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Menegola E, Battistoni M, Bacchetta R, Metruccio F, Di Renzo F. Evaluation of temperature- and ethanol-related developmental degree variations by a new scoring system (FETAX-score) applicable to Frog Embryo Teratogenicity Assay: Xenopus. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 128:108632. [PMID: 38971262 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
The aim of the present work is to propose a new quantitative assessment method (FETAX-score) for determining the degree of Xenopus laevis embryo development intended for use in embryotoxicity studies. Inspired by a similar scoring system used to evaluate developmental delays (young-for-age phenotypes) in rat embryos cultured in vitro, the FETAX-score was established by considering seven morphological features (head, naris, mouth, lower jaw, tentacles, intestine, anus) that are easily evaluable in tadpoles during the late stages of development at the conclusion of the test. Given that X. laevis development is temperature-dependent and that temperatures below 14°C and above 26°C are teratogenic, the FETAX-score was tested in embryos maintained at 17, 20, 23 and 26°C. No abnormalities were observed in any group, while the total score was temperature-related, suggesting that the FETAX-score is sensitive to moderate distress that does not influence general morphology. Intestine and anus were the least sensitive structures to temperature variations. To assess the applicability of the FETAX-score in developmental toxicological studies, we evaluated FETAX-score in tadpoles exposed during the morphogenetic period to Ethanol (Eth) at concentrations of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 % v/v. Gross malformations were observed only in tadpoles from the Eth 2 % group. By contrast, data analysis of the other Eth groups showed dose-related reductions in the FETAX-score. Tentacles were the most sensitive structures to Eth-related delays. These results support the use of the FETAX-score to quantitatively assess developmental deviations in FETAX embryotoxicity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Menegola
- Dept of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - M Battistoni
- Dept of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - R Bacchetta
- Dept of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - F Metruccio
- ICPS, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - F Di Renzo
- Dept of Environmental Science and Policy Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
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2
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Long M, Kar P, Forkert ND, Landman BA, Gibbard WB, Tortorelli C, McMorris CA, Huo Y, Lebel CA. Sex and age effects on gray matter volume trajectories in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1379959. [PMID: 38660010 PMCID: PMC11039858 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1379959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) occurs in ~11% of North American pregnancies and is the most common known cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD; ~2-5% prevalence). PAE has been consistently associated with smaller gray matter volumes in children, adolescents, and adults. A small number of longitudinal studies show altered gray matter development trajectories in late childhood/early adolescence, but patterns in early childhood and potential sex differences have not been characterized in young children. Using longitudinal T1-weighted MRI, the present study characterized gray matter volume development in young children with PAE (N = 42, 84 scans, ages 3-8 years) compared to unexposed children (N = 127, 450 scans, ages 2-8.5 years). Overall, we observed altered global and regional gray matter development trajectories in the PAE group, wherein they had attenuated age-related increases and more volume decreases relative to unexposed children. Moreover, we found more pronounced sex differences in children with PAE; females with PAE having the smallest gray matter volumes and the least age-related changes of all groups. This pattern of altered development may indicate reduced brain plasticity and/or accelerated maturation and may underlie the cognitive/behavioral difficulties often experienced by children with PAE. In conjunction with previous research on older children, adolescents, and adults with PAE, our results suggest that gray matter volume differences associated with PAE vary by age and may become more apparent in older children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Long
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Preeti Kar
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nils D. Forkert
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bennett A. Landman
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - W. Ben Gibbard
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Christina Tortorelli
- Department of Child Studies and Social Work, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carly A. McMorris
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Catherine A. Lebel
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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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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Li Y, Cai T, Liu H, Liu J, Chen SY, Fan H. Exosome-shuttled miR-126 mediates ethanol-induced disruption of neural crest cell-placode cell interaction by targeting SDF1. Toxicol Sci 2023; 195:184-201. [PMID: 37490477 PMCID: PMC10801442 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad068] [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] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development, 2 populations of multipotent stem cells, cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) and epibranchial placode cells (PCs), are anatomically adjacent to each other. The coordinated migration of NCCs and PCs plays a major role in the morphogenesis of craniofacial skeletons and cranial nerves. It is known that ethanol-induced dysfunction of NCCs and PCs is a key contributor to the defects of craniofacial skeletons and cranial nerves implicated in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). However, how ethanol disrupts the coordinated interaction between NCCs and PCs was not elucidated. To fill in this gap, we established a well-designed cell coculture system to investigate the reciprocal interaction between human NCCs (hNCCs) and human PCs (hPCs), and also monitored the migration behavior of NCCs and PCs in zebrafish embryos. We found that ethanol exposure resulted in a disruption of coordinated hNCCs-hPCs interaction, as well as in zebrafish embryos. Treating hNCCs-hPCs with exosomes derived from ethanol-exposed hNCCs (ExoEtOH) mimicked ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction. We also observed that SDF1, a chemoattractant, was downregulated in ethanol-treated hPCs and zebrafish embryos. Meanwhile, miR-126 level in ExoEtOH was significantly higher than that in control exosomes (ExoCon). We further validated that ExoEtOH-encapsulated miR-126 from hNCCs can be transferred to hPCs to suppress SDF1 expression in hPCs. Knockdown of SDF1 replicated ethanol-induced abnormalities either in vitro or in zebrafish embryos. On the contrary, overexpression of SDF1 or inhibiting miR-126 strongly rescued ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction and developmental defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihong Li
- Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo 315099, China
- Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
- Lab of Nanopharmacology Research for Neurodegeneration, Department of Research and Development of Science and Technology, Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315000, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Ting Cai
- Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo 315099, China
- Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Huina Liu
- Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo 315099, China
- Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Shao-Yu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Huadong Fan
- Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo 315099, China
- Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
- Lab of Dementia and Neurorehabilitation Research, Department of Research and Development of Science and Technology, Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315000, China
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5
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Chen SY, Kannan M. Neural crest cells and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Mechanisms and potential targets for prevention. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106855. [PMID: 37460002 PMCID: PMC10528842 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106855] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of preventable and nongenetic birth defects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure that can result in a range of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and functioning deficits, as well as craniofacial dysmorphology and other congenital defects. During embryonic development, neural crest cells (NCCs) play a critical role in giving rise to many cell types in the developing embryos, including those in the peripheral nervous system and craniofacial structures. Ethanol exposure during this critical period can have detrimental effects on NCC induction, migration, differentiation, and survival, leading to a broad range of structural and functional abnormalities observed in individuals with FASD. This review article provides an overview of the current knowledge on the detrimental effects of ethanol on NCC induction, migration, differentiation, and survival. The article also examines the molecular mechanisms involved in ethanol-induced NCC dysfunction, such as oxidative stress, altered gene expression, apoptosis, epigenetic modifications, and other signaling pathways. Furthermore, the review highlights potential therapeutic strategies for preventing or mitigating the detrimental effects of ethanol on NCCs and reducing the risk of FASD. Overall, this article offers a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the impact of ethanol on NCCs and its role in FASD, shedding light on potential avenues for future research and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Yu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40292, USA; University of Louisville Alcohol Research Center, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Maharajan Kannan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40292, USA; University of Louisville Alcohol Research Center, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
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Gillis RF, Palmour RM. miRNA Expression Analysis of the Hippocampus in a Vervet Monkey Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Reveals a Potential Role in Global mRNA Downregulation. Brain Sci 2023; 13:934. [PMID: 37371413 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short-length non-protein-coding RNA sequences that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression in a broad range of cellular processes including neuro- development and have previously been implicated in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). In this study, we use our vervet monkey model of FASD to follow up on a prior multivariate (developmental age × ethanol exposure) mRNA analysis (GSE173516) to explore the possibility that the global mRNA downregulation we observed in that study could be related to miRNA expression and function. We report here a predominance of upregulated and differentially expressed miRNAs. Further, the 24 most upregulated miRNAs were significantly correlated with their predicted targets (Target Scan 7.2). We then explored the relationship between these 24 miRNAs and the fold changes observed in their paired mRNA targets using two prediction platforms (Target Scan 7.2 and miRwalk 3.0). Compared to a list of non-differentially expressed miRNAs from our dataset, the 24 upregulated and differentially expressed miRNAs had a greater impact on the fold changes of their corresponding mRNA targets across both platforms. Taken together, this evidence raises the possibility that ethanol-induced upregulation of specific miRNAs might contribute functionally to the general downregulation of mRNAs observed by multiple investigators in response to prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob F Gillis
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Roberta M Palmour
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Behavioural Science Foundation, Mansion KN 0101, Saint Kitts and Nevis
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7
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Gimbel BA, Roediger DJ, Ernst AM, Anthony ME, de Water E, Rockhold MN, Mueller BA, Mattson SN, Jones KL, Riley EP, Lim KO, Wozniak JR. Atypical developmental trajectories of white matter microstructure in prenatal alcohol exposure: Preliminary evidence from neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1172010. [PMID: 37168930 PMCID: PMC10165006 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1172010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a life-long condition resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), is associated with structural brain anomalies and neurobehavioral differences. Evidence from longitudinal neuroimaging suggest trajectories of white matter microstructure maturation are atypical in PAE. We aimed to further characterize longitudinal trajectories of developmental white matter microstructure change in children and adolescents with PAE compared to typically-developing Controls using diffusion-weighted Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI). Materials and methods Participants: Youth with PAE (n = 34) and typically-developing Controls (n = 31) ages 8-17 years at enrollment. Participants underwent formal evaluation of growth and facial dysmorphology. Participants also completed two study visits (17 months apart on average), both of which involved cognitive testing and an MRI scan (data collected on a Siemens Prisma 3 T scanner). Age-related changes in the orientation dispersion index (ODI) and the neurite density index (NDI) were examined across five corpus callosum (CC) regions defined by tractography. Results While linear trajectories suggested similar overall microstructural integrity in PAE and Controls, analyses of symmetrized percent change (SPC) indicated group differences in the timing and magnitude of age-related increases in ODI (indexing the bending and fanning of axons) in the central region of the CC, with PAE participants demonstrating atypically steep increases in dispersion with age compared to Controls. Participants with PAE also demonstrated greater increases in ODI in the mid posterior CC (trend-level group difference). In addition, SPC in ODI and NDI was differentially correlated with executive function performance for PAE participants and Controls, suggesting an atypical relationship between white matter microstructure maturation and cognitive function in PAE. Discussion Preliminary findings suggest subtle atypicality in the timing and magnitude of age-related white matter microstructure maturation in PAE compared to typically-developing Controls. These findings add to the existing literature on neurodevelopmental trajectories in PAE and suggest that advanced biophysical diffusion modeling (NODDI) may be sensitive to biologically-meaningful microstructural changes in the CC that are disrupted by PAE. Findings of atypical brain maturation-behavior relationships in PAE highlight the need for further study. Further longitudinal research aimed at characterizing white matter neurodevelopmental trajectories in PAE will be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A. Gimbel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Donovan J. Roediger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Abigail M. Ernst
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Mary E. Anthony
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Erik de Water
- Great Lakes Neurobehavioral Center, Edina, MN, United States
| | | | - Bryon A. Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sarah N. Mattson
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kenneth L. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Edward P. Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kelvin O. Lim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | | | - Jeffrey R. Wozniak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Metruccio F, Battistoni M, Di Renzo F, Moretto A, Menegola E. Moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases potency of two different drugs (the antifungal fluconazole and the antiepileptic valproate) in inducing craniofacial defects: prediction by the in vitro rat whole embryo culture. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:619-629. [PMID: 36385218 PMCID: PMC9859839 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-022-03410-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The prenatal exposure to ethanol (Eth), fluconazole (FLUCO) and sodium valproate (VPA) is related to effects on development, producing characteristic syndromic pictures. Among embryotoxic effects described for the three molecules, the alteration on craniofacial morphogenesis is a common feature in humans and animal models, including rodent embryos developed in vitro. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the developmental effects of low Eth serum concentration (17 mM, corresponding to the legal limit to drive in UK, USA, Canada, and many other countries) in mixture with increasing realistic concentrations of the antifungal drug FLUCO (62.5-500 µM) or with increasing realistic concentrations of the antiepileptic drug VPA (31.25-250 µM). Groups exposed to Eth alone (17-127.5 mM), FLUCO alone (62.5-500 µM) or VPA alone (31.25-750 µM) were also included. The chosen alternative animal model was the post-implantation rat whole embryo culture (WEC). E9.5 embryos were exposed in vitro to the test molecules during the whole test period (48 h, corresponding to the developmental stages characteristics of any vertebrate, for human embryos post-fertilization days 23-31). Data were statistically analyzed and processed for modelling applying the benchmark dose (BMD) and relative potency factor (RPF) approaches. Concentration-related effects on facial outcomes were observed in all experimental groups, with a significant enhancement in the groups co-exposed with Eth in comparison to the single exposures. Data obtained by the present work suggest an additional alert for the assumption of even low levels of alcohol in pregnant women during FLUCO or VPA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Battistoni
- Department of Physics Aldo Pontremoli, Universita` degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria, 16, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Renzo
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Universita` degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria, 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Moretto
- Department of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular and Public Health Science, Università degli Studi di Padova, via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Elena Menegola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Universita` degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria, 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Darbinian N, Darbinyan A, Sinard J, Tatevosian G, Merabova N, D’Amico F, Khader T, Bajwa A, Martirosyan D, Gawlinski AK, Pursnani R, Zhao H, Amini S, Morrison M, Goetzl L, Selzer ME. Molecular Markers in Maternal Blood Exosomes Allow Early Detection of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010135. [PMID: 36613580 PMCID: PMC9820501 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause developmental abnormalities (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; FASD), including small eyes, face and brain, and neurobehavioral deficits. These cannot be detected early in pregnancy with available imaging techniques. Early diagnosis could facilitate development of therapeutic interventions. Banked human fetal brains and eyes at 9−22 weeks’ gestation were paired with maternal blood samples, analyzed for morphometry, protein, and RNA expression, and apoptotic signaling. Alcohol (EtOH)-exposed (maternal self-report) fetuses were compared with unexposed controls matched for fetal age, sex, and maternal race. Fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-E) were isolated from maternal blood and analyzed for protein, RNA, and apoptotic markers. EtOH use by mothers, assessed by self-report, was associated with reduced fetal eye diameter, brain size, and markers of synaptogenesis. Brain caspase-3 activity was increased. The reduction in eye and brain sizes were highly correlated with amount of EtOH intake and caspase-3 activity. Levels of several biomarkers in FB-E, most strikingly myelin basic protein (MBP; r > 0.9), correlated highly with morphological abnormalities. Reduction in FB-E MBP levels was highly correlated with EtOH exposure (p < 1.0 × 10−10). Although the morphological features of FAS appear long before they can be detected by live imaging, FB-E in the mother’s blood may contain markers, particularly MBP, that predict FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nune Darbinian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Correspondence: (N.D.); (M.E.S.); Tel.: +1-215-926-9318 (M.E.S.)
| | - Armine Darbinyan
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - John Sinard
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gabriel Tatevosian
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Nana Merabova
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin-Prevea Health, Green Bay, WI 54304, USA
| | - Faith D’Amico
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Tarek Khader
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Ahsun Bajwa
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Diana Martirosyan
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Alina K. Gawlinski
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Richa Pursnani
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Huaqing Zhao
- Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Education and Data Science, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Shohreh Amini
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Mary Morrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Laura Goetzl
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael E. Selzer
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
- Correspondence: (N.D.); (M.E.S.); Tel.: +1-215-926-9318 (M.E.S.)
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10
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Everson JL, Eberhart JK. Gene-alcohol interactions in birth defects. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 152:77-113. [PMID: 36707215 PMCID: PMC9897481 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.10.003] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Most human birth defects are thought to result from complex interactions between combinations of genetic and environmental factors. This is true even for conditions that, at face value, may appear simple and straightforward, like fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD describe the full range of structural and neurological disruptions that result from prenatal alcohol exposure. While FASD require alcohol exposure, evidence from human and animal model studies demonstrate that additional genetic and/or environmental factors can influence the embryo's susceptibility to alcohol. Only a limited number of alcohol interactions in birth defects have been identified, with many sensitizing genetic and environmental factors likely yet to be identified. Because of this, while unsatisfying, there is no definitively "safe" dose of alcohol for all pregnancies. Determining these other factors, as well as mechanistically characterizing known interactions, is critical for better understanding and preventing FASD and requires combined scrutiny of human and model organism studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Everson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
| | - Johann K Eberhart
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
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11
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Marshall AT, Bodison SC, Uban KA, Adise S, Jonker D, Charles W, Donald KA, Kan E, Ipser JC, Butler-Kruger L, Steigelmann B, Narr KL, Joshi SH, Brink LT, Odendaal HJ, Scheffler F, Stein DJ, Sowell ER. The impact of prenatal alcohol and/or tobacco exposure on brain structure in a large sample of children from a South African birth cohort. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1980-1992. [PMID: 36117382 PMCID: PMC11334753 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroimaging studies have emphasized the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on brain development, traditionally in heavily exposed participants. However, less is known about how naturally occurring community patterns of PAE (including light to moderate exposure) affect brain development, particularly in consideration of commonly occurring concurrent impacts of prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE). METHODS Three hundred thirty-two children (ages 8 to 12) living in South Africa's Cape Flats townships underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. During pregnancy, their mothers reported alcohol and tobacco use, which was used to evaluate PAE and PTE effects on their children's brain structure. Analyses involved the main effects of PAE and PTE (and their interaction) and the effects of PAE and PTE quantity on cortical thickness, surface area, and volume. RESULTS After false-discovery rate (FDR) correction, PAE was associated with thinner left parahippocampal cortices, while PTE was associated with smaller cortical surface area in the bilateral pericalcarine, left lateral orbitofrontal, right posterior cingulate, right rostral anterior cingulate, left caudal middle frontal, and right caudal anterior cingulate gyri. There were no PAE × PTE interactions nor any associations of PAE and PTE exposure on volumetrics that survived FDR correction. CONCLUSION PAE was associated with reduction in the structure of the medial temporal lobe, a brain region critical for learning and memory. PTE had stronger and broader associations, including with regions associated with executive function, reward processing, and emotional regulation, potentially reflecting continued postnatal exposure to tobacco (i.e., second-hand smoke exposure). These differential effects are discussed with respect to reduced PAE quantity in our exposed group versus prior studies within this geographical location, the deep poverty in which participants live, and the consequences of apartheid and racially and economically driven payment practices that contributed to heavy drinking in the region. Longer-term follow-up is needed to determine potential environmental and other moderators of the brain findings here and assess the extent to which they endure over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T. Marshall
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Stefanie C. Bodison
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kristina A. Uban
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Shana Adise
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Deborah Jonker
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Weslin Charles
- Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kirsten A. Donald
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Eric Kan
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan C. Ipser
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Letitia Butler-Kruger
- Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Katherine L. Narr
- UCLA Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Shantanu H. Joshi
- UCLA Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Lucy T. Brink
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Hein J. Odendaal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Freda Scheffler
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Dan J. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth R. Sowell
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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12
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Prenatal maternal alcohol exposure: Diagnosis and prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome. Obstet Gynecol Sci 2022; 65:385-394. [PMID: 35908651 PMCID: PMC9483667 DOI: 10.5468/ogs.22123] [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: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a developmental and congenital disorder characterized by neurocognitive impairment, structural defects, and growth restriction due to prenatal alcohol exposure. The estimated global prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy is 9.8%, and the estimated prevalence of FAS in the general population is 14.6 per 10,000 people. In Korea, the estimated prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy is 16%, and the prevalence of FAS is 18–51 per 10,000 women, which is higher than the global prevalence. Women’s alcohol consumption rates have increased, especially in women of childbearing age. This could increase the incidence of FAS, leading to higher medical expenses and burden on society. Alcohol is the single most important teratogen that causes FAS, and there is no safe trimester to drink alcohol and no known safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Thus, physicians should assess women’s drinking patterns in detail and provide education on FAS to women by understanding its pathophysiology. Moreover, the prevention of FAS requires long-term care with a multidisciplinary approach.
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13
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Binge-like Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Causes Impaired Cellular Differentiation in the Embryonic Forebrain and Synaptic and Behavioral Defects in Adult Mice. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060793. [PMID: 35741678 PMCID: PMC9220802 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060793] [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: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
An embryo’s in-utero exposure to ethanol due to a mother’s alcohol drinking results in a range of deficits in the child that are collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Prenatal ethanol exposure is one of the leading causes of preventable intellectual disability. Its neurobehavioral underpinnings warrant systematic research. We investigated the immediate effects on embryos of acute prenatal ethanol exposure during gestational days (GDs) and the influence of such exposure on persistent neurobehavioral deficits in adult offspring. We administered pregnant C57BL/6J mice with ethanol (1.75 g/kg) (GDE) or saline (GDS) intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 0 h and again at 2 h intervals on GD 8 and GD 12. Subsequently, we assessed apoptosis, differentiation, and signaling events in embryo forebrains (E13.5; GD13.5). Long-lasting effects of GDE were evaluated via a behavioral test battery. We also determined the long-term potentiation and synaptic plasticity-related protein expression in adult hippocampal tissue. GDE caused apoptosis, inhibited differentiation, and reduced pERK and pCREB signaling and the expression of transcription factors Pax6 and Lhx2. GDE caused persistent spatial and social investigation memory deficits compared with saline controls, regardless of sex. Interestingly, GDE adult mice exhibited enhanced repetitive and anxiety-like behavior, irrespective of sex. GDE reduced synaptic plasticity-related protein expression and caused hippocampal synaptic plasticity (LTP and LTD) deficits in adult offspring. These findings demonstrate that binge-like ethanol exposure at the GD8 and GD12 developmental stages causes defects in pERK–pCREB signaling and reduces the expression of Pax6 and Lhx2, leading to impaired cellular differentiation during the embryonic stage. In the adult stage, binge-like ethanol exposure caused persistent synaptic and behavioral abnormalities in adult mice. Furthermore, the findings suggest that combining ethanol exposure at two sensitive stages (GD8 and GD12) causes deficits in synaptic plasticity-associated proteins (Arc, Egr1, Fgf1, GluR1, and GluN1), leading to persistent FASD-like neurobehavioral deficits in mice.
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14
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Brain Organization and Human Diseases. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101642. [PMID: 35626679 PMCID: PMC9139716 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The cortex is a highly organized structure that develops from the caudal regions of the segmented neural tube. Its spatial organization sets the stage for future functional arealization. Here, we suggest using a developmental perspective to describe and understand the etiology of common cortical malformations and their manifestation in the human brain.
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15
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May PA, Hasken JM, Manning MA, Robinson LK, Abdul-Rahman O, Adam MP, Jewett T, Elliott AJ, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Hoyme HE. Characteristic physical traits of first-grade children in the United States with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and associated alcohol and drug exposures. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:2019-2035. [PMID: 35357075 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We compared growth, physical features, and minor anomalies in 131 first-grade children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) to those of a representative comparison group of typically developing children from the same populations (n = 1212). The data were collected from three regional sites in the NIAAA-funded Collaboration on FASD Prevalence (CoFASP). Dysmorphology examinations were performed by a team of expert clinical geneticists, and FASD diagnoses were assigned according to the Revised Institute of Medicine Guidelines, which include assessments of growth, dysmorphology, neurobehavior, and maternal risk interviews. We present detailed data on 32 physical traits, minor anomalies, and a summary dysmorphology score for children within each of the four diagnostic categories in the continuum of FASD. There were few differences in the frequency of FASD diagnoses by race or Hispanic ethnicity. Children with FASD were born to mothers who reported using alcohol, tobacco (28.3%), and other drugs (14.2%) during pregnancy. Controlling for tobacco and other drug use, risk analysis indicated that women with a drinking pattern of 3 drinks per drinking day prior to pregnancy were 10 times more likely (p < 0.001, OR = 9.92, 95% CI: 4.6-21.5) to bear a child with FASD than those who reported abstinence prior to pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip A May
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA.,Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Omar Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tamison Jewett
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amy J Elliott
- Avera Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.,Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
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16
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Cheung MMY, Tsang TW, Watkins R, Birman C, Popova S, Elliott EJ. Ear Abnormalities Among Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pediatr 2022; 242:113-120.e16. [PMID: 34780779 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To systematically review and conduct meta-analysis on studies that report the type and prevalence of functional and structural ear abnormalities among children with prenatal alcohol exposure and/or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). STUDY DESIGN MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, and Maternity and Infant Care were searched from 1806 through March 2021. Reference lists of relevant articles were manually searched. Studies reporting on functional and/or structural ear abnormalities among children (<18 years) with prenatal alcohol exposure and/or FASD were eligible. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by one reviewer and independently checked by another. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS A total of 31 studies met the inclusion criteria and 25 were included in the meta-analyses, representing a total of 843 children with prenatal alcohol exposure and 1653 children with FASD. Functional ear abnormalities with the highest pooled prevalence were chronic serous otitis media (88.5%; 95% CI, 70.4%-99.3%), abnormal auditory filtering (80.1%; 95% CI, 76.5%-84.3%), and unspecified conductive hearing loss (68.0%; 95% CI, 51.9%-82.2%). Structural ear abnormalities with the highest pooled prevalence were microtia (42.9%; 95% CI, 26.8%-59.7%), railroad track ear (16.8%; 95% CI, 8.1%-27.7%), and misplaced ear (12.3%; 95% CI, 7.6%-17.9%). CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of examining the ears during assessment for FASD, and the need for public health messaging regarding the harms of prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Mei Yin Cheung
- The University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia; Australian Pediatric Surveillance Unit, Kids Research, Sydney Children Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia.
| | - Tracey W Tsang
- The University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Rochelle Watkins
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - Catherine Birman
- The University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Australia
| | - Svetlana Popova
- Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elizabeth J Elliott
- The University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia; Australian Pediatric Surveillance Unit, Kids Research, Sydney Children Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
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17
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Fernandes Y, Lovely CB. Zebrafish models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Genesis 2021; 59:e23460. [PMID: 34739740 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23460] [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: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) describes a wide range of structural deficits and cognitive impairments. FASD impacts up to 5% of children born in the United States each year, making ethanol one of the most common teratogens. Due to limitations and ethical concerns, studies in humans are limited in their ability to study FASD. Animal models have proven critical in identifying and characterizing the mechanisms underlying FASD. In this review, we will focus on the attributes of zebrafish that make it a strong model in which to study ethanol-induced developmental defects. Zebrafish have several attributes that make it an ideal model in which to study FASD. Zebrafish produced large numbers of externally fertilized, translucent embryos. With a high degree of genetic amenability, zebrafish are at the forefront of identifying and characterizing the gene-ethanol interactions that underlie FASD. Work from multiple labs has shown that embryonic ethanol exposures result in defects in craniofacial, cardiac, ocular, and neural development. In addition to structural defects, ethanol-induced cognitive and behavioral impairments have been studied in zebrafish. Building upon these studies, work has identified ethanol-sensitive loci that underlie the developmental defects. However, analyses show there is still much to be learned of these gene-ethanol interactions. The zebrafish is ideally suited to expand our understanding of gene-ethanol interactions and their impact on FASD. Because of the conservation of gene function between zebrafish and humans, these studies will directly translate to studies of candidate genes in human populations and allow for better diagnosis and treatment of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohaan Fernandes
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - C Ben Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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18
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Wallén E, Auvinen P, Kaminen-Ahola N. The Effects of Early Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Epigenome and Embryonic Development. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071095. [PMID: 34356111 PMCID: PMC8303887 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the most significant causes of developmental disability in the Western world. Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy leads to an increased risk of neurological deficits and developmental abnormalities in the fetus. Over the past decade, several human and animal studies have demonstrated that alcohol causes alterations in epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. There is an increasing amount of evidence that early pregnancy is a sensitive period for environmental-induced epigenetic changes. It is a dynamic period of epigenetic reprogramming, cell divisions, and DNA replication and, therefore, a particularly interesting period to study the molecular changes caused by alcohol exposure as well as the etiology of alcohol-induced developmental disorders. This article will review the current knowledge about the in vivo and in vitro effects of alcohol exposure on the epigenome, gene regulation, and the phenotype during the first weeks of pregnancy.
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19
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Draghici D, Barr K, Hardy DB, Allman BL, Willmore KE. Effects of advanced maternal age and acute prenatal alcohol exposure on mouse offspring growth and craniofacial phenotype. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1383-1397. [PMID: 33960427 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in developmental defects that include growth restriction, craniofacial anomalies, and cognitive behavioral deficits, though the presence and severity of these adverse outcomes can vary dramatically among exposed individuals. Preclinical animal models have demonstrated that the dose and timing of PAE account for much, but not all, of this phenotypic variation, suggesting that additional factors mitigate the effects of PAE. Here, we used a mouse model to investigate whether maternal age modulates the effects of PAE on the severity and variation in offspring growth and craniofacial outcomes. METHODS Nulliparous C57BL/6N dams received either an intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (EtOH) or vehicle solution on gestational day 7.5. Dams were divided into four groups: (1) EtOH-treated young dams (6 to 10 weeks); (2) control young dams; (3) EtOH-treated old dams (6 to 7 months); and (4) old control dams. Neonate offspring growth restriction was measured through body mass and organ-to-body mass ratios, while skeletal craniofacial features were imaged using micro-CT and analyzed for size, shape, and variation. RESULTS PAE and advanced maternal age each increased the risk of low birthweight and growth restriction in offspring, but these factors in combination changed the nature of the growth restriction. Similarly, both PAE and advanced maternal age individually caused changes to craniofacial morphology such as smaller skull size, dysmorphic skull shape, and greater skull shape variation and asymmetry. Interestingly, while the combination of PAE and advanced maternal age did not affect mean skull shape or size, it significantly increased the variation and asymmetry of those measures. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that maternal age modulates the effects of PAE, but that the effects of this combination on offspring outcomes are more complex than simply scaling the effects of either factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Draghici
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin Barr
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel B Hardy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Brian L Allman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine E Willmore
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
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20
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Rivera-González KS, Beames TG, Lipinski RJ. Examining the developmental toxicity of piperonyl butoxide as a Sonic hedgehog pathway inhibitor. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 264:128414. [PMID: 33007564 PMCID: PMC9158378 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is a semisynthetic chemical present in hundreds of pesticide formulations used in agricultural, commercial, and residential settings. PBO acts as a pesticide synergist by inhibiting insect cytochrome P450 enzymes and is often present at much higher concentrations than active insecticidal ingredients. PBO was recently discovered to also inhibit Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, a key molecular pathway in embryonic development and in brain and face morphogenesis. Recent animal model studies have shown that in utero PBO exposure can cause overt craniofacial malformations or more subtle neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Related adverse developmental outcomes in humans are etiologically heterogeneous, and, while studies are limited, PBO exposure during pregnancy has been linked to neurodevelopmental deficits. Contextualized in PBO's newly recognized mechanism as a Shh signaling inhibitor, these findings support more rigorous examination of the developmental toxicity of PBO and its potential contribution to etiologically complex human birth defects. In this review, we highlight environmental sources of human PBO exposure and summarize existing animal studies examining the developmental impact of prenatal PBO exposure. Also presented are critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of PBO's pharmacokinetics and potential role in gene-environment and environment-environment interactions that should be addressed to better understand the human health impact of environmental PBO exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Rivera-González
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA; Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Tyler G Beames
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA; Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Robert J Lipinski
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA; Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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21
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Gomez DA, May PA, Tabachnick BG, Hasken JM, Lyden ER, Kalberg WO, Hoyme HE, Manning MA, Adam MP, Robinson LK, Jones KL, Buckley D, Abdul-Rahman OA. Ocular measurements in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:2243-2252. [PMID: 32677343 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) describe a range of physical, behavioral, and neurologic deficits in individuals exposed to alcohol prenatally. Reduced palpebral fissure length is one of the cardinal facial features of FASD. However, other ocular measurements have not been studied extensively in FASD. Using the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Epidemiologic Research (FASER) database, we investigated how inner canthal distance (ICD), interpupillary distance (IPD), and outer canthal distance (OCD) centiles differed between FASD and non-FASD individuals. We compared ocular measurement centiles in children with FASD to non-FASD individuals and observed reductions in all three centiles for ICD, IPD, and OCD. However, when our non-FASD children who had various forms of growth deficiency (microcephaly, short-stature, or underweight) were compared to controls, we did not observe a similar reduction in ocular measurements. This suggests that reductions in ocular measurements are a direct effect of alcohol on ocular development independent of its effect on growth parameters, which is consistent with animal models showing a negative effect of alcohol on developing neural crest cells. Interpupillary distance centile appeared to be the most significantly reduced ocular measure we evaluated, suggesting it may be a useful measure to be considered in the diagnosis of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Gomez
- College of Arts and Sciences, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Philip A May
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Barbara G Tabachnick
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lyden
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth Lyons Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Omar A Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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22
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Bandoli G, Jones K, Wertelecki W, Yevtushok L, Zymak-Zakutnya N, Granovska I, Plotka L, Chambers C. Patterns of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Alcohol-Related Dysmorphic Features. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2045-2052. [PMID: 32772389 PMCID: PMC7722075 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In animal models, it is possible to induce different alcohol-related dysmorphic abnormalities based on the timing of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Our objective was to assess whether patterns of PAE differentially predict alcohol-related dysmorphic features in 415 infants. METHODS We analyzed a prospective pregnancy cohort in western Ukraine enrolled between 2008 and 2014. Five distinct trajectories were previously identified to summarize PAE: (i) minimal/no PAE (n = 253), (ii) low/moderate PAE with reduction early in gestation (n = 78), (iii) low/moderate sustained PAE (n = 20), (iv) moderate/high PAE with reduction early in gestation (n = 45), and (v) high sustained PAE (n = 19). A dysmorphology examination of body size, 3 cardinal, and 15 noncardinal dysmorphic features was performed at approximately 6 to 12 months of age. A modified dysmorphology score was created based on previously published weights. Univariate comparisons were made between each dysmorphic feature and trajectory group. Features that differed by trajectory group were assessed in multivariable analyses. Models were adjusted for maternal age, prenatal vitamin use, socioeconomic status, smoking, and child's age at dysmorphology examination, with censoring weights for losses to follow-up. RESULTS The 3 highest trajectories predicted total dysmorphology score, with larger effects in sustained exposure groups. Cardinal features: The 3 highest trajectories were each associated with a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of having 2 + cardinal facial features. When assessed individually, there were no consistent associations between the individual trajectories and each cardinal feature. Noncardinal features: The 3 highest trajectories were associated with increased risk of hypotelorism. Only the highest trajectory was associated with heart murmur. The highest trajectory predicted <10th centile for sex and age on height, weight, and head circumference; and moderate/high with reduction trajectory also predicted height. CONCLUSIONS While we did not observe differential results based on specific trajectories of exposure, findings support the wide range of dysmorphic features associated with PAE, particularly at high and sustained levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ken Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego
| | - Wladimir Wertelecki
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego
- OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
| | - Lyubov Yevtushok
- OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
- Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne, Ukraine
- Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Natalya Zymak-Zakutnya
- OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
- Khmelnytsky Perinatal Center, Khmelnytsky, Ukraine
| | - Iryna Granovska
- OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
- Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne, Ukraine
| | - Larysa Plotka
- OMNI-Net Ukraine Birth Defects Program
- Rivne Regional Medical Diagnostic Center, Rivne, Ukraine
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23
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Kapasi A, Pei J, Kryska K, Joly V, Gill K, Thompson-Hodgetts S, McLachlan K, Andrew G, Rasmussen C. Exploring Self-Regulation Strategy Use in Adolescents with FASD. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SCHOOLS, & EARLY INTERVENTION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2020.1822260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aamena Kapasi
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Pei
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Kathryn Kryska
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Vannesa Joly
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Kamaldeep Gill
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | | | - Gail Andrew
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Edmonton, PAE Clinic, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Carmen Rasmussen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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24
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Beames TG, Lipinski RJ. Gene-environment interactions: aligning birth defects research with complex etiology. Development 2020; 147:147/21/dev191064. [PMID: 32680836 DOI: 10.1242/dev.191064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Developmental biologists rely on genetics-based approaches to understand the origins of congenital abnormalities. Recent advancements in genomics have made it easier than ever to investigate the relationship between genes and disease. However, nonsyndromic birth defects often exhibit non-Mendelian inheritance, incomplete penetrance or variable expressivity. The discordance between genotype and phenotype indicates that extrinsic factors frequently impact the severity of genetic disorders and vice versa. Overlooking gene-environment interactions in birth defect etiology limits our ability to identify and eliminate avoidable risks. We present mouse models of sonic hedgehog signaling and craniofacial malformations to illustrate both the importance of and current challenges in resolving gene-environment interactions in birth defects. We then prescribe approaches for overcoming these challenges, including use of genetically tractable and environmentally responsive in vitro systems. Combining emerging technologies with molecular genetics and traditional animal models promises to advance our understanding of birth defect etiology and improve the identification and protection of vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler G Beames
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Robert J Lipinski
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA .,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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25
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Almeida L, Andreu-Fernández V, Navarro-Tapia E, Aras-López R, Serra-Delgado M, Martínez L, García-Algar O, Gómez-Roig MD. Murine Models for the Study of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Overview. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:359. [PMID: 32760684 PMCID: PMC7373736 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated to different physical, behavioral, cognitive, and neurological impairments collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanisms of ethanol toxicity are not completely understood. Experimental studies during human pregnancy to identify new diagnostic biomarkers are difficult to carry out beyond genetic or epigenetic analyses in biological matrices. Therefore, animal models are a useful tool to study the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the central nervous system and analyze the benefits of promising therapies. Animal models of alcohol spectrum disorder allow the analysis of key variables such as amount, timing and frequency of ethanol consumption to describe the harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In this review, we aim to synthetize neurodevelopmental disabilities in rodent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes, considering facial dysmorphology and fetal growth restriction. We examine the different neurodevelopmental stages based on the most consistently implicated epigenetic mechanisms, cell types and molecular pathways, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of murine models in the study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the different routes of alcohol administration, and alcohol consumption patterns applied to rodents. Finally, we analyze a wide range of phenotypic features to identify fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes in murine models, exploring facial dysmorphology, neurodevelopmental deficits, and growth restriction, as well as the methodologies used to evaluate behavioral and anatomical alterations produced by prenatal alcohol exposure in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Almeida
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vicente Andreu-Fernández
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Nutrition and Health Deparment, Valencian International University (VIU), Valencia, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Navarro-Tapia
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Aras-López
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz Universitary Hospital (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariona Serra-Delgado
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leopoldo Martínez
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz Universitary Hospital (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar García-Algar
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
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26
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McLachlan K, Zhou D, Little G, Rasmussen C, Pei J, Andrew G, Reynolds JN, Beaulieu C. Current Socioeconomic Status Correlates With Brain Volumes in Healthy Children and Adolescents but Not in Children With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:223. [PMID: 32714166 PMCID: PMC7344164 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) exhibit neurological deficits associated with brain injury including smaller brain volumes. Additional risk factors such as lower socioeconomic status (SES) may also have an impact on brain development for this population. This study examined how brain volumes are related to SES in both neurotypically developing children and adolescents, and those with PAE. 3D T1-weighted MPRAGE images were acquired from 69 participants with PAE (13.0 ± 3.2 years, range 7.1–18.8 years, 49% female) and 70 neurotypical controls (12.4 ± 2.9 years, range 7.0–18.5 years, 60% female) from four scanning sites in Canada. SES scores calculated using Hollingshead’s Four-Factor Index of Social Status from current caregiver placement were not significantly different between groups, though more children with PAE had lower SES scores compared to controls. Psychometric data comprised 14 cognitive measures, including executive functioning, attention and working memory, memory, math/numerical ability, and word reading. All cognitive scores were significantly worse in children with PAE compared to controls, though SES was not correlated with cognitive scores in either group after correction for multiple comparisons. All 13 brain volumes were smaller in children with PAE compared to children in the control group. Higher SES was associated with larger hippocampus and amygdala volumes in controls, but there were no such associations in children with PAE. Direct evaluation of the interaction between SES and diagnostic group did not show a significant differential impact of SES on these structures. These findings support previous links between SES and brain volumes in neurotypically developing children, but the lack of such a relationship with SES in children with PAE may be due to the markedly smaller brain volumes resulting from the initial brain injury and postpartum brain development, regardless of later SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn McLachlan
- Department of Psychology, College of Social & Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Dongming Zhou
- Department of Zoology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Graham Little
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Carmen Rasmussen
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Pei
- Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gail Andrew
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital PAE Clinic, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - James N Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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27
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Sullivan EV, Moore EM, Lane B, Pohl KM, Riley EP, Pfefferbaum A. Graded Cerebellar Lobular Volume Deficits in Adolescents and Young Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4729-4746. [PMID: 32133485 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The extensive prenatal developmental growth period of the cerebellum renders it vulnerable to unhealthy environmental agents, especially alcohol. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is marked by neurodysmorphology including cerebral and cerebellar volume deficits, but the cerebellar lobular deficit profile has not been delineated. Legacy MRI data of 115 affected and 59 unaffected adolescents and young adults were analyzed for lobular gray matter volume and revealed graded deficits supporting a spectrum of severity. Graded deficits were salient in intracranial volume (ICV), where the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) group was smaller than the fetal alcohol effects (FAE) group, which was smaller than the controls. Adjusting for ICV, volume deficits were present in VIIB and VIIIA of the FAE group and were more widespread in FAS and included lobules I, II, IV, V, VI, Crus II, VIIB, and VIIIA. Graded deficits (FAS < FAE) were consistently present in lobules VI; neither group showed volume deficits in Crus I or IX. Neuroradiological readings blind to diagnosis identified 20 anomalies, 8 involving the cerebellum, 5 of which were in the FAS group. We speculate that the regional cerebellar FASD-related volume deficits may contribute to diagnostically characteristic functional impairment involving emotional control, visuomotor coordination, and postural stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eileen M Moore
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Barton Lane
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kilian M Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Edward P Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
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28
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Lovely CB. Quantification of Ethanol Levels in Zebrafish Embryos Using Head Space Gas Chromatography. J Vis Exp 2020. [PMID: 32116298 DOI: 10.3791/60766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describe a highly variable continuum of ethanol-induced developmental defects, including facial dysmorphologies and neurological impairments. With a complex pathology, FASD affects approximately 1 in 100 children born in the United States each year. Due to the highly variable nature of FASD, animal models have proven critical in our current mechanistic understanding of ethanol-induced development defects. An increasing number of laboratories has focused on using zebrafish to examine ethanol-induced developmental defects. Zebrafish produce large numbers of externally fertilized, genetically tractable, translucent embryos. This allows researchers to precisely control timing and dosage of ethanol exposure in multiple genetic contexts and quantify the impact of embryonic ethanol exposure through live imaging techniques. This, combined with the high degree of conservation of both genetics and development with humans, has proven zebrafish to be a powerful model in which to study the mechanistic basis of ethanol teratogenicity. However, ethanol exposure regimens have varied between different zebrafish studies, which has confounded the interpretation of zebrafish data across these studies. Here is a protocol to quantify ethanol concentrations in zebrafish embryos using head space gas chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ben Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville;
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29
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Köktürk M, Alak G, Atamanalp M. The effects of n-butanol on oxidative stress and apoptosis in zebra fish (Danio rerio) larvae. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 227:108636. [PMID: 31669665 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.108636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, n-butanol has growing use in many areas, including the food industry. In this study, acute toxic effects of n-butanol to zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae by applying different concentrations (10, 50, 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 mg/L) to embryos were evaluated. For this purpose the data of oxidative stress, antioxidant - acetyl cholinesterase enzyme activities, malondialdehyde level and apoptosis were taken into consideration. At the end of the 96 h, antioxidant (Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activities were decreased, however lipid peroxidation level, apoptotic cells, and reactive oxygen species increased (p < .05). As a result, it has been observed that high concentrations of n-butanol with its amphiphilic structure causes quite intense toxic effects in zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mine Köktürk
- Department of Organic Farming, School of Applied Science, Igdır University, TR-76000 Igdır, Turkey
| | - Gonca Alak
- Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Ataturk University, TR-25030 Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Muhammed Atamanalp
- Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Ataturk University, TR-25030 Erzurum, Turkey.
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30
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Lovely CB. Animal models of gene-alcohol interactions. Birth Defects Res 2019; 112:367-379. [PMID: 31774246 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Most birth defects arise from complex interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. However, our current understanding of how these interactions and their contributions affect birth defects remains incomplete. Human studies are limited in their ability to identify the fundamental causes of birth defects due to ethical and practical limitations. Animal models provide a great number of resources not available to human studies and they have been critical in advancing our understanding of birth defects and the complex interactions that underlie them. In this review, we discuss the use of animal models in the context of gene-environment interactions that underlie birth defects. We focus on alcohol which is the most common environmental factor associated with birth defects. Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to a wide range of cognitive impairments and structural deficits broadly termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We discuss the broad impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing embryo and elaborate on the current state of gene-alcohol interactions. Additionally, we discuss how animal models have informed our understanding of the genetics of FASD. Ultimately, these topics will provide insight into the use of animal models in understanding gene-environment interactions and their subsequent impact on birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Benjamin Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
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31
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Episodic Prenatal Exposure To Ethanol Affects Postnatal Neurogenesis In The Macaque Dentate Gyrus And Visual Recognition Memory. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 79:65-75. [PMID: 31706015 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a prime cause of cognitive dysfunction. The present study tested the hypotheses (a) that gestational ethanol exposure results in deficits in hippocampal-related behaviors and associated neurogenesis and (b) that the period of gastrulation is a time of vulnerability. Pregnant macaques were intubated with ethanol or saline once per week for 3, 6, or 24 weeks. Exposures included or omitted the period of gastrulation. Offspring were given behavioral tests including a Visual-Paired Comparison (VPC), a hippocampal-associated memory task, and euthanized as adolescents. Their dentate gyri were processed for immunohistochemical identification of cells passing through the cell cycle (Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen), exiting the cell cycle (p21), or passing through early stages of neuronal morphogenesis (Tuj1). Performance in neurobehavioral tasks was unaffected by ethanol exposure, the notable exception being performance in the VPC that was poorer for macaques exposed to ethanol including gastrulation. Anatomical studies show that the expression of Ki-67 was greater and ratio of p21-positive cells to the ratio of Ki-67-expressing cells was lower in animals in which the ethanol exposure included gastrulation. On the other hand, no ethanol-induced differences in TuJ1 expression were detected. Thus, the dentate gyrus is a bellwether of long-term consequences of gestational ethanol exposure. Targeted effects of ethanol on early neural generation (cell cycle and cycle exit) correlate with the timing-dependent degradation in VPC performance and exposure during gastrulation results in notable deficits. These changes evidence a pattern of fetal programming underlying FAS.
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32
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Razumkina EV, Anokhin PK, Proskuryakova TV, Shamakina IY. [Experimental approaches to the investigation of behavioral disorders associated with prenatal alcohol exposure]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2019; 118:79-88. [PMID: 29658509 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20181181279-88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term which covers a wide range of deficits in prenatal and postnatal growth, anatomy and CNS functions produced by prenatal alcohol exposure. The most severe form of FASD is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) characterized by additional specific craniofacial and brain malformations. Despite a high prevalence and extensive clinical studies, the fundamental mechanisms of FASD are still poorly understood. Thereby, experimental models, which allow better control for both socio-environmental and genetic factors, are critical to our understanding of FASD. The review is focused on the effects of exposure to alcohol during the prenatal period in animal models. The authors outline that prenatally alcohol-induced changes in motor and executive functions, learning and memory, stress reactivity and affective state are remarkably parallel between animals and humans. Finally, the authors consider a potential impact of postnatal social and environmental factors on the outcome in experimental models of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E V Razumkina
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - P K Anokhin
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - T V Proskuryakova
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - I Yu Shamakina
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
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33
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Jarmasz JS, Stirton H, Basalah D, Davie JR, Clarren SK, Astley SJ, Del Bigio MR. Global DNA Methylation and Histone Posttranslational Modifications in Human and Nonhuman Primate Brain in Association with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1145-1162. [PMID: 31074890 PMCID: PMC6593679 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Based upon experimental animal studies, the neurodevelopmental abnormalities associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (PNAE)/fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have been attributed, at least in part, to epigenetic modifications. However, there are no direct analyses of human brain tissue. Methods Immunohistochemical detection of global epigenetic markers was performed on temporal lobe samples of autopsied fetuses and infants with documented PNAE. They were compared to age‐, sex‐, and postmortem delay‐matched control cases (18 pairs; 20 to 70.5 weeks postconception). Temporal lobe tissue from a macaque monkey model of PNAE was also studied (5.7 to 6 months of age). We used antibodies targeting 4 DNA cytosine, 4 histone methylation, and 6 histone acetylation modifications and assigned scores based upon the semiquantitatively graded intensity and proportion of positively labeled nuclei in the ventricular and subventricular zones, ependyma, temporal cortex, temporal white matter, dentate gyrus (DG), and CA1 pyramidal layer. Results Temporal changes were identified for almost all marks according to the state of maturation in the human brain. In the DG (and 3 other brain regions), a statistically significant increase in H3K9ac was associated with PNAE. Statistically significant decreases were seen among 5mC, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K27ac, H4K12ac, and H4K16ac in select regions. In the macaques, H3K36me3 decreased in the DG, and the ependyma showed decreases in 5fC and H3K36me3. Conclusions In human brain, global intranuclear epigenetic modifications are brain region and maturation state‐specific. These exploratory results support the general hypothesis that PNAE is associated with a global decrease in DNA methylation, a global decrease in histone methylation, and a global increase in histone acetylation. Although the human and monkey subjects are not directly comparable in terms of brain maturation, considering the rapid temporal changes in global epigenetic modifications during brain development, interspecies comparisons may be extremely difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Jarmasz
- Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Hannah Stirton
- Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Duaa Basalah
- Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - James R Davie
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Sterling K Clarren
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, British Columbia
| | - Susan J Astley
- Departments of Epidemiology/Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Marc R Del Bigio
- Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Mattson SN, Bernes GA, Doyle LR. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Review of the Neurobehavioral Deficits Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1046-1062. [PMID: 30964197 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In utero alcohol exposure can disrupt the development of the fetal brain and result in a wide range of neurobehavioral outcomes collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). This paper provides a comprehensive review of the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure, including domains of general intelligence, executive functioning, language development, learning and memory, adaptive functioning, academic performance, and concurrent psychopathology. In addition, the current status of the neurobehavioral profile of FASD and its potential as a diagnostic tool will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Gemma A Bernes
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Lauren R Doyle
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
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Ghazi Sherbaf F, Aarabi MH, Hosein Yazdi M, Haghshomar M. White matter microstructure in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:1017-1036. [PMID: 30289588 PMCID: PMC6865781 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has revolutionized our understanding of the neural underpinnings of alcohol teratogenesis. This technique can detect alterations in white matter in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Using Prisma guidelines, we identified 23 DTI studies conducted on individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). These studies confirm the widespread nature of brain damage in PAE by reporting diffusivity alterations in commissural, association, and projection fibers; and in relation to increasing cognitive impairment. Reduced integrity in terms of lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) is reported more consistently in the corpus callosum, cerebellar peduncles, cingulum, and longitudinal fasciculi connecting frontal and temporoparietal regions. Although these interesting results provide insight into FASD neuropathology, it is important to investigate the clinical diversity of this disorder for better treatment options and prediction of progression. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of different patterns of neural structure between PAE and typically developed individuals. We further discuss the association of alterations in diffusivity with demographic features and symptomatology of PAE. With the accumulated knowledge of the neural correlates of FASD presenting symptoms, a comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity in FASD will potentially improve the disease management and will highlight the diagnostic challenges and potential areas of future research avenues, where neural markers may be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Meisam Hosein Yazdi
- Namazee Hospital, Imaging Research Center, Department of RadiologyShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
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Spataru A, Le Duc D, Zagrean L, Zagrean AM. Ethanol exposed maturing rat cerebellar granule cells show impaired energy metabolism and increased cell death after oxygen-glucose deprivation. Neural Regen Res 2019; 14:485-490. [PMID: 30539817 PMCID: PMC6334607 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.245474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol, a widely abused drug, has deleterious effects on the immature nervous system. This study investigates the effect of chronic in vitro ethanol exposure on the metabolism of immature rat cerebellar granular cells (CGCs) and on their response to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Primary CGC cultures were exposed to ethanol (100 mM in culture medium) or to control ethanol-free medium starting day one in vitro (DIV1). At DIV8, the expression of ATP synthase gene ATP5g3 was quantified using real-time PCR, then cultures were exposed to 3 hours of OGD or normoxic conditions. Subsequently, cellular metabolism was assessed by a resazurin assay and by ATP level measurement. ATP5g3 expression was reduced by 12-fold (P = 0.03) and resazurin metabolism and ATP level were decreased to 74.4 ± 4.6% and 55.5 ± 6.9%, respectively after chronic ethanol treatment compared to control values (P < 0.01). Additionally, after OGD exposure of ethanol-treated cultures, resazurin metabolism and ATP level were decreased to 12.7 ± 1.0% and 9.0 ± 2.0% from control values (P < 0.01). These results suggest that chronic ethanol exposure reduces the cellular ATP level, possibly through a gene expression down-regulation mechanism, and increases the vulnerability to oxygen-glucose deprivation. Thus, interventions which improve metabolic function and sustain ATP-levels could attenuate ethanol-induced neuronal dysfunction and should be addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Spataru
- Division of Physiology and Neuroscience, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Diana Le Duc
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Hospitals and Clinics, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Leon Zagrean
- Division of Physiology and Neuroscience, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ana-Maria Zagrean
- Division of Physiology and Neuroscience, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
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Ali S, Kerns KA, Mulligan BP, Olson HC, Astley SJ. An investigation of intra-individual variability in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Child Neuropsychol 2018; 24:617-637. [PMID: 28301980 PMCID: PMC6309982 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2017.1302579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Intra-individual variability (IIV) is defined as systematic within-person variation in performance either across test sessions (e.g., test/retest performance on the same task) or in one session (e.g., variations in performance on multiple trials of a single task). Higher levels of IIV have been noted as a characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but IIV is yet to be investigated in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD is a term used to describe a range of conditions resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol. As part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, four study groups (1. fetal alcohol syndrome/partial fetal alcohol syndrome; 2. static encephalopathy/alcohol exposed; 3. neurobehavioral disorder/alcohol exposed as diagnosed using the University of Washington FASD 4-Digit Code; 4. typically-developing (TD) age-matched children with no prenatal alcohol exposure) were administered measures of motor response and inhibitory control, attention, and adaptive behavior. The results indicate increased levels of IIV in those with FASD compared to the TD controls. It was found that IIV uniquely contributes to predicting adaptive behavior above and beyond attention, while attention partially mediates the relationship between IIV and adaptive behavior. This is the first study to the authors' knowledge to show the presence of increased IIV in children with FASD. It additionally provides evidence that IIV measures some inherent variability in performance independent of poor attention in children with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheliza Ali
- a Department of Psychology , University of Victoria , Canada
| | | | | | - Heather Carmichael Olson
- b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , University of Washington School of Medicine , Seattle , WA , USA
- c Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle , WA , USA
| | - Susan J Astley
- d Department of Epidemiology , University of Washington School of Public Health , Seattle , WA , USA
- e Department of Pediatrics , University of Washington School of Medicine , Seattle , WA , USA
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Jacobson SW, Carter RC, Molteno CD, Stanton ME, Herbert J, Lindinger NM, Lewis CE, Dodge NC, Hoyme HE, Zeisel SH, Meintjes EM, Duggan CP, Jacobson JL. Efficacy of Maternal Choline Supplementation During Pregnancy in Mitigating Adverse Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Growth and Cognitive Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:1327-1341. [PMID: 29750367 PMCID: PMC6028282 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We recently demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of a randomized, double-blind choline supplementation intervention for heavy drinking women during pregnancy. In this study, we report our results relating to the efficacy of this intervention in mitigating adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on infant growth and cognitive function. METHODS Sixty-nine Cape Coloured (mixed ancestry) heavy drinkers in Cape Town, South Africa, recruited in mid-pregnancy, were randomly assigned to receive a daily oral dose of either 2 g of choline or placebo from time of enrollment until delivery. Each dose consisted of an individually wrapped packet of powder that, when mixed with water, produced a sweet tasting grape-flavored drink. The primary outcome, eyeblink conditioning (EBC), was assessed at 6.5 months. Somatic growth was measured at birth, 6.5, and 12 months, recognition memory and processing speed on the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence, at 6.5 and 12 months. RESULTS Infants born to choline-treated mothers were more likely to meet criterion for conditioning on EBC than the placebo group. Moreover, within the choline arm, degree of maternal adherence to the supplementation protocol strongly predicted EBC performance. Both groups were small at birth, but choline-treated infants showed considerable catch-up growth in weight and head circumference at 6.5 and 12 months. At 12 months, the infants in the choline treatment arm had higher novelty preference scores, indicating better visual recognition memory. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory study is the first to provide evidence that a high dose of choline administered early in pregnancy can mitigate adverse effects of heavy PAE on EBC, postnatal growth, and cognition in human infants. These findings are consistent with studies of alcohol-exposed animals that have demonstrated beneficial effects of choline supplementation on classical conditioning, learning, and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - R. Colin Carter
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York, and Institute for Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christopher D. Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mark E. Stanton
- Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Jane Herbert
- Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nadine M. Lindinger
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Catherine E. Lewis
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Neil C. Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - H. Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Steven. H. Zeisel
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Ernesta M. Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher P. Duggan
- Center for Nutrition, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph L. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Nonprotein-coding RNAs in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2018; 157:299-342. [PMID: 29933954 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Early developmental exposure to ethanol, a known teratogen, can result in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Changes in the environment, including exposure to teratogens, can result in long term alterations to the epigenetic landscape of a cell, thereby altering gene expression. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) can affect transcription and translation of networks of genes. ncRNAs are dynamically expressed during development and have been identified as a target of alcohol. ncRNAs therefore make for attractive targets for novel therapeutics to address the developmental deficits associated with FASDs.
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40
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Olateju OI, Spocter MA, Patzke N, Ihunwo AO, Manger PR. Hippocampal neurogenesis in the C57BL/6J mice at early adulthood following prenatal alcohol exposure. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:397-410. [PMID: 29164372 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0156-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effect of chronic prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on the process of adult neurogenesis in C57BL/6J mice at early adulthood (PND 56). Pregnant mice, and their in utero litters, were exposed to alcohol, through oral gavage, on gestational days 7-16, with recorded blood alcohol concentrations averaging 184 mg/dL (CA group). Two control groups, sucrose (CAc) and non-treated (NTc) control groups were also examined. The brains of pups at PND 56 from each experimental group were sectioned in a sagittal plane, and stained for Nissl substance with cresyl violet, and immunostained for Ki-67 which labels proliferative cells and doublecortin (DCX) for immature neurons. Morphologically, the neurogenic pattern was identical in all three groups studied. Populations of Ki-67 immunopositive cells in the dentate gyrus were not statistically significantly different between the experimental groups and there were no differences between the sexes. Thus, the PAE in this study does not appear to have a strong effect on the proliferative process in the adult hippocampus. In contrast, the numbers of immature neurons, labeled with DCX, was statistically significantly lower in the prenatal alcohol exposed mice compared with the two control groups. Alcohol significantly lowered the number of DCX hippocampal cells in the male mice, but not in the female mice. This indicates that the PAE appears to lower the rate of conversion of proliferative cells to immature neurons and this effect of alcohol is sexually dimorphic. This lowered number of immature neurons in the hippocampus appears to mirror hippocampal dysfunctions observed in FASD children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oladiran I Olateju
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
| | - Muhammad A Spocter
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA, 50312, USA
| | - Nina Patzke
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Amadi O Ihunwo
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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41
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Neuroprotective effect of Annona glabra extract against ethanol-induced apoptotic neurodegeneration in neonatal rats. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2018; 181:106-114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2018.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Fernandes Y, Buckley DM, Eberhart JK. Diving into the world of alcohol teratogenesis: a review of zebrafish models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 96:88-97. [PMID: 28817785 PMCID: PMC7413215 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2017-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to the entire suite of deleterious outcomes resulting from embryonic exposure to alcohol. Along with other reviews in this special issue, we provide insight into how animal models, specifically the zebrafish, have informed our understanding of FASD. We first provide a brief introduction to FASD. We discuss the zebrafish as a model organism and its strengths for alcohol research. We detail how zebrafish has been used to model some of the major defects present in FASD. These include behavioral defects, such as social behavior as well as learning and memory, and structural defects, disrupting organs such as the brain, sensory organs, heart, and craniofacial skeleton. We provide insights into how zebrafish research has aided in our understanding of the mechanisms of ethanol teratogenesis. We end by providing some relatively recent advances that zebrafish has provided in characterizing gene-ethanol interactions that may underlie FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohaan Fernandes
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
| | - Desire M Buckley
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
| | - Johann K Eberhart
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
- Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78713, USA
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Lippert T, Gelineau L, Napoli E, Borlongan CV. Harnessing neural stem cells for treating psychiatric symptoms associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and epilepsy. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 80:10-22. [PMID: 28365374 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Brain insults with progressive neurodegeneration are inherent in pathological symptoms that represent many psychiatric illnesses. Neural network disruptions characterized by impaired neurogenesis have been recognized to precede, accompany, and possibly even exacerbate the evolution and progression of symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Here, we focus on the neurodegeneration and the resulting psychiatric symptoms observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and epilepsy, in an effort to show that these two diseases are candidate targets for stem cell therapy. In particular, we provide preclinical evidence in the transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in both conditions, highlighting the potential of this cell-based treatment for correcting the psychiatric symptoms that plague these two disorders. Additionally, we discuss the challenges of NSC transplantation and offer insights into the mechanisms that may mediate the therapeutic benefits and can be exploited to overcome the hurdles of translating this therapy from the laboratory to the clinic. Our ultimate goal is to advance stem cell therapy for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trenton Lippert
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MDC 78, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Lindsey Gelineau
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MDC 78, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Eleonora Napoli
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, 3011 VM3B 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA..
| | - Cesar V Borlongan
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MDC 78, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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Neuronal Loss in the Developing Cerebral Cortex of Normal and Bax-Deficient Mice: Effects of Ethanol Exposure. Neuroscience 2018; 369:278-291. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Embryonic Ethanol Exposure Affects Early- and Late-Added Cardiac Precursors and Produces Long-Lasting Heart Chamber Defects in Zebrafish. TOXICS 2017; 5:toxics5040035. [PMID: 29194345 PMCID: PMC5750563 DOI: 10.3390/toxics5040035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Drinking mothers expose their fetuses to ethanol, which produces birth defects: craniofacial defects, cognitive impairment, sensorimotor disabilities and organ deformities, collectively termed as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Various congenital heart defects (CHDs) are present in FASD patients, but the mechanisms of alcohol-induced cardiogenesis defects are not completely understood. This study utilized zebrafish embryos and older larvae to understand FASD-associated CHDs. Ethanol-induced cardiac chamber defects initiated during embryonic cardiogenesis persisted in later zebrafish life. In addition, myocardial damage was recognizable in the ventricle of the larvae that were exposed to ethanol during embryogenesis. Our studies of the pathogenesis revealed that ethanol exposure delayed differentiation of first and second heart fields and reduced the number of early- and late-added cardiomyocytes in the heart. Ethanol exposure also reduced the number of endocardial cells. Together, this study showed that ethanol-induced heart defects were present in late-stage zebrafish larvae. Reduced numbers of cardiomyocytes partly accounts for the ethanol-induced zebrafish heart defects.
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Olateju OI, Bhagwandin A, Ihunwo AO, Manger PR. Changes in the Cholinergic, Catecholaminergic, Orexinergic and Serotonergic Structures Forming Part of the Sleep Systems of Adult Mice Exposed to Intrauterine Alcohol. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:110. [PMID: 29230167 PMCID: PMC5711786 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the effect of chronic prenatal alcohol exposure on certain neuronal systems involved with the sleep-wake cycle of C57BL/6J mice exposed to prenatal alcohol once they had reached 56 days post-natal. Pregnant mice were exposed to alcohol, through oral gavage, on gestational days 7–16, with recorded blood alcohol concentration (BAC)s averaging 1.84 mg/ml (chronic alcohol group, CA). Two control groups, an oral gavage sucrose control group (chronic alcohol control group, CAc) and a non-treated control group (NTc), were also examined. At 56 days post-natal, the pups from each group were sacrificed and the whole brain sectioned in a coronal plane and immunolabeled for cholineacetyltransferase (ChAT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), serotonin (5HT) and orexin-A (OxA) which labels cholinergic, catecholaminergic, serotonergic and orexinergic structures respectively. The overall nuclear organization and neuronal morphology were identical in all three groups studied, and resemble that previously reported for laboratory rodents. Quantification of the estimated numbers of ChAT immunopositive (+) neurons of the pons, the TH+ neurons of the pons and the OxA+ neurons of the hypothalamus showed no statistically significant difference between the three experimental groups. The stereologically estimated areas and volumes of OxA+ neurons in the CA group were statistically significantly larger than the groups not exposed to prenatal alcohol, but the ChAT+ neurons in the CA group were statistically significantly smaller. The density of orexinergic boutons in the anterior cingulate cortex was lower in the CA group than the other groups. No statistically significant difference was found in the area and volume of TH+ neurons between the three experimental groups. These differences are discussed in relation to the sleep disorders recorded in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Oladiran I Olateju
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Amadi O Ihunwo
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Melnik BC. Overexpression of p53 explains isotretinoin's teratogenicity. Exp Dermatol 2017; 27:91-93. [DOI: 10.1111/exd.13420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bodo C. Melnik
- Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory; University of Osnabrück; Osnabrück Germany
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Lange S, Probst C, Rehm J, Popova S. Prevalence of binge drinking during pregnancy by country and World Health Organization region: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Toxicol 2017; 73:214-221. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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49
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Schambra UB, Lewis CN, Harrison TA. Deficits in spatial learning and memory in adult mice following acute, low or moderate levels of prenatal ethanol exposure during gastrulation or neurulation. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 62:42-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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50
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How nutrition and the maternal microbiota shape the neonatal immune system. Nat Rev Immunol 2017; 17:508-517. [PMID: 28604736 DOI: 10.1038/nri.2017.58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The mucosal surfaces of mammals are densely colonized with microorganisms that are commonly referred to as the commensal microbiota. It is believed that the fetus in utero is sterile and that colonization with microorganisms starts only after birth. Nevertheless, the unborn fetus is exposed to a multitude of metabolites that originate from the commensal microbiota of the mother that reach systemic sites of the maternal body. The intestinal microbiota is strongly personalized and influenced by environmental factors, including nutrition. Members of the maternal microbiota can metabolize dietary components, pharmaceuticals and toxins, which can subsequently be passed to the developing fetus or the breast-feeding neonate. In this Review, we discuss the complex interplay between nutrition, the maternal microbiota and ingested chemicals, and summarize their effects on immunity in the offspring.
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