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Huffhines L, Parade SH, Martin SE, Gottipaty A, Kavanaugh B, Spirito A, Boekamp JR. Early childhood trauma exposure and neurocognitive and emotional processes: Associations in young children in a partial hospital program. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38711378 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000956] [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] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Early childhood trauma has been linked to neurocognitive and emotional processing deficits in older children, yet much less is known about these associations in young children. Early childhood is an important developmental period in which to examine relations between trauma and executive functioning/emotion reactivity, given that these capacities are rapidly developing and are potential transdiagnostic factors implicated in the development of psychopathology. This cross-sectional study examined associations between cumulative trauma, interpersonal trauma, and components of executive functioning, episodic memory, and emotion reactivity, conceptualized using the RDoC framework and assessed with observational and performance-based measures, in a sample of 90 children (ages 4-7) admitted to a partial hospital program. Children who had experienced two or more categories of trauma had lower scores in episodic memory, global cognition, and inhibitory control as measured in a relational (but not computerized) task, when compared to children with less or no trauma. Interpersonal trauma was similarly associated with global cognition and relational inhibitory control. Family contextual factors did not moderate associations. Findings support examining inhibitory control in both relationally significant and decontextualized paradigms in early childhood, and underscore the importance of investigating multiple neurocognitive and emotional processes simultaneously to identify potential targets for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Huffhines
- 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, Riverside, 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, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Sarah E Martin
- Department of Psychology, Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Anjali Gottipaty
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Brian Kavanaugh
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
| | - Anthony Spirito
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - John R Boekamp
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Riverside, RI, USA
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Coe JL, Daniels T, Huffhines L, Seifer R, Marsit CJ, Kao HT, Porton B, Parade SH, Tyrka AR. Examining the Biological Impacts of Parent-Child Relationship Dynamics on Preschool-Aged Children who have Experienced Adversity. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22463. [PMID: 38601953 PMCID: PMC11003752 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Parent-child relationship dynamics have been shown to predict socioemotional and behavioral outcomes for children, but little is known about how they may affect biological development. The aim of this study was to test if observational assessments of parent-child relationship dynamics (cohesion, enmeshment, and disengagement) were associated with three biological indices of early life adversity and downstream health risk: (1) methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), (2) telomere attrition, and (3) mitochondrial biogenesis, indexed by mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), all of which were measured in children's saliva. We tested hypotheses using a sample of 254 preschool-aged children (M age = 51.04 months) with and without child welfare-substantiated maltreatment (52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) who were racially and ethnically diverse (17% Black, 40% White, 23% biracial, and 20% other races; 45% Hispanic) and from primarily low-income backgrounds (91% qualified for public assistance). Results of path analyses revealed that: (1) higher parent-child cohesion was associated with lower levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and longer telomeres, and (2) higher parent-child disengagement was associated with higher levels of methylation of NR3C1 exon 1D and shorter telomeres. Results suggest that parent-child relationship dynamics may have distinct biological effects on children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa Daniels
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hung-Teh Kao
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barbara Porton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H. Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R. Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR Initiative), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Großmann NL, Weihs A, Kühn L, Sauer S, Röh S, Wiechmann T, Rex-Haffner M, Völzke H, Völker U, Binder EB, Teumer A, Homuth G, Klinger-König J, Grabe HJ. Methylation Patterns of the FKBP5 Gene in Association with Childhood Maltreatment and Depressive Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1485. [PMID: 38338761 PMCID: PMC10855893 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for adult depression and has been associated with changes in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, including cortisol secretion and methylation of the FKBP5 gene. Furthermore, associations between depression and HPA changes have been reported. This study investigated the associations of whole-blood FKBP5 mRNA levels, serum cortisol levels, childhood maltreatment, and depressive symptoms with the whole-blood methylation status (assessed via target bisulfite sequencing) of 105 CpGs at the FKBP5 locus using data from the general population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) (N = 203). Both direct and interaction effects with the rs1360780 single-nucleotide polymorphism were investigated. Nominally significant associations of main effects on methylation of a single CpG site were observed at intron 3, intron 7, and the 3'-end of the gene. Additionally, methylation at two clusters at the 3'-end and intron 7 were nominally associated with childhood maltreatment × rs1360780 and depressive symptoms × rs1360780, respectively. The results add to the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence of depression and could aid the development of personalised depression therapy and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora L Großmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Antoine Weihs
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Luise Kühn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Röh
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Wiechmann
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Monika Rex-Haffner
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Henry Völzke
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alexander Teumer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georg Homuth
- Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Johanna Klinger-König
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hans J Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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Seo JH, Kim ST, Jeon S, Kang JI, Kim SJ. Sex-dependent association of DNA methylation of HPA axis-related gene FKBP5 with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 158:106404. [PMID: 37769537 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Although hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been reported, epigenetic changes in HPA axis-related genes have not been well studied in OCD. The present study investigated whether the epigenetic regulation of FK506-binding protein 51 gene (FKBP5) intron 7 is associated with OCD status in each sex. In addition, relationships among the DNA methylation levels of FKBP5 intron 7, OCD status and early-life trauma were explored. METHODS A total of 267 patients with OCD and 201 controls aged between 18 and 40 years were recruited. Demographic and clinical assessment, FKBP5 rs1360780 genotyping, and pyrosequencing of FKBP5 intron 7 were conducted. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes. First, multivariate analysis of covariance for differential DNA methylation levels between OCD patients and controls was conducted with adjustment for FKBP5 rs1360780 genotype, early-life trauma, depressive symptoms, and age as covariates in each sex. Next, path analysis was conducted to determine the mediation effects of DNA methylation levels of FKBP5 between early-life trauma and OCD status. In addition, sensitivity analyses for medication and lifetime major depression were also performed. RESULTS DNA methylation at the FKBP5 intron 7 CpG site was significantly lower in men with OCD, compared to controls (mean difference -1.33%, 95% CI -2.11 to -0.55, p < 0.001). The results remained significant for drug naïve or free subjects (mean difference -1.27%, 95% CI -2.18 to -0.37, p = 0.006, in men) and for subjects without lifetime major depressive disorder (mean difference -1.60%, 95% CI -2.54 to -0.66, p < 0.001, in men). The mediation effect of DNA methylation levels was not significant between early-life trauma and OCD status. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that epigenetic factors of HPA axis-related gene FKBP5 may play a role in the pathogenesis of OCD. Further studies are needed to determine how altered DNA methylation of FKBP5 intron 7 and HPA axis function are involved in OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ho Seo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea; Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Shin Tae Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sumoa Jeon
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jee In Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Se Joo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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Scorza P, Duarte CS, Lee S, Wu H, Posner J, Baccarelli A, Monk C. Stage 2 Registered Report: Epigenetic Intergenerational Transmission: Mothers' Adverse Childhood Experiences and DNA Methylation. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 62:1110-1122. [PMID: 37330044 PMCID: PMC10594411 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individual differences in risk for mental disorders over the lifespan are shaped by forces acting before the individual is born-in utero, but likely even earlier, during the mother's own childhood. The environmental epigenetics hypothesis proposes that sustained effects of environmental conditions on gene expression are mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Recent human studies have shown that adversities in childhood are correlated with DNA methylation (DNAm) in adulthood. In the current study, we tested the following pre-registered hypotheses: Mothers' adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are correlated with DNAm in peripheral blood during pregnancy (hypothesis 1) and in cord blood samples from newborn infants (hypothesis 2), and women's depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy mediate the association between mothers' ACE exposure and prenatal/neonatal DNA methylation (hypothesis 3). METHOD Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Accessible Resource for Integrated Epigenomic Studies substudy. Women provided retrospective self-reports during pregnancy of ACE exposure. We conducted an epigenome-wide association study testing whether mothers' ACE exposure, cumulative score (0-10), was associated with DNAm in maternal antenatal blood and infant cord blood in more than 450,000 CpG (point on DNA sequence where cytosine and guanine base pairs are linked by a phosphate, where methylation usually occurs) sites on the Illumina 450K BeadChip. Analyses for cord blood were separated by infant sex, a pre-registered analysis. RESULTS Hypothesis 1: In 896 mother-infant pairs with available methylation and ACE exposure data, there were no significant associations between mothers' ACE score and DNAm from antenatal peripheral blood, after controlling for covariates. Hypothesis 2: In infant cord blood, there were 5 CpG sites significantly differentially methylated in relation to mothers' ACEs (false discovery rate [FDR] < .05), but only in male offspring. Effect sizes were medium, with partial eta squared values ranging from 0.060 to 0.078. CpG sites were in genes related to mitochondrial function and neuronal development in the cerebellum. Hypothesis 3: There was no mediation by maternal anxiety/depression symptoms found between mothers' ACEs score and DNAm in the significant CpG sites in male cord blood. Mediation was not tested in antenatal peripheral blood, because no direct association between mothers' ACE score and antenatal peripheral blood was found. CONCLUSION Our results show that mothers' ACE exposure is associated with DNAm in male offspring, supporting the notion that DNAm could be a marker of intergenerational biological embedding of mothers' childhood adversity. STUDY REGISTRATION INFORMATION Epigenetic Intergenerational Transmission: Mothers' Adverse Childhood Experiences and DNA Methylation; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.03.008.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Scorza
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.
| | - Cristiane S Duarte
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York; Columbia University, New York
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York; Columbia University, New York
| | - Haotian Wu
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York
| | - Jonathan Posner
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York; Columbia University, New York
| | | | - Catherine Monk
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York
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Carpentieri V, Cugno S, Lockic K, Pascale E, Adriani W. DAT1 5'-Un-Translated-Region Methylation Patterns as Bio-Markers of ADHD Psycho-Pathology: Contribution to Disease Prognosis and to Monitoring of a Successful Therapy. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2546. [PMID: 37760987 PMCID: PMC10526158 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092546] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, such as changes in DNA methylation, have been linked to several diseases in recent years. The purpose of our study was to search for biomarkers that (using non-invasive techniques) could assist the clinician in the prognosis of infant/adolescent psychopathology. We previously showed that changes in methylation of the 5'-UTR in the DAT1/SLC6A3 gene can be used as a biomarker for the prognosis of initial severe ADHD: treatment-resistant severe ADHD children were characterized by methylated CpG 1 in particular, while methylated CpGs 2 and 6 were then found in children who improved after the therapy. Further, we confirmed these outcomes and provided the hypothesis that symptomatology might be influenced by the children's genotype and family environment. In particular, levels of CpG 3 methylation in the heterozygous ADHD children were associated with high paternal own risk or stress. Eventually, we found that the same biomarkers are more broadly useful in the field of internalizing or externalizing symptoms (when a certain vulnerability is already present in the child). In particular, it was seen how inheriting specific 9-repeat or 10-repeat VNTR alleles from the mother or from the father could modify the pattern of methylation at the 5'-UTR of the DAT1 gene. A specific pattern of methylations (with CpG 2 following either CpGs 1 + 3 or CpG 6 at the DAT1 5'-UTR) has been associated, therefore, with the likelihood of an internalizing or externalizing developmental trajectory entailing ADHD-like psycho-pathological characteristics. Since each individual responds differently to a specific treatment, we suggest that these methylation patterns may be used as biomarkers to monitor the outcome and/or predict the success of a given therapy (personalized medicine).
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Carpentieri
- Center for Behavioral Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, I-00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Silvia Cugno
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, I-00186 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (K.L.)
| | - Katarina Lockic
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, I-00186 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (K.L.)
| | - Esterina Pascale
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, I-00162 Rome, Italy;
| | - Walter Adriani
- Center for Behavioral Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, I-00161 Rome, Italy;
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, I-00186 Rome, Italy; (S.C.); (K.L.)
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Cuciureanu M, Caratașu CC, Gabrielian L, Frăsinariu OE, Checheriță LE, Trandafir LM, Stanciu GD, Szilagyi A, Pogonea I, Bordeianu G, Soroceanu RP, Andrițoiu CV, Anghel MM, Munteanu D, Cernescu IT, Tamba BI. 360-Degree Perspectives on Obesity. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1119. [PMID: 37374323 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59061119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Alarming statistics show that the number of people affected by excessive weight has surpassed 2 billion, representing approximately 30% of the world's population. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of one of the most serious public health problems, considering that obesity requires an integrative approach that takes into account its complex etiology, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Only an understanding of the connections between the many contributors to obesity and the synergy between treatment interventions can ensure satisfactory outcomes in reducing obesity. Mechanisms such as oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated complications. Compounding factors such as the deleterious effects of stress, the novel challenge posed by the obesogenic digital (food) environment, and the stigma associated with obesity should not be overlooked. Preclinical research in animal models has been instrumental in elucidating these mechanisms, and translation into clinical practice has provided promising therapeutic options, including epigenetic approaches, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. However, more studies are necessary to discover new compounds that target key metabolic pathways, innovative ways to deliver the drugs, the optimal combinations of lifestyle interventions with allopathic treatments, and, last but not least, emerging biological markers for effective monitoring. With each passing day, the obesity crisis tightens its grip, threatening not only individual lives but also burdening healthcare systems and societies at large. It is high time we took action as we confront the urgent imperative to address this escalating global health challenge head-on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Cuciureanu
- Department of Pharmacology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Cătălin-Cezar Caratașu
- Department of Pharmacology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Center for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Levon Gabrielian
- Department of Anatomy and Pathology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Otilia Elena Frăsinariu
- Department of Mother and Child, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Laura Elisabeta Checheriță
- 2nd Dental Medicine Department, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Laura Mihaela Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Gabriela Dumitrița Stanciu
- Center for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Andrei Szilagyi
- Center for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Ina Pogonea
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, "Nicolae Testemiţanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2004 Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Gabriela Bordeianu
- Department of Biochemistry, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Radu Petru Soroceanu
- Department of Surgery, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Călin Vasile Andrițoiu
- Specialization of Nutrition and Dietetics, "Vasile Goldis" Western University of Arad, 310025 Arad, Romania
| | - Maria Mihalache Anghel
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, "Nicolae Testemiţanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2004 Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Diana Munteanu
- Institute of Mother and Child, "Nicolae Testemiţanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2062 Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Irina Teodora Cernescu
- Department of Pharmacology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Bogdan Ionel Tamba
- Department of Pharmacology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Center for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
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Hua Y, Huang C, Guo Y, Du X, Guo L, Wang W, Lu C, Guo L. Association between academic pressure, NR3C1 gene methylation, and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents: a nested case-control study. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:376. [PMID: 37254074 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04816-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic pressure is a prevalent stressor among Chinese adolescents and is often linked to anxiety symptoms, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between NR3C1 gene methylation, academic pressure, and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents. METHODS This nested-case control study included 150 adolescents (boys: 38.7%; baseline age: 12-17 years) from a school-based longitudinal study of Chinese adolescents. Cases (n = 50) were defined as those with anxiety symptoms at both baseline and follow-up, while controls (n = 100) were randomly selected from those without anxiety symptoms at both timepoints. The cases and controls were 1:2 matched by age. Academic pressure, anxiety symptoms, and potential covariates were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Peripheral whole blood samples were collected from each participant for the detection of cortisol level (i.e., morning serum cortisol level) and DNA methylation. The methylation analysis included a total of 27 CpG units at the NR3C1 promoter region. RESULTS The final adjusted models showed that students with heavy academic pressure at baseline were at a higher risk of anxiety symptoms at follow-up compared to those with mild academic pressure (β estimate: 6.24 [95% CI: 3.48 ~ 9.01]). After adjusting for covariates, the methylation level of one CpG unit (NR3C1-16 CpG10) in NR3C1 differed significantly between cases and controls (F = 6.188, P = 0.014), and the difference remained significant after correction for multiple testing (P < 0.025). The adjusted regression models showed that moderate (β estimate = 0.010 [95% CI: 0.000 ~ 0.020], P = 0.046) and heavy (β estimate = 0.011 [95% CI: 0.001 ~ 0.020], P = 0.030) academic pressure were significantly associated with the methylation level of NR3C1-16 CpG 10. Further mediation analysis demonstrated that the association of academic pressure and anxiety symptoms was significantly mediated by the methylation of NR3C1-16 CpG 10 (β estimate for indirect effect = 0.11 [95% CI: 0.005 ~ 0.32]; indirect/total effect = 8.3%). CONCLUSION The present study suggests that NR3C1-16 CpG 10 DNA methylation might be a potential mechanism that partially explains the lasting effects of academic pressure on subsequent anxiety symptoms among adolescents. Further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to replicate this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Hua
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Rd 2, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Cuihong Huang
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Rd 2, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangfeng Guo
- Health Promotion Center for Primary and Secondary Schools, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueying Du
- Health Promotion Center for Primary and Secondary Schools, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Liling Guo
- Health Promotion Center for Primary and Secondary Schools, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanxin Wang
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Rd 2, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ciyong Lu
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Rd 2, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan Guo
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Rd 2, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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9
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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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10
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Mendonça MS, Mangiavacchi PM, Mendes AV, Loureiro SR, Martín-Santos R, Glória LS, Marques W, De Marco SPG, Kanashiro MM, Hallak JEC, Crippa JAS, Rios ÁFL. DNA methylation in regulatory elements of the FKBP5 and NR3C1 gene in mother-child binomials with depression. J Affect Disord 2023; 331:287-299. [PMID: 36933666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The FKBP5 and NR3C1 genes play an important role in stress response, thus impacting mental health. Stress factor exposure in early life, such as maternal depression, may contribute to epigenetic modifications in stress response genes, increasing the susceptibility to different psychopathologies. The present study aimed to evaluate the DNA methylation profile in maternal-infant depression in regulatory regions of the FKBP5 gene and the alternative promoter of the NR3C1 gene. METHODS We evaluated 60 mother-infant pairs. The levels of DNA methylation were analyzed by the MSRED-qPCR technique. RESULTS We observed an increased DNA methylation profile in the NR3C1 gene promoter in children with depression and children exposed to maternal depression (p < 0.05). In addition, we observed a correlation of DNA methylation between mothers and offspring exposed to maternal depression. This correlation shows a possible intergenerational effect of maternal MDD exposure on the offspring. For FKBP5, we found a decrease in DNA methylation at intron 7 in children exposed to maternal MDD during pregnancy and a correlation of DNA methylation between mothers and children exposed to maternal MDD (p < 0.05). LIMITATIONS Although the individuals of this study are a rare group, the sample size of the study was small, and we evaluated the DNA methylation of only one CpG site for each region. CONCLUSION These results indicate changes in DNA methylation levels in regulatory regions of FKBP5 and NR3C1 in the mother-child MDD context and represent a potential target of studies to understand the depression etiology and how it occurs between generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana S Mendonça
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Paula M Mangiavacchi
- Laboratory of Reproduction and Animal Breeding, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Ana V Mendes
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil
| | - Sonia R Loureiro
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil
| | - Rocio Martín-Santos
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Clínic, Institut d' Investigacions Biomedicas August Pi I Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Neurociencias, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - Leonardo S Glória
- Laboratory of Animal Science, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Wilson Marques
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil
| | - Silmara P G De Marco
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil
| | - Milton M Kanashiro
- Laboratory of Recognition Biology, North Fluminense State University (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Jaime E C Hallak
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José A S Crippa
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14051-140, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Álvaro F L Rios
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil.
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11
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Childhood Trauma and Epigenetics: State of the Science and Future. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:661-672. [PMID: 36242743 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There is a great deal of interest regarding the biological embedding of childhood trauma and social exposures through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), but a comprehensive understanding has been hindered by issues of limited reproducibility between studies. This review presents a summary of the literature on childhood trauma and DNAm, highlights issues in the field, and proposes some potential solutions. RECENT FINDINGS Investigations of the associations between DNAm and childhood trauma are commonly performed using candidate gene approaches, specifically involving genes related to neurological and stress pathways. Childhood trauma is defined in a wide range of ways in several societal contexts. However, although variations in DNAm are frequently found in stress-related genes, unsupervised epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have shown limited reproducibility both between studies and in relating these changes to exposures. The reproducibility of childhood trauma DNAm studies, and the field of social epigenetics in general, may be improved by increasing sample sizes, standardizing variables, making use of effect size thresholds, collecting longitudinal and intervention samples, appropriately accounting for known confounding factors, and applying causal analysis wherever possible, such as "two-step epigenetic Mendelian randomization."
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12
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Ortiz R, Kluwe B, Lazarus S, Teruel MN, Joseph JJ. Cortisol and cardiometabolic disease: a target for advancing health equity. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2022; 33:786-797. [PMID: 36266164 PMCID: PMC9676046 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Stress, in both intrinsic psychosocial and extrinsic physical environmental forms, can impact the development of, and outcomes in, cardiovascular disease (CVD) through allostatic load. Cortisol is a core hormonal mediator of allostatic load produced in response to various stresses. Alterations in morning serum cortisol and daily diurnal cortisol have been associated with adiposity, dyslipidemia, incident diabetes, and CVDs such as hypertension. The review examines the role of cortisol as a key mechanistic link between stress physiology and cardiometabolic disease. Importantly, we discuss the role of targeting cortisol through pharmacological, behavioral, and environmental interventions to advance health equity in cardiometabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Ortiz
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Excellence of Health Equity, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bjorn Kluwe
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sophie Lazarus
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mary N Teruel
- Department of Biochemistry and the Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua J Joseph
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
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13
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Huffhines L, Bublitz MH, Coe JL, Seifer R, Parade SH. Maternal perinatal hypertensive disorders and parenting in infancy. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 69:101781. [PMID: 36323194 PMCID: PMC9793337 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Maternal mental health strongly influences parenting during infancy. However, it is unclear whether maternal physical health conditions in the perinatal period may also impact parenting. Examining the association of hypertensive disorders - a common physical health problem in pregnancy - with subsequent parenting behaviors is an important first step in understanding the connection between maternal physical health and parenting during this critical developmental period. This study evaluated whether hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and hypertensive disorders (HD) diagnosed after the birth of the infant were associated with parenting self-efficacy, parenting stress, and observed parental responsiveness during mother-infant interactions at 6 and 12 months postpartum among a sample of racially and ethnically diverse mothers and their infants (N = 295). Results showed that mothers with an HDP or HD diagnosis had lower levels of parenting self-efficacy, higher levels of parenting stress, and lower levels of observed parental responsiveness compared to mothers without an HDP or HD diagnosis. Given that women with childhood adversity are at higher risk for experiencing HDP/HD and may have more difficulties with parenting compared to women without childhood adversity, we utilized a sample of mothers wherein most had experienced at least one form of adversity in their childhoods. Exploratory analyses revealed that HDP/HD moderated the relation between early life experiences and parenting outcomes in all but one model. Associations between HDP/HD and parenting are discussed, with implications for how we understand maternal physical health as a determinant of parenting in the perinatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Huffhines
- 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.
| | - Margaret H Bublitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Women's Medicine Collaborative, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jesse L Coe
- 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
| | - 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; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 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
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14
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Pang TY. Cross Talk opposing view: The kids will be fine - a bit of parental stress won't affect them: Rodents are not good models for assessing transgenerational influences in humans. J Physiol 2022; 600:4413-4416. [PMID: 36184260 DOI: 10.1113/jp282410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Terence Y Pang
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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15
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Quevedo Y, Booij L, Herrera L, Hernández C, Jiménez JP. Potential epigenetic mechanisms in psychotherapy: a pilot study on DNA methylation and mentalization change in borderline personality disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:955005. [PMID: 36171872 PMCID: PMC9510615 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.955005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic and early environmental factors are interwoven in the etiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Epigenetic mechanisms offer the molecular machinery to adapt to environmental conditions. There are gaps in the knowledge about how epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the effects of early affective environment, development of BPD, and psychotherapy response. We reviewed the available evidence of the effects of psychotherapy on changes in DNA methylation and conducted a pilot study in a sample of 11 female adolescents diagnosed with BPD, exploring for changes in peripheral DNA methylation of FKBP5 gene, which encodes for a stress response protein, in relation to psychotherapy, on symptomatology and underlying psychological processes. For this purpose, measures of early trauma, borderline and depressive symptoms, psychotherapy outcome, mentalization, and emotional regulation were studied. A reduction in the average FKBP5 methylation levels was observed over time. Additionally, the decrease in FKBP5 methylation observed occurred only in those individuals who had early trauma and responded to psychotherapy. The results suggest an effect of psychotherapy on epigenetic mechanisms associated with the stress response. The finding that epigenetic changes were only observed in patients with early trauma suggests a specific molecular mechanism of recovery. The results should be taken with caution given the small sample size. Also, further research is needed to adjust for confounding factors and include endocrinological markers and therapeutic process variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamil Quevedo
- Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental Oriente, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millenium Institute for Depression and Personality Research, Santiago, Chile
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Luisa Herrera
- Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristobal Hernández
- Millenium Institute for Depression and Personality Research, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Jiménez
- Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental Oriente, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millenium Institute for Depression and Personality Research, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Juan Pablo Jiménez
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16
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Huffhines L, Coe JL, Busuito A, Seifer R, Parade SH. Understanding links between maternal perinatal posttraumatic stress symptoms and infant socioemotional and physical health. Infant Ment Health J 2022; 43:474-492. [PMID: 35513001 PMCID: PMC9177799 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21985] [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: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are associated with adverse consequences for older children, but very few studies have examined links between perinatal maternal PTSS and infant outcomes. Trauma exposure and psychopathology, including PTSS, is often heightened for women during pregnancy through 1 year postpartum. Therefore, the perinatal period may be a critical time for understanding the risk maternal PTSS and other mental health factors pose to the socioemotional and physical health of infants. The present study explored the relation between maternal PTSS and infant socioemotional and physical health problems in a sample of racially and ethnically diverse mother-infant dyads (N = 295) assessed prenatally and at 12 months postpartum. This study also examined whether there are: (1) moderating effects of maternal depressive symptoms and parenting stress on these associations and (2) indirect effects of PTSS on infant outcomes through observed maternal sensitivity. Results indicated that postpartum depressive symptoms and parenting stress, rather than PTSS, were associated with greater infant socioemotional health problems. However, prenatal PTSS were associated with greater infant physical health problems when mothers also reported clinically significant levels of postpartum depressive symptoms. Maternal sensitivity was not associated with maternal PTSS, depressive symptoms, or parenting stress, nor was it related to infant socioemotional and physical health; thus, maternal sensitivity was not tested as an intermediary mechanism linking maternal mental health with infant outcomes. Implications for promoting maternal mental health in the perinatal period to bolster socioemotional and physical health of infants are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Huffhines
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jesse L Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Alex Busuito
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephanie H Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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17
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Zhang Y, Liu C. Evaluating the challenges and reproducibility of studies investigating DNA methylation signatures of psychological stress. Epigenomics 2022; 14:405-421. [PMID: 35170363 PMCID: PMC8978984 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological stress can increase the risk of a wide range of negative health outcomes. Studies have been completed to determine if DNA methylation changes occur in the human brain because of stress and are associated with long-term effects and disease, but results have been inconsistent. Human candidate gene studies (150) and epigenome-wide association studies (67) were systematically evaluated to assess how DNA methylation is impacted by stress during the prenatal period, early childhood and adulthood. The association between DNA methylation of NR3C1 exon 1F and child maltreatment and early life adversity was well demonstrated, but other genes did not exhibit a clear association. The reproducibility of individual CpG sites in epigenome-wide association studies was also poor. However, biological pathways, including stress response, brain development and immunity, have been consistently identified across different stressors throughout the life span. Future studies would benefit from the increased sample size, longitudinal design, standardized methodology, optimal quality control, and improved statistical procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- Medical Department, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Ecology and Population Health in Northwest Minority Areas, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Center for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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18
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Lai W, Li W, Du X, Guo Y, Wang W, Guo L, Lu C. Association Between Childhood Maltreatment, FKBP5 Gene Methylation, and Anxiety Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents: A Nested Case-Control Study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:761898. [PMID: 35185646 PMCID: PMC8850925 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.761898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety symptoms are common mental health problems among adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to explore (1) the longitudinal association between childhood maltreatment and anxiety symptoms, (2) the association between childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation of the FKBP5 gene, and (3) the association of DNA methylation of the FKBP5 gene with anxiety symptoms at follow-up. METHODS A nested case-control design was conducted to identify a case group and control group from a longitudinal study of adolescents aged 13-18 years in Guangzhou from 2019 to 2020. Adolescents with anxiety symptoms at baseline and follow-up were considered the case group, while those without anxiety symptoms at baseline and follow-up were considered the control group. The case and control groups were matched according to age and sex. Our study finally included 97 cases and 141 controls. RESULTS After adjusting for significant covariates, childhood emotional abuse was associated with subsequent anxiety symptoms (β = 0.146, 95% CI = 0.010~0.283); students with physical and emotional neglect were more likely to get a lower level of DNA methylation at most CpG units of FKBP5 gene (P < 0.05); FKBP5-12 CpG 15 methylation was associated with anxiety symptoms at follow-up (β = -0.263, 95% CI = -0.458~-0.069). However, after multiple hypothesis testing, childhood maltreatment was not associated with FKBP5 DNA methylation (q > 0.10); FKBP5 DNA methylation did not show an association with subsequent anxiety symptoms (q > 0.10). CONCLUSIONS Childhood emotional abuse was associated with an increased risk of anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents. After multiple hypothesis testing, childhood maltreatment was not significantly associated with FKBP5 DNA methylation. DNA methylation of the promoter region of the FKBP5 gene was not a significant predictor of anxiety symptoms. More attention should be paid to the mental health of adolescents with childhood maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjian Lai
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenyan Li
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueying Du
- Health Promotion Center for Primary and Secondary Schools of Guangzhou Municipality, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangfeng Guo
- Health Promotion Center for Primary and Secondary Schools of Guangzhou Municipality, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanxin Wang
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lan Guo
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ciyong Lu
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Shields AE, Zhang Y, Argentieri MA, Warner ET, Cozier YC, Liu C, Dye CK, Kent BV, Baccarelli AA, Palmer JR. Stress and spirituality in relation to HPA axis gene methylation among US Black women: results from the Black Women's Health Study and the Study on Stress, Spirituality and Health. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1711-1734. [PMID: 34726080 PMCID: PMC8579940 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Few epigenetics studies have been conducted within the Black community to examine the impact of diverse psychosocial stressors and resources for resiliency on the stress pathway (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). Methods: Among 1000 participants from the Black Women's Health Study, associations between ten psychosocial stressors and DNA methylation (DNAm) of four stress-related genes (NR3C1, HSDB1, HSD11B2 and FKBP5) were tested. Whether religiosity or spirituality (R/S) significantly modified these stress-DNAm associations was also assessed. Results: Associations were found for several stressors with DNAm of individual CpG loci and average DNAm levels across each gene, but no associations remained significant after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Several R/S variables appeared to modify the relationship between two stressors and DNAm, but no identified interaction remained significant after FDR correction. Conclusion: There is limited evidence for a strong signal between stress and DNAm of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis genes in this general population cohort of US Black women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Shields
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yuankai Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - M Austin Argentieri
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6PE, UK
| | - Erica T Warner
- Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations & Health Disparities, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Clinical Translational Epidemiology Unit, Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yvette C Cozier
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christian K Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Blake Victor Kent
- Department of Sociology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julie R Palmer
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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20
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Coe JL, Huffhines L, Gonzalez D, Seifer R, Parade SH. Cascades of Risk Linking Intimate Partner Violence and Adverse Childhood Experiences to Less Sensitive Caregiving During Infancy. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2021; 26:409-419. [PMID: 33729045 PMCID: PMC8446093 DOI: 10.1177/10775595211000431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated if maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) had indirect effects on sensitive parenting in infancy through prenatal depressive symptoms and postpartum parenting stress and if maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) moderated these indirect effects. We hypothesized that: (a) IPV would be associated with greater prenatal depressive symptoms, which would predict greater postpartum parenting stress, and ultimately less sensitive parenting and (b) the link between IPV and depressive symptoms would be strongest for mothers with high ACEs. Participants included 295 mothers and their infants who were assessed prenatally and at 12 months postpartum. Path analyses indicated that mothers with higher IPV endorsed greater prenatal depressive symptoms, which was in turn associated with postpartum parenting stress, and ultimately less sensitive parenting behavior. Moderation analyses revealed that these indirect effects varied as a function of maternal ACEs, with the link between IPV and depressive symptoms only present for mothers who reported high ACEs. Because less sensitive caregiving is often an early indicator of child maltreatment risk, understanding precursors to sensitivity is critical to increase precision in parenting interventions designed to reduce risk for maltreatment. Results may inform evidence-based preventive interventions for mothers and infants at high-risk for child abuse and neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- 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
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- 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
| | - Doris Gonzalez
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East 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
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 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
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21
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Beach SRH, Ong ML, Lei MK, Carter SE, Simons RL, Gibbons FX, Philibert RA. Methylation of FKBP5 is associated with accelerated DNA methylation ageing and cardiometabolic risk: replication in young-adult and middle-aged Black Americans. Epigenetics 2021; 17:982-1002. [PMID: 34533092 PMCID: PMC9487733 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1980688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylation of FKBP5 is involved in the regulation of the stress response and is influenced by early stress exposure. Two CpG sites, cg20813374 and cg00130530, have been identified as potential reporters of early stress. We examined whether FKBP5 methylation was associated with accelerated DNA methylation ageing and indirectly predicted poorer cardiovascular health among both young adult and middle-aged Black Americans. Four hundred and forty-nine young adults, with a mean age of 28.67 and N = 469 middle-age parents and their current partners with a mean age of 57.21, provided self-reports, biometric assessments, and blood draws. Methylation values were obtained using the Illumina Epic Array. Cardiometabolic risk was calculated by summing the standardized log-transformed scores for the body mass index, mean arterial blood pressure, and HbA1c. We also used a more standard index of risk, the Framingham 10-year cardiometabolic risk index, as an alternative measure of cardiometabolic risk. To measure accelerated ageing, four widely used indices of accelerated, DNA methylation-based ageing were used controlling sex, age, other variation in FKBP5, and cell-type. Exposure to community danger was associated with demethylation of FKBP5. FKBP5 methylation was significantly associated with accelerated ageing for both young-adult and middle-aged samples, with significant indirect effects from FKBP5 methylation to cardiometabolic risk through accelerated ageing for both. Early exposure to danger may influence FKBP5 methylation. In turn, FKBP5 methylation may help explain intrinsic accelerated ageing and elevated cardiometabolic risk in adulthood for Black Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven R H Beach
- Department of Psychology and the Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Mei Ling Ong
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Man-Kit Lei
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sierra E Carter
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, AtlantaAG, GA, USA
| | - Ronald L Simons
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Frederick X Gibbons
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Robert A Philibert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Behavioral Diagnostics, Coralville, IA, USA
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22
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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: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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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23
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The role of epigenetics in psychological resilience. Lancet Psychiatry 2021; 8:620-629. [PMID: 33915083 PMCID: PMC9561637 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30515-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There is substantial variation in people's responses to adversity, with a considerable proportion of individuals displaying psychological resilience. Epigenetic mechanisms are hypothesised to be one molecular pathway of how adverse and traumatic events can become biologically embedded and contribute to individual differences in resilience. However, not much is known regarding the role of epigenetics in the development of psychological resilience. In this Review, we propose a new conceptual model for the different functions of epigenetic mechanisms in psychological resilience. The model considers the initial establishment of the epigenome, epigenetic modification due to adverse and protective environments, the role of protective factors in counteracting adverse influences, and genetic moderation of environmentally induced epigenetic modifications. After reviewing empirical evidence for the various components of the model, we identify research that should be prioritised and discuss practical implications of the proposed model for epigenetic research on resilience.
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24
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The Impact of Stress Within and Across Generations: Neuroscientific and Epigenetic Considerations. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2021; 29:303-317. [PMID: 34049337 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The impact of stress and trauma on biological systems in humans can be substantial. They can result in epigenetic changes, accelerated brain development and sexual maturation, and predisposition to psychopathology. Such modifications may be accompanied by behavioral, emotional, and cognitive overtones during one's lifetime. Exposure during sensitive periods of neural development may lead to long-lasting effects that may not be affected by subsequent environmental interventions. The cumulative effects of life stressors in an individual may affect offspring's methylome makeup and epigenetic clocks, neurohormonal modulation and stress reactivity, and physiological and reproductive development. While offspring may suffer deleterious effects from parental stress and their own early-life adversity, these factors may also confer traits that prove beneficial and enhance fitness to their own environment. This article synthesizes the data on how stress shapes biological and behavioral dimensions, drawing from preclinical and human models. Advances in this field of knowledge should potentially allow for an improved understanding of how interventions may be increasingly tailored according to individual biomarkers and developmental history.
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25
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Mihaljevic M, Franic D, Soldatovic I, Lukic I, Petrovic SA, Mirjanic T, Stankovic B, Zukic B, Zeljic K, Gasic V, Novakovic I, Pavlovic S, Adzic M, Maric NP. The FKBP5 genotype and childhood trauma effects on FKBP5 DNA methylation in patients with psychosis, their unaffected siblings, and healthy controls. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 128:105205. [PMID: 33933892 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity mediates the relationship between childhood trauma (CT) and psychosis. The FKBP5 gene, one of the key regulators of HPA axis activity after stress exposure, has been found associated with psychosis. Allele-specific and CT related FKBP5 demethylation in intron 7 was revealed in different psychiatric disorders. However, no studies have investigated FKBP5 methylation in subjects with different genetic liability for psychosis. A total of 144 participants were included in the study: 48 patients with psychotic disorders, 50 unaffected siblings, and 46 healthy controls. CT was assessed by Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The FKBP5 rs1360780 was genotyped and FKBP5 methylation analyses were performed using bisulfite conversion followed by Sanger sequencing at three CpG sites in intron 7. Mixed linear model was used to assess group differences depending on rs1360780 T allele and CT. Results showed a significant T allele-dependent decrease of FKBP5 methylation in patients compared to unaffected siblings and controls. Effect of interaction between T allele and CT exposure on FKBP5 demethylation was found in controls. No effect of both risk factors (T allele and CT) on FKBP5 methylation level was found in unaffected siblings. We confirmed previous evidence of the association between the FKBP5 rs1360780 T allele, CT, and decreased FKBP5 methylation in intron 7. Allele-specific FKBP5 demethylation found in patients could shed a light on altered HPA axis activity in a subgroup of patients related to stress-induced psychosis. FKBP5 methylation and potential protective mechanisms in unaffected siblings after trauma exposure require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mihaljevic
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Pasterova 2, Belgrade 11000, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 8, Belgrade 11000, Serbia.
| | - Dusanka Franic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 1100, Serbia
| | - Ivan Soldatovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 8, Belgrade 11000, Serbia; Institute for Biostatistics, Medical Informatics and Research in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Iva Lukic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 1100, Serbia
| | - Sanja Andric Petrovic
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Pasterova 2, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Tijana Mirjanic
- Special Hospital for Psychiatric Disorders Kovin, Cara Lazara 253, Kovin 26220, Serbia
| | - Biljana Stankovic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11010, Serbia
| | - Branka Zukic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11010, Serbia
| | - Katarina Zeljic
- Genetics & Evolution Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 3, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Gasic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11010, Serbia
| | - Ivana Novakovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 8, Belgrade 11000, Serbia; Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Visegradska 26, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
| | - Sonja Pavlovic
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11010, Serbia
| | - Miroslav Adzic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 1100, Serbia
| | - Nadja P Maric
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Pasterova 2, Belgrade 11000, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 8, Belgrade 11000, Serbia
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26
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Lewis CR, Breitenstein RS, Henderson A, Sowards HA, Piras IS, Huentelman MJ, Doane LD, Lemery-Chalfant K. Harsh Parenting Predicts Novel HPA Receptor Gene Methylation and NR3C1 Methylation Predicts Cortisol Daily Slope in Middle Childhood. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:783-793. [PMID: 32472381 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00885-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences in childhood are associated with altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and negative health outcomes throughout life. It is now commonly accepted that abuse and neglect can alter epigenetic regulation of HPA genes. Accumulated evidence suggests harsh parenting practices such as spanking are also strong predictors of negative health outcomes. We predicted harsh parenting at 2.5 years old would predict HPA gene DNA methylation similarly to abuse and neglect, and cortisol output at 8.5 years old. Saliva samples were collected three times a day across 3 days to estimate cortisol diurnal slopes. Methylation was quantified using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array BeadChip (850 K) with DNA collected from buccal cells. We used principal components analysis to compute a summary statistic for CpG sites across candidate genes. The first and second components were used as outcome variables in mixed linear regression analyses with harsh parenting as a predictor variable. We found harsh parenting significantly predicted methylation of several HPA axis genes, including novel gene associations with AVPRB1, CRHR1, CRHR2, and MC2R (FDR corrected p < 0.05). Further, we found NR3C1 methylation predicted a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Our results extend the current literature by demonstrating harsh parenting may influence DNA methylation similarly to more extreme early life experiences such as abuse and neglect. Further, we show NR3C1 methylation is associated with diurnal HPA function. Elucidating the molecular consequences of harsh parenting on health can inform best parenting practices and provide potential treatment targets for common complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candace R Lewis
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
- Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | | | - Adrienne Henderson
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | | | - Ignazio S Piras
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Matthew J Huentelman
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Leah D Doane
- Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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27
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Flasbeck V, Brüne M. Association between childhood maltreatment, psychopathology and DNA methylation of genes involved in stress regulation: Evidence from a study in Borderline Personality Disorder. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248514. [PMID: 33705478 PMCID: PMC7951851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research suggests that childhood maltreatment is associated with epigenetic modification of genes involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) functioning, which could cause dysregulation of the stress response system. If pervasive, this may be associated with the development of stress-related disorder in adults, including affective disorders, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or borderline-personality disorder (BPD). The majority of studies have focused on DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and the FKBP5 encoding gene, which regulates the sensitivity of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). How methylation of NR3C1 and FKBP5 interferes with childhood adversity and psychopathology as well as empathy is an under-researched issue. Here, we sought to investigate the association of childhood maltreatment in a sample of 89 individuals (44 healthy participants and 45 patients diagnosed with BPD) with the methylation of the 1F promoter region of NR3C1 and the intron 7 of FKBP5 as well as with different measures of psychopathology and empathy. Methylation of FKBP5 (bin 2) correlated with anxiety (SCL-90-R) and the global psychopathological symptom load index (GSI), as well as with lower empathic perspective-taking abilities. Psychopathology and empathy impairments correlated with the level of childhood maltreatment. No difference in FKBP5 methylation was observed between the clinical and the non-clinical group. Methylation of NR3C1 was lower in BPD patients compared to controls, yet with small differences. The results are discussed regarding their biological relevance, including possible evolutionary explanations. In short, the regulation of the GR sensitivity by methylation of FKBP5 correlated with psychopathology and empathy scores, while no correlation emerged with the severity of childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Flasbeck
- Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Brüne
- Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- * E-mail:
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28
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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: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [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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29
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Arranz MJ, Gallego-Fabrega C, Martín-Blanco A, Soler J, Elices M, Dominguez-Clavé E, Salazar J, Vega D, Briones-Buixassa L, Pascual JC. A genome-wide methylation study reveals X chromosome and childhood trauma methylation alterations associated with borderline personality disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:5. [PMID: 33414392 PMCID: PMC7791113 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01139-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and highly prevalent psychiatric disorder, more common in females than in males and with notable differences in presentation between genders. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation may modulate gene × environment interactions and impact on neurodevelopment. We conducted an epigenome wide study (Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450k beadchip) in a group of BPD patients with (N = 49) and without (N = 47) childhood traumas and in a control group (N = 44). Results were confirmed in a replication cohort (N = 293 BPD patients and N = 114 controls) using EpiTYPER assays. Differentially methylated CpG sites were observed in several genes and intragenic regions in the X chromosome (PQBP1, ZNF41, RPL10, cg07810091 and cg24395855) and in chromosome 6 (TAP2). BPD patients showed significantly lower methylation levels in these CpG sites than healthy controls. These differences seemed to be increased by the existence of childhood trauma. Comparisons between BPD patients with childhood trauma and patients and controls without revealed significant differences in four genes (POU5F1, GGT6, TNFRSF13C and FAM113B), none of them in the X chromosome. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed that epigenetic alterations were more frequently found in genes controlling oestrogen regulation, neurogenesis and cell differentiation. These results suggest that epigenetic alterations in the X chromosome and oestrogen-regulation genes may contribute to the development of BPD and explain the differences in presentation between genders. Furthermore, childhood trauma events may modulate the magnitude of the epigenetic alterations contributing to BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J. Arranz
- grid.414875.b0000 0004 1794 4956Fundació Docència i Recerca Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain ,grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Gallego-Fabrega
- grid.414875.b0000 0004 1794 4956Fundació Docència i Recerca Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain ,grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Stroke Pharmacogenomics and Genetics Group, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Martín-Blanco
- grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.413396.a0000 0004 1768 8905Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.7080.fDepartment of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Joaquim Soler
- grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.413396.a0000 0004 1768 8905Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.7080.fDepartment of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Matilde Elices
- grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.413396.a0000 0004 1768 8905Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.7080.fDepartment of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Elisabet Dominguez-Clavé
- grid.413396.a0000 0004 1768 8905Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juliana Salazar
- grid.7722.00000 0001 1811 6966Translational Medical Oncology Laboratory, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Daniel Vega
- grid.7080.fDepartment of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain ,Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Hospital of Igualada, Consorci Sanitari de l’Anoia & Fundació Sanitària d’Igualada, Igualada, Spain
| | - Laia Briones-Buixassa
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Hospital of Igualada, Consorci Sanitari de l’Anoia & Fundació Sanitària d’Igualada, Igualada, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Pascual
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
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Misiak B, Karpiński P, Szmida E, Grąźlewski T, Jabłoński M, Cyranka K, Rymaszewska J, Piotrowski P, Kotowicz K, Frydecka D. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Methylation of the FKBP5 Gene in Patients with Psychotic Disorders. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9123792. [PMID: 33255215 PMCID: PMC7759816 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9123792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered methylation of the FKBP5 gene has been observed in various mental disorders and attributed to the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, the level of FKBP5 methylation has not been investigated in patients with psychotic disorders. Therefore, in this study we aimed to determine the FKBP5 methylation in patients with psychosis and controls, taking into account the effects of ACEs. Participants were 85 patients with psychotic disorders, including first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and acutely relapsed schizophrenia (SCZ-AR) patients, as well as 56 controls. The level of four CpG sites at the FKBP5 gene was determined in the peripheral blood leukocytes using pyrosequencing. After controlling for potential confounding factors, the level of FKBP5 methylation at one out of four tested CpG sites was significantly lower in FEP patients compared to other groups of participants. Significant main effects of parental antipathy and sexual abuse on the level of FKBP5 methylation were observed at the differentially methylated CpG site. Participants reporting this category of ACEs had significantly lower levels of FKBP5 methylation at this CpG site. Lower levels of FKBP5 methylation were associated with better cognitive performance and higher functional capacity in patients with psychosis. In controls, lower methylation of FKBP5 was related to worse performance of immediate memory and language skills. Our findings suggest that hypomethylation of the FKBP5 appears at early stages of psychosis and might be associated with a history of ACEs as well as less severe clinical manifestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Błażej Misiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 10 Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.R.); (P.P.); (K.K.); (D.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Paweł Karpiński
- Department of Genetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Marcinkowskiego 1 Street, 50-368 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.K.); (E.S.)
- Laboratory of Genomics & Bioinformatics, Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12 Street, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Szmida
- Department of Genetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Marcinkowskiego 1 Street, 50-368 Wroclaw, Poland; (P.K.); (E.S.)
| | - Tomasz Grąźlewski
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Broniewskiego 26 Street, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (T.G.); (M.J.)
| | - Marcin Jabłoński
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Broniewskiego 26 Street, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (T.G.); (M.J.)
| | - Katarzyna Cyranka
- Department of Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 21a Street, 31-501 Cracow, Poland;
| | - Joanna Rymaszewska
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 10 Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.R.); (P.P.); (K.K.); (D.F.)
| | - Patryk Piotrowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 10 Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.R.); (P.P.); (K.K.); (D.F.)
| | - Kamila Kotowicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 10 Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.R.); (P.P.); (K.K.); (D.F.)
| | - Dorota Frydecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 10 Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.R.); (P.P.); (K.K.); (D.F.)
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31
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Lang J, McKie J, Smith H, McLaughlin A, Gillberg C, Shiels PG, Minnis H. Adverse childhood experiences, epigenetics and telomere length variation in childhood and beyond: a systematic review of the literature. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:1329-1338. [PMID: 30968208 PMCID: PMC7501093 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01329-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to answer the question: What epigenetic, telomeric and associated biological changes are associated with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in the under 12s? Using PRISMA guidelines, appropriate databases were searched. 190 papers were returned with 38 articles fully reviewed. Articles were each independently quality rated by two authors using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool and data were extracted. Of the 38 articles, 23 were rated as very high quality. Most study participants were adults (n = 7769) with n = 727 child participants. Only seven of the very/high-quality studies were prospective and involved children. Methylation was the most studied method of epigenetic modification. There is some evidence supporting epigenetic modification of certain markers in participants exposed to ACEs measured in adulthood. Research is lacking on non-coding aspects of the epigenome and on coding aspects other than DNA methylation. There is some evidence of a more powerful effect on telomere length if physical neglect was involved. Much further work is required to model biological and psychological effects of epigenetic changes during childhood using prospective study designs. The effect of ACEs on the cellular ageing process during childhood is inadequately investigated and relies solely on measure of telomere length. Future research suggestions are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Lang
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Judith McKie
- NHS Lanarkshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for Learning Disability, Motherwell, UK
| | - Helen Smith
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Forensic CAMHS Team, Glasgow, UK
| | - Angela McLaughlin
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Paul G Shiels
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Helen Minnis
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Moser DA, Müller S, Hummel EM, Limberg AS, Dieckmann L, Frach L, Pakusch J, Flasbeck V, Brüne M, Beygo J, Klein-Hitpass L, Kumsta R. Targeted bisulfite sequencing: A novel tool for the assessment of DNA methylation with high sensitivity and increased coverage. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 120:104784. [PMID: 32673938 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation analysis is increasingly used in stress research. Available methods are expensive, laborious and often limited by either the analysis of short CpG stretches or low assay sensitivity. Here, we present a cost-efficient next generation sequencing-based strategy for the simultaneous investigation of multiple candidate genes in large cohorts. To illustrate the method, we present analysis of four candidate genes commonly assessed in psychoneuroendocrine research: Glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), Serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), FKBP Prolyl isomerase 5 (FKBP5), and the Oxytocin receptor (OXTR). DNA methylation standards (100 %; 75 %; 50 %; 25 % and 0 %) and DNA of a female and male donor were bisulfite treated in three independent trials and were used to generate sequencing libraries for 42 CpGs from the NR3C1 1 F promoter region, 84 CpGs of the SLC6A4 5' regulatory region, 5 CpGs located in FKBP5 intron 7, and additional 12 CpGs located in a potential enhancer element in intron 3 of the OXTR. In addition, DNA of 45 patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and 45 healthy controls was assayed. Multiplex libraries of all samples were sequenced on a MiSeq system and analyzed for mean methylation values of all CpG sites using amplikyzer2 software. Results indicated excellent accuracy of the assays when investigating replicates generated from the same bisulfite converted DNA, and very high linearity (R2 > 0.9) of the assays shown by the analysis of differentially methylated DNA standards. Comparing DNA methylation between BPD and healthy controls revealed no biologically relevant differences. The technical approach as described here facilitates targeted DNA methylation analysis and represents a highly sensitive, cost-efficient and high throughput tool to close the gap between coverage and precision in epigenetic research of stress-associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - S Müller
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - E M Hummel
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - A S Limberg
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - L Dieckmann
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - L Frach
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - J Pakusch
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - V Flasbeck
- LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - M Brüne
- LWL University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Neuropsychiatry and Evolutionary Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - J Beygo
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - L Klein-Hitpass
- Institute of Cell Biology (Tumor Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - R Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Willmer T, Goedecke JH, Dias S, Louw J, Pheiffer C. DNA methylation of FKBP5 in South African women: associations with obesity and insulin resistance. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:141. [PMID: 32958048 PMCID: PMC7507280 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00932-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a neuroendocrine system associated with the stress response, has been hypothesized to contribute to obesity development. This may be mediated through epigenetic modulation of HPA axis-regulatory genes in response to metabolic stressors. The aim of this study was to investigate adipose tissue depot-specific DNA methylation differences in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and its co-chaperone, FK506-binding protein 51 kDa (FKBP5), both key modulators of the HPA axis. METHODS Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT) and gluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue (GSAT) biopsies were obtained from a sample of 27 obese and 27 normal weight urban-dwelling South African women. DNA methylation and gene expression were measured by pyrosequencing and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficients, orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis and multivariable linear regression were performed to evaluate the associations between DNA methylation, messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and key indices of obesity and metabolic dysfunction. RESULTS Two CpG dinucleotides within intron 7 of FKBP5 were hypermethylated in both ASAT and GSAT in obese compared to normal weight women, while no differences in GR methylation were observed. Higher percentage methylation of the two FKBP5 CpG sites correlated with adiposity (body mass index and waist circumference), insulin resistance (homeostasis model for insulin resistance, fasting insulin and plasma adipokines) and systemic inflammation (c-reactive protein) in both adipose depots. GR and FKBP5 mRNA levels were lower in GSAT, but not ASAT, of obese compared to normal weight women. Moreover, FKBP5 mRNA levels were inversely correlated with DNA methylation and positively associated with adiposity, metabolic and inflammatory parameters. CONCLUSIONS These findings associate dysregulated FKBP5 methylation and mRNA expression with obesity and insulin resistance in South African women. Additional studies are required to assess the longitudinal association of FKBP5 with obesity and associated co-morbidities in large population-based samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarryn Willmer
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa.
- Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa.
| | - Julia H Goedecke
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
- Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Boundary Road, Newlands, 7700, South Africa
| | - Stephanie Dias
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
| | - Johan Louw
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, Kwa-Dlangezwa, 3886, South Africa
| | - Carmen Pheiffer
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
- Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
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Wood NM, Trebilco T, Cohen-Woods S. Scars of childhood socioeconomic stress: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:397-410. [PMID: 32795493 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with the development of adult psychological outcomes, with DNA methylation (DNAm) as a mechanism to potentially explain these changes. We present the first systematic review synthesising the literature investigating childhood SEP and DNAm. Thirty-two publications were included. Seventeen studies focused on candidate genes, typically focusing on genes implicated with the stress response and/or development of psychiatric conditions. These studies typically investigated different regions of the genes, which revealed inconsistent results. Six studies calculated epigenetic age, with a small number revealing an elevated significant association with childhood SEP. Epigenome-wide studies revealed altered patterns of DNAm which varied between the nine studies. This research area is emerging and demonstrated great variance in findings with no clear patterns identified across studies. Multiple methodological shortcomings are identified, including at the phenotypic level where construct validity of childhood SEP is highly inconsistent, with studies using a wide range of measures. Larger cohorts will be required with international collaborations to strengthen this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha M Wood
- Discipline of Psychology, College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Thomas Trebilco
- Discipline of Psychology, College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sarah Cohen-Woods
- Discipline of Psychology, College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Órama Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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35
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Krause BJ, Artigas R, Sciolla AF, Hamilton J. Epigenetic mechanisms activated by childhood adversity. Epigenomics 2020; 12:1239-1255. [PMID: 32706263 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2020-0042] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) impair health and life expectancy and may result in an epigenetic signature that drives increased morbidity primed during early stages of life. This literature review focuses on the current evidence for epigenetic-mediated programming of brain and immune function resulting from ACE. To address this aim, a total of 88 articles indexed in PubMed before August 2019 concerning ACE and epigenetics were surveyed. Current evidence partially supports epigenetic programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, but convincingly shows that ACE impairs immune function. Additionally, the needs and challenges that face this area are discussed in order to provide a framework that may help to clarify the role of epigenetics in the long-lasting effects of ACE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo J Krause
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de O''Higgins, Rancagua, Chile.,CUIDA - Centro de Investigación del Abuso y la Adversidad Temprana, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rocio Artigas
- CUIDA - Centro de Investigación del Abuso y la Adversidad Temprana, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andres F Sciolla
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95834, USA
| | - James Hamilton
- CUIDA - Centro de Investigación del Abuso y la Adversidad Temprana, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.,Fundación Para la Confianza, Pérez Valenzuela 1264, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
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36
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Coe JL, Parade SH, Seifer R, Frank L, Tyrka AR. Household Chaos Moderates Indirect Pathways Involving Domestic Violence, Parenting Practices, and Behavior Problems among Preschool Children. JOURNAL OF FAMILY VIOLENCE 2020; 35:405-416. [PMID: 32655209 PMCID: PMC7351105 DOI: 10.1007/s10896-019-00093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examined the moderating role of household chaos in indirect pathways involving domestic violence (DV), parenting practices (punitive discipline and responsive), and preschool children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms. We hypothesized that high levels of household chaos would amplify links between domestic violence and parenting difficulties, and that parenting difficulties would in turn predict child behavior problems. METHOD Participants in this multimethod (survey, semi-structured interview, child protection records) study included 274 preschool children (M age = 50.86 months) and their primary caregivers who were assessed in the home at two time-points spaced 6 months apart. Child welfare documentation of moderate-severe maltreatment within the last 6 months was present for 52% of children, 44% were in households characterized by DV, and most families qualified for public assistance. Hypotheses were tested using path analysis with manifest variables within a structural equation modeling framework. RESULTS All models provided excellent fit to the data. DV was associated with punitive discipline practices only when household chaos was high. Punitive discipline practices in turn predicted greater child externalizing symptoms 6 months later. Follow-up analyses revealed that the moderating role of chaos was specific to DV, rather than general to other forms of adversity (child maltreatment, lifetime contextual stressors, traumatic events). This interaction between DV and chaos was salient even when controlling for exposure to other adversities and demographic covariates. CONCLUSIONS Results point to multiple potential targets of intervention that may ultimately buffer children from the risk posed by experiencing DV in the home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L. Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - 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, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Laura Frank
- Bradley/Hasbro Children’s Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - 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, Providence, RI, USA
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37
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No association between FKBP5 gene methylation and acute and long-term cortisol output. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:175. [PMID: 32488091 PMCID: PMC7266811 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0846-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior studies identified DNA methylation (DNAM) changes in a regulatory region within the FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene as a crucial mediator of long-term negative health outcomes following early adversity. A critical mechanism underlying this link, in turn, has been suggested to be epigenetically induced dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate associations of FKBP5 DNAM with both acute and chronic cortisol output. Two hundred adults with differential exposure to childhood trauma (CT) were underwent a laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test) and provided salivary samples for the analysis of acute cortisol stress responses. In addition, hair cortisol concentrations were determined as a valid measure of integrated long-term cortisol levels. Whole blood samples were drawn for DNAM analyses of FKBP5 intron 7 via bisulfite pyrosequencing. In contrast to most prior work, only healthy participants were included in order to disentangle the effects of trauma exposure per se from those related to mental disorders. First, our findings did not reveal strong evidence for a robust effect of CT on FKBP5 intron 7 DNAM status, even if genetic predisposition (rs1360780 genotype) was taken into account. Second, FKBP5 DNAM levels were found to be unrelated to acute cortisol stress reactivity and long-term cortisol concentration in hair. The failure to demonstrate a significant association between CT and FKBP5 DNAM in an exclusively healthy sample could be interpreted as suggesting that individuals' mental health status may be a critical modulator of previously observed effects.
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Coe JL, Micalizzi L, Josefson B, Parade SH, Seifer R, Tyrka AR. Sex Differences in Associations between Early Adversity, Child Temperament, and Behavior Problems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 44:490-504. [PMID: 33707801 DOI: 10.1177/0165025420912012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity is associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems among children, and effects of adversity on dimensions of child temperament may underlie these links. However, very little is known about the role of child sex in these processes. The current study examined if there are indirect effects of early adversity on behavior problems through dimensions of child temperament and if these indirect effects vary across child sex. Participants in this multimethod (parent-report survey, semi-structured interview, child protection records) study included 274 preschool-aged children (M age = 50.86 months; 52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) and their primary caregivers assessed at two time-points spaced 6 months apart. Results of multi-group path analyses revealed that while anger mediated associations between lifetime stress and behavior problems for the full sample, inhibitory control and appropriate attentional allocation were significant intermediary mechanisms of lifetime stress for boys, but not for girls. Inhibitory control mediated associations between maltreatment and behavior problems for the full sample, but appropriate attentional allocation mediated these associations for boys only. Results suggest that early adversity influences child behavior problems through child temperament, particularly for boys. This work supports the perspective that temperament is influenced by characteristics of the early rearing environment, and the indirect effects of adversity on behavior problems through temperament vary across sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L Coe
- 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
| | - Lauren Micalizzi
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brittney Josefson
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East 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
| | - 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
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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39
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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: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [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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40
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Koss KJ. Understanding the Neurobiological Implications of Maltreatment: A Commentary on the Special Issue. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2019; 24:452-457. [PMID: 31426661 DOI: 10.1177/1077559519869843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A large body of evidence demonstrates the deleterious effects of childhood maltreatment that span across multiple levels of functioning and throughout development. This commentary highlights the important research in this special issue of Child Maltreatment that advances our understanding of the neural and physiological implications of maltreatment. Throughout, the commentary calls attention to critical issues in the study of maltreatment and neurobiological processes for future work in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalsea J Koss
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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41
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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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42
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Heim CM, Entringer S, Buss C. Translating basic research knowledge on the biological embedding of early-life stress into novel approaches for the developmental programming of lifelong health. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 105:123-137. [PMID: 30578047 PMCID: PMC6561839 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review integrates scientific knowledge obtained over the past few decades on the biological mechanisms that contribute to the profound association between exposure to early adversity, including childhood trauma and prenatal stress, and the lifelong elevated risk to develop a broad range of diseases. We further discuss insights into gene-environment interactions moderating the association between early adversity and disease manifestation and we discuss the role of epigenetic and other molecular processes in the biological embedding of early adversity. Based on these findings, we propose potential mechanisms that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of risk related to early adversity from the mother to the fetus. Finally, we argue that basic research knowledge on the biological embedding of early adversity must now be translated into novel intervention strategies that are mechanism-driven and sensitive to developmental timing. Indeed, to date, there are no diagnostic biomarkers of risk or mechanism-informed interventions that we can offer to victims of early adversity in order to efficiently prevent or reverse adverse health outcomes. Such translational efforts can be expected to have significant impact on both clinical practice and the public health system, and will promote precision medicine in pediatrics and across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Heim
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany,Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health & Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA,Corresponding authors at: Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr. 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany., (C.M. Heim), (S. Entringer), (C. Buss)
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
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43
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Wiechmann T, Röh S, Sauer S, Czamara D, Arloth J, Ködel M, Beintner M, Knop L, Menke A, Binder EB, Provençal N. Identification of dynamic glucocorticoid-induced methylation changes at the FKBP5 locus. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:83. [PMID: 31122292 PMCID: PMC6533766 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-019-0682-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Epigenetic mechanisms may play a major role in the biological embedding of early-life stress (ELS). One proposed mechanism is that glucocorticoid (GC) release following ELS exposure induces long-lasting alterations in DNA methylation (DNAm) of important regulatory genes of the stress response. Here, we investigate the dynamics of GC-dependent methylation changes in key regulatory regions of the FKBP5 locus in which ELS-associated DNAm changes have been reported. Results We repeatedly measured DNAm in human peripheral blood samples from 2 independent cohorts exposed to the GC agonist dexamethasone (DEX) using a targeted bisulfite sequencing approach, complemented by data from Illumina 450K arrays. We detected differentially methylated CpGs in enhancers co-localizing with GC receptor binding sites after acute DEX treatment (1 h, 3 h, 6 h), which returned to baseline levels within 23 h. These changes withstood correction for immune cell count differences. While we observed main effects of sex, age, body mass index, smoking, and depression symptoms on FKBP5 methylation levels, only the functional FKBP5 SNP (rs1360780) moderated the dynamic changes following DEX. This genotype effect was observed in both cohorts and included sites previously shown to be associated with ELS. Conclusion Our study highlights that DNAm levels within regulatory regions of the FKBP5 locus show dynamic changes following a GC challenge and suggest that factors influencing the dynamics of this regulation may contribute to the previously reported alterations in DNAm associated with current and past ELS exposure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-019-0682-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Wiechmann
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Röh
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Janine Arloth
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Madita Beintner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Lisanne Knop
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Menke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University Medical School, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany. .,Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. .,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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44
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Ramo-Fernández L, Boeck C, Koenig AM, Schury K, Binder EB, Gündel H, Fegert JM, Karabatsiakis A, Kolassa IT. The effects of childhood maltreatment on epigenetic regulation of stress-response associated genes: an intergenerational approach. Sci Rep 2019; 9:983. [PMID: 31000782 PMCID: PMC7052131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36689-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While biological alterations associated with childhood maltreatment (CM) have been found in affected individuals, it remains unknown to what degree these alterations are biologically transmitted to the next generation. We investigated intergenerational effects of maternal CM on DNA methylation and gene expression in N = 113 mother-infant dyads shortly after parturition, additionally accounting for the role of the FKBP5 rs1360780 genotype. Using mass array spectrometry, we assessed the DNA methylation of selected stress-response-associated genes (FK506 binding protein 51 [FKBP5], glucocorticoid receptor [NR3C1], corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 [CRHR1]) in isolated immune cells from maternal blood and neonatal umbilical cord blood. In mothers, CM was associated with decreased levels of DNA methylation of FKBP5 and CRHR1 and increased NR3C1 methylation, but not with changes in gene expression profiles. Rs1360780 moderated the FKBP5 epigenetic CM-associated regulation profiles in a gene × environment interaction. In newborns, we found no evidence for any intergenerational transmission of CM-related methylation profiles for any of the investigated epigenetic sites. These findings support the hypothesis of a long-lasting impact of CM on the biological epigenetic regulation of stress-response mediators and suggest for the first time that these specific epigenetic patterns might not be directly transmitted to the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ramo-Fernández
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
| | - Christina Boeck
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Alexandra M Koenig
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Katharina Schury
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, 80804, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jöerg M Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexander Karabatsiakis
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, 89081, Germany
| | - Iris-Tatjana Kolassa
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, Ulm, 89081, Germany.
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45
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Brown A, Fiori LM, Turecki G. Bridging Basic and Clinical Research in Early Life Adversity, DNA Methylation, and Major Depressive Disorder. Front Genet 2019; 10:229. [PMID: 30984237 PMCID: PMC6448008 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA)- including childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as childhood neglect- is an important predictive factor for negative psychopathology, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). ELA can epigenetically regulate key emotional and behavioral systems in ways that can stably persist into adulthood and contribute to the development of MDD and other psychopathology. DNA methylation has been one of the most investigated forms of epigenetic regulation in ELA to MDD pathway. From these studies, genes and sites associated with ELA/MDD have been identified and should be further investigated in order to identify potential avenues for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Brown
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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46
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The Disease-Associated Chaperone FKBP51 Impairs Cognitive Function by Accelerating AMPA Receptor Recycling. eNeuro 2019; 6:eN-NWR-0242-18. [PMID: 30963102 PMCID: PMC6450497 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0242-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased expression of the FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene has been associated with a number of diseases, but most prominently in connection to psychiatric illnesses. Many of these psychiatric disorders present with dementia and other cognitive deficits, but a direct connection between these issues and alterations in FKBP5 remains unclear. We generated a novel transgenic mouse to selectively overexpress FKBP5, which encodes the FKBP51 protein, in the corticolimbic system, which had no overt effects on gross body weight, motor ability, or general anxiety. Instead, we found that overexpression of FKBP51 impaired long-term depression (LTD) as well as spatial reversal learning and memory, suggesting a role in glutamate receptor regulation. Indeed, FKBP51 altered the association of heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) with AMPA receptors, which was accompanied by an accelerated rate of AMPA recycling. In this way, the chaperone system is critical in triage decisions for AMPA receptor trafficking. Imbalance in the chaperone system may manifest in impairments in both inhibitory learning and cognitive function. These findings uncover an unexpected and essential mechanism for learning and memory that is controlled by the psychiatric risk factor FKBP5.
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47
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Abstract
Stress is an adaptive response to environment aversive stimuli and a common life experience of one's daily life. Chronic or excessive stress especially that happened in early life is found to be deleterious to individual's physical and mental health, which is highly related to depressive disorders onset. Stressful life events are consistently considered to be the high-risk factors of environment for predisposing depressive disorders. In linking stressful life events with depressive disorder onset, dysregulated HPA axis activity is supposed to play an important role in mediating aversive impacts of life stress on brain structure and function. Increasing evidence have indicated the strong association of stress, especially the chronic stress and early life stress, with depressive disorders development, while the association of stress with depression is moderated by genetic risk factors, including polymorphism of SERT, BDNF, GR, FKBP5, MR, and CRHR1. Meanwhile, stressful life experience particularly early life stress will exert epigenetic modification in these risk genes via DNA methylation and miRNA regulation to generate long-lasting effects on these genes expression, which in turn cause brain structural and functional alteration, and finally increase the vulnerability to depressive disorders. Therefore, the interaction of environment with gene, in which stressful life exposure interplay with genetic risk factors and epigenetic modification, is essential in predicting depressive disorders development. As the mediator of environmental risk factors, stress will function together with genetic and epigenetic mechanism to influence brain structure and function, physiology and psychology, and finally the vulnerability to depressive disorders.
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48
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Papadopoulou Z, Vlaikou AM, Theodoridou D, Markopoulos GS, Tsoni K, Agakidou E, Drosou-Agakidou V, Turck CW, Filiou MD, Syrrou M. Stressful Newborn Memories: Pre-Conceptual, In Utero, and Postnatal Events. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:220. [PMID: 31057437 PMCID: PMC6482218 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stressful experiences are critical for plasticity and development, shaping adult neuroendocrine response and future health. Stress response is mediated by the autonomous nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis while various environmental stimuli are encoded via epigenetic marks. The stress response system maintains homeostasis by regulating adaptation to the environmental changes. Pre-conceptual and in utero stressors form the fetal epigenetic profile together with the individual genetic profile, providing the background for individual stress response, vulnerability, or resilience. Postnatal and adult stressful experiences may act as the definitive switch. This review addresses the issue of how preconceptual in utero and postnatal events, together with individual differences, shape future stress responses. Putative markers of early-life adverse effects such as prematurity and low birth weight are emphasized, and the epigenetic, mitochondrial, and genomic architecture regulation of such events are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Papadopoulou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Angeliki-Maria Vlaikou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.,Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Daniela Theodoridou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgios S Markopoulos
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Konstantina Tsoni
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Agakidou
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Drosou-Agakidou
- 1st Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical Faculty, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Michaela D Filiou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.,Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Syrrou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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49
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Liu PZ, Nusslock R. How Stress Gets Under the Skin: Early Life Adversity and Glucocorticoid Receptor Epigenetic Regulation. Curr Genomics 2018; 19:653-664. [PMID: 30532645 PMCID: PMC6225447 DOI: 10.2174/1389202919666171228164350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity is associated with both persistent disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and psychiatric symptoms. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs), which are encoded by the NR3C1 gene, bind to cortisol and other glucocorticoids to create a negative feedback loop within the HPA axis to regulate the body's neuroendocrine response to stress. Excess methylation of a promoter sequence within NR3C1 that attenuates GR expression, however, has been associated with both early life adversity and psychopathology. As critical regulators within the HPA axis, GRs and their epigenetic regulation may mediate the link between early life adversity and the onset of psychopathology. The present review discusses this work as one mechanism by which stress may get under the skin to disrupt HPA functioning at an epigenetic level and create long-lasting vulnerabilities in the stress regulatory system that subsequently predispose individuals to psychopathology. Spanning prenatal influences to critical periods of early life and adolescence, we detail the impact that early adversity has on GR expression, physiological responses to stress, and their implications for long-term stress management. We next propose a dual transmission hypothesis regarding both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms by which chronic and acute stress propagate through numerous generations. Lastly, we outline several directions for future research, including potential reversibility of methylation patterns and its functional implications, variation in behavior determined solely by NR3C1, and consensus on which specific promoter regions should be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Z. Liu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208, USA
| | - Robin Nusslock
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208, USA
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50
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Young DA, Inslicht SS, Metzler TJ, Neylan TC, Ross JA. The effects of early trauma and the FKBP5 gene on PTSD and the HPA axis in a clinical sample of Gulf War veterans. Psychiatry Res 2018; 270:961-966. [PMID: 29576410 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Previous research indicates that interactions between FKBP5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and child abuse are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. We examined the relationship between the T-allele of the rs1360780 FKBP5 SNP and child abuse on PTSD and the HPA axis in a clinical sample of Gulf War veterans. Genotyping was completed on 266 veterans and 174 veterans additionally participated in a low dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST). The CAPS was used to determine PTSD status and the THQ was used to determine child abuse operationalized as either childhood physical or sexual abuse. Hierarchical regression models were used to assess FKBP5 × child abuse interactions on PTSD, basal cortisol levels, and post DST cortisol levels. The FKBP5 risk allele and child abuse were separately associated with PTSD diagnosis. The risk allele was also associated with significantly lower cortisol levels at baseline. However, no significant FKBP5 × child abuse interaction on PTSD diagnosis, basal cortisol levels, or greater cortisol suppression was observed. Our results suggest that FKBP5 may be a viable biomarker for PTSD. Nonetheless, further work will be required to reconcile our findings with previous reports of an FKBP5 × child abuse interaction on posttraumatic stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri A Young
- Department of Mental Health, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement St. Bldg. 8., San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Sabra S Inslicht
- Department of Mental Health, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement St. Bldg. 8., San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Thomas J Metzler
- School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Thomas C Neylan
- Department of Mental Health, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement St. Bldg. 8., San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jessica A Ross
- Department of Mental Health, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement St. Bldg. 8., San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
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