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Shansky RM. Behavioral neuroscience's inevitable SABV growing pains. Trends Neurosci 2024:S0166-2236(24)00121-8. [PMID: 39034262 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The field of rodent behavioral neuroscience is undergoing two major sea changes: an ever-growing technological revolution, and worldwide calls to consider sex as a biological variable (SABV) in experimental design. Both have enormous potential to improve the precision and rigor with which the brain can be studied, but the convergence of these shifts in scientific practice has exposed critical limitations in classic and widely used behavioral paradigms. While our tools have advanced, our behavioral metrics - mostly developed in males and often allowing for only binary outcomes - have not. This opinion article explores how this disconnect has presented challenges for the accurate depiction and interpretation of sex differences in brain function, arguing for the expansion of current behavioral constructs to better account for behavioral diversity.
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2
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Batorsky R, Ceasrine AM, Shook LL, Kislal S, Bordt EA, Devlin BA, Perlis RH, Slonim DK, Bilbo SD, Edlow AG. Hofbauer cells and fetal brain microglia share transcriptional profiles and responses to maternal diet-induced obesity. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114326. [PMID: 38848212 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation is associated with adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, many mediated by in utero microglial programming. As microglia remain inaccessible throughout development, identification of noninvasive biomarkers reflecting fetal brain microglial programming could permit screening and intervention. We used lineage tracing to demonstrate the shared ontogeny between fetal brain macrophages (microglia) and fetal placental macrophages (Hofbauer cells) in a mouse model of maternal diet-induced obesity, and single-cell RNA-seq to demonstrate shared transcriptional programs. Comparison with human datasets demonstrated conservation of placental resident macrophage signatures between mice and humans. Single-cell RNA-seq identified common alterations in fetal microglial and Hofbauer cell gene expression induced by maternal obesity, as well as sex differences in these alterations. We propose that Hofbauer cells, which are easily accessible at birth, provide insights into fetal brain microglial programs and may facilitate the early identification of offspring vulnerable to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Batorsky
- Data Intensive Studies Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Alexis M Ceasrine
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lydia L Shook
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Ob/Gyn, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sezen Kislal
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin A Devlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donna K Slonim
- Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Ob/Gyn, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Lockshin ER, Calakos N. The integrated stress response in brain diseases: A double-edged sword for proteostasis and synapses. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102886. [PMID: 38901329 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The integrated stress response (ISR) is a highly conserved biochemical pathway that regulates protein synthesis. The ISR is activated in response to diverse stressors to restore cellular homeostasis. As such, the ISR is implicated in a wide range of diseases, including brain disorders. However, in the brain, the ISR also has potent influence on processes beyond proteostasis, namely synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. Thus, in the setting of brain diseases, ISR activity may have dual effects on proteostasis and synaptic function. In this review, we consider the ISR's contribution to brain disorders through the lens of its potential effects on synaptic plasticity. From these examples, we illustrate that at times ISR activity may be a "double-edged sword". We also highlight its potential as a therapeutic target to improve circuit function in brain diseases independent of its role in disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana R Lockshin
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Nicole Calakos
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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4
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Devlin BA, Nguyen DM, Grullon G, Clark MJ, Ceasrine AM, Deja M, Shah A, Ati S, Finn A, Ribeiro D, Schaefer A, Bilbo SD. Neuron Derived Cytokine Interleukin-34 Controls Developmental Microglia Function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.10.589920. [PMID: 38766127 PMCID: PMC11100801 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.10.589920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Neuron-microglia interactions dictate the development of neuronal circuits in the brain. However, the factors that support and broadly regulate these processes across developmental stages are largely unknown. Here, we find that IL34, a neuron-derived cytokine, is upregulated in development and plays a critical role in supporting and maintaining neuroprotective, mature microglia in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of mice. We show that IL34 mRNA and protein is upregulated in neurons in the second week of postnatal life and that this increase coincides with increases in microglia number and expression of mature, homeostatic markers, e.g., TMEM119. We also found that IL34 mRNA is higher in more active neurons, and higher in excitatory (compared to inhibitory) neurons. Genetic KO of IL34 prevents the functional maturation of microglia and results in an anxiolytic phenotype in these mice by adulthood. Acute, low dose blocking of IL34 at postnatal day (P)15 in mice decreased microglial TMEM119 expression and increased aberrant microglial phagocytosis of thalamocortical synapses within the ACC. In contrast, viral overexpression of IL34 early in life (P1-P8) caused early maturation of microglia and prevented microglial phagocytosis of thalamocortical synapses during the appropriate neurodevelopmental refinement window. Taken together, these findings establish IL34 as a key regulator of neuron-microglia crosstalk in postnatal brain development, controlling both microglial maturation and synapse engulfment.
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5
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Escoubas CC, Molofsky AV. Microglia as integrators of brain-associated molecular patterns. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:358-370. [PMID: 38658221 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2024.03.009] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are brain-resident macrophages that play key roles in brain development and experience dependent plasticity. In this review we discuss recent findings regarding the molecular mechanisms through which mammalian microglia sense the unique molecular patterns of the homeostatic brain. We propose that microglial function is acutely controlled in response to 'brain-associated molecular patterns' (BAMPs) that function as indicators of neuronal activity and neural circuit remodeling. A further layer of regulation comes from instructive cytokine cues that define unique microglial functional states. A systematic investigation of the receptors and signaling pathways that mediate these two regulatory axes may begin to define a functional code for microglia-neuron interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline C Escoubas
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences/Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Anna V Molofsky
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences/Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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6
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Guma E, Chakravarty MM. Immune Alterations in the Intrauterine Environment Shape Offspring Brain Development in a Sex-Specific Manner. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01260-5. [PMID: 38679357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to immune dysregulation in utero or in early life has been shown to increase risk for neuropsychiatric illness. The sources of inflammation can be varied, including acute exposures due to maternal infection or acute stress, or persistent exposures due to chronic stress, obesity, malnutrition, or autoimmune diseases. These exposures may cause subtle alteration in brain development, structure, and function that can become progressively magnified across the life span, potentially increasing the likelihood of developing a neuropsychiatric conditions. There is some evidence that males are more susceptible to early-life inflammatory challenges than females. In this review, we discuss the various sources of in utero or early-life immune alteration and the known effects on fetal development with a sex-specific lens. To do so, we leveraged neuroimaging, behavioral, cellular, and neurochemical findings. Gaining clarity about how the intrauterine environment affects offspring development is critically important for informing preventive and early intervention measures that may buffer against the effects of these early-life risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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7
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Xue L, Sun J, Sun Y, Wang Y, Zhang K, Fan M, Qian H, Li Y, Wang L. Maternal Brown Rice Diet during Pregnancy Promotes Adipose Tissue Browning in Offspring via Reprogramming PKA Signaling and DNA Methylation. Mol Nutr Food Res 2024:e2300861. [PMID: 38566521 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300861] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
SCOPE Brown rice, the most consumed food worldwide, has been shown to possess beneficial effects on the prevention of metabolic diseases. However, the way in which maternal brown rice diet improves metabolism in offspring and the regulatory mechanisms remains unclear. The study explores the epigenetic regulation of offspring energy metabolic homeostasis by maternal brown rice diet during pregnancy. METHODS AND RESULTS Female mice are fed brown rice during pregnancy, and then body phenotypes, the histopathological analysis, and adipose tissues biochemistry assay of offspring mice are detected. It is found that maternal brown rice diet significantly reduces body weight and fat mass, increases energy expenditure and heat production in offspring. Maternal brown rice diet increases uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) protein level and upregulates the mRNA expression of thermogenic genes in adipose tissues. Mechanistically, protein kinase A (PKA) signaling is likely responsible in the induced thermogenic program in offspring adipocytes, and the progeny adipocytes browning program is altered due to decreased level of DNA methyltransferase 1 protein and hypomethylation of the transcriptional coregulator positive regulatory domain containing 16 (PRDM16). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that maternal brown rice during pregnancy improves offspring mice metabolic homeostasis via promoting adipose browning, and its mechanisms may be mediated by DNA methylation reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamei Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Juan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Yujie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Kuiliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Mingcong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Haifeng Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
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8
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Staal L, Plösch T, Kunovac Kallak T, Sundström Poromaa I, Wertheim B, Olivier JDA. Sex-Specific Transcriptomic Changes in the Villous Tissue of Placentas of Pregnant Women Using a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1074-1083. [PMID: 38421943 PMCID: PMC10958514 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00621] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
About 5% of pregnant women are treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants to treat their depression. SSRIs influence serotonin levels, a key factor in neural embryonic development, and their use during pregnancy has been associated with adverse effects on the developing embryo. However, the role of the placenta in transmitting these negative effects is not well understood. In this study, we aim to elucidate how disturbances in the maternal serotonergic system affect the villous tissue of the placenta by assessing whole transcriptomes in the placentas of women with healthy pregnancies and women with depression and treated with the SSRI fluoxetine during pregnancy. Twelve placentas of the Biology, Affect, Stress, Imaging and Cognition in Pregnancy and the Puerperium (BASIC) project were selected for RNA sequencing to examine differentially expressed genes: six male infants and six female infants, equally distributed over women treated with SSRI and without SSRI treatment. Our results show that more genes in the placenta of male infants show changed expression associated with fluoxetine treatment than in placentas of female infants, stressing the importance of sex-specific analyses. In addition, we identified genes related to extracellular matrix organization to be significantly enriched in placentas of male infants born to women treated with fluoxetine. It remains to be established whether the differentially expressed genes that we found to be associated with SSRI treatment are the result of the SSRI treatment itself, the underlying depression, or a combination of the two.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Staal
- Neurobiology,
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department
of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Torsten Plösch
- Departments
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- Perinatal
Neurobiology, Department of Human Medicine, School of Medicine and
Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University
Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Bregje Wertheim
- Evolutionary
Genetics, Development & Behaviour, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary
Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jocelien D. A. Olivier
- Neurobiology,
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Adibi JJ, Zhao Y, Koistinen H, Mitchell RT, Barrett ES, Miller R, O'Connor TG, Xun X, Liang HW, Birru R, Smith M, Moog NK. Molecular pathways in placental-fetal development and disruption. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 581:112075. [PMID: 37852527 PMCID: PMC10958409 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The first trimester of pregnancy ranks high in priority when minimizing harmful exposures, given the wide-ranging types of organogenesis occurring between 4- and 12-weeks' gestation. One way to quantify potential harm to the fetus in the first trimester is to measure a corollary effect on the placenta. Placental biomarkers are widely present in maternal circulation, cord blood, and placental tissue biopsied at birth or at the time of pregnancy termination. Here we evaluate ten diverse pathways involving molecules expressed in the first trimester human placenta based on their relevance to normal fetal development and to the hypothesis of placental-fetal endocrine disruption (perturbation in development that results in abnormal endocrine function in the offspring), namely: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), thyroid hormone regulation, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor protein gamma (PPARγ), leptin, transforming growth factor beta, epiregulin, growth differentiation factor 15, small nucleolar RNAs, serotonin, and vitamin D. Some of these are well-established as biomarkers of placental-fetal endocrine disruption, while others are not well studied and were selected based on discovery analyses of the placental transcriptome. A literature search on these biomarkers summarizes evidence of placenta-specific production and regulation of each biomarker, and their role in fetal reproductive tract, brain, and other specific domains of fetal development. In this review, we extend the theory of fetal programming to placental-fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Adibi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, USA; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Yaqi Zhao
- St. Jude's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hannu Koistinen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Environmental and Population Health Bio-Sciences, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Richard Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Xiaoshuang Xun
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hai-Wei Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rahel Birru
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Megan Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nora K Moog
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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10
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Legault LM, Breton-Larrivée M, Langford-Avelar A, Lemieux A, McGraw S. Sex-based disparities in DNA methylation and gene expression in late-gestation mouse placentas. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:2. [PMID: 38183126 PMCID: PMC10770955 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00577-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is vital for fetal development and its contributions to various developmental issues, such as pregnancy complications, fetal growth restriction, and maternal exposure, have been extensively studied in mice. The placenta forms mainly from fetal tissue and therefore has the same biological sex as the fetus it supports. Extensive research has delved into the placenta's involvement in pregnancy complications and future offspring development, with a notable emphasis on exploring sex-specific disparities. However, despite these investigations, sex-based disparities in epigenetic (e.g., DNA methylation) and transcriptomic features of the late-gestation mouse placenta remain largely unknown. METHODS We collected male and female mouse placentas at late gestation (E18.5, n = 3/sex) and performed next-generation sequencing to identify genome-wide sex differences in transcription and DNA methylation. RESULTS Our comparison between male and female revealed 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on autosomes, which were associated with signaling pathways involved in transmembrane transport and the responses to viruses and external stimuli. X chromosome DEGs (n = 39) were associated with different pathways, including those regulating chromatin modification and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were more common on the X chromosomes (n = 3756) than on autosomes (n = 1705). Interestingly, while most X chromosome DMRs had higher DNA methylation levels in female placentas and tended to be included in CpG dinucleotide-rich regions, 73% of autosomal DMRs had higher methylation levels in male placentas and were distant from CpG-rich regions. Several DEGs were correlated with DMRs. A subset of the DMRs present in late-stage placentas were already established in mid-gestation (E10.5) placentas (n = 348 DMRs on X chromosome and 19 DMRs on autosomes), while others were acquired later in placental development. CONCLUSION Our study provides comprehensive lists of DEGs and DMRs between male and female that collectively cause profound differences in the DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of late-gestation mouse placentas. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating sex-specific analyses into epigenetic and transcription studies to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of their conclusions and help address the significant knowledge gap regarding how sex differences influence placental function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Legault
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Mélanie Breton-Larrivée
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Alexandra Langford-Avelar
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Anthony Lemieux
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Serge McGraw
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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11
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Batorsky R, Ceasrine AM, Shook LL, Kislal S, Bordt EA, Devlin BA, Perlis RH, Slonim DK, Bilbo SD, Edlow AG. Hofbauer cells and fetal brain microglia share transcriptional profiles and responses to maternal diet-induced obesity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.16.571680. [PMID: 38187648 PMCID: PMC10769274 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.16.571680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation is associated with adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, many mediated by in utero microglial programming. As microglia remain inaccessible throughout development, identification of noninvasive biomarkers reflecting fetal brain microglial programming could permit screening and intervention. We used lineage tracing to demonstrate the shared ontogeny between fetal brain macrophages (microglia) and fetal placental macrophages (Hofbauer cells) in a mouse model of maternal diet-induced obesity, and single-cell RNA-seq to demonstrate shared transcriptional programs. Comparison with human datasets demonstrated conservation of placental resident macrophage signatures between mice and humans. Single-cell RNA-seq identified common alterations in fetal microglial and Hofbauer cell gene expression induced by maternal obesity, as well as sex differences in these alterations. We propose that Hofbauer cells, which are easily accessible at birth, provide novel insights into fetal brain microglial programs, and may facilitate the early identification of offspring vulnerable to neurodevelopmental disorders in the setting of maternal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexis M. Ceasrine
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lydia L. Shook
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Ob/Gyn, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sezen Kislal
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Evan A. Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin A. Devlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Roy H. Perlis
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donna K. Slonim
- Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, MA
| | - Staci D. Bilbo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Andrea G. Edlow
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Ob/Gyn, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Jiang PY, Lin S, Liu JR, Liu Y, Zheng LM, Hong Q, Fan YJ, Xu DX, Chen YH. Paternal lipopolysaccharide exposure induced intrauterine growth restriction via the inactivation of placental MEST/PI3K/AKT pathway in mice. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2929-2941. [PMID: 37603095 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03584-3] [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: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Maternal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure during pregnancy has been related to IUGR. Here, we explored whether paternal LPS exposure before mating impaired fetal development. All male mice except controls were intraperitoneally injected with LPS every other day for a total of five injections. The next day after the last LPS, male mice were mated with untreated female mice. Interestingly, fetal weight and crown-rump length were reduced, while the incidence of IUGR was increased in paternal LPS exposure group. Additionally, paternal LPS exposure leaded to poor placental development through causing cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. Additional experiment demonstrated that the inactivation of placental PI3K/AKT pathway might be involved in paternal LPS-induced cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of trophoblast cells. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of mesoderm specific transcript (MEST), a maternally imprinted gene with paternal expression, were significantly decreased in mouse placentas from paternal LPS exposure. Further analysis showed that paternal LPS exposure caused the inactivation of placental PI3K/AKT pathway and then cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis might be via down-regulating placental MEST. Overall, our results provide evidence that paternal LPS exposure causes poor placental development and subsequently IUGR may be via down-regulating MEST/PI3K/AKT pathway, and then inducing cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in placentas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Ying Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Shuai Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Jie-Ru Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Li-Ming Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Qiang Hong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yi-Jun Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - De-Xiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yuan-Hua Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
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13
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Zhu H, Guan A, Liu J, Peng L, Zhang Z, Wang S. Noteworthy perspectives on microglia in neuropsychiatric disorders. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:223. [PMID: 37794488 PMCID: PMC10548593 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02901-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia are so versatile that they not only provide immune surveillance for central nervous system, but participate in neural circuitry development, brain blood vessels formation, blood-brain barrier architecture, and intriguingly, the regulation of emotions and behaviors. Microglia have a profound impact on neuronal survival, brain wiring and synaptic plasticity. As professional phagocytic cells in the brain, they remove dead cell debris and neurotoxic agents via an elaborate mechanism. The functional profile of microglia varies considerately depending on age, gender, disease context and other internal or external environmental factors. Numerous studies have demonstrated a pivotal involvement of microglia in neuropsychiatric disorders, including negative affection, social deficit, compulsive behavior, fear memory, pain and other symptoms associated with major depression disorder, anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. In this review, we summarized the latest discoveries regarding microglial ontogeny, cell subtypes or state spectrum, biological functions and mechanistic underpinnings of emotional and behavioral disorders. Furthermore, we highlight the potential of microglia-targeted therapies of neuropsychiatric disorders, and propose outstanding questions to be addressed in future research of human microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongrui Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
| | - Ao Guan
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Jiayuan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Li Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
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14
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Cinquina V, Keimpema E, Pollak DD, Harkany T. Adverse effects of gestational ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid imbalance on the programming of fetal brain development. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13320. [PMID: 37497857 PMCID: PMC10909496 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is a key medical challenge of our time. The increasing number of children born to overweight or obese women is alarming. During pregnancy, the circulation of the mother and her fetus interact to maintain the uninterrupted availability of essential nutrients for fetal organ development. In doing so, the mother's dietary preference determines the amount and composition of nutrients reaching the fetus. In particular, the availability of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), chiefly their ω-3 and ω-6 subclasses, can change when pregnant women choose a specific diet. Here, we provide a succinct overview of PUFA biochemistry, including exchange routes between ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs, the phenotypes, and probable neurodevelopmental disease associations of offspring born to mothers consuming specific PUFAs, and their mechanistic study in experimental models to typify signaling pathways, transcriptional, and epigenetic mechanisms by which PUFAs can imprint long-lasting modifications to brain structure and function. We emphasize that the ratio, rather than the amount of individual ω-3 or ω-6 PUFAs, might underpin physiologically correct cellular differentiation programs, be these for neurons or glia, during pregnancy. Thereupon, the PUFA-driven programming of the brain is contextualized for childhood obesity, metabolic, and endocrine illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Cinquina
- Department of Molecular NeurosciencesCenter for Brain Research, Medical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Erik Keimpema
- Department of Molecular NeurosciencesCenter for Brain Research, Medical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Daniela D. Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and NeuropharmacologyCenter for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Tibor Harkany
- Department of Molecular NeurosciencesCenter for Brain Research, Medical University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Deaprtment of NeuroscienceBiomedicum 7D, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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15
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"Prenatal programming of the brain: The maternal-fetal interface takes center stage". Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:219-220. [PMID: 36736542 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
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16
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Mother mouse's high-fat diet changes her son's brain. Nature 2022; 612:193. [PMID: 36450963 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-04163-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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