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Li H, Kang S, Gu X, Yang H, Chen H, Mao Z, Zeng Q, Chen Y, Wang W, Gong C. The toxicological effects of life-cycle exposure to harmful benthic cyanobacteria Oscillatoria on zebrafish growth and reproduction: A comparative study with planktonic Microcystis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169302. [PMID: 38104816 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The risks of planktonic cyanobacteria blooms have been the focus of much scientific research, but studies on the ecotoxicological effects of benthic cyanobacteria are lagging. The impacts of cyanobacteria cells on fish populations might be more complex in contrast to purified cyanotoxins or cyanobacteria extracts. This study systematically compared the chronic effects of benthic Oscillatoria sp. (producing cylindrospermopsins) and planktonic Microcystis aeruginosa (producing microcystins) on the growth and reproduction of zebrafish through life-cycle exposure (5- 90 days post fertilization). The results showed that both Oscillatoria sp. and M. aeruginosa exposure caused growth inhibition and fecundity reduction in F0 generation by disrupting sex hormone levels, delayed ovarian and sperm development, and induced pathological lesions in zebrafish gonads. Furthermore, exposure to Oscillatoria sp. or M. aeruginosa in adult zebrafish increased mortality and teratogenicity in F1 embryos (without exposure), indicating a parental transmission effect of developmental toxicity. The difference was that M. aeruginosa exposure led to significant alterations in pathways, such as tissue development, redox processes, and steroid hormone synthesis. In contrast, Oscillatoria sp. exposure primarily disrupted the PPAR signaling pathway, cell adhesion molecules, and lipid transport pathways. Interestingly, the differentially expressed genes revealed that male fish were more sensitive to harmful cyanobacteria than females, whether exposed to Oscillatoria sp. or M. aeruginosa. These findings contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of the chronic toxic effects of distinct types of harmful cyanobacteria, suggesting that the ecological risk of benthic cyanobacteria requires further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmin Li
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Siqi Kang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Huiting Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huihui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Zhigang Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Qingfei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yanfeng Chen
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Wenxia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; College of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Chen Gong
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
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2
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Boueid MJ, El-Hage O, Schumacher M, Degerny C, Tawk M. Zebrafish as an emerging model to study estrogen receptors in neural development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1240018. [PMID: 37664862 PMCID: PMC10469878 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1240018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogens induce several regulatory signals in the nervous system that are mainly mediated through estrogen receptors (ERs). ERs are largely expressed in the nervous system, yet the importance of ERs to neural development has only been elucidated over the last decades. Accumulating evidence shows a fundamental role for estrogens in the development of the central and peripheral nervous systems, hence, the contribution of ERs to neural function is now a growing area of research. The conservation of the structure of the ERs and their response to estrogens make the zebrafish an interesting model to dissect the role of estrogens in the nervous system. In this review, we highlight major findings of ER signaling in embryonic zebrafish neural development and compare the similarities and differences to research in rodents. We also discuss how the recent generation of zebrafish ER mutants, coupled with the availability of several transgenic reporter lines, its amenability to pharmacological studies and in vivo live imaging, could help us explore ER function in embryonic neural development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marcel Tawk
- *Correspondence: Cindy Degerny, ; Marcel Tawk,
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3
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Pierron F, Daffe G, Daramy F, Heroin D, Barré A, Bouchez O, Clérendeau C, Romero-Ramirez A, Nikolski M. Transgenerational endocrine disruptor effects of cadmium in zebrafish and contribution of standing epigenetic variation to adaptation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131579. [PMID: 37163897 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Evidence has emerged that environmentally-induced epigenetic changes can have long-lasting effects on gene transcription across generations. These recent findings highlight the need to investigate the transgenerational impacts of pollutants to assess their long term effects on populations. In this study, we investigated the transgenerational effect of cadmium on zebrafish across 4 generations. A first whole methylome approach carried out on fish of the first two generations led us to focus our investigations on the estradiol receptor alpha gene (esr1). We observed a sex-dependent transgenerational inheritance of Cd-induced DNA methylation changes up to the last generation. These changes were associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were themselves at the origin of the creation or deletion of methylation sites. Thus, Cd-induced genetic selection gave rise to DNA methylation changes. We also analyzed the transcription level of various sections of esr1 as well as estrogen responsive genes. While Cd triggered transgenerational disorders, Cd-induced epigenetic changes in esr1 contributed to the rapid transgenerational adaptation of fish to Cd. Our results provide insight into the processes underpinning rapid adaptation and highlight the need to maintain genetic diversity within natural populations to bolster the resilience of species faced with the global environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Pierron
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Guillemine Daffe
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INRAE, La Rochelle Univ., UMS 2567 POREA, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Flore Daramy
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Débora Heroin
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Aurélien Barré
- Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France
| | - Olivier Bouchez
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, 31326, France
| | | | | | - Macha Nikolski
- Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, UMR 5095, Bordeaux 33077, France
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4
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Qiao Y, He J, Han P, Qu J, Wang X, Wang J. Long-term exposure to environmental relevant triclosan induces reproductive toxicity on adult zebrafish and its potential mechanism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154026. [PMID: 35219675 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is widely used in personal care products and has become a contaminant ubiquitously found in the aquatic environment. It is reported exposure to triclosan can cause serious toxic effects on aquatic animals. However, the molecular mechanisms about long-term exposure to TCS-induced reproductive toxicity are not well elucidated. In the present study, adult zebrafish were exposed to TCS (2, 20 and 200 μg/L) for 150 days, and then the reproductive capacity assessment, steroid hormone and VTG quantitative measurement, histopathology observation and RNA sequencing analysis were performed to investigate the effects of TCS on its reproduction. The results indicated that long-term exposure to TCS causes the regulation disorder of the endocrine system, resulting in a reduction of the number of normal germ cells, and ultimately a decrease in the hatching rate and survival rate of offspring. This study revealed the toxic effects and contributed to our deep understanding about the potential disease of TCS exposure in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiayi He
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ping Han
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiangbo Qu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xubo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
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Chronic exposure to nonylphenol induces oxidative stress and liver damage in male zebrafish (Danio rerio): Mechanistic insight into cellular energy sensors, lipid accumulation and immune modulation. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 351:109762. [PMID: 34843692 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nonylphenol (NP), an environmentally persistent and toxic endocrine-disrupting chemical with estrogenic properties, has severe implications on humans and wildlife. Accumulating evidence demonstrates the toxic response of NP on the developmental process, nervous system, and reproductive parameters. Although NP exposure has been implicated in chronic liver injury, the underlying events associated with hepatic pathophysiology remain less investigated. Using male zebrafish (Danio rerio) as the model, the present study investigates the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations of NP (50 and 100 μg/L, 21 days) on hepatic redox homeostasis vis-à-vis cellular energy sensors, inflammatory response, and cell death involving a mechanistic insight into estrogen receptor (ER) modulation. Our results demonstrate that congruent with significant alteration in transcript abundance of antioxidant enzymes (SOD1, SOD2, Catalase, GPx1a, GSTα1), chronic exposure to NP promotes ROS synthesis, more specifically superoxide anions and H2O2 levels, and lipid peroxidation potentially through elevated NOX4 expression. Importantly, NP perturbation of markers associated with fatty acid biosynthesis (srebf1/fasn) and cellular energy-sensing network (sirt1/ampkα/pgc1α) indicates dysregulated energy homeostasis, metabolic disruption, and macrovesicular steatosis, albeit with differential sensitivity at the dose level tested. Besides, elevated p38-MAPK phosphorylation (activation) together with loss of ER homeostasis at both mRNA (esr1, esr2a, esr2b) and protein (ERα, ERβ) levels suggest that NP modulation of ER abundance may have a significant influence on hepatic events. Elevated expression of inflammatory markers (TLR4, p-NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and NOS2) and pro-apoptotic and necrotic regulators, e.g., Bax, caspase- 8, -9 and cleaved PARP1 (50 kDa), indicate chronic inflammation and hepatotoxicity in NP-exposed males. Collectively, elevated oxidative stress, metabolic dysregulation and immune modulation may lead to chronic liver injury in organisms exposed to metabolic disrupting chemicals.
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6
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Fetke JK, Martinson JW, Flick RW, Huang W, Bencic DC, See MJ, Pilgrim EM, Debry RW, Biales AD. DNA methylation and expression of estrogen receptor alpha in fathead minnows exposed to 17α-ethynylestradiol. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 233:105788. [PMID: 33662878 PMCID: PMC8317993 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105788] [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: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The gene expression response thought to underlie the negative apical effects resulting from estrogen exposure have been thoroughly described in fish. Although epigenetics are believed to play a critical role translating environmental exposures into the development of adverse apical effects, they remain poorly characterized in fish species. This study investigated alterations of DNA methylation of estrogen receptor alpha (esr1) in brain and liver tissues from 8 to 10 month old male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) after a 2d exposure to either 2.5 ng/L or 10 ng/L 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2). Changes in the patterns of methylation were evaluated using targeted deep sequencing of bisulfite treated DNA in the 5' region of esr1. Methylation and gene expression were assessed at 2d of exposure and after a 7 and 14d depuration period. After 2d EE2 exposure, males exhibited significant demethylation in the 5' upstream region of esr1 in liver tissue, which was inversely correlated to gene expression. This methylation pattern reflected what was seen in females. No gene body methylation (GBM) was observed for liver of exposed males. Differential methylation was observed for a single upstream CpG site in the liver after the 14d depuration. A less pronounced methylation response was observed in the upstream region in brain tissue, however, several CpGs were necessarily excluded from the analysis. In contrast to the liver, a significant GBM response was observed across the entire gene body, which was sustained until at least 7d post-exposure. No differential expression was observed in the brain, limiting functional interpretation of methylation changes. The identification of EE2-dependent changes in methylation levels strongly suggests the importance of epigenetic mechanisms as a mediator of the organismal response to environmental exposures and the need for further characterization of the epigenome. Further, differential methylation following depuration indicates estrogenic effects persist well after the active exposure, which has implications for the risk posed by repeated exposures..
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Fetke
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant at US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - J W Martinson
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
| | - R W Flick
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
| | - W Huang
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, United States
| | - D C Bencic
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
| | - M J See
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
| | - E M Pilgrim
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States
| | - R W Debry
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - A D Biales
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States.
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7
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Santangeli S, Consales C, Pacchierotti F, Habibi HR, Carnevali O. Transgenerational effects of BPA on female reproduction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 685:1294-1305. [PMID: 31272786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an abundant environmental contaminant and studies have shown the presence of BPA in the urine of over 90% of population tested in Canada and USA. In addition to its reported harmful effects, there is concern for its transgenerational effects. For a compound to induce transgenerational effect, an epigenetic mark should be mitotically and meiotically stable without reprogramming in primordial germ cells and post fertilization embryos. In the present study, female zebrafish were treated with an environmental dose (20 μg/L) of BPA and then crossed with untreated males. To assess epigenetic effects, transcript levels of several genes involved in female reproduction were measured in adult and in 24 hpf embryos up to F3 generation. Exposure to BPA affected adult female fertility up to F2 generation. In F0, F1 and F2 ovaries transcript levels for several genes involved in reproduction, including esr, star, lhcgr and fshr were affected. To investigate epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression modulation, we studied promoter DNA methylation. Among genes involved in gonadal differentiation, amh transcript level was reduced in 24 hpf embryos, up to the F3 generation. Variation in amh transcript level was associated with hyper-methylation of its promoter and changes in H3K4me3/H3K27me3 enrichment, coherent with gene silencing. The findings provide evidence for transgenerational effects of BPA in zebrafish and demonstrate that amh is susceptible to stable epigenetic alterations. CAPSULE: Transgenerational effects of BPA on female reproductive physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Santangeli
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Claudia Consales
- Laboratory of Biosafety and Risk Assessment, Division of Health Protection Technologies, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Pacchierotti
- Laboratory of Biosafety and Risk Assessment, Division of Health Protection Technologies, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy.
| | - Hamid R Habibi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Oliana Carnevali
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; INBB Consorzio Interuniversitario di Biosistemi e Biostrutture, 00136 Roma, Italy.
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8
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Romano SN, Gorelick DA. Crosstalk between nuclear and G protein-coupled estrogen receptors. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 261:190-197. [PMID: 28450143 PMCID: PMC5656538 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In 2005, two groups independently discovered that the G protein-coupled receptor GPR30 binds estradiol in cultured cells and, in response, initiates intracellular signaling cascades Revankar et al. (2005), Thomas et al. (2005). GPR30 is now referred to as GPER, the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor Prossnitz and Arterburn (2015). While studies in animal models are illuminating GPER function, there is controversy as to whether GPER acts as an autonomous estrogen receptor in vivo, or whether GPER interacts with nuclear estrogen receptor signaling pathways in response to estrogens. Here, we review the evidence that GPER acts as an autonomous estrogen receptor in vivo and discuss experimental approaches to test this hypothesis directly. We propose that the degree to which GPER influences nuclear estrogen receptor signaling likely depends on cell type, developmental stage and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon N Romano
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
| | - Daniel A Gorelick
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
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9
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Pease LI, Clegg PD, Proctor CJ, Shanley DJ, Cockell SJ, Peffers MJ. Cross platform analysis of transcriptomic data identifies ageing has distinct and opposite effects on tendon in males and females. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14443. [PMID: 29089527 PMCID: PMC5663855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14650-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of tendinopathy is influenced by a variety of factors including age, gender, sex hormones and diabetes status. Cross platform comparative analysis of transcriptomic data elucidated the connections between these entities in the context of ageing. Tissue-engineered tendons differentiated from bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells from young (20-24 years) and old (54-70 years) donors were assayed using ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq). Extension of the experiment to microarray and RNA-seq data from tendon identified gender specific gene expression changes highlighting disparity with existing literature and published pathways. Separation of RNA-seq data by sex revealed underlying negative binomial distributions which increased statistical power. Sex specific de novo transcriptome assemblies generated fewer larger transcripts that contained miRNAs, lincRNAs and snoRNAs. The results identify that in old males decreased expression of CRABP2 leads to cell proliferation, whereas in old females it leads to cellular senescence. In conjunction with existing literature the results explain gender disparity in the development and types of degenerative diseases as well as highlighting a wide range of considerations for the analysis of transcriptomic data. Wider implications are that degenerative diseases may need to be treated differently in males and females because alternative mechanisms may be involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise I Pease
- MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA), Liverpool, UK
| | - Peter D Clegg
- MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA), Liverpool, UK
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, The University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Carole J Proctor
- MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA), Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Daryl J Shanley
- MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA), Liverpool, UK
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Simon J Cockell
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Bioinformatics Support Unit, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Mandy J Peffers
- MRC - Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA), Liverpool, UK.
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, The University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.
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10
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Tohyama S, Ogino Y, Lange A, Myosho T, Kobayashi T, Hirano Y, Yamada G, Sato T, Tatarazako N, Tyler CR, Iguchi T, Miyagawa S. Establishment of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1)-knockout medaka: ESR1 is dispensable for sexual development and reproduction in medaka, Oryzias latipes. Dev Growth Differ 2017; 59:552-561. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Saki Tohyama
- Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences; University of Shizuoka; Shizuoka 422-8526 Japan
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience; Yokohama City University; Yokohama Kanagawa 236-0027 Japan
| | - Yukiko Ogino
- Faculty of Agriculture; Kyushu University; Fukuoka 812-8581 Japan
| | - Anke Lange
- Biosciences; College of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Exeter; Exeter EX4 4QD UK
| | - Taijun Myosho
- Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences; University of Shizuoka; Shizuoka 422-8526 Japan
| | - Tohru Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences; University of Shizuoka; Shizuoka 422-8526 Japan
| | - Yu Hirano
- Institute of Advanced Medicine; Wakayama Medical University; Wakayama 641-8509 Japan
| | - Gen Yamada
- Institute of Advanced Medicine; Wakayama Medical University; Wakayama 641-8509 Japan
| | - Tomomi Sato
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience; Yokohama City University; Yokohama Kanagawa 236-0027 Japan
| | - Norihisa Tatarazako
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research; National Institute for Environmental Studies; Tsukuba Ibaraki 305-8506 Japan
| | - Charles R. Tyler
- Biosciences; College of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Exeter; Exeter EX4 4QD UK
| | - Taisen Iguchi
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience; Yokohama City University; Yokohama Kanagawa 236-0027 Japan
| | - Shinichi Miyagawa
- Institute of Advanced Medicine; Wakayama Medical University; Wakayama 641-8509 Japan
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11
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Lu H, Cui Y, Jiang L, Ge W. Functional Analysis of Nuclear Estrogen Receptors in Zebrafish Reproduction by Genome Editing Approach. Endocrinology 2017; 158:2292-2308. [PMID: 28398516 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens signal through both nuclear and membrane receptors with most reported effects being mediated via the nuclear estrogen receptors (nERs). Although much work has been reported on nERs in the zebrafish, there is a lack of direct genetic evidence for their functional roles and importance in reproduction. To address this issue, we undertook this study to disrupt all three nERs in the zebrafish, namely esr1 (ERα), esr2a (ERβII), and esr2b (ERβI), by the genome-editing technology clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and its associated nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9). Using this loss-of-function genetic approach, we successfully created three mutant zebrafish lines with each nER knocked out. In addition, we also generated all possible double and triple knockouts of the three nERs. The phenotypes of these mutants in reproduction were analyzed in all single, double, and triple nER knockouts in both females and males. Surprisingly, all three single nER mutant fish lines display normal reproductive development and function in both females and males, suggesting functional redundancy among these nERs. Further analysis of double and triple knockouts showed that nERs, especially Esr2a and Esr2b, were essential for female reproduction, and loss of these two nERs led to an arrest of folliculogenesis at previtellogenic stage II followed by sex reversal from female to male. In addition, the current study also revealed a unique role for Esr2a in follicle cell proliferation and transdifferentiation, follicle growth, and chorion formation. Taken together, this study provides the most comprehensive genetic analysis for differential functions of esr1, esr2a, and esr2b in fish reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijie Lu
- Centre of Reproduction, Development, and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Yong Cui
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Liwen Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Ge
- Centre of Reproduction, Development, and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
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12
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Friesen CN, Ramsey ME, Cummings ME. Differential sensitivity to estrogen-induced opsin expression in two poeciliid freshwater fish species. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 246:200-210. [PMID: 28013033 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The sensory system shapes an individual's perception of the world, including social interactions with conspecifics, habitat selection, predator detection, and foraging behavior. Sensory signaling can be modulated by steroid hormones, making these processes particularly vulnerable to environmental perturbations. Here we examine the influence of exogenous estrogen manipulation on the visual physiology of female western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna), two poeciliid species that inhabit freshwater environments across the southern United States. We conducted two experiments to address this aim. First, we exposed females from both species to a one-week dose response experiment with three treatments of waterborne β-estradiol. Next, we conducted a one-week estrogen manipulation experiment with a waterborne estrogen (β-Estradiol), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (tamoxifen), or combination estrogen and tamoxifen treatment. We used quantitative PCR (qPCR) to examine the expression of cone opsins (SWS1, SWS2b, SWS2a, Rh2, LWS), rhodopsin (Rh1), and steroid receptor genes (ARα, ARβ, ERα, ERβ2, GPER) in the eyes of individual females from each species. Results from the dose response experiment revealed estradiol-sensitivity in opsin (SWS2a, Rh2, Rh1) and androgen receptor (ARα, ARβ) gene expression in mosquitofish females, but not sailfins. Meanwhile, our estrogen receptor modulation experiments revealed estrogen sensitivity in LWS opsin expression in both species, along with sensitivity in SWS1, SWS2b, and Rh2 opsins in mosquitofish. Comparisons of control females across experiments reveal species-level differences in opsin expression, with mosquitofish retinas dominated by short-wavelength sensitive opsins (SWS2b) and sailfins retinas dominated by medium- and long-wavelength sensitive opsins (Rh2 and LWS). Our research suggests that variation in exogenous levels of sex hormones within freshwater environments can modify the visual physiology of fishes in a species-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin N Friesen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Caitlin_Friesen
| | - Mary E Ramsey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Molly E Cummings
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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13
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Prykhozhij SV, Steele SL, Razaghi B, Berman JN. A rapid and effective method for screening, sequencing and reporter verification of engineered frameshift mutations in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2017; 10:811-822. [PMID: 28280001 PMCID: PMC5483001 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.026765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-based adaptive immunity against pathogens in bacteria has been adapted for genome editing and applied in zebrafish (Danio rerio) to generate frameshift mutations in protein-coding genes. Although there are methods to detect, quantify and sequence CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations, identifying mutations in F1 heterozygous fish remains challenging. Additionally, sequencing a mutation and assuming that it causes a frameshift does not prove causality because of possible alternative translation start sites and potential effects of mutations on splicing. This problem is compounded by the relatively few antibodies available for zebrafish proteins, limiting validation at the protein level. To address these issues, we developed a detailed protocol to screen F1 mutation carriers, and clone and sequence identified mutations. In order to verify that mutations actually cause frameshifts, we created a fluorescent reporter system that can detect frameshift efficiency based on the cloning of wild-type and mutant cDNA fragments and their expression levels. As proof of principle, we applied this strategy to three CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations in pycr1a, chd7 and hace1 genes. An insertion of seven nucleotides in pycr1a resulted in the first reported observation of exon skipping by CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations in zebrafish. However, of these three mutant genes, the fluorescent reporter revealed effective frameshifting exclusively in the case of a two-nucleotide deletion in chd7, suggesting activity of alternative translation sites in the other two mutants even though pycr1a exon-skipping deletion is likely to be deleterious. This article provides a protocol for characterizing frameshift mutations in zebrafish, and highlights the importance of checking mutations at the mRNA level and verifying their effects on translation by fluorescent reporters when antibody detection of protein loss is not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shelby L Steele
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3K 6R8
| | - Babak Razaghi
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3K 6R8
| | - Jason N Berman
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3K 6R8 .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2.,Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H4R2
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14
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Manshack LK, Conard CM, Bryan SJ, Deem SL, Holliday DK, Bivens NJ, Givan SA, Rosenfeld CS. Transcriptomic alterations in the brain of painted turtles ( Chrysemys picta) developmentally exposed to bisphenol A or ethinyl estradiol. Physiol Genomics 2017; 49:201-215. [PMID: 28159858 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00103.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental exposure of turtles and other reptiles to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including bisphenol A (BPA) and ethinyl estradiol (EE), can stimulate partial to full gonadal sex-reversal in males. We have also recently shown that in ovo exposure to either EDC can induce similar sex-dependent behavioral changes typified by improved spatial learning and memory or possibly feminized brain responses. Observed behavioral changes are presumed to be due to BPA- and EE-induced brain transcriptomic alterations during development. To test this hypothesis, we treated painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) at developmental stage 17, incubated at 26°C (male-inducing temperature), with 1) BPA (1 ng/µl), 2) EE (4 ng/µl), or 3) vehicle ethanol (control group). Ten months after hatching and completion of the behavioral tests, juvenile turtles were euthanized, brains were collected and frozen in liquid nitrogen, and RNA was isolated for RNA-Seq analysis. Turtles exposed to BPA clustered separately from EE-exposed and control individuals. More transcripts and gene pathways were altered in BPA vs. EE individuals. The one transcript upregulated in both BPA- and EE-exposed individuals was the mitochondrial-associated gene, ND5, which is involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Early exposure of turtles to BPA increases transcripts linked with ribosomal and mitochondrial functions, especially bioenergetics, which has been previously linked with improved cognitive performance. In summary, even though both BPA and EE resulted in similar behavioral alterations, they diverge in the pattern of neural transcript alterations with early BPA significantly upregulating several genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial activity, and ribosomal function, which could enhance cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey K Manshack
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Caroline M Conard
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Sara J Bryan
- Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Dawn K Holliday
- Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri
| | - Nathan J Bivens
- DNA Core Facility, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Scott A Givan
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Informatics Research Core Facility, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri; .,Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri; and.,Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
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15
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Peng C, Luo X, Xing Q, Sun H, Huang X. Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid Restores Estrogen Reduced-cTnI Expression in Neonatal Hearts of Mice. J Cell Biochem 2016; 117:2377-84. [PMID: 27379430 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Diastolic cardiac dysfunction can be caused by abnormality in cTnI expression during cardiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of estrogen on the abnormal expression of cTnI in the hearts of neonatal mice and its potential epigenetic mechanisms. We then evaluated suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a HDAC inhibitor, as a new target treatment of diastolic cardiac dysfunction. Postnatal day 0.5 C57BL/6 mice were injected with estrogen for 1 week, then the hearts of 7-day-old neonatal mice were retrieved for examination. The activities of HDAC and HAT were assayed by colorimetry, and the interaction of cTnI with HDAC5 in mice hearts were examined using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The expression of cTnI was tested by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. Estrogen treated groups displayed a significantly increased HDAC activity in the hearts of neonatal mice while HAT activity remained unchanged. Additionally, HDAC5 was higher at the cTnI promoter, as compared to the saline treated control groups. The acetylation of histone H3K9ac on cTnI promoter significantly decreased in the hearts of neonatal mice treated with estrogen, and the expression of cTnI at transcriptional and protein levels also decreased. SAHA was shown to increase the acetylation of histone H3K9ac and upregulate the expression of cTnI. The data demonstrated that SAHA can correct cTnI expression abnormality caused by estrogen through inhibiting the binding of HDAC5 to the promoter of cTnI. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2377-2384, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Peng
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiaomei Luo
- Department of Physiology, Zunyi Medical College, Guizhou, China
| | - Qianlu Xing
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Guizhou, China
| | - Huichao Sun
- Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xupei Huang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charlie E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
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16
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Cotter KA, Nacci D, Champlin D, Yeo AT, Gilmore TD, Callard GV. Adaptive Significance of ERα Splice Variants in Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) Resident in an Estrogenic Environment. Endocrinology 2016; 157:2294-308. [PMID: 27070100 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The possibility that chronic, multigenerational exposure to environmental estrogens selects for adaptive hormone-response phenotypes is a critical unanswered question. Embryos/larvae of killifish from an estrogenic-polluted environment (New Bedford Harbor, MA [NBH]) compared with those from a reference site overexpress estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) mRNA but are hyporesponsive to estradiol. Analysis of ERα mRNAs in the two populations revealed differences in splicing of the gene encoding ERα (esr1). Here we tested the transactivation functions of four differentially expressed ERα mRNAs and tracked their association with the hyporesponsive phenotype for three generations after transfer of NBH parents to a clean environment. Deletion variants ERαΔ6 and ERαΔ6-8 were specific to NBH killifish, had dominant negative functions in an in vitro reporter assay, and were heritable. Morpholino-mediated induction of ERαΔ6 mRNA in zebrafish embryos verified its role as a dominant negative ER on natural estrogen-responsive promoters. Alternate long (ERαL) and short (ERαS) 5'-variants were similar transcriptionally but differed in estrogen responsiveness (ERαS ≫ ERαL). ERαS accounted for high total ERα expression in first generation (F1) NBH embryos/larvae but this trait was abolished by transfer to clean water. By contrast, the hyporesponsive phenotype of F1 NBH embryos/larvae persisted after long-term laboratory holding but reverted to a normal or hyper-responsive phenotype after two or three generations, suggesting the acquisition of physiological or biochemical traits that compensate for ongoing expression of negative-acting ERαΔ6 and ERαΔ6-8 isoforms. We conclude that a heritable change in the pattern of alternative splicing of ERα pre-mRNA is part of a genetic adaptive response to estrogens in a polluted environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellie A Cotter
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
| | - Diane Nacci
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
| | - Denise Champlin
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
| | - Alan T Yeo
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
| | - Thomas D Gilmore
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
| | - Gloria V Callard
- Department of Biology (K.A.C., A.T.Y., T.D.G., G.V.C.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; and Office of Research and Development (D.N., D.C.), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
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17
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Tohyama S, Miyagawa S, Lange A, Ogino Y, Mizutani T, Ihara M, Tanaka H, Tatarazako N, Kobayashi T, Tyler CR, Iguchi T. Evolution of estrogen receptors in ray-finned fish and their comparative responses to estrogenic substances. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 158:189-197. [PMID: 26707410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, estrogens play fundamental roles in regulating reproductive activities through estrogen receptors (ESRs), and disruption of estrogen signaling is now of global concern for both wildlife and human health. To date, ESRs of only a limited number of species have been characterized. We investigated the functional diversity and molecular basis or ligand sensitivity of ESRs among ray-finned fish species (Actinopterygii), the most variable group within vertebrates. We cloned and characterized ESRs from several key species in the evolution of ray-finned fish including bichir (Polypteriformes, ESR1 and ESR2) at the basal lineage of ray-finned fish, and arowana (Osteoglossiformes, ESR1 and ESR2b) and eel (Anguilliformes, ESR1, ESR2a and ESR2b) both belonging to ancient early-branching lineages of teleosts, and suggest that ESR2a and ESR2b emerged through teleost-specific whole genome duplication, but an ESR1 paralogue has been lost in the early lineage of euteleost fish species. All cloned ESR isoforms showed similar responses to endogenous and synthetic steroidal estrogens, but they responded differently to non-steroidal estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) (e.g., ESR2a exhibits a weaker reporter activity compared with ESR2b). We show that variation in ligand sensitivity of ESRs can be attributed to phylogeny among species of different taxonomic groups in ray-finned fish. The molecular information provided contributes both to understanding of the comparative role of ESRs in the reproductive biology of fish and their comparative responses to EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Tohyama
- Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan; Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Shinichi Miyagawa
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.
| | - Anke Lange
- University of Exeter, Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Yukiko Ogino
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Takeshi Mizutani
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Masaru Ihara
- Research Center for Environmental Quality Management, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga 520-0811, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tanaka
- Research Center for Environmental Quality Management, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga 520-0811, Japan
| | - Norihisa Tatarazako
- Center for Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tohru Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Charles R Tyler
- University of Exeter, Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Taisen Iguchi
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.
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18
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Santangeli S, Maradonna F, Gioacchini G, Cobellis G, Piccinetti CC, Dalla Valle L, Carnevali O. BPA-Induced Deregulation Of Epigenetic Patterns: Effects On Female Zebrafish Reproduction. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21982. [PMID: 26911650 PMCID: PMC4766405 DOI: 10.1038/srep21982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the commonest Endocrine Disruptor Compounds worldwide. It interferes with vertebrate reproduction, possibly by inducing deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms. To determine its effects on female reproductive physiology and investigate whether changes in the expression levels of genes related to reproduction are caused by histone modifications, BPA concentrations consistent with environmental exposure were administered to zebrafish for three weeks. Effects on oocyte growth and maturation, autophagy and apoptosis processes, histone modifications, and DNA methylation were assessed by Real-Time PCR (qPCR), histology, and chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with qPCR analysis (ChIP-qPCR). The results showed that 5 μg/L BPA down-regulated oocyte maturation-promoting signals, likely through changes in the chromatin structure mediated by histone modifications, and promoted apoptosis in mature follicles. These data indicate that the negative effects of BPA on the female reproductive system may be due to its upstream ability to deregulate epigenetic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Santangeli
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.,INBB Consorzio Interuniversitario di Biosistemi e Biostrutture, 00136 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Maradonna
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.,INBB Consorzio Interuniversitario di Biosistemi e Biostrutture, 00136 Roma, Italy
| | - Giorgia Gioacchini
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Gilda Cobellis
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via S. Maria di Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Chiara Carla Piccinetti
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Luisa Dalla Valle
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Oliana Carnevali
- Dipartimento Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.,INBB Consorzio Interuniversitario di Biosistemi e Biostrutture, 00136 Roma, Italy
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19
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Bain PA, Papanicolaou A, Kumar A. Identification of Putative Nuclear Receptors and Steroidogenic Enzymes in Murray-Darling Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis) Using RNA-Seq and De Novo Transcriptome Assembly. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142636. [PMID: 26599404 PMCID: PMC4658143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Murray-Darling rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis [Castelnau, 1878]; Atheriniformes: Melanotaeniidae) is a small-bodied teleost currently under development in Australasia as a test species for aquatic toxicological studies. To date, efforts towards the development of molecular biomarkers of contaminant exposure have been hindered by the lack of available sequence data. To address this, we sequenced messenger RNA from brain, liver and gonads of mature male and female fish and generated a high-quality draft transcriptome using a de novo assembly approach. 149,742 clusters of putative transcripts were obtained, encompassing 43,841 non-redundant protein-coding regions. Deduced amino acid sequences were annotated by functional inference based on similarity with sequences from manually curated protein sequence databases. The draft assembly contained protein-coding regions homologous to 95.7% of the complete cohort of predicted proteins from the taxonomically related species, Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka). The mean length of rainbowfish protein-coding sequences relative to their medaka homologues was 92.1%, indicating that despite the limited number of tissues sampled a large proportion of the total expected number of protein-coding genes was captured in the study. Because of our interest in the effects of environmental contaminants on endocrine pathways, we manually curated subsets of coding regions for putative nuclear receptors and steroidogenic enzymes in the rainbowfish transcriptome, revealing 61 candidate nuclear receptors encompassing all known subfamilies, and 41 putative steroidogenic enzymes representing all major steroidogenic enzymes occurring in teleosts. The transcriptome presented here will be a valuable resource for researchers interested in biomarker development, protein structure and function, and contaminant-response genomics in Murray-Darling rainbowfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Bain
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Division of Land and Water, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Alexie Papanicolaou
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Division of Land and Water, Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Anupama Kumar
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Division of Land and Water, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
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20
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Tokarz J, Möller G, Hrabě de Angelis M, Adamski J. Steroids in teleost fishes: A functional point of view. Steroids 2015; 103:123-44. [PMID: 26102270 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are involved in the regulation of a variety of processes like embryonic development, sex differentiation, metabolism, immune responses, circadian rhythms, stress response, and reproduction in vertebrates. Teleost fishes and humans show a remarkable conservation in many developmental and physiological aspects, including the endocrine system in general and the steroid hormone related processes in particular. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge about steroid hormone biosynthesis and the steroid hormone receptors in teleost fishes and compares the findings to the human system. The impact of the duplicated genome in teleost fishes on steroid hormone biosynthesis and perception is addressed. Additionally, important processes in fish physiology regulated by steroid hormones, which are most dissimilar to humans, are described. We also give a short overview on the influence of anthropogenic endocrine disrupting compounds on steroid hormone signaling and the resulting adverse physiological effects for teleost fishes. By this approach, we show that the steroidogenesis, hormone receptors, and function of the steroid hormones are reasonably well understood when summarizing the available data of all teleost species analyzed to date. However, on the level of a single species or a certain fish-specific aspect of physiology, further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Tokarz
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Gabriele Möller
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabě de Angelis
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany; Member of German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jerzy Adamski
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany; Member of German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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21
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López-Muñoz A, Liarte S, Gómez-González NE, Cabas I, Meseguer J, García-Ayala A, Mulero V. Estrogen receptor 2b deficiency impairs the antiviral response of zebrafish. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 53:55-62. [PMID: 26133072 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Although several studies have demonstrated the ability of some endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs) to alter the physiology of zebrafish, the immune-reproductive interaction has received little attention in this species. In this study, we used a homozygous line carrying an insertion of 8 amino acids in the ligand-binding domain of the estrogen receptor 2b gene (esr2b) to further understand the role of estrogen signaling on innate immunity. Adult mutant fish showed distorted sexual ratios related with alterations in testicular morphology and supraphysiological testosterone and 17β-estradiol (E2) levels. Immunity-wise, although esr2b mutant fish showed unaltered antibacterial responses, they were unable to mount an effective antiviral response upon viral challenge. RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that mutant fish were able to induce the genes encoding major antiviral molecules, including Ifnphi1, Ifnphi2, Infphi3, Mxb and Mxc, and the negative feedback regulator of cytokine signaling Socs1. Notably, although esr2b mutant larvae showed a similar resistance to SVCV infection to their wild type siblings, waterborne E2 increased their viral susceptibility. Similarly, the exposure of adult wild type zebrafish to E2 also resulted in increased susceptibility to SVCV infection. Finally, the administration of recombinant Ifnphi1 hardly reversed the higher viral susceptibility of esr2b mutant zebrafish, suggesting that elevated socs1 levels impair Ifn signaling. All together, these results uncover an important role for E2 and Esr signaling in the fine-tuning of sexual hormone balance and the antiviral response of vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azucena López-Muñoz
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Sergio Liarte
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Nuria E Gómez-González
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Isabel Cabas
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Meseguer
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Alfonsa García-Ayala
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Victoriano Mulero
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
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22
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Chen S, Pu L, Xie F, Zou Z, Jiang Y, Han K, Wang Y, Zhang Z. Differential expression of three estrogen receptors mRNAs in tissues, growth development, embryogenesis and gametogenesis from large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 216:134-51. [PMID: 25863348 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The biological activity of estrogens in target organs is mainly mediated by estrogen receptors (ERs). Herein, we addressed the isolation and expression analysis of three nuclear estrogen receptors, namely LcERα, LcERβ1, and LcERβ2 from Larimichthys crocea by means of SMART-RACE, qRT-PCR, and in situ hybridization. Results in different tissues showed that both LcERα and LcERβ2 had the highest expression levels in female liver, followed by testis, but LcERβ1 expression level was significantly higher in testis and ovary than in other tissues. Expression of LcERα and LcERβ2 was significantly higher than LcERβ1 in female liver, and LcERβ2 was significantly higher than LcERα and LcERβ1 in male liver. Moreover, we analyzed the expression of LcERs in gonad and liver at three different growth stages during the same breeding season. Significant up-regulated expression of LcERα and LcERβ2 were found in female liver at 1000dph compared with at 270dph. The expression of LcERβ2 was prominently higher in male liver than LcERα, LcERβ1 and LcAR, while LcERβ1 was lower than other receptors in male and female liver at all the three stages. In ovary, LcERα at 270dph was lower than at 635dph and 1000dph, but had no significant change in testis. The two LcERβ subtypes and LcAR highly expressed in the early testis, and gradually decrease with the development of testis. In embryogenesis, a significant increase in the expression of LcERα and LcERβ2 were observed after appearance of optic vesicles phase (11.8hpf). LcERβ1 gradually decrease with the embryogenesis but increased dramatically at 1dph. Results of in situ hybridization showed that signals of LcERα and LcERβ1 mRNA were mainly detected in Stage I-Stage IV oocytes, as well as in follicle cells around the Stage II-Stage IV and degenerated oocytes. Signals of LcERβ2 were detected in the cytoplasm of Stage I and Stage II oocytes but not in the follicle cells of all oocytes stages. In parallel, LcERα and LcERβ1 were detected in all cell types of spermatogenesis, but in terms of LcERβ2, little or no signals were detected during spermatogenesis. Based on these results, we deduced that both LcERα and LcERβ2 play a major role in mediating the physiological effects of estrogen in female liver, and LcERβ2 maybe also play an important role in regulation of vitellogenesis in male liver. Differential expression of LcERs and LcAR imply their physiological functions during development and differentiation of gonad. The signals for LcERα and LcERβ1 in follicle cells suggested that the follicle cell maybe an important site of estrogen action, by which estrogens exert influences on the maturation oocytes and ovulation. Furthermore, the steroid hormones produced by follicle cells may be related to the differential distributions among ER subtypes. Besides, we deduced that LcERα and LcERβ1 rather than LcERβ2 may play a major role in spermatogenesis of croaker. However, the differential expression of LcERβ2 during gametogenesis also implicates its certain functions in mediating physiological process of estrogen action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Lulu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Fangjing Xie
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Zhihua Zou
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yonghua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Kunhuang Han
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Limited, Ningde 352103, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China.
| | - Ziping Zhang
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, State University of New York at Cobleskill, NY 12043, United States.
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23
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Koong LY, Watson CS. Rapid, nongenomic signaling effects of several xenoestrogens involved in early- vs. late-stage prostate cancer cell proliferation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.4161/23273747.2014.995003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Y Koong
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department; University of Texas Medical Branch; Galveston, TX USA
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24
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Kundu P, Li M, Lu R, Stefani E, Toro L. Regulation of transcriptional activation function of rat estrogen receptor α (ERα) by novel C-terminal splice inserts. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2015; 401:202-12. [PMID: 25451981 PMCID: PMC4312711 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Revised: 11/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α (ERα) mediates estrogen diverse actions on tissues. ERα gene has eight constitutively expressing exons and is known to have multiple isoforms generated by alternative initiation of transcription and splicing events including exon skipping. We have discovered two novel exons inserted between exon 5 and 6 of rat ERα that can add independently or in tandem 18 and 14 amino acids to the estrogen binding/activator function 2 domain of the receptor. Their transcript expression is three to six fold higher in heart compared to brain, aorta, liver, ovary and uterus. In heart, the new variants increased ~2 fold with animal growth from prenatal to adulthood, and had a minor increment in aged animals (28 months). Inclusion of these exons yields a receptor with practically no binding capacity for estrogen and reduced dimerization. The new variants show nuclear localization but are less efficient in binding to estrogen responsive elements (EREs) and failed to transcriptionally activate promoters containing EREs (mSlo, KCNE2). Thus, the new variants can regulate the wild-type receptor function and may contribute to the regulatory action of estrogen, especially in the maturing heart where they are more abundant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallob Kundu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Division of Plant Biology, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India.
| | - Min Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rong Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Enrico Stefani
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ligia Toro
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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25
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Cotter KA, Nacci D, Champlin D, Chuprin J, Callard GV. Cloning of multiple ERα mRNA variants in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus), and differential expression by tissue type, stage of reproduction, and estrogen exposure in fish from polluted and unpolluted environments. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2015; 159:184-197. [PMID: 25550165 PMCID: PMC4300264 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2014.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that alternative splicing could be an adaptive mechanism for populations subject to multi-generational estrogenic exposures, we compared estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) splicing variants in two populations of killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus): one resident in an estrogenic polluted environment (New Bedford Harbor, NBH, MA, USA) and one from a relatively uncontaminated reference site (Scorton Creek, SC, MA, USA). In total we identified 19 ERα variants, each with deletions of one or more coding exons. Four of the variants with potential functional relevance were analyzed by qPCR to test for population differences in expression by tissue type, site, sex, seasonal reproductive status and estrogen treatment. Significantly, a 5'-truncated short form variant (ERαS) was highly expressed in liver and ovary, and was associated with seasonal reproductive activity in SC but not NBH fish. Both ERαS and the full-length long variant (ERαL) were estrogen-inducible (ERαS>ERαL) but the induction response was lower in NBH than in SC fish. In contrast, NBH killifish were hyper-responsive to estrogen as measured by expression of two other estrogen responsive genes: vitellogenin (Vtg) and aromatase B (AroB). Most strikingly, two ERα deletion variants (Δ6 and Δ6-8), lacking ligand binding and activation function domains, were identified in a subset of NBH fish, where they were associated with reduced responsiveness to estrogen treatment. Together, these results support the hypothesis that alternative splicing of the esr1 gene of killifish could be an autoregulatory mechanism by which estrogen modulates the differential expression of ERα, and suggests a novel and adaptive mechanistic response to xenoestrogenic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellie A Cotter
- Boston University Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Diane Nacci
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Denise Champlin
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Jane Chuprin
- Boston University Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Gloria V Callard
- Boston University Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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26
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Reyhanian Caspillo N, Volkova K, Hallgren S, Olsson PE, Porsch-Hällström I. Short-term treatment of adult male zebrafish (Danio Rerio) with 17α-ethinyl estradiol affects the transcription of genes involved in development and male sex differentiation. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2014; 164:35-42. [PMID: 24747828 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) disturbs reproduction and causes gonadal malformation in fish. Effects on the transcription of genes involved in gonad development and function that could serve as sensitive biomarkers of reproductive effects in the field is, however, not well known. We have studied mRNA expression in testes and liver of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) males treated with 0, 5 or 25 ng/L EE2for 14 days. qPCR analysis showed that the mRNA expression of four genes linked to zebrafish male sex determination and differentiation, Anti-Mullerian Hormone, Double sex and mab-related protein, Sry-related HMG box-9a and Nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group number 1b were significantly decreased by 25 ng/L, but not 5 ng/L EE2 compared with the levels in untreated fish. The decreased transcription was correlated with a previously shown spawning failure in these males (Reyhanian et al., 2011. Aquat Toxicol 105, 41-48), suggesting that decreased mRNA expression of genes regulating male sexual function could be involved in the functional sterility. The mRNA level of Cytochrome P-45019a, involved in female reproductive development, was unaffected by hormone treatment. The transcription of the female-specific Vitellogenin was significantly induced in testes. While testicular Androgen Receptor and the Estrogen Receptor-alpha mRNA levels were unchanged, Estrogen receptor-beta was significantly decreased by 25 ng/L EE2. Hepatic Estrogen Receptor-alpha mRNA was significantly increased by both exposure concentrations, while Estrogen Receptor-beta transcription was unaltered. The decreased transcription of male-predominant genes supports a demasculinization of testes by EE2 and might reflect reproductive disturbances in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Reyhanian Caspillo
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden; Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Kristina Volkova
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden; Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Stefan Hallgren
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Inger Porsch-Hällström
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, SE-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
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27
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Aromatase, estrogen receptors and brain development in fish and amphibians. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1849:152-62. [PMID: 25038582 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Revised: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Estrogens affect brain development of vertebrates, not only by impacting activity and morphology of existing circuits, but also by modulating embryonic and adult neurogenesis. The issue is complex as estrogens can not only originate from peripheral tissues, but also be locally produced within the brain itself due to local aromatization of androgens. In this respect, teleost fishes are quite unique because aromatase is expressed exclusively in radial glial cells, which represent pluripotent cells in the brain of all vertebrates. Expression of aromatase in the brain of fish is also strongly stimulated by estrogens and some androgens. This creates a very intriguing positive auto-regulatory loop leading to dramatic aromatase expression in sexually mature fish with elevated levels of circulating steroids. Looking at the effects of estrogens or anti-estrogens in the brain of adult zebrafish showed that estrogens inhibit rather than stimulate cell proliferation and newborn cell migration. The functional meaning of these observations is still unclear, but these data suggest that the brain of fish is experiencing constant remodeling under the influence of circulating steroids and brain-derived neurosteroids, possibly permitting a diversification of sexual strategies, notably hermaphroditism. Recent data in frogs indicate that aromatase expression is limited to neurons and do not concern radial glial cells. Thus, until now, there is no other example of vertebrates in which radial progenitors express aromatase. This raises the question of when and why these new features were gained and what are their adaptive benefits. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nuclear receptors in animal development.
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