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Migliore L, Nicolì V, Stoccoro A. Gender Specific Differences in Disease Susceptibility: The Role of Epigenetics. Biomedicines 2021; 9:652. [PMID: 34200989 PMCID: PMC8228628 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many complex traits or diseases, such as infectious and autoimmune diseases, cancer, xenobiotics exposure, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the outcome of vaccination, show a differential susceptibility between males and females. In general, the female immune system responds more efficiently to pathogens. However, this can lead to over-reactive immune responses, which may explain the higher presence of autoimmune diseases in women, but also potentially the more adverse effects of vaccination in females compared with in males. Many clinical and epidemiological studies reported, for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gender-biased differential response; however, the majority of reports dealt with a comparable morbidity, with males, however, showing higher COVID-19 adverse outcomes. Although gender differences in immune responses have been studied predominantly within the context of sex hormone effects, some other mechanisms have been invoked: cellular mosaicism, skewed X chromosome inactivation, genes escaping X chromosome inactivation, and miRNAs encoded on the X chromosome. The hormonal hypothesis as well as other mechanisms will be examined and discussed in the light of the most recent epigenetic findings in the field, as the concept that epigenetics is the unifying mechanism in explaining gender-specific differences is increasingly emerging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Migliore
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Nicolì
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
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Modelling maternal and perinatal risk factors to predict poorly controlled childhood asthma. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252215. [PMID: 34043705 PMCID: PMC8158992 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma is the most common non-communicable pulmonary condition, affecting prepubertal boys more often than girls. This study explored how maternal and perinatal risk factors are linked to poorly controlled childhood asthma in a sex dependent manner. This single centre study was performed at a metropolitan teaching hospital in Western Sydney, Australia, using electronical obstetric records from 2000 to 2017 and electronical pediatric records from 2007 to 2018. The data of 1694 children with complete entries were retrospectively analysed. Risk factors for multiple hospital admission for asthma were selected by backward-eliminated Poisson regression modelling. Selection stability of these parameters was independently confirmed using approximated exhaustive search. Sex-specific regression models indicated that most notably parity (RR[95%CI] for parity = 3; 1.85[1.22-2.81]), birth length z-score (1.45[1.23-1.70]) and birth weight z-score (0.77[0.65-0.90]) contributed to multiple asthma admissions in girls, while boys were affected most prominently by maternal BMI (e.g. BMI 35-39.9; 1.92[1.38-2.67]) and threatened preterm labor (1.68[1.10-2.58]). Allergic status was a risk factors for both boys and girls (1.47[1.18-1.83] and 1.46[1.13-1.89]). Applying ROC analysis, the predictive modelling of risk factors for hospital admissions showed an incremental increase with an AUC of 0.84 and 0.75 for girls and boys respectively for >3 hospital admissions. Multiple hospital admissions for asthma are associated with maternal and perinatal risk factors in a sex and birth order dependent manner. Hence, prospective risk stratification studies aiming to improve childhood asthma control are warranted to test the clinical utility of these parameters. Furthermore, the influence of the early in utero environment on male-female differences in other communicable and non-communicable respiratory conditions should be considered.
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Association between mercury in cord serum and sex-specific DNA methylation in cord tissues. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2020; 12:124-131. [PMID: 32241331 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420000161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to mercury in utero causes abnormal foetal growth and adverse outcomes. DNA methylation is currently considered a possible mechanism through which this occurs. However, few studies have investigated the association between prenatal exposure to mercury and DNA methylation in detail. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between prenatal exposure to total mercury (Hg) and DNA methylation and its associations with sex-specific characteristics in male and female offspring. In a birth cohort study known as the Chiba study of Mother and Child Health, the DNA methylation status in cord tissue and Hg concentrations in cord serum were examined. A total of 67 participants (27 males and 40 females) were analysed based on Spearman's correlations, adjusted by a false discovery rate of the sex of each offspring. Only one methylated locus was positively correlated with Hg concentrations in cord serum in male offspring, but not in female offspring, and was annotated to the haloacid dehalogenase-like hydrolase domain-containing protein 1 (HDHD1) gene on chromosome X. This locus was located in the intron of the HDHD1 gene body and is a binding site for the zinc finger protein CCCTC-binding factor. One of the other loci, located in HDHD1, was highly methylated in the group with higher mercury concentrations, and this locus was in the gene body of HDHD1. Our results suggest that prenatal exposure to Hg might affect the epigenetic status of male foetuses.
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Update on Osaka University Twin Registry: An Overview of Multidisciplinary Research Resources and Biobank at Osaka University Center for Twin Research. Twin Res Hum Genet 2020; 22:597-601. [PMID: 31910931 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2019.70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The Osaka University Twin Registry was originally established as a registry of older twins but was subsequently expanded to include twins of all ages. The Center for Twin Research at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine has been managing this registry, as well as collecting research information and bioresources from twin participants. Based on the resources, multidisciplinary research projects have been conducted in collaboration with researchers from institutions both inside and outside Japan. One of the main aims of the center is to collect research information as well as biological resources from registered twins, and to establish a biobank and databases of these data and bioresources. Although data availability may vary, the following data have been collected: physical data (e.g., height, body weight, blood pressure, theoretical visceral fat, pulse wave velocity and bone density); epidemiological data (e.g., medical history, lifestyle, quality of life, mood status, cognitive function and nutritional status); electrocardiography, ultrasonography (carotid artery and thyroid); dentistry, dermatological assessment; positron emission tomography; magnetoencephalographam; brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and functional MRI. In addition to these in-person survey data, microbiome data have been collected from some participants. As for bioresources, peripheral blood is obtained from the participants for isolation of serum and extraction of DNA and RNA, then stored in deep freezers for further analyses. A variety of research projects are in progress and more are on the way both in Japan and internationally using these data.
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Dasinger JH, Alsheikh AJ, Abais-Battad JM, Pan X, Fehrenbach DJ, Lund H, Roberts ML, Cowley AW, Kidambi S, Kotchen TA, Liu P, Liang M, Mattson DL. Epigenetic Modifications in T Cells: The Role of DNA Methylation in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension. Hypertension 2019; 75:372-382. [PMID: 31838911 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.13716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The SS (Dahl salt sensitive) rat is an established model of hypertension and renal damage that is accompanied with immune system activation in response to a high-salt diet. Investigations into the effects of sodium-independent and dependent components of the diet were shown to affect the disease phenotype with SS/MCW (JrHsdMcwi) rats maintained on a purified diet (AIN-76A) presenting with a more severe phenotype relative to grain-fed SS/CRL (JrHsdMcwiCrl) rats. Since contributions of the immune system, environment, and diet are documented to alter this phenotype, this present study examined the epigenetic profile of T cells isolated from the periphery and the kidney from these colonies. T cells isolated from kidneys of the 2 colonies revealed that transcriptomic and functional differences may contribute to the susceptibility of hypertension and renal damage. In response to high-salt challenge, the methylome of T cells isolated from the kidney of SS/MCW exhibit a significant increase in differentially methylated regions with a preference for hypermethylation compared with the SS/CRL kidney T cells. Circulating T cells exhibited similar methylation profiles between colonies. Utilizing transcriptomic data from T cells isolated from the same animals upon which the DNA methylation analysis was performed, a predominant negative correlation was observed between gene expression and DNA methylation in all groups. Lastly, inhibition of DNA methyltransferases blunted salt-induced hypertension and renal damage in the SS/MCW rats providing a functional role for methylation. This study demonstrated the influence of epigenetic modifications to immune cell function, highlighting the need for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Henry Dasinger
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ammar J Alsheikh
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Justine M Abais-Battad
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Xiaoqing Pan
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel J Fehrenbach
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hayley Lund
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michelle L Roberts
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Allen W Cowley
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Srividya Kidambi
- Medicine (S.K., T.A.K.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Theodore A Kotchen
- Medicine (S.K., T.A.K.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Pengyuan Liu
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mingyu Liang
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David L Mattson
- From the Departments of Physiology (J.H.D., A.J.A., J.M.A.-B., X.P., D.J.F., H.L., M.L.R., A.W.C., P.L., M.L., D.L.M.), Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Oide S, Kuwata T, Wang L, Imai K, Chikazawa K, Takagi K. Placental mesenchymal dysplasia with a good outcome: A case report. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2019; 45:2284-2288. [PMID: 31448853 DOI: 10.1111/jog.14095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD), characterized by an enlarged and thickened placenta with multiple hypoechoic cystic spaces, frequently leads to a poor infantile/fetal outcome. Here, we describe a case of PMD involving an infant delivered at term with a good outcome. The fetus was male, and the proportion of the PMD lesion to the entire placenta remained constant: the PMD lesion did not enlarge. Given what is known about the pathogenesis of PMD with its association with vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) encoded by an X-linked gene and androgenetic/biparental mosaicism, which is consistent with female dominancy and a poor outcome, we suggest that a male sex of the fetus and non-progressing PMD may have been associated with this good outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiho Oide
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Kuwata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Liangcheng Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Ken Imai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kenro Chikazawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Takagi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
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Chu SH, Loucks EB, Kelsey KT, Gilman SE, Agha G, Eaton CB, Buka SL, Huang YT. Sex-specific epigenetic mediators between early life social disadvantage and adulthood BMI. Epigenomics 2018; 10:707-722. [PMID: 29888956 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2017-0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM The objective of this study was to identify potential epigenetic mediating pathways linking early life social disadvantage (ELSD) to adulthood BMI. METHODS Sex-specific epigenome-wide two-stage mediation analyses were conducted in blood and adipose tissue, and mediation estimates were obtained using cross-product mediation analysis. Pathway analyses were conducted using GREAT software (Bejerano Lab, CA, USA). RESULTS Candidate mediation CpG sites were identified in adipose tissue, but not blood, and were sex-specific. Significant mediation sites in females included CpG loci in genes: PKHG1, BCAR3, ADAM5P, PIEZO1, FGFRL1, FASN and DPP9, among others. Pathway analyses revealed evidence of enrichment for processes associated with TFG-β signaling and immunologic signatures. In males, significant mediation loci included sites in MAP3K5 and RPTOR, which have previously been associated with adipogenesis, inflammation and insulin resistance. CONCLUSION Our findings provide supportive evidence for the mediating role of epigenetic mechanisms in the effect of early life social disadvantage on adulthood BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su H Chu
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Eric B Loucks
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Karl T Kelsey
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Stephen E Gilman
- Health Behavior Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.,Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Golareh Agha
- Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Charles B Eaton
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Department of Family Medicine, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Stephen L Buka
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Yen-Tsung Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
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Liu S, Chen X, Chen R, Wang J, Zhu G, Jiang J, Wang H, Duan S, Huang J. Diagnostic role of Wnt pathway gene promoter methylation in non small cell lung cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 8:36354-36367. [PMID: 28422739 PMCID: PMC5482660 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signal pathway genes are known to be involved with cancer development. Here we tested the hypothesis whether DNA methylation of genes part of the Wnt signaling pathway could help the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The methylation levels of SFRP1, SFRP2, WIF1 and PRKCB in 111 NSCLC patients were evaluated by quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP). Promoter methylation levels of four candidate genes were significantly higher in tumor tissues compared with the adjacent tissues. SFRP1, SFRP2 and PRKCB genes were all shown to be good predictors of NSCLC risk (SFRP1: AUC = 0.711; SFRP2: AUC = 0.631; PRKCB: AUC = 0.650). The combined analysis showed that the methylation status of the four genes had a sensitivity of 70.3% and a specificity of 73.9% in the prediction of NSCLC risk for study cohort. A higher diagnostic value with an AUC of 0.945 (95% CI: 0.923–0.967, sensitivity: 90.6%, specificity: 93.0%) was found in TCGA cohort. In addition, SFRP1 and SFRP2 hypermethylation events were specific to male patients. Further TCGA data mining analysis suggested that SFRP1_cg15839448, SFRP2_cg05774801, and WIF1_cg21383810 were inversely associated with the host gene expression. Moreover, GEO database analysis showed that 5′-Aza-deoxycytidine was able to upregulate gene expression in several lung cancer cell lines. Subsequent dual-luciferase reporter assay showed a crucial regulatory function of PRKCB promoter. In summary, our study showed that a panel of Wnt signal pathway genes (SFRP1, SFRP2, WIF1 and PRKCB) had the potential as methylation biomarkers in the diagnosis of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunlin Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China
| | - Xiaoying Chen
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Ruhua Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, China
| | - Jinzhi Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215007, China
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Huzhou First People's Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, China
| | - Jianzhong Jiang
- Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214200, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- Realgen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Zhangjiang High Technology Park, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Jianan Huang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China
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Crime investigation through DNA methylation analysis: methods and applications in forensics. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1186/s41935-018-0042-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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