H7S 1Z5, Canada;
| | - Anne-Sophie Neyroud
- CHU de Rennes, Département de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Reproduction Humaine-CECOS, Hôpital Sud, 16 Boulevard de Bulgarie, 35000 Rennes, France;
| | - Marina G. Yefimova
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194223 St-Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Moncef Benkhalifa
- Fertilys Fertility Center, 1950 Rue Maurice-Gauvin #103, Laval, QC H7S 1Z5, Canada;
- Médecine et Biologie de la Reproduction, CECOS de Picardie, CHU Amiens, 80054 Amiens, France;
- UFR de Médecine, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 80054 Amiens, France
- Peritox, Centre Universitaire de Recherche en Santé, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 80054 Amiens, France
| | - Rosalie Cabry
- Médecine et Biologie de la Reproduction, CECOS de Picardie, CHU Amiens, 80054 Amiens, France;
- UFR de Médecine, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 80054 Amiens, France
- Peritox, Centre Universitaire de Recherche en Santé, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 80054 Amiens, France
| | - Célia Ravel
- CHU de Rennes, Département de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Reproduction Humaine-CECOS, Hôpital Sud, 16 Boulevard de Bulgarie, 35000 Rennes, France;
- CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)—UMR_S 1085, University Rennes, 35000 Rennes, France
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Ben Maamar M, Beck D, Nilsson E, McCarrey JR, Skinner MK. Developmental alterations in DNA methylation during gametogenesis from primordial germ cells to sperm. iScience 2022; 25:103786. [PMID: 35146397 PMCID: PMC8819394 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Because epigenetics is a critical component for gene expression, the hypothesis was tested that DNA methylation alterations are dynamic and continually change throughout gametogenesis to generate the mature sperm. Developmental alterations and stage-specific DNA methylation during gametogenesis from primordial germ cells (PGCs) to mature sperm are investigated. Individual developmental stage germ cells were isolated and analyzed for differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs). The number of DMRs was highest in the first three comparisons with mature PGCs, prospermatogonia, and spermatogonia. The most statistically significant DMRs were present at all stages of development and had variations involving both increases or decreases in DNA methylation. DMR-associated genes were identified and correlated with gene functional categories, pathways, and cellular processes. Observations identified a dynamic cascade of epigenetic changes during development that is dramatic during the early developmental stages. Complex epigenetic alterations are required to regulate genome biology and gene expression during gametogenesis. A dynamic cascade of epigenetic change throughout gametogenesis from PGC to sperm Most dramatic epigenetic alterations in PGC and spermatogenic stem cell stages Different DNA methylation regions between and within stages were identified Complex epigenetic alterations required for gene expression during gametogenesis
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Affiliation(s)
- Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Eric Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - John R McCarrey
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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A Review on CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1 Polymorphism Studies: Candidate Susceptibility Genes for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Infertility. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13020302. [PMID: 35205347 PMCID: PMC8871850 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a multifactorial condition associated with reproductive and endocrine organs and might cause infertility and metabolic abnormalities in childbearing age. PCOS seems to be a multifactorial disorder resulting from the combination of several genetic and environmental factors. Little research has been conducted to date on the impact of polymorphisms in infertility. We aim to review the appearance of polymorphisms in females of diverse ethnicities and their effect on infertility in the population with polycystic ovary syndrome. There have been numerous reports of the importance of the steroidogenesis pathway and genetic variants in PCOS pathogenesis. The most important genes that play a role in the aetiology of PCOS are CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1. We evaluated the occurrence of polymorphisms in various ethnicities in the CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1 genes and their efficacy on increasing PCOS risk with infertility. Our findings revealed that polymorphisms in various ethnicities are associated with the risk of PCOS with infertility. Although conflicting results regarding CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1 polymorphisms and their influence on PCOS with infertility have been reported in a small number of papers, the authors feel this may be attributable to the sample size and ethnic composition of the examined populations. In conclusion, our study strongly suggests that the CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1 genes might significantly enhance the probability of developing PCOS with infertility.
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Soyer-Gobillard MO, Gaspari L, Courtet P, Sultan C. Diethylstilbestrol and autism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1034959. [PMID: 36479217 PMCID: PMC9720308 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1034959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is acknowledged that diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic diphenol with powerful estrogenic properties, causes structural anomalies of the reproductive tract and increases the risk of cancer and genital malformations in children and grandchildren of mothers treated during pregnancy. Conversely, data on DES effects on neurodevelopment and psychiatric disorders in in-utero exposed children and their descendants are rare, especially concerning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Recent studies presented in this review strengthen the hypothesis that in-utero exposure to DES and also other synthetic estrogens and progestogens, which all are endocrine disruptors, contributes to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, especially ASD. A large epidemiological study in the USA in 2010 reported severe depression in in-utero exposed children (n=1,612), and a French cohort study (n=1,002 in-utero DES exposed children) in 2016 found mainly bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, major depression, suicide attempts, and suicide. Few publications described ASD in in-utero exposed children, mainly a Danish cohort study and a large Chinese epidemiological study. Molecular studies on endocrine disruptors demonstrated the transgenerational induction of diseases and DES epigenetic impact (DNA methylation changes) at two genes implicated in neurodevelopment (ZFP57 and ADAM TS9). We recently described in an informative family, somatic and psychiatric disorders in four generations, particularly ASD in boys of the third and fourth generation. These data show that the principle of precaution must be retained for the protection of future generations: women (pregnant or not) should be extremely vigilant about synthetic hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Odile Soyer-Gobillard
- Univ Sorbonne, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
- Association Halte aux HORmones Artificielles pour les GrossessES (Hhorages)-France, Perpignan, France
| | - Laura Gaspari
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Montpellier: Univ Montpellier, Unité d’Endocrinologie-Gynécologie Pédiatrique, Service de Pédiatrie, Montpellier, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Montpellier: Univ Montpellier, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares du Développement Génital, Constitutif Sud, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Montpellier, France
- Univ Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) 1203, Développement Embryonnaire Fertilité Environnement, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Courtet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Univ. Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Montpellier, France
- Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Charles Sultan
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Montpellier: Univ Montpellier, Unité d’Endocrinologie-Gynécologie Pédiatrique, Service de Pédiatrie, Montpellier, France
- *Correspondence: Charles Sultan,
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Lite C, Raja GL, Juliet M, Sridhar VV, Subhashree KD, Kumar P, Chakraborty P, Arockiaraj J. In utero exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, maternal factors and alterations in the epigenetic landscape underlying later-life health effects. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2022; 89:103779. [PMID: 34843942 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Widespread persistence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment has mandated the need to study their potential effects on an individual's long-term health after both acute and chronic exposure periods. In this review article a particular focus is given on in utero exposure to EDCs in rodent models which resulted in altered epigenetic programming and transgenerational effects in the offspring causing disrupted reproductive and metabolic phenotypes. The literature to date establishes the impact of transgenerational effects of EDCs potentially associated with epigenetic mediated mechanisms. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of epigenetic programming and it's regulation in mammals, primarily focusing on the epigenetic plasticity and susceptibility to exogenous hormone active chemicals during the early developmental period. Further, we have also in depth discussed the epigenetic alterations associated with the exposure to selected EDCs such as Bisphenol A (BPA), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and vinclozlin upon in utero exposure especially in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Lite
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Glancis Luzeena Raja
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Melita Juliet
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vasisht Varsh Sridhar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - K Divya Subhashree
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Paromita Chakraborty
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Cheuquemán C, Maldonado R. Non-coding RNAs and chromatin: key epigenetic factors from spermatogenesis to transgenerational inheritance. Biol Res 2021; 54:41. [PMID: 34930477 PMCID: PMC8686607 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-021-00364-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular fate and gene expression patterns are modulated by different epigenetic factors including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and chromatin organization. Both factors are dynamic throughout male germ cell differentiation on the seminiferous tubule, despite the transcriptional inactivation in the last stages of spermatogenesis. Sperm maturation during the caput-to-cauda transit on the epididymis involves changes in chromatin organization and the soma-to-germ line transference of ncRNAs that are essential to obtain a functional sperm for fertilization and embryo development. Here, the male environment (diseases, drugs, mental stress) is crucial to modulate these epigenetic factors throughout sperm maturation, affecting the corresponding offspring. Paternal transgenerational inheritance has been directly related to sperm epigenetic changes, most of them associated with variations in the ncRNA content and chromatin marks. Our aim is to give an overview about how epigenetics, focused on ncRNAs and chromatin, is pivotal to understand spermatogenesis and sperm maturation, and how the male environment impacts the sperm epigenome modulating the offspring gene expression pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Cheuquemán
- Núcleo de Ciencias Biológicas, Dirección de Núcleos Transversales, Facultad de estudios Interdisciplinarios, Universidad Mayor, Temuco, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Maldonado
- Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
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Mavaie P, Holder L, Beck D, Skinner MK. Predicting environmentally responsive transgenerational differential DNA methylated regions (epimutations) in the genome using a hybrid deep-machine learning approach. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:575. [PMID: 34847877 PMCID: PMC8630850 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04491-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deep learning is an active bioinformatics artificial intelligence field that is useful in solving many biological problems, including predicting altered epigenetics such as DNA methylation regions. Deep learning (DL) can learn an informative representation that addresses the need for defining relevant features. However, deep learning models are computationally expensive, and they require large training datasets to achieve good classification performance. RESULTS One approach to addressing these challenges is to use a less complex deep learning network for feature selection and Machine Learning (ML) for classification. In the current study, we introduce a hybrid DL-ML approach that uses a deep neural network for extracting molecular features and a non-DL classifier to predict environmentally responsive transgenerational differential DNA methylated regions (DMRs), termed epimutations, based on the extracted DL-based features. Various environmental toxicant induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance sperm epimutations were used to train the model on the rat genome DNA sequence and use the model to predict transgenerational DMRs (epimutations) across the entire genome. CONCLUSION The approach was also used to predict potential DMRs in the human genome. Experimental results show that the hybrid DL-ML approach outperforms deep learning and traditional machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pegah Mavaie
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-2752, USA
| | - Lawrence Holder
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-2752, USA.
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA.
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Nutritional Regulation of Embryonic Survival, Growth, and Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1354:63-76. [PMID: 34807437 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-85686-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Maternal nutritional status affects conceptus development and, therefore, embryonic survival, growth, and development. These effects are apparent very early in pregnancy, which is when most embryonic losses occur. Maternal nutritional status has been shown to affect conceptus growth and gene expression throughout the periconceptual period of pregnancy (the period immediately before and after conception). Thus, the periconceptual period may be an important "window" during which the structure and function of the fetus and the placenta are "programmed" by stressors such as maternal malnutrition, which can have long-term consequences for the health and well-being of the offspring, a concept often referred to as Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) or simply developmental programming. In this review, we focus on recent studies, using primarily animal models, to examine the effects of various maternal "stressors," but especially maternal malnutrition and Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART, including in vitro fertilization, cloning, and embryo transfer), during the periconceptual period of pregnancy on conceptus survival, growth, and development. We also examine the underlying mechanisms that have been uncovered in these recent studies, such as effects on the development of both the placenta and fetal organs. We conclude with our view of future research directions in this critical area of investigation.
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Accordini S, Calciano L, Johannessen A, Benediktsdóttir B, Bertelsen RJ, Bråbäck L, Dharmage SC, Forsberg B, Gómez Real F, Holloway JW, Holm M, Janson C, Jõgi NO, Jõgi R, Malinovschi A, Marcon A, Martínez-Moratalla Rovira J, Sánchez-Ramos JL, Schlünssen V, Torén K, Jarvis D, Svanes C. Prenatal and prepubertal exposures to tobacco smoke in men may cause lower lung function in future offspring: a three-generation study using a causal modelling approach. Eur Respir J 2021; 58:2002791. [PMID: 33795316 PMCID: PMC8529197 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02791-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Mechanistic research suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors impact respiratory health across generations by epigenetic changes transmitted through male germ cells. Evidence from studies on humans is very limited.We investigated multigeneration causal associations to estimate the causal effects of tobacco smoking on lung function within the paternal line. We analysed data from 383 adult offspring (age 18-47 years; 52.0% female) and their 274 fathers, who had participated in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS)/Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) generation study and had provided valid measures of pre-bronchodilator lung function. Two counterfactual-based, multilevel mediation models were developed with: paternal grandmothers' smoking in pregnancy and fathers' smoking initiation in prepuberty as exposures; fathers' forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC), or FEV1/FVC z-scores as potential mediators (proxies of unobserved biological mechanisms that are true mediators); and offspring's FEV1 and FVC, or FEV1/FVC z-scores as outcomes. All effects were summarised as differences (Δ) in expected z-scores related to fathers' and grandmothers' smoking history.Fathers' smoking initiation in prepuberty had a negative direct effect on both offspring's FEV1 (Δz-score -0.36, 95% CI -0.63- -0.10) and FVC (-0.50, 95% CI -0.80- -0.20) compared with fathers' never smoking. Paternal grandmothers' smoking in pregnancy had a negative direct effect on fathers' FEV1/FVC (-0.57, 95% CI -1.09- -0.05) and a negative indirect effect on offspring's FEV1/FVC (-0.12, 95% CI -0.21- -0.03) compared with grandmothers' not smoking before fathers' birth nor during fathers' childhood.Fathers' smoking in prepuberty and paternal grandmothers' smoking in pregnancy may cause lower lung function in offspring. Our results support the concept that lifestyle-related exposures during these susceptibility periods influence the health of future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Accordini
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Dept of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Equal contribution as first authors
| | - Lucia Calciano
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Dept of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Equal contribution as first authors
| | - Ane Johannessen
- Centre for International Health, Dept of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen
- Dept of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Oral Health Centre of Expertise in Western Norway/Vestland, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lennart Bråbäck
- Section of Sustainable Health, Dept of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shyamali C Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Section of Sustainable Health, Dept of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Francisco Gómez Real
- Dept of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Mathias Holm
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christer Janson
- Dept of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nils O Jõgi
- Dept of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Lung Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Rain Jõgi
- Lung Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andrei Malinovschi
- Dept of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Marcon
- Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Dept of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Jesús Martínez-Moratalla Rovira
- Servicio de Neumología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete (CHUA), Servicio de Salud de Castilla-La Mancha (SESCAM), Albacete, Spain
| | | | | | - Kjell Torén
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Deborah Jarvis
- Faculty of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Equal contribution as last authors
| | - Cecilie Svanes
- Centre for International Health, Dept of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Equal contribution as last authors
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Zamora-León P. Are the Effects of DES Over? A Tragic Lesson from the Past. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10309. [PMID: 34639609 PMCID: PMC8507770 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a transplacental endocrine-disrupting chemical, was prescribed to pregnant women for several decades. The number of women who took DES is hard to know precisely, but it has been estimated that over 10 million people have been exposed around the world. DES was classified in the year 2000 as carcinogenic to humans. The deleterious effects induced by DES are very extensive, such as abnormalities or cancers of the genital tract and breast, neurodevelopmental alterations, problems associated with socio-sexual behavior, and immune, pancreatic and cardiovascular disorders. Not only pregnant women but also their children and grandchildren have been affected. Epigenetic alterations have been detected, and intergenerational effects have been observed. More cohort follow-up studies are needed to establish if DES effects are transgenerational. Even though DES is not currently in use, its effects are still present, and families previously exposed and their later generations deserve the continuity of the research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Zamora-León
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3460000, Chile
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37
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Li R, Yang L, Han J, Zou Y, Wang Y, Feng C, Zhou B. Early-life exposure to tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate caused multigenerational neurodevelopmental toxicity in zebrafish via altering maternal thyroid hormones transfer and epigenetic modifications. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117471. [PMID: 34082372 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), an alternative to brominated flame retardants, might pose an exposure risk to humans and wild animals during fetal development. Our recent study suggested that short-term TDCIPP exposure during early development caused sex-dependent behavioral alteration in adults. In the present study, multigenerational neurodevelopmental toxicity upon early-life exposure of parental zebrafish was evaluated, and the possible underlying mechanisms were further explored. Specifically, after embryonic exposure (0-10 days post-fertilization, dpf) to TDCIPP (0, 0.01, 0.10, and 1.00 μM), zebrafish larvae were cultured in clean water until the sexually matured to produce progeny (F1). The results confirmed neurodevelopmental toxicity in F1 larvae characterized by changes of developmental endpoints, reduced thigmotaxis, as well as altered transcription of genes including myelin basic protein a (mbpa), growth associated protein (gap43) and synapsin IIa (syn2a). Sex-specific changes in thyroid hormones (THs) indicated the relationship of abnormal THs levels with previously reported neurotoxicity in adult females after early-life exposure to TDCIPP. Similar changing profiles of TH levels (increased T3 and decreased T4) in adult females and F1 eggs, but not in F1 larvae, suggested that the TH disruptions were primarily inherited from the maternal fish. Further results demonstrated hypermethylation of global DNA and key genes related to TH transport including transthyretin (ttr) and solute carrier family 16 member 2 (slc16a2), which might affect the transport of THs to target tissues, thus at least partially contributing to the neurodevelopmental toxicity in F1 larvae. Overall, our results confirmed that early-life TDCIPP exposure of parental fish could affect the early neurodevelopment of F1 offspring. The underlying mechanism could involve altered TH levels inherited from maternal zebrafish and epigenetic modifications in F1 larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiwen Li
- Ecological Environment Monitoring and Scientific Research Center, Changjiang River Basin Ecological Environment Administration, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, 430014, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Lihua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Jian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yu Zou
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China
| | - Yingcai Wang
- Ecological Environment Monitoring and Scientific Research Center, Changjiang River Basin Ecological Environment Administration, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, 430014, China
| | - Chenglian Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Bingsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
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38
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Capparelli R, Iannelli D. Role of Epigenetics in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. Biomedicines 2021; 9:977. [PMID: 34440181 PMCID: PMC8393970 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080977] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic marks the genome by DNA methylation, histone modification or non-coding RNAs. Epigenetic marks instruct cells to respond reversibly to environmental cues and keep the specific gene expression stable throughout life. In this review, we concentrate on DNA methylation, the mechanism often associated with transgenerational persistence and for this reason frequently used in the clinic. A large study that included data from 10,000 blood samples detected 187 methylated sites associated with body mass index (BMI). The same study demonstrates that altered methylation results from obesity (OB). In another study the combined genetic and epigenetic analysis allowed us to understand the mechanism associating hepatic insulin resistance and non-alcoholic disease in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients. The study underlines the therapeutic potential of epigenetic studies. We also account for seemingly contradictory results associated with epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Capparelli
- Department of Agriculture Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Università, 100-Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Iannelli
- Department of Agriculture Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Università, 100-Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
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Zhang J, Yu Z, Shen J, Vandenberg LN, Yin D. Influences of sex, rhythm and generation on the obesogenic potential of erythromycin to Drosophila melanogaster. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 771:145315. [PMID: 33548709 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics are gaining attention due to their roles as emerging pollutants and environmental obesogens, yet several aspects between their environmental exposure and obesogenic influence on organisms remain poorly explored. Here, Drosophila melanogaster were exposed to erythromycin (ERY, 0.1 μg/L) for three consecutive generations (F1 to F3). Body weight, circadian rhythm (represented by eclosion timing) and lipid metabolism were measured. ERY increased the size of lipid droplets in larvae of all three generations. It modestly inhibited body weight in adults that abnormally eclosed in the morning (AM adults) in the F1 and F2 generations, and the inhibition was less in adults that eclosed in the afternoon (PM adults). In contrast, it stimulated body weight in F3 adults. Notably, ERY promoted morning eclosion of females. Combining the effects from F1 to F3, acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) was commonly increased in AM female and male adults and also in PM female ones, while it was commonly decreased in PM male adults. Glucokinase (GCK) was commonly increased in both sexes of AM adults but decreased in PM male adults across generations. The IIS pathway showed a common up-regulation in the AM adults despite some differences between sexes, but it did not show any shared changes in the PM adults with dysrhythmia. The AMPK pathway was involved across generations without particular shared changes. Collectively, the effects of ERY on the key metabolites and enzymes in glucolipid metabolism and the genetic regulations depended on sex, rhythm and exposure generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- College of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, PR China
| | - Zhenyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Jiaxing Tongji Institute for Environment, Jiaxing, Zhejiang 314051, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
| | - Jiaying Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- University of Massachusetts - Amherst, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Daqiang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
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40
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Vandenberg LN. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: strategies to protect present and future generations. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2021; 16:135-146. [PMID: 33973826 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2021.1917991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that alter the actions of hormones. In the 21st Century, numerous expert groups of clinicians, scientists, and environmental activists have called for action to protect present and future generations from the harm induced by EDC exposures. These demands for regulatory responses come because of the strong weight of the evidence from epidemiology, wildlife, and controlled laboratory studies.Areas covered: In this review, we examine the conclusions drawn by experts from different scientific and medical disciplines. We also address several areas where recent findings or work has changed the landscape of EDC work including new approaches to identify and evaluate the evidence for EDCs using a key characteristics approach, the need to expand our understanding of vulnerable periods of development, and the increasing concern that traditional methods used to evaluate toxicity of environmental chemicals are insufficient for EDCs and how collaborative science could help to address these gaps.Expert opinion: The science is clear: there is more than enough evidence to demonstrate that EDCs affect the health of humans and wildlife. Waiting to act is a decision that puts the health of current and future generations at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- School of Public Health & Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA USA
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Perinatal Exposure to Phthalates: From Endocrine to Neurodevelopment Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084063. [PMID: 33920043 PMCID: PMC8070995 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Phthalates, as other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may alter the homeostasis and the action of hormones and signaling molecules, causing adverse health outcomes. This is true especially for infants, who are both more exposed and sensitive to their effects. Phthalates are particularly harmful when the exposure occurs during certain critical temporal windows of the development, such as the prenatal and the early postnatal phases. Phthalates may also interfere with the neuroendocrine systems (e.g., thyroid hormone signaling or metabolism), causing disruption of neuronal differentiation and maturation, increasing the risk of behavioral and cognitive disorders (ADHD and autistic behaviors, reduced mental, psychomotor, and IQ development, and emotional problems). Despite more studies being needed to better understand the role of these substances, plenty of evidence suggests the impact of phthalates on the neuroendocrine system development and function. This review aims to update the knowledge on the neuroendocrine consequences of neonatal and perinatal exposure to phthalates.
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42
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Bleak TC, Calaf GM. Breast and prostate glands affected by environmental substances (Review). Oncol Rep 2021; 45:20. [PMID: 33649835 PMCID: PMC7879422 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.7971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental endocrine disruptor chemicals are substances that can alter the homeostasis of the endocrine system in living organisms. They can be released from several products used in daily activities. Once in the organism, they can disrupt the endocrine function by mimicking or blocking naturally occurring hormones due to their similar chemical structure. This endocrine disruption is the most important cause of the well‑known hormone‑associate types of cancer. Additionally, it is decisive to determine the susceptibility of each organ to these compounds. Therefore, the present review aimed to summarize the effect of different environmental substances such as bisphenol A, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls in both the mammary and the prostate tissues. These organs were chosen due to their association with the hormonal system and their common features in carcinogenic mechanisms. Outcomes derived from the present review may provide evidence that should be considered in future debates regarding the effects of endocrine disruptors on carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy C. Bleak
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Arica 1000000, Chile
| | - Gloria M. Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Arica 1000000, Chile
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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43
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Hossin MZ, Falkstedt D, Allebeck P, Mishra G, Koupil I. Early life programming of adult ischemic heart disease within and across generations: The role of the socioeconomic context. Soc Sci Med 2021; 275:113811. [PMID: 33713928 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The developmental origins of ischemic heart disease (IHD) have been widely documented but little is known about their persistence across more than one generation. This study aimed to investigate whether the effects of early life disadvantages on adult IHD have changed between generations and are mediated by adult socioeconomic circumstances, and further explore the transgenerational effects of grandparental and parental exposures to disadvantaged circumstances on adult offspring's IHD. METHODS We used register-based data from the Uppsala Multigenerational Study, Sweden. The study populations were the parents born 1915-1929 and their offspring born 1932-1972 with available obstetric data. The offspring were further linked to grandparents who had their socioeconomic and demographic data recorded. The outcome was incident IHD assessed at ages 32-75 during a follow-up from January 1, 1964 till December 31, 2008. The exposures included birthweight standardized-for-gestational age, ponderal index, gestational length, and parental socioeconomic position (SEP). Education and income were analyzed as mediators. Potential transgenerational associations were explored by linking offspring IHD to parents' standardized birthweight and gestational length, grandparental SEP, and to grandmothers' age, parity, and marital status at parental birth. All associations were examined in Cox proportional hazard regression models. RESULTS Lower standardized birthweight and lower parental SEP were found to be associated with higher IHD rates in both generations, with no evidence of effect modification by generation. Education and income did not mediate the association between standardized birthweight and IHD. Disadvantaged grandparental SEP, younger and older childbearing ages of grandmothers, and paternal preterm birth affected offspring's IHD independent of parental education, income, or IHD history. CONCLUSIONS The findings point to similar magnitudes of IHD inequalities by early life disadvantages across two historical periods and the existence of transgenerational effects on IHD. Epigenetic dysregulation involving the germline is a plausible candidate mechanism underlying the transgenerational associations that warrant further research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Falkstedt
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Peter Allebeck
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gita Mishra
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Australia.
| | - Ilona Koupil
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Lombó M, Herráez P. The effects of endocrine disruptors on the male germline: an intergenerational health risk. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1243-1262. [PMID: 33660399 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Environmental pollution is becoming one of the major concerns of society. Among the emerging contaminants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), a large group of toxicants, have been the subject of many scientific studies. Besides the capacity of these compounds to interfere with the endocrine system, they have also been reported to exert both genotoxic and epigenotoxic effects. Given that spermatogenesis is a coordinated process that requires the involvement of several steroid hormones and that entails deep changes in the chromatin, such as DNA compaction and epigenetic remodelling, it could be affected by male exposure to EDCs. A great deal of evidence highlights that these compounds have detrimental effects on male reproductive health, including alterations to sperm motility, sexual function, and gonad development. This review focuses on the consequences of paternal exposure to such chemicals for future generations, which still remain poorly known. Historically, spermatozoa have long been considered as mere vectors delivering the paternal haploid genome to the oocyte. Only recently have they been understood to harbour genetic and epigenetic information that plays a remarkable role during offspring early development and long-term health. This review examines the different modes of action by which the spermatozoa represent a key target for EDCs, and analyses the consequences of environmentally induced changes in sperm genetic and epigenetic information for subsequent generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Lombó
- Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Puerta de Hierro 18, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Paz Herráez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, León, 24071, Spain
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45
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Paternal Inheritance of Bisphenol A Cardiotoxic Effects: The Implications of Sperm Epigenome. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042125. [PMID: 33672782 PMCID: PMC7924642 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to a greater incidence of congenital diseases. We have demonstrated that BPA induces in zebrafish males an increase in the acetylation of sperm histones that is transmitted to the blastomeres of the unexposed progeny. This work is aimed to determine whether histone hyperacetylation promoted by paternal exposure to BPA is the molecular mechanism underlying the cardiogenesis impairment in the descendants. Zebrafish males were exposed to 100 and 2000 µg/L BPA during early spermatogenesis and mated with non-exposed females. We analyzed in the progeny the expression of genes involved in cardiogenesis and the epigenetic profile. Once the histone hyperacetylation was confirmed, treatment with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an inhibitor of histone acetyltransferases, was assayed on F1 embryos. Embryos from males exposed to 2000 µg/L BPA overexpressed the transcription factor hand2 and the receptor esr2b, showing their own promoters—as well as that of kat6a—an enrichment in H3K9ac. In embryos treated with EGCG, both gene expression and histone acetylation (global and specific) returned to basal levels, and the phenotype was recovered. As shown by the results, the histone hyperacetylated landscape promoted by BPA in the sperm alters the chromatin structure of the progeny, leading to the overexpression of the histone acetyltransferase and genes involved in cardiogenesis.
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Martínez-Ibarra A, Martínez-Razo LD, MacDonald-Ramos K, Morales-Pacheco M, Vázquez-Martínez ER, López-López M, Rodríguez Dorantes M, Cerbón M. Multisystemic alterations in humans induced by bisphenol A and phthalates: Experimental, epidemiological and clinical studies reveal the need to change health policies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 271:116380. [PMID: 33387779 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A vast amount of evidence indicates that bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are widely distributed in the environment since these compounds are mass-produced for the manufacture of plastics and plasticizers. These compounds belong to a large group of substances termed endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). It is well known that humans and living organisms are unavoidably and unintentionally exposed to BPA and phthalates from food packaging materials and many other everyday products. BPA and phthalates exert their effect by interfering with hormone synthesis, bioavailability, and action, thereby altering cellular proliferation and differentiation, tissue development, and the regulation of several physiological processes. In fact, these EDC can alter fetal programming at an epigenetic level, which can be transgenerational transmitted and may be involved in the development of various chronic pathologies later in the adulthood, including metabolic, reproductive and degenerative diseases, and certain types of cancer. In this review, we describe the most recent proposed mechanisms of action of these EDC and offer a compelling selection of experimental, epidemiological and clinical studies, which show evidence of how exposure to these pollutants affects our health during development, and their association with a wide range of reproductive, metabolic and neurological diseases, as well as hormone-related cancers. We stress the importance of concern in the general population and the urgent need for the medical health care system to closely monitor EDC levels in the population due to unavoidable and involuntary exposure to these pollutants and their impact on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Martínez-Ibarra
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México 04960, Mexico; Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico
| | - L D Martínez-Razo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico
| | - K MacDonald-Ramos
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico
| | - M Morales-Pacheco
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico
| | - E R Vázquez-Martínez
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico
| | - M López-López
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México 04960, Mexico
| | | | - M Cerbón
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de Los Reyes" - Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico.
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Usal M, Veyrenc S, Darracq-Ghitalla-Ciock M, Regnault C, Sroda S, Fini JB, Canlet C, Tremblay-Franco M, Raveton M, Reynaud S. Transgenerational metabolic disorders and reproduction defects induced by benzo[a]pyrene in Xenopus tropicalis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 269:116109. [PMID: 33234375 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic disorders induced by endocrine disruptors (ED) may contribute to amphibian population declines but no transgenerational studies have evaluated this hypothesis. Here we show that Xenopus tropicalis, exposed from the tadpole stage, to the ED benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, 50 ng.L-1) produced F2 progeny with delayed metamorphosis and sexual maturity. At the adult stage, F2-BaP females displayed fatty liver with inflammation, tissue disorganization and metabolomic and transcriptomic signatures typical of nonalcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH). This phenotype, similar to that observed in F0 and F1 females, was accompanied by a pancreatic insulin secretory defect. Metabolic disrupted F2-BaP females laid eggs with metabolite contents significantly different from the control and these eggs did not produce viable progeny. This study demonstrated that an ED can induce transgenerational disruption of metabolism and population collapse in amphibians under laboratory conditions. These results show that ED benzo[a]pyrene can impact metabolism over multiple generations and support epidemiological studies implicating environmental EDs in metabolic diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Usal
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Sylvie Veyrenc
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | | | - Christophe Regnault
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Sophie Sroda
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation Du Vivant, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, 7 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Cécile Canlet
- Toxalim-Research Centre in Food Toxicology, Toulouse University, INRAE UMR 1331, ENVT, INP-Purpan, Paul Sabatier University, F-31027, Toulouse, France; Metatoul-AXIOM Platform, National Infrastructure for Metabolomics and Fluxomics, MetaboHUB, Toxalim, INRAE UMR 1331, F-31027, Toulouse, France.
| | - Marie Tremblay-Franco
- Toxalim-Research Centre in Food Toxicology, Toulouse University, INRAE UMR 1331, ENVT, INP-Purpan, Paul Sabatier University, F-31027, Toulouse, France; Metatoul-AXIOM Platform, National Infrastructure for Metabolomics and Fluxomics, MetaboHUB, Toxalim, INRAE UMR 1331, F-31027, Toulouse, France.
| | - Muriel Raveton
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Stéphane Reynaud
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
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Nilsson E, Sadler-Riggleman I, Beck D, Skinner MK. Differential DNA methylation in somatic and sperm cells of hatchery vs wild (natural-origin) steelhead trout populations. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2021; 7:dvab002. [PMID: 34040807 PMCID: PMC8132314 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors such as nutrition, stress, and toxicants can influence epigenetic programming and phenotypes of a wide variety of species from plants to humans. The current study was designed to investigate the impacts of hatchery spawning and rearing on steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) vs the wild fish on a molecular level. Additionally, epigenetic differences between feeding practices that allow slow growth (2 years) and fast growth (1 year) hatchery trout were investigated. The sperm and red blood cells (RBC) from adult male slow growth/maturation hatchery steelhead, fast growth/maturation hatchery steelhead, and wild (natural-origin) steelhead were collected for DNA preparation to investigate potential alterations in differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) and genetic mutations, involving copy number variations (CNVs). The sperm and RBC DNA both had a large number of DMRs when comparing the hatchery vs wild steelhead trout populations. The DMRs were cell type specific with negligible overlap. Slow growth/maturation compared to fast growth/maturation steelhead also had a larger number of DMRs in the RBC samples. A number of the DMRs had associated genes that were correlated to various biological processes and pathologies. Observations demonstrate a major epigenetic programming difference between the hatchery and wild natural-origin fish populations, but negligible genetic differences. Therefore, hatchery conditions and growth/maturation rate can alter the epigenetic developmental programming of the steelhead trout. Interestingly, epigenetic alterations in the sperm allow for potential epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic variation to future generations. The impacts of hatchery exposures are not only important to consider on the fish exposed, but also on future generations and evolutionary trajectory of fish in the river populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Ingrid Sadler-Riggleman
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
- Correspondence address. Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA. Tel: +1-509-335-1524; E-mail:
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Skinner MK, Nilsson EE. Role of environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in evolutionary biology: Unified Evolution Theory. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2021; 7:dvab012. [PMID: 34729214 PMCID: PMC8557805 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The current evolutionary biology theory primarily involves genetic alterations and random DNA sequence mutations to generate the phenotypic variation required for Darwinian natural selection to act. This neo-Darwinian evolution is termed the Modern Evolution Synthesis and has been the primary paradigm for nearly 100 years. Although environmental factors have a role in neo-Darwinian natural selection, Modern Evolution Synthesis does not consider environment to impact the basic molecular processes involved in evolution. An Extended Evolutionary Synthesis has recently developed that extends the modern synthesis to consider non-genetic processes. Over the past few decades, environmental epigenetics research has been demonstrated to regulate genetic processes and directly generate phenotypic variation independent of genetic sequence alterations. Therefore, the environment can on a molecular level through non-genetic (i.e. epigenetic) mechanisms directly influence phenotypic variation, genetic variation, inheritance and adaptation. This direct action of the environment to alter phenotype that is heritable is a neo-Lamarckian concept that can facilitate neo-Darwinian (i.e. Modern Synthesis) evolution. The integration of genetics, epigenetics, Darwinian theory, Lamarckian concepts, environment, and epigenetic inheritance provides a paradigm shift in evolution theory. The role of environmental-induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in evolution is presented to describe a more unified theory of evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Skinner
- **Correspondence address. Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA. Tel: +1 509-335-1524; E-mail:
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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Menezo Y, Clement P, Clement A, Elder K. Methylation: An Ineluctable Biochemical and Physiological Process Essential to the Transmission of Life. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239311. [PMID: 33297303 PMCID: PMC7730869 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation is a universal biochemical process which covalently adds methyl groups to a variety of molecular targets. It plays a critical role in two major global regulatory mechanisms, epigenetic modifications and imprinting, via methyl tagging on histones and DNA. During reproduction, the two genomes that unite to create a new individual are complementary but not equivalent. Methylation determines the complementary regulatory characteristics of male and female genomes. DNA methylation is executed by methyltransferases that transfer a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine, the universal methyl donor, to cytosine residues of CG (also designated CpG). Histones are methylated mainly on lysine and arginine residues. The methylation processes regulate the main steps in reproductive physiology: gametogenesis, and early and late embryo development. A focus will be made on the impact of assisted reproductive technology and on the impact of endocrine disruptors (EDCs) via generation of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Menezo
- Laboratoire CLEMENT, Avenue d’Eylau, 75016 Paris, France; (P.C.); (A.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Patrice Clement
- Laboratoire CLEMENT, Avenue d’Eylau, 75016 Paris, France; (P.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Arthur Clement
- Laboratoire CLEMENT, Avenue d’Eylau, 75016 Paris, France; (P.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Kay Elder
- Bourn Hall Clinic, Bourn, Cambridge CB232TN, UK;
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