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Theodoridou D, Tsiantis CO, Vlaikou AM, Chondrou V, Zakopoulou V, Christodoulides P, Oikonomou ED, Tzimourta KD, Kostoulas C, Tzallas AT, Tsamis KI, Peschos D, Sgourou A, Filiou MD, Syrrou M. Developmental Dyslexia: Insights from EEG-Based Findings and Molecular Signatures-A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:139. [PMID: 38391714 PMCID: PMC10887023 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a learning disorder. Although risk genes have been identified, environmental factors, and particularly stress arising from constant difficulties, have been associated with the occurrence of DD by affecting brain plasticity and function, especially during critical neurodevelopmental stages. In this work, electroencephalogram (EEG) findings were coupled with the genetic and epigenetic molecular signatures of individuals with DD and matched controls. Specifically, we investigated the genetic and epigenetic correlates of key stress-associated genes (NR3C1, NR3C2, FKBP5, GILZ, SLC6A4) with psychological characteristics (depression, anxiety, and stress) often included in DD diagnostic criteria, as well as with brain EEG findings. We paired the observed brain rhythms with the expression levels of stress-related genes, investigated the epigenetic profile of the stress regulator glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and correlated such indices with demographic findings. This study presents a new interdisciplinary approach and findings that support the idea that stress, attributed to the demands of the school environment, may act as a contributing factor in the occurrence of the DD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Theodoridou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Christos-Orestis Tsiantis
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Angeliki-Maria Vlaikou
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Chondrou
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece
| | - Victoria Zakopoulou
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Pavlos Christodoulides
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Emmanouil D Oikonomou
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, School of Informatics & Telecommunications, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
| | - Katerina D Tzimourta
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece
| | - Charilaos Kostoulas
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Alexandros T Tzallas
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, School of Informatics & Telecommunications, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
| | - Konstantinos I Tsamis
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Peschos
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Argyro Sgourou
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece
| | - Michaela D Filiou
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Maria Syrrou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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2
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Mills-Koonce WR, Grewen K, O'Shea NG, Pearson B, Strange CG, Meltzer-Brody SE, Guintivano JD, Stuebe AM. The Mood, Mother and Child Study: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Study and Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e51132. [PMID: 37883133 PMCID: PMC10636628 DOI: 10.2196/51132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal depression affects >400,000 mother-child dyads in the United States every year and is associated with numerous adverse maternal and child developmental outcomes. Previous research implicates the dysregulation of oxytocin and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning in mothers and children as potential mechanisms mediating or moderating the transmission of risk associated with maternal depression. OBJECTIVE The Mood, Mother and Child study will examine the psychobiological sources of risk and resilience within mother-child dyads affected by maternal depression. This manuscript describes (1) the study rationale and aims, (2) the research design and procedures and how they were altered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) the data analysis plan to test the study hypotheses. METHODS This is a prospective longitudinal study with an embedded randomized controlled trial that examines (1) correlations among postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms, maternal and child oxytocin and HPA axis functioning, and child developmental outcomes and (2) the causal relationship between exogenous oxytocin and HPA reactivity. This study is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development with institutional review board approval. RESULTS Recruitment and data collection have commenced, and the expected results will be available in 2024. Analyses are presented for testing the proposed hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS The unique combination of a prospective longitudinal research design with an embedded randomized controlled trial will allow the Mood, Mother and Child study to apply a developmental lens to the study of maternal depression and anxiety symptoms from birth to middle childhood and the psychobiological mechanisms promoting risk and resiliency for both mother and child outcomes. This will be the first study that simultaneously evaluates (1) the role of oxytocin using multiple methodologies, (2) the causal relationships between exogenous oxytocin and HPA axis functioning among mothers with differing levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, and (3) the multiple mediating and moderating roles of parenting behaviors and maternal and child psychobiological characteristics. The goals of these aims are to provide insights into the psychobiological effects of oxytocin in women and inform future clinical trials to treat perinatal mood disorders. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03593473; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03593473. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/51132.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Roger Mills-Koonce
- School of Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Karen Grewen
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | | | - Brenda Pearson
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chelsea Grace Strange
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Samantha E Meltzer-Brody
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jerry Dolph Guintivano
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alison M Stuebe
- School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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3
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Stadtler H, Neigh GN. Sex Differences in the Neurobiology of Stress. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2023; 46:427-446. [PMID: 37500242 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
This review highlights the existing knowledge and data that explain the physiologic impacts of stress, especially pertaining to neurobiology, and how these impacts differ by sex. Furthermore, this review explains the benefits of interventions aimed at preventing or mitigating the adverse effects of stress, because of both the significant toll of stress on the body and the disproportionate impact of these changes experienced by women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Stadtler
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, 1101 East Marshall Street Box 980709, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gretchen N Neigh
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, 1101 East Marshall Street Box 980709, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
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4
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Mposhi A, Turner JD. How can early life adversity still exert an effect decades later? A question of timing, tissues and mechanisms. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1215544. [PMID: 37457711 PMCID: PMC10348484 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1215544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to any number of stressors during the first 1000 days from conception to age 2 years is important in shaping an individual's life trajectory of health and disease. Despite the expanding range of stressors as well as later-life phenotypes and outcomes, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Our previous data strongly suggests that early-life exposure to a stressor reduces the capacity of the immune system to generate subsequent generations of naïve cells, while others have shown that, early life stress impairs the capacity of neuronal stem cells to proliferate as they age. This leads us to the "stem cell hypothesis" whereby exposure to adversity during a sensitive period acts through a common mechanism in all the cell types by programming the tissue resident progenitor cells. Furthermore, we review the mechanistic differences observed in fully differentiated cells and suggest that early life adversity (ELA) may alter mitochondria in stem cells. This may consequently alter the destiny of these cells, producing the lifelong "supply" of functionally altered fully differentiated cells.
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Rubens M, Bruenig D, Adams JAM, Suresh SM, Sathyanarayanan A, Haslam D, Shenk CE, Mathews B, Mehta D. Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105079. [PMID: 36764637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment (CM) encompasses sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to domestic and family violence. Epigenetic research investigating CM has focused on differential DNA methylation (DNAm) in genes associated with the stress response, but there has been limited evaluation of the specific effects of subtypes of CM. This systematic review of literature investigating DNAm associated with CM in non-clinical populations aimed to summarise the approaches currently used in research, how the type of maltreatment and age of exposure were encoded via methylation, and which genes have consistently been associated with CM. A total of fifty-four papers were eligible for review, including forty-one candidate gene studies, eight epigenome-wide association studies, and five studies with a mixed design. The ways in which the various forms of CM were conceptualised and measured varied between papers. Future studies would benefit from assessments that employ conceptually robust definitions of CM, and that capture important contextual information such as age of exposure and subtype of CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie Rubens
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Dagmar Bruenig
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Jessica A M Adams
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Shruthi M Suresh
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Anita Sathyanarayanan
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Divna Haslam
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia; Parenting and Family Support Centre, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, USA
| | - Ben Mathews
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia; Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Divya Mehta
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia.
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Comtois-Cabana M, Barr E, Provençal N, Ouellet-Morin I. Association between child maltreatment and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood: The mediating and moderating roles of DNA methylation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280203. [PMID: 36634080 PMCID: PMC9836296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Prospective studies suggest that child maltreatment substantially increases the risk for depression in adulthood. However, the mechanisms underlying this association require further elucidation. In recent years, DNA methylation has emerged as a potential mechanism by which maltreatment experiences (a) could partly explain the emergence or aggravation of depressive symptoms (i.e., mediation) and/or (b) could increase (or decrease) the risk for depressive symptoms (i.e., moderation). The present study tested whether the methylation levels of nine candidate genes mediated and/or moderated the association between maltreatment experiences in childhood and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. The sample comprised 156 men aged between 18 and 35 years. Maltreatment experiences and depressive symptoms were assessed retrospectively using self-reported questionnaires. Methylation levels of nine candidate genes (COMT, FKBP5, IL6, IL10, MAOA, NR3C1, OXTR, SLC6A3 and SLC6A4), previously reported to be sensitive to early-life stress, were quantified from saliva samples. Maltreatment experiences in childhood were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Both maltreatment experiences and depressive symptoms were associated with the methylation levels of two genomic sites, which cumulatively, but not individually, explained 16% of the association between maltreatment experiences in childhood and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood. Moreover, maltreatment experiences in childhood interacted with the methylation levels of fourteen genomic sites, which cumulatively, but not individually, modulated the level of depressive symptoms in young male adults who were maltreated as children. However, none of these effects survived multiple testing correction. These findings bring attention to the cumulative effects of DNA methylation measured in several candidate genes on the risk of reporting depressive symptoms following maltreatment experiences in childhood. Nonetheless, future studies need to clarify the robustness of these putative cumulative effects in larger samples and longitudinal cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maude Comtois-Cabana
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emily Barr
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Isabelle Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Chalfun G, Araújo Brasil AD, Paravidino VB, Soares-Lima SC, Souza Almeida Lopes MD, Santos Salú MD, Barbosa E Dos Santos PV, P da Cunha Trompiere AC, Vieira Milone LT, Rodrigues-Santos G, Genuíno de Oliveira MB, Robaina JR, Lima-Setta F, Reis MM, Ledo Alves da Cunha AJ, Prata-Barbosa A, de Magalhães-Barbosa MC. NR3C1 gene methylation and cortisol levels in preterm and healthy full-term infants in the first 3 months of life. Epigenomics 2022; 14:1545-1561. [PMID: 36861354 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2022-0444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To describe NR3C1 exon-1F methylation and cortisol levels in newborns. Materials & methods: Preterm ≤1500 g and full-term infants were included. Samples were collected at birth and at days 5, 30 and 90 (or at discharge). Results: 46 preterm and 49 full-term infants were included. Methylation was stable over time in full-term infants (p = 0.3116) but decreased in preterm infants (p = 0.0241). Preterm infants had higher cortisol levels on the fifth day, while full-term infants showed increasing levels (p = 0.0177) over time. Conclusion: Hypermethylated sites in NR3C1 at birth and higher cortisol levels on day 5 suggest that prematurity, reflecting prenatal stress, affects the epigenome. Methylation decrease over time in preterm infants suggests that postnatal factors may modify the epigenome, but their role needs to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Chalfun
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Department of Neonatology, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Aline de Araújo Brasil
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Vitor Barreto Paravidino
- Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Social Medicine, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), 20550-013, Brazil
- Department of Physical Education & Sports, Naval Academy, Brazilian Navy, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20021-010, Brazil
| | - Sheila Coelho Soares-Lima
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Program, Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230-130, Brazil
| | | | - Margarida Dos Santos Salú
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | | | - Leo Travassos Vieira Milone
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rodrigues-Santos
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | | | - Jaqueline Rodrigues Robaina
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Lima-Setta
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Martins Reis
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
| | - Antônio José Ledo Alves da Cunha
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Prata-Barbosa
- Department of Pediatrics, D'Or Institute for Research & Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22281-100, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Perinatal Health, Maternity School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ, 22240-000, Brazil
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8
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Carpenter JR, Jablonski KA, Koncinsky J, Varner MW, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Joss-Moore LA. Antenatal Steroids and Cord Blood T-cell Glucocorticoid Receptor DNA Methylation and Exon 1 Splicing. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:1513-1523. [PMID: 35146694 PMCID: PMC9010373 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00859-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Antenatal administration of glucocorticoids such as betamethasone (BMZ) during the late preterm period improves neonatal respiratory outcomes. However, glucocorticoids may elicit programming effects on immune function and gene regulation. Here, we test the hypothesis that exposure to antenatal BMZ alters cord blood immune cell composition in association with altered DNA methylation and alternatively expressed Exon 1 transcripts of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene in cord blood CD4+ T-cells. Cord blood was collected from 51 subjects in the Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids Trial: 27 BMZ, 24 placebo. Proportions of leukocytes were compared between BMZ and placebo. In CD4+ T-cells, methylation at CpG sites in the GR promoter regions and expression of GR mRNA exon 1 variants were compared between BMZ and placebo. BMZ was associated with an increase in granulocytes (51.6% vs. 44.7% p = 0.03) and a decrease in lymphocytes (36.8% vs. 43.0% p = 0.04) as a percent of the leukocyte population vs. placebo. Neither GR methylation nor exon 1 transcript levels differed between groups. BMZ is associated with altered cord blood leukocyte proportions, although no associated alterations in GR methylation were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathleen A. Jablonski
- Milken School of Public Health, Biostatistics Center, George Washington University, Washington, D.C, USA
| | | | - Michael W. Varner
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | - Lisa A. Joss-Moore
- Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA,Corresponding author: Lisa Joss-Moore, Ph.D., University of Utah, Department of Pediatrics, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108, USA, Ph: 1-801-213-3494,
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9
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Williams MT, Khanna Roy A, MacIntyre MP, Faber S. The Traumatizing Impact of Racism in Canadians of Colour. CURRENT TRAUMA REPORTS 2022; 8:17-34. [PMID: 35345606 PMCID: PMC8943361 DOI: 10.1007/s40719-022-00225-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review While research has identified racial trauma in other contexts, it is often overlooked amongst Canadian society. Racial trauma occurs as a result of an event of racism or cumulative events over time whereby an individual experiences stress and consequent mental health sequelae. Given that the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Colour) population in Canada is increasing, it is imperative to identify racial discrimination and the subsequent stress and trauma associated with being racialized in Canada, which subjects BIPOC Canadians to various forms of racism, including microaggressions. Recent Findings This paper reviews the published literature on racism and racial discrimination that identifies or infers racial trauma as the source of the mental health implications for various groups (e.g., Indigenous people, Black Canadians, Asian Canadians, immigrants, and refugees). In addition, intersectionality of racialized persons is prominent to their psychological well-being as their psychosocial and socioeconomic position are complex. Therefore, this paper both provides insight into the Canadian experience as a person of colour and signifies the need for further research on racial trauma in a Canadian context. Summary Despite Canada’s emphasis on multiculturalism, racialized individuals are at risk for racial trauma due to prejudice and discrimination. The politicization of multiculturalism has permitted Canada to deny claims of racism, yet the historical basis of established institutions results in irrefutable systemic and systematic barriers for Canadian people of colour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monnica T Williams
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Vanier Hall, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Canada.,Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | | | - Marie-Paule MacIntyre
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Vanier Hall, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Canada
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10
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Soares S, Rocha V, Kelly-Irving M, Stringhini S, Fraga S. Adverse Childhood Events and Health Biomarkers: A Systematic Review. Front Public Health 2021; 9:649825. [PMID: 34490175 PMCID: PMC8417002 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.649825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This systematic review aimed to summarize evidence reporting epigenetic and/or neuro-immuno-endocrine embedding of adverse childhood events (ACEs) in children, with a particular focus on the short-term biological effect of those experiences. Methods: A search was conducted in PsycINFO®, PubMed®, Isi Web of Knowledge and Scopus, until July 2019, to identify papers reporting the short-term biological effects of exposure to ACEs. Results: The search identified 58 studies, that were included in the review. Regarding exposure, the type of ACE more frequently reported was sexual abuse (n = 26), followed by life stressors (n = 20) and physical abuse (n = 19). The majority (n = 17) of studies showed a positive association between ACEs and biomarkers of the immune system. Regarding DNA methylation 18 studies showed more methylation in participants exposed to ACEs. Two studies presented the effect of ACEs on telomere length and showed that exposure was associated with shorter telomere length. Conclusion: Overall the associations observed across studies followed the hypothesis that ACEs are associated with biological risk already at early ages. This is supporting evidence that ACEs appear to get “under the skin” and induce physiological changes and these alterations might be strongly associated with later development of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Soares
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vânia Rocha
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Michelle Kelly-Irving
- Faculty of Medicine Purpan, LEASP UMR 1027, Inserm-Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Silvia Stringhini
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Unit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sílvia Fraga
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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11
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Mourtzi N, Sertedaki A, Charmandari E. Glucocorticoid Signaling and Epigenetic Alterations in Stress-Related Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5964. [PMID: 34073101 PMCID: PMC8198182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is defined as a state of threatened or perceived as threatened homeostasis. The well-tuned coordination of the stress response system is necessary for an organism to respond to external or internal stressors and re-establish homeostasis. Glucocorticoid hormones are the main effectors of stress response and aberrant glucocorticoid signaling has been associated with an increased risk for psychiatric and mood disorders, including schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Emerging evidence suggests that life-stress experiences can alter the epigenetic landscape and impact the function of genes involved in the regulation of stress response. More importantly, epigenetic changes induced by stressors persist over time, leading to increased susceptibility for a number of stress-related disorders. In this review, we discuss the role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of stress response, the mechanism through which stressful experiences can become biologically embedded through epigenetic alterations, and we underline potential associations between epigenetic changes and the development of stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Mourtzi
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Amalia Sertedaki
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Evangelia Charmandari
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece; (N.M.); (A.S.)
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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12
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Parade SH, Huffhines L, Daniels TE, Stroud LR, Nugent NR, Tyrka AR. A systematic review of childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: candidate gene and epigenome-wide approaches. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:134. [PMID: 33608499 PMCID: PMC7896059 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment is a major risk factor for chronic and severe mental and physical health problems across the lifespan. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that maltreatment is associated with epigenetic changes that may subsequently serve as mechanisms of disease. The current review uses a systematic approach to identify and summarize the literature related to childhood maltreatment and alterations in DNA methylation in humans. A total of 100 empirical articles were identified in our systematic review of research published prior to or during March 2020, including studies that focused on candidate genes and studies that leveraged epigenome-wide data in both children and adults. Themes arising from the literature, including consistent and inconsistent patterns of results, are presented. Several directions for future research, including important methodological considerations for future study design, are discussed. Taken together, the literature on childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation underscores the complexity of transactions between the environment and biology across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H Parade
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa E Daniels
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Laura R Stroud
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nicole R Nugent
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Hays-Grudo J, Morris AS, Beasley L, Ciciolla L, Shreffler K, Croff J. Integrating and synthesizing adversity and resilience knowledge and action: The ICARE model. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2021; 76:203-215. [PMID: 33734789 PMCID: PMC8188569 DOI: 10.1037/amp0000766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
This article proposes a model for understanding the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as dynamic and interrelated biobehavioral adaptations to early life stress that have predictable consequences on development and health. Drawing upon research from multiple theoretical and methodological approaches, the intergenerational and cumulative adverse and resilient experiences (ICARE) model posits that the negative consequences of ACEs result from biological and behavioral adaptations to adversity that alter cognitive, social, and emotional development. These adaptations often have negative consequences in adulthood and may be transmitted to subsequent generations through epigenetic changes as well as behavioral and environmental pathways. The ICARE model also incorporates decades of resilience research documenting the power of protective relationships and contextual resources in mitigating the effects of ACEs. Examples of interventions are provided that illustrate the importance of targeting the dysregulated biobehavioral adaptations to ACEs and developmental impairments as well as resulting problem behaviors and health conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Hays-Grudo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, OSU Center for Health Sciences
| | | | - Lana Beasley
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University
| | | | - Karina Shreffler
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa
| | - Julie Croff
- Department of Rural Health, OSU Center for Health Sciences
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Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor promoter in children: Links with parents as teachers, early life stress, and behavior problems. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 34:810-822. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The present study examined the effect of early life stress (ELS) on the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) methylation, the associations between NR3C1 methylation and behavior problems, and the effect of the program Parents as Teachers (PAT) on NR3C1 methylation. Participants included 132 children, 72 assigned to the PAT intervention group and 60 to the PAT control group. Children were aged 3 years, and were living in psychosocially at-risk families. We assessed NR3C1 methylation of the NGFI-A binding regions of exon 1F via sodium bisulfite sequencing from saliva DNA. Results indicated that (a) children living in families receiving PAT had decreased methylation at one single cytosine–guanine dinucleotides (CpG) site; (b) current maternal depressive symptoms and parental disagreement were predictive of increased methylation of mean NGFI-A and three single CpG sites; and (c) increased methylation of mean NGFI-A and one single CpG site was significantly associated with increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In addition, mean NGFI-A was a mediator of the association between parental disagreement and a child's affective problems. These results suggest that PAT may contribute to preventing NR3C1 methylation in preschool children living in psychosocially at-risk situations, and confirm previous findings on the associations between ELS, NR3C1 methylation, and behavior problems.
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15
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Straight B, Fisher G, Needham BL, Naugle A, Olungah C, Wanitjirattikal P, Root C, Farman J, Barkman T, Lalancette C. Lifetime stress and war exposure timing may predict methylation changes at NR3C1 based on a pilot study in a warrior cohort in a small-scale society in Kenya. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23515. [PMID: 33058324 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Candidate gene methylation studies of NR3C1 have identified associations with psychosocial adversity, including war trauma. This pilot study (sample sizes from 22 to 45 for primary analyses) examined NR3C1 methylation in a group of Kenyan pastoralist young men in relation to culturally relevant traumatic experiences, including participation in coalitional lethal gun violence. METHODS Adolescent and young adult Samburu men ("warriors") were recruited for participation. DNA was obtained from whole saliva and methylation analyses performed using mass spectrometry. We performed a data reduction of variables from a standardized instrument of lifetime stress using a factor analysis and we assessed the association between the extracted factors with culturally relevant and cross-culturally comparative experiences. RESULTS Cumulative lifetime trauma exposure and forms of violence to which warriors are particularly susceptible were associated with DNA methylation changes in the NR3C1 1F promoter region but not in the NR3C1 1D promoter region. However, sensitivity analyses revealed significant associations between individual CpG sites in both regions and cumulative stress exposures, war exposure timing, and war fatalities. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the importance of NR3C1 methylation changes in response to challenging life circumstances, including in a global south cultural context that contrasts in notable ways from global north contexts and from the starkly tragic examples of the Rwandan genocide and war-associated rape explored in recent studies. Timing of traumatic exposure and culturally salient means to measure enduring symptoms of trauma remain important considerations for DNA methylation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilinda Straight
- Department of Anthropology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Georgiana Fisher
- Department of Statistics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Amy Naugle
- Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Charles Olungah
- University of Nairobi Institute of Anthropology, Gender & African Studies, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Cecilia Root
- Unaffiliated (Western Michigan University Department of Anthropology Alum), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Jen Farman
- Unaffiliated (Western Michigan University Department of Anthropology Alum), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Todd Barkman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
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16
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Li M, Fu X, Xie W, Guo W, Li B, Cui R, Yang W. Effect of Early Life Stress on the Epigenetic Profiles in Depression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:867. [PMID: 33117794 PMCID: PMC7575685 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders and has caused an overwhelming burden on world health. Abundant studies have suggested that early life stress may grant depressive-like phenotypes in adults. Childhood adversities that occurred in the developmental period amplified stress events in adulthood. Epigenetic-environment interaction helps to explain the role of early life stress on adulthood depression. Early life stress shaped the epigenetic profiles of the HPA axis, monoamine, and neuropeptides. In the context of early adversities increasing the risk of depression, early life stress decreased the activity of the glucocorticoid receptors, halted the circulation and production of serotonin, and reduced the molecules involved in modulating the neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Generally, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the regulation of non-coding RNAs programmed the epigenetic profiles to react to early life stress. However, genetic precondition, subtypes of early life stress, the timing of epigenetic status evaluated, demographic characteristics in humans, and strain traits in animals favored epigenetic outcomes. More research is needed to investigate the direct evidence for how early life stress-induced epigenetic changes contribute to the vulnerability of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiying Fu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wanxu Guo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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17
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Chubar V, Luyten P, Goossens L, Bekaert B, Bleys D, Soenens B, Claes S. The link between parental psychological control, depressive symptoms and epigenetic changes in the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1). Physiol Behav 2020; 227:113170. [PMID: 32956684 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This paper examines the relationship between parental Psychological Control (PC) and depressive symptoms in adolescents and assesses whether this relationship was mediated by DNA methylation, focusing on the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), which plays a crucial role in HPA-axis functioning and is linked to environmental stress and depression. This is among the very few studies that looked at the relation between DNA methylation, environmental stress and depression in family trios. METHODS The study cohort consisted of 250 families: father, mother and a biologically related adolescent (adolescents (48.9% boys), mean age: 15.14, SD= 1.9; mean age mothers: 45.83, SD= 4.2; mean age fathers: 47.77, SD= 4.7). Depressive symptoms and PC were measured in adolescents and in both parents. DNA methylation levels in NR3C1 were examined in all participants. RESULTS Depressive symptoms in adolescents were predicted by PC of both mothers and fathers. Moreover, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with maternal PC, and fathers' depressive symptoms and PC. In fathers, only the level of their self-reported PC was associated with their depressive symptoms. There was no relation between adolescents' DNA methylation and depressive symptoms or the level of parental PC. Yet, there was a significant association between maternal depressive symptoms and maternal epigenetic patterns in NR3C1. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the need for more research in order to better understand the biological and contextual mechanisms through which parenting and parental emotional well-being is related to the development of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Chubar
- KU Leuven, Mind-Body Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - P Luyten
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; University College London, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, London, UK
| | - L Goossens
- KU Leuven, School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - B Bekaert
- KU Leuven, University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Forensic Medicine, Laboratory of Forensic Genetics and Molecular Archaeology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - D Bleys
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - B Soenens
- Ghent university, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - S Claes
- KU Leuven, Mind-Body Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Combined neurodevelopmental exposure to deltamethrin and corticosterone is associated with Nr3c1 hypermethylation in the midbrain of male mice. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 80:106887. [PMID: 32348866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and manifests inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms in childhood that can last throughout life. Genetic and environmental studies implicate the dopamine system in ADHD pathogenesis. Work from our group and that of others indicates that deltamethrin insecticide and stress exposure during neurodevelopment leads to alterations in dopamine function, and we hypothesized that exposure to both of these factors together would lead to synergistic effects on DNA methylation of key genes within the midbrain, a highly dopaminergic region, that could contribute to these findings. Through targeted next-generation sequencing of a panel of cortisol and dopamine pathway genes, we observed hypermethylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, Nr3c1, in the midbrain of C57/BL6N males in response to dual deltamethrin and corticosterone exposures during development. This is the first description of DNA methylation studies of Nr3c1 and key dopaminergic genes within the midbrain in response to a pyrethroid insecticide, corticosterone, and these two exposures together. Our results provide possible connections between environmental exposures that impact the dopamine system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis via changes in DNA methylation and provides new information about the presence of epigenetic effects in adulthood after exposure during neurodevelopment.
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Cecil CAM, Zhang Y, Nolte T. Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:392-409. [PMID: 32081689 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) - an epigenetic process that regulates gene expression - may represent a mechanism for the biological embedding of early traumatic experiences, including childhood maltreatment. Here, we conducted the first systematic review of human studies linking childhood maltreatment to DNAm. In total, 72 studies were included in the review (2008-2018). The majority of extant studies (i) were based on retrospective data in adults, (ii) employed a candidate gene approach (iii) focused on global maltreatment, (iv) were based on easily accessible peripheral tissues, typically blood; and (v) were cross-sectional. Two-thirds of studies (n = 48) also examined maltreatment-related outcomes, such as stress reactivity and psychiatric symptoms. While findings generally support an association between childhood maltreatment and altered patterns of DNAm, factors such as the lack of longitudinal data, low comparability across studies as well as potential genetic and 'pre-exposure' environmental confounding currently limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Key challenges are discussed and concrete recommendations for future research are provided to move the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, University of Southampton; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tobias Nolte
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
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Holmes L, Shutman E, Chinaka C, Deepika K, Pelaez L, Dabney KW. Aberrant Epigenomic Modulation of Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1) in Early Life Stress and Major Depressive Disorder Correlation: Systematic Review and Quantitative Evidence Synthesis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16214280. [PMID: 31689998 PMCID: PMC6861987 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) induced by psychological trauma, child maltreatment, maternal separation, and domestic violence predisposes to psycho-behavioral pathologies during adulthood, namely major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and bipolar affective disorder. While environmental data are available in illustrating this association, data remain to be established on the epigenomic underpinning of the nexus between ELS and MDD predisposition. Specifically, despite the observed aberrant epigenomic modulation of the NR3C1, a glucocorticoid receptor gene, in early social adversity and social threats in animal and human models, reliable scientific data for intervention mapping in reducing social adversity and improving human health is required. We sought to synthesize the findings of studies evaluating (a) epigenomic modulations, mainly DNA methylation resulting in MDD following ELS, (b) epigenomic modifications associated with ELS, and (c) epigenomic alterations associated with MDD. A systematic review and quantitative evidence synthesis (QES) were utilized with the random effect meta-analytic procedure. The search strategy involved both the PubMed and hand search of relevant references. Of the 1534 studies identified through electronic search, 592 studies were screened, 11 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the QES, and 5 examined ELS and MDD; 4 studies assessed epigenomic modulation and ELS, while 2 studies examined epigenomic modulations and MDD. The dense DNA methylation of the 1F exon of the NR3C1, implying the hypermethylated region of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, was observed in the nexus between ELS and MDD, common effect size (CES) = 14.96, 95%CI, 10.06-19.85. With respect to epigenomic modulation associated with child ELS, hypermethylation was observed, CES = 23.2%, 95%CI, 8.00-38.48. In addition, marginal epigenomic alteration was indicated in MDD, where hypermethylation was associated with increased risk of MDD, CES = 2.12%, 95%CI, -0.63-4.86. Substantial evidence supports the implication of NR3C1 and environmental interaction, mainly DNA methylation, in the predisposition to MDD following ELS. This QES further supports aberrant epigenomic modulation identified in ELS as well as major depressive episodes involving dysfunctional glucocorticoid-mediated negative feedback as a result of allostatic overload. These findings recommend prospective investigation of social adversity and its predisposition to the MDD epidemic via aberrant epigenomic modulation. Such data will facilitate early intervention mapping in reducing MDD in the United States population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Holmes
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Biological Sciences Department, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
- College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
| | - Emily Shutman
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Biological Sciences Department, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 19041, USA.
| | - Chinacherem Chinaka
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Department of public health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
- Community Environmental Health Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
| | - Kerti Deepika
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
| | - Lavisha Pelaez
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
| | - Kirk W Dabney
- Nemours Healthcare System for Children, Translational Health Disparities Science Research Program, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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Holmes L, Chinaka C, Elmi H, Deepika K, Pelaez L, Enwere M, Akinola OT, Dabney KW. Implication of Spiritual Network Support System in Epigenomic Modulation and Health Trajectory. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E4123. [PMID: 31717711 PMCID: PMC6862316 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
With challenges in understanding the multifactorial etiologies of disease and individual treatment effect heterogeneities over the past four decades, much has been acquired on how physical, chemical and social environments affect human health, predisposing certain subpopulations to adverse health outcomes, especially the socio-environmentally disadvantaged (SED). Current translational data on gene and adverse environment interaction have revealed how adverse gene-environment interaction, termed aberrant epigenomic modulation, translates into impaired gene expression via messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) dysregulation, reflecting abnormal protein synthesis and hence dysfunctional cellular differentiation and maturation. The environmental influence on gene expression observed in most literature includes physical, chemical, physicochemical and recently social environment. However, data are limited on spiritual or religious environment network support systems, which reflect human psychosocial conditions and gene interaction. With this limited information, we aimed to examine the available data on spiritual activities characterized by prayers and meditation for a possible explanation of the nexus between the spiritual network support system (SNSS) as a component of psychosocial conditions, implicated in social signal transduction, and the gene expression correlate. With the intent to incorporate SNSS in human psychosocial conditions, we assessed the available data on bereavement, loss of spouse, loneliness, social isolation, low socio-economic status (SES), chronic stress, low social status, social adversity (SA) and early life stress (ELS), as surrogates for spiritual support network connectome. Adverse human psychosocial conditions have the tendency for impaired gene expression through an up-regulated conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) gene expression via social signal transduction, involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), beta-adrenergic receptors, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the glucocorticoid response. This review specifically explored CTRA gene expression and the nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1) gene, a glucocorticoid receptor gene, in response to stress and the impaired negative feedback, given allostatic overload as a result of prolonged and sustained stress and social isolation as well as the implied social interaction associated with religiosity. While more remains to be investigated on psychosocial and immune cell response and gene expression, current data on human models do implicate appropriate gene expression via the CTRA and NR3C1 gene in the SNSS as observed in meditation, yoga and thai-chi, implicated in malignant neoplasm remission. However, prospective epigenomic studies in this context are required in the disease causal pathway, prognosis and survival, as well as cautious optimism in the application of these findings in clinical and public health settings, due to unmeasured and potential confoundings implicated in these correlations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Holmes
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
- Biological Sciences Department, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
- College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Chinacherem Chinaka
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
- Public Health Department, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
- Community and Environmental Health Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
| | - Hikma Elmi
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
| | - Kerti Deepika
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
| | - Lavisha Pelaez
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
| | - Michael Enwere
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
- Public Health Department, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN 55401, USA
| | - Olumuyiwa T. Akinola
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
- Public Health Department, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
- Community and Environmental Health Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA
| | - Kirk W. Dabney
- Nemours Children’s Healthcare System, Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA; (C.C.); (H.E.); (K.D.); (L.P.); (M.E.); (O.T.A.); (K.W.D.)
- Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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22
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Ridout KK, Parade SH, Kao HT, Magnan S, Seifer R, Porton B, Price LH, Tyrka AR. Childhood maltreatment, behavioral adjustment, and molecular markers of cellular aging in preschool-aged children: A cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 107:261-269. [PMID: 31174164 PMCID: PMC7839663 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Childhood maltreatment is a major risk factor for the development of behavioral problems and poor physical and mental health. Accelerated cellular aging, through reduced telomere length and mitochondrial dysfunction, may be a mechanism underlying these associations. METHODS Families with (n = 133) and without (n = 123) child welfare documentation of moderate-severe maltreatment in the past six months participated in this study. Children ranged in age from 3 to 5 years, were racially and ethnically diverse, and 91% qualified for public assistance. Structured record review and interviews were used to assess a history of maltreatment and other adversities. Telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were measured from saliva DNA using real-time PCR. Measures were repeated at a six-month follow-up assessment. Repeated measures general linear models were used to examine the effects of maltreatment and other adversities on telomere length and mtDNAcn over time. RESULTS Maltreatment and other adverse experiences were significant positive predictors of both telomere length and mtDNAcn over time. Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were also both significantly associated with telomere length, but only internalizing symptoms were associated with mtDNAcn. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show that mtDNAcn is altered in children with stress and trauma, and the findings are consistent with recent studies of adults. Surprisingly, children who experienced moderate-severe levels of maltreatment in the prior six months had longer telomeres, possibly reflecting compensatory changes in response to recent trauma. Telomere length and mtDNAcn were also associated with behavioral problems, suggesting that these measures of cellular aging may be causally implicated in the pathophysiology of stress-related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn K. Ridout
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA,Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stevie Magnan
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA,Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lawrence H. Price
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA,Address Correspondence to: Audrey R. Tyrka, M.D., Ph.D., Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906. TEL: (401) 455-6520. FAX: (401) 455-6534.
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23
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Adzic M, Glavonic E, Nesic MJ, Milosavljevic M, Mihaljevic M, Petrovic Z, Pavlovic Z, Brkic Z, Francija E, Soldatovic I, Mitic M, Radulovic J, Maric NP. Glucocorticoid receptor alpha translational isoforms as mediators of early adversities and negative emotional states. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:288-299. [PMID: 30580022 PMCID: PMC6383671 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Childhood trauma (CT) increases the risk for psychopathology through disturbed acquisition and extinction of fear. The effects of CT are mediated by abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Since, the alterations in GRα translational isoforms have been documented in psychiatric disorders we sought to: 1) explore whether multiple GRα isoforms in the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two independent cohorts (whole cell n = 40; and nuclear extracts n = 43, adult subjects) mediate the effect of CT on negative affectivity (NA) measured by Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS), and 2) examine their role/function during fear extinction in the animal model. In multiple regression analysis, CT, nuclear 40-kDa GRα, their interactions and FKBP5 explained 22%-35% of variance in DASS scores. Structural equation modeling showed that CT had a significant direct effect on 40-kDa and DASS in both cohorts, and on the nuclear 25-kDa GRα. The association between 40-kDa and total DASS was significantly mediated by nuclear FKBP5, whereas on DASS anxiety, over FKBP5 in both cohorts and nuclear full length GRα. Nuclear 40-kDa GRα and its interaction with CT had a significant direct effect on DASS anxiety. In mice, the successful extinction learning was followed by nuclear translocation of 40-kDa GRα and induction of BDNF exon IV expression. Our data revealed that the association between CT and adult NA in non-clinical subjects is mediated by the GRα translational isoforms, in particular 40-kDa GRα, and emphasized its role in fear extinction and neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Adzic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Emilija Glavonic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica J Nesic
- Clinical Centre of Serbia, Clinic for Psychiatry, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Minja Milosavljevic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marina Mihaljevic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Clinical Centre of Serbia, Clinic for Psychiatry, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorica Petrovic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorana Pavlovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Clinical Centre of Serbia, Clinic for Psychiatry, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zeljka Brkic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ester Francija
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivan Soldatovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milos Mitic
- VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Nadja P Maric
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Clinical Centre of Serbia, Clinic for Psychiatry, Belgrade, Serbia
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24
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Folger AT, Ding L, Ji H, Yolton K, Ammerman RT, Van Ginkel JB, Bowers K. Neonatal NR3C1 Methylation and Social-Emotional Development at 6 and 18 Months of Age. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:14. [PMID: 30804765 PMCID: PMC6371639 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The variation in childhood social-emotional development within at-risk populations may be attributed in part to epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation (DNAm) that respond to environmental stressors. These mechanisms may partially underlie the degree of vulnerability (and resilience) to negative social-emotional development within adverse psychosocial environments. Extensive research supports an association between maternal adversity and offspring DNAm of the NR3C1 gene, which encodes the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). A gap in knowledge remains regarding the relationship between NR3C1 DNAm, measured in neonatal (1-month of age) buccal cells, and subsequent social-emotional development during infancy and early childhood. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of n = 53 mother-child dyads (n = 30 with developmental outcomes formed the basis of current study) who were enrolled in a home visiting (HV) program. Higher mean DNAm of the NR3C1 exon 1F promoter was significantly associated with lower 6-month Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) scores-more positive infant social-emotional functioning. A similar trend was observed at 18-months of age in a smaller sample (n = 12). The findings of this pilot study indicate that in a diverse and disadvantaged population, the level of neonatal NR3C1 DNAm is related to later social-emotional development. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonzo T. Folger
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Lili Ding
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Hong Ji
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Robert T. Ammerman
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Judith B. Van Ginkel
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Katherine Bowers
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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25
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Watamura SE, Roth TL. Looking back and moving forward: Evaluating and advancing translation from animal models to human studies of early life stress and DNA methylation. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 61:323-340. [PMID: 30426484 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Advances in epigenetic methodologies have deepened theoretical explanations of mechanisms linking early life stress (ELS) and disease outcomes and suggest promising targets for intervention. To date, however, human studies have not capitalized on the richness of diverse animal models to derive and systematically evaluate specific and testable hypotheses. To promote cross-species dialog and scientific advance, here we provide a classification scheme to systematically evaluate the match between characteristics of human and animal studies of ELS and DNA methylation. Three preclinical models were selected that are highly cited, and that differ in the nature and severity of the ELS manipulation as well as in the affected epigenetic loci (the licking and grooming, maternal separation, and caregiver maltreatment models). We evaluated the degree to which human studies matched these preclinical models with respect to the timing of ELS and of DNA methylation assessment, as well as the type of ELS, whether sex differences were explicitly examined, the tissue sampled, and the targeted loci. Results revealed <50% match (range of 8-83%) between preclinical models and human work on these variables. Immediate and longer-term suggestions to improve translational specificity are offered, with the goal of accelerating scientific advance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
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26
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Yehuda R, Lehrner A. Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry 2018; 17:243-257. [PMID: 30192087 PMCID: PMC6127768 DOI: 10.1002/wps.20568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews the research evidence concerning the intergenerational transmission of trauma effects and the possible role of epigenetic mechanisms in this transmission. Two broad categories of epigenetically mediated effects are highlighted. The first involves developmentally programmed effects. These can result from the influence of the offspring's early environmental exposures, including postnatal maternal care as well as in utero exposure reflecting maternal stress during pregnancy. The second includes epigenetic changes associated with a preconception trauma in parents that may affect the germline, and impact fetoplacental interactions. Several factors, such as sex-specific epigenetic effects following trauma exposure and parental developmental stage at the time of exposure, explain different effects of maternal and paternal trauma. The most compelling work to date has been done in animal models, where the opportunity for controlled designs enables clear interpretations of transmissible effects. Given the paucity of human studies and the methodological challenges in conducting such studies, it is not possible to attribute intergenerational effects in humans to a single set of biological or other determinants at this time. Elucidating the role of epigenetic mechanisms in intergenerational effects through prospective, multi-generational studies may ultimately yield a cogent understanding of how individual, cultural and societal experiences permeate our biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Yehuda
- James J. Peters Bronx Veterans Affairs Hospital, Bronx, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Lehrner
- James J. Peters Bronx Veterans Affairs Hospital, Bronx, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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27
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Abstract
AbstractThe question of whether and how the effects of cultural trauma can be transmitted intergenerationally from parents to offspring, or even to later generations, has evoked interest and controversy in academic and popular forums. Recent methodological advances have spurred investigations of potential epigenetic mechanisms for this inheritance, representing an exciting area of emergent research. Epigenetics has been described as the means through which environmental influences “get under the skin,” directing transcriptional activity and influencing the expression or suppression of genes. Over the past decade, this complex environment–biology interface has shown increasing promise as a potential pathway for the intergenerational transmission of the effects of trauma. This article reviews challenges facing research on cultural trauma, biological findings in trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, and putative epigenetic mechanisms for transmission of trauma effects, including through social, intrauterine, and gametic pathways. Implications for transmission of cultural trauma effects are discussed, focused on the relevance of cultural narratives and the possibilities of resilience and adaptivity.
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28
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NR3C1 hypermethylation in depressed and bullied adolescents. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:121. [PMID: 29921868 PMCID: PMC6008402 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0169-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The disruption of key epigenetic processes during critical periods of brain development can increase an individual's vulnerability to psychopathology later in life. For instance, DNA methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) in adulthood is known to be associated with early-life adversities and has been suggested to mediate the development of stress-related disorders. However, the association between NR3C1 methylation and the emergence of internalizing symptoms in childhood and adolescence has not been studied extensively. In the present report, we used saliva DNA from a cohort of Swedish adolescents (13-14 years old; N = 1149) to measure NR3C1 methylation in the exon 1F region. Internalizing psychopathological symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). We found that NR3C1 hypermethylation was cross-sectionally associated with high score for internalizing symptoms in the whole group as well as among the female participants. In addition, an analysis of social environmental stressors revealed that reports of bullied or lacking friends were significantly associated with NR3C1 hypermethylation. This cross-sectional association of NR3C1 exon 1F hypermethylation with internalizing psychopathology in adolescents, as well as with bullying and lack of friends are novel results in this field. Longitudinal studies are needed to address whether NR3C1 methylation mediates the link between social stressors and psychopathology in adolescence.
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29
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Kang HJ, Bae KY, Kim SW, Shin IS, Kim HR, Shin MG, Yoon JS, Kim JM. Longitudinal associations between glucocorticoid receptor methylation and late-life depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:56-62. [PMID: 29432878 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
It has been suggested that hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation plays a role in the etiology of depression. HPA axis function is mediated by glucocorticoid receptors (GRs), which are influenced by epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation). The association between the DNA methylation of the GR gene (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1; NR3C1) and late-life depression as well as the role of NR3C1 methylation in the prediction of the incidence of depression have not yet been investigated. Therefore, we examined the independent and longitudinal effects of the methylation of three CpG sites in exon 1F of NR3C1 on late-life depression using peripheral blood. In total, 732 Korean community residents aged ≥65 years were assessed; 521 individuals in this group without depression at baseline were followed 2 years later. The Geriatric Mental State Schedule was used to identify depression, and demographic and clinical covariates were evaluated. The effects of NR3C1 methylation (the individual methylation status of three CpG sites and their average values) on current and follow-up depression were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression model. Higher NR3C1 methylation levels at CpG 2 and 3 and the average methylation value were independently associated with the prevalence of depression at baseline. Additionally, a higher NR3C1 methylation level at CpG 2 was associated with depression incidence 2 years later in this population. These findings suggest an association between the methylation of NR3C1 exon 1F, especially at CpG 2, and depression later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee-Ju Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Yeol Bae
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Wan Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Seon Shin
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Ran Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Geun Shin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Sang Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Min Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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30
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Change in FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) methylation over time among preschoolers with adversity. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 29:1627-1634. [PMID: 29162173 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) alters stress response system functioning, and childhood maltreatment is associated with methylation of the FKBP5 gene. Yet it is unknown if maltreatment contributes to change in FKBP5 methylation over time. The current study draws upon a sample of 231 preschoolers, including 123 with child welfare documentation of moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months, to understand if maltreatment contributes to change in FKBP5 methylation over a 6-month period. Review of child protection records and semistructured interviews in the home were used to assess maltreatment and exposure to other contextual stressors, as well as service utilization. Methylation of FKBP5 at two CpG sites in intron 7 was measured from saliva DNA at the time of initial study enrollment, and 6 months following enrollment. Child maltreatment was associated with change in FKBP5 methylation over time, but only when children were exposed to high levels of other contextual stressors. Service utilization was associated with increases in methylation over time, but only among children with the FKPB5 rs1360780 protective CC genotype. Methylation of FKBP5 is sensitive to stress exposure and may be a mechanism linking early adversity to long-term health and developmental outcomes.
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31
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Kantake M, Ohkawa N, Iwasaki T, Ikeda N, Awaji A, Saito N, Shoji H, Shimizu T. Postnatal relative adrenal insufficiency results in methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene in preterm infants: a retrospective cohort study. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:66. [PMID: 29796117 PMCID: PMC5960186 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0497-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To investigate the relationship between early-life stress and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene methylation, which may result in long-lasting neurodevelopmental impairment, we performed a longitudinal analysis of the methylation ratio within the GR gene promoter 1F region using next-generation sequencing in preterm infants. Cell-free DNA was extracted from the frozen serum of 19 preterm birth infants at birth and at 1 and 2 months after birth. All were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital between August 2014 and May 2016 and suffered from chronic lung disease (CLD). Through bisulfite amplicon sequencing using an Illumina Miseq system and Bismark-0.15.0 software, we identified the rate of cytosine methylation. Results Patients’ sex and body weight standard deviation were extracted as the associated independent variables at birth. Sex, glucocorticoid administration for treating CLD, and postnatal invasive procedures (surgical operation and blood sampling) were extracted as the associated independent variables at 1 month. Methylation rates increased significantly between postnatal 1 and 2 months at 9 of the 39 CpG sites. Postnatal glucocorticoid administration to treat circulatory collapse was the most-associated independent variable with a positive regression coefficient for a change in methylation rate at these nine CpG sites. It also influenced the methylation ratio at 22 of the 39 CpG sites at 2 months of age. The standard deviation (SD) score at birth was extracted as an independent variable, with a negative regression coefficient at 9 of the 22 CpG sites together with glucocorticoid administration. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that a prenatal environment that results in intrauterine growth restriction and postnatal relative adrenal insufficiency requiring glucocorticoid administration leads to GR gene methylation. That, in turn, may result in neurodevelopmental disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Kantake
- 1Neonatal Medical Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1192 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295 Japan
| | - Natsuki Ohkawa
- 1Neonatal Medical Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1192 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295 Japan
| | - Tomohiro Iwasaki
- 2Division of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 3-1-3, Hongo, Bunkyo, 113-8421 Japan
| | - Naho Ikeda
- 1Neonatal Medical Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1192 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295 Japan
| | - Atsuko Awaji
- 1Neonatal Medical Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1192 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295 Japan
| | - Nobutomo Saito
- 1Neonatal Medical Center, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, 1192 Nagaoka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, 410-2295 Japan
| | - Hiromichi Shoji
- 2Division of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 3-1-3, Hongo, Bunkyo, 113-8421 Japan
| | - Toshiaki Shimizu
- 2Division of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 3-1-3, Hongo, Bunkyo, 113-8421 Japan
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32
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Cecil CA, Walton E, Jaffee SR, O’Connor T, Maughan B, Relton CL, Smith RG, McArdle W, Gaunt TR, Ouellet-Morin I, Barker ED. Neonatal DNA methylation and early-onset conduct problems: A genome-wide, prospective study. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:383-397. [PMID: 28595673 PMCID: PMC7612607 DOI: 10.1017/s095457941700092x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Early-onset conduct problems (CP) are a key predictor of adult criminality and poor mental health. While previous studies suggest that both genetic and environmental risks play an important role in the development of early-onset CP, little is known about potential biological processes underlying these associations. In this study, we examined prospective associations between DNA methylation (cord blood at birth) and trajectories of CP (4-13 years), using data drawn from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Methylomic variation at seven loci across the genome (false discovery rate < 0.05) differentiated children who go on to develop early-onset (n = 174) versus low (n = 86) CP, including sites in the vicinity of the monoglyceride lipase (MGLL) gene (involved in endocannabinoid signaling and pain perception). Subthreshold associations in the vicinity of three candidate genes for CP (monoamine oxidase A [MAOA], brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], and FK506 binding protein 5 [FKBP5]) were also identified. Within the early-onset CP group, methylation levels of the identified sites did not distinguish children who will go on to persist versus desist in CP behavior over time. Overall, we found that several of the identified sites correlated with prenatal exposures, and none were linked to known genetic methylation quantitative trait loci. Findings contribute to a better understanding of epigenetic patterns associated with early-onset CP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Esther Walton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Sara R. Jaffee
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Barbara Maughan
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Caroline L. Relton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK
| | | | - Wendy McArdle
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Tom R. Gaunt
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK
| | | | - Edward D. Barker
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
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33
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Tozzi L, Farrell C, Booij L, Doolin K, Nemoda Z, Szyf M, Pomares FB, Chiarella J, O'Keane V, Frodl T. Epigenetic Changes of FKBP5 as a Link Connecting Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors with Structural and Functional Brain Changes in Major Depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1138-1145. [PMID: 29182159 PMCID: PMC5854813 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The gene for the glucocorticoid receptor regulator FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) plays a role for risk, response to treatment, and changes in brain areas in major depressive disorder (MDD). Chronic stress is associated with lower methylation of FKBP5. Our aim was to investigate whether methylation of FKBP5 reflected exposure to childhood adversity in MDD and controls and whether it was associated with structure and function of emotional processing regions. FKBP5 intron 7 GR response element region methylation and rs1360780 allelic status were assessed from whole blood in 56 MDD adults and 50 controls. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed gray matter concentration of selected areas and their function during valence recognition of emotional images. Childhood adversity was investigated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. In MDD patients carrying the high-risk T allele of rs1360780, lower methylation of FKBP5 was predicted by childhood adversity (F=4.95, p=0.04). In all participants, lower FKBP5 intron methylation levels were associated with reduced gray matter concentration in the inferior frontal orbital gyrus bilaterally (Wald chi-square=11.93, pFDR<0.01) and, in MDD, with its bilaterally higher activation during valence recognition (Wald chi-square=5.58, p=0.02). Activation of this region, regardless of side, was found to be lower in MDD compared to controls (Wald chi-square=3.88, p=0.049) and to be inversely correlated with depression severity (Wald chi-square=4.65, p=0.03). Our findings support the hypothesis that, in genetically predisposed individuals carrying a high-risk variant of the gene, childhood maltreatment might induce demethylation of FKBP5. This is in turn associated with structural and functional changes in the inferior frontal orbital gyrus, a relevant area for the clinical symptoms of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Tozzi
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland,Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany,University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipzigerstr. 44, Magdeburg 39120, Germany, Tel: +4915225191188, Fax: +493916714229, E-mail:
| | - Chloe Farrell
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada,CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kelly Doolin
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Zsofia Nemoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Florence B Pomares
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada,CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Julian Chiarella
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada,CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Veronica O'Keane
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Dublin, Ireland,Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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Parent J, Parade SH, Laumann LE, Ridout KK, Yang BZ, Marsit CJ, Seifer R, Tyrka AR. Dynamic stress-related epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter during early development: The role of child maltreatment. Dev Psychopathol 2017; 29:1635-1648. [PMID: 29162170 PMCID: PMC5726533 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579417001298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics processes may play a vital role in the biological embedding of early environmental adversity and the development of psychopathology. Accumulating evidence suggests that maltreatment is linked to methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), which is a key regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, prior work has been exclusively cross-sectional, greatly constraining our understanding of stress-related epigenetic processes over time. In the current study, we examined the effect of maltreatment and other adversity on change in NR3C1 methylation among at-risk preschoolers to begin to characterize within-child epigenetic changes during this sensitive developmental period. Participants were 260 preschoolers (3-5 years old, 53.8% female), including 51.5% with moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. Child protection records, semistructured interviews, and parent reports were used to assess child stress exposure. Methylation of exons 1D and 1F of NR3C1 via saliva DNA were measured at two time points approximately 6 months apart. Results indicate that maltreated children evidence higher baseline levels of NR3C1 methylation, significant decreases in methylation over time, and then at follow-up, lower levels of methylation, relative to nonmaltreated preschoolers. Findings from the current study highlight the complex nature of stress-related epigenetic processes during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Parent
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
| | - Laura E. Laumann
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
| | - Kathryn K. Ridout
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
| | - Bao-Zhu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital
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Parade SH, Ridout KK, Seifer R, Armstrong DA, Marsit CJ, McWilliams MA, Tyrka AR. Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Promoter in Preschoolers: Links With Internalizing Behavior Problems. Child Dev 2016; 87:86-97. [PMID: 26822445 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that early adversity is linked to methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene, NR3C1, which is a key regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Yet no prior work has considered the contribution of methylation of NR3C1 to emerging behavior problems and psychopathology in childhood. This study examined the links between methylation of NR3C1 and behavior problems in preschoolers. Data were drawn from a sample of preschoolers with early adversity (n = 171). Children ranged in age from 3 to 5 years, were racially and ethnically diverse, and nearly all qualified for public assistance. Seventy-one children had child welfare documentation of moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. Structured record review and interviews in the home were used to assess early adversity. Parents reported on child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Methylation of NR3C1 at exons 1D , 1F , and 1H were measured via sodium bisulfite pyrosequencing from saliva DNA. Methylation of NR3C1 at exons 1D and 1F was positively associated with internalizing (r = .21, p < .01 and r = .23, p < .01, respectively), but not externalizing, behavior problems. Furthermore, NR3C1 methylation mediated effects of early adversity on internalizing behavior problems. These results suggest that methylation of NR3C1 contributes to psychopathology in young children, and NR3C1 methylation from saliva DNA is salient to behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ronald Seifer
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University.,E. P. Bradley Hospital
| | | | | | | | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University.,Butler Hospital
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Cunliffe VT. The epigenetic impacts of social stress: how does social adversity become biologically embedded? Epigenomics 2016; 8:1653-1669. [PMID: 27869483 PMCID: PMC5289034 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in the processes through which social stressors erode health in humans and other animals. Here I review progress in elucidating the biological pathways underlying the social gradient in health, with particular emphasis on how behavioral stresses influence epigenomic variation linked to health. The evidence that epigenetic changes are involved in embedding of social status-linked chronic stress is reviewed in the context of current knowledge about behavior within animal dominance hierarchies and the impacts of social position on behaviors that affect health. The roles of epigenetic mechanisms in responses to trauma and the evidence for their involvement in intergenerational transmission of the biological impacts of traumatic stress are also considered. Taken together, the emerging insights have important implications for development of strategies to improve societal health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent T Cunliffe
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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Childhood adversity and epigenetic regulation of glucocorticoid signaling genes: Associations in children and adults. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 28:1319-1331. [PMID: 27691985 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416000870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood experiences have lasting effects on development, including the risk for psychiatric disorders. Research examining the biologic underpinnings of these associations has revealed the impact of childhood maltreatment on the physiologic stress response and activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. A growing body of literature supports the hypothesis that environmental exposures mediate their biological effects via epigenetic mechanisms. Methylation, which is thought to be the most stable form of epigenetic change, is a likely mechanism by which early life exposures have lasting effects. We present recent evidence related to epigenetic regulation of genes involved in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation, namely, the glucocorticoid receptor gene (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 [NR3C1]) and FK506 binding protein 51 gene (FKBP5), after childhood adversity and associations with risk for psychiatric disorders. Implications for the development of interventions and future research are discussed.
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Methylation of the leukocyte glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter in adults: associations with early adversity and depressive, anxiety and substance-use disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e848. [PMID: 27378548 PMCID: PMC4969762 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early adversity increases risk for developing psychopathology. Epigenetic modification of stress reactivity genes is a likely mechanism contributing to this risk. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene is of particular interest because of the regulatory role of the GR in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Mounting evidence suggests that early adversity is associated with GR promoter methylation and gene expression. Few studies have examined links between GR promoter methylation and psychopathology, and findings to date have been mixed. Healthy adult participants (N=340) who were free of psychotropic medications reported on their childhood experiences of maltreatment and parental death and desertion. Lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders and past substance-use disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Methylation of exon 1F of the GR gene (NR3C1) was examined in leukocyte DNA via pyrosequencing. On a separate day, a subset of the participants (n=231) completed the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Childhood adversity and a history of past substance-use disorder and current or past depressive or anxiety disorders were associated with lower levels of NR3C1 promoter methylation across the region as a whole and at individual CpG sites (P<0.05). The number of adversities was negatively associated with NR3C1 methylation in participants with no lifetime disorder (P=0.018), but not in those with a lifetime disorder. GR promoter methylation was linked to altered cortisol responses to the Dex/CRH test (P<0.05). This study presents evidence of reduced methylation of NR3C1 in association with childhood maltreatment and depressive, anxiety and substance-use disorders in adults. This finding stands in contrast to our prior work, but is consistent with emerging findings, suggesting complexity in the regulation of this gene.
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Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that alterations of the stress response system may be a mechanism by which childhood maltreatment alters risk for psychopathology. FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5) binds to the glucocorticoid receptor and alters its ability to respond to stress signaling. The aim of the present study was to examine methylation of the FKBP5 gene (FKBP5), and the role of an FKBP5 genetic variant, in relation to childhood maltreatment in a sample of impoverished preschool-aged children. One hundred seventy-four families participated in this study, including 69 with child welfare documentation of moderate to severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. The children, who ranged in age from 3 to 5 years, were racially and ethnically diverse. Structured record review and interviews in the home were used to assess a history of maltreatment, other traumas, and contextual life stressors; and a composite variable assessed the number exposures to these adversities. Methylation of two sites in intron 7 of FKBP5 was measured via sodium bisulfite pyrosequencing. Maltreated children had significantly lower levels of methylation at both CpG sites (p < .05). Lifetime contextual stress exposure showed a trend for lower levels of methylation at one of the sites, and a trend for an interaction with the FKBP5 polymorphism. A composite adversity variable was associated with lower levels of methylation at one of the sites as well (p < .05). FKBP5 alters glucocorticoid receptor responsiveness, and FKBP5 gene methylation may be a mechanism of the biobehavioral effects of adverse exposures in young children.
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Abstract
Epigenetics provides the opportunity to revolutionize our understanding of the role of genetics and the environment in explaining human behavior, although the use of epigenetics to study human behavior is just beginning. In this introduction, the authors present the basics of epigenetics in a way that is designed to make this exciting field accessible to a wide readership. The authors describe the history of human behavioral epigenetic research in the context of other disciplines and graphically illustrate the burgeoning of research in the application of epigenetic methods and principles to the study of human behavior. The role of epigenetics in normal embryonic development and the influence of biological and environmental factors altering behavior through epigenetic mechanisms and developmental programming are discussed. Some basic approaches to the study of epigenetics are reviewed. The authors conclude with a discussion of challenges and opportunities, including intervention, as the field of human behavioral epigenetics continue to grow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry M Lester
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
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Cowan CSM, Callaghan BL, Kan JM, Richardson R. The lasting impact of early-life adversity on individuals and their descendants: potential mechanisms and hope for intervention. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 15:155-68. [PMID: 26482536 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The adverse effects of early-life stress are pervasive, with well-established mental and physical health consequences for exposed individuals. The impact of early adverse experiences is also highly persistent, with documented increases in risk for mental illness across the life span that are accompanied by stable alterations in neural function and hormonal responses to stress. Here, we review some of these 'stress phenotypes', with a focus on intermediary factors that may signal risk for long-term mental health outcomes, such as altered development of the fear regulation system. Intriguingly, recent research suggests that such stress phenotypes may persist even beyond the life span of the individuals, with consequences for their offspring and grand-offspring. Phenotypic characteristics may be transmitted to future generations via either the matriline or the patriline, a phenomenon that has been demonstrated in both human and animal studies. In this review, we highlight behavioral and epigenetic factors that may contribute to this multigenerational transmission and discuss the potential of various treatment approaches that may halt the cycle of stress phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S M Cowan
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - B L Callaghan
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - J M Kan
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - R Richardson
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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