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Williams KE, Zou Y, Qiu B, Kono T, Guo C, Garcia D, Chen H, Graves T, Lai Z, Evans-Molina C, Ma YY, Liangpunsakul S, Yong W, Liang T. Sex-Specific Impact of Fkbp5 on Hippocampal Response to Acute Alcohol Injection: Involvement in Alterations of Metabolism-Related Pathways. Cells 2023; 13:89. [PMID: 38201293 PMCID: PMC10778370 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
High levels of alcohol intake alter brain gene expression and can produce long-lasting effects. FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) encoded by Fkbp5 is a physical and cellular stress response gene and has been associated with alcohol consumption and withdrawal severity. Fkbp5 has been previously linked to neurite outgrowth and hippocampal morphology, sex differences in stress response, and epigenetic modification. Presently, primary cultured Fkbp5 KO and WT mouse neurons were examined for neurite outgrowth and mitochondrial signal with and without alcohol. We found neurite specification differences between KO and WT; particularly, mesh-like morphology was observed after alcohol treatment and confirmed higher MitoTracker signal in cultured neurons of Fkbp5 KO compared to WT at both naive and alcohol-treated conditions. Brain regions that express FKBP51 protein were identified, and hippocampus was confirmed to possess a high level of expression. RNA-seq profiling was performed using the hippocampus of naïve or alcohol-injected (2 mg EtOH/Kg) male and female Fkbp5 KO and WT mice. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between Fkbp5 KO and WT at baseline and following alcohol treatment, with female comparisons possessing a higher number of DEGs than male comparisons. Pathway analysis suggested that genes affecting calcium signaling, lipid metabolism, and axon guidance were differentially expressed at naïve condition between KO and WT. Alcohol treatment significantly affected pathways and enzymes involved in biosynthesis (Keto, serine, and glycine) and signaling (dopamine and insulin receptor), and neuroprotective role. Functions related to cell morphology, cell-to-cell signaling, lipid metabolism, injury response, and post-translational modification were significantly altered due to alcohol. In summary, Fkbp5 plays a critical role in the response to acute alcohol treatment by altering metabolism and signaling-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent E. Williams
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (K.E.W.); (T.G.); (S.L.)
| | - Yi Zou
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.Z.); (D.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Bin Qiu
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
| | - Tatsuyoshi Kono
- Diabetes Research Center, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (T.K.); (C.E.-M.)
| | - Changyong Guo
- Department Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (C.G.); (Y.-Y.M.)
| | - Dawn Garcia
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.Z.); (D.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Hanying Chen
- Department Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Tamara Graves
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (K.E.W.); (T.G.); (S.L.)
| | - Zhao Lai
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.Z.); (D.G.); (Z.L.)
| | - Carmella Evans-Molina
- Diabetes Research Center, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (T.K.); (C.E.-M.)
| | - Yao-Ying Ma
- Department Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (C.G.); (Y.-Y.M.)
| | - Suthat Liangpunsakul
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (K.E.W.); (T.G.); (S.L.)
- Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Weidong Yong
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Tiebing Liang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (K.E.W.); (T.G.); (S.L.)
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Gerace E, Curti L, Caffino L, Bigagli E, Mottarlini F, Castillo Díaz F, Ilari A, Luceri C, Dani C, Fumagalli F, Masi A, Mannaioni G. Ethanol-induced AMPA alterations are mediated by mGLU5 receptors through miRNA upregulation in hippocampal slices. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 955:175878. [PMID: 37433363 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175878] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects neuronal networks and brain development causing a range of physical, cognitive and behavioural disorders in newborns that persist into adulthood. The array of consequences associated with PAE can be grouped under the umbrella-term 'fetal alcohol spectrum disorders' (FASD). Unfortunately, there is no cure for FASD as the molecular mechanisms underlying this pathology are still unknown. We have recently demonstrated that chronic EtOH exposure, followed by withdrawal, induces a significant decrease in AMPA receptor (AMPAR) expression and function in developing hippocampus in vitro. Here, we explored the EtOH-dependent pathways leading to hippocampal AMPAR suppression. Organotypic hippocampal slices (2 days in cultures) were exposed to EtOH (150 mM) for 7 days followed by 24 h EtOH withdrawal. Then, the slices were analysed by means of RT-PCR for miRNA content, western blotting for AMPA and NMDA related-synaptic proteins expression in postsynaptic compartment and electrophysiology to record electrical properties from CA1 pyramidal neurons. We observed that EtOH induces a significant downregulation of postsynaptic AMPA and NMDA subunits and relative scaffolding protein expression and, accordingly, a decrease of AMPA-mediated neurotransmission. Simultaneously, we found that chronic EtOH induced-upregulation of miRNA 137 and 501-3p and decreased AMPA-mediated neurotransmission are prevented by application of the selective mGlu5 antagonist MPEP during EtOH withdrawal. Our data indicate mGlu5 via miRNA137 and 501-3p expression as key factors in the regulation of AMPAergic neurotransmission that may contribute, at least in part, to the pathogenesis of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Gerace
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Department of Health Sciences (DSS), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Curti
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Bigagli
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Fernando Castillo Díaz
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Alice Ilari
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Luceri
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Carlo Dani
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Division of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Alessio Masi
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Guido Mannaioni
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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3
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Zheng Q, Wang H, Yan A, Yin F, Qiao X. DNA Methylation in Alcohol Use Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10130. [PMID: 37373281 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210130] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive drinking damages the central nervous system of individuals and can even cause alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. Genes determine susceptibility to alcohol, and the dysregulation of epigenome drives the abnormal transcription program and promotes the occurrence and development of AUD. DNA methylation is one of the earliest and most widely studied epigenetic mechanisms that can be inherited stably. In ontogeny, DNA methylation pattern is a dynamic process, showing differences and characteristics at different stages. DNA dysmethylation is prevalent in human cancer and alcohol-related psychiatric disorders, resulting in local hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of related genes. Here, we summarize recent findings on the roles and regulatory mechanisms of DNA methylation, the development of methyltransferase inhibitors, methylation alteration during alcohol exposure at different stages of life, and possible therapeutic options for targeting methylation in human and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmeng Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Heng Wang
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - An Yan
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fangyuan Yin
- School of Medicine, College of Forensic Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaomeng Qiao
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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Ma Z, Wang H, Shan S, Zhu K, Yuan L. Effect of metformin on type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the volume of thyroid nodules tracked by artificial intelligence. JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH AND APPLIED SCIENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrras.2023.100566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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Xu J, Zhang W, Zhong S, Xie X, Che H, Si W, Tuo X, Xu D, Zhao S. Microcystin-leucine-arginine affects brain gene expression programs and behaviors of offspring through paternal epigenetic information. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159032. [PMID: 36167133 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) adversely affects male reproduction and interferes with the development of the offspring. Here, we establish a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model to understand the cross-generational effects of MC-LR in a male-lineage transmission pattern. F0 embryos were reared in water containing MC-LR (0, 5, and 25 μg/L) for 90 days and the developmental indices of F1 and F2 embryos were then measured with no MC-LR treatment. The results show that paternal MC-LR exposure reduced the hatching rate, heart rate and body weight in F1 and F2 generations. Global DNA methylation significantly increased in sperm and testes with the elevation expressions of DNA methyltransferases. Meanwhile, DNA methylation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) promoter was increased in sperm after paternal MC-LR exposure. Subsequently, increased DNA methylation of bdnf promoter and decreased gene expression of bdnf in the brain of F1 male zebrafish were detected. F1 offspring born to F0 males exhibit the depression of BDNF/AKT/CREB pathway and recapitulate these paternal neurodevelopment phenotypes in F2 offspring. In addition, the DNA methylations of dio3b and gad1b promoters were decreased and gene expressions of gad1b and dio3b were increased, accompanied with neurotransmitter disturbances in the brain of F1 male zebrafish after paternal MC-LR exposure. These data revealed that MC-LR displays a potential epigenetic impact on the germ line, reprogramming the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of brain development, and contributing to aberrant expression of neurodevelopment-related genes and behavior disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Xu
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Weiyun Zhang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Shengzheng Zhong
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xinxin Xie
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Huimin Che
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Weirong Si
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xun Tuo
- College of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Dexiang Xu
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Sujuan Zhao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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6
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Yan N, Li Y, Xing Y, Wu J, Li J, Liang Y, Tang Y, Wang Z, Song H, Wang H, Xiao S, Lu M. Developmental arsenic exposure impairs cognition, directly targets DNMT3A, and reduces DNA methylation. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54147. [PMID: 35373418 PMCID: PMC9171692 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202154147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental arsenic exposure has been associated with cognitive deficits in epidemiological studies, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we establish a mouse model of developmental arsenic exposure exhibiting deficits of recognition and spatial memory in the offspring. These deficits are associated with genome-wide DNA hypomethylation and abnormal expression of cognition-related genes in the hippocampus. Arsenic atoms directly bind to the cysteine-rich ADD domain of DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A), triggering ubiquitin- and proteasome-mediated degradation of DNMT3A in different cellular contexts. DNMT3A degradation leads to genome-wide DNA hypomethylation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts but not in non-embryonic cell lines. Treatment with metformin, a first-line antidiabetic agent reported to increase DNA methylation, ameliorates the behavioral deficits and normalizes the aberrant expression of cognition-related genes and DNA methylation in the hippocampus of arsenic-exposed offspring. Our study establishes a DNA hypomethylation effect of developmental arsenic exposure and proposes a potential treatment against cognitive deficits in the offspring of pregnant women in arsenic-contaminated areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Yan
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuntong Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yangfei Xing
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiale Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiabing Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Liang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yigang Tang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengyuan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaxin Song
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shujun Xiao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Brown J, Jonason A, Asp E, McGinn V, Carter MN, Spiller V, Jozan A. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and confabulation in psycholegal settings: A beginner's guide for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal interviewers. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2022; 40:46-86. [PMID: 34689366 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are neurodevelopmental/neurobehavioral conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Impairments caused by PAE contribute to the over-representation of individuals with FASD in the United States juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. These same impairments can equally impact on individuals with FASD who are witnesses to or victims of crime who also have to navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system. Difficulties include increased susceptibility to confabulation throughout the legal process that, in turn, can contribute to increased rates of poor outcomes including false confessions and wrongful convictions. Individuals with FASD are particularity at risk of confabulation when they are subjected to tactics, such as stressful and anxiety-provoking situations, threats, and leading, suggestive, or coercive questioning. Many professionals in the forensic context are unfamiliar with FASD or related confabulation risk and may unintentionally utilize tactics that intensify impacts of pre-existing impairment. This article serves as a beginner's guide for professionals working in criminal justice settings by (a) providing research-based overviews of FASD and confabulation, (b) describing how FASD may lead to confabulation, and (c) suggesting ways that professionals can modify protocols when interacting with individuals with FASD. Suggestions in this article hold the potential to decrease the risk of confabulation in the criminal justice system and decrease problematic outcomes, such as false confessions and wrongful convictions among individuals with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrod Brown
- Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alec Jonason
- Department of Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Wesley & Lorene Artz Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Erik Asp
- Department of Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Wesley & Lorene Artz Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Valerie McGinn
- The FASD Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Megan N Carter
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Social and Health Services, Special Commitment Center, Steilacoom, Washington, USA
| | | | - Amy Jozan
- American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Gutherz OR, Deyssenroth M, Li Q, Hao K, Jacobson JL, Chen J, Jacobson SW, Carter RC. Potential roles of imprinted genes in the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the placenta, somatic growth, and the developing brain. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113919. [PMID: 34752786 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite several decades of research and prevention efforts, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) remain the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities worldwide. Animal and human studies have implicated fetal alcohol-induced alterations in epigenetic programming as a chief mechanism in FASD. Several studies have demonstrated fetal alcohol-related alterations in methylation and expression of imprinted genes in placental, brain, and embryonic tissue. Imprinted genes are epigenetically regulated in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, in which only the maternal or paternal allele is expressed, and the other allele is silenced. The chief functions of imprinted genes are in placental development, somatic growth, and neurobehavior-three domains characteristically affected in FASD. In this review, we summarize the growing body of literature characterizing prenatal alcohol-related alterations in imprinted gene methylation and/or expression and discuss potential mechanistic roles for these alterations in the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Future research is needed to examine potential physiologic mechanisms by which alterations in imprinted genes disrupt development in FASD, which may, in turn, elucidate novel targets for intervention. Furthermore, mechanistic alterations in imprinted gene expression and/or methylation in FASD may inform screening assays that identify individuals with FASD neurobehavioral deficits who may benefit from early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R Gutherz
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - R Colin Carter
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America.
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Developmental ethanol exposure causes central nervous system dysfunction and may slow the aging process in a Drosophila model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Alcohol 2021; 94:65-73. [PMID: 33961967 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol is a known teratogen, and developmental exposure to ethanol results in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Children born with FASD can exhibit a range of symptoms including low birth weight, microcephaly, and neurobehavioral problems. Treatment of patients with FASD is estimated to cost 4 billion dollars per year in the United States alone, and 2 million dollars per affected individual's lifetime. We have established Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for the study of FASD. Here we report that mutations in Dementin (Dmtn), the Drosophila ortholog of the Alzheimer's disease-associated protein TMCC2, convey sensitivity to developmental ethanol exposure, and provide evidence that Dmtn expression is disrupted by ethanol. In addition, we find that flies reared on ethanol exhibit mild climbing defects suggestive of neurodegeneration. Surprisingly, our data also suggest that flies reared on ethanol age more slowly than control animals, and we find that a number of slow-aging mutants are sensitive to developmental ethanol exposure. Finally, we find that flies reared on ethanol showed a persistent upregulation of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, which may contribute to a reduced rate of central nervous system aging. Thus, in addition to the well-documented negative effects of developmental alcohol exposure on the nervous system, there may be a previously unsuspected neuroprotective effect in adult animals.
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Therapeutic Effects of Catechins in Less Common Neurological and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13072232. [PMID: 34209677 PMCID: PMC8308206 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, neurological and neurodegenerative disorders research has focused on altered molecular mechanisms in search of potential pharmacological targets, e.g., imbalances in mechanisms of response to oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and neuronal plasticity, which occur in less common neurological and neurodegenerative pathologies (Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and Down syndrome). Here, we assess the effects of different catechins (particularly of epigalocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG) on these disorders, as well as their use in attenuating age-related cognitive decline in healthy individuals. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties of EGCG -due to their phenolic hydroxyl groups-, as well as its immunomodulatory, neuritogenic, and autophagic characteristics, makes this catechin a promising tool against neuroinflammation and microglia activation, common in these pathologies. Although EGCG promotes the inhibition of protein aggregation in experimental Huntington disease studies and improves the clinical severity in multiple sclerosis in animal models, its efficacy in humans remains controversial. EGCG may normalize DYRK1A (involved in neural plasticity) overproduction in Down syndrome, improving behavioral and neural phenotypes. In neurological pathologies caused by environmental agents, such as FASD, EGCG enhances antioxidant defense and regulates placental angiogenesis and neurodevelopmental processes. As demonstrated in animal models, catechins attenuate age-related cognitive decline, which results in improvements in long-term outcomes and working memory, reduction of hippocampal neuroinflammation, and enhancement of neuronal plasticity; however, further studies are needed. Catechins are valuable compounds for treating and preventing certain neurodegenerative and neurological diseases of genetic and environmental origin. However, the use of different doses of green tea extracts and EGCG makes it difficult to reach consistent conclusions for different populations.
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11
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Qu P, Yu JX, Chen GH. Neuroendocrine Modulation of Cognitive Performance in the Patients with Fibromyalgia. Eur Neurol 2021; 84:254-264. [PMID: 33975317 DOI: 10.1159/000514756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic widespread pain disorder associated with fatigue, tender points, sleep disturbances, and mood disorders. Symptoms associated with FM also include decreased cognitive function in which the neural basis is poorly understood. Neuroendocrine hormones may be correlated with cognitive performance under some ill conditions. However, we are unaware of current evidence on neuroendocrine hormones as factors influencing cognitive function in adults with FM. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to assess whether neuroendocrine hormones could affect cognition in the patients with FM. STUDY DESIGN This study used a case-control trial design. SETTING Study patients were recruited from the neurological outpatient clinics in the Second Affiliated Hospital and Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University and met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for FM. METHODS Forty-six patients with FM were compared with twenty-nine healthy controls (HCs). Several measures of cognitive performance and serum levels of neuroendocrine hormones were used to make these comparisons, and the patients were also asked to complete questionnaires on depression and sleep quality. Partial correlation analysis was performed to control the confounders and linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of neuroendocrine hormones on cognitive measures. RESULTS The FM patients had worse performance in attention, short-term memory, orientation, object working memory and spatial reference memory, higher depression scores, and worse sleep quality than HCs. The raised level of cortisol and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) can protect general cognition, whereas the raised level of cortisol and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) will damage spatial memory. LIMITATIONS We did not study the sex hormones comprehensively. CONCLUSIONS The FM patients showed significant cognitive impairment in several domains. The altered levels of cortisol, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH), and GnRH may mediate cognitive changes in FM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Qu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jin-Xia Yu
- Official Hospital of the People's Government of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Gui-Hai Chen
- Departments of Neurology (Sleep Disorder), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Martinez ME, Duarte CW, Stohn JP, Karaczyn A, Wu Z, DeMambro VE, Hernandez A. Thyroid hormone influences brain gene expression programs and behaviors in later generations by altering germ line epigenetic information. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:939-950. [PMID: 30356120 PMCID: PMC6482106 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0281-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Genetic factors do not fully account for the relatively high heritability of neurodevelopmental conditions, suggesting that non-genetic heritable factors contribute to their etiology. To evaluate the potential contribution of aberrant thyroid hormone status to the epigenetic inheritance of neurological phenotypes, we examined genetically normal F2 generation descendants of mice that were developmentally overexposed to thyroid hormone due to a Dio3 mutation. Hypothalamic gene expression profiling in postnatal day 15 F2 descendants on the paternal lineage of ancestral male and female T3-overexposed mice revealed, respectively, 1089 and 1549 differentially expressed genes. A large number of them, 675 genes, were common to both sets, suggesting comparable epigenetic effects of thyroid hormone on both the male and female ancestral germ lines. Oligodendrocyte- and neuron-specific genes were strongly overrepresented among genes showing, respectively, increased and decreased expression. Altered gene expression extended to other brain regions and was associated in adulthood with decreased anxiety-like behavior, increased marble burying and reduced physical activity. The sperm of T3-overexposed male ancestors revealed significant hypomethylation of CpG islands associated with the promoters of genes involved in the early development of the central nervous system. Some of them were candidates for neurodevelopmental disorders in humans including Nrg3, Nrxn1, Gabrb3, Gabra5, Apba2, Grik3, Reln, Nsd1, Pcdh8, En1, and Elavl2. Thus, developmental levels of thyroid hormone influence the epigenetic information of the germ line, disproportionately affecting genes with critical roles in early brain development, and leading in future generations to disease-relevant alterations in postnatal brain gene expression and adult behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Elena Martinez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Christine W. Duarte
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA,Graduate School for Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - J. Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Aldona Karaczyn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Zhaofei Wu
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Victoria E DeMambro
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA. .,Graduate School for Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Stohn JP, Martinez ME, St Germain DL, Hernandez A. Adult onset of type 3 deiodinase deficiency in mice alters brain gene expression and increases locomotor activity. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 110:104439. [PMID: 31561084 PMCID: PMC7259167 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Constitutive loss of the type 3 deiodinase (DIO3) causes abnormally increased levels of thyroid hormone action in the developing and adult brain, leading to an array of behavioral abnormalities. To determine to what extent those phenotypes derive from a lack of DIO3 in the adult brain, versus developmental consequences, we created a mouse model of conditional DIO3 inactivation. Mice carrying "floxed" Dio3 alleles and a tamoxifen-inducible cre transgene were injected with tamoxifen at two months of age. Compared to oil-injected controls, the brain tissue of these mice showed a 75-80% decrease in DIO3 activity and 85-95% Dio3 mRNA was expressed from recombinant alleles. Mice with adult DIO3 deficiency did not show significant differences in growth, serum thyroid hormone parameters or behaviors related to anxiety and depression. However, female mice exhibited elevated locomotor activity and increased marble-burying behavior. They also manifested relatively modest alterations in the expression of T3-dependent genes and genes related to hyperactivity in a sex- and region-specific manner. Upon thyroid hormone treatment, the expression response of T3-regulated genes was generally more pronounced in DIO3-deficient female mice than in female controls, while the opposite effect of altered genotype was noticed in males. The extent of the molecular and behavioral phenotypes of adult-onset DIO3 deficiency suggests that a substantial proportion of the neurological abnormalities caused by constitutive DIO3 deficiency has a developmental origin. However, our results show that DIO3 in the adult brain also influences behavior and sensitivity to thyroid hormone action in a sexually dimorphic fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - M Elena Martinez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Donald L St Germain
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, 04074, USA; Graduate School for Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA; Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Lunde‐Young R, Ramirez J, Naik V, Orzabal M, Lee J, Konganti K, Hillhouse A, Threadgill D, Ramadoss J. Hippocampal transcriptome reveals novel targets of FASD pathogenesis. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01334. [PMID: 31140755 PMCID: PMC6625466 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by a myriad of developmental impairments affecting behavior and cognition. Studies show that many of these functional impairments are associated with the hippocampus, a structure exhibiting exquisite vulnerability to developmental alcohol exposure and critically implicated in learning and memory; however, mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced hippocampal deficits remain poorly understood. By utilizing a high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) approach to address the neurobiological and molecular basis of prenatal alcohol-induced hippocampal functional deficits, we hypothesized that chronic binge prenatal alcohol exposure alters gene expression and global molecular pathways in the fetal hippocampus. METHODS Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a pair-fed control (PF) or binge alcohol (ALC) treatment group on gestational day (GD) 4. ALC dams acclimatized from GDs 5-10 with a daily treatment of 4.5 g/kg alcohol and subsequently received 6 g/kg on GDs 11-20. PF dams received a once daily maltose dextrin gavage on GDs 5-20, isocalorically matching ALC counterparts. On GD 21, bilateral hippocampi were dissected, flash frozen, and stored at -80° C. Total RNA was then isolated from homogenized tissues. Samples were normalized to ~4nM and pooled equally. Sequencing was performed by Illumina NextSeq 500 on a 75 cycle, single-end sequencing run. RESULTS RNA-seq identified 13,388 genes, of these, 76 genes showed a significant difference (p < 0.05, log2 fold change ≥2) in expression between the PF and ALC groups. Forty-nine genes showed sex-dependent dysregulation; IPA analysis showed among female offspring, dysregulated pathways included proline and citrulline biosynthesis, whereas in males, xenobiotic metabolism signaling and alaninine biosynthesis etc. were altered. CONCLUSION We conclude that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy dysregulates fetal hippocampal gene expression in a sex-specific manner. Identification of subtle, transcriptome-level dysregulation in hippocampal molecular pathways offers potential mechanistic insights underlying FASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raine Lunde‐Young
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Josue Ramirez
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Vishal Naik
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Marcus Orzabal
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Jehoon Lee
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Kranti Konganti
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Andrew Hillhouse
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - David Threadgill
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Jayanth Ramadoss
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
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15
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Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Lancet Neurol 2019; 18:760-770. [PMID: 31160204 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(19)30150-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although prenatal alcohol exposure causes craniofacial anomalies, growth retardation, neurological abnormalities, cognitive impairment, and birth defects, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is underdiagnosed. Global prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is 0·77%, with a higher prevalence of 2-5% in Europe and North America, highlighting the need for increased diagnosis and treatment. However, diagnosis remains challenging because of the poor reliability of self-reported maternal drinking histories, an absence of sensitive biomarkers, and the infrequency of diagnostic dysmorphic facial features among individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Different diagnostic systems and disagreements over criteria have slowed progress in the diagnosis and management of the disorder. Neuroimaging shows abnormalities in brain structure, cortical development, white matter microstructure, and functional connectivity in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. These abnormalities modify developmental trajectories and are associated with deficits in cognition, executive function, memory, vision, hearing, motor skills, behaviour, and social adaptation. Promising trials of nutritional interventions and cognitive rehabilitation therapies are underway, with the aim of treating cognitive deficits in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Serum concentrations of IGF-I/IGF-II as biomarkers of alcohol damage during foetal development and diagnostic markers of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1562. [PMID: 30733584 PMCID: PMC6367511 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38041-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most deleterious health effect derived from alcohol consumption during pregnancy and is placed at the end of the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Few studies have proposed potential molecular biomarkers of physical and neurological damage associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. We prospectively recruited 55 children from 8 to 12 years old, with a prenatal assessment for ethanol exposure using meconium analysis of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE). The control group was established for FAEE < 2 nmol/g (n = 31) and a Prenatal Ethanol Exposure (PEE) group for FAEEs > 2 nmol/g (n = 33). Moreover, 98 children adopted from Eastern European Countries (EEC) were also recruited to evaluate FASD diagnosis comprising 31 cases with complete FAS, 42 with partial FAS, 6 with ARBD and 5 with ARND. Serum values of IGF-I and IGF-II for all children recruited were determined by immunoassay. Anthropometric and neurocognitive evaluation showed severe impairments in FAS children, moderate effects in PEE and no harmful effects in the control group with no prenatal exposure to alcohol. Analysis of IGF-I and IGF-II serum concentrations revealed that FASD from EEC as well as PEE children showed significantly lower concentrations of both IGF-I and IFG-II than the control group and reference values. Moreover, Spearman correlations showed a significant effect of IGF-I on anthropometric measurements in girls, whereas IGF-II affected the neuropsychological variables in both genders. These findings validate the use of growth factors IGF-I and IGF-II as surrogate biomarkers of damage induced by prenatal exposure to ethanol and could be used in the diagnosis of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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17
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Combined Fluoxetine and Metformin Treatment Potentiates Antidepressant Efficacy Increasing IGF2 Expression in the Dorsal Hippocampus. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:4651031. [PMID: 30804991 PMCID: PMC6360645 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4651031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of studies show that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) exert their therapeutic action, at least in part, by amplifying the influence of the living environment on mood. As a consequence, when administered in a favorable environment, SSRIs lead to a reduction of symptoms, but in stressful conditions, they show limited efficacy. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches able to neutralize the influence of the stressful environment on treatment are needed. The aim of our study was to test whether, in a mouse model of depression, the combined administration of SSRI fluoxetine and metformin, a drug able to improve the metabolic profile, counteracts the limited efficacy of fluoxetine alone when administered in stressful conditions. Indeed, metabolic alterations are associated to both the onset of major depression and the antidepressant efficacy. To this goal, adult C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to stress for 6 weeks; the first two weeks was aimed at generating a mouse model of depression. During the remaining 4 weeks, mice received one of the following treatments: vehicle, fluoxetine, metformin, or a combination of fluoxetine and metformin. We measured liking- and wanting-type anhedonia as behavioral phenotypes of depression and assessed the expression levels of selected genes involved in major depressive disorder and antidepressant response in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, which are differently involved in the depressive symptomatology. The combined treatment was more effective than fluoxetine alone in ameliorating the depressive phenotype after one week of treatment. This was associated to an increase in IGF2 mRNA expression and enhanced long-term potentiation, specifically in the dorsal hippocampus, at the end of treatment. Overall, the present results show that, when administered in stressful conditions, the combined fluoxetine and metformin treatment may represent a more effective approach than fluoxetine alone in a short term. Finally, our findings highlight the relevance of polypharmacological strategy as effective interventions to increase the efficacy of the antidepressant drugs currently available.
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18
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Wang H, Lou D, Wang Z. Crosstalk of Genetic Variants, Allele-Specific DNA Methylation, and Environmental Factors for Complex Disease Risk. Front Genet 2019; 9:695. [PMID: 30687383 PMCID: PMC6334214 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of phenotype-associated DNA sequence variants for potential explanations of inter-individual phenotypic differences and disease susceptibility. However, it remains a challenge for translating the associations into causative mechanisms for complex diseases, partially due to the involved variants in the noncoding regions and the inconvenience of functional studies in human population samples. So far, accumulating evidence has suggested a complex crosstalk among genetic variants, allele-specific binding of transcription factors (ABTF), and allele-specific DNA methylation patterns (ASM), as well as environmental factors for disease risk. This review aims to summarize the current studies regarding the interactions of the aforementioned factors with a focus on epigenetic insights. We present two scenarios of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding regions and non-coding regions for disease risk, via potentially impacting epigenetic patterns. While a SNP in a coding region may confer disease risk via altering protein functions, a SNP in non-coding region may cause diseases, via SNP-altering ABTF, ASM, and allele-specific gene expression (ASE). The allelic increases or decreases of gene expression are key for disease risk during development. Such ASE can be achieved via either a "SNP-introduced ABTF to ASM" or a "SNP-introduced ASM to ABTF." Together with our additional in-depth review on insulator CTCF, we are convinced to propose a working model that the small effect of a SNP acts through altered ABTF and/or ASM, for ASE and eventual disease outcome (named as a "SNP intensifier" model). In summary, the significance of complex crosstalk among genetic factors, epigenetic patterns, and environmental factors requires further investigations for disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huishan Wang
- Laboratory of Human Environmental Epigenome, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Dan Lou
- Laboratory of Human Environmental Epigenome, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Zhibin Wang
- Laboratory of Human Environmental Epigenome, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
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Ehrhart F, Roozen S, Verbeek J, Koek G, Kok G, van Kranen H, Evelo CT, Curfs LMG. Review and gap analysis: molecular pathways leading to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:10-17. [PMID: 29892052 PMCID: PMC6325721 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0095-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy affects the development of the fetus in various ways and may lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). FASD is one of the leading preventable forms of neurodevelopmental disorders. In the light of prevention and early intervention, knowledge on how ethanol exposure induces fetal damage is urgently needed. Besides direct ethanol and acetaldehyde toxicity, alcohol increases oxidative stress, and subsequent general effects (e.g., epigenetic imprinting, gene expression, and metabolite levels). The current review provides an overview of the existing knowledge about specific downstream pathways for FASD that affects e.g., the SHH pathway, cholesterol homeostasis, neurotransmitter signaling, and effects on the cytoskeleton. Available human data vary greatly, while animal studies with controlled ethanol exposition are only to a certain limit transferable to humans. The main deficits in knowledge about FASD are the lack of pathophysiological understanding and dose-response relationships, together with the lack of reliable biomarkers for either FASD detection or estimation of susceptibility. In addition to single outcome experiments, omics data should be generated to overcome this problem. Therefore, for future studies we recommend holistic data driven analysis, which allows integrative analyses over multiple levels of genetic variation, transcriptomics and metabolomics data to investigate the whole image of FASD development and to provide insight in potential drug targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Ehrhart
- Governor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands. .,Department of Bioinformatics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Sylvia Roozen
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jef Verbeek
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ger Koek
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Gerjo Kok
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk van Kranen
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Institute for Public Health Genomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Chris T. Evelo
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0001 0481 6099grid.5012.6Department of Bioinformatics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Leopold M. G. Curfs
- 0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eGovernor Kremers Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands ,0000 0004 0480 1382grid.412966.eDepartment of Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Wang L, Cai Y, Fan X. Metformin Administration During Early Postnatal Life Rescues Autistic-Like Behaviors in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J Mouse Model of Autism. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:290. [PMID: 30555309 PMCID: PMC6281763 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by impaired social interactions, stereotypical repetitive behavior and restricted interests. Although the global incidence of ASD has increased over time, the etiology of ASD is poorly understood, and there is no effective pharmacological intervention for treating ASD. Recent studies have suggested that metformin has the potential to treat ASD. Thus, in this study, we assessed the therapeutic effects of early metformin treatment in a BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse model of ASD. We observed that early metformin administration significantly reversed social approach deficits, attenuated repetitive grooming and reduced marble burying in BTBR mice. Metformin did not change the general locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior in both BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) mice. Our findings suggest that early metformin treatment may have beneficial effects on ameliorating behavioral deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Wang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yulong Cai
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Fan J, Li D, Chen HS, Huang JG, Xu JF, Zhu WW, Chen JG, Wang F. Metformin produces anxiolytic-like effects in rats by facilitating GABA A receptor trafficking to membrane. Br J Pharmacol 2018; 176:297-316. [PMID: 30318707 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Altered function or expression of GABAA receptors contributes to anxiety disorders. Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed for the treatment of anxiety. However, the long-term use of benzodiazepines increases the risk of developing drug dependence and tolerance. Thus, it is urgent to explore new therapeutic approaches. Metformin is widely used to treat Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. However, the role of metformin in psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety, remains largely unknown. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We examined the effects of metformin on anxiety-like behaviour of rats in open field test and elevated plus maze test. We also observed the effect of metformin (10 μM, in vitro; 100 mg·kg-1 , in vivo) on the trafficking of GABAA receptors, as mechanisms underlying the anxiolytic effects of metformin. KEY RESULTS Metformin (100 mg·kg-1 , i.p. 30 min) displayed a robust and rapid anxiolytic effect, without tolerance. Metformin up-regulated the surface expression of GABAA receptors and increased miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activated by metformin-induced stimulation of forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) transcriptional activity, followed by increased expression of GABAA receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) and its binding to GABAA receptors finally resulted in the membrane insertion of GABAA receptors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Metformin increased mIPSCs by up-regulating the membrane insertion of GABAA receptors, via a pathway involving AMPK, FoxO3a, and the GABAA receptor-associated protein. Thus metformin has a potential new use in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Di Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian-Geng Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun-Feng Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-Wen Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian-Guo Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases (HUST), Ministry of Education of China, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation (HUST), Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,The Collaborative-Innovation Center for Brain Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,The Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases (HUST), Ministry of Education of China, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation (HUST), Wuhan, China.,Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, The Institute of Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,The Collaborative-Innovation Center for Brain Science, Wuhan, China
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22
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Lim PH, Shi G, Wang T, Jenz ST, Mulligan MK, Redei EE, Chen H. Genetic Model to Study the Co-Morbid Phenotypes of Increased Alcohol Intake and Prior Stress-Induced Enhanced Fear Memory. Front Genet 2018; 9:566. [PMID: 30538720 PMCID: PMC6277590 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex illness, frequently co-morbid with depression, caused by both genetics, and the environment. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which also co-occurs with depression, is often co-morbid with PTSD. To date, very few genes have been identified for PTSD and even less for PTSD comorbidity with AUD, likely because of the phenotypic heterogeneity seen in humans, combined with each gene playing a relatively small role in disease predisposition. In the current study, we investigated whether a genetic model of depression-like behavior, further developed from the depression model Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat, is a suitable vehicle to uncover the genetics of co-morbidity between PTSD and AUD. The by-now inbred WKY More Immobile (WMI) and the WKY Less Immobile (WLI) rats were generated from the WKY via bidirectional selective breeding using the forced swim test, a measure of despair-like behavior, as the functional selector. The colonies of the WMIs that show despair-like behavior and the control strain showing less or no despair-like behavior, the WLI, are maintained with strict inbreeding over 40 generations to date. WMIs of both sexes intrinsically self-administer more alcohol than WLIs. Alcohol self-administration is increased in the WMIs without sucrose fading, water deprivation or any prior stress, mimicking the increased voluntary alcohol-consumption of subjects with AUD. Prior Stress-Enhanced Fear Learning (SEFL) is a model of PTSD. WMI males, but not females, show increased SEFL after acute restraint stress in the context-dependent fear conditioning paradigm, a sexually dimorphic pattern similar to human data. Plasma corticosterone differences between stressed and not-stressed WLI and WMI male and female animals immediately prior to fear conditioning predict SEFL results. These data demonstrate that the WMI male and its genetically close, but behaviorally divergent control the WLI male, would be suitable for investigating the underlying genetic basis of comorbidity between SEFL and alcohol self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Henry Lim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Guang Shi
- Liaoning Provincial People's Hospital, Liaoning Sheng, China
| | - Tengfei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Sophia T Jenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Megan K Mulligan
- Department of Genetics Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Eva E Redei
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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23
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Pardo M, Cheng Y, Sitbon YH, Lowell JA, Grieco SF, Worthen RJ, Desse S, Barreda-Diaz A. Insulin growth factor 2 (IGF2) as an emergent target in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Review. Neurosci Res 2018; 149:1-13. [PMID: 30389571 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). Recent evidence highlights the role of IGF2 in the brain, sustained by data showing its alterations as a common feature across a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Previous studies emphasize the potential role of IGF2 in psychiatric and neurological conditions as well as in memory impairments, targeting IGF2 as a pro-cognitive agent. New research on animal models supports that upcoming investigations should explore IGF2's strong promising role as a memory enhancer. The lack of effective treatments for cognitive disturbances as a result of psychiatric diseases lead to further explore IGF2 as a promising target for the development of new pharmacology for the treatment of memory dysfunctions. In this review, we aim at gathering all recent relevant studies and findings on the role of IGF2 in the development of psychiatric diseases that occur with cognitive problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pardo
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Y Cheng
- University of California Los Angeles, Neurology Department, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Y H Sitbon
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - J A Lowell
- University of Miami, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - S F Grieco
- University of California, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - R J Worthen
- University of Miami, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - S Desse
- University of Miami, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - A Barreda-Diaz
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Miami, FL, USA.
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24
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Lo CL, Lumeng L, Bell RL, Liang T, Lossie AC, Muir WM, Zhou FC. CIS-Acting Allele-Specific Expression Differences Induced by Alcohol and Impacted by Sex as Well as Parental Genotype of Origin. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:1444-1453. [PMID: 29786868 PMCID: PMC7560966 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are influenced by complex interactions between the genetics of the individual and their environment. We have previously identified hundreds of polygenic genetic variants between the selectively bred high- and low-alcohol drinking (HAD and LAD) rat lines. Here, we report allele-specific expression (ASE) differences, between the HAD2 and LAD2 rat lines. METHODS The HAD2 and LAD2 rats, which have been sequenced, were reciprocally crossed to generate 10 litters of F1 progeny. For 5 of these litters, the sire was HAD2, and for the other 5 litters, the sire was a LAD2. From these 10 litters, 2 males and 2 females were picked from each F1 litter (N = 40 total). The F1 pups were divided, balancing for sex and direction of cross, into an alcohol (15%) versus a water control group. Alcohol drinking started in the middle of adolescence (~postnatal day 35) and lasted 9 weeks. At the end of these treatments, rats were euthanized, the nucleus accumbens was dissected, and RNA was processed for RNA-sequencing and ASE analyses. RESULTS Analyses revealed that adolescent ethanol (EtOH) drinking, individual EtOH drinking levels, parentage, and sex-of-animal affected ASEs of about 300 genes. The identified genes included those associated with EtOH metabolism (e.g., Aldh2); neuromodulatory function (e.g., Cckbr, Slc6a7, and Slc1a1); ion channel activity (e.g., Kcnc3); and other synaptic and epigenetic functions. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that EtOH drinking differentially amplified paternal versus maternal allelic contribution to the transcriptome. We hypothesize that this was due, at least in part, to EtOH-induced changes in cis-regulation of polymorphisms previously identified between the HAD2 and LAD2 rat lines. This report highlights the complexity of gene-by-environment interactions mediating a genetic predisposition for, and/or the active development of, AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Ling Lo
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Lawrence Lumeng
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Richard L. Bell
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Tiebing Liang
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Amy C. Lossie
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Williams M. Muir
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Feng C. Zhou
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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25
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Bird CW, Taylor DH, Pinkowski NJ, Chavez GJ, Valenzuela CF. Long-term Reductions in the Population of GABAergic Interneurons in the Mouse Hippocampus following Developmental Ethanol Exposure. Neuroscience 2018; 383:60-73. [PMID: 29753864 PMCID: PMC5994377 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Developmental exposure to ethanol leads to a constellation of cognitive and behavioral abnormalities known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Many cell types throughout the central nervous system are negatively impacted by gestational alcohol exposure, including inhibitory, GABAergic interneurons. Little evidence exists, however, describing the long-term impact of fetal alcohol exposure on survival of interneurons within the hippocampal formation, which is critical for learning and memory processes that are impaired in individuals with FASDs. Mice expressing Venus yellow fluorescent protein in inhibitory interneurons were exposed to vaporized ethanol during the third trimester equivalent of human gestation (postnatal days 2-9), and the long-term effects on interneuron numbers were measured using unbiased stereology at P90. In adulthood, interneuron populations were reduced in every hippocampal region examined. Moreover, we found that a single exposure to ethanol at P7 caused robust activation of apoptotic neurodegeneration of interneurons in the hilus, granule cell layer, CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. These studies demonstrate that developmental ethanol exposure has a long-term impact on hippocampal interneuron survivability, and may provide a mechanism partially explaining deficits in hippocampal function and hippocampus-dependent behaviors in those afflicted with FASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Devin H Taylor
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Natalie J Pinkowski
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - G Jill Chavez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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26
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Hernandez A, Stohn JP. The Type 3 Deiodinase: Epigenetic Control of Brain Thyroid Hormone Action and Neurological Function. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061804. [PMID: 29921775 PMCID: PMC6032375 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) influence multiple processes in the developing and adult central nervous system, and their local availability needs to be maintained at levels that are tailored to the requirements of their biological targets. The local complement of TH transporters, deiodinase enzymes, and receptors is critical to ensure specific levels of TH action in neural cells. The type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO3) inactivates THs and is highly present in the developing and adult brain, where it limits their availability and action. DIO3 deficiency in mice results in a host of neurodevelopmental and behavioral abnormalities, demonstrating the deleterious effects of TH excess, and revealing the critical role of DIO3 in the regulation of TH action in the brain. The fact the Dio3 is an imprinted gene and that its allelic expression pattern varies across brain regions and during development introduces an additional level of control to deliver specific levels of hormone action in the central nervous system (CNS). The sensitive epigenetic nature of the mechanisms controlling the genomic imprinting of Dio3 renders brain TH action particularly susceptible to disruption due to exogenous treatments and environmental exposures, with potential implications for the etiology of human neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA.
- Graduate School for Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| | - J Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA.
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27
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Cui D, Xu X. DNA Methyltransferases, DNA Methylation, and Age-Associated Cognitive Function. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1315. [PMID: 29710796 PMCID: PMC5983821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing, a leading cause of the decline/deficits in human learning, memory, and cognitive abilities, is a major risk factor for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetics, an inheritable but reversible biochemical process, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of age-related neurological disorders. DNA methylation, the best-known epigenetic mark, has attracted most attention in this regard. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are key enzymes in mediating the DNA methylation process, by which a methyl group is transferred, faithfully or anew, to genomic DNA sequences. Biologically, DNMTs are important for gene imprinting. Accumulating evidence suggests that DNMTs not only play critical roles, including gene imprinting and transcription regulation, in early development stages of the central nervous system (CNS), but also are indispensable in adult learning, memory, and cognition. Therefore, the impact of DNMTs and DNA methylation on age-associated cognitive functions and neurodegenerative diseases has emerged as a pivotal topic in the field. In this review, the effects of each DNMT on CNS development and healthy and pathological ageing are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Cui
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
| | - Xiangru Xu
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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28
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Wang L, Cai Y, Fan X. Metformin Administration During Early Postnatal Life Rescues Autistic-Like Behaviors in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J Mouse Model of Autism. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:290. [PMID: 30555309 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00290/bibtex] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by impaired social interactions, stereotypical repetitive behavior and restricted interests. Although the global incidence of ASD has increased over time, the etiology of ASD is poorly understood, and there is no effective pharmacological intervention for treating ASD. Recent studies have suggested that metformin has the potential to treat ASD. Thus, in this study, we assessed the therapeutic effects of early metformin treatment in a BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse model of ASD. We observed that early metformin administration significantly reversed social approach deficits, attenuated repetitive grooming and reduced marble burying in BTBR mice. Metformin did not change the general locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior in both BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) mice. Our findings suggest that early metformin treatment may have beneficial effects on ameliorating behavioral deficits in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Wang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yulong Cai
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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29
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Donald KA, Wedderburn CJ, Barnett W, Hoffman N, Zar HJ, Redei EE, Stein DJ. Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women With Moderate to Severe Alcohol Consumption Is Related to Infant Developmental Outcomes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:294. [PMID: 29951034 PMCID: PMC6008549 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have an estimated global prevalence of 2-5% of births, but prevalence is reported to be as high as 15.5% for FASD in certain high-risk communities in South Africa. Preclinical studies demonstrate that alcohol consumption during pregnancy interferes with thyroid hormone availability and function and negatively impacts exposed offspring. Very little is currently reported on this phenomenon in humans. METHODS This pilot study was embedded in the Drakenstein Child Health Study, a multi-disciplinary longitudinal birth cohort study investigating the early biological and psychosocial determinants of child health in South Africa. Twenty one mothers and their children with moderate-severe prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and 19 mothers and their children with no alcohol exposure were investigated. Maternal exposure history and blood samples were collected in mid-pregnancy and analyzed for serum-free thyroxin (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Children were assessed with formally measured growth parameters and development was evaluated using the Bayley III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID III) at 6 and 24 months of age. RESULTS While there were no significant differences in serum TSH and FT4 between groups, FT3 levels were significantly higher in mothers with moderate-severe prenatal alcohol use. In abstinent pregnant women, levels of FT4 were significantly correlated with infants' scores on cognitive measures at 6 and 24 months of age and with levels of gross motor skills at 24 months. However, in mothers with alcohol use, FT4 levels were not correlated with any cognitive or motor skills, but FT3 levels were significantly associated with scores on children's social-emotional development at 24 months of age. DISCUSSION Thyroid function in PAE is sufficiently disrupted to lead to alterations in serum FT3 levels. The contrast in findings between PAE and abstinent dyads in their association of maternal thyroid function and infant development further suggests that such disruption is present and may contribute to adverse neurodevelopment. Further work is needed to determine the relationship between peripheral thyroid indices during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the context of PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten A. Donald
- Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Kirsten A. Donald,
| | - Catherine J. Wedderburn
- Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Whitney Barnett
- Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nadia Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Heather J. Zar
- Unit on Child and Adolescent Health, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Eva E. Redei
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Dan J. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa
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