1
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Hellmann JK, Rogers MM. The transgenerational consequences of paternal social isolation and predation exposure in threespined sticklebacks. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39049666 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14151] [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: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Parents routinely encounter stress in the ecological environment that can affect offspring development (transgenerational plasticity: TGP); however, parents' interactions with conspecifics may alter how parents respond to ecological stressors. During social buffering, the presence of conspecifics can reduce the response to or increase the speed of recovery from a stressor. This may have cascading effects on offspring if conspecifics can mitigate parental responses to ecological stress in ways that blunt the transmission of stress-induced transgenerational effects. Here, we simultaneously manipulated both paternal social isolation and experience with predation risk prior to fertilisation in threespined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We generated offspring via in-vitro fertilisation to allow us to isolate paternal effects mediated via sperm alone (i.e. in the absence of paternal care). If social buffering mitigates TGP induced by paternal exposure to predation risk, then we expect the transgenerational effects of predation exposure to be weaker when a conspecific is present compared to when the father is isolated. Offspring of predator-exposed fathers showed reduced anxiety-like behaviour and tended to be captured faster by the predator. Fathers who were socially isolated also had offspring that were captured faster by a live predator, suggesting that paternal social isolation may have maladaptive effects on how offspring respond to ecological stressors. Despite additive effects of paternal social isolation and paternal predation risk, we found no evidence of an interaction between these paternal treatments, suggesting that the presence of a conspecific did not buffer fathers and/or offspring from the effects of predation risk. Our results suggest that socially induced stress is an important, yet underappreciated, mediator of TGP and can elicit transgenerational effects even in species that do not form permanent social groups. Future studies should therefore consider how the parental social environment can affect both within and trans-generational responses to ecological stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Michaela M Rogers
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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2
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Xu MT, Zhang M, Wang GL, Gong S, Luo MJ, Zhang J, Yuan HJ, Tan JH. Postovulatory Aging of Mouse Oocytes Impairs Offspring Behavior by Causing Oxidative Stress and Damaging Mitochondria. Cells 2024; 13:758. [PMID: 38727294 PMCID: PMC11083947 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Information on long-term effects of postovulatory oocyte aging (POA) on offspring is limited. Whether POA affects offspring by causing oxidative stress (OS) and mitochondrial damage is unknown. Here, in vivo-aged (IVA) mouse oocytes were collected 9 h after ovulation, while in vitro-aged (ITA) oocytes were obtained by culturing freshly ovulated oocytes for 9 h in media with low, moderate, or high antioxidant potential. Oocytes were fertilized in vitro and blastocysts transferred to produce F1 offspring. F1 mice were mated with naturally bred mice to generate F2 offspring. Both IVA and the ITA groups in low antioxidant medium showed significantly increased anxiety-like behavior and impaired spatial and fear learning/memory and hippocampal expression of anxiolytic and learning/memory-beneficial genes in both male and female F1 offspring. Furthermore, the aging in both groups increased OS and impaired mitochondrial function in oocytes, blastocysts, and hippocampus of F1 offspring; however, it did not affect the behavior of F2 offspring. It is concluded that POA caused OS and damaged mitochondria in aged oocytes, leading to defects in anxiety-like behavior and learning/memory of F1 offspring. Thus, POA is a crucial factor that causes psychological problems in offspring, and antioxidant measures may be taken to ameliorate the detrimental effects of POA on offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hong-Jie Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (M.-T.X.); (M.Z.); (G.-L.W.); (S.G.); (M.-J.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jing-He Tan
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China; (M.-T.X.); (M.Z.); (G.-L.W.); (S.G.); (M.-J.L.); (J.Z.)
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3
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Bhattacharya S, MacCallum PE, Dayma M, McGrath-Janes A, King B, Dawson L, Bambico FR, Berry MD, Yuan Q, Martin GM, Preisser EL, Blundell JJ. A short pre-conception bout of predation risk affects both children and grandchildren. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10886. [PMID: 37407623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic events that affect physiology and behavior in the current generation may also impact future generations. We demonstrate that an ecologically realistic degree of predation risk prior to conception causes lasting changes in the first filial (F1) and second filial (F2) generations. We exposed male and female mice to a live rat (predator stress) or control (non-predator) condition for 5 min. Ten days later, stressed males and females were bred together as were control males and females. Adult F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents responded to a mild stressor with more anxiety-like behavior and hyperarousal than offspring from control parents. Exposing these F1 offspring to the mild stressor increased neuronal activity (cFOS) in the hippocampus and altered glucocorticoid system function peripherally (plasma corticosterone levels). Even without the mild stressor, F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents still exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors than controls. Cross-fostering studies confirmed that preconception stress, not maternal social environment, determined offspring behavioral phenotype. The effects of preconception parental stress were also unexpectedly persistent and produced similar behavioral phenotypes in the F2 offspring. Our data illustrate that a surprisingly small amount of preconception predator stress alters the brain, physiology, and behavior of future generations. A better understanding of the 'long shadow' cast by fearful events is critical for understanding the adaptive costs and benefits of transgenerational plasticity. It also suggests the intriguing possibility that similar risk-induced changes are the rule rather than the exception in free-living organisms, and that such multigenerational impacts are as ubiquitous as they are cryptic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriya Bhattacharya
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
- Northwestern Polytechnic, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4C4, Canada
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mrunal Dayma
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Andrea McGrath-Janes
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Brianna King
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Laura Dawson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Francis R Bambico
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mark D Berry
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Qi Yuan
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Gerard M Martin
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Evan L Preisser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Jacqueline J Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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4
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Preconception paternal mental disorders and child health: Mechanisms and interventions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104976. [PMID: 36435393 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Mental illness is a significant global health issue with a steady prevalence. High heritability is suspected, but genome-wide association studies only identified a small number of risk genes associated with mental disorders. This 'missing inheritance' can be partially explained by epigenetic heredity. Evidence from numerous animal models and human studies supports the possibility that preconception paternal mental health influences their offspring's mental health via nongenetic means. Here, we review two potential pathways, including sperm epigenetics and seminal plasma components. The current review highlights the role of sperm epigenetics and explores epigenetic message origination and susceptibility to chronic stress. Meanwhile, possible spatiotemporal windows and events that induce sexually dimorphic modes and effects of paternal stress transmission are inferred in this review. Additionally, we discuss emerging interventions that could potentially block the intergenerational transmission of paternal psychiatric disorders and reduce the incidence of mental illness. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which preconception paternal stress impacts offspring health is critical for identifying strategies supporting healthy development and successfully controlling the prevalence of mental illness.
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5
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Yuan HJ, Han X, Wang GL, Wu JS, He N, Zhang J, Kong QQ, Gong S, Luo MJ, Tan JH. Glucocorticoid Exposure of Preimplantation Embryos Increases Offspring Anxiety-Like Behavior by Upregulating miR-211-5p via Trpm1 Demethylation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:874374. [PMID: 35433692 PMCID: PMC9011152 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.874374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Most studies on mechanisms by which prenatal stress affects offspring behavior were conducted during late pregnancy using in vivo models; studies on the effect of preimplantation stress are rare. In vivo models do not allow accurate specification of the roles of different hormones and cells within the complicated living organism, and cannot verify whether hormones act directly on embryos or indirectly to alter progeny behavior. Furthermore, the number of anxiety-related miRNAs identified are limited. This study showed that both mouse embryculture with corticosterone (ECC) and maternal preimplantation restraint stress (PIRS) increased anxiety-like behavior (ALB) while decreasing hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in offspring. ECC/PIRS downregulated GR and BDNF expression by increasing miR-211-5p expression via promoter demethylation of its host gene Trpm1, and this epigenetic cell fate determination was exclusively perpetuated during development into mature hippocampus. Transfection with miR-211-5p mimic/inhibitor in cultured hippocampal cell lines confirmed that miR-211-5p downregulated Gr and Bdnf. Intrahippocampal injection of miR-211-5p agomir/antagomir validated that miR-211-5p dose-dependently increased ALB while decreasing hippocampal GR/BDNF expression. In conclusion, preimplantation exposure to glucocorticoids increased ALB by upregulating miR-211-5p via Trpm1 demethylation, and miR-211-5p may be used as therapeutic targets and biomarkers for anxiety-related diseases.
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de Abreu MS, Demin KA, Giacomini ACVV, Amstislavskaya TG, Strekalova T, Maslov GO, Kositsin Y, Petersen EV, Kalueff AV. Understanding how stress responses and stress-related behaviors have evolved in zebrafish and mammals. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100405. [PMID: 34722834 PMCID: PMC8536782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress response is essential for the organism to quickly restore physiological homeostasis disturbed by various environmental insults. In addition to well-established physiological cascades, stress also evokes various brain and behavioral responses. Aquatic animal models, including the zebrafish (Danio rerio), have been extensively used to probe pathobiological mechanisms of stress and stress-related brain disorders. Here, we critically discuss the use of zebrafish models for studying mechanisms of stress and modeling its disorders experimentally, with a particular cross-taxon focus on the potential evolution of stress responses from zebrafish to rodents and humans, as well as its translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology and Neurobiology, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medcial Research Center, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Granov Russian Scientific Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ana C V V Giacomini
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | - Tamara G Amstislavskaya
- Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medcicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | - Gleb O Maslov
- Neuroscience Program, Sirius University, Sochi, Russia
| | - Yury Kositsin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Neuroscience Program, Sirius University, Sochi, Russia
| | - Elena V Petersen
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology and Neurobiology, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
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7
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A next-generation sequencing study on mechanisms by which restraint and social instability stresses of male mice alter offspring anxiety-like behavior. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7952. [PMID: 33846458 PMCID: PMC8042048 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87060-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathophysiological mechanisms for depression/anxiety are largely unknown. Evidence for transgenerational transmission of acquired epigenetic marks remains limited. We bred unstressed (US) female mice with adolescently restraint-stressed (RS), social instability-stressed (SI) or US males to produce RS, SI and control F1 offspring, respectively. Compared to controls, while paternal RS decreased anxiety-like behavior (ALB) in both female and male offspring, paternal SI increased ALB only in female offspring. Next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics using RS and SI female offspring identified 5 candidate anxiety-transmitting (CAT) genes; each showed a consistent pattern of DNA methylation from F0 spermatozoa through F1 blastocysts to fetal and adult hippocampi. Further analyses validated 4 CAT genes, demonstrated that paternal SI caused ALB differences between male and female offspring through modifying the CAT genes, and indicated a strong correlation between inflammation and ALB pathogenesis and an important function for intronic DNA methylation in regulating ALB-related genes. In conclusion, this study identified important CAT genes and suggested the possibility that stresses on males might alter offspring's ALB by modifying sperm DNA methylation.
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8
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Bacon ER, Brinton RD. Epigenetics of the developing and aging brain: Mechanisms that regulate onset and outcomes of brain reorganization. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:503-516. [PMID: 33657435 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Brain development is a life-long process that encompasses several critical periods of transition, during which significant cognitive changes occur. Embryonic development, puberty, and reproductive senescence are all periods of transition that are hypersensitive to environmental factors. Rather than isolated episodes, each transition builds upon the last and is influenced by consequential changes that occur in the transition before it. Epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, provide mechanisms by which early events can influence development, cognition, and health outcomes. For example, parental environment influences imprinting patterns in gamete cells, which ultimately impacts gene expression in the embryo which may result in hypersensitivity to poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy, raising the risks for cognitive impairment later in life. This review explores how epigenetics induce and regulate critical periods, and also discusses how early environmental interactions prime a system towards a particular health outcome and influence susceptibility to disease or cognitive impairment throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza R Bacon
- Department of Neuroscience, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; The Center for Precision Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Roberta Diaz Brinton
- Department of Neuroscience, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; Center for Innovation in Brain Science, School of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
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9
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De Serrano AR, Hughes KA, Rodd FH. Paternal exposure to a common pharmaceutical (Ritalin) has transgenerational effects on the behaviour of Trinidadian guppies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3985. [PMID: 33597600 PMCID: PMC7889922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83448-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence is emerging that paternal effects, the nongenetic influence of fathers on their offspring, can be transgenerational, spanning several generations. Methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH; e.g. Ritalin) is a dopaminergic drug that is highly prescribed to adolescent males for the treatment of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It has been suggested that MPH could cause transgenerational effects because MPH can affect the male germline in rodents and because paternal effects have been observed in individuals taking similar drugs (e.g. cocaine). Despite these concerns, the transgenerational effects of paternal MPH exposure are unknown. Therefore, we exposed male and female Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to a low, chronic dose of MPH and observed that MPH affected the anxiety/exploratory behaviour of males, but not females. Because of this male-specific effect, we investigated the transgenerational effects of MPH through the paternal line. We observed behavioural effects of paternal MPH exposure on offspring and great-grandoffspring that were not directly administered the drug, making this the first study to demonstrate that paternal MPH exposure can affect descendants. These effects were not due to differential mortality or fecundity between control and MPH lines. These results highlight the transgenerational potential of MPH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R De Serrano
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada.
| | - Kimberly A Hughes
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Dr, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
| | - F Helen Rodd
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
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10
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Hellmann JK, Bukhari SA, Deno J, Bell AM. Sex-specific plasticity across generations I: Maternal and paternal effects on sons and daughters. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2788-2799. [PMID: 33191518 PMCID: PMC7902357 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Intergenerational plasticity or parental effects-when parental environments alter the phenotype of future generations-can influence how organisms cope with environmental change. An intriguing, underexplored possibility is that sex-of both the parent and the offspring-plays an important role in driving the evolution of intergenerational plasticity in both adaptive and non-adaptive ways. Here, we evaluate the potential for sex-specific parental effects in a freshwater population of three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus by independently and jointly manipulating maternal and paternal experiences and separately evaluating their phenotypic effects in sons versus daughters. We tested the adaptive hypothesis that daughters are more responsive to cues from their mother, whereas sons are more responsive to cues from their father. We exposed mothers, fathers or both parents to visual cues of predation risk and measured offspring antipredator traits and brain gene expression. Predator-exposed fathers produced sons that were more risk-prone, whereas predator-exposed mothers produced more anxious sons and daughters. Furthermore, maternal and paternal effects on offspring survival were non-additive: offspring with a predator-exposed father, but not two predator-exposed parents, had lower survival against live predators. There were also strong sex-specific effects on brain gene expression: exposing mothers versus fathers to predation risk activated different transcriptional profiles in their offspring, and sons and daughters strongly differed in the ways in which their brain gene expression profiles were influenced by parental experience. We found little evidence to support the hypothesis that offspring prioritize their same-sex parent's experience. Parental effects varied with both the sex of the parent and the offspring in complicated and non-additive ways. Failing to account for these sex-specific patterns (e.g. by pooling sons and daughters) would have underestimated the magnitude of parental effects. Altogether, these results draw attention to the potential for sex to influence patterns of intergenerational plasticity and raise new questions about the interface between intergenerational plasticity and sex-specific selective pressures, sexual conflict and sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
| | - Syed Abbas Bukhari
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
| | - Jack Deno
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
| | - Alison M Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA, 61801
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11
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King SE, Skinner MK. Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Obesity Susceptibility. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2020; 31:478-494. [PMID: 32521235 PMCID: PMC8260009 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity and associated diseases has reached pandemic levels. Obesity is often associated with overnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, but clearly other factors also increase the susceptibility of metabolic disease states. Ancestral and direct exposures to environmental toxicants and altered nutrition have been shown to increase susceptibility for obesity and metabolic dysregulation. Environmental insults can reprogram the epigenome of the germline (sperm and eggs), which transmits the susceptibility for disease to future generations through epigenetic transgenerational inheritance. In this review, we discuss current evidence and molecular mechanisms for epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of obesity susceptibility. Understanding ancestral environmental insults and epigenetic transgenerational impacts on future generations will be critical to fully understand the etiology of obesity and to develop preventative therapy options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E King
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA.
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12
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Dickson DA, Stohn P, Saavedra Rodriguez L, Hernandez A, Harrington A, Liaw L, Feig LA. Involvement of early embryonic miR-409-3p in the establishment of anxiety levels in female mice. Dev Neurobiol 2020; 80:160-167. [PMID: 32333826 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Small RNA molecules in early embryos, delivered from sperm to zygotes upon fertilization, are required for normal mouse embryonic development. Even modest changes in the levels of sperm-derived miRNAs appear to influence early embryos and subsequent development. For example, stress-associated behaviors develop in mice after injection into normal zygotes sets of sperm miRNAs elevated in stressed male mice. Here, we implicate early embryonic miR-409-3p in establishing anxiety levels in adult female, but not male mice. First, we found that exposure of male mice to chronic social instability stress, which leads to elevated anxiety in their female offspring across at least three generations through the paternal lineage, elevates sperm miR-409-3p levels not only in exposed males, but also in sperm of their F1 and F2 male offspring. Second, we observed that while injection of a mimic of miR-409-3p into zygotes from mating control males was incapable of mimicking this effect in offspring derived from them, injection of a specific inhibitor of this miRNA led to the opposite, anxiolytic effect in female, but not male, and offspring. These findings imply that baseline miR-409-3p activity in early female embryos is necessary for the expression of normal anxiety levels when they develop into adult females. In addition, elevated embryo miR-409-3p activity, possibly as a consequence of stress-induced elevation of its expression in sperm, may participate in, but may not be sufficient for, the induction of enhanced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Dickson
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, ME, USA
| | - Lorena Saavedra Rodriguez
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, ME, USA
| | - Anne Harrington
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, ME, USA
| | - Lucy Liaw
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, ME, USA
| | - Larry A Feig
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Bögi E, Belovičová K, Moravčíková L, Csatlósová K, Dremencov E, Lacinova L, Dubovicky M. Pre-gestational stress impacts excitability of hippocampal cells in vitro and is associated with neurobehavioral alterations during adulthood. Behav Brain Res 2019; 375:112131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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14
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Zhang H, He W, Huang Y, Zeng Z, Yang X, Huang H, Wen J, Cao Y, Sun H. Hippocampal metabolic alteration in rat exhibited susceptibility to prenatal stress. J Affect Disord 2019; 259:458-467. [PMID: 31611004 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous studies have shown that prenatal stress (PS) can cause emotional and behavioral abnormalities including depression and depressive-like behaviors in offspring. However, the mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of depression remains largely unknown. In recent years, small metabolic molecules have played an increasingly important role in explaining the pathogenesis of depression. Thus, we detected hippocampal metabolic alteration in rat of depression caused by PS. METHODS To explore the potential molecular markers and pathways that link the metabolic to the pathogenesis of depression, we monitored changes in hippocampus metabolites during the development of depressive-like behaviors in rats exposed to PS via UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS approach. Sucrose preference test (SPT) was used to screen out the susceptibility rats exposed to PS, open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) were used to verify the validity of animal model of depression. RESULTS A total of 38 differential metabolites were detected in the susceptibility rats exposed to PS compared with that in controls. Most of these differential metabolites were related to Retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, Central carbon metabolism in cancer, Arginine biosynthesis, Choline metabolism in cancer, ABC transporters, Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism pathways. In addition, the results of Spearman correlation analysis indicated that L-aspartate, N-Acetylaspartylglutamate, choline and betaine aldehyde were most associated with depressive-like behaviors. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that hippocampal metabolites in the Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism pathways may play a crucial role in the depressive-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Zhang
- Department of Emergency, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Wei He
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Yinong Huang
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Zhu Zeng
- Department of Emergency, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Xiangdi Yang
- Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Huimei Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Jun Wen
- Department of Emergency, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China
| | - Yanjun Cao
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Northwest University), Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710069, PR China
| | - Hongli Sun
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710003, PR China; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 86-710061, PR China.
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15
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Azizi N, Roshan-Milani S, MahmoodKhani M, Saboory E, Gholinejad Z, Abdollahzadeh N, Sayyadi H, Chodari L. Parental pre-conception stress status and risk for anxiety in rat offspring: specific and sex-dependent maternal and paternal effects. Stress 2019; 22:619-631. [PMID: 31131701 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1619075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stressful events have long-lasting consequences on behavioral responses of offspring. While the effects of gestational and maternal stress have been extensively studied on psychological alterations in the progeny, little is known about effects of each parent's pre-conception life events on emotional responses in offspring. Here, the effect of maternal and/or paternal pre-conception stress was investigated on anxiogenic responses of offspring. Male and female adult rats were subjected to predatory stress (contactless exposure to a cat for 1 + 1 h per day) for 50 (male, n: 12) and 15 (female, n: 24) consecutive days; controls were not exposed. After the stress procedure, the control and stressed rats were mated to create four types of breeding pairs: control female/control male, stressed female/control male, control female/stressed male, and stressed female/stressed male. On postnatal days 30-31, the offspring were tested on the elevated plus maze and plasma corticosterone concentration was measured. Half of the pups were exposed to acute predatory stress before the elevated plus maze test. In most subgroups, corticosterone and anxiety-like behaviors in the offspring with both or only one parent exposed to pre-gestational stress increased compared to their control counterparts. However, under acute stress conditions, a different sex-dependent pattern of anxiety responses emerged. The combined effects of maternal and paternal stress were not additive. Hence, individual offspring behaviors can be influenced by the former life stress experiences of either parent. Incorporation of genetic and epigenetic aspects in development of neurobehavioral abnormalities and reprograming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may contribute to this phenomenon. Lay summary Early life stress (including during pregnancy) is known to have long-lasting effects on offspring, including emotional behaviors. Whether individual anxiety behaviors can be influenced by stress experiences of each parent even before a pregnancy is less well-understood. Our findings from this study on rats exposed to predator stress before mating suggest that maternal or paternal adult life events prior to pregnancy can lead to maladaptive behavior in their offspring later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Azizi
- a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
- b Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Shiva Roshan-Milani
- a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
- c Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Maryam MahmoodKhani
- b Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
- c Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Ehsan Saboory
- a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
- c Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Zafar Gholinejad
- d Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Naseh Abdollahzadeh
- a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Hojjat Sayyadi
- c Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Leila Chodari
- a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
- c Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
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16
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Bell AM, Hellmann JK. An Integrative Framework for Understanding the Mechanisms and Multigenerational Consequences of Transgenerational Plasticity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2019; 50:97-118. [PMID: 36046014 PMCID: PMC9427003 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110218-024613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational plasticity (TGP) occurs when the environment experienced by a parent influences the development of their offspring. In this article, we develop a framework for understanding the mechanisms and multi-generational consequences of TGP. First, we conceptualize the mechanisms of TGP in the context of communication between parents (senders) and offspring (receivers) by dissecting the steps between an environmental cue received by a parent and its resulting effects on the phenotype of one or more future generations. Breaking down the problem in this way highlights the diversity of mechanisms likely to be involved in the process. Second, we review the literature on multigenerational effects and find that the documented patterns across generations are diverse. We categorize different multigenerational patterns and explore the proximate and ultimate mechanisms that can generate them. Throughout, we highlight opportunities for future work in this dynamic and integrative area of study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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17
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Evans JP, Wilson AJ, Pilastro A, Garcia-Gonzalez F. Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects: evidence, mechanisms and evolutionary implications. Reproduction 2019; 157:R109-R126. [PMID: 30668523 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite serving the primary objective of ensuring that at least one sperm cell reaches and fertilises an ovum, the male ejaculate (i.e. spermatozoa and seminal fluid) is a compositionally complex 'trait' that can respond phenotypically to subtle changes in conditions. In particular, recent research has shown that environmentally and genetically induced changes to ejaculates can have implications for offspring traits that are independent of the DNA sequence encoded into the sperm's haploid genome. In this review, we compile evidence from several disciplines and numerous taxonomic systems to reveal the extent of such ejaculate-mediated paternal effects (EMPEs). We consider a number of environmental and genetic factors that have been shown to impact offspring phenotypes via ejaculates, and where possible, we highlight the putative mechanistic pathways by which ejaculates can act as conduits for paternal effects. We also highlight how females themselves can influence EMPEs, and in some cases, how maternally derived sources of variance may confound attempts to test for EMPEs. Finally, we consider a range of putative evolutionary implications of EMPEs and suggest a number of potentially useful approaches for exploring these further. Overall, our review confirms that EMPEs are both widespread and varied in their effects, although studies reporting their evolutionary effects are still in their infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | | | - Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Estacion Biologica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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18
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Lacal I, Ventura R. Epigenetic Inheritance: Concepts, Mechanisms and Perspectives. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:292. [PMID: 30323739 PMCID: PMC6172332 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parents’ stressful experiences can influence an offspring’s vulnerability to many pathological conditions, including psychopathologies, and their effects may even endure for several generations. Nevertheless, the cause of this phenomenon has not been determined, and only recently have scientists turned to epigenetics to answer this question. There is extensive literature on epigenetics, but no consensus exists with regard to how and what can (and must) be considered to study and define epigenetics processes and their inheritance. In this work, we aimed to clarify and systematize these concepts. To this end, we analyzed the dynamics of epigenetic changes over time in detail and defined three types of epigenetics: a direct form of epigenetics (DE) and two indirect epigenetic processes—within (WIE) and across (AIE). DE refers to changes that occur in the lifespan of an individual, due to direct experiences with his environment. WIE concerns changes that occur inside of the womb, due to events during gestation. Finally, AIE defines changes that affect the individual’s predecessors (parents, grandparents, etc.), due to events that occur even long before conception and that are somehow (e.g., through gametes, the intrauterine environment setting) transmitted across generations. This distinction allows us to organize the main body of epigenetic evidence according to these categories and then focus on the latter (AIE), referring to it as a faster route of informational transmission across generations—compared with genetic inheritance—that guides human evolution in a Lamarckian (i.e., experience-dependent) manner. Of the molecular processes that are implicated in this phenomenon, well-known (methylation) and novel (non-coding RNA, ncRNA) regulatory mechanisms are converging. Our discussion of the chief methods that are used to study epigenetic inheritance highlights the most compelling technical and theoretical problems of this discipline. Experimental suggestions to expand this field are provided, and their practical and ethical implications are discussed extensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Lacal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Ventura
- Department of Psychology and "Daniel Bovet" Center, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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19
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Dickson DA, Paulus JK, Mensah V, Lem J, Saavedra-Rodriguez L, Gentry A, Pagidas K, Feig LA. Reduced levels of miRNAs 449 and 34 in sperm of mice and men exposed to early life stress. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:101. [PMID: 29795112 PMCID: PMC5966454 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0146-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure of male mice to early life stress alters the levels of specific sperm miRNAs that promote stress-associated behaviors in their offspring. To begin to evaluate whether similar phenomena occur in men, we searched for sperm miRNA changes that occur in both mice and men exposed to early life stressors that have long-lasting effects. For men, we used the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. It reveals the degree of abusive and/or dysfunctional family experiences when young, which increases risks of developing future psychological and physical disorders. For male mice, we used adolescent chronic social instability (CSI) stress, which not only enhances sociability defects for >1 year, but also anxiety and defective sociability in female offspring for multiple generations through the male lineage. Here we found a statistically significant inverse correlation between levels of multiple miRNAs of the miR-449/34 family and ACE scores of Caucasian males. Remarkably, we found members of the same sperm miRNA family are also reduced in mice exposed to CSI stress. Thus, future studies should be designed to directly test whether reduced levels of these miRNAs could be used as unbiased indicators of current and/or early life exposure to severe stress. Moreover, after mating stressed male mice, these sperm miRNA reductions persist in both early embryos through at least the morula stage and in sperm of males derived from them, suggesting these miRNA changes contribute to transmission of stress phenotypes across generations. Since offspring of men exposed to early life trauma have elevated risks for psychological disorders, these findings raise the possibility that a portion of this risk may be derived from epigenetic regulation of these sperm miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Dickson
- 0000 0004 1936 7531grid.429997.8Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA USA
| | - Jessica K. Paulus
- 0000 0004 0367 5222grid.475010.7Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness (PACE) Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies (ICRHPS), Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
| | - Virginia Mensah
- 0000 0004 1936 9094grid.40263.33Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Women and Infants Hospital Fertility Center, Department of OB/GYN, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Janis Lem
- 0000 0000 8934 4045grid.67033.31The Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Lorena Saavedra-Rodriguez
- 0000 0000 8934 4045grid.67033.31Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
| | - Adrienne Gentry
- 0000 0001 2113 1622grid.266623.5Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY USA
| | - Kelly Pagidas
- 0000 0001 2113 1622grid.266623.5Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY USA
| | - Larry A. Feig
- 0000 0004 1936 7531grid.429997.8Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA USA ,0000 0000 8934 4045grid.67033.31Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
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20
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Nilsson EE, Sadler-Riggleman I, Skinner MK. Environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2018; 4:dvy016. [PMID: 30038800 PMCID: PMC6051467 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ancestral environmental exposures such as toxicants, abnormal nutrition or stress can promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. These environmental factors induce the epigenetic reprogramming of the germline (sperm and egg). The germline epimutations can in turn increase disease susceptibility of subsequent generations of the exposed ancestors. A variety of environmental factors, species and exposure specificity of this induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease is discussed with a consideration of generational toxicology. The molecular mechanisms and processes involved in the ability of these inherited epimutations to increase disease susceptibility are discussed. In addition to altered disease susceptibility, the potential impact of the epigenetic inheritance on phenotypic variation and evolution is considered. Observations suggest environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease is a critical aspect of disease etiology, toxicology and evolution that needs to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Ingrid Sadler-Riggleman
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
- Correspondence address. Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA. Tel: +1-509-335-1524; Fax: +1-509-335-2176; E-mail:
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