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Paylar B, Pramanik S, Bezabhe YH, Olsson PE. Temporal sex specific brain gene expression pattern during early rat embryonic development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1343800. [PMID: 38961864 PMCID: PMC11219815 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1343800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The classical concept of brain sex differentiation suggests that steroid hormones released from the gonads program male and female brains differently. However, several studies indicate that steroid hormones are not the only determinant of brain sex differentiation and that genetic differences could also be involved. Methods: In this study, we have performed RNA sequencing of rat brains at embryonic days 12 (E12), E13, and E14. The aim was to identify differentially expressed genes between male and female rat brains during early development. Results: Analysis of genes expressed with the highest sex differences showed that Xist was highly expressed in females having XX genotype with an increasing expression over time. Analysis of genes expressed with the highest male expression identified three early genes, Sry2, Eif2s3y, and Ddx3y. Discussion: The observed sex-specific expression of genes at early development confirms that the rat brain is sexually dimorphic prior to gonadal action on the brain and identifies Sry2 and Eif2s3y as early genes contributing to male brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Per-Erik Olsson
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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2
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Hernández A, Hoffman K, Reyes R, Fernández-Guasti A. Multiparity favors same-sex partner preference in male rats. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114842. [PMID: 38160811 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114842] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Same-sex partner preference is present in many mammals, including rodents. Several possible causal factors have been proposed for the establishment of this preference. The Fraternal Birth Order effect refers to the observation that older brothers increase the probability of homosexuality in men, but no experiment has analyzed this possibility. In this study, partner preference (tested in a three compartments box) and female and male sexual behavior (studied in a cylindrical arena) were evaluated in young male rats (3 months) born to multiparous mothers that had 4-6 previous gestations and around 12 months of age. Control groups were young male rats born to primiparous young (4 months) or aged (12 months) mothers. In the partner preference test, the males born to multiparous dams spent less time interacting with the receptive female and more time interacting with the sexually active male, and a 39% exhibited same-sex partner preference. This high percentage seems related to multiparity of their mothers and not to maternal age, because the males born to primiparous aged females (12 months) showed a similar low proportion of same-sex partner preference than the males born to young (4 months) primiparous females (4%). In the sexual behavior tests, no male born of a multiparous dam and with same-sex preference ejaculated and 54% displayed proceptivity and lordosis. Present results suggest that the fraternal birth order effect may occur also in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Hernández
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Kurt Hoffman
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Cinvestav-UAT, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Rebeca Reyes
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Alonso Fernández-Guasti
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico.
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3
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Boerner KE, Keogh E, Inkster AM, Nahman-Averbuch H, Oberlander TF. A developmental framework for understanding the influence of sex and gender on health: Pediatric pain as an exemplar. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105546. [PMID: 38272336 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105546] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences are a robust finding in many areas of adult health, including cardiovascular disease, psychiatric disorders, and chronic pain. However, many sex differences are not consistently observed until after the onset of puberty. This has led to the hypothesis that hormones are primary contributors to sex differences in health outcomes, largely ignoring the relative contributions of early developmental influences, emerging psychosocial factors, gender, and the interaction between these variables. In this paper, we argue that a comprehensive understanding of sex and gender contributions to health outcomes should start as early as conception and take an iterative biopsychosocial-developmental perspective that considers intersecting social positions. We present a conceptual framework, informed by a review of the literature in basic, clinical, and social science that captures how critical developmental stages for both sex and gender can affect children's health and longer-term outcomes. The literature on pediatric chronic pain is used as a worked example of how the framework can be applied to understanding different chronic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelynn E Boerner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Edmund Keogh
- Department of Psychology & Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Amy M Inkster
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hadas Nahman-Averbuch
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tim F Oberlander
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, and BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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4
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Vaghef-Mehrabani E, Bell RC, Field CJ, Jarman M, Evanchuk JL, Letourneau N, Dewey D, Giesbrecht GF. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight status and gestational weight gain in association with child behavior: The mediating role of prenatal systemic inflammation. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2024; 59:249-256. [PMID: 38220383 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.12.006] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) may predispose children to behavioral problems through increased prenatal inflammation. We investigated the association between maternal body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG), and child behavioral problems (primary aim), and the mediating role of prenatal inflammation (secondary aim). METHODS We used self-reported pre-pregnancy BMI and estimated-GWG data (N = 1137) from a longitudinal cohort study. Maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured in the 3rd-trimester. Parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess child internalizing and externalizing behaviors at 3-years-of-age. We used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), multiple linear regression, and mediation analyses for data analysis. RESULTS Maternal obesity (F = 21.98, df 3836), EGWG (F = 6.53, df 2764), and their combination (F = 18.51, df 3764) were associated with the 3rd trimester CRP, but not child behavior in the whole sample. Maternal underweight was associated with withdrawal problems in all children (β = 0.56, 95%CI, 0.11,1.00) and aggressive behaviors in female children (β = 2.59, 95%CI, 0.28,4.91). Obesity had a significant association with externalizing behaviors in female children after controlling for maternal CRP (β = 3.72, 95%CI, 0.12,7.32). Both inadequate and EGWG were associated with somatic complaints in male children (β = 0.50, 95%CI, 0.05,0.95; β = 0.36, 95%CI, 0.01,0.71, respectively). Combined obesity/EGWG was associated with externalizing (β = 6.12, 95%CI, 0.53,11.70) and aggressive (β = 4.23, 95%CI, 0.90,7.56) behaviors in female children. We found no significant effects through CRP. CONCLUSIONS Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG showed sex-specific associations with child behavioral problems. Prenatal CRP, although increased in obesity and EGWG, did not mediate these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz Vaghef-Mehrabani
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rhonda C Bell
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine J Field
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Megan Jarman
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jenna L Evanchuk
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Deborah Dewey
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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5
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Zelco A, Wapeesittipan P, Joshi A. Insights into Sex and Gender Differences in Brain and Psychopathologies Using Big Data. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1676. [PMID: 37629533 PMCID: PMC10455614 DOI: 10.3390/life13081676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The societal implication of sex and gender (SG) differences in brain are profound, as they influence brain development, behavior, and importantly, the presentation, prevalence, and therapeutic response to diseases. Technological advances have enabled speed up identification and characterization of SG differences during development and in psychopathologies. The main aim of this review is to elaborate on new technological advancements, such as genomics, imaging, and emerging biobanks, coupled with bioinformatics analyses of data generated from these technologies have facilitated the identification and characterization of SG differences in the human brain through development and psychopathologies. First, a brief explanation of SG concepts is provided, along with a developmental and evolutionary context. We then describe physiological SG differences in brain activity and function, and in psychopathologies identified through imaging techniques. We further provide an overview of insights into SG differences using genomics, specifically taking advantage of large cohorts and biobanks. We finally emphasize how bioinformatics analyses of big data generated by emerging technologies provides new opportunities to reduce SG disparities in health outcomes, including major challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anagha Joshi
- Department of Clinical Science, Computational Biology Unit, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway; (A.Z.); (P.W.)
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Terrin F, Tesoriere A, Plotegher N, Dalla Valle L. Sex and Brain: The Role of Sex Chromosomes and Hormones in Brain Development and Parkinson's Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1486. [PMID: 37296608 PMCID: PMC10252697 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones and genes on the sex chromosomes are not only key factors in the regulation of sexual differentiation and reproduction but they are also deeply involved in brain homeostasis. Their action is crucial for the development of the brain, which presents different characteristics depending on the sex of individuals. The role of these players in the brain is fundamental in the maintenance of brain function during adulthood as well, thus being important also with respect to age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we explore the role of biological sex in the development of the brain and analyze its impact on the predisposition toward and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, we focus on Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that has a higher incidence in the male population. We report how sex hormones and genes encoded by the sex chromosomes could protect from the disease or alternatively predispose toward its development. We finally underline the importance of considering sex when studying brain physiology and pathology in cellular and animal models in order to better understand disease etiology and develop novel tailored therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicoletta Plotegher
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Luisa Dalla Valle
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.T.); (A.T.)
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Donnici C, Long X, Reynolds J, Giesbrecht GF, Dewey D, Letourneau N, Huo Y, Landman B, Lebel C. Prenatal depressive symptoms and childhood development of brain limbic and default mode network structure. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2380-2394. [PMID: 36691973 PMCID: PMC10028635 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal depressive symptoms are linked to negative child behavioral and cognitive outcomes and predict later psychopathology in adolescent children. Prior work links prenatal depressive symptoms to child brain structure in regions like the amygdala; however, the relationship between symptoms and the development of brain structure over time remains unclear. We measured maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and acquired longitudinal T1-weighted and diffusion imaging data in children (n = 111; 60 females) between 2.6 and 8 years of age. Controlling for postnatal symptoms, we used linear mixed effects models to test relationships between prenatal depressive symptoms and age-related changes in (i) amygdala and hippocampal volume and (ii) structural properties of the limbic and default-mode networks using graph theory. Higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the second trimester were associated with more curvilinear trajectories of left amygdala volume changes. Higher prenatal depressive symptoms in the third trimester were associated with slower age-related changes in limbic global efficiency and average node degree across childhood. Our work provides evidence that moderate symptoms of prenatal depression in a low sociodemographic risk sample are associated with structural brain development in regions and networks implicated in emotion processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Donnici
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiangyu Long
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jess Reynolds
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bennett Landman
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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8
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Holm SM, Balmes JR, Gunier RB, Kogut K, Harley KG, Eskenazi B. Cognitive Development and Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure in the CHAMACOS Cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:37007. [PMID: 36913239 PMCID: PMC10010399 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because fine particulate matter [PM, with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5)] is a ubiquitous environmental exposure, small changes in cognition associated with PM2.5 exposure could have great societal costs. Prior studies have demonstrated a relationship between in utero PM2.5 exposure and cognitive development in urban populations, but it is not known whether these effects are similar in rural populations and whether they persist into late childhood. OBJECTIVES In this study, we tested for associations between prenatal PM2.5 exposure and both full-scale and subscale measures of IQ among a longitudinal cohort at age 10.5 y. METHODS This analysis used data from 568 children enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a birth cohort study in California's agricultural Salinas Valley. Exposures were estimated at residential addresses during pregnancy using state of the art, modeled PM2.5 surfaces. IQ testing was performed by bilingual psychometricians in the dominant language of the child. RESULTS A 3-μg/m3 higher average PM2.5 over pregnancy was associated with -1.79 full-scale IQ points [95% confidence interval (CI): -2.98, -0.58], with decrements specifically in Working Memory IQ (WMIQ) and Processing Speed IQ (PSIQ) subscales [WMIQ -1.72 (95% CI: -2.98, -0.45) and PSIQ -1.19 (95% CI: -2.54, 0.16)]. Flexible modeling over the course of pregnancy illustrated mid-to-late pregnancy (months 5-7) as particularly susceptible times, with sex differences in the timing of susceptible windows and in which subscales were most affected [Verbal Comprehension IQ (VCIQ) and WMIQ in males; and PSIQ in females]. DISCUSSION We found that small increases in outdoor PM2.5 exposure in utero were associated with slightly lower IQ in late childhood, robust to many sensitivity analyses. In this cohort there was a larger effect of PM2.5 on childhood IQ than has previously been observed, perhaps due to differences in PM composition or because developmental disruption could alter the cognitive trajectory and thus appear more pronounced as children get older. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10812.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Holm
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John R. Balmes
- Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Robert B. Gunier
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Katherine Kogut
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Kim G. Harley
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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Introduction to the special issue on neurological disorders across the female life span. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 174:105886. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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10
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Feleke R, Jazayeri D, Abouzeid M, Powell KL, Srivastava PK, O’Brien TJ, Jones NC, Johnson MR. Integrative genomics reveals pathogenic mediator of valproate-induced neurodevelopmental disability. Brain 2022; 145:3832-3842. [PMID: 36071595 PMCID: PMC9679160 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to the anti-seizure medication sodium valproate (VPA) is associated with an increased risk of adverse postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes, including lowered intellectual ability, autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study, we aimed to clarify the molecular mechanisms underpinning the neurodevelopmental consequences of gestational VPA exposure using integrative genomics. We assessed the effect of gestational VPA on foetal brain gene expression using a validated rat model of valproate teratogenicity that mimics the human scenario of chronic oral valproate treatment during pregnancy at doses that are therapeutically relevant to the treatment of epilepsy. Two different rat strains were studied-inbred Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg, a model of genetic generalized epilepsy, and inbred non-epileptic control rats. Female rats were fed standard chow or VPA mixed in standard chow for 2 weeks prior to conception and then mated with same-strain males. In the VPA-exposed rats maternal oral treatment was continued throughout pregnancy. Foetuses were extracted via C-section on gestational Day 21 (1 day prior to birth) and foetal brains were snap-frozen and genome-wide gene expression data generated. We found that gestational VPA exposure via chronic maternal oral dosing was associated with substantial drug-induced differential gene expression in the pup brains, including dysregulated splicing, and observed that this occurred in the absence of evidence for significant neuronal gain or loss. The functional consequences of VPA-induced gene expression were explored using pathway analysis and integration with genetic risk data for psychiatric disease and behavioural traits. The set of genes downregulated by VPA in the pup brains were significantly enriched for pathways related to neurodevelopment and synaptic function and significantly enriched for heritability to human intelligence, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Our results provide a mechanistic link between chronic foetal VPA exposure and neurodevelopmental disability mediated by VPA-induced transcriptional dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maya Abouzeid
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kim L Powell
- The Departments of Medicine and Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia,Department of Neuroscience, The Central Clinical School, Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Michael R Johnson
- Correspondence to: Professor Michael R. Johnson Department of Brain Sciences Imperial College London Room E419 Burlington Danes Building 160 Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK E-mail:
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11
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de Toledo VHC, Feltrin AS, Barbosa AR, Tahira AC, Brentani H. Sex differences in gene regulatory networks during mid-gestational brain development. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:955607. [PMID: 36061507 PMCID: PMC9428411 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.955607] [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: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders differ considerably between males and females, and fetal brain development is one of the most critical periods to determine risk for these disorders. Transcriptomic studies comparing male and female fetal brain have demonstrated that the highest difference in gene expression occurs in sex chromosomes, but several autossomal genes also demonstrate a slight difference that has not been yet explored. In order to investigate biological pathways underlying fetal brain sex differences, we applied medicine network principles using integrative methods such as co-expression networks (CEMiTool) and regulatory networks (netZoo). The pattern of gene expression from genes in the same pathway tend to reflect biologically relevant phenomena. In this study, network analysis of fetal brain expression reveals regulatory differences between males and females. Integrating two different bioinformatics tools, our results suggest that biological processes such as cell cycle, cell differentiation, energy metabolism and extracellular matrix organization are consistently sex-biased. MSET analysis demonstrates that these differences are relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Hugo Calegari de Toledo
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Psicopatologia e Terapêutica Psiquiátrica (LIM23), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ana Carolina Tahira
- Laboratório de Expressão Gênica, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Psicopatologia e Terapêutica Psiquiátrica (LIM23), Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Helena Brentani
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Abnormal subgenual anterior cingulate circuitry is unique to women but not men with chronic pain. Pain 2021; 162:97-108. [PMID: 32773597 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) plays an important role in pain modulation. We previously demonstrated sex differences in sgACC functional connectivity (FC) in healthy individuals. Given that many chronic pain conditions show sex differences in prevalence, here we tested the hypothesis that people with chronic pain exhibit a sex-specific pattern of abnormal sgACC FC. We acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 156 (82 W: 74 M) healthy participants and 38 (19 W: 19 M) people with chronic low back pain resulting from ankylosing spondylitis, a condition that predominantly affects men. We confirmed that there are sex differences in sgACC FC in our large cohort of healthy adults; women had greater sgACC FC with the precuneus, a key node of the default mode network, and men had greater sgACC FC with the posterior insula and the operculum. Next, we identified an interaction effect between sex and pain status (healthy/chronic pain) for sgACC FC. Within the chronic pain group, women had greater sgACC FC than men to the default mode and sensorimotor networks. Compared to healthy women, women with chronic pain also had greater sgACC FC to the precuneus and lower FC to the hippocampus and frontal regions. No differences in sgACC FC were seen in men with vs without chronic pain. Our findings indicate that abnormal sgACC circuitry is unique to women but not men with ankylosing spondylitis-related chronic pain. These sex differences may impact the benefit of therapeutics that target the sgACC for chronic pain.
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Gaillard A, Fehring DJ, Rossell SL. Sex differences in executive control: A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:2592-2611. [PMID: 33423339 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The number of studies investigating sex differences in executive functions, particularly those using human functional neuroimaging techniques, has risen dramatically in the past decade. However, the influences of sex on executive function are still underexplored and poorly characterized. To address this, we conducted a systematic literature review of functional neuroimaging studies investigating sex differences in three prominent executive control domains of cognitive set-shifting, performance monitoring, and response inhibition. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched. Following the application of exclusion criteria, 21 studies were included, with a total of 677 females and 686 males. Ten of these studies were fMRI and PET, eight were EEG, and three were NIRS. At present, there is evidence for sex differences in the neural networks underlying all tasks of executive control included in this review suggesting males and females engage different strategies depending on task demands. There was one task exception, the 2-Back task, which showed no sex differences. Due to methodological variability and the involvement of multiple neural networks, a simple overarching statement with regard to gender differences during executive control cannot be provided. As such, we discuss limitations within the current literature and methodological considerations that should be employed in future research. Importantly, sex differences in neural mechanisms are present in the majority of tasks assessed, and thus should not be ignored in future research. PROSPERO registration information: CRD42019124772.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gaillard
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC., Australia
| | - Daniel J Fehring
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC., Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, VIC., Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC., Australia.,Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC., Australia
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14
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Swaab DF, Wolff SEC, Bao AM. Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 181:427-443. [PMID: 34238476 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820683-6.00031-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Gender identity (an individual's perception of being male or female) and sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality) are programmed into our brain during early development. During the intrauterine period in the second half of pregnancy, a testosterone surge masculinizes the fetal male brain. If such a testosterone surge does not occur, this will result in a feminine brain. As sexual differentiation of the brain takes place at a much later stage in development than sexual differentiation of the genitals, these two processes can be influenced independently of each other and can result in gender dysphoria. Nature produces a great variability for all aspects of sexual differentiation of the brain. Mechanisms involved in sexual differentiation of the brain include hormones, genetics, epigenetics, endocrine disruptors, immune response, and self-organization. Furthermore, structural and functional differences in the hypothalamus relating to gender dysphoria and sexual orientation are described in this review. All the genetic, postmortem, and in vivo scanning observations support the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria, i.e., it is the sizes of brain structures, the neuron numbers, the molecular composition, functions, and connectivity of brain structures that determine our gender identity or sexual orientation. There is no evidence that one's postnatal social environment plays a crucial role in the development of gender identity or sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick F Swaab
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Samantha E C Wolff
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ai-Min Bao
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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15
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Tore EC, Antoniou EE, de Groot RHM, Gielen M, Godschalk RWL, Roumeliotaki T, Smits L, Southwood TR, Spaanderman MEA, Stratakis N, Vafeiadi M, Chatzi VL, Zeegers MP. Gestational Weight Gain by Maternal Pre-pregnancy BMI and Childhood Problem Behaviours in School-Age Years: A Pooled Analysis of Two European Birth Cohorts. Matern Child Health J 2020; 24:1288-1298. [PMID: 32557131 PMCID: PMC7476966 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-020-02962-y] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Maternal pre-pregnancy weight is known to affect foetal development. However, it has not yet been clarified if gestational weight gain is associated with childhood behavioural development. Methods We performed a pooled analysis of two prospective birth cohorts to investigate the association between gestational weight gain and childhood problem behaviours, and the effect modification of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. In total, 378 mother–child pairs from the Maastricht Essential Fatty Acids Birth cohort (MEFAB) and 414 pairs from the Rhea Mother–Child cohort were followed up from early pregnancy to 6–7 years post-partum. At follow up, parents assessed their children’s behaviour, measured as total problems, internalizing and externalizing behaviours, with the Child Behaviour Checklist. We computed cohort- and subject-specific gestational weight gain trajectories using mixed-effect linear regression models. Fractional polynomial regressions, stratified by maternal pre-pregnancy BMI status, were then used to examine the association between gestational weight gain and childhood problem behaviours. Results In the pre-pregnancy overweight/obese group, greater gestational weight gain was associated with higher problem behaviours. On average, children of women with overweight/obesity who gained 0.5 kg/week scored 25 points higher (on a 0–100 scale) in total problems and internalizing behaviours, and about 18 points higher in externalizing behaviours than children whose mothers gained 0.2 kg/week. Inconsistent results were found in the pre-pregnancy normal weight group. Conclusions for Practice Excessive gestational weight gain in women with pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity might increase problem behaviours in school-age children. Particular attention should be granted to avoid excessive weight gain in women with a pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10995-020-02962-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena C Tore
- Department of Complex Genetics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. .,Institute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Evangelia E Antoniou
- Department of Complex Genetics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Renate H M de Groot
- Welten Institute, Research Centre for Learning, Teaching, and Technology, Open University of the Netherlands, 6419 AT, Heerlen, The Netherlands.,Department of Complex Genetics, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marij Gielen
- Department of Complex Genetics, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger W L Godschalk
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Theano Roumeliotaki
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Luc Smits
- Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Taunton R Southwood
- Institute of Child Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Marc E A Spaanderman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nikos Stratakis
- Department of Complex Genetics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece.,Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA
| | - Marina Vafeiadi
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vaia L Chatzi
- Department of Complex Genetics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Greece.,Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA
| | - Maurice P Zeegers
- Department of Complex Genetics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Complex Genetics, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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16
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Pottmeier P, Doszyn O, Peuckert C, Jazin E. Increased Expression of Y-Encoded Demethylases During Differentiation of Human Male Neural Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev 2020; 29:1497-1509. [PMID: 33040644 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2020.0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human neural stem cells (hNSCs) have long been used as an in vitro model to study neurogenesis and as candidates for nervous system therapy. Many parameters have been considered when evaluating the success of transplantation, but sex of donor and recipients is often not discussed. We investigated two commercial NSC lines, the female hNSC-H9 and male hNSC-H14, and we observed faster growth rates in the male cells. At 4 days of differentiation, male cells presented a significant increase in expression of DCX, an immature neuronal marker, while female cells showed a significant increase in RMST, a long noncoding RNA, which is indispensable during neurogenesis. In addition, expression of neural markers MAP2, PSD95, SYP, DCX, and TUJ1 at day 14 of differentiation suggested a similar differentiation potential in both lines. The most significant differences at day 14 of differentiation were the expression levels of RELN, with almost 100-fold difference between the sexes, and MASH1, with more than 1,000-fold increase in male cells. To evaluate whether some of the observed differences may be sex related, we measured the expression of gametologous genes located on the X- and Y-chromosome. Most noticeable was the increase of Y-encoded demethylases KDM6C (UTY) and KDM5D during differentiation of male cells. Our results indicate that attention should be paid to sex when planning neurogenesis and transplantation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Pottmeier
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Olga Doszyn
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christiane Peuckert
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Biology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Jazin
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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Reddy KD, Oliver BGG. Sex-specific effects of in utero and adult tobacco smoke exposure. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2020; 320:L63-L72. [PMID: 33084360 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00273.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tobacco smoke has harmful effects on a multiorgan level. Exposure to smoke, whether in utero or environmental, significantly increases susceptibility. This susceptibility has been identified to be divergent between males and females. However, there remains a distinct lack of thorough research into the relationship between sex and exposure to tobacco. Females tend to generate a more significant response than males during adulthood exposure. The intrauterine environment is meticulously controlled, and exposure to tobacco presents a significant factor that contributes to poor health outcomes and susceptibility later in life. Analysis of these effects in relation to the sex of the offspring is yet to be holistically reviewed and summarized. In this review, we will delineate the time-dependent relationship between tobacco smoke exposure and sex-specific disease susceptibility. We further outline possible biological mechanisms that may contribute to the identified pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karosham D Reddy
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Respiratory Cellular and Molecular Biology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brian G G Oliver
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Respiratory Cellular and Molecular Biology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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18
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Studholme C, Kroenke CD, Dighe M. Motion corrected MRI differentiates male and female human brain growth trajectories from mid-gestation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3038. [PMID: 32546755 PMCID: PMC7297991 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16763-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It is of considerable scientific, medical, and societal interest to understand the developmental origins of differences between male and female brains. Here we report the use of advances in MR imaging and analysis to accurately measure global, lobe and millimetre scale growth trajectory patterns over 18 gestational weeks in normal pregnancies with repeated measures. Statistical modelling of absolute growth trajectories revealed underlying differences in many measures, potentially reflecting overall body size differences. However, models of relative growth accounting for global measures revealed a complex temporal form, with strikingly similar cortical development in males and females at lobe scales. In contrast, local cortical growth patterns and larger scale white matter volume and surface measures differed significantly between male and female. Many proportional differences were maintained during neurogenesis and over 18 weeks of growth. These indicate sex related sculpting of neuroanatomy begins early in development, before cortical folding, potentially influencing postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Studholme
- Biomedical Image Computing Group, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Box 356320, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Advanced Imaging Research Center and Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, 97239, OR, USA
| | - Manjiri Dighe
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA
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19
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Ross JL, Bloy L, Roberts TP, Miller J, Xing C, Silverman L, Zinn AR. Y chromosome gene copy number and lack of autism phenotype in a male with an isodicentric Y chromosome and absent NLGN4Y expression. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:471-482. [PMID: 31161682 PMCID: PMC6730649 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We describe a unique male with a dicentric Y chromosome whose phenotype was compared to that of males with 47,XYY (XYY). The male Y-chromosome aneuploidy XYY is associated with physical, behavioral/cognitive phenotypes, and autism spectrum disorders. We hypothesize that increased risk for these phenotypes is caused by increased copy number/overexpression of Y-encoded genes. Specifically, an extra copy of the neuroligin gene NLGN4Y might elevate the risk of autism in boys with XYY. We present a unique male with the karyotype 46,X,idic(Y)(q11.22), which includes duplication of the Y short arm and proximal long arm and deletion of the distal long arm, evaluated his physical, behavioral/cognitive, and neuroimaging/magnetoencephalography (MEG) phenotypes, and measured blood RNA expression of Y genes. The proband had tall stature and cognitive function within the typical range, without autism features. His blood RNA showed twofold increase in expression of Yp genes versus XY controls, and absent expression of deleted Yq genes, including NLGN4Y. The M100 latencies were similar to findings in typically developing males. In summary, the proband had overexpression of a subset of Yp genes, absent NLGN4Y expression, without ASD findings or XYY-MEG latency findings. These results are consistent with a role for NLGN4Y overexpression in the etiology of behavioral phenotypes associated with XYY. Further investigation of NLGN4Y as an ASD risk gene in XYY is warranted. The genotype and phenotype(s) of this subject may also provide insight into how Y chromosome genes contribute to normal male development and the male predominance in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith L. Ross
- Department of Pediatrics, Nemours DuPont Hospital for Children, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Luke Bloy
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Timothy P.L. Roberts
- Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104
| | - Judith Miller
- CHOP Center for Autism Research, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19146
| | - Chao Xing
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390,Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390,Department of Population and Data Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390
| | | | - Andrew R. Zinn
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390,Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390
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20
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Johansson MM, Pottmeier P, Suciu P, Ahmad T, Zaghlool A, Halvardson J, Darj E, Feuk L, Peuckert C, Jazin E. Novel Y-Chromosome Long Non-Coding RNAs Expressed in Human Male CNS During Early Development. Front Genet 2019; 10:891. [PMID: 31608120 PMCID: PMC6769107 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Global microarray gene expression analyses previously demonstrated differences in female and male embryos during neurodevelopment. In particular, before sexual maturation of the gonads, the differences seem to concentrate on the expression of genes encoded on the X- and Y-chromosomes. To investigate genome-wide differences in expression during this early developmental window, we combined high-resolution RNA sequencing with qPCR to analyze brain samples from human embryos during the first trimester of development. Our analysis was tailored for maximum sensitivity to discover Y-chromosome gene expression, but at the same time, it was underpowered to detect X-inactivation escapees. Using this approach, we found that 5 out of 13 expressed gametolog pairs showed unbalanced gene dosage, and as a consequence, a male-biased expression. In addition, we found six novel non-annotated long non-coding RNAs on the Y-chromosome with conserved expression patterns in newborn chimpanzee. The tissue specific and time-restricted expression of these long non-coding RNAs strongly suggests important functions during central nervous system development in human males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin M Johansson
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Philipp Pottmeier
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pascalina Suciu
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tauseef Ahmad
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ammar Zaghlool
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonatan Halvardson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Darj
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars Feuk
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christiane Peuckert
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Biology, Stockholms University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Jazin
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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21
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Tahira AC, Barbosa AR, Feltrin AS, Gastaldi VD, de Toledo VHC, de Carvalho Pereira JG, Lisboa BCG, de Souza Reis VN, dos Santos ACF, Maschietto M, Brentani H. Putative contributions of the sex chromosome proteins SOX3 and SRY to neurodevelopmental disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:390-414. [PMID: 30537354 PMCID: PMC6767407 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The male-biased prevalence of certain neurodevelopmental disorders and the sex-biased outcomes associated with stress exposure during gestation have been previously described. Here, we hypothesized that genes distinctively targeted by only one or both homologous proteins highly conserved across therian mammals, SOX3 and SRY, could induce sexual adaptive changes that result in a differential risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. ChIP-seq/chip data showed that SOX3/SRY gene targets were expressed in different brain cell types in mice. We used orthologous human genes in rodent genomes to extend the number of SOX3/SRY set (1,721). These genes were later found to be enriched in five modules of coexpressed genes during the early and mid-gestation periods (FDR < 0.05), independent of sexual hormones. Genes with differential expression (24, p < 0.0001) and methylation (40, p < 0.047) between sexes were overrepresented in this set. Exclusive SOX3 or SRY target genes were more associated with the late gestational and postnatal periods. Using autism as a model sex-biased disorder, the SOX3/SRY set was enriched in autism gene databases (FDR ≤ 0.05), and there were more de novo variations from the male autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples under the SRY peaks compared to the random peaks (p < 0.024). The comparison of coexpressed networks of SOX3/SRY target genes between male autism and control samples revealed low preservation in gene modules related to stress response (99 genes) and neurogenesis (78 genes). This study provides evidence that while SOX3 is a regulatory mechanism for both sexes, the male-exclusive SRY also plays a role in gene regulation, suggesting a potential mechanism for sex bias in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Tahira
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - André Rocha Barbosa
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Inter‐institutional Grad Program on BioinformaticsUniversity of São PauloSão PauloSPBrazil
| | | | - Vinicius Daguano Gastaldi
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Victor Hugo Calegari de Toledo
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | | | - Bianca Cristina Garcia Lisboa
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Viviane Neri de Souza Reis
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Ana Cecília Feio dos Santos
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Básicas em Malária – EntomologiaSeção de Parasitologia – Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MSAnanindeuaPABrazil
| | - Mariana Maschietto
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio)Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)CampinasSPBrazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Inter‐institutional Grad Program on BioinformaticsUniversity of São PauloSão PauloSPBrazil
- Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSPBrazil
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD)Sao PauloSPBrazil
- Faculdade de Medicina FMUSPUniversidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
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22
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Sex differences and the neurobiology of affective disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:111-128. [PMID: 30061743 PMCID: PMC6235863 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0148-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Observations of the disproportionate incidence of depression in women compared with men have long preceded the recent explosion of interest in sex differences. Nonetheless, the source and implications of this epidemiologic sex difference remain unclear, as does the practical significance of the multitude of sex differences that have been reported in brain structure and function. In this article, we attempt to provide a framework for thinking about how sex and reproductive hormones (particularly estradiol as an example) might contribute to affective illness. After briefly reviewing some observed sex differences in depression, we discuss how sex might alter brain function through hormonal effects (both organizational (programmed) and activational (acute)), sex chromosome effects, and the interaction of sex with the environment. We next review sex differences in the brain at the structural, cellular, and network levels. We then focus on how sex and reproductive hormones regulate systems implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, including neuroplasticity, genetic and neural networks, the stress axis, and immune function. Finally, we suggest several models that might explain a sex-dependent differential regulation of affect and susceptibility to affective illness. As a disclaimer, the studies cited in this review are not intended to be comprehensive but rather serve as examples of the multitude of levels at which sex and reproductive hormones regulate brain structure and function. As such and despite our current ignorance regarding both the ontogeny of affective illness and the impact of sex on that ontogeny, sex differences may provide a lens through which we may better view the mechanisms underlying affective regulation and dysfunction.
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23
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The art of matching brain tissue from patients and controls for postmortem research. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 150:197-217. [PMID: 29496142 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63639-3.00015-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The quality of postmortem research depends strongly on a thorough clinical investigation and documentation of the patient's disorder and therapies. In addition, a systematic and professional neuropathologic investigation of both cases and controls is absolutely crucial. In the experience of the Netherlands Brain Bank (NBB), about 20% of clinical neurologic diagnoses, despite being made in first-rate clinics, have to be revised or require an extra diagnosis after a complete and thorough review by the NBB. The neuropathology examination may reveal for instance that the "controls" already have preclinical neurodegenerative alterations. In postmortem studies the patient and control groups must be matched for as many of the known confounding factors as possible. This is necessary to make the groups as similar as possible, except for the topic being investigated. Confounding factors are present before, during, and after death. They are respectively: (1) genetic background, systemic diseases, duration and gravity of illness, medicines and addictive compounds used, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, circadian and seasonal fluctuations, lateralization; (2) agonal state, stress of dying; and (3) postmortem delay, freezing procedures, fixation and storage time. Consequently, a brain bank should have a large number of controls at its disposal for appropriate matching. If matching fails for some confounders, then their influence may be determined by statistical methods such as analysis of variance or regression models.
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24
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Miller CN, Dye JA, Ledbetter AD, Schladweiler MC, Richards JH, Snow SJ, Wood CE, Henriquez AR, Thompson LC, Farraj AK, Hazari MS, Kodavanti UP. Uterine Artery Flow and Offspring Growth in Long-Evans Rats following Maternal Exposure to Ozone during Implantation. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:127005. [PMID: 29269335 PMCID: PMC5963593 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies suggest that increased ozone exposure during gestation may compromise fetal growth. In particular, the implantation stage of pregnancy is considered a key window of susceptibility for this outcome. OBJECTIVES The main goals of this study were to investigate the effects of short-term ozone inhalation during implantation on fetal growth outcomes and to explore the potential for alterations in uterine arterial flow as a contributing mechanism. METHODS Pregnant Long-Evans rats were exposed to filtered air, 0.4 ppm ozone, or 0.8 ppm ozone for 4 h/d during implantation, on gestation days (GD) 5 and 6. Tail cuff blood pressure and uterine artery Doppler ultrasound were measured on GD 15, 19, and 21. To assess whether peri-implantation ozone exposure resulted in sustained pulmonary or systemic health effects, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum metabolic and inflammatory end points, and kidney histopathology were evaluated in dams at GD 21. Growth parameters assessed in GD 21 offspring included fetal weight, length, and body composition. RESULTS Measures of maternal uterine arterial flow, including resistance index and mean velocity, indicated that resistance increased between GD 15 and GD 21 in 0.8 ppm dams but decreased in controls, although absolute values were similar in both groups on GD 21. Ozone-exposed dams also had lower serum glucose and higher free fatty acid concentrations than controls on GD 21. On GD 21, both male and female offspring had lower body weight than controls, and pooled subsets of 3 male and 3 female fetuses from litters exposed to 0.8 ppm ozone had lower lean mass and fat mass than pooled control offspring. CONCLUSIONS Findings from our experimental model suggest that the offspring of dams exposed to ozone during implantation had reduced growth compared with controls, possibly as a consequence of ozone-induced vascular dysfunction. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colette N Miller
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janice A Dye
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Allen D Ledbetter
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mette C Schladweiler
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Judy H Richards
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Samantha J Snow
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles E Wood
- Integrated Systems Toxicology Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Andres R Henriquez
- Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Leslie C Thompson
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aimen K Farraj
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mehdi S Hazari
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Urmila P Kodavanti
- Environmental Public Health Division, National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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25
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Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption results in significant changes in gene expression and isoforms due to altered mRNA splicing. As such, an intriguing possibility is that disturbances in alternative splicing are involved in key pathological pathways triggered by alcohol exposure. However, no resources have been available to systematically analyze this possibility at a genome-wide scale. Here, we performed RNA sequencing of human fetal cortical slices that were obtained at the late first trimester and exposed to ethanol or control medium. We report 382 events that were identified as changes affecting the ratio of splicing isoforms in the ethanol-exposed fetal human cortex. Additionally, previously unreported novel isoforms of several genes were also identified. These results provide a broad perspective on the post-transcriptional regulatory network underlying ethanol-induced pathogenesis in the developing human cortex.
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26
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Neary JL, Perez SM, Peterson K, Lodge DJ, Carless MA. Comparative analysis of MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq and estimation of gene expression changes in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Genomics 2017; 109:204-213. [PMID: 28365388 PMCID: PMC5526217 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a comparative study of multiplexed affinity enrichment sequence methodologies (MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq) in a rodent model of schizophrenia, induced by in utero methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) exposure. We also examined related gene expression changes using a pooled sample approach. MBD-seq and MeDIP-seq identified 769 and 1771 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between F2 offspring of MAM-exposed rats and saline control rats, respectively. The assays showed good concordance, with ~56% of MBD-seq-detected DMRs being identified by or proximal to MeDIP-seq DMRs. There was no significant overlap between DMRs and differentially expressed genes, suggesting that DNA methylation regulatory effects may act upon more distal genes, or are too subtle to detect using our approach. Methylation and gene expression gene ontology enrichment analyses identified biological processes important to schizophrenia pathophysiology, including neuron differentiation, prepulse inhibition, amphetamine response, and glutamatergic synaptic transmission regulation, reinforcing the utility of the MAM rodent model for schizophrenia research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Neary
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
| | - Stephanie M Perez
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Kara Peterson
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Melanie A Carless
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
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27
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Zettergren A, Karlsson S, Studer E, Sarvimäki A, Kettunen P, Thorsell A, Sihlbom C, Westberg L. Proteomic analyses of limbic regions in neonatal male, female and androgen receptor knockout mice. BMC Neurosci 2017; 18:9. [PMID: 28056817 PMCID: PMC5217640 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-016-0332-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is well-established that organizational effects of sex steroids during early development are fundamental for sex-typical displays of, for example, mating and aggressive behaviors in rodents and other species. Male and female brains are known to differ with respect to neuronal morphology in particular regions of the brain, including the number and size of neurons, and the density and length of dendrites in nuclei of hypothalamus and amygdala. The aim of the present study was to use global proteomics to identify proteins differentially expressed in hypothalamus/amygdala during early development (postnatal day 8) of male, female and conditional androgen receptor knockout (ARNesDel) male mice, lacking androgen receptors specifically in the brain. Furthermore, verification of selected sexually dimorphic proteins was performed using targeted proteomics. Results Our proteomic approach, iTRAQ, allowed us to investigate expression differences in the 2998 most abundantly expressed proteins in our dissected tissues. Approximately 170 proteins differed between the sexes, and 38 proteins between ARNesDel and control males (p < 0.05). In line with previous explorative studies of sexually dimorphic gene expression we mainly detected subtle protein expression differences (fold changes <1.3). The protein MARCKS (myristoylated alanine rich C kinase substrate), having the largest fold change of the proteins selected from the iTRAQ analyses and of known importance for synaptic transmission and dendritic branching, was confirmed by targeted proteomics as differentially expressed between the sexes. Conclusions Overall, our results provide solid evidence that a large number of proteins show sex differences in their brain expression and could potentially be involved in brain sexual differentiation. Furthermore, our finding of a sexually dimorphic expression of MARCKS in the brain during development warrants further investigation on the involvement in sexual differentiation of this protein. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12868-016-0332-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zettergren
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, POB 431, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Sara Karlsson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, POB 431, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Erik Studer
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, POB 431, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Anna Sarvimäki
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, POB 431, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Petronella Kettunen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.,Department of Neuropathology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Annika Thorsell
- The Proteomics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Carina Sihlbom
- The Proteomics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Lars Westberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, POB 431, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden.
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28
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Mayne BT, Bianco-Miotto T, Buckberry S, Breen J, Clifton V, Shoubridge C, Roberts CT. Large Scale Gene Expression Meta-Analysis Reveals Tissue-Specific, Sex-Biased Gene Expression in Humans. Front Genet 2016; 7:183. [PMID: 27790248 PMCID: PMC5062749 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The severity and prevalence of many diseases are known to differ between the sexes. Organ specific sex-biased gene expression may underpin these and other sexually dimorphic traits. To further our understanding of sex differences in transcriptional regulation, we performed meta-analyses of sex biased gene expression in multiple human tissues. We analyzed 22 publicly available human gene expression microarray data sets including over 2500 samples from 15 different tissues and 9 different organs. Briefly, by using an inverse-variance method we determined the effect size difference of gene expression between males and females. We found the greatest sex differences in gene expression in the brain, specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex, (1818 genes), followed by the heart (375 genes), kidney (224 genes), colon (218 genes), and thyroid (163 genes). More interestingly, we found different parts of the brain with varying numbers and identity of sex-biased genes, indicating that specific cortical regions may influence sexually dimorphic traits. The majority of sex-biased genes in other tissues such as the bladder, liver, lungs, and pancreas were on the sex chromosomes or involved in sex hormone production. On average in each tissue, 32% of autosomal genes that were expressed in a sex-biased fashion contained androgen or estrogen hormone response elements. Interestingly, across all tissues, we found approximately two-thirds of autosomal genes that were sex-biased were not under direct influence of sex hormones. To our knowledge this is the largest analysis of sex-biased gene expression in human tissues to date. We identified many sex-biased genes that were not under the direct influence of sex chromosome genes or sex hormones. These may provide targets for future development of sex-specific treatments for diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Mayne
- Robinson Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Tina Bianco-Miotto
- Robinson Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia; School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sam Buckberry
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, The University of Western AustraliaPerth, WA, Australia; Plant Energy Biology, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence, The University of Western AustraliaPerth, WA, Australia
| | - James Breen
- Robinson Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia; Bioinformatics Hub, School of Biological Sciences, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Vicki Clifton
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Cheryl Shoubridge
- Robinson Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Claire T Roberts
- Robinson Research Institute, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of AdelaideAdelaide, SA, Australia
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29
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Sex Biased Gene Expression Profiling of Human Brains at Major Developmental Stages. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21181. [PMID: 26880485 PMCID: PMC4754746 DOI: 10.1038/srep21181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
There are many differences in brain structure and function between males and females. However, how these differences were manifested during development and maintained through adulthood are still unclear. Here we present a time series analyses of genome-wide transcription profiles of the human brain, and we identified genes showing sex biased expression at major developmental stages (prenatal time, early childhood, puberty time and adulthood). We observed a great number of genes (>2,000 genes) showing between-sex expression divergence at all developmental stages with the greatest number (4,164 genes) at puberty time. However, there are little overlap of sex-biased genes among the major developmental stages, an indication of dynamic expression regulation of the sex-biased genes in the brain during development. Notably, the male biased genes are highly enriched for genes involved in neurological and psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and autism, while no such pattern was seen for the female-biased genes, suggesting that the differences in brain disorder susceptibility between males and females are likely rooted from the sex-biased gene expression regulation during brain development. Collectively, these analyses reveal an important role of sex biased genes in brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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30
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Johansson MM, Lundin E, Qian X, Mirzazadeh M, Halvardson J, Darj E, Feuk L, Nilsson M, Jazin E. Spatial sexual dimorphism of X and Y homolog gene expression in the human central nervous system during early male development. Biol Sex Differ 2016; 7:5. [PMID: 26759715 PMCID: PMC4710049 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-015-0056-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renewed attention has been directed to the functions of the Y chromosome in the central nervous system during early human male development, due to the recent proposed involvement in neurodevelopmental diseases. PCDH11Y and NLGN4Y are of special interest because they belong to gene families involved in cell fate determination and formation of dendrites and axon. METHODS We used RNA sequencing, immunocytochemistry and a padlock probing and rolling circle amplification strategy, to distinguish the expression of X and Y homologs in situ in the human brain for the first time. To minimize influence of androgens on the sex differences in the brain, we focused our investigation to human embryos at 8-11 weeks post-gestation. RESULTS We found that the X- and Y-encoded genes are expressed in specific and heterogeneous cellular sub-populations of both glial and neuronal origins. More importantly, we found differential distribution patterns of X and Y homologs in the male developing central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS This study has visualized the spatial distribution of PCDH11X/Y and NLGN4X/Y in human developing nervous tissue. The observed spatial distribution patterns suggest the existence of an additional layer of complexity in the development of the male CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin M Johansson
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elin Lundin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiaoyan Qian
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Jonatan Halvardson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Darj
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars Feuk
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Nilsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Jazin
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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31
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Vakilian H, Mirzaei M, Sharifi Tabar M, Pooyan P, Habibi Rezaee L, Parker L, Haynes PA, Gourabi H, Baharvand H, Salekdeh GH. DDX3Y, a Male-Specific Region of Y Chromosome Gene, May Modulate Neuronal Differentiation. J Proteome Res 2015; 14:3474-83. [PMID: 26144214 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Although it is apparent that chromosome complement mediates sexually dimorphic expression patterns of some proteins that lead to functional differences, there has been insufficient evidence following the manipulation of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) gene expression during neural development. In this study, we profiled the expression of 23 MSY genes and 15 of their X-linked homologues during neural cell differentiation of NTERA-2 human embryonal carcinoma cell line (NT2) cells in three different developmental stages using qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. The expression level of 12 Y-linked genes significantly increased over neural differentiation, including RBMY1, EIF1AY, DDX3Y, HSFY1, BPY2, PCDH11Y, UTY, RPS4Y1, USP9Y, SRY, PRY, and ZFY. We showed that siRNA-mediated knockdown of DDX3Y, a DEAD box RNA helicase enzyme, in neural progenitor cells impaired cell cycle progression and increased apoptosis, consequently interrupting differentiation. Label-free quantitative shotgun proteomics based on a spectral counting approach was then used to characterize the proteomic profile of the cells after DDX3Y knockdown. Among 917 reproducibly identified proteins detected, 71 proteins were differentially expressed following DDX3Y siRNA treatment compared with mock treated cells. Functional grouping indicated that these proteins were involved in cell cycle, RNA splicing, and apoptosis, among other biological functions. Our results suggest that MSY genes may play an important role in neural differentiation and demonstrate that DDX3Y could play a multifunctional role in neural cell development, probably in a sexually dimorphic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haghighat Vakilian
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Mehdi Sharifi Tabar
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paria Pooyan
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lida Habibi Rezaee
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lindsay Parker
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Paul A Haynes
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Hamid Gourabi
- Department of Genetics at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture , Sharif Esfahani Blvd, Park Street, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh
- Department of Stem Cells Biology & Technology, Royan Institute , Banihashem Sq., Banihashem St., Ressalat highway, Tehran, Iran.,Seed and Plant Improvement Institute's Campus, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran , Mahdasht Road, Karaj, Iran
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32
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Weiss B. The intersection of neurotoxicology and endocrine disruption. Neurotoxicology 2012; 33:1410-1419. [PMID: 22659293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 05/22/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Endocrine disruption, the guiding theme of the 27th International Neurotoxicology Conference, merged into the neurotoxicology agenda largely because hormones help steer the process of brain development. Although the disruption motif first attracted public health attention because of reproductive anomalies in both wildlife and humans, the neurobehavioral implications had been planted decades earlier. They stemmed from the principle that sex differences in behavior are primarily the outcomes of differences in how the brain is sexually differentiated during early development by gonadal hormones (the Organizational Hypothesis). We also now understand that environmental chemicals are capable of altering these underlying events and processes. Among those chemicals, the group labeled as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) offers the clearest evidence of such selectivity, a consequence of their actions on the endogenous sex steroids, androgens and estrogens. Two EDCs in particular offer useful and intriguing examples. One is phthalate esters. The other is bisphenol A. Both agents are used extensively in plastics manufacture, and are pervasive in the environment. Both are produced in immense quantities. Both are found in almost all humans. Phthalates are considered to function in essence as anti-androgens, while bisphenol A is labeled as an estrogen. Their associations with brain sexual differentiation are reviewed and further questions noted. Both EDCs produce a wider spectrum of health effects, however, than would be extrapolated simply from their properties as anti-androgens and estrogens. Obesity is one example. Further complicating their assessment as health risks are questions about nonmonotonic dose-response functions and about transgenerational effects incurred via epigenetic mechanisms. All these facets of endocrine disruption are pieces of a puzzle that challenge neurotoxicologists for solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Weiss
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
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33
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Abstract
In nonhuman species, testosterone is known to have permanent organizing effects early in life that predict later expression of sex differences in brain and behavior. However, in humans, it is still unknown whether such mechanisms have organizing effects on neural sexual dimorphism. In human males, we show that variation in fetal testosterone (FT) predicts later local gray matter volume of specific brain regions in a direction that is congruent with sexual dimorphism observed in a large independent sample of age-matched males and females from the NIH Pediatric MRI Data Repository. Right temporoparietal junction/posterior superior temporal sulcus (RTPJ/pSTS), planum temporale/parietal operculum (PT/PO), and posterior lateral orbitofrontal cortex (plOFC) had local gray matter volume that was both sexually dimorphic and predicted in a congruent direction by FT. That is, gray matter volume in RTPJ/pSTS was greater for males compared to females and was positively predicted by FT. Conversely, gray matter volume in PT/PO and plOFC was greater in females compared to males and was negatively predicted by FT. Subregions of both amygdala and hypothalamus were also sexually dimorphic in the direction of Male > Female, but were not predicted by FT. However, FT positively predicted gray matter volume of a non-sexually dimorphic subregion of the amygdala. These results bridge a long-standing gap between human and nonhuman species by showing that FT acts as an organizing mechanism for the development of regional sexual dimorphism in the human brain.
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34
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Kang HJ, Kawasawa YI, Cheng F, Zhu Y, Xu X, Li M, Sousa AMM, Pletikos M, Meyer KA, Sedmak G, Guennel T, Shin Y, Johnson MB, Krsnik Z, Mayer S, Fertuzinhos S, Umlauf S, Lisgo SN, Vortmeyer A, Weinberger DR, Mane S, Hyde TM, Huttner A, Reimers M, Kleinman JE, Sestan N. Spatio-temporal transcriptome of the human brain. Nature 2011; 478:483-9. [PMID: 22031440 PMCID: PMC3566780 DOI: 10.1038/nature10523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1420] [Impact Index Per Article: 109.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2010] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Brain development and function depend on the precise regulation of gene expression. However, our understanding of the complexity and dynamics of the transcriptome of the human brain is incomplete. Here we report the generation and analysis of exon-level transcriptome and associated genotyping data, representing males and females of different ethnicities, from multiple brain regions and neocortical areas of developing and adult post-mortem human brains. We found that 86 per cent of the genes analysed were expressed, and that 90 per cent of these were differentially regulated at the whole-transcript or exon level across brain regions and/or time. The majority of these spatio-temporal differences were detected before birth, with subsequent increases in the similarity among regional transcriptomes. The transcriptome is organized into distinct co-expression networks, and shows sex-biased gene expression and exon usage. We also profiled trajectories of genes associated with neurobiological categories and diseases, and identified associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene expression. This study provides a comprehensive data set on the human brain transcriptome and insights into the transcriptional foundations of human neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Jung Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA
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35
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Abstract
Convincing evidence indicates that prenatal exposure to the gonadal hormone, testosterone, influences the development of children's sex-typical toy and activity interests. In addition, growing evidence shows that testosterone exposure contributes similarly to the development of other human behaviors that show sex differences, including sexual orientation, core gender identity, and some, though not all, sex-related cognitive and personality characteristics. In addition to these prenatal hormonal influences, early infancy and puberty may provide additional critical periods when hormones influence human neurobehavioral organization. Sex-linked genes could also contribute to human gender development, and most sex-related characteristics are influenced by socialization and other aspects of postnatal experience, as well. Neural mechanisms underlying the influences of gonadal hormones on human behavior are beginning to be identified. Although the neural mechanisms underlying experiential influences remain largely uninvestigated, they could involve the same neural circuitry as that affected by hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Hines
- Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
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36
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Sexing the brain: the science and pseudoscience of sex differences. Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2011; 26:S4-9. [PMID: 20538246 DOI: 10.1016/s1607-551x(10)70051-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2009] [Accepted: 01/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent upsurge in unitary biological explanations for gender differences in behavior (i.e. that they are "hard-wired" in the genetic code), put forward not only in books written for a general audience but also in scientific papers, makes it important to examine the fallacies of these ideas. Such genetic and hormonal explanations of human behavior, formulated with little consideration of the influences of experience, and often without taking experience into account at all, are part of a new wave of genetic explanations for a broad range of human behavior, as explained in the paper. These ideas are far from new; moreover, they are pseudoscientific and are used for political influence under the guise of science. They are a conservative social force that maintains social and educational inequalities between women and men. This paper explains that causal explanations of differences between the sexes are of two completely different types: unitary (genetic determinist) versus interactive explanations. The false reasoning used to support genetic determinist explanations of sex differences in behavior is discussed. To illustrate what biology really tells us about gender differentiation, the paper discusses the interactive roles of genetic, hormonal and environmental influences on the development of gender differences. These interactions are illustrated using two model biological systems (e.g. the intertwined influences of genes, sex hormones and experience on the development of sex differences in behavior in rats, and sex differences in neuronal connections in chickens). There is plenty of scientific evidence to show the complex interactive, and ever changing, influences of experience and genes that take place as an organism develops and throughout its life. Malleability of brain and behavior can be shown clearly using animal models, and the processes involved apply also to the development of brain and behavior in humans. We diminish our understanding of the functions of a host of contributing factors to gender differentiation by parceling out the largest portion of control to the genes. The biology and behavior of humans is dynamic and flexible and need not restrict women to inferior positions in society.
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Reinius B, Shi C, Hengshuo L, Sandhu KS, Radomska KJ, Rosen GD, Lu L, Kullander K, Williams RW, Jazin E. Female-biased expression of long non-coding RNAs in domains that escape X-inactivation in mouse. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:614. [PMID: 21047393 PMCID: PMC3091755 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Sexual dimorphism in brain gene expression has been recognized in several animal species. However, the relevant regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. To investigate whether sex-biased gene expression in mammalian brain is globally regulated or locally regulated in diverse brain structures, and to study the genomic organisation of brain-expressed sex-biased genes, we performed a large scale gene expression analysis of distinct brain regions in adult male and female mice. Results This study revealed spatial specificity in sex-biased transcription in the mouse brain, and identified 173 sex-biased genes in the striatum; 19 in the neocortex; 12 in the hippocampus and 31 in the eye. Genes located on sex chromosomes were consistently over-represented in all brain regions. Analysis on a subset of genes with sex-bias in more than one tissue revealed Y-encoded male-biased transcripts and X-encoded female-biased transcripts known to escape X-inactivation. In addition, we identified novel coding and non-coding X-linked genes with female-biased expression in multiple tissues. Interestingly, the chromosomal positions of all of the female-biased non-coding genes are in close proximity to protein-coding genes that escape X-inactivation. This defines X-chromosome domains each of which contains a coding and a non-coding female-biased gene. Lack of repressive chromatin marks in non-coding transcribed loci supports the possibility that they escape X-inactivation. Moreover, RNA-DNA combined FISH experiments confirmed the biallelic expression of one such novel domain. Conclusion This study demonstrated that the amount of genes with sex-biased expression varies between individual brain regions in mouse. The sex-biased genes identified are localized on many chromosomes. At the same time, sexually dimorphic gene expression that is common to several parts of the brain is mostly restricted to the sex chromosomes. Moreover, the study uncovered multiple female-biased non-coding genes that are non-randomly co-localized on the X-chromosome with protein-coding genes that escape X-inactivation. This raises the possibility that expression of long non-coding RNAs may play a role in modulating gene expression in domains that escape X-inactivation in mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Reinius
- Department of Evolution and Development, EBC, Uppsala University, Sweden.
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Hines M. Sex-related variation in human behavior and the brain. Trends Cogn Sci 2010; 14:448-56. [PMID: 20724210 PMCID: PMC2951011 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2010.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 261] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2010] [Revised: 07/16/2010] [Accepted: 07/16/2010] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Male and female fetuses differ in testosterone concentrations beginning as early as week 8 of gestation. This early hormone difference exerts permanent influences on brain development and behavior. Contemporary research shows that hormones are particularly important for the development of sex-typical childhood behavior, including toy choices, which until recently were thought to result solely from sociocultural influences. Prenatal testosterone exposure also appears to influence sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as some, but not all, sex-related cognitive, motor and personality characteristics. Neural mechanisms responsible for these hormone-induced behavioral outcomes are beginning to be identified, and current evidence suggests involvement of the hypothalamus and amygdala, as well as interhemispheric connectivity, and cortical areas involved in visual processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Hines
- Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB23RQ, UK.
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Weiss B. Same sex, no sex, and unaware sex in neurotoxicology. Neurotoxicology 2010; 32:509-17. [PMID: 20875453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2010.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2010] [Revised: 09/19/2010] [Accepted: 09/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Males and females of virtually all species differ in how they respond to their environment. Because such differences exist in almost all biological realms, including disease patterns and therapeutic outcomes, they have evoked calls by various bodies to incorporate their assessment in research. Neurobehavioral indices pose special questions because, unlike outwardly visible markers, they are described by complex functional outcomes or subtle alterations in brain structure. These divergent responses arise because they are inscribed in the genome itself and then by endocrine mechanisms that govern sexual differentiation of the brain during development and operate throughout life. Other organ systems that exhibit sex differences include the liver, an important consideration for neurotoxicology because it may process many toxic chemicals differentially in males and females. Despite the scope and pervasiveness of sex differences, however, they are disregarded by much of neurotoxicology research. Males predominate in behavioral experiments, few such experiments study both sexes, some investigators fail to even describe the sex of their subjects, and in vitro studies tend to wholly ignore sex, even for model systems aimed at neurological disorders that display marked sex differences. The public is acutely aware of sex differences in behavior, as attested by its appetite for books on the topic. It closely follows debates about the proportion of women in professions that feature science and mathematics. Neurotoxicology, especially in the domain of laboratory research, will be hindered in its ability to translate its findings into human health measures if it assigns sex differences to a minor role. It must also be sensitive to how such debates are framed. Often, the differences evoking the most discussion are subtle in scope. They do not lend themselves to the typical analyses conducted by experimenters; that is, reliance on mean differences and null hypothesis testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Weiss
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
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Qureshi IA, Mehler MF. Genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of sex differences in the brain and in neurological and psychiatric disease susceptibility. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2010; 186:77-95. [PMID: 21094887 PMCID: PMC4465286 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-53630-3.00006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There are numerous examples of sex differences in brain and behavior and in susceptibility to a broad range of brain diseases. For example, gene expression is sexually dimorphic during brain development, adult life, and aging. These differences are orchestrated by the interplay between genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences. However, the molecular mechanisms that underpin these differences have not been fully elucidated. Because recent studies have highlighted the key roles played by epigenetic processes in regulating gene expression and mediating brain form and function, this chapter reviews emerging evidence that shows how epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are responsible for promoting sexual dimorphism in the brain. Differential profiles of DNA methylation and histone modifications are found in dimorphic brain regions such as the hypothalamus as a result of sex hormone exposure during developmental critical periods. The elaboration of specific epigenetic marks is also linked with regulating sex hormone signaling pathways later in life. Furthermore, the expression and function of epigenetic factors such as the methyl-CpG-binding protein, MeCP2, and the histone-modifying enzymes, UTX and UTY, are sexually dimorphic in the brain. ncRNAs are also implicated in promoting sex differences. For example, X inactivation-specific transcript (XIST) is a long ncRNA that mediates X chromosome inactivation, a seminal developmental process that is particularly important in brain. These observations imply that understanding epigenetic mechanisms, which regulate dimorphic gene expression and function, is necessary for developing a more comprehensive view of sex differences in brain. These emerging findings also suggest that epigenetic mechanisms are, in part, responsible for the differential susceptibility between males and females that is characteristic of a spectrum of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan A. Qureshi
- Rosyln and Leslie Goldstein Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Institute for Brain Disorders and Neural Regeneration, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Rose F. Kennedy Center for Research on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Mark F. Mehler
- Rosyln and Leslie Goldstein Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Institute for Brain Disorders and Neural Regeneration, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Rose F. Kennedy Center for Research on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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Jazin E, Cahill L. Sex differences in molecular neuroscience: from fruit flies to humans. Nat Rev Neurosci 2010; 11:9-17. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn2754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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