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Lichtiger L, Jezioro J, Rivera J, McDonald JD, Terry MB, Sahay D, Miller RL. Prenatal airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure, altered regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Ppar)γ, and links with mammary cancer. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116213. [PMID: 37224940 PMCID: PMC10330651 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116213] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been shown to be associated with chronic disease outcomes through multiple mechanisms including altered regulation of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Ppar) γ. Because PAH exposure and Pparγ each have been associated with mammary cancer, we asked whether PAH would induce altered regulation of Pparγ in mammary tissue, and whether this association may underlie the association between PAH and mammary cancer. Pregnant mice were exposed to aerosolized PAH at proportions that mimic equivalent human exposures in New York City air. We hypothesized that prenatal PAH exposure would alter Pparγ DNA methylation and gene expression and induce the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in mammary tissue of offspring (F1) and grandoffspring (F2) mice. We also hypothesized that altered regulation of Pparγ in mammary tissue would associate with biomarkers of EMT, and examined associations with whole body weight. We found that prenatal PAH exposure lowered Pparγ mammary tissue methylation among grandoffspring mice at postnatal day (PND) 28. However, PAH exposure did not associate with altered Pparγ gene expression or consistently with biomarkers of EMT. Finally, lower Pparγ methylation, but not gene expression, was associated with higher body weight among offspring and grandoffspring mice at PND28 and PND60. Findings suggest additional evidence of multi-generational adverse epigenetic effects of prenatal PAH exposure among grandoffspring mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Lichtiger
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Jacqueline Jezioro
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Janelle Rivera
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Jacob D McDonald
- Department of Toxicology, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Mary Beth Terry
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Debashish Sahay
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Rachel L Miller
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, United States.
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Kaul B, Lee JS, Glidden DV, Blanc PD, Zhang N, Collard HR, Whooley MA. Agent Orange Exposure and Risk of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis among U.S. Veterans. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2022; 206:750-757. [PMID: 35559726 PMCID: PMC9799114 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202112-2724oc] [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: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: There is limited literature exploring the relationship between military exposures and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Objectives: To evaluate whether exposure to Agent Orange is associated with an increased risk of IPF among veterans. Methods: We used Veterans Health Administration data to identify patients diagnosed with IPF between 2010 and 2019. We restricted the cohort to male Vietnam veterans and performed multivariate logistic regression to examine the association between presumptive Agent Orange exposure and IPF. We conducted sensitivity analyses restricting the cohort to army veterans (highest theoretical burden of exposure, surrogate for dose response) and a more specific case definition of IPF. Fine-Gray competing risk models were used to evaluate age to IPF diagnosis. Measurements and Main Results: Among 3.6 million male Vietnam veterans, 948,103 (26%) had presumptive Agent Orange exposure. IPF occurred in 2.2% of veterans with Agent Orange exposure versus 1.9% without exposure (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.16; P < 0.001). The relationship persisted after adjusting for known IPF risk factors (odds ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.06-1.10; P < 0.001). The attributable risk among exposed veterans was 7% (95% CI, 5.3-8.7%; P < 0.001). Numerically greater risk was observed when restricting the cohort to 1) Vietnam veterans who served in the army and 2) a more specific definition of IPF. After accounting for the competing risk of death, veterans with Agent Orange exposure were still more likely to develop IPF. Conclusions: Presumptive Agent Orange exposure is associated with greater risk of IPF. Future research should validate this association and investigate the biological mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavika Kaul
- Department of Medicine and
- Measurement Science Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, California; and
| | - Joyce S. Lee
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David V. Glidden
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Ning Zhang
- Measurement Science Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, California; and
| | | | - Mary A. Whooley
- Department of Medicine and
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Measurement Science Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, California; and
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Robles-Matos N, Artis T, Simmons RA, Bartolomei MS. Environmental Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Influences Genomic Imprinting, Growth, and Metabolism. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1153. [PMID: 34440327 PMCID: PMC8393470 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic mechanism that results in monoallelic, parent-of-origin-specific expression of a small number of genes. Imprinted genes play a crucial role in mammalian development as their dysregulation result in an increased risk of human diseases. DNA methylation, which undergoes dynamic changes early in development, is one of the epigenetic marks regulating imprinted gene expression patterns during early development. Thus, environmental insults, including endocrine disrupting chemicals during critical periods of fetal development, can alter DNA methylation patterns, leading to inappropriate developmental gene expression and disease risk. Here, we summarize the current literature on the impacts of in utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on genomic imprinting and metabolism in humans and rodents. We evaluate how early-life environmental exposures are a potential risk factor for adult metabolic diseases. We also introduce our mouse model of phthalate exposure. Finally, we describe the potential of genomic imprinting to serve as an environmental sensor during early development and as a novel biomarker for postnatal health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Robles-Matos
- Epigenetics Institute, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 9-122 Smilow Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Tre Artis
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Rebecca A. Simmons
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 1308 Biomedical Research Building II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Marisa S. Bartolomei
- Epigenetics Institute, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 9-122 Smilow Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
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Talia C, Connolly L, Fowler PA. The insulin-like growth factor system: A target for endocrine disruptors? ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 147:106311. [PMID: 33348104 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is a critical regulator of growth, especially during fetal development, while also playing a central role in metabolic homeostasis. Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are ubiquitous compounds able to interfere with hormone action and impact human health. For example, exposure to EDs is associated with decreased birthweight and increased incidence of metabolic disorders. Therefore, the IGF system is a potential target for endocrine disruption. This review summarises the state of the science regarding effects of exposure to major classes of endocrine disruptors (dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phthalates, perfluoroalkyl substances and bisphenol A) on the IGF system. Evidence from both experimental models (in vitro and in vivo) and epidemiological studies is presented. In addition, possible molecular mechanisms of action and effects on methylation are discussed. There is a large body of evidence supporting the link between dioxins and dioxin-like compounds and IGF disruption, but mixed findings have been reported in human studies. On the other hand, although only a few animal studies have investigated the effects of phthalates on the IGF system, their negative association with IGF levels and methylation status has been more consistently reported in humans. For polybrominated diphenyl ethers, perfluoroalkyl substances and bisphenol A the evidence is still limited. Despite a lack of studies for some ED classes linking ED exposure to changes in IGF levels, and the need for further research to improve reproducibility and determine the degree of risk posed by EDs to the IGF system, this is clearly an area of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Talia
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Lisa Connolly
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Paul A Fowler
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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5
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Shi Y, Qi W, Xu Q, Wang Z, Cao X, Zhou L, Ye L. The role of epigenetics in the reproductive toxicity of environmental endocrine disruptors. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2021; 62:78-88. [PMID: 33217042 DOI: 10.1002/em.22414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) seriously endanger human health by interfering with the normal function of reproductive systems. In males, EEDs can affect sperm formation and semen quality as well spermatogenesis, ultimately reducing fertility. In females, EEDs can affect uterine development and the expression levels of reproduction-related genes, ultimately reducing female fertility and the normal development of the fetus. There are a large number of putative mechanisms by which EEDs can induce reproductive toxicity, and many studies have shown the involvement of epigenetics. In this review, we summarize the role of DNA methylation, noncoding RNAs, genomic imprinting, chromatin remodeling and histone modification in the reproductive toxicity of EEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Shi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wen Qi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi Xu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaolian Cao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Liting Zhou
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lin Ye
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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6
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Burke CG, Myers JR, Post CM, Boulé LA, Lawrence BP. DNA Methylation Patterns in CD4+ T Cells of Naïve and Influenza A Virus-Infected Mice Developmentally Exposed to an Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:17007. [PMID: 33449811 PMCID: PMC7810290 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life environmental exposures can have lasting effects on the function of the immune system and contribute to disease later in life. Epidemiological studies have linked early life exposure to xenobiotics that bind the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) with dysregulated immune responses later in life. Among the immune cells influenced by developmental activation of the AhR are CD 4 + T cells. Yet, the underlying affected cellular pathways via which activating the AhR early in life causes the responses of CD 4 + T cells to remain affected into adulthood remain unclear. OBJECTIVE Our goal was to identify cellular mechanisms that drive impaired CD 4 + T-cell responses later in life following maternal exposure to an exogenous AhR ligand. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were vertically exposed to the prototype AhR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p -dioxin (TCDD), throughout gestation and early postnatal life. The transcriptome and DNA methylation patterns were evaluated in CD 4 + T cells isolated from naïve and influenza A virus (IAV)-infected adult mice that were developmentally exposed to TCDD or vehicle control. We then assessed the influence of DNA methylation-altering drug therapies on the response of CD 4 + T cells from developmentally exposed mice to infection. RESULTS Gene and protein expression showed that developmental AhR activation reduced CD 4 + T-cell expansion and effector functions during IAV infection later in life. Furthermore, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing analyses revealed that developmental AhR activation durably programed DNA methylation patterns across the CD 4 + T-cell genome. Treatment of developmentally exposed offspring with DNA methylation-altering drugs alleviated some, but not all, of the impaired CD 4 + T-cell responses. DISCUSSION Taken together, these results indicate that skewed DNA methylation is one of the mechanisms by which early life exposures can durably change the function of T cells in mice. Furthermore, treatment with DNA methylation-altering drugs after the exposure restored some aspects of CD 4 + T-cell functional responsiveness. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7699.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine G. Burke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Jason R. Myers
- Genomics Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Christina M. Post
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Lisbeth A. Boulé
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - B. Paige Lawrence
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Genomics Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
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7
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Lehle JD, McCarrey JR. Differential susceptibility to endocrine disruptor-induced epimutagenesis. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2020; 6:dvaa016. [PMID: 33324495 PMCID: PMC7722801 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
There is now considerable evidence indicating the potential for endocrine disrupting chemicals to alter the epigenome and for subsets of these epigenomic changes or "epimutations" to be heritably transmitted to offspring in subsequent generations. While there have been many studies indicating how exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can disrupt various organs associated with the body's endocrine systems, there is relatively limited information regarding the relative susceptibility of different specific organs, tissues, or cell types to endocrine disrupting chemical-induced epimutagenesis. Here we review available information about different organs, tissues, cell types, and/or cell lines which have been shown to be susceptible to specific endocrine disrupting chemical-induced epimutations. In addition, we discuss possible mechanisms that may be involved, or impacted by this tissue- or cell type-specific, differential susceptibility to different endocrine disrupting chemicals. Finally, we summarize available information indicating that certain periods of development display elevated susceptibility to endocrine disrupting chemical exposure and we describe how this may affect the extent to which germline epimutations can be transmitted inter- or transgenerationally. We conclude that cell type-specific differential susceptibility to endocrine disrupting chemical-induced epimutagenesis is likely to directly impact the extent to, or manner in, which endocrine disrupting chemical exposure initially induces epigenetic changes to DNA methylation and/or histone modifications, and how these endocrine disrupting chemical-induced epimutations can then subsequently impact gene expression, potentially leading to the development of heritable disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake D Lehle
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - John R McCarrey
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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8
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Merrheim J, Villegas J, Van Wassenhove J, Khansa R, Berrih-Aknin S, le Panse R, Dragin N. Estrogen, estrogen-like molecules and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmun Rev 2020; 19:102468. [PMID: 31927086 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In western countries, the slope of autoimmune disease (AD) incidence is increasing and affects 5-8% of the population. Mainly prevalent in women, these pathologies are due to thymic tolerance processes breakdown. The female sex hormone, estrogen, is involved in this AD female susceptibility. However, predisposition factors have to act in concert with unknown triggering environmental factors (virus, microbiota, pollution) to initiate AD. Individuals are exposed to various environmental compounds that display endocrine disruption abilities. The cellular effects of some of these molecules may be mediated through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Here, we review the effects of these molecules on the homeostasis of the thymic cells, the immune tolerance intrinsic factors (transcription factors, epigenetic marks) and on the immune tolerance extrinsic factors (microbiota, virus sensibility). This review highlights the contribution of estrogen and endocrine disruptors on the dysregulation of mechanisms sustaining AD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Merrheim
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - José Villegas
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Van Wassenhove
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Rémi Khansa
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Rozen le Panse
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; AIM, Institute of Myology, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Nadine Dragin
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Inserm UMRS 974, Paris, France; Inovarion, Paris, France; Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 974, Hôpital La Pitié- Salpêtrière, 105 Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.
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Kelsey KT, Rytel M, Dere E, Butler R, Eliot M, Huse SM, Houseman EA, Koestler DC, Boekelheide K. Serum dioxin and DNA methylation in the sperm of operation ranch hand veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Environ Health 2019; 18:91. [PMID: 31665024 PMCID: PMC6819394 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0533-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War was widespread and is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. A continuing concern of veterans is the possibility that exposure to the dioxin-containing herbicide might induce adverse reproductive outcomes. We sought to assess whether exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam was associated with changes in DNA methylation in sperm in a subset of Vietnam veterans who participated in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS). METHODS We studied 37 members of the AFHS chosen to have no, low, medium or high exposure to Agent Orange, based upon serum dioxin levels obtained during a series of examinations. DNA from stored semen was extracted and DNA methylation assessed on the Illumina 450 K platform. RESULTS Initial epigenome-wide analysis returned no loci that survived control for false discovery. However, the TEAD3 gene had four different CpG sites that showed loss of DNA methylation associated with dioxin exposure. Analysis assessing regional DNA methylation changes revealed 36 gene regions, including the region of the imprinted gene H19 to have altered DNA methylation associated with high exposure compared to the low exposure group. Additional comparison of our data with sperm DNA methylation data from Russian boys exposed to dioxin found an additional 5 loci that were altered in both studies and exhibited a consistent direction of association. CONCLUSIONS Studying a small number of sperm samples from veterans enrolled in the AFHS, we did not find evidence of significant epigenome-wide alterations associated with exposure to Agent Orange. However, additional analysis showed that the H19 gene region is altered in the sperm of Agent Orange-exposed Ranch Hand veterans. Our study also replicated several findings of a prior study of dioxin-exposed Russian boys. These results provide additional candidate loci for further investigation and may have implications for the reproductive health of dioxin-exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl T. Kelsey
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - Matthew Rytel
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - Edward Dere
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - Rondi Butler
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - Melissa Eliot
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
| | - Susan M. Huse
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701 USA
| | | | - Devin C. Koestler
- Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160 USA
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912 USA
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10
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Li S, Chen M, Li Y, Tollefsbol TO. Prenatal epigenetics diets play protective roles against environmental pollution. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:82. [PMID: 31097039 PMCID: PMC6524340 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-019-0659-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is thought that germ cells and preimplantation embryos during development are most susceptible to endogenous and exogenous environmental factors because the epigenome in those cells is undergoing dramatic elimination and reconstruction. Exposure to environmental factors such as nutrition, climate, stress, pathogens, toxins, and even social behavior during gametogenesis and early embryogenesis has been shown to influence disease susceptibility in the offspring. Early-life epigenetic modifications, which determine the expression of genetic information stored in the genome, are viewed as one of the general mechanisms linking prenatal exposure and phenotypic changes later in life. From atmospheric pollution, endocrine-disrupting chemicals to heavy metals, research increasingly suggests that environmental pollutions have already produced significant consequences on human health. Moreover, mounting evidence now links such pollution to relevant modification in the epigenome. The epigenetics diet, referring to a class of bioactive dietary compounds such as isothiocyanates in broccoli, genistein in soybean, resveratrol in grape, epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea, and ascorbic acid in fruits, has been shown to modify the epigenome leading to beneficial health outcomes. This review will primarily focus on the causes and consequences of prenatal environment pollution exposure on the epigenome, and the potential protective role of the epigenetics diet, which could play a central role in neutralizing epigenomic aberrations against environmental pollutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhao Li
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Trygve O Tollefsbol
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Comprehensive Diabetes Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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11
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Akemann C, Meyer DN, Gurdziel K, Baker TR. Developmental Dioxin Exposure Alters the Methylome of Adult Male Zebrafish Gonads. Front Genet 2019; 9:719. [PMID: 30687390 PMCID: PMC6336703 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent environmental toxicant and endocrine disrupting compound with reproductive and developmental effects in humans and model organisms, including zebrafish. Our previous microarray and histological studies found defects in spermatogenesis and fertility of zebrafish in response to acute developmental TCDD exposure. These effects are apparent following exposure during reproductive development, modeling fetal basis of adult-onset disease. Some outcomes of these previous studies (reduced fertility, changes in sex ratio, transcriptomic alterations) are also transgenerational – persisting to unexposed generations – through the male germline. We hypothesized that DNA methylation could be a possible mechanism for these reproductive effects and performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), which identifies whole genome DNA methylation status at the base pair level, on testes of adult zebrafish exposed to TCDD (two separate hour-long exposures to 50 pg/mL TCDD at 3 and 7 weeks post fertilization). In response to TCDD exposure, multiple genes were differentially methylated; many of which are involved in reproductive processes or epigenetic modifications, suggesting a role of DNA methylation in later-life health outcomes. Additionally, several differentially methylated genes corresponded with gene expression changes identified in TCDD-exposed zebrafish testes, indicating a potential link between DNA methylation and gene expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis of WGBS and microarray data revealed genes involved in reproductive processes and development, RNA regulation, the cell cycle, and cellular morphology and development. We conclude that site-specific changes in DNA methylation of adult zebrafish testes occur in response to acute developmental TCDD exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Akemann
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Danielle N Meyer
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Katherine Gurdziel
- Applied Genome Technology Center, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Tracie R Baker
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
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12
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Giuliani C, Biggs D, Nguyen TT, Marasco E, De Fanti S, Garagnani P, Le Phan MT, Nguyen VN, Luiselli D, Romeo G. First evidence of association between past environmental exposure to dioxin and DNA methylation of CYP1A1 and IGF2 genes in present day Vietnamese population. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 242:976-985. [PMID: 30373043 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
During the Vietnam War, the United States military sprayed over 74 million litres of Agent Orange (AO) to destroy forest cover as a counterinsurgency tactic in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The main ingredient was contaminated by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-paradioxin (TCDD). DNA methylation (DNAm) differences are potential biomarker of environmental toxicants exposure. The aim of this study was to perform a preliminary investigation of the DNAm levels from peripheral blood of the present-day Vietnamese population, including individuals whose parents, according to historical data, were exposed to AO/TCDD during the war. 94 individuals from heavily sprayed areas (cases) and 94 individuals from non-sprayed areas (controls) were studied, and historical data on alleged exposure of parents collected. 94 cases were analysed considering those whose father/parents participated in the war (N = 29) and considering the place of residence of both parents (64 living in sprayed areas versus 30 in non-contaminated areas). DNAm levels in CYP1A1 and IGF2 genes were measured (MALDI-TOF technology). The analyses showed that: 1) one CpG site in the CYP1A1 and one in the IGF2 gene showed significant differences in DNAm levels between cases and controls; 2) the CYP1A1 region resulted to be hypomethylated (in 9 out of 16 sites/units; p-val<0.01) in 29 individuals whose father/parents participated in the war in the spray zones; 3) we showed that the place of residence of both parents influenced methylation levels of the CYP1A1 and IGF2 genes (p-val<0.05). In conclusion this study indicates that past environmental exposure to dioxin (AO/TCDD) shapes the DNAm profile of CYP1A1 and that the place of living for parents in former spray zones influences DNAm of CYP1A1 and IGF2 genes. These results open the way to new applications of DNAm as potential biomarker(s) of past human exposure to dioxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Giuliani
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology and Centre for Genome Biology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, UK.
| | - David Biggs
- Department of History and School of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside, USA
| | | | - Elena Marasco
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Applied Biomedical Research Center (CRBA), S. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara De Fanti
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology and Centre for Genome Biology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Applied Biomedical Research Center (CRBA), S. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic, Bologna, Italy; Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Donata Luiselli
- Department for the Cultural Heritage (DBC), Campus of Ravenna, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Romeo
- Medical Genetics Unit, S. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy and European School of Genetic Medicine, Italy
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13
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Pathak R, Feil R. Environmental effects on chromatin repression at imprinted genes and endogenous retroviruses. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 45:139-147. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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14
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Walker CL. Minireview: Epigenomic Plasticity and Vulnerability to EDC Exposures. Mol Endocrinol 2016; 30:848-55. [PMID: 27355193 DOI: 10.1210/me.2016-1086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The epigenome undergoes significant remodeling during tissue and organ development, which coincides with a period of exquisite sensitivity to environmental exposures. In the case of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), exposures can reprogram the epigenome of developing tissues to increase susceptibility to diseases later in life, a process termed "developmental reprogramming." Both DNA methylation and histone modifications have been shown to be vulnerable to disruption by EDC exposures, and several mechanisms have been identified by which EDCs can reprogram the epigenome. These include altered methyl donor availability, loss of imprinting control, changes in dioxygenase activity, altered expression of noncoding RNAs, and activation of cell signaling pathways that can phosphorylate, and alter the activity of, histone methyltransferases. This altered epigenomic programming can persist across the life course, and in some instances generations, to alter gene expression in ways that correlate with increased disease susceptibility. Together, these studies on developmental reprogramming of the epigenome by EDCs are providing new insights into epigenomic plasticity that is vulnerable to disruption by environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Lyn Walker
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030
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15
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Faulk C, Barks A, Liu K, Goodrich JM, Dolinoy DC. Early-life lead exposure results in dose- and sex-specific effects on weight and epigenetic gene regulation in weanling mice. Epigenomics 2016; 5:487-500. [PMID: 24059796 DOI: 10.2217/epi.13.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Epidemiological and animal data suggest that the development of adult chronic conditions is influenced by early-life exposure-induced changes to the epigenome. This study investigates the effects of perinatal lead (Pb) exposure on DNA methylation and bodyweight in weanling mice. MATERIALS & METHODS Viable yellow agouti (A(vy)) mouse dams were exposed to 0, 2.1, 16 and 32 ppm Pb acetate before conception through weaning. Epigenetic effects were evaluated by scoring coat color of A(vy)/a offspring and quantitative bisulfite sequencing of two retrotransposon-driven (A(vy) and CDK5 activator-binding protein intracisternal A particle element) and two imprinted (Igf2 and Igf2r) loci in tail DNA. RESULTS Maternal blood Pb levels were below the limit of detection in controls, and 4.1, 25.1 and 32.1 µg/dl for each dose, respectively. Pb exposure was associated with a trend of increased wean bodyweight in males (p = 0.03) and altered coat color in A(vy)/a offspring. DNA methylation at A(vy) and the CDK5 activator-binding protein intracisternal A-particle element was significantly different from controls following a cubic trend (p = 0.04; p = 0.01), with male-specific effects at the A(vy) locus. Imprinted genes did not shift in methylation across exposures. CONCLUSION Dose- and sex-specific responses in bodyweight and DNA methylation indicate that Pb acts on the epigenome in a locus-specific fashion, dependent on the genomic feature hosting the CpG site of interest, and that sex is a factor in epigenetic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Faulk
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
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16
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Ma J, Chen X, Liu Y, Xie Q, Sun Y, Chen J, Leng L, Yan H, Zhao B, Tang N. Ancestral TCDD exposure promotes epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of imprinted gene Igf2: Methylation status and DNMTs. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2015; 289:193-202. [PMID: 26455773 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2015.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Ancestral TCDD exposure could induce epigenetic transgenerational phenotypes, which may be mediated in part by imprinted gene inheritance. The aim of our study was to evaluate the transgenerational effects of ancestral TCDD exposure on the imprinted gene insulin-like growth factor-2 (Igf2) in rat somatic tissue. TCDD was administered daily by oral gavage to groups of F0 pregnant SD rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 200 or 800 ng/kg bw during gestation day 8-14. Animal transgenerational model of ancestral exposure to TCDD was carefully built, avoiding sibling inbreeding. Hepatic Igf2 expression of the TCDD male progeny was decreased concomitantly with hepatic damage and increased activities of serum hepatic enzymes both in the F1 and F3 generation. Imprinted Control Region (ICR) of Igf2 manifested a hypermethylated pattern, whereas methylation status in the Differentially Methylated Region 2 (DMR2) showed a hypomethylated manner in the F1 generation. These epigenetic alterations in these two regions maintained similar trends in the F3 generation. Meanwhile, the expressions of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B) changed in a non-monotonic manner both in the F1 and F3 generation. This study provides evidence that ancestral TCDD exposure may promote epigenetic transgenerational alterations of imprinted gene Igf2 in adult somatic tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Yanan Liu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Qunhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yawen Sun
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Jingshan Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Ling Leng
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Huan Yan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Naijun Tang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
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17
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van Esterik JCJ, Verharen HW, Hodemaekers HM, Gremmer ER, Nagarajah B, Kamstra JH, Dollé MET, Legler J, van der Ven LTM. Compound- and sex-specific effects on programming of energy and immune homeostasis in adult C57BL/6JxFVB mice after perinatal TCDD and PCB 153. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2015; 289:262-75. [PMID: 26415833 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2015.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Early life exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds has been linked to chronic diseases later in life, like obesity and related metabolic disorders. We exposed C57BL/6JxFVB hybrid mice to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and the constitutive androstane receptor/pregnane X receptor agonist polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB 153) in an experimental design relevant for human exposure. Exposure occurred during gestation and lactation via maternal feed to a wide dose range (TCDD: 10-10,000 pg/kg body weight/day; PCB 153: 0.09-1406 μg/kg body weight/d). Then exposure was ceased and offspring were followed up to 1 year of age. Metabolic parameters like body weight, fat pad weights, glucose tolerance, endocrine serum profile, and neurobehavioral and immunological parameters were determined. Body weight was transiently affected by both compounds throughout the follow-up. TCDD-exposed males showed decreased fat pad and spleen weights and an increase in IL-4 production of splenic immune cells. In contrast, females showed increased fat pad weights and production of IFNγ. PCB 153-exposed males showed an increase in glucose, whereas females showed an increase in glucagon, a decrease in pancreas weight, and an increase in thymus weight. In conclusion, early life exposure to TCDD appears to affect programming of energy and immune homeostasis in offspring, whereas the effects of perinatal PCB 153 were mainly on programming of glucose homeostasis. Both compounds act sex-specifically. Lowest derived BMDLs (lower bounds of the (two sided) 90%-confidence interval for the benchmark dose) for both compounds are not lower than current tolerable daily intakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C J van Esterik
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Chemistry and Biology, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - H W Verharen
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - H M Hodemaekers
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - E R Gremmer
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - B Nagarajah
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - J H Kamstra
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - M E T Dollé
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - J Legler
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - L T M van der Ven
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
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18
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Environmental Impact on DNA Methylation in the Germline: State of the Art and Gaps of Knowledge. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:123484. [PMID: 26339587 PMCID: PMC4538313 DOI: 10.1155/2015/123484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The epigenome consists of chemical changes in DNA and chromatin that without modifying the DNA sequence modulate gene expression and cellular phenotype. The epigenome is highly plastic and reacts to changing external conditions with modifications that can be inherited to daughter cells and across generations. Whereas this innate plasticity allows for adaptation to a changing environment, it also implies the potential of epigenetic derailment leading to so-called epimutations. DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mark. DNA methylation changes have been associated with cancer, infertility, cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, immunologic, and neurodegenerative pathologies. Experiments in rodents demonstrate that exposure to a variety of chemical stressors, occurring during the prenatal or the adult life, may induce DNA methylation changes in germ cells, which may be transmitted across generations with phenotypic consequences. An increasing number of human biomonitoring studies show environmentally related DNA methylation changes mainly in blood leukocytes, whereas very few data have been so far collected on possible epigenetic changes induced in the germline, even by the analysis of easily accessible sperm. In this paper, we review the state of the art on factors impinging on DNA methylation in the germline, highlight gaps of knowledge, and propose priorities for future studies.
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19
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Xin F, Susiarjo M, Bartolomei MS. Multigenerational and transgenerational effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals: A role for altered epigenetic regulation? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2015; 43:66-75. [PMID: 26026600 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence has highlighted the critical role of early life environment in shaping the future health outcomes of an individual. Moreover, recent studies have revealed that early life perturbations can affect the health of subsequent generations. Hypothesized mechanisms of multi- and transgenerational inheritance of abnormal developmental phenotypes include epigenetic misregulation in germ cells. In this review, we will focus on the available data demonstrating the ability of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and parabens, to alter epigenetic marks in rodents and humans. These epigenetic marks include DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and non-coding RNAs. We also review the current evidence for multi- and transgenerational inheritance of abnormal developmental changes in the offspring following EDC exposure. Based on published results, we conclude that EDC exposure can alter the mouse and human epigenome, with variable tissue susceptibilities. Although increasing data suggest that exposure to EDCs is linked to transgenerational inheritance of reproductive, metabolic, or neurological phenotypes, more studies are needed to validate these observations and to elucidate further whether these developmental changes are directly associated with the relevant epigenetic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Xin
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 9-123 Smilow Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 1316 Biomedical Research Building II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Martha Susiarjo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 9-123 Smilow Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 1316 Biomedical Research Building II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Marisa S Bartolomei
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 9-123 Smilow Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 1316 Biomedical Research Building II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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20
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Winans B, Nagari A, Chae M, Post CM, Ko CI, Puga A, Kraus WL, Lawrence BP. Linking the aryl hydrocarbon receptor with altered DNA methylation patterns and developmentally induced aberrant antiviral CD8+ T cell responses. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 194:4446-57. [PMID: 25810390 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1402044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Successfully fighting infection requires a properly tuned immune system. Recent epidemiological studies link exposure to pollutants that bind the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) during development with poorer immune responses later in life. Yet, how developmental triggering of AHR durably alters immune cell function remains unknown. Using a mouse model, we show that developmental activation of AHR leads to long-lasting reduction in the response of CD8(+) T cells during influenza virus infection, cells critical for resolving primary infection. Combining genome-wide approaches, we demonstrate that developmental activation alters DNA methylation and gene expression patterns in isolated CD8(+) T cells prior to and during infection. Altered transcriptional profiles in CD8(+) T cells from developmentally exposed mice reflect changes in pathways involved in proliferation and immunoregulation, with an overall pattern that bears hallmarks of T cell exhaustion. Developmental exposure also changed DNA methylation across the genome, but differences were most pronounced following infection, where we observed inverse correlation between promoter methylation and gene expression. This points to altered regulation of DNA methylation as one mechanism by which AHR causes durable changes in T cell function. Discovering that distinct gene sets and pathways were differentially changed in developmentally exposed mice prior to and after infection further reveals that the process of CD8(+) T cell activation is rendered fundamentally different by early life AHR signaling. These findings reveal a novel role for AHR in the developing immune system: regulating DNA methylation and gene expression as T cells respond to infection later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Winans
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Environmental Health Science Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Anusha Nagari
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390; and
| | - Minho Chae
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390; and
| | - Christina M Post
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Environmental Health Science Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Chia-I Ko
- Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
| | - Alvaro Puga
- Department of Environmental Health and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267
| | - W Lee Kraus
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and Division of Basic Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390; and
| | - B Paige Lawrence
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Environmental Health Science Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642;
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21
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Aluru N, Kuo E, Helfrich LW, Karchner SI, Linney EA, Pais JE, Franks DG. Developmental exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin alters DNA methyltransferase (dnmt) expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2015; 284:142-51. [PMID: 25732252 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is one of the most important epigenetic modifications involved in the regulation of gene expression. The DNA methylation reaction is catalyzed by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Recent studies have demonstrated that toxicants can affect normal development by altering DNA methylation patterns, but the mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Hence, we tested the hypothesis that developmental exposure to TCDD affects dnmt gene expression patterns. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 5nM TCDD for 1h from 4 to 5h post-fertilization (hpf) and sampled at 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hpf to determine dnmt gene expression and DNA methylation patterns. We performed a detailed analysis of zebrafish dnmt gene expression during development and in adult tissues. Our results demonstrate that dnmt3b genes are highly expressed in early stages of development, and dnmt3a genes are more abundant in later stages. TCDD exposure upregulated dnmt1 and dnmt3b2 expression, whereas dnmt3a1, 3b1, and 3b4 are downregulated following exposure. We did not observe any TCDD-induced differences in global methylation or hydroxymethylation levels, but the promoter methylation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) target genes was altered. In TCDD-exposed embryos, AHR repressor a (ahrra) and c-fos promoters were differentially methylated. To characterize the TCDD effects on DNMTs, we cloned the dnmt promoters with xenobiotic response elements and conducted AHR transactivation assays using a luciferase reporter system. Our results suggest that ahr2 can regulate dnmt3a1, dnmt3a2, and dnmt3b2 expression. Overall, we demonstrate that developmental exposure to TCDD alters dnmt expression and DNA methylation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelakanteswar Aluru
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | - Elaine Kuo
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lily W Helfrich
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Northwestern University, 633 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Sibel I Karchner
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Elwood A Linney
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3020, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - June E Pais
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Diana G Franks
- Biology Department and Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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22
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Vaiserman A. Early-life Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Later-life Health Outcomes: An Epigenetic Bridge? Aging Dis 2014; 5:419-29. [PMID: 25489493 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2014.0500419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that adverse events early in development, and particularly during intrauterine life, may program risks for diseases in adult life. Increasing evidence has been accumulated indicating the important role of epigenetic regulation including DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNAs in developmental programming. Among the environmental factors which play an important role in programming of chronic pathologies, the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that have estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgenic activity are of specific concern because the developing organism is extremely sensitive to perturbation by substances with hormone-like activity. Among EDCs, there are many substances that are constantly present in the modern human environment or are in widespread use, including dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, phthalates, agricultural pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, industrial solvents, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals. Apart from their common endocrine active properties, several EDCs have been shown to disrupt developmental epigenomic programming. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of recent research findings which indicate that exposure to EDCs during in-utero and/or neonatal development can cause long-term health outcomes via mechanisms of epigenetic memory.
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Ayala-García B, López-Santibáñez Guevara M, Marcos-Camacho LI, Fuentes-Farías AL, Meléndez-Herrera E, Gutiérrez-Ospina G. Speciation, phenotypic variation and plasticity: what can endocrine disruptors tell us? Int J Endocrinol 2013; 2013:862739. [PMID: 23762055 PMCID: PMC3670528 DOI: 10.1155/2013/862739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotype variability, phenotypic plasticity, and the inheritance of phenotypic traits constitute the fundamental ground of processes such as individuation, individual and species adaptation and ultimately speciation. Even though traditional evolutionary thinking relies on genetic mutations as the main source of intra- and interspecies phenotypic variability, recent studies suggest that the epigenetic modulation of gene transcription and translation, epigenetic memory, and epigenetic inheritance are by far the most frequent reliable sources of transgenerational variability among viable individuals within and across organismal species. Therefore, individuation and speciation should be considered as nonmutational epigenetic phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braulio Ayala-García
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Animal, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Investigaciones Sobre Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, MI, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
- *Braulio Ayala-García: and
| | - Marta López-Santibáñez Guevara
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Lluvia I. Marcos-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Animal, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Investigaciones Sobre Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, MI, Mexico
| | - Alma L. Fuentes-Farías
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Animal, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Investigaciones Sobre Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, MI, Mexico
| | - Esperanza Meléndez-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Animal, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Investigaciones Sobre Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, MI, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Gutiérrez-Ospina
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sistemas, Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
- *Gabriel Gutiérrez-Ospina:
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