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Kristjansson D, Lee Y, Page CM, Gjessing H, Magnus MC, Jugessur A, Lyle R, Håberg SE. Sex differences in DNA methylation variations according to ART conception-evidence from the Norwegian mother, father, and child cohort study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:22904. [PMID: 39358554 PMCID: PMC11447267 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73845-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown cord-blood DNA methylation differences in newborns conceived using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) compared to those conceived naturally. However, whether these ART-related DNA methylation differences vary with children's sex is unknown. We hypothesize that the DNA methylation differences in cord blood between ART-conceived and naturally conceived newborns also varies by the sex of the child, with distinct patterns of differential methylation present in males and females. We investigated sex differences in cord-blood DNA methylation variation according to conception by ART using the Illumina MethylationEPIC platform, comparing 456 ART-conceived versus 507 naturally-conceived girls, and 503 ART-conceived and 473 naturally-conceived boys. We identified 37 differentially methylated CpGs according to ART-conception among girls, and 70 differentially methylated CpGs according to ART-conception among boys, when we used a 1% false discovery rate to account for multiple testing. Ten CpGs were differentially methylated according to conception by ART in both sexes. Among the genes that were associated with these CpGs, we found the BRCA1; NBR2 gene (two CpGs) was hypermethylated in girls while the APC2 (two CpGs) and NECAB3;ACTL10, (four CpGs) related to cellular signaling were hypomethylated in boys. These findings confirm the presence of sex-specific epigenetic differences, illustrating the nuanced impact of ART on the fetal epigenome. There is a need for further explorations into the implications for sex-specific developmental trajectories and health outcomes in ART-conceived children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Kristjansson
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Yunsung Lee
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian M Page
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Physical Health and Ageing, Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Håkon Gjessing
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria C Magnus
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Robert Lyle
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, Postboks 222, 0213, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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2
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Yu D, Luo L, Wang H, Shyh-Chang N. Pregnancy-induced metabolic reprogramming and regenerative responses to pro-aging stresses. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2024:S1043-2760(24)00192-9. [PMID: 39122601 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Pregnancy is associated with physiological adaptations that affect virtually all organs, enabling the mother to support the growing fetus and placenta while withstanding the demands of pregnancy. As a result, mammalian pregnancy is a unique state that exerts paradoxical effects on maternal health. On one hand, the metabolic stress induced by pregnancy can accelerate aging and functional decline in organs. On the other hand, pregnancy activates metabolic programming and tissue regenerative responses that can reverse age-related impairments. In this sense, the oocyte-to-blastocyst transition is not the only physiological reprogramming event in the mammalian body, as pregnancy-induced regeneration could constitute a second physiological reprogramming event. Here, we review findings on how pregnancy dualistically leads to aging and rejuvenation in the maternal body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dainan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lanfang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China; School of Biological Engineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Guangdong 519000, China
| | - Hongmei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ng Shyh-Chang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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3
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Wan Z, Chibnik LB, Valeri L, Hughes TM, Blacker D, Ma Y. DNA Methylation Mediates the Association Between Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Cognition: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2024; 79:glae167. [PMID: 38943310 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The association between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognitive function has been well documented, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the potential mediating role of DNA methylation in this association. We conducted the analyses in 3 708 participants (mean [standard deviation {SD}] age: 67.3 [9.5], women: 57.9%) from the Health and Retirement Study who were assessed in the 2014-2020 waves, had Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip methylation assays from the 2016 Venous Blood Study, and had cognitive assessment between 2016 and 2020. Causal mediation analyses were used to test the mediation role of DNA methylation in the associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognition, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. Hypertension (-0.061 in composite cognitive z-score; 95% confidence interval [CI: -0.119, -0.004]) and diabetes (-0.134; 95% CI: [-0.198, -0.071]) were significantly associated with worse cognitive function while abnormal body weight and hypercholesterolemia were not. An increased number of cardiometabolic risk factors was associated with worse cognitive function (p = .002). DNA methylation significantly mediated the association of hypertension (mediated effect on composite cognitive z-score: -0.023; 95% CI: -0.033, -0.014), diabetes (-0.022; 95% CI: -0.032, -0.014), and obesity (-0.021; 95% CI: -0.033, -0.011) with cognitive function, whereas the mediation effect was not observed for having hypercholesterolemia. The estimated proportions mediated were 37.4% for hypertension and 16.7% for diabetes. DNA methylation may be an important mediator linking cardiometabolic risk factors to worse cognition and might even provide a potential target for dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengyi Wan
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lori B Chibnik
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Linda Valeri
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Timothy M Hughes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Deborah Blacker
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yuan Ma
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Elliott HR, Bennett CL, Caramaschi D, English S. Negative association between higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and breastfeeding outcomes is not mediated by DNA methylation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14675. [PMID: 38918574 PMCID: PMC11199553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65605-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The benefits of breastfeeding for the health and wellbeing of both infants and mothers are well documented, yet global breastfeeding rates are low. One factor associated with low breast feeding is maternal body mass index (BMI), which is used as a measure of obesity. The negative relationship between maternal obesity and breastfeeding is likely caused by a variety of social, psychological, and physiological factors. Maternal obesity may also have a direct biological association with breastfeeding through changes in maternal DNA methylation. Here, we investigate this potential biological association using data from a UK-based cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We find that pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower initiation to breastfeed and shorter breastfeeding duration. We conduct epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of pre-pregnancy BMI and breastfeeding outcomes, and run candidate-gene analysis of methylation sites associated with BMI identified via previous meta-EWAS. We find that DNA methylation at cg11453712, annotated to PHTP1, is associated with pre-pregnancy BMI. From our results, neither this association nor those at candidate-gene sites are likely to mediate the link between pre-pregnancy BMI and breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Elliott
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Chloe L Bennett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Doretta Caramaschi
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Sinead English
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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5
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Ryan CP, Lee NR, Carba DB, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Atashzay P, Belsky DW, Kobor MS, Kuzawa CW. Pregnancy is linked to faster epigenetic aging in young women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317290121. [PMID: 38588424 PMCID: PMC11032455 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317290121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A central prediction of evolutionary theory is that energy invested into reproduction comes at the expense of somatic maintenance and repair, accelerating biological aging. Supporting this prediction are findings that high fertility among women predicts shorter lifespan and poorer health later in life. However, biological aging is thought to begin before age-related health declines, limiting the applicability of morbidity and mortality for studying the aging process earlier in life. Here, we examine the relationship between reproductive history and biological aging in a sample of young (20 to 22yo) men and women from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, located in the Philippines (n = 1,735). We quantify biological aging using six measures, collectively known as epigenetic clocks, reflecting various facets of cellular aging, health, and mortality risk. In a subset of women, we test whether longitudinal changes in gravidity between young and early-middle adulthood (25 to 31yo) are associated with changes in epigenetic aging during that time. Cross-sectionally, gravidity was associated with all six measures of accelerated epigenetic aging in women (n = 825). Furthermore, longitudinal increases in gravidity were linked to accelerated epigenetic aging in two epigenetic clocks (n = 331). In contrast, the number of pregnancies a man reported fathering was not associated with epigenetic aging among same-aged cohort men (n = 910). These effects were robust to socioecological, environmental, and immunological factors, consistent with the hypothesis that pregnancy accelerates biological aging and that these effects can be detected in young women in a high-fertility context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P. Ryan
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
| | - Nanette R. Lee
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City6000, Philippines
| | - Delia B. Carba
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City6000, Philippines
| | - Julie L. MacIsaac
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - David T. S. Lin
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Parmida Atashzay
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Daniel W. Belsky
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, TorontoONM5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, TorontoONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
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6
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Kumar V, Doshi G. Revolutionizing Infertility Management through Novel Peptide-based Targets. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:738-752. [PMID: 38778605 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037304433240430144106] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Around 48 million couples and 186 million people worldwide have infertility; of these, approximately 85% have an identifiable cause, the most common being ovulatory dysfunctions, male infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome, and tubule disease. The remaining 15% have infertility for unknown reasons, including lifestyle and environmental factors. The regulation of the hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is crucial for the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which are essential for female reproductive functions. GnRH is the primary reproductive axis regulator. The pattern of GnRH, FSH, and LH release is determined by its pulsatile secretion, which in turn controls endocrine function and gamete maturation in the gonads. Peptides called Kisspeptin (KP), Neurokinin-B (NKB), and Orexin influence both positive and negative feedback modulation of GnRH, FSH, and LH secretion in reproduction. This review article mainly focuses on the historical perspective, isoform, and signaling pathways of KP, NKB, and Orexin novel peptide-based targets including clinical and preclinical studies and having a promising effect in the management of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400 056, India
| | - Gaurav Doshi
- Department of Pharmacology, SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai 400 056, India
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7
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Campagna MP, Lechner-Scott J, Maltby VE, Lea RA, Butzkueven H, Jokubaitis VG. Conceiving complexity: Biological mechanisms underpinning the lasting effect of pregnancy on multiple sclerosis outcomes. Autoimmun Rev 2023; 22:103388. [PMID: 37352902 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, demyelinating disease with the highest incidence in women of childbearing age. The effect of pregnancy on disease activity and progression is a primary concern for women with MS and their clinical teams. It is well established that inflammatory disease activity is naturally suppressed during pregnancy, followed by an increase postpartum. However, the long-term effect of pregnancy on disease progression is less understood. Having had a pregnancy before MS onset has been associated with an older age at first demyelinating event, an average delay of 3.4 years. After MS onset, there is conflicting evidence about the impact of pregnancy on long-term outcomes. The study with the longest follow-up to date showed that pregnancy was associated with a 0.36-point lower disability score after 10-years of disease in 1830 women. Understanding the biological mechanism by which pregnancy induces long-term beneficial effects on MS outcomes could provide mechanistic insights into the elusive determinants of secondary progression. Here, we review potential biological processes underlying this effect, including evidence that acute sex hormone exposure induces lasting changes to neurobiological and DNA methylation patterns, and how sustained methylation changes in immune cells can alter immune composition and function long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pia Campagna
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Jeannette Lechner-Scott
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vicki E Maltby
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rodney A Lea
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vilija G Jokubaitis
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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8
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Fradin D, Tost J, Busato F, Mille C, Lachaux F, Deleuze JF, Apter G, Benachi A. DNA methylation dynamics during pregnancy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1185311. [PMID: 37287456 PMCID: PMC10242503 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1185311] [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: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is a state of multiple physiological adaptations. Since methylation of DNA is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression and contributes to adaptive phenotypic variations, we investigated methylation changes in maternal blood of a longitudinal cohort of pregnant women from the first trimester of gestation to the third. Interestingly, during pregnancy, we found a gain of methylation in genes involved in morphogenesis, such as ezrin, while we identified a loss of methylation in genes promoting maternal-infant bonding (AVP and PPP1R1B). Together, our results provide insights into the biological mechanisms underlying physiological adaptations during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Fradin
- INSERM U1169, Bicêtre Hospital, Paris Sud University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Jorg Tost
- The Laboratory for Epigenetics and Environment, Centre National de Recherche en Genomique Humaine, CEA-Institut de Biologie Francois Jacob, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Florence Busato
- The Laboratory for Epigenetics and Environment, Centre National de Recherche en Genomique Humaine, CEA-Institut de Biologie Francois Jacob, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Clémence Mille
- INSERM U1169, Bicêtre Hospital, Paris Sud University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Fanny Lachaux
- INSERM U1169, Bicêtre Hospital, Paris Sud University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Deleuze
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Gisèle Apter
- Child and Perinatal Psychiatric Department, Le Havre University Hospital, University Rouen Normandie, Le Havre, France
| | - Alexandra Benachi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, DMU Santé des Femmes et des Nouveau-nés, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Antoine Beclere Hospital, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
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9
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Poganik JR, Zhang B, Baht GS, Tyshkovskiy A, Deik A, Kerepesi C, Yim SH, Lu AT, Haghani A, Gong T, Hedman AM, Andolf E, Pershagen G, Almqvist C, Clish CB, Horvath S, White JP, Gladyshev VN. Biological age is increased by stress and restored upon recovery. Cell Metab 2023; 35:807-820.e5. [PMID: 37086720 PMCID: PMC11055493 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Aging is classically conceptualized as an ever-increasing trajectory of damage accumulation and loss of function, leading to increases in morbidity and mortality. However, recent in vitro studies have raised the possibility of age reversal. Here, we report that biological age is fluid and exhibits rapid changes in both directions. At epigenetic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels, we find that the biological age of young mice is increased by heterochronic parabiosis and restored following surgical detachment. We also identify transient changes in biological age during major surgery, pregnancy, and severe COVID-19 in humans and/or mice. Together, these data show that biological age undergoes a rapid increase in response to diverse forms of stress, which is reversed following recovery from stress. Our study uncovers a new layer of aging dynamics that should be considered in future studies. The elevation of biological age by stress may be a quantifiable and actionable target for future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse R Poganik
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gurpreet S Baht
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA; Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - Alexander Tyshkovskiy
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Amy Deik
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA
| | - Csaba Kerepesi
- Institute for Computer Science and Control (SZTAKI), Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Budapest, 1111, Hungary
| | - Sun Hee Yim
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ake T Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amin Haghani
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Tong Gong
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna M Hedman
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ellika Andolf
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Pershagen
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catarina Almqvist
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Clary B Clish
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - James P White
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27701, USA.
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA.
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10
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Campagna MP, Xavier A, Stankovich J, Maltby VE, Slee M, Yeh WZ, Kilpatrick T, Scott RJ, Butzkueven H, Lechner-Scott J, Lea RA, Jokubaitis VG. Parity is associated with long-term differences in DNA methylation at genes related to neural plasticity in multiple sclerosis. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:20. [PMID: 36765422 PMCID: PMC9921068 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01438-4] [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: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis (wwMS) is associated with a reduction of long-term disability progression. The mechanism that drives this effect is unknown, but converging evidence suggests a role for epigenetic mechanisms altering immune and/or central nervous system function. In this study, we aimed to identify whole blood and immune cell-specific DNA methylation patterns associated with parity in relapse-onset MS. RESULTS We investigated the association between whole blood and immune cell-type-specific genome-wide methylation patterns and parity in 192 women with relapse-onset MS, matched for age and disease severity. The median time from last pregnancy to blood collection was 16.7 years (range = 1.5-44.4 years). We identified 2965 differentially methylated positions in whole blood, 68.5% of which were hypermethylated in parous women; together with two differentially methylated regions on Chromosomes 17 and 19 which mapped to TMC8 and ZNF577, respectively. Our findings validated 22 DMPs and 366 differentially methylated genes from existing literature on epigenetic changes associated with parity in wwMS. Differentially methylated genes in whole blood were enriched in neuronal structure and growth-related pathways. Immune cell-type-specific analysis using cell-type proportion estimates from statistical deconvolution of whole blood revealed further differential methylation in T cells specifically (four in CD4+ and eight in CD8+ T cells). We further identified reduced methylation age acceleration in parous women, demonstrating slower biological aging compared to nulligravida women. CONCLUSION Differential methylation at genes related to neural plasticity offers a potential molecular mechanism driving the long-term effect of pregnancy on MS outcomes. Our results point to a potential 'CNS signature' of methylation in peripheral immune cells, as previously described in relation to MS progression, induced by parity. As the first epigenome-wide association study of parity in wwMS reported, validation studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pia Campagna
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Alexandre Xavier
- grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia ,grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XHunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Jim Stankovich
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Vicki E. Maltby
- grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XHunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia ,grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia ,grid.414724.00000 0004 0577 6676Neurology Department, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Mark Slee
- grid.1014.40000 0004 0367 2697College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Wei Z. Yeh
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.267362.40000 0004 0432 5259Neurology Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Trevor Kilpatrick
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XDepartment of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.416153.40000 0004 0624 1200Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Rodney J. Scott
- grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia ,grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XHunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.267362.40000 0004 0432 5259Neurology Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Jeannette Lechner-Scott
- grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XHunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia ,grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia ,grid.414724.00000 0004 0577 6676Neurology Department, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Rodney A. Lea
- grid.266842.c0000 0000 8831 109XHunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW Australia ,grid.1024.70000000089150953Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Vilija G. Jokubaitis
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.267362.40000 0004 0432 5259Neurology Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XDepartment of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.416153.40000 0004 0624 1200Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC Australia
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11
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Andrawus M, Sharvit L, Atzmon G. Epigenetics and Pregnancy: Conditional Snapshot or Rolling Event. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12698. [PMID: 36293556 PMCID: PMC9603966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics modification such as DNA methylation can affect maternal health during the gestation period. Furthermore, pregnancy can drive a range of physiological and molecular changes that have the potential to contribute to pathological conditions. Pregnancy-related risk factors include multiple environmental, behavioral, and hereditary factors that can impact maternal DNA methylation with long-lasting consequences. Identification of the epigenetic patterns linked to poor pregnancy outcomes is crucial since changes in DNA methylation patterns can have long-term effects. In this review, we provide an overview of the epigenetic changes that influence pregnancy-related molecular programming such as gestational diabetes, immune response, and pre-eclampsia, in an effort to close the gap in current understanding regarding interactions between the environment, the genetics of the fetus, and the pregnant woman.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gil Atzmon
- Department of Human Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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12
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Lee Y, Bohlin J, Page CM, Nustad HE, Harris JR, Magnus P, Jugessur A, Magnus MC, Håberg SE, Hanevik HI. Associations between epigenetic age acceleration and infertility. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:2063-2074. [PMID: 35771672 PMCID: PMC9433848 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is the use of ART, a proxy for infertility, associated with epigenetic age acceleration? SUMMARY ANSWER The epigenetic age acceleration measured by Dunedin Pace of Aging methylation (DunedinPoAm) differed significantly between non-ART and ART mothers. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Among mothers who used ART, epigenetic age acceleration may be associated with low oocyte yield and poor ovarian response. However, the difference in epigenetic age acceleration between non-ART and ART mothers (or even fathers) has not been examined. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) recruited pregnant women and their partners across Norway at around 18 gestational weeks between 1999 and 2008. Approximately 95 000 mothers, 75 000 fathers and 114 000 children were included. Peripheral blood samples were taken from mothers and fathers at ultrasound appointments or from mothers at childbirth, and umbilical cord blood samples were collected from the newborns at birth. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Among the MoBa participants, we selected 1000 couples who conceived by coitus and 894 couples who conceived by IVF (n = 525) or ICSI (n = 369). We measured their DNA methylation (DNAm) levels using the Illumina MethylationEPIC array and calculated epigenetic age acceleration. A linear mixed model was used to examine the differences in five different epigenetic age accelerations between non-ART and ART parents. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We found a significant difference in the epigenetic age acceleration calculated by DunedinPoAm between IVF and non-ART mothers (0.021 years, P-value = 2.89E-06) after adjustment for potential confounders. Further, we detected elevated DunedinPoAm in mothers with tubal factor infertility (0.030 years, P-value = 1.34E-05), ovulation factor (0.023 years, P-value = 0.0018) and unexplained infertility (0.023 years, P-value = 1.39E-04) compared with non-ART mothers. No differences in epigenetic age accelerations between non-ART and ICSI fathers were found. DunedinPoAm also showed stronger associations with smoking, education and parity than the other four epigenetic age accelerations. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We were not able to determine the directionality of the causal pathway between the epigenetic age accelerations and infertility. Since parents' peripheral blood samples were collected after conception, we cannot rule out the possibility that the epigenetic profile of ART mothers was influenced by the ART treatment. Hence, the results should be interpreted with caution, and our results might not be generalizable to non-pregnant women. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS A plausible biological mechanism behind the reported association is that IVF mothers could be closer to menopause than non-ART mothers. The pace of decline of the ovarian reserve that eventually leads to menopause varies between females yet, in general, accelerates after the age of 30, and some studies show an increased risk of infertility in females with low ovarian reserve. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was partly funded by the Research Council of Norway (Women's fertility, project no. 320656) and through its Centres of Excellence Funding Scheme (project no. 262700). M.C.M. has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement number 947684). The authors declare no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunsung Lee
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jon Bohlin
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Haakon E Nustad
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Deepinsight, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jennifer R Harris
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria C Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hans I Hanevik
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Fertility Department Sør, Telemark Hospital Trust, Porsgrunn, Norway
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13
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Islam M, Strawn M, Behura SK. Fetal origin of sex‐bias brain aging. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22463. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200255rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Maliha Islam
- Division of Animal Sciences University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
| | - Monica Strawn
- Division of Animal Sciences University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
| | - Susanta K. Behura
- Division of Animal Sciences University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
- MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
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14
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Lin MW, Tsai MH, Shih CY, Tai YY, Lee CN, Lin SY. Comparison of DNA Methylation Changes Between the Gestation Period and the After-Delivery State: A Pilot Study of 10 Women. Front Nutr 2022; 9:829915. [PMID: 35600817 PMCID: PMC9116383 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.829915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gestational adaptation occurs soon after fertilization and continues throughout pregnancy, whereas women return to a pre-pregnancy state after delivery and lactation. However, little is known about the role of DNA methylation in fine-tuning maternal physiology. Understanding the changes in DNA methylation during pregnancy is the first step in clarifying the association of diet, nutrition, and thromboembolism with the changes in DNA methylation. In this study, we investigated whether and how the DNA methylation pattern changes in the three trimesters and after delivery in ten uncomplicated pregnancies. Results DNA methylation was measured using a Human MethylationEPIC BeadChip. There were 14,018 cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites with statistically significant changes in DNA methylation over the four time periods (p <
0.001). Overall, DNA methylation after delivery was higher than that of the three trimesters (p < 0.001), with the protein ubiquitination pathway being the top canonical pathway involved. We classified the CpG sites into nine groups according to the changes in the three trimesters and found that 38.37% of CpG sites had DNA methylation changes during pregnancy, especially between the first and second trimesters. Conclusion DNA methylation pattern changes between trimesters, indicating possible involvement in maternal adaptation to pregnancy. Meanwhile, DNA methylation patterns during pregnancy and in the postpartum period were different, implying that puerperium repair may also function through DNA methylation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Wei Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mong-Hsun Tsai
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core Lab, Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yu Shih
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core Lab, Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Yun Tai
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Nan Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Yu Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Shin-Yu Lin
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15
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Gasperi C, Hapfelmeier A, Schneider A, Kuhn KA, Donnachie E, Hemmer B. Association of pregnancies with risk of multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2022; 28:1630-1640. [PMID: 35301890 PMCID: PMC9315178 DOI: 10.1177/13524585221080542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: Pregnancies have an impact on the disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS),
but their relationship with MS risk is yet unclear. Objective: To determine the relationships of pregnancies and gynecological diagnoses
with MS risk. Methods: In this retrospective case–control study, we assessed differences in
gynecological International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision
(ICD-10) code recording rates between women with MS
(n = 5720), Crohn’s disease (n = 6280), or
psoriasis (n = 40,555) and women without these autoimmune
diseases (n = 26,729) in the 5 years before diagnosis. Results: Twenty-eight ICD-10 codes were recorded less frequently for women with MS as
compared to women without autoimmune disease, 18 of which are
pregnancy-related. After adjustment for pregnancies, all codes unrelated to
pregnancies were still negatively associated with MS. In a sensitivity
analysis excluding women with evidence for possible demyelinating events
before diagnosis, all associations were more pronounced. In comparison to
women with psoriasis, most associations could be confirmed; that was not
true in comparison to women with Crohn’s disease. Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence for a possible protective effect of pregnancies
on MS risk likely independent of or in addition to a previously suggested
reversed causality. The negative associations of gynecological disorders
with disease risk need further investigation. The associations might be
shared by different autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Gasperi
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Hapfelmeier
- Institute for AI and Informatics in Medicine, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany/Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonius Schneider
- Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus A Kuhn
- Institute for AI and Informatics in Medicine, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ewan Donnachie
- Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, Munich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hemmer
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany/ Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
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16
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Shepherd R, Bretherton I, Pang K, Mansell T, Czajko A, Kim B, Vlahos A, Zajac JD, Saffery R, Cheung A, Novakovic B. Gender-affirming hormone therapy induces specific DNA methylation changes in blood. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:24. [PMID: 35177097 PMCID: PMC8851870 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01236-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark that is influenced by underlying genetic profile, environment, and ageing. In addition to X-linked DNA methylation, sex-specific methylation patterns are widespread across autosomal chromosomes and can be present from birth or arise over time. In individuals where gender identity and sex assigned at birth are markedly incongruent, as in the case of transgender people, feminization or masculinization may be sought through gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). GAHT is a cornerstone of transgender care, yet no studies to date have investigated its effect on genome-wide methylation. We profiled genome-wide DNA methylation in blood of transgender women (n = 13) and transgender men (n = 13) before and during GAHT (6 months and 12 months into feminizing or masculinizing hormone therapy). RESULTS We identified several thousand differentially methylated CpG sites (DMPs) (Δβ ≥ 0.02, unadjusted p value < 0.05) and several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in both people undergoing feminizing and masculinizing GAHT, the vast majority of which were progressive changes over time. X chromosome and sex-specific autosomal DNA methylation patterns established in early development are largely refractory to change in association with GAHT, with only 3% affected (Δβ ≥ 0.02, unadjusted p value < 0.05). The small number of sex-specific DMPs that were affected by GAHT were those that become sex-specific during the lifetime, known as sex-and-age DMPs, including DMRs in PRR4 and VMP1 genes. The GAHT-induced changes at these sex-associated probes consistently demonstrated a shift towards the methylation signature of the GAHT-naïve opposite sex, and we observed enrichment of previously reported adolescence-associated methylation changes. CONCLUSION We provide evidence for GAHT inducing a unique blood methylation signature in transgender people. This study advances our understanding of the complex interplay between sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and DNA methylation in the context of immunity. We highlight the need to broaden the field of 'sex-specific' immunity beyond cisgender males and cisgender females, as transgender people on GAHT exhibit a unique molecular profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Shepherd
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ingrid Bretherton
- Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Ken Pang
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Inflammation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Adolescent Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Toby Mansell
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna Czajko
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Bowon Kim
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Amanda Vlahos
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Jeffrey D Zajac
- Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ada Cheung
- Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Boris Novakovic
- Molecular Immunity, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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17
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Ryan CP, Jones MJ, Edgar RD, Lee NR, Kobor MS, McDade TW, Kuzawa CW. Immune cell type and DNA methylation vary with reproductive status in women: possible pathways for costs of reproduction. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 10:47-58. [PMID: 35169479 PMCID: PMC8841013 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Consistent with evolutionarily theorized costs of reproduction (CoR), reproductive history in women is associated with life expectancy and susceptibility to certain cancers, autoimmune disorders and metabolic disease. Immunological changes originating during reproduction may help explain some of these relationships. Methodology To explore the potential role of the immune system in female CoR, we characterized leukocyte composition and regulatory processes using DNA methylation (DNAm) in a cross-sectional cohort of young (20–22 years old) women differing in reproductive status. Results Compared to nulliparity, pregnancy was characterized by differential methylation at 828 sites, 96% of which were hypomethylated and enriched for genes associated with T-cell activation, innate immunity, pre-eclampsia and neoplasia. Breastfeeding was associated with differential methylation at 1107 sites (71% hypermethylated), enriched for genes involved in metabolism, immune self-recognition and neurogenesis. There were no significant differences in DNAm between nulliparous and parous women. However, compared to nullipara, pregnant women had lower proportions of B, CD4T, CD8T and natural killer (NK) cells, and higher proportions of granulocytes and monocytes. Monocyte counts were lower and NK counts higher among breastfeeding women, and remained so among parous women. Implications Our findings point to widespread differences in DNAm during pregnancy and lactation. These effects appear largely transient, but may accumulate with gravidity become detectable as women age. Nulliparous and parous women differed in leukocyte composition, consistent with more persistent effects of reproduction on cell type. These findings support transient (leukocyte DNAm) and persistent (cell composition) changes associated with reproduction in women, illuminating potential pathways contributing to CoR. Lay Summary: Evolutionary theory and epidemiology support costs of reproduction (CoR) to women’s health that may involve changes in immune function. We report differences in immune cell composition and gene regulation during pregnancy and breastfeeding. While many of these differences appear transient, immune cell composition may remain, suggesting mechanisms for female CoR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada.,Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | | | - Nanette R Lee
- University of San Carlos Office of Population Studies Foundation Inc., Cebu City 6000, Philippines
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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18
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Badam TV, Hellberg S, Mehta RB, Lechner-Scott J, Lea RA, Tost J, Mariette X, Svensson-Arvelund J, Nestor CE, Benson M, Berg G, Jenmalm MC, Gustafsson M, Ernerudh J. CD4 + T-cell DNA methylation changes during pregnancy significantly correlate with disease-associated methylation changes in autoimmune diseases. Epigenetics 2021; 17:1040-1055. [PMID: 34605719 PMCID: PMC9487751 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1982510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics may play a central, yet unexplored, role in the profound changes that the maternal immune system undergoes during pregnancy and could be involved in the pregnancy-induced modulation of several autoimmune diseases. We investigated changes in the methylome in isolated circulating CD4+ T-cells in non-pregnant and pregnant women, during the 1st and 2nd trimester, using the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 450K array, and explored how these changes were related to autoimmune diseases that are known to be affected during pregnancy. Pregnancy was associated with several hundreds of methylation differences, particularly during the 2nd trimester. A network-based modular approach identified several genes, e.g., CD28, FYN, VAV1 and pathways related to T-cell signalling and activation, highlighting T-cell regulation as a central component of the observed methylation alterations. The identified pregnancy module was significantly enriched for disease-associated methylation changes related to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. A negative correlation between pregnancy-associated methylation changes and disease-associated changes was found for multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, diseases that are known to improve during pregnancy whereas a positive correlation was found for systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease that instead worsens during pregnancy. Thus, the directionality of the observed changes is in line with the previously observed effect of pregnancy on disease activity. Our systems medicine approach supports the importance of the methylome in immune regulation of T-cells during pregnancy. Our findings highlight the relevance of using pregnancy as a model for understanding and identifying disease-related mechanisms involved in the modulation of autoimmune diseases.Abbreviations: BMIQ: beta-mixture quantile dilation; DMGs: differentially methylated genes; DMPs: differentially methylated probes; FE: fold enrichment; FDR: false discovery rate; GO: gene ontology; GWAS: genome-wide association studies; MDS: multidimensional scaling; MS: multiple sclerosis; PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells; PBS: phosphate buffered saline; PPI; protein-protein interaction; RA: rheumatoid arthritis; SD: standard deviation; SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus; SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism; TH: CD4+ T helper cell; VIStA: diVIsive Shuffling Approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejaswi V Badam
- Bioinformatics Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,School of Bioscience, Skövde University, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Sandra Hellberg
- Bioinformatics Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ratnesh B Mehta
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jeannette Lechner-Scott
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.,Centre for Brain and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.,Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, Australia
| | - Rodney A Lea
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.,Centre for Brain and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovations, Genomics Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia
| | - Jorg Tost
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Environment, Centre National De Recherche En Génomique Humaine, CEA-Institut De Biologie Francois Jacob, Evry, France
| | - Xavier Mariette
- Université Paris-Saclay, AP-HP-Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital Bicêtre, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) U1184, Center for Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases, France
| | - Judit Svensson-Arvelund
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Colm E Nestor
- The Centre for Individualized Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mikael Benson
- The Centre for Individualized Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Göran Berg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria C Jenmalm
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mika Gustafsson
- Bioinformatics Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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19
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Nguyen AL, Vodehnalova K, Kalincik T, Signori A, Havrdova EK, Lechner-Scott J, Skibina OG, Eastaugh A, Taylor L, Baker J, McGuinn N, Rath L, Maltby V, Sormani MP, Butzkueven H, Van der Walt A, Horakova D, Jokubaitis VG. Association of Pregnancy With the Onset of Clinically Isolated Syndrome. JAMA Neurol 2021; 77:1496-1503. [PMID: 32926074 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.3324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Importance Multiple sclerosis (MS) is usually diagnosed in women during their childbearing years. Currently, no consensus exists on whether pregnancy can delay the first episode of demyelination or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Objective To investigate the association of pregnancy with time to CIS onset. Design, Setting, and Participants This multicenter cohort study collected reproductive history (duration of each pregnancy, date of delivery, length of breastfeeding) on all participants between September 1, 2016, and June 25, 2019. Adult women being treated at the MS outpatient clinics of 4 tertiary hospitals in 2 countries (Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic; Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia; Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia; and John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, Australia) were recruited to participate in the study. Preexisting data (date of CIS onset, date of birth, sex, date of clinical onset, and Expanded Disability Status Scale result) were collected from MSBase, an international registry of long-term prospectively collected data on patients with MS. Data analyses were performed from June 1, 2019, to February 3, 2020. Exposures Gravida (defined as any pregnancy, including pregnancy that ended in miscarriage and induced abortion) and parity (defined as childbirth after gestational age of more than 20 weeks, including livebirth and stillbirth) before CIS onset. Main Outcomes and Measures Time to CIS onset. The following were assessed: (1) whether women with previous pregnancies and childbirths had a delayed onset of CIS compared with those who had never been pregnant and those who had never given birth, and (2) whether a dose response existed, whereby a higher number of gravidity and parity was associated with a later onset of CIS. Results Of the 2557 women included in the study, the mean (SD) age at CIS onset was 31.5 (9.7) years. Of these women, before CIS onset, 1188 (46%) had at least 1 pregnancy and 1100 (43%) had at least 1 childbirth. The mean (SD) age at first pregnancy was 23.3 (4.5) years and at first childbirth was 23.8 (4.5) years. Women with previous pregnancies and childbirths had a later onset of CIS compared with those who had never been pregnant (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.62-0.75; P < .001), with a median delay of 3.3 (95% CI, 2.5-4.1) years. Women who had given birth also had a later CIS onset compared with women who had never given birth (HR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.61-0.75; P < .001), with a similar median delay of 3.4 (95% CI, 1.6-5.2) years. A higher gravidity and parity number was not associated with delay in CIS onset. Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests an association between previous pregnancies and childbirths and timing of CIS onset, but having more pregnancies or childbirths did not appear to be associated with a later CIS onset. Further studies are needed to help explain the mechanisms behind the associations between pregnancy and onset of multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Lan Nguyen
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,CORe, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karolina Vodehnalova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Kalincik
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,CORe, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alessio Signori
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Biostatistics Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Eva Kubala Havrdova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jeannette Lechner-Scott
- Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Brain and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Olga G Skibina
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alana Eastaugh
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Josephine Baker
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicola McGuinn
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise Rath
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vicki Maltby
- Department of Neurology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Brain and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maria Pia Sormani
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), Biostatistics Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anneke Van der Walt
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dana Horakova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vilija G Jokubaitis
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Arshad SH, Patil V, Mitchell F, Potter S, Zhang H, Ewart S, Mansfield L, Venter C, Holloway JW, Karmaus WJ. Cohort Profile Update: The Isle of Wight Whole Population Birth Cohort (IOWBC). Int J Epidemiol 2021; 49:1083-1084. [PMID: 32637984 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S Hasan Arshad
- David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight, St. Mary's Hospital, Newport, UK.,Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Veeresh Patil
- David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight, St. Mary's Hospital, Newport, UK
| | - Frances Mitchell
- David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight, St. Mary's Hospital, Newport, UK
| | - Stephen Potter
- David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight, St. Mary's Hospital, Newport, UK
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Susan Ewart
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Linda Mansfield
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Carina Venter
- Section of Allergy and Immunology, University of Colorado, Children Hospital Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Wilfried J Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
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21
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De Queiroz Andrade E, Gomes GMC, Collison A, Grehan J, Murphy VE, Gibson P, Mattes J, Karmaus W. Variation of DNA Methylation in Newborns Associated with Exhaled Carbon Monoxide during Pregnancy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:1597. [PMID: 33567599 PMCID: PMC7915220 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Fetal exposure to tobacco smoke is an adverse risk factor for newborns. A plausible mechanism of how this exposure may negatively impact long term health is differential methylation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNAm) and its relation to birth weight. We examined whether self-reported gestational smoking status and maternal exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) during early pregnancy were associated with methylation of cytosine by guanines (CpG) sites that themselves predicted birth weight. We focused first on CpGs associated with maternal smoking, and secondly, among these, on CpGs related to birth weight found in another cohort. Then in 94 newborns from the Breathing for Life Trial (BLT) DNAm levels in cord blood were determined using Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip measuring >850K CpGs. We regressed CpGs on eCO and tested via mediation analysis whether CpGs link eCO to birth weight. Nine smoking related CpG sites were significantly associated with birth weight. Among these nine CpGs the methylation of cg02264407 on the LMO7 gene was statistically significant and linked with eCO measurements. eCO greater than six ppm showed a 2.3% decrease in infant DNAm (p = 0.035) on the LMO7 gene. A 1% decrease in methylation at this site resulted in decreased birth weight by 44.8 g (p = 0.003). None of the nine CpGs tested was associated with self-reported smoking. This is the first study to report potential mediation of DNA methylation, linking eCO measurements during early pregnancy with birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ediane De Queiroz Andrade
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Gabriela Martins Costa Gomes
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Adam Collison
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Jane Grehan
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Vanessa E. Murphy
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Peter Gibson
- Priority Research Centre Healthy Lungs, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia;
- Respiratory & Sleep Medicine Department, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Joerg Mattes
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia; (E.D.Q.A.); (G.M.C.G.); (J.G.); (V.E.M.); (J.M.)
- Priority Research Centre GrowUpWell, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
- Paediatric Respiratory & Sleep Medicine Department, John Hunter Children’s Hospital, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Wilfried Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health Science, School of Public Health, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
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22
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Ivanova E, Le Guillou S, Hue-Beauvais C, Le Provost F. Epigenetics: New Insights into Mammary Gland Biology. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020231. [PMID: 33562534 PMCID: PMC7914701 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammary gland undergoes important anatomical and physiological changes from embryogenesis through puberty, pregnancy, lactation and involution. These steps are under the control of a complex network of molecular factors, in which epigenetic mechanisms play a role that is increasingly well described. Recently, studies investigating epigenetic modifications and their impacts on gene expression in the mammary gland have been performed at different physiological stages and in different mammary cell types. This has led to the establishment of a role for epigenetic marks in milk component biosynthesis. This review aims to summarize the available knowledge regarding the involvement of the four main molecular mechanisms in epigenetics: DNA methylation, histone modifications, polycomb protein activity and non-coding RNA functions.
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23
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Shepherd R, Cheung AS, Pang K, Saffery R, Novakovic B. Sexual Dimorphism in Innate Immunity: The Role of Sex Hormones and Epigenetics. Front Immunol 2021; 11:604000. [PMID: 33584674 PMCID: PMC7873844 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.604000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism refers to differences between biological sexes that extend beyond sexual characteristics. In humans, sexual dimorphism in the immune response has been well demonstrated, with females exhibiting lower infection rates than males for a variety of bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens. There is also a substantially increased incidence of autoimmune disease in females compared to males. Together, these trends indicate that females have a heightened immune reactogenicity to both self and non-self-molecular patterns. However, the molecular mechanisms driving the sexually dimorphic immune response are not fully understood. The female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, as well as the male androgens, such as testosterone, elicit direct effects on the function and inflammatory capacity of immune cells. Several studies have identified a sex-specific transcriptome and methylome, independent of the well-described phenomenon of X-chromosome inactivation, suggesting that sexual dimorphism also occurs at the epigenetic level. Moreover, distinct alterations to the transcriptome and epigenetic landscape occur in synchrony with periods of hormonal change, such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and exogenous hormone therapy. These changes are also mirrored by changes in immune cell function. This review will outline the evidence for sex hormones and pregnancy-associated hormones as drivers of epigenetic change, and how this may contribute to the sexual dimorphism. Determining the effects of sex hormones on innate immune function is important for understanding sexually dimorphic autoimmune diseases, sex-specific responses to pathogens and vaccines, and how innate immunity is altered during periods of hormonal change (endogenous or exogenous).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Shepherd
- Epigenetics Group, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ada S. Cheung
- Department of Medicine (Austin Health), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Ken Pang
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Inflammation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Adolescent Medicine, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Epigenetics Group, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Boris Novakovic
- Epigenetics Group, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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24
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Maternal DNA Methylation During Pregnancy: a Review. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:2758-2769. [PMID: 33469876 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00456-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Multiple environmental, behavioral, and hereditary factors affect pregnancy. Recent studies suggest that epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), affect both maternal and fetal health during the period of gestation. Some of the pregnancy-related risk factors can influence maternal DNAm, thus predisposing both the mother and the neonate to clinical adversities with long-lasting consequences. DNAm alterations in the promoter and enhancer regions modulate gene expression changes which play vital physiological role. In this review, we have discussed the recent advances in our understanding of maternal DNA methylation changes during pregnancy and its associated complications such as gestational diabetes and anemia, adverse pregnancy outcomes like preterm birth, and preeclampsia. We have also highlighted some major gaps and limitations in the area which if addressed might improve our understanding of pregnancy and its associated adverse clinical conditions, ultimately leading to healthy pregnancies and reduction of public health burden.
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25
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Mallisetty Y, Mukherjee N, Jiang Y, Chen S, Ewart S, Arshad SH, Holloway JW, Zhang H, Karmaus W. Epigenome-Wide Association of Infant Feeding and Changes in DNA Methylation from Birth to 10 Years. Nutrients 2020; 13:E99. [PMID: 33396735 PMCID: PMC7824231 DOI: 10.3390/nu13010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic factors have been suggested as mediators of early-life nutrition to future health. Prior studies focused on breastfeeding effects on DNA methylation (DNAm), ignoring other feeding modes. In this analysis of the Isle of Wight birth cohort, feeding modes were categorized as exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), exclusive formula feeding (EFF), and mixed feeding based on whether the respective feeding mode lasted for at least 3 months. In addition, in the past, infant feeding modes were assessed using DNAm at one time point in childhood, not changes of DNAm. In this paper, methylation differences (delta DNAm) were calculated by subtracting residual methylation values at birth from age 10 years (adjusting for cell types and season of blood collection at both ages). These deltas were estimated for all methylation sites where cytosine was followed by guanine (cytosine guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites). Then, we performed an epigenome-wide association study contrasting EBF, EFF, and mixed feeding with delta DNAm that represents changes in methylation from birth to 10 years. A total of 87 CpGs (EBF: 27 CpGs, EFF: 48 CpGs, mixed: 12 CpGs) were identified using separate linear regression models adjusting for confounders and multiple testing. The sum of all changes in methylation from birth to age 10 years was significantly lower in the EFF group. Correspondingly, the number of CpGs with a methylation decline was 4.7% higher reflecting 13,683 CpGs. Lower methylation related to exclusive formula feeding and its adverse potential for the child's development needs future research to reduce adverse health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamini Mallisetty
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; (Y.M.); (N.M.); (Y.J.); (H.Z.)
| | - Nandini Mukherjee
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; (Y.M.); (N.M.); (Y.J.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yu Jiang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; (Y.M.); (N.M.); (Y.J.); (H.Z.)
| | - Su Chen
- Department of Mathematical Science, University of Memphis, Dunn Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA;
| | - Susan Ewart
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - S. Hasan Arshad
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (S.H.A.); (J.W.H.)
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight PO30 5TG, UK
| | - John W. Holloway
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (S.H.A.); (J.W.H.)
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; (Y.M.); (N.M.); (Y.J.); (H.Z.)
| | - Wilfried Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Robison Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; (Y.M.); (N.M.); (Y.J.); (H.Z.)
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26
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Verlinden I, Güiza F, Derese I, Wouters PJ, Joosten K, Verbruggen SC, Van den Berghe G, Vanhorebeek I. Time course of altered DNA methylation evoked by critical illness and by early administration of parenteral nutrition in the paediatric ICU. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:155. [PMID: 33081814 PMCID: PMC7576729 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00947-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A genome-wide study identified de novo DNA methylation alterations in leukocytes of children at paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) discharge, offering a biological basis for their impaired long-term development. Early parenteral nutrition (early-PN) in PICU, compared with omitting PN in the first week (late-PN), explained differential methylation of 23% of the affected CpG-sites. We documented the time course of altered DNA methylation in PICU and the impact hereon of early nutritional management. RESULTS We selected 36 early-PN and 36 late-PN matched patients, and 42 matched healthy children. We quantified DNA methylation on days 3, 5 and 7 for the 147 CpG-sites of which methylation was normal upon PICU admission in this subset and altered by critical illness at PICU discharge. Methylation in patients differed from healthy children for 64.6% of the 147 CpG-sites on day 3, for 72.8% on day 5 and for 90.5% on day 7 as revealed by ANOVA at each time point. Within-patients methylation time course analyses for each CpG-site identified different patterns based on paired t test p value and direction of change. Rapid demethylation from admission to day 3 occurred for 76.2% of the CpG-sites, of which 67.9% remained equally demethylated or partially remethylated and 32.1% further demethylated beyond day 3. From admission to day 3, 19.7% of the CpG-sites became hypermethylated, of which, beyond day 3, 34.5% remained equally hypermethylated or partially demethylated again and 65.5% further hypermethylated. For 4.1% of the CpG-sites, changes only appeared beyond day 3. Finally, for the CpG-sites affected by early-PN on the last PICU day, earlier changes in DNA methylation were compared for early-PN and late-PN patients, revealing that 38.9% were already differentially methylated by day 3, another 25.0% by day 5 and another 13.9% by day 7. CONCLUSIONS Critical illness- and early-PN-induced changes in DNA methylation occurred mainly within 3 days. Most abnormalities were at least partially maintained or got worse with longer time in PICU. Interventions targeting aberrant DNA methylation changes should be initiated early.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Verlinden
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabian Güiza
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Inge Derese
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter J Wouters
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Joosten
- Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery, Erasmus Medical Centre, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sascha C Verbruggen
- Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery, Erasmus Medical Centre, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Greet Van den Berghe
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Vanhorebeek
- Clinical Division and Laboratory of Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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27
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Roque-Jiménez JA, Mendoza-Martínez GD, Vázquez-Valladolid A, Guerrero-González MDLL, Flores-Ramírez R, Pinos-Rodriguez JM, Loor JJ, Relling AE, Lee-Rangel HA. Supplemental Herbal Choline Increases 5-hmC DNA on Whole Blood from Pregnant Ewes and Offspring. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081277. [PMID: 32727060 PMCID: PMC7460248 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary DNA hydroxymethylation (5-hmC) is an epigenetic mechanism that modifies the five positions of cytosine through the addition of a hydroxymethyl group to DNA. In the last decade, the use of herbal products, marketed as dietary supplements or “nutraceuticals” in some countries, has increased rapidly; however, there is a lack of evidence on the extent to which formulas used during pregnancy cause epigenetic changes in the fetus. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of supplementing an herbal choline source (BCho) on 5-hmC DNA in whole blood from gestating ewes and their offspring. Such data would provide evidence of nutritional programming effects. Abstract Herbal formulas during pregnancy have been used in developing countries. Despite that, the potential effects on the mother and offspring and whether those supplements elicit epigenetic modifications is still unknown. Therefore, our objectives were to determine the effects of supplemental herbal choline source (BCho) on the percentage of 5-hmC in whole blood from gestating ewes and their offspring, as well as determining the milk quality and growth of the offspring. Thirty-five gestating Rambouillet ewes were randomly assigned to five treatments: T1, supplementation of 4 g per day (gd−1) of BCho during the first third of gestation; T2, supplementation of 4 gd−1 of BCho during the second third of gestation; T3, supplementation of 4 gd−1 of BCho during the last third of gestation; T4, supplementation of 4 gd−1 of BCho throughout gestation; and T5, no BCho supplementation (control). For the 5-hmC DNA analysis, whole blood from ewes was sampled before pregnancy and at each third of gestation (50 days). Whole blood from lambs was sampled five weeks after birth. The evaluation of the nutritional programming effects was conducted through the percentages of 5-hmC in the lambs. Compared with other treatments, the whole blood from ewes supplemented during T1 and T4 had the greatest 5-hmC percentages (p < 0.05). However, only ewes fed BCho throughout gestation (T4) maintained the greatest percentages of 5-hmC (p < 0.05). The lamb growth performance indicated that the BCho maternal supplementation did not affect the nutritional programming. However, the lambs born from ewes supplemented during T2 had the greatest 5-hmC percentages (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that ewes supplemented during T4 with BCho increase and maintain the percentages of 5-hmC in whole blood, and the offspring born from ewes supplemented with BCho during T2 maintained the greatest percentages of 5-hmC 35 d after they were born.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Alejandro Roque-Jiménez
- Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, Carretera Federal 57 Km 14.5, Ejido Palma de la Cruz, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San Luis Potosí 78321, Mexico; (J.A.R.-J.); (A.V.-V.); (M.d.l.L.G.-G.)
| | | | - Anayeli Vázquez-Valladolid
- Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, Carretera Federal 57 Km 14.5, Ejido Palma de la Cruz, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San Luis Potosí 78321, Mexico; (J.A.R.-J.); (A.V.-V.); (M.d.l.L.G.-G.)
| | - María de la Luz Guerrero-González
- Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, Carretera Federal 57 Km 14.5, Ejido Palma de la Cruz, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San Luis Potosí 78321, Mexico; (J.A.R.-J.); (A.V.-V.); (M.d.l.L.G.-G.)
| | - Rogelio Flores-Ramírez
- Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud, CIACYT—Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, Lomas de San Luis 78210, Mexico;
| | | | - Juan J. Loor
- Department of Animal Sciences, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, 262 Animal Sciences Laboratory, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
| | - Alejandro Enrique Relling
- Department of Animal Science, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Wooster, OH 44691, USA;
| | - Héctor Aarón Lee-Rangel
- Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosí, Carretera Federal 57 Km 14.5, Ejido Palma de la Cruz, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San Luis Potosí 78321, Mexico; (J.A.R.-J.); (A.V.-V.); (M.d.l.L.G.-G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-444-852-4056
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