1
|
Dettmer AM, Chusyd DE. Early life adversities and lifelong health outcomes: A review of the literature on large, social, long-lived nonhuman mammals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105297. [PMID: 37391110 PMCID: PMC10529948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Social nonhuman animals are powerful models for studying underlying factors related to lifelong health outcomes following early life adversities (ELAs). ELAs can be linked to lifelong health outcomes depending on the species, system, sensitive developmental periods, and biological pathways. This review focuses on the literature surrounding ELAs and lifelong health outcomes in large, social, relatively long-lived nonhuman mammals including nonhuman primates, canids, hyenas, elephants, ungulates, and cetaceans. These mammals, like humans but unlike the most-studied rodent models, have longer life histories, complex social structures, larger brains, and comparable stress and reproductive physiology. Collectively, these features make them compelling models for comparative aging research. We review studies of caregiver, social, and ecological ELAs, often in tandem, in these mammals. We consider experimental and observational studies and what each has contributed to our knowledge of health across the lifespan. We demonstrate the continued and expanded need for comparative research to inform about the social determinants of health and aging in both humans and nonhuman animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Dettmer
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 230 S. Frontage Rd., New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Daniella E Chusyd
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Health and Wellness Design, Indiana University Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St., Bloomington, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
van Oers K, van den Heuvel K, Sepers B. The Epigenetics of Animal Personality. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105194. [PMID: 37094740 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105194] [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: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Animal personality, consistent individual differences in behaviour, is an important concept for understanding how individuals vary in how they cope with environmental challenges. In order to understand the evolutionary significance of animal personality, it is crucial to understand the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation are hypothesised to play a major role in explaining variation in phenotypic changes in response to environmental alterations. Several characteristics of DNA methylation also align well with the concept of animal personality. In this review paper, we summarise the current literature on the role that molecular epigenetic mechanisms may have in explaining personality variation. We elaborate on the potential for epigenetic mechanisms to explain behavioural variation, behavioural development and temporal consistency in behaviour. We then suggest future routes for this emerging field and point to potential pitfalls that may be encountered. We conclude that a more inclusive approach is needed for studying the epigenetics of animal personality and that epigenetic mechanisms cannot be studied without considering the genetic background.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Krista van den Heuvel
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernice Sepers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Barcelona V, Huang Y, Caceres BA, Newhall KP, Hui Q, Cerdeña JP, Crusto CA, Sun YV, Taylor JY. Experiences of Trauma and DNA Methylation Profiles among African American Mothers and Children. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23168951. [PMID: 36012217 PMCID: PMC9408935 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23168951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Potentially traumatic experiences have been associated with chronic diseases. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), have been proposed as an explanation for this association. We examined the association of experiences of trauma with epigenome-wide DNAm among African American mothers (n = 236) and their children aged 3–5 years (n = 232; N = 500), using the Life Events Checklist-5 (LEC) and Traumatic Events Screening Inventory—Parent Report Revised (TESI-PRR). We identified no DNAm sites significantly associated with potentially traumatic experience scores in mothers. One CpG site on the ENOX1 gene was methylome-wide-significant in children (FDR-corrected q-value = 0.05) from the TESI-PRR. This protein-coding gene is associated with mental illness, including unipolar depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia. Future research should further examine the associations between childhood trauma, DNAm, and health outcomes among this understudied and high-risk group. Findings from such longitudinal research may inform clinical and translational approaches to prevent adverse health outcomes associated with epigenetic changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Barcelona
- Center for Research on People of Color, Columbia University School of Nursing, 560 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | - Billy A. Caceres
- Center for Research on People of Color, Columbia University School of Nursing, 560 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kevin P. Newhall
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Qin Hui
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jessica P. Cerdeña
- MD-PhD Program, Yale School of Medicine, 367 Cedar St., New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Anthropology and Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), University of Connecticut, 354 Mansfield Rd., Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Cindy A. Crusto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x 20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Yan V. Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Y. Taylor
- Center for Research on People of Color, Columbia University School of Nursing, 560 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(212)-342-3986
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cooper EB, Brent LJN, Snyder-Mackler N, Singh M, Sengupta A, Khatiwada S, Malaivijitnond S, Qi Hai Z, Higham JP. The natural history of model organisms: the rhesus macaque as a success story of the Anthropocene. eLife 2022; 11:78169. [PMID: 35801697 PMCID: PMC9345599 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Of all the non-human primate species studied by researchers, the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is likely the most widely used across biological disciplines. Rhesus macaques have thrived during the Anthropocene and now have the largest natural range of any non-human primate. They are highly social, exhibit marked genetic diversity, and display remarkable niche flexibility (which allows them to live in a range of habitats and survive on a variety of diets). These characteristics mean that rhesus macaques are well-suited for understanding the links between sociality, health and fitness, and also for investigating intra-specific variation, adaptation and other topics in evolutionary ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eve B Cooper
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, United States
| | | | | | - Mewa Singh
- Biopsychology Laboratory, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
| | | | - Sunil Khatiwada
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Garbatka, Poland
| | | | - Zhou Qi Hai
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Effects of early life stress on brain cytokines: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 139:104746. [PMID: 35716876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to early life stress (ELS) may lead to long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral impairments. Alterations in the immune system and neuroinflammatory state induced by ELS exposure are considered risk factors for developing psychiatric disorders. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies investigating the short and long-term effects of ELS exposure on anti and pro-inflammatory cytokines in brain tissues. Our analysis shows that animals exposed to ELS present an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. On the other hand, no alteration was observed in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Meta-regression revealed that alterations were more prominent in the hippocampus of adult animals that were exposed to more extended periods of ELS. These inflammatory effects were not permanent since few alterations were identified in aged animals. Our findings suggest that ELS exposure alters pro-inflammatory cytokines expression and may act as a primer for a secondary challenge that may induce lifelong immune alterations. Moreover, the actual evidence is insufficient to comprehend the relationship between anti-inflammatory cytokines and ELS fully.
Collapse
|
6
|
Parel ST, Peña CJ. Genome-wide Signatures of Early-Life Stress: Influence of Sex. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:36-42. [PMID: 33602500 PMCID: PMC8791071 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Both history of early-life stress (ELS) and female sex are associated with increased risk for depression. The complexity of how ELS interacts with brain development and sex to impart risk for multifaceted neuropsychiatric disorders is also unlikely to be understood by examining changes in single genes. Here, we review an emerging literature on genome-wide transcriptional and epigenetic signatures of ELS and the potential moderating influence of sex. We discuss evidence both that there are latent sex differences revealed by ELS and that ELS itself produces latent transcriptomic changes revealed by adult stress. In instances where there are broad similarities in global signatures of ELS among females and males, genes that contribute to these patterns are largely distinct based on sex. As this area of investigation grows, an effort should be made to better understand the sex-specific impact of ELS within the human brain, specific contributions of chromosomal versus hormonal sex, how ELS alters the time course of normal transcriptional development, and the cell-type specificity of transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in the brain. A better understanding of how ELS interacts with sex to alter transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures in the brain will inform individualized therapeutic strategies to prevent or ameliorate depression and other psychiatric disorders in this vulnerable population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sero Toriano Parel
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
Animal and humans exposed to stress early in life are more likely to suffer from long-term behavioral, mental health, metabolic, immune, and cardiovascular health consequences. The hypothalamus plays a nodal role in programming, controlling, and regulating stress responses throughout the life course. Epigenetic reprogramming in the hippocampus and the hypothalamus play an important role in adapting genome function to experiences and exposures during the perinatal and early life periods and setting up stable phenotypic outcomes. Epigenetic programming during development enables one genome to express multiple cell type identities. The most proximal epigenetic mark to DNA is a covalent modification of the DNA itself by enzymatic addition of methyl moieties. Cell-type-specific DNA methylation profiles are generated during gestational development and define cell and tissue specific phenotypes. Programming of neuronal phenotypes and sex differences in the hypothalamus is achieved by developmentally timed rearrangement of DNA methylation profiles. Similarly, other stations in the life trajectory such as puberty and aging involve predictable and scheduled reorganization of DNA methylation profiles. DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks are critical for maintaining cell-type identity in the brain, across the body, and throughout life. Data that have emerged in the last 15 years suggest that like its role in defining cell-specific phenotype during development, DNA methylation might be involved in defining experiential identities, programming similar genes to perform differently in response to diverse experiential histories. Early life stress impact on lifelong phenotypes is proposed to be mediated by DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks. Epigenetic marks, as opposed to genetic mutations, are reversible by either pharmacological or behavioral strategies and therefore offer the potential for reversing or preventing disease including behavioral and mental health disorders. This chapter discusses data testing the hypothesis that DNA methylation modulations of the HPA axis mediate the impact of early life stress on lifelong behavioral and physical phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lkhagvadorj K, Meyer KF, Verweij LP, Kooistra W, Reinders-Luinge M, Dijkhuizen HW, de Graaf IAM, Plösch T, Hylkema MN. Prenatal smoke exposure induces persistent Cyp2a5 methylation and increases nicotine metabolism in the liver of neonatal and adult male offspring. Epigenetics 2020; 15:1370-1385. [PMID: 32573327 PMCID: PMC7678918 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1782655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal smoke exposure (PSE) is a risk factor for nicotine dependence. One susceptibility gene for nicotine dependence is Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2A6, an enzyme responsible for the conversion of nicotine to cotinine and nicotine clearance in the liver. Higher activity of the CYP2A6 enzyme is associated with nicotine dependence, but no research has addressed the PSE effects on the CYP2A6 gene or its mouse homologue Cyp2a5. We hypothesized that PSE affects Cyp2a5 promoter methylation, Cyp2a5 mRNA levels, and nicotine metabolism in offspring. We used a smoke-exposed pregnant mouse model. RNA, DNA, and microsomal protein were isolated from liver tissue of foetal, neonatal, and adult offspring. Enzyme activity, Cyp2a5 mRNA levels, and Cyp2a5 methylation status of six CpG sites within the promoter region were analysed via HPLC, RT-PCR, and bisulphite pyrosequencing. Our data show that PSE induced higher cotinine levels in livers of male neonatal and adult offspring compared to controls. PSE-induced cotinine levels in neonates correlated with Cyp2a5 mRNA expression and promoter methylation at CpG-7 and CpG+45. PSE increased methylation in almost all CpG sites in foetal offspring, and this effect persisted at CpG-74 in male neonatal and adult offspring. Our results indicate that male offspring of mothers which were exposed to cigarette smoke during pregnancy have a higher hepatic nicotine metabolism, which could be regulated by DNA methylation. Given the detected persistence into adulthood, extrapolation to the human situation suggests that sons born from smoking mothers could be more susceptible to nicotine dependence later in life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khosbayar Lkhagvadorj
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Karolin F. Meyer
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura P. Verweij
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wierd Kooistra
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marjan Reinders-Luinge
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk W. Dijkhuizen
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Inge A. M. de Graaf
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology, and Targeting, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Torsten Plösch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Machteld N. Hylkema
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Effects of stresses associated with extremely preterm birth may be biologically "recorded" in the genomes of individuals born preterm via changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns. Genome-wide DNAm profiles were examined in buccal epithelial cells from 45 adults born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW; ≤1000 g) in the oldest known cohort of prospectively followed ELBW survivors (Mage = 32.35 years, 17 male), and 47 normal birth weight (NBW; ≥2500 g) control adults (Mage = 32.43 years, 20 male). Sex differences in DNAm profiles were found in both birth weight groups, but they were greatly enhanced in the ELBW group (77,895 loci) versus the NBW group (3,424 loci), suggesting synergistic effects of extreme prenatal adversity and sex on adult DNAm profiles. In men, DNAm profiles differed by birth weight group at 1,354 loci on 694 unique genes. Only two loci on two genes distinguished between ELBW and NBW women. Gene ontology (GO) and network analyses indicated that loci differentiating between ELBW and NBW men were abundant in genes within biological pathways related to neuronal development, synaptic transportation, metabolic regulation, and cellular regulation. Findings suggest increased sensitivity of males to long-term epigenetic effects of extremely preterm birth. Group differences are discussed in relation to particular gene functions.
Collapse
|
10
|
Genome-wide DNA methylation alteration in prenatally stressed Brahman heifer calves with the advancement of age. Epigenetics 2020; 16:519-536. [PMID: 32815760 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1805694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Possible phenotypic impairments associated with maternal stress during gestation in beef cattle may be explained by epigenetic effects. This study examined the impact of prenatal transportation stress on DNA methylation of lymphocytes of Brahman cows over the first 5 years of life. Methylation analysis through reduced representation bisulphite sequencing was conducted on DNA from lymphocytes from 28 paired samples from 6 prenatally stressed (PNS) and 8 control (Control) females obtained initially when they were 28 days of age and 5 years of age. There were 14,386 CpG (C = cytosine; p = phosphate; G = guanine) sites differentially methylated (P < 0.01) in 5-yr-old Control cows compared to their lymphocyte DNA at 28 days of age, this number was slightly decreased in 5-yr-old PNS with 13,378 CpG sites. Only 2,749 age-related differentially methylated CpG sites were seen within PNS females. There were 2,637 CpG sites differentially methylated (P < 0.01) in PNS cows relative to Controls at 5 years of age. There were differentially methylated genes in 5-yr-old cows that contributed similarly to altered gene pathways in both treatment groups. Canonical pathways altered in PNS compared to Control cows at 5 years of age were mostly related to development and growth, nervous system development and function, and immune response. Prenatal stress appeared to alter the epigenome in Brahman cows compared to Control at 5 years of age, which implies a persistent intervention in DNA methylation in lymphocytes, and may confer long-lasting effects on gene expression, and consequently relevant phenotypic changes.
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Early life adversity is associated with long-term effects on physical and mental
health later in life, but the mechanisms are yet unclear. Epigenetic mechanisms program
cell-type-specific gene expression during development, enabling one genome to be
programmed in many ways, resulting in diverse stable profiles of gene expression in
different cells and organs in the body. DNA methylation, an enzymatic covalent
modification of DNA, has been one of the principal epigenetic mechanisms investigated.
Emerging evidence is consistent with the idea that epigenetic processes are involved in
embedding the impact of early-life experience in the genome and mediating between social
environments and later behavioral phenotypes. Whereas there is evidence supporting this
hypothesis in animal studies, human studies have been less conclusive. A major problem
is the fact that the brain is inaccessible to epigenetic studies in humans and the
relevance of DNA methylation in peripheral tissues to behavioral phenotypes has been
questioned. In addition, human studies are usually confounded with genetic and
environmental heterogeneity and it is very difficult to derive causality. The idea that
epigenetic mechanisms mediate the life-long effects of perinatal adversity has
attractive potential implications for early detection, prevention, and intervention in
mental health disorders will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sproul Bassett AM, Wood EK, Lindell SG, Schwandt ML, Barr CS, Suomi SJ, Higley JD. Intergenerational effects of mother's early rearing experience on offspring treatment and socioemotional development. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:920-931. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephen G. Lindell
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNIH Rockville MD USA
- Laboratory of Clinical Studies National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNIH Bethesda MD USA
| | - Melanie L. Schwandt
- Laboratory of Clinical Studies National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNIH Bethesda MD USA
| | - Christina S. Barr
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNIH Rockville MD USA
- Laboratory of Clinical Studies National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNIH Bethesda MD USA
| | - Stephen J. Suomi
- Section of Comparative Ethology Eunice Shriver Kennedy National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNIH Poolesville MD USA
| | - James D. Higley
- Department of Psychology Brigham Young University Provo UT USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Marini S, Davis KA, Soare TW, Zhu Y, Suderman MJ, Simpkin AJ, Smith ADAC, Wolf EJ, Relton CL, Dunn EC. Adversity exposure during sensitive periods predicts accelerated epigenetic aging in children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 113:104484. [PMID: 31918390 PMCID: PMC7832214 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Exposure to adversity has been linked to accelerated biological aging, which in turn has been shown to predict numerous physical and mental health problems. In recent years, measures of DNA methylation-based epigenetic age--known as "epigenetic clocks"--have been used to estimate accelerated epigenetic aging. Although a small number of studies have found an effect of adversity exposure on epigenetic age in children, none have investigated if there are "sensitive periods" when adversity is most impactful. METHODS Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; n = 973), we tested the prospective association between repeated measures of childhood exposure to seven types of adversity on epigenetic age assessed at age 7.5 using the Horvath and Hannum epigenetic clocks. With a Least Angle Regression variable selection procedure, we evaluated potential sensitive period effects. RESULTS We found that exposure to abuse, financial hardship, or neighborhood disadvantage during sensitive periods in early and middle childhood best explained variability in the deviation of Hannum-based epigenetic age from chronological age, even after considering the role of adversity accumulation and recency. Secondary sex-stratified analyses identified particularly strong sensitive period effects. These effects were undetected in analyses comparing children "exposed" versus "unexposed" to adversity. We did not identify any associations between adversity and epigenetic age using the Horvath epigenetic clock. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that adversity may alter methylation processes in ways that either directly or indirectly perturb normal cellular aging and that these effects may be heightened during specific life stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Marini
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Kathryn A Davis
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Thomas W Soare
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yiwen Zhu
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Matthew J Suderman
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BSB 1TH, UK
| | - Andrew J Simpkin
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BSB 1TH, UK; School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91TK33, Ireland
| | - Andrew D A C Smith
- Applied Statistics Group, University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Erika J Wolf
- National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA; Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Caroline L Relton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BSB 1TH, UK; Institute of Genetic Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Erin C Dunn
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Schiele MA, Gottschalk MG, Domschke K. The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention. Clin Psychol Rev 2020; 77:101830. [PMID: 32163803 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders are highly complex and multifactorial in origin, comprising an elaborate interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA modifications (e.g. CpG methylation), histone modifications (e.g. acetylation) and microRNAs function as a translator between genes and the environment. Indeed, environmental influences such as exposure to stress shape epigenetic patterns, and lifetime experiences continue to alter the function of the genome throughout the lifespan. Here, we summarize the recently burgeoning body of research regarding the involvement of aberrant epigenetic signatures in mediating an increased vulnerability to a wide range of mental disorders. We review the current knowledge of epigenetic changes to constitute useful markers predicting the clinical response to psychotherapeutic interventions, and of psychotherapy to alter - and potentially reverse - epigenetic risk patterns. Given first evidence pointing to a transgenerational transmission of epigenetic information, epigenetic alterations arising from successful psychotherapy might be transferred to future generations and thus contribute to the prevention of mental disorders. Findings are integrated into a multi-level framework highlighting challenges pertaining to the mechanisms of action and clinical implications of epigenetic research. Promising future directions regarding the prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment of mental disorders in line with a 'precision medicine' approach are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A Schiele
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael G Gottschalk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Reiss D, Nielsen L, Godfrey K, McEwen B, Power C, Seeman T, Suomi S. Midlife reversibility of early-established biobehavioral risk factors: A research agenda. Dev Psychol 2019; 55:2203-2218. [PMID: 31368762 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence links exposure to early life adversities-such as childhood maltreatment-with impaired health and well-being in adulthood. Since these effects are usually unrecognized or untreated in childhood, preventive and remediating interventions in adults are needed. Our focus on adulthood prompted three major questions. First, does our increased understanding of mechanisms accounting for the long-term effects of early life adversities help delineate underlying dimensions that underscore key similarities and differences among these adversities? Second, can adults accurately report on adversities they experienced in childhood? Third, can we identify malleable risk processes in adulthood that might be targets for preventive intervention? Supported by the National Institute on Aging, the U.K. Economic and Social and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Councils, a network of researchers in human and animal development addressed these questions through meetings and literature review. A small number of dimensions may adequately distinguish among a range of co-occurring childhood adversities. Widely used adult ascertainments of childhood adversity are poorly related to prospective ascertainment. Strategies for preventive interventions should be aimed both at adults who were actually exposed to adversity as well as those who recall adversity, but the targeted risk processes may be different. Now is an opportune time to support research on adult interventions based on unfolding research on critical periods of sensitivity to adversity in fetal and child development, on improved understanding of risk mechanisms that may persist across the life span, and on new insights on enhancing neuroplasticity in adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisbeth Nielsen
- Division of Social and Behavioral Research, National Institute on Aging
| | - Keith Godfrey
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton
| | - Bruce McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University
| | - Christine Power
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London
| | - Teresa Seeman
- Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Stephen Suomi
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dunn EC, Soare TW, Zhu Y, Simpkin AJ, Suderman MJ, Klengel T, Smith ADAC, Ressler KJ, Relton CL. Sensitive Periods for the Effect of Childhood Adversity on DNA Methylation: Results From a Prospective, Longitudinal Study. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:838-849. [PMID: 30905381 PMCID: PMC6552666 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to early-life adversity is known to predict DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns that may be related to psychiatric risk. However, few studies have investigated whether adversity has time-dependent effects based on the age at exposure. METHODS Using a two-stage structured life course modeling approach, we tested the hypothesis that there are sensitive periods when adversity induces greater DNAm changes. We tested this hypothesis in relation to two alternatives: an accumulation hypothesis, in which the effect of adversity increases with the number of occasions exposed, regardless of timing; and a recency model, in which the effect of adversity is stronger for more proximal events. Data came from the Accessible Resource for Integrated Epigenomic Studies, a subsample of mother-child pairs from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 691-774). RESULTS After covariate adjustment and multiple testing correction, we identified 38 CpG sites that were differentially methylated at 7 years of age following exposure to adversity. Most loci (n = 35) were predicted by the timing of adversity, namely exposures before 3 years of age. Neither the accumulation nor recency of the adversity explained considerable variability in DNAm. A standard epigenome-wide association study of lifetime exposure (vs. no exposure) failed to detect these associations. CONCLUSIONS The developmental timing of adversity explains more variability in DNAm than the accumulation or recency of exposure. Very early childhood appears to be a sensitive period when exposure to adversity predicts differential DNAm patterns. Classification of individuals as exposed versus unexposed to early-life adversity may dilute observed effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Dunn
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
| | - Thomas W Soare
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Yiwen Zhu
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew J Simpkin
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J Suderman
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Torsten Klengel
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Gottingen, Germany
| | - Andrew D A C Smith
- Applied Statistics Group, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Caroline L Relton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Institute of Genetic Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Naumova OY, Rychkov SY, Kornilov SA, Odintsova VV, Anikina VО, Solodunova MY, Arintcina IA, Zhukova MA, Ovchinnikova IV, Burenkova OV, Zhukova OV, Muhamedrahimov RJ, Grigorenko EL. Effects of early social deprivation on epigenetic statuses and adaptive behavior of young children: A study based on a cohort of institutionalized infants and toddlers. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214285. [PMID: 30913238 PMCID: PMC6435191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early social deprivation (i.e., an insufficiency or lack of parental care) has been identified as a significant adverse early experience that may affect multiple facets of child development and cause long-term outcomes in physical and mental health, cognition and behavior. Current research provides growing evidence that epigenetic reprogramming may be a mechanism modulating these effects of early adversities. This work aimed to investigate the impact of early institutionalization—the immersion in an extreme socially depriving environment in humans—on the epigenome and adaptive behavior of young children up to 4 years of age. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving two comparison groups: 29 children raised in orphanages and 29 children raised in biological families. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of blood cells were obtained using the Illumina MethylationEPIC array; the level of child adaptive functioning was assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II. In comparison to children raised in families, children residing in orphanages had both statistically significant deficits in multiple adaptive behavior domains and statistically significant differences in DNA methylation states. Moreover, some of these methylation states may directly modulate the behavioral deficits; according to preliminary estimates, about 7–14% of the deviation of adaptive behavior between groups of children may be determined by their difference in DNA methylation profiles. The duration of institutionalization had a significant impact on both the adaptive level and DNA methylation status of institutionalized children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oxana Yu. Naumova
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EG); (OYN)
| | - Sergey Yu. Rychkov
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Sergey A. Kornilov
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Veronika V. Odintsova
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Research Institute for Health Organization and Informatics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Varvara О. Anikina
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Maria Yu. Solodunova
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Irina A. Arintcina
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Marina A. Zhukova
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Irina V. Ovchinnikova
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Olga V. Burenkova
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Olga V. Zhukova
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Rifkat J. Muhamedrahimov
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Elena L. Grigorenko
- Department of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EG); (OYN)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Schmidt M, Lax E, Zhou R, Cheishvili D, Ruder AM, Ludiro A, Lapert F, Macedo da Cruz A, Sandrini P, Calzoni T, Vaisheva F, Brandwein C, Luoni A, Massart R, Lanfumey L, Riva MA, Deuschle M, Gass P, Szyf M. Fetal glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) deficiency alters the landscape of DNA methylation of murine placenta in a sex-dependent manner and is associated to anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:23. [PMID: 30655507 PMCID: PMC6336883 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0348-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stress defines long-term phenotypes through epigenetic programming of the offspring. These effects are potentially mediated by glucocorticoid release and by sex. We hypothesized that the glucocorticoid receptor (Gr, Nr3c1) fashions the DNA methylation profile of offspring. Consistent with this hypothesis, fetal Nr3c1 heterozygosity leads to altered DNA methylation landscape in fetal placenta in a sex-specific manner. There was a significant overlap of differentially methylated genes in fetal placenta and adult frontal cortex in Nr3c1 heterozygotes. Phenotypically, Nr3c1 heterozygotes show significantly more anxiety-like behavior than wildtype. DNA methylation status of fetal placental tissue is significantly correlated with anxiety-like behavior of the same animals in adulthood. Thus, placental DNA methylation might predict behavioral phenotypes in adulthood. Our data supports the hypothesis that Nr3c1 influences DNA methylation at birth and that DNA methylation in placenta correlates with adult frontal cortex DNA methylation and anxiety-like phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Schmidt
- Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Elad Lax
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bSackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada
| | - Rudy Zhou
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada
| | - David Cheishvili
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bSackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada
| | - Arne Mathias Ruder
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alessia Ludiro
- 0000 0004 1757 2822grid.4708.bDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Florian Lapert
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anna Macedo da Cruz
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Paolo Sandrini
- 0000 0004 1757 2822grid.4708.bDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Teresa Calzoni
- 0000 0004 1757 2822grid.4708.bDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Farida Vaisheva
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada
| | - Christiane Brandwein
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alessia Luoni
- 0000 0004 1757 2822grid.4708.bDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Renaud Massart
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bSackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada ,0000 0004 0638 6979grid.417896.5Inserm, U894, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Laurence Lanfumey
- 0000 0004 0638 6979grid.417896.5Inserm, U894, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, 75014 Paris, France ,0000 0001 2188 0914grid.10992.33Université Paris Descartes, UMRS894, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- 0000 0004 1757 2822grid.4708.bDepartment of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Michael Deuschle
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Gass
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Moshe Szyf
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bSackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Littlejohn BP, Price DM, Neuendorff DA, Carroll JA, Vann RC, Riggs PK, Riley DG, Long CR, Welsh TH, Randel RD. Prenatal transportation stress alters genome-wide DNA methylation in suckling Brahman bull calves. J Anim Sci 2018; 96:5075-5099. [PMID: 30165450 PMCID: PMC6276578 DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to identify genome-wide differential methylation of DNA in young prenatally stressed (PNS) bull calves. Mature Brahman cows (n = 48) were transported for 2-h periods at 60 ± 5, 80 ± 5, 100 ± 5, 120 ± 5, and 140 ± 5 d of gestation or maintained as nontransported Controls (n = 48). Methylation of DNA from white blood cells from a subset of 28-d-old intact male offspring (n = 7 PNS; n = 7 Control) was assessed via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Samples from PNS bulls contained 16,128 CG, 226 CHG, and 391 CHH (C = cytosine; G = guanine; H = either adenine, thymine, or cytosine) sites that were differentially methylated compared to samples from Controls. Of the CG sites, 7,407 were hypermethylated (at least 10% more methylated than Controls; P ≤ 0.05) and 8,721 were hypomethylated (at least 10% less methylated than Controls; P ≤ 0.05). Increased DNA methylation in gene promoter regions typically results in decreased transcriptional activity of the region. Therefore, differentially methylated CG sites located within promoter regions (n = 1,205) were used to predict (using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software) alterations to canonical pathways in PNS compared with Control bull calves. In PNS bull calves, 113 pathways were altered (P ≤ 0.05) compared to Controls. Among these were pathways related to behavior, stress response, metabolism, immune function, and cell signaling. Genome-wide differential DNA methylation and predicted alterations to pathways in PNS compared with Control bull calves suggest epigenetic programming of biological systems in utero.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brittni P Littlejohn
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - Deborah M Price
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | | | | | - Rhonda C Vann
- Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University, Raymond, MS
| | - Penny K Riggs
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - David G Riley
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - Charles R Long
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | - Thomas H Welsh
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Tiwari A, Gonzalez A. Biological alterations affecting risk of adult psychopathology following childhood trauma: A review of sex differences. Clin Psychol Rev 2018; 66:69-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
|
21
|
Fonte C, Kaminski S, Vanet A, Lanfumey L, Cohen-Salmon C, Ghislin S, Frippiat JP. Socioenvironmental stressors encountered during spaceflight partially affect the murine TCR-β repertoire and increase its self-reactivity. FASEB J 2018; 33:896-908. [PMID: 30052484 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800969r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Spaceflights are known to affect the immune system. In a previous study, we demonstrated that hypergravity exposure during murine development modified 85% of the T-cell receptor (TCR)-β repertoire. In this study, we investigated whether socioenvironmental stressors encountered during space missions affect T lymphopoiesis and the TCR-β repertoire. To address this question, pregnant mice were subjected throughout gestation to chronic unpredictable mild stressors (CUMS), a model used to mimic socioenvironmental stresses encountered during space missions. Then, newborn T lymphopoiesis and the TCR-β repertoire were studied by flow cytometry and high-throughput sequencing, respectively. No change in thymocyte maturation or TCR expression were noted. TCR-β repertoire analysis revealed that 75% of neonate TCR-β sequences resulted from the expression of 3 variable (V)β segments and that this core repertoire was not affected by CUMS. However, the minor repertoire, representing 25% of the global repertoire, was sensitive to CUMS exposure. We also showed that the variable (diversity) joining [V(D)J] recombination process was unlikely to be affected. Finally, we noted that the CUMS neonatal minor repertoire was more self-reactive than the one of control pups. These findings show that socioenvironmental stressors such as those encountered during space missions affect a fraction (25%) of the TCR-β repertoire and that these stressors could increase self-reactivity.-Fonte, C., Kaminski, S., Vanet, A., Lanfumey, L., Cohen-Salmon, C., Ghislin, S., Frippiat, J.-P. Socioenvironmental stressors encountered during spaceflight partially affect the murine TCR-β repertoire and increase its self-reactivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Coralie Fonte
- Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, l'Équipe d'Accueil 7300, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Sandra Kaminski
- Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, l'Équipe d'Accueil 7300, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Anne Vanet
- Epôle de Génoinformatique, Institut Jacques Monod, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7592, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris Diderot University, University Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Lanfumey
- INSERM, Unité Mixte de Recherche 894, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neuroscience, Paris, France; and
| | - Charles Cohen-Salmon
- INSERM, Unité 1141, PROTECT, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Ghislin
- Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, l'Équipe d'Accueil 7300, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Jean-Pol Frippiat
- Stress Immunity Pathogens Laboratory, l'Équipe d'Accueil 7300, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kular L, Kular S. Epigenetics applied to psychiatry: Clinical opportunities and future challenges. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018; 72:195-211. [PMID: 29292553 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders are clinically heterogeneous and debilitating chronic diseases resulting from a complex interplay between gene variants and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications, instruct the cell/tissue to correctly interpret external signals and adjust its functions accordingly. Given that epigenetic modifications are sensitive to environment, stable, and reversible, epigenetic studies in psychiatry could represent a promising approach to better understanding and treating disease. In the present review, we aim to discuss the clinical opportunities and challenges arising from the epigenetic research in psychiatry. Using selected examples, we first recapitulate key findings supporting the role of adverse life events, alone or in combination with genetic risk, in epigenetic programming of neuropsychiatric systems. Epigenetic studies further report encouraging findings about the use of methylation changes as diagnostic markers of disease phenotype and predictive tools of progression and response to treatment. Then we discuss the potential of using targeted epigenetic pharmacotherapy, combined with psychosocial interventions, for future personalized medicine for patients. Finally, we review the methodological limitations that could hinder interpretation of epigenetic data in psychiatry. They mainly arise from heterogeneity at the individual and tissue level and require future strategies in order to reinforce the biological relevance of epigenetic data and its translational use in psychiatry. Overall, we suggest that epigenetics could provide new insights into a more comprehensive interpretation of mental illness and might eventually improve the nosology, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Kular
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sonia Kular
- Adult Psychiatry Unit of Laval Secteur Est, Laval, France
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Brenhouse HC, Danese A, Grassi-Oliveira R. Neuroimmune Impacts of Early-Life Stress on Development and Psychopathology. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 43:423-447. [PMID: 30003509 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Maltreatment and trauma in childhood, termed early-life stress (ELS), has long-term effects on the immune system. ELS impacts immune signaling at the time of exposure but also disrupts the developmental trajectory of certain immunological processes, both in the periphery and in the brain. One consequence of these early alterations is a heightened immune response to stressors later in life. However, chronic and sustained inflammatory response can also lead to excitotoxicity and prevent typical brain development. In this chapter, we discuss current progress toward understanding the contribution of neuroimmune signaling to ELS-attributable dysfunction or maladaptation with a focus on postnatal experiences. To do so we first present an operational definition of ELS. Then, we offer a brief overview of the immune system and neuroimmune development, followed by a section discussing the interaction between immunity, childhood trauma, and mental disorders in humans. We present evidence from animal models about immune alterations after ELS and discuss the ways in which ELS-induced immune changes ultimately affect brain and behavior, as well as the importance of individual differences and future directions in this field. Taken together, we submit that when encountered with ELS, some core brain circuits could develop differently via various mechanisms involving dysfunctional immune reprograming. However, given the remarkable plasticity of both the brain and the immune system, many of the deleterious effects of ELS may be mitigated with interventions that account for sex and target neuroimmune interactions over the lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Girchenko P, Lahti J, Czamara D, Knight AK, Jones MJ, Suarez A, Hämäläinen E, Kajantie E, Laivuori H, Villa PM, Reynolds RM, Kobor MS, Smith AK, Binder EB, Räikkönen K. Associations between maternal risk factors of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes and the offspring epigenetic clock of gestational age at birth. Clin Epigenetics 2017; 9:49. [PMID: 28503212 PMCID: PMC5422977 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-017-0349-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A recent study has shown that it is possible to accurately estimate gestational age (GA) at birth from the DNA methylation (DNAm) of fetal umbilical cord blood/newborn blood spots. This DNAm GA predictor may provide additional information relevant to developmental stage. In 814 mother-neonate pairs, we evaluated the associations between DNAm GA and a number of maternal and offspring characteristics. These characteristics reflect prenatal environmental adversity and are expected to influence newborn developmental stage. Results DNAm GA acceleration (GAA; i.e., older DNAm GA than chronological GA) of the offspring at birth was associated with maternal age of over 40 years at delivery, pre-eclampsia and fetal demise in a previous pregnancy, maternal pre-eclampsia and treatment with antenatal betamethasone in the index pregnancy, lower neonatal birth size, lower 1-min Apgar score, and female sex. DNAm GA deceleration (GAD; i.e., younger DNAm GA than chronological GA) of the offspring at birth was associated with insulin-treated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a previous pregnancy and Sjögren’s syndrome. These findings were more accentuated when the DNAm GA calculation was based on the raw difference between DNAm GA and GA than on the residual from the linear regression of DNAm GA on GA. Conclusions Our findings show that variations in the DNAm GA of the offspring at birth are associated with a number of maternal and offspring characteristics known to reflect exposure to prenatal environmental adversity. Future studies should be aimed at determining if this biological variation is predictive of developmental adversity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13148-017-0349-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Polina Girchenko
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Jari Lahti
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland.,Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, 80804 Germany
| | - Anna K Knight
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Anna Suarez
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Esa Hämäläinen
- HUSLAB and Department of Clinical Chemistry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Eero Kajantie
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Helsinki, 00271 Finland.,Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Hannele Laivuori
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland.,Medical and Clinical Genetics and Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| | - Pia M Villa
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Helsinki, 00029 Finland
| | - Rebecca M Reynolds
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ UK
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, 80804 Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322 GA USA
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014 Finland
| |
Collapse
|