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Williams RP, Lesseur C, Cheng H, Li Q, Deyssenroth M, Molteno CD, Meintjes EM, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Wainwright H, Hao K, Chen J, Carter RC. RNA-seq analysis reveals prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with placental inflammatory cells and gene expression. Gene 2024; 894:147951. [PMID: 37918548 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most common preventable cause of birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide. The placenta is the crucial interface between mother and fetus. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been shown to alter placental structure and expression of genes in bulk placental tissue samples, but prior studies have not examined effects on placental cell-type composition or taken cell-type into consideration in transcriptome analyses. METHODS We leveraged an existent placenta single-cell RNA-seq dataset to perform cell-type deconvolution of bulk placental RNA-seq data from 35 heavy drinking pregnant women and 33 controls in a prospective birth cohort in Cape Town, South Africa. We used bivariate analyses and multivariable adjusted linear regression models to assess the relation of PAE on inferred placental cell-type proportions. We also examined differential expression of inflammatory response genes and PAE, using multivariable adjusted linear models. RESULTS Deconvolution analyses showed heterogeneous placenta cell-type composition in which stromal (27 %), endothelial (26 %) and cytotrophoblasts (18 %) were the predominant cell-types. PAE around conception was associated with a higher proportion of Hofbauer cells (B = 0.51, p = 0.035) in linear models adjusted for maternal age, infant sex, and gestational age. Among the 652 inflammatory genes examined, 35 were differential expressed in alcohol exposed placentas (FDR p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that heavy alcohol exposure during pregnancy can influence the proportion of fetal placental villi macrophages (Hofbauer cells) and increased expression of inflammatory genes. Future studies are needed to further characterize these effects and to assess the potential functional roles of placental inflammation in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Haoxiang Cheng
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Helen Wainwright
- Department of Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Deyssenroth MA, Williams RP, Lesseur C, Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL, Cheng H, Bose P, Li Q, Wainwright H, Meintjes EM, Hao K, Chen J, Carter RC. Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with changes in placental gene co-expression networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2687. [PMID: 38302628 PMCID: PMC10834523 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52737-6] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a range of adverse postnatal outcomes among exposed children. However, identifying at-risk children is challenging given the difficulty to confirm prenatal alcohol exposure and the lack of early diagnostic tools. Placental surveys present an important opportunity to uncover early biomarkers to identify those at risk. Here, we report the first transcriptome-wide evaluation to comprehensively evaluate human placental pathways altered by fetal alcohol exposure. In a prospective longitudinal birth cohort in Cape Town, South Africa, we performed bulk tissue RNAseq in placenta samples from 32 women reporting heavy drinking during pregnancy and 30 abstainers/light drinkers. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene expression analysis were performed to assess associations between fetal alcohol exposure and placental gene expression patterns at a network-wide and single gene level, respectively. The results revealed altered expression in genes related to erythropoiesis and angiogenesis, which are implicated in established postnatal phenotypes related to alcohol exposure, including disruptions in iron homeostasis, growth, and neurodevelopment. The reported findings provide insights into the molecular pathways affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and highlight the potential of placental biomarkers for detecting and understanding the effects of alcohol on fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya A Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Randy P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Haoxiang Cheng
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Promita Bose
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helen Wainwright
- Department of Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - R Colin Carter
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Bake S, Rouzer SK, Mavuri S, Miranda RC, Mahnke AH. The interaction of genetic sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on health across the lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101103. [PMID: 37802472 PMCID: PMC10922031 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101103] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can reprogram the development of cells and tissues, resulting in a spectrum of physical and neurobehavioral teratology. PAE immediately impacts fetal growth, but its effects carry forward post-parturition, into adolescence and adulthood, and can result in a cluster of disabilities, collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Emerging preclinical and clinical research investigating neurological and behavioral outcomes in exposed offspring point to genetic sex as an important modifier of the effects of PAE. In this review, we discuss the literature on sex differences following PAE, with studies spanning the fetal period through adulthood, and highlight gaps in research where sex differences are likely, but currently under-investigated. Understanding how sex and PAE interact to affect offspring health outcomes across the lifespan is critical for identifying the full complement of PAE-associated secondary conditions, and for refining targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Shruti Mavuri
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States.
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4
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Auvinen P, Vehviläinen J, Marjonen H, Modhukur V, Sokka J, Wallén E, Rämö K, Ahola L, Salumets A, Otonkoski T, Skottman H, Ollikainen M, Trokovic R, Kahila H, Kaminen-Ahola N. Chromatin modifier developmental pluripotency associated factor 4 (DPPA4) is a candidate gene for alcohol-induced developmental disorders. BMC Med 2022; 20:495. [PMID: 36581877 PMCID: PMC9801659 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02699-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects embryonic development, causing a variable fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) phenotype with neuronal disorders and birth defects. We hypothesize that early alcohol-induced epigenetic changes disrupt the accurate developmental programming of embryo and consequently cause the complex phenotype of developmental disorders. To explore the etiology of FASD, we collected unique biological samples of 80 severely alcohol-exposed and 100 control newborns at birth. METHODS We performed genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) and gene expression analyses of placentas by using microarrays (EPIC, Illumina) and mRNA sequencing, respectively. To test the manifestation of observed PAE-associated DNAm changes in embryonic tissues as well as potential biomarkers for PAE, we examined if the changes can be detected also in white blood cells or buccal epithelial cells of the same newborns by EpiTYPER. To explore the early effects of alcohol on extraembryonic placental tissue, we selected 27 newborns whose mothers had consumed alcohol up to gestational week 7 at maximum to the separate analyses. Furthermore, to explore the effects of early alcohol exposure on embryonic cells, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as well as hESCs during differentiation into endodermal, mesodermal, and ectodermal cells were exposed to alcohol in vitro. RESULTS DPPA4, FOXP2, and TACR3 with significantly decreased DNAm were discovered-particularly the regulatory region of DPPA4 in the early alcohol-exposed placentas. When hESCs were exposed to alcohol in vitro, significantly altered regulation of DPPA2, a closely linked heterodimer of DPPA4, was observed. While the regulatory region of DPPA4 was unmethylated in both control and alcohol-exposed hESCs, alcohol-induced decreased DNAm similar to placenta was seen in in vitro differentiated mesodermal and ectodermal cells. Furthermore, common genes with alcohol-associated DNAm changes in placenta and hESCs were linked exclusively to the neurodevelopmental pathways in the enrichment analysis, which emphasizes the value of placental tissue when analyzing the effects of prenatal environment on human development. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows the effects of early alcohol exposure on human embryonic and extraembryonic cells, introduces candidate genes for alcohol-induced developmental disorders, and reveals potential biomarkers for prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Auvinen
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Vehviläinen
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - H Marjonen
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - V Modhukur
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406, Tartu, Estonia.,Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - J Sokka
- Research Programs Unit, Stem cells and Metabolism and Biomedicum Stem Cell Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - E Wallén
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - K Rämö
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - L Ahola
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - A Salumets
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406, Tartu, Estonia.,Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - T Otonkoski
- Research Programs Unit, Stem cells and Metabolism and Biomedicum Stem Cell Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - H Skottman
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - M Ollikainen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Finland, FIMM, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - R Trokovic
- Research Programs Unit, Stem cells and Metabolism and Biomedicum Stem Cell Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - H Kahila
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - N Kaminen-Ahola
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, Medicum, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
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5
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Steane SE, Young SL, Clifton VL, Gallo LA, Akison LK, Moritz KM. Prenatal alcohol consumption and placental outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; 225:607.e1-607.e22. [PMID: 34181895 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.06.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A systematic review was conducted to determine placental outcomes following prenatal alcohol exposure in women. DATA SOURCES The search terms "maternal OR prenatal OR pregnant OR periconception" AND "placenta" AND "alcohol OR ethanol" were used across 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL) from inception until November 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Articles were included if they reported placental outcomes in an alcohol exposure group compared with a control group. Studies were excluded if placentas were from elective termination before 20 weeks' gestation, animal studies, in vitro studies, case studies, or coexposure studies. METHODS Study quality was assessed by 2 reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Title and abstract screening was conducted by 2 reviewers to remove duplicates and irrelevant studies. Remaining full text articles were screened by 2 reviewers against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Placental outcome data were extracted and tabulated separately for studies of placentation, placental weight, placental morphology, and placental molecular studies. Meta-analyses were conducted for outcomes reported by >3 studies. RESULTS Database searching retrieved 640 unique records. Screening against inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in 33 included studies. The quality assessment identified that 61% of studies were high quality, 30% were average quality, and 9% were low quality. Meta-analyses indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure increased the likelihood of placental abruption (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-1.60) but not placenta previa (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.34) and resulted in a reduction in placental weight of 51 g (95% confidence interval, -82.8 to -19.3). Reports of altered placental vasculature, placental DNA methylation, and gene expression following prenatal alcohol exposure were identified. A single study examined placentas from male and female infants separately and found sex-specific placental outcomes. CONCLUSION Prenatal alcohol exposure increases the likelihood of placental abruption and is associated with decreased placental weight, altered placental vasculature, DNA methylation, and molecular pathways. Given the critical role of the placenta in determining pregnancy outcomes, further studies investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced placental dysfunction are required. Sex-specific placental adaptations to adverse conditions in utero have been well documented; thus, future studies should examine prenatal alcohol exposure-associated placental outcomes separately by sex.
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6
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Gutherz OR, Deyssenroth M, Li Q, Hao K, Jacobson JL, Chen J, Jacobson SW, Carter RC. Potential roles of imprinted genes in the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the placenta, somatic growth, and the developing brain. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113919. [PMID: 34752786 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite several decades of research and prevention efforts, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) remain the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities worldwide. Animal and human studies have implicated fetal alcohol-induced alterations in epigenetic programming as a chief mechanism in FASD. Several studies have demonstrated fetal alcohol-related alterations in methylation and expression of imprinted genes in placental, brain, and embryonic tissue. Imprinted genes are epigenetically regulated in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, in which only the maternal or paternal allele is expressed, and the other allele is silenced. The chief functions of imprinted genes are in placental development, somatic growth, and neurobehavior-three domains characteristically affected in FASD. In this review, we summarize the growing body of literature characterizing prenatal alcohol-related alterations in imprinted gene methylation and/or expression and discuss potential mechanistic roles for these alterations in the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Future research is needed to examine potential physiologic mechanisms by which alterations in imprinted genes disrupt development in FASD, which may, in turn, elucidate novel targets for intervention. Furthermore, mechanistic alterations in imprinted gene expression and/or methylation in FASD may inform screening assays that identify individuals with FASD neurobehavioral deficits who may benefit from early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R Gutherz
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - R Colin Carter
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America.
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7
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Migliore L, Nicolì V, Stoccoro A. Gender Specific Differences in Disease Susceptibility: The Role of Epigenetics. Biomedicines 2021; 9:652. [PMID: 34200989 PMCID: PMC8228628 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many complex traits or diseases, such as infectious and autoimmune diseases, cancer, xenobiotics exposure, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the outcome of vaccination, show a differential susceptibility between males and females. In general, the female immune system responds more efficiently to pathogens. However, this can lead to over-reactive immune responses, which may explain the higher presence of autoimmune diseases in women, but also potentially the more adverse effects of vaccination in females compared with in males. Many clinical and epidemiological studies reported, for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gender-biased differential response; however, the majority of reports dealt with a comparable morbidity, with males, however, showing higher COVID-19 adverse outcomes. Although gender differences in immune responses have been studied predominantly within the context of sex hormone effects, some other mechanisms have been invoked: cellular mosaicism, skewed X chromosome inactivation, genes escaping X chromosome inactivation, and miRNAs encoded on the X chromosome. The hormonal hypothesis as well as other mechanisms will be examined and discussed in the light of the most recent epigenetic findings in the field, as the concept that epigenetics is the unifying mechanism in explaining gender-specific differences is increasingly emerging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Migliore
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Nicolì
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
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8
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Carter RC, Georgieff MK, Ennis KM, Dodge NC, Wainwright H, Meintjes EM, Duggan CP, Molteno CD, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Prenatal alcohol-related alterations in maternal, placental, neonatal, and infant iron homeostasis. Am J Clin Nutr 2021; 114:1107-1122. [PMID: 34091657 PMCID: PMC8408869 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with postnatal iron deficiency (ID), which has been shown to exacerbate deficits in growth, cognition, and behavior seen in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying PAE-related ID remain unknown. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine biochemical measures of iron homeostasis in the mother, placenta, neonate, and 6.5-month-old infant. METHODS In a prenatally recruited, prospective longitudinal birth cohort in South Africa, 206 gravidas (126 heavy drinkers and 80 controls) were interviewed regarding alcohol, cigarette, and drug use and diet at 3 prenatal visits. Hemoglobin, ferritin, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) were assayed twice during pregnancy and urinary hepcidin:creatinine was assayed once. Infant ferritin and hemoglobin were measured at 2 weeks and 6.5 months and sTfR was measured at 6.5 months. Histopathological examinations were conducted on 125 placentas and iron transport assays (iron regulatory protein-2, transferrin receptor-1, divalent metal transporter-1, ferroportin-1, and iron concentrations) were conducted on 63. RESULTS In multivariable regression models, prenatal drinking frequency (days/week) was related to higher maternal hepcidin and to sequestration of iron into storage at the expense of erythropoiesis in mothers and neonates, as evidenced by a lower hemoglobin (g/dL)-to-log(ferritin) (ug/L) ratio [mothers: raw regression coefficient (β) = -0.21 (95% CI: -0.35 to -0.07); neonates: β = -0.15 (95% CI: -0.24 to -0.06)]. Drinking frequency was also related to decreased placental ferroportin-1:transferrin receptor-1 (β = -0.57 for logged values; 95% CI: -1.03 to -0.10), indicating iron-restricted placental iron transport. At 6.5 months, drinking frequency was associated with lower hemoglobin (β = -0.18; 95% CI: -0.33 to -0.02), and increased prevalences of ID (β = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.02-0.17) and ID anemia (IDA) (β = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04-0.23). In causal inference analyses, the PAE-related increase in IDA was partially mediated by decreased neonatal hemoglobin:log(ferritin), and the decrease in neonatal hemoglobin:log(ferritin) was partially mediated by decreased maternal hemoglobin:log(ferritin). CONCLUSIONS In this study, greater PAE was associated with an unfavorable profile of maternal-fetal iron homeostasis, which may play mechanistic roles in PAE-related ID later in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael K Georgieff
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kathleen M Ennis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Helen Wainwright
- National Health Laboratory Service, Department of Pathology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher P Duggan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
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9
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Young SL, Saif Z, Meakin AS, McMaster ES, Hayes N, Gallo LA, Reid N, Moritz KM, Clifton VL. Alterations to Placental Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression with Alcohol Consumption. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:1390-1402. [PMID: 33409870 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00413-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy results in elevated vulnerability to intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, miscarriage, and stillbirth. Many of the detrimental effects of fetal alcohol exposure may be mediated through placental dysfunction; however, the exact mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the effect of maternal alcohol exposure prior to and during early pregnancy on placental glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoforms, associated GR regulated genes, and infant outcomes. Participants carrying singleton fetuses (n = 113) were recruited during early pregnancy. Amount and type of alcohol consumed over the last 12 months were obtained at 18 weeks of gestation. The level of drinking was separated into none (0 g/day), low (< 10 g/day), moderate (10-100 g/day), and heavy (> 100 g/day). At delivery, placental weight, infant sex, birthweight, and head circumference were recorded. Placental GR isoforms and genes involved in downstream signalling pathways were quantified. The majority of women (70.8%) consumed alcohol. Of these, most consumed low (48.8%) or moderate (37.5%) amounts. Placental weight was unaffected by alcohol consumption, but infants born to heavy drinkers tended to be lighter at birth. In female, but not male, placentae, maternal alcohol consumption resulted in increased GRαC and decreased GRαD1 cytoplasmic expression. In both female and male placentae, a dampened inflammatory response was evident with maternal alcohol consumption, involving downregulated IL6R and upregulated POU2F2 gene expression, respectively. Maternal alcohol consumption in the months prior to, and/or during early, pregnancy alters placental GR isoform and expression of some inflammatory genes in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Young
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
| | - Z Saif
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - A S Meakin
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - E S McMaster
- School of Chemical and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - N Hayes
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
| | - L A Gallo
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - N Reid
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
| | - K M Moritz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia.
| | - V L Clifton
- Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
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Differences in Placental Imprinted Gene Expression across Preeclamptic and Non-Preeclamptic Pregnancies. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101146. [PMID: 33003346 PMCID: PMC7601230 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a multi-systemic syndrome that presents in approximately 5% of pregnancies worldwide and is associated with a range of subsequent postpartum and postnatal outcomes, including fetal growth restriction. As the placenta plays a critical role in the development of preeclampsia, surveying genomic features of the placenta, including expression of imprinted genes, may reveal molecular markers that can further refine subtypes to aid targeted disease management. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive survey of placental imprinted gene expression across early and late onset preeclampsia cases and preterm and term normotensive controls. Placentas were collected at delivery from women recruited at the Magee-Womens Hospital prenatal clinics, and expression levels were profiled across 109 imprinted genes. We observed downregulation of placental Mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST) and Necdin (NDN) gene expression levels (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05) among early onset preeclampsia cases compared to preterm controls. No differences in placental imprinted gene expression were observed between late onset preeclampsia cases and term controls. While few studies have linked NDN to pregnancy complications, reductions in MEST expression levels, as observed in our study, are consistently reported in the literature in relation to various pregnancy complications, including fetal growth restriction, suggesting a potential role for placental MEST expression as a biosensor of an adverse in utero environment.
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Savage DD, Rosenberg MJ, Coquet L, Porch MW, Allen NA, Roux C, Aligny C, Jouenne T, Gonzalez BJ. Ethanol-Induced Alterations in Placental and Fetal Cerebrocortical Annexin-A4 and Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Protein 3 Are Associated With Reductions in Fetal Cortical VEGF Receptor Binding and Microvascular Density. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:519. [PMID: 32655346 PMCID: PMC7325964 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Jegou et al. (2012) have reported prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-induced reductions of angiogenesis-related proteins in mouse placenta. These effects were associated with striking alterations in microvascular development in neonatal cerebral cortex. Here, we employed a rat model of moderate PAE to search for additional proteins whose placental and fetal cortical expression is altered by PAE, along with a subsequent examination of fetal cerebral cortical alterations associated with altered protein expression. Long-Evans rat dams voluntarily consumed either a 0 or 5% ethanol solution 4 h each day throughout gestation. Daily ethanol consumption, which resulted in a mean peak maternal serum ethanol concentration of 60.8 mg/dL, did not affect maternal weight gain, litter size, or placental or fetal body weight. On gestational day 20, rat placental: fetal units were removed by Caesarian section. Placental protein expression, analyzed by 2D-PAGE – tandem mass spectroscopy, identified a total of 1,117 protein spots, 20 of which were significantly altered by PAE. To date, 14 of these PAE-altered proteins have been identified. Western blotting confirmed the alterations of two of these placental proteins, namely, annexin-A4 (ANX-A4) and cerebral cavernous malformation protein 3 (CCM-3). Specifically, PAE elevated ANX-A4 and decreased CCM-3 in placenta. Subsequently, these two proteins were measured in fetal cerebral cortex, along with radiohistochemical studies of VEGF binding and histofluorescence studies of microvascular density in fetal cerebral cortex. PAE elevated ANX-A4 and decreased CCM-3 in fetal cerebral cortex, in a pattern similar to the alterations observed in placenta. Further, both VEGF receptor binding and microvascular density and orientation, measures that are sensitive to reduced CCM-3 expression in developing brain, were significantly reduced in the ventricular zone of fetal cerebral cortex. These results suggest that the expression angiogenesis-related proteins in placenta might serve as a biomarker of ethanol-induced alterations in microvascular development in fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Martina J Rosenberg
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laurent Coquet
- UMR 6270, CNRS, Normandie University, UNIROUEN, Proteomic Facility PISSARO, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Morgan W Porch
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nyika A Allen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Christian Roux
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Caroline Aligny
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Thierry Jouenne
- UMR 6270, CNRS, Normandie University, UNIROUEN, Proteomic Facility PISSARO, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
| | - Bruno J Gonzalez
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, Rouen, France
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13
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Sautreuil C, Laquerrière A, Lecuyer M, Brasse-Lagnel C, Jégou S, Bekri S, Marcorelles P, Gil S, Marret S, Gonzalez BJ. [Fetal alcohol exposure: when placenta would help to the early diagnosis of child brain impairments]. Med Sci (Paris) 2019; 35:859-865. [PMID: 31845877 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2019167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy constitutes a major cause of neurodevelopmental and behavioral disabilities. Whereas it is possible for clinicians to establish a perinatal diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, the more severe expression of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), most FASD children are late or mis-diagnosed due to a lack of clear morphological and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Several precious years of care are consequently lost. Recent data revealed a functional placenta-brain axis involved in the control of the fetal brain angiogenesis which is impaired by in utero alcohol exposure. Because in the developing fetal brain a correct angiogenesis is required for a correct neurodevelopment, these preclinical and clinical advances pave the way for a new generation of placental biomarkers for early diagnosis of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Sautreuil
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | - Annie Laquerrière
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Pathologie, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, France
| | - Matthieu Lecuyer
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | | | - Sylvie Jégou
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
| | - Soumeya Bekri
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Biochimie métabolique, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, France
| | | | - Sophie Gil
- Inserm UMR-S1139, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Fondation PremUp, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Marret
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France - Service de Pédiatrie Néonatale et Réanimation, Neuropédiatrie, Camsp, Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen, 37 boulevard Gambetta, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Bruno J Gonzalez
- Inserm U1245, Équipe 4, Rouen Université, Normandie Université, Rouen, France
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14
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Holbrook BD, Davies S, Cano S, Shrestha S, Jantzie LL, Rayburn WF, Bakhireva LN, Savage DD. The association between prenatal alcohol exposure and protein expression in human placenta. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:749-759. [PMID: 30891944 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The need for earlier recognition of children at risk for neurobehavioral problems associated with prenatal ethanol exposure (PAE) has prompted investigations of biomarkers prognostic for altered fetal development. Here, we examined whether PAE alters the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins and cytokines in human placenta in subjects from an Ethanol, Neurodevelopment, Infant and Child Health prospective cohort. METHODS PAE was ascertained by screening questionnaires, Time-line Follow-back interviews and a panel of ethanol biomarkers at two study visits. After delivery, placental tissue samples were collected for protein analysis. RESULTS No significant differences in the prevalence of substance use, demographic or medical characteristics were observed between the No PAE and PAE groups. PAE was associated with significant reductions in placental expression of VEGFR2 and annexin-A4, while the levels of VEGFR1 and CCM-3 trended downward. A trend toward higher expression of the cytokines TNF-α and IL-13 was also observed in the PAE group. Receiver operating characteristic analyses of the data demonstrated a moderate-to-high degree of diagnostic accuracy for individual placental proteins. Combinations of proteins substantially increased their ability to differentiate between PAE and No PAE subjects. CONCLUSIONS These results establish the feasibility of harvesting placental tissue for protein analyses of PAE in a prospective manner. In addition, given the importance of vascular remodeling in both placenta and developing brain, the role of angiogenic and cytokine proteins in this process warrants further investigation for their utility for predicting alterations in brain development, as well as their mechanistic role in PAE-induced pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley D Holbrook
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Sandra Cano
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Shikhar Shrestha
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - William F Rayburn
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Ludmila N Bakhireva
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Family & Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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