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Shitara Y, Konno R, Yoshihara M, Kashima K, Ito A, Mukai T, Kimoto G, Kakiuchi S, Ishikawa M, Kakihara T, Nagamatsu T, Takahashi N, Fujishiro J, Kawakami E, Ohara O, Kawashima Y, Watanabe E. Host-derived protein profiles of human neonatal meconium across gestational ages. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5543. [PMID: 39019879 PMCID: PMC11255260 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49805-w] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Meconium, a non-invasive biomaterial reflecting prenatal substance accumulation, could provide valuable insights into neonatal health. However, the comprehensive protein profile of meconium across gestational ages remains unclear. Here, we conducted an extensive proteomic analysis of first meconium from 259 newborns across varied gestational ages to delineate protein composition and elucidate its relevance to neonatal diseases. The first meconium samples were collected, with the majority obtained before feeding, and the mean time for the first meconium passage from the anus was 11.9 ± 9.47 h. Our analysis revealed 5370 host-derived meconium proteins, which varied depending on sex and gestational age. Specifically, meconium from preterm infants exhibited elevated concentrations of proteins associated with the extracellular matrix. Additionally, the protein profiles of meconium also exhibited unique variations depending on both specific diseases, including gastrointestinal diseases, congenital heart diseases, and maternal conditions. Furthermore, we developed a machine learning model to predict gestational ages using meconium proteins. Our model suggests that newborns with gastrointestinal diseases and congenital heart diseases may have immature gastrointestinal systems. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between clinical parameters and meconium protein composition, offering potential for a novel approach to assess neonatal gastrointestinal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Shitara
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Konno
- Department of Applied Genomics, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masahito Yoshihara
- Institute for Advanced Academic Research (IAAR), Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine (WPI-PRIMe), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kohei Kashima
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ito
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Mukai
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Goh Kimoto
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satsuki Kakiuchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Ishikawa
- Department of Applied Genomics, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tomo Kakihara
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nagamatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Chiba, Japan
| | - Naoto Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Fujishiro
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiryo Kawakami
- Institute for Advanced Academic Research (IAAR), Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Advanced Data Science Project, RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters, RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Osamu Ohara
- Department of Applied Genomics, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kawashima
- Department of Applied Genomics, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Eiichiro Watanabe
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Surgery, Gunma Children's Medical Center, Gunma, Japan.
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Zheng X, Wang Q, Xu X, Huang X, Chen J, Huo X. Associations of insulin sensitivity and immune inflammatory responses with child blood lead (Pb) and PM 2.5 exposure at an e-waste recycling area during the COVID-19 lockdown. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:296. [PMID: 38980420 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02066-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Fine particular matter (PM2.5) and lead (Pb) exposure can induce insulin resistance, elevating the likelihood of diabetes onset. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. Consequently, we assessed the association of PM2.5 and Pb exposure with insulin resistance and inflammation biomarkers in children. A total of 235 children aged 3-7 years in a kindergarten in e-waste recycling areas were enrolled before and during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. Daily PM2.5 data was collected and used to calculate the individual PM2.5 daily exposure dose (DED-PM2.5). Concentrations of whole blood Pb, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in serum were measured. Compared with that before COVID-19, the COVID-19 lockdown group had lower DED-PM2.5 and blood Pb, higher serum HMGB1, and lower blood glucose and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Decreased DED-PM2.5 and blood Pb levels were linked to decreased levels of fasting blood glucose and increased serum HMGB1 in all children. Increased serum HMGB1 levels were linked to reduced levels of blood glucose and HOMA-IR. Due to the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, e-waste dismantling activities and exposure levels of PM2.5 and Pb declined, which probably reduced the association of PM2.5 and Pb on insulin sensitivity and diabetes risk, but a high level of risk of chronic low-grade inflammation remained. Our findings add new evidence for the associations among PM2.5 and Pb exposure, systemic inflammation and insulin resistance, which could be a possible explanation for diabetes related to environmental exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangbin Zheng
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511443, Guangdong, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Shantou Central Hospital, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Qihua Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511443, Guangdong, China
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Xijin Xu
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaofan Huang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Shantou Central Hospital, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiaxue Chen
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China
| | - Xia Huo
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511443, Guangdong, China.
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Qadir MMF, Elgamal RM, Song K, Kudtarkar P, Sakamuri SS, Katakam PV, El-Dahr SS, Kolls JK, Gaulton KJ, Mauvais-Jarvis F. Single cell regulatory architecture of human pancreatic islets suggests sex differences in β cell function and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4607352. [PMID: 39011095 PMCID: PMC11247939 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4607352/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Type 2 and type 1 diabetes (T2D, T1D) exhibit sex differences in insulin secretion, the mechanisms of which are unknown. We examined sex differences in human pancreatic islets from 52 donors with and without T2D combining single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), single nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (snATAC-seq), hormone secretion, and bioenergetics. In nondiabetic (ND) donors, sex differences in islet cells gene accessibility and expression predominantly involved sex chromosomes. Islets from T2D donors exhibited similar sex differences in sex chromosomes differentially expressed genes (DEGs), but also exhibited sex differences in autosomal genes. Comparing β cells from T2D vs. ND donors, gene enrichment of female β cells showed suppression in mitochondrial respiration, while male β cells exhibited suppressed insulin secretion. Thus, although sex differences in gene accessibility and expression of ND β cells predominantly affect sex chromosomes, the transition to T2D reveals sex differences in autosomes highlighting mitochondrial failure in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirza Muhammad Fahd Qadir
- Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Tulane Center of Excellence in Sex-Based Biology & Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ruth M. Elgamal
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Keijing Song
- Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Parul Kudtarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Siva S.V.P Sakamuri
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Prasad V. Katakam
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Samir S. El-Dahr
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jay K. Kolls
- Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kyle J. Gaulton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Franck Mauvais-Jarvis
- Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Tulane Center of Excellence in Sex-Based Biology & Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Ji Z, Xing Y, Li J, Feng X, Yang F, Zhu B, Yan J. Male-specific age prediction based on Y-chromosome DNA methylation with blood using pyrosequencing. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2024; 71:103050. [PMID: 38703560 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2024.103050] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Age prediction is an important aspect of forensic science that offers valuable insight into identification. In recent years, extensive studies have been conducted on age prediction based on DNA methylation, and numerous studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation is a reliable biomarker for age prediction. However, almost all studies on age prediction based on DNA methylation have focused on age-related CpG sites in autosomes, which are concentrated on single-source DNA samples. Mixed samples, especially male-female mixed samples, are common in forensic casework. The application of Y-STRs and Y-SNPs can provide clues for the genetic typing of male individuals in male-female mixtures, but they cannot provide the age information of male individuals. Studies on Y-chromosome DNA methylation can address this issue. In this study, we identified five age-related CpG sites on the Y chromosome (Y-CpGs) and developed a male-specific age prediction model using pyrosequencing combined with a support vector machine algorithm. The mean absolute deviation of the model was 5.50 years in the training set and 6.74 years in the testing set. When we used a male blood sample to predict age, the deviation between the predicted and chronological age was 1.18 years. Then, we mixed the genomic DNA of the male and a female at ratios of 1:1, 1:5, 1:10, and 1:50, the range of deviation between the predicted and chronological age of the male in the mixture was 1.16-1.74 years. In addition, there was no significant difference between the methylation values of bloodstains and blood in the same sample, which indicates that our model is also suitable for bloodstain samples. Overall, our results show that age prediction using DNA methylation of the Y chromosome has potential applications in forensic science and can be of great help in predicting the age of males in male-female mixtures. Furthermore, this work lays the foundation for future research on age-related applications of Y-CpGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Ji
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China
| | - Yangfeng Xing
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China
| | - Junli Li
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiao Feng
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China
| | - Fenglong Yang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China.
| | - Bofeng Zhu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, PR China.
| | - Jiangwei Yan
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030009, PR China.
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5
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Rönn T, Perfilyev A, Oskolkov N, Ling C. Predicting type 2 diabetes via machine learning integration of multiple omics from human pancreatic islets. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14637. [PMID: 38918439 PMCID: PMC11199577 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64846-3] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the fastest growing non-infectious disease worldwide. Impaired insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells is a hallmark of T2D, but the mechanisms behind this defect are insufficiently characterized. Integrating multiple layers of biomedical information, such as different Omics, may allow more accurate understanding of complex diseases such as T2D. Our aim was to explore and use Machine Learning to integrate multiple sources of biological/molecular information (multiOmics), in our case RNA-sequening, DNA methylation, SNP and phenotypic data from islet donors with T2D and non-diabetic controls. We exploited Machine Learning to perform multiOmics integration of DNA methylation, expression, SNPs, and phenotypes from pancreatic islets of 110 individuals, with ~ 30% being T2D cases. DNA methylation was analyzed using Infinium MethylationEPIC array, expression was analyzed using RNA-sequencing, and SNPs were analyzed using HumanOmniExpress arrays. Supervised linear multiOmics integration via DIABLO based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) achieved an accuracy of 91 ± 15% of T2D prediction with an area under the curve of 0.96 ± 0.08 on the test dataset after cross-validation. Biomarkers identified by this multiOmics integration, including SACS and TXNIP DNA methylation, OPRD1 and RHOT1 expression and a SNP annotated to ANO1, provide novel insights into the interplay between different biological mechanisms contributing to T2D. This Machine Learning approach of multiOmics cross-sectional data from human pancreatic islets achieved a promising accuracy of T2D prediction, which may potentially find broad applications in clinical diagnostics. In addition, it delivered novel candidate biomarkers for T2D and links between them across the different Omics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Rönn
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Scania University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Alexander Perfilyev
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Scania University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Nikolay Oskolkov
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Ling
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Scania University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden.
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Patel D, McElroy JP, Weng DY, Sahar K, Reisinger SA, Freudenheim JL, Wewers MD, Shields PG, Song MA. Sex-related DNA methylation is associated with inflammation and gene expression in the lungs of healthy individuals. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14280. [PMID: 38902313 PMCID: PMC11190195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65027-y] [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: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer exhibits sex-biased molecular characteristics and epidemiological trends, suggesting a need for sex-specific approaches to understanding its etiology and treatment. DNA methylation alterations play critical roles in lung carcinogenesis and may serve as valuable biomarkers for precision medicine strategies. We employed the Infinium MethylationEPIC array to identify autosomal sex-related differentially methylated CpG sites (DM-CpGs) in lung epithelium of healthy individuals (32 females and 37 males) while controlling for age, BMI, and tobacco use. We correlated DM-CpGs with gene expression in lung epithelium and immune responses in bronchoalveolar lavage. We validated these DM-CpGs in lung tumors and adjacent normal tissue from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Among 522 identified DM-CpGs, 61% were hypermethylated in females, predominantly located in promoter regions. These DM genes were implicated in cell-to-cell signaling, cellular function, transport, and lipid metabolism. Correlation analysis revealed sex-specific patterns between DM-CpGs and gene expression. Additionally, several DM-CpGs were correlated significantly with cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-12p70, and IFN-γ), macrophage, and lymphocyte counts. Also, some DM-CpGs were observed in TCGA lung adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adjacent normal tissues. Our findings highlight sex-specific DNA methylation patterns in healthy lung epithelium and their associations with lung gene expression and lung immune biomarkers. These findings underscore the potential role of lung sex-related CpGs as epigenetic predispositions influencing sex disparities in lung cancer risk and outcomes, warranting further investigation for personalized lung cancer management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devki Patel
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Joseph P McElroy
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Daniel Y Weng
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kamel Sahar
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sarah A Reisinger
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jo L Freudenheim
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mark D Wewers
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Peter G Shields
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Min-Ae Song
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Qadir MMF, Elgamal RM, Song K, Kudtarkar P, Sakamuri SS, Katakam PV, El-Dahr S, Kolls J, Gaulton KJ, Mauvais-Jarvis F. Single cell regulatory architecture of human pancreatic islets suggests sex differences in β cell function and the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.11.589096. [PMID: 38645001 PMCID: PMC11030320 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.11.589096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex affects the pathogenesis of type 2 and type 1 diabetes (T2D, T1D) including the development of β cell failure observed more often in males. The mechanisms that drive sex differences in β cell failure is unknown. Studying sex differences in islet regulation and function represent a unique avenue to understand the sex-specific heterogeneity in β cell failure in diabetes. Here, we examined sex and race differences in human pancreatic islets from up to 52 donors with and without T2D (including 37 donors from the Human Pancreas Analysis Program [HPAP] dataset) using an orthogonal series of experiments including single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), single nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (snATAC-seq), dynamic hormone secretion, and bioenergetics. In cultured islets from nondiabetic (ND) donors, in the absence of the in vivo hormonal environment, sex differences in islet cell type gene accessibility and expression predominantly involved sex chromosomes. Of particular interest were sex differences in the X-linked KDM6A and Y-linked KDM5D chromatin remodelers in female and male islet cells respectively. Islets from T2D donors exhibited similar sex differences in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from sex chromosomes. However, in contrast to islets from ND donors, islets from T2D donors exhibited major sex differences in DEGs from autosomes. Comparing β cells from T2D and ND donors revealed that females had more DEGs from autosomes compared to male β cells. Gene set enrichment analysis of female β cell DEGs showed a suppression of oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport chain pathways, while male β cell had suppressed insulin secretion pathways. Thus, although sex-specific differences in gene accessibility and expression of cultured ND human islets predominantly affect sex chromosome genes, major differences in autosomal gene expression between sexes appear during the transition to T2D and which highlight mitochondrial failure in female β cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirza Muhammad Fahd Qadir
- Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Tulane Center of Excellence in Sex-Based Biology & Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ruth M. Elgamal
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Keijing Song
- Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Parul Kudtarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Siva S.V.P Sakamuri
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Prasad V. Katakam
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Samir El-Dahr
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jay Kolls
- Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kyle J. Gaulton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Franck Mauvais-Jarvis
- Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, John W. Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Tulane Center of Excellence in Sex-Based Biology & Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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8
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Zhang N, Nao J, Zhang S, Dong X. Novel insights into the activating transcription factor 4 in Alzheimer's disease and associated aging-related diseases: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024:101144. [PMID: 38797197 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101144] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ageing is inherent to all human beings, most mechanistic explanations of ageing results from the combined effects of various physiological and pathological processes. Additionally, aging pivotally contributes to several chronic diseases. Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), a member of the ATF/cAMP response element-binding protein family, has recently emerged as a pivotal player owing to its indispensable role in the pathophysiological processes of Alzheimer's disease and aging-related diseases. Moreover, ATF4 is integral to numerous biological processes. Therefore, this article aims to comprehensively review relevant research on the role of ATF4 in the onset and progression of aging-related diseases, elucidating its potential mechanisms and therapeutic approaches. Our objective is to furnish scientific evidence for the early identification of risk factors in aging-related diseases and pave the way for new research directions for their treatment. By elucidating the signaling pathway network of ATF4 in aging-related diseases, we aspire to gain a profound understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms, offering novel strategies for addressing aging and developing related therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, the Seventh Clinical College of China Medical University, No. 24 Central Street, Xinfu District, Fushun 113000, Liaoning, China.
| | - Jianfei Nao
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110000, Liaoning, China.
| | - Shun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110000, Liaoning, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Dong
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110000, Liaoning, China.
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Lu T, Zheng Y, Chen X, Lin Z, Liu C, Yuan C. The role of exosome derived miRNAs in inter-cell crosstalk among insulin-related organs in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Physiol Biochem 2024:10.1007/s13105-024-01026-x. [PMID: 38698251 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-024-01026-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles secreted by almost all cell types, and carry diverse cargo including RNA, and other substances. Recent studies have focused exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) on various human diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (METS) which accompany the occurrence of insulin resistance. The regulation of insulin signaling has connected with some miRNA expression which play a significant regulatory character in insulin targeted cells or organs, such as fat, muscle, and liver. The miRNAs carried by exosomes, through the circulation in the body fluids, mediate all kinds of physiological and pathological process involved in the human body. Studies have found that exosome derived miRNAs are abnormally expressed and cross-talked with insulin targeted cells or organs to affect insulin pathways. Further investigations of the mechanisms of exosomal miRNAs in T2DM will be valuable for the diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of T2DM. This review will summarize the molecular mechanism of action of the miRNAs carried by exosomes which are secreted from insulin signaling related cells, and elucidate the pathogenesis of insulin resistance to provide a new strategy for the potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Lu
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Zhiyong Lin
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Chaoqi Liu
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China.
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China.
| | - Chengfu Yuan
- Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy Key Laboratory of Hubei province in China, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China.
- College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China.
- Third-Grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Chinese Medicine Approved by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002, China.
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10
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Opare-Addo PA, Sarfo FS, Aikins M, Bediako SA, Ovbiagele B. Epigenetics as a target to mitigate excess stroke risk in people of African ancestry: A scoping review. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2024; 33:107585. [PMID: 38253246 PMCID: PMC11060795 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.107585] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, individuals of African ancestry have a relatively greater stroke preponderance compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The higher prevalence of traditional stroke risk factors in this population, however, only partially explains this longstanding disparity. Epigenetic signatures are transgenerational and could be a plausible therapeutic target to further bend the stroke disparities curve for people of African ancestry. There is, however, limited data on epigenetics and stroke risk in this population. PURPOSE To examine existing evidence and knowledge gaps on the potential contribution of epigenetics to excess stroke risk in people of African ancestry and avenues for mitigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a scoping review of studies published between January 2003 and July 2023, on epigenetics and stroke risk. We then summarized our findings, highlighting the results for people of African ancestry. RESULTS Of 104 studies, there were only 6 studies that specifically looked at epigenetic mechanisms and stroke risk in people of African ancestry. Results of these studies show how patterns of DNA methylation and non-coding RNA interact with lifestyle choices, xenobiotics, and FVIII levels to raise stroke risk in people of African ancestry. However, no studies evaluated epigenetic patterns as actionable targets for the influence of psychosocial stressors or social context and excess stroke risk in this population (versus others). Also, no studies interrogated the role of established or novel therapeutic agents with the potential to reprogram DNA by adding or removing epigenetic markers in people of African ancestry. CONCLUSION Epigenetics potentially offers a promising target for modifying the effects of lifestyle, environmental exposures, and other factors that differentially affect people of African ancestry and place them at relatively greater stroke risk compared to other populations. Studies that precisely assess the pathways by which epigenetic mechanisms modulate population-specific disparities in the risk of stroke are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred Stephen Sarfo
- Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Neurology Division, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, P. O. Box 1934, Kumasi, Ghana.
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11
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Dignam JP, Sharma S, Stasinopoulos I, MacLean MR. Pulmonary arterial hypertension: Sex matters. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:938-966. [PMID: 37939796 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16277] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complex disease of multifactorial origin. While registries have demonstrated that women are more susceptible to the disease, females with PAH have superior right ventricle (RV) function and a better prognosis than their male counterparts, a phenomenon referred to as the 'estrogen paradox'. Numerous pre-clinical studies have investigated the involvement of sex hormones in PAH pathobiology, often with conflicting results. However, recent advances suggest that abnormal estrogen synthesis, metabolism and signalling underpin the sexual dimorphism of this disease. Other sex hormones, such as progesterone, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone may also play a role. Several non-hormonal factor including sex chromosomes and epigenetics have also been implicated. Though the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are complex, several compounds that modulate sex hormones levels and signalling are under investigation in PAH patients. Further elucidation of the estrogen paradox will set the stage for the identification of additional therapeutic targets for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Dignam
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Smriti Sharma
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Ioannis Stasinopoulos
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Margaret R MacLean
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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12
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Dong H, Sun Y, Nie L, Cui A, Zhao P, Leung WK, Wang Q. Metabolic memory: mechanisms and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:38. [PMID: 38413567 PMCID: PMC10899265 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01755-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic diseases and their complications impose health and economic burdens worldwide. Evidence from past experimental studies and clinical trials suggests our body may have the ability to remember the past metabolic environment, such as hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia, thus leading to chronic inflammatory disorders and other diseases even after the elimination of these metabolic environments. The long-term effects of that aberrant metabolism on the body have been summarized as metabolic memory and are found to assume a crucial role in states of health and disease. Multiple molecular mechanisms collectively participate in metabolic memory management, resulting in different cellular alterations as well as tissue and organ dysfunctions, culminating in disease progression and even affecting offspring. The elucidation and expansion of the concept of metabolic memory provides more comprehensive insight into pathogenic mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases and complications and promises to be a new target in disease detection and management. Here, we retrace the history of relevant research on metabolic memory and summarize its salient characteristics. We provide a detailed discussion of the mechanisms by which metabolic memory may be involved in disease development at molecular, cellular, and organ levels, with emphasis on the impact of epigenetic modulations. Finally, we present some of the pivotal findings arguing in favor of targeting metabolic memory to develop therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases and provide the latest reflections on the consequences of metabolic memory as well as their implications for human health and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuezhang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lulingxiao Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Aimin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Periodontology and Implant Dentistry Division, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai Keung Leung
- Periodontology and Implant Dentistry Division, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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13
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Lafta MS, Mwinyi J, Affatato O, Rukh G, Dang J, Andersson G, Schiöth HB. Exploring sex differences: insights into gene expression, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, cognition, and pathology. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1340108. [PMID: 38449735 PMCID: PMC10915038 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1340108] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Increased knowledge about sex differences is important for development of individualized treatments against many diseases as well as understanding behavioral and pathological differences. This review summarizes sex chromosome effects on gene expression, epigenetics, and hormones in relation to the brain. We explore neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, cognition, and brain pathology aiming to explain the current state of the art. While some domains exhibit strong differences, others reveal subtle differences whose overall significance warrants clarification. We hope that the current review increases awareness and serves as a basis for the planning of future studies that consider both sexes equally regarding similarities and differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muataz S. Lafta
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica Mwinyi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Oreste Affatato
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gull Rukh
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Junhua Dang
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gerhard Andersson
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helgi B. Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Jacobo-Piqueras N, Theiner T, Geisler SM, Tuluc P. Molecular mechanism responsible for sex differences in electrical activity of mouse pancreatic β cells. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e171609. [PMID: 38358819 PMCID: PMC11063940 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.171609] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In humans, type 2 diabetes mellitus shows a higher prevalence in men compared with women, a phenotype that has been attributed to a lower peripheral insulin sensitivity in men. Whether sex-specific differences in pancreatic β cell function also contribute is largely unknown. Here, we characterized the electrophysiological properties of β cells in intact male and female mouse islets. Elevation of glucose concentration above 5 mM triggered an electrical activity with a similar glucose dependence in β cells of both sexes. However, female β cells had a more depolarized membrane potential and increased firing frequency compared with males. The higher membrane depolarization in female β cells was caused by approximately 50% smaller Kv2.1 K+ currents compared with males but otherwise unchanged KATP, large-conductance and small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels, and background TASK1/TALK1 K+ current densities. In female β cells, the higher depolarization caused a membrane potential-dependent inactivation of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (CaV), resulting in reduced Ca2+ entry. Nevertheless, this reduced Ca2+ influx was offset by a higher action potential firing frequency. Because exocytosis of insulin granules does not show a sex-specific difference, we conclude that the higher electrical activity promotes insulin release in females, improving glucose tolerance.
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15
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Spurná Z, Čapková P, Punová L, DuchoslavovÁ J, Aleksijevic D, Venháčová P, Srovnal J, Štellmachová J, Curtisová V, Bitnerová V, Petřková J, Kolaříková K, Janíková M, Kratochvílová R, Vrtěl P, Vodička R, Vrtěl R, Zapletalová J. Clinical-genetic analysis of selected genes involved in the development of the human skeleton in 128 Czech patients with suspected congenital skeletal abnormalities. Gene 2024; 892:147881. [PMID: 37806643 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147881] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital skeletal abnormalities are a heterogeneous group of diseases most commonly associated with small or disproportionate growth, cranial and facial dysmorphisms, delayed bone maturation, etc. Nonetheless, no detailed genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with specific genetic variants is readily available. Ergo, this study focuses on the analysis of patient phenotypes with candidate variants in genes involved in bone growth as detected by molecular genetic analysis. METHODS In this study we used molecular genetic methods to analyse the ACAN, COL2A1, FGFR3, IGFALS, IGF1, IGF1R, GHR, NPR2, STAT5B and SHOX genes in 128 Czech children with suspected congenital skeletal abnormalities. Pathogenic variants and variants of unclear clinical significance were identified and we compared their frequency in this study cohort to the European non-Finnish population. Furthermore, a prediction tool was utilised to determine their possible impact on the final protein. All clinical patient data was obtained during pre-test genetic counselling. RESULTS Pathogenic variants were identified in the FGFR3, GHR, COL2A1 and SHOX genes in a total of six patients. Furthermore, we identified 23 variants with unclear clinical significance and high allelic frequency in this cohort of patients with skeletal abnormalities. Five of them have not yet been reported in the scientific literature. CONCLUSION Congenital skeletal abnormalities may lead to a number of musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular problems. Knowledge of specific pathogenic variants may help us in therapeutic procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Spurná
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - P Čapková
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - L Punová
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - J DuchoslavovÁ
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - D Aleksijevic
- Paediatrics Department, Palacký University and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - P Venháčová
- Paediatrics Department, Palacký University and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - J Srovnal
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic; Cancer Research Czech Republic, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - J Štellmachová
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - V Curtisová
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - V Bitnerová
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - J Petřková
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; First Department of Internal Medicine - Cardiology, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic; First Department of Internal Medicine - Cardiology, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Pathological Physiology, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - K Kolaříková
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - M Janíková
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - R Kratochvílová
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - P Vrtěl
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - R Vodička
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - R Vrtěl
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Olomouc University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - J Zapletalová
- Paediatrics Department, Palacký University and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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16
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Legault LM, Breton-Larrivée M, Langford-Avelar A, Lemieux A, McGraw S. Sex-based disparities in DNA methylation and gene expression in late-gestation mouse placentas. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:2. [PMID: 38183126 PMCID: PMC10770955 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00577-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is vital for fetal development and its contributions to various developmental issues, such as pregnancy complications, fetal growth restriction, and maternal exposure, have been extensively studied in mice. The placenta forms mainly from fetal tissue and therefore has the same biological sex as the fetus it supports. Extensive research has delved into the placenta's involvement in pregnancy complications and future offspring development, with a notable emphasis on exploring sex-specific disparities. However, despite these investigations, sex-based disparities in epigenetic (e.g., DNA methylation) and transcriptomic features of the late-gestation mouse placenta remain largely unknown. METHODS We collected male and female mouse placentas at late gestation (E18.5, n = 3/sex) and performed next-generation sequencing to identify genome-wide sex differences in transcription and DNA methylation. RESULTS Our comparison between male and female revealed 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on autosomes, which were associated with signaling pathways involved in transmembrane transport and the responses to viruses and external stimuli. X chromosome DEGs (n = 39) were associated with different pathways, including those regulating chromatin modification and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were more common on the X chromosomes (n = 3756) than on autosomes (n = 1705). Interestingly, while most X chromosome DMRs had higher DNA methylation levels in female placentas and tended to be included in CpG dinucleotide-rich regions, 73% of autosomal DMRs had higher methylation levels in male placentas and were distant from CpG-rich regions. Several DEGs were correlated with DMRs. A subset of the DMRs present in late-stage placentas were already established in mid-gestation (E10.5) placentas (n = 348 DMRs on X chromosome and 19 DMRs on autosomes), while others were acquired later in placental development. CONCLUSION Our study provides comprehensive lists of DEGs and DMRs between male and female that collectively cause profound differences in the DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of late-gestation mouse placentas. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating sex-specific analyses into epigenetic and transcription studies to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of their conclusions and help address the significant knowledge gap regarding how sex differences influence placental function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Legault
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Mélanie Breton-Larrivée
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Alexandra Langford-Avelar
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Anthony Lemieux
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Serge McGraw
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Kalyakulina A, Yusipov I, Kondakova E, Bacalini MG, Giuliani C, Sivtseva T, Semenov S, Ksenofontov A, Nikolaeva M, Khusnutdinova E, Zakharova R, Vedunova M, Franceschi C, Ivanchenko M. Epigenetics of the far northern Yakutian population. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:189. [PMID: 38053163 PMCID: PMC10699032 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01600-y] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Yakuts are one of the indigenous populations of the subarctic and arctic territories of Siberia characterized by a continental subarctic climate with severe winters, with the regular January average temperature in the regional capital city of Yakutsk dipping below - 40 °C. The epigenetic mechanisms of adaptation to such ecologies and environments and, in particular, epigenetic age acceleration in the local population have not been studied before. RESULTS This work reports the first epigenetic study of the Yakutian population using whole-blood DNA methylation data, supplemented with the comparison to the residents of Central Russia. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed, among others, geographic region-specific differentially methylated regions associated with adaptation to climatic conditions (water consumption, digestive system regulation), aging processes (actin filament activity, cell fate), and both of them (channel activity, regulation of steroid and corticosteroid hormone secretion). Further, it is demonstrated that the epigenetic age acceleration of the Yakutian representatives is significantly higher than that of Central Russia counterparts. For both geographic regions, we showed that epigenetically males age faster than females, whereas no significant sex differences were found between the regions. CONCLUSIONS We performed the first study of the epigenetic data of the Yakutia cohort, paying special attention to region-specific features, aging processes, age acceleration, and sex specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Kalyakulina
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia.
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia.
| | - Igor Yusipov
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
| | - Elena Kondakova
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
- Institute of Biology and Biomedicine, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
| | | | - Cristina Giuliani
- Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology and Centre for Genome Biology, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Tatiana Sivtseva
- Research Center of the Medical Institute of the North-Eastern Federal University M.K. Ammosova, Yakutsk, 677013, Russia
| | - Sergey Semenov
- Research Center of the Medical Institute of the North-Eastern Federal University M.K. Ammosova, Yakutsk, 677013, Russia
| | - Artem Ksenofontov
- State Budgetary Institution of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Republican Center for Public Health and Medical Prevention, Yakutsk, 677001, Russia
| | - Maria Nikolaeva
- Research Center of the Medical Institute of the North-Eastern Federal University M.K. Ammosova, Yakutsk, 677013, Russia
| | - Elza Khusnutdinova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa, Russia, 450054
| | - Raisa Zakharova
- Research Center of the Medical Institute of the North-Eastern Federal University M.K. Ammosova, Yakutsk, 677013, Russia
| | - Maria Vedunova
- Institute of Biology and Biomedicine, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
| | - Mikhail Ivanchenko
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, 603022, Russia
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18
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Reiner A, Bakulski KM, Fisher JD, Dou JF, Schneper L, Mitchell C, Notterman DA, Zawistowski M, Ware EB. Sex-specific DNA methylation in saliva from the multi-ethnic Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2222244. [PMID: 37300819 PMCID: PMC10259311 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2222244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and severity of many diseases differs by sex, potentially due to sex-specific patterns in DNA methylation. Autosomal sex-specific differences in DNA methylation have been observed in cord blood and placental tissue but are not well studied in saliva or in diverse populations. We sought to characterize sex-specific DNA methylation on autosomal chromosomes in saliva samples from children in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a multi-ethnic prospective birth cohort containing an oversampling of Black, Hispanic and low-income families. DNA methylation from saliva samples was analysed on 796 children (50.6% male) at both ages 9 and 15 with DNA methylation measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation 450k array. An epigenome-wide association analysis of the age 9 samples identified 8,430 sex-differentiated autosomal DNA methylation sites (P < 2.4 × 10-7), of which 76.2% had higher DNA methylation in female children. The strongest sex-difference was in the cg26921482 probe, in the AMDHD2 gene, with 30.6% higher DNA methylation in female compared to male children (P < 1 × 10-300). Treating the age 15 samples as an internal replication set, we observed highly consistent results between the ages 9 and 15 measurements, indicating stable and replicable sex-differentiation. Further, we directly compared our results to previously published DNA methylation sex differences in both cord blood and saliva and again found strong consistency. Our findings support widespread and robust sex-differential DNA methylation across age, human tissues, and populations. These findings help inform our understanding of potential biological processes contributing to sex differences in human physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Reiner
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Statistical Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jonah D Fisher
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - John F Dou
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lisa Schneper
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Colter Mitchell
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel A Notterman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew Zawistowski
- Department of Biostatistics and Center for Statistical Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Erin B Ware
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Umbayev B, Saliev T, Safarova (Yantsen) Y, Yermekova A, Olzhayev F, Bulanin D, Tsoy A, Askarova S. The Role of Cdc42 in the Insulin and Leptin Pathways Contributing to the Development of Age-Related Obesity. Nutrients 2023; 15:4964. [PMID: 38068822 PMCID: PMC10707920 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and certain cancers. The insulin-leptin axis is crucial in understanding metabolic disturbances associated with age-related obesity. Rho GTPase Cdc42 is a member of the Rho family of GTPases that participates in many cellular processes including, but not limited to, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, vesicle trafficking, cell polarity, morphology, proliferation, motility, and migration. Cdc42 functions as an integral part of regulating insulin secretion and aging. Some novel roles for Cdc42 have also been recently identified in maintaining glucose metabolism, where Cdc42 is involved in controlling blood glucose levels in metabolically active tissues, including skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, pancreas, etc., which puts this protein in line with other critical regulators of glucose metabolism. Importantly, Cdc42 plays a vital role in cellular processes associated with the insulin and leptin signaling pathways, which are integral elements involved in obesity development if misregulated. Additionally, a change in Cdc42 activity may affect senescence, thus contributing to disorders associated with aging. This review explores the complex relationships among age-associated obesity, the insulin-leptin axis, and the Cdc42 signaling pathway. This article sheds light on the vast molecular web that supports metabolic dysregulation in aging people. In addition, it also discusses the potential therapeutic implications of the Cdc42 pathway to mitigate obesity since some new data suggest that inhibition of Cdc42 using antidiabetic drugs or antioxidants may promote weight loss in overweight or obese patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bauyrzhan Umbayev
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
| | - Timur Saliev
- S.D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan;
| | - Yuliya Safarova (Yantsen)
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
| | - Aislu Yermekova
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
| | - Farkhad Olzhayev
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
| | - Denis Bulanin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan;
| | - Andrey Tsoy
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
| | - Sholpan Askarova
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan; (Y.S.); (A.Y.); (F.O.); (A.T.); (S.A.)
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20
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Hiam D, Landen S, Jacques M, Voisin S, Lamon S, Eynon N. Muscle miRNAs are influenced by sex at baseline and in response to exercise. BMC Biol 2023; 21:273. [PMID: 38012706 PMCID: PMC10683325 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01755-3] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles have been found across multiple tissues. Skeletal muscle is one of the most sex-biased tissues of the body. MiRNAs are necessary for development and have regulatory roles in determining skeletal muscle phenotype and have important roles in the response to exercise in muscle. Yet there is limited research into the role and regulation of miRNAs in the skeletal muscle at baseline and in response to exercise, a well-known modulator of miRNA expression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on miRNA expression in the skeletal muscle at baseline and after an acute bout of high-intensity interval exercise. A total of 758 miRNAs were measured using Taqman®miRNA arrays in the skeletal muscle of 42 healthy participants from the Gene SMART study (23 males and 19 females of comparable fitness levels and aged 18-45 years), of which 308 were detected. MiRNAs that differed by sex at baseline and whose change in expression following high-intensity interval exercise differed between the sexes were identified using mixed linear models adjusted for BMI and Wpeak. We performed in silico analyses to identify the putative gene targets of the exercise-induced, sex-specific miRNAs and overrepresentation analyses to identify enriched biological pathways. We performed functional assays by overexpressing two sex-biased miRNAs in human primary muscle cells derived from male and female donors to understand their downstream effects on the transcriptome. RESULTS At baseline, 148 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the skeletal muscle between the sexes. Interaction analysis identified 111 miRNAs whose response to an acute bout of high-intensity interval exercise differed between the sexes. Sex-biased miRNA gene targets were enriched for muscle-related processes including proliferation and differentiation of muscle cells and numerous metabolic pathways, suggesting that miRNAs participate in programming sex differences in skeletal muscle function. Overexpression of sex-biased miRNA-30a and miRNA-30c resulted in profound changes in gene expression profiles that were specific to the sex of the cell donor in human primary skeletal muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS We uncovered sex differences in the expression levels of muscle miRNAs at baseline and in response to acute high-intensity interval exercise. These miRNAs target regulatory pathways essential to skeletal muscle development and metabolism. Our findings highlight that miRNAs play an important role in programming sex differences in the skeletal muscle phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Hiam
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shanie Landen
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Macsue Jacques
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sarah Voisin
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Séverine Lamon
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Nir Eynon
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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21
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Moon S, Alsarkhi L, Lin TT, Inoue R, Tahiri A, Colson C, Cai W, Shirakawa J, Qian WJ, Zhao JY, El Ouaamari A. Transcriptome and secretome profiling of sensory neurons reveals sex differences in pathways relevant to insulin sensing and insulin secretion. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23185. [PMID: 37695721 PMCID: PMC10503313 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300941r] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) convey somatosensory and metabolic cues to the central nervous system and release substances from stimulated terminal endings in peripheral organs. Sex-biased variations driven by the sex chromosome complement (XX and XY) have been implicated in the sensory-islet crosstalk. However, the molecular underpinnings of these male-female differences are not known. Here, we aim to characterize the molecular repertoire and the secretome profile of the lower thoracic spinal sensory neurons and to identify molecules with sex-biased insulin sensing- and/or insulin secretion-modulating activity that are encoded independently of circulating gonadal sex hormones. We used transcriptomics and proteomics to uncover differentially expressed genes and secreted molecules in lower thoracic T5-12 DRG sensory neurons derived from sexually immature 3-week-old male and female C57BL/6J mice. Comparative transcriptome and proteome analyses revealed differential gene expression and protein secretion in DRG neurons in males and females. The transcriptome analysis identified, among others, higher insulin signaling/sensing capabilities in female DRG neurons; secretome screening uncovered several sex-specific candidate molecules with potential regulatory functions in pancreatic β cells. Together, these data suggest a putative role of sensory interoception of insulin in the DRG-islet crosstalk with implications in sensory feedback loops in the regulation of β-cell activity in a sex-biased manner. Finally, we provide a valuable resource of molecular and secretory targets that can be leveraged for understanding insulin interoception and insulin secretion and inform the development of novel studies/approaches to fathom the role of the sensory-islet axis in the regulation of energy balance in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohyun Moon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Lamyaa Alsarkhi
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
| | - Tai-Tu Lin
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Ryota Inoue
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Azeddine Tahiri
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
| | - Cecilia Colson
- The Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Weikang Cai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Jun Shirakawa
- Laboratory of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Wei-Jun Qian
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Jerry Yingtao Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Abdelfattah El Ouaamari
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 01595, USA
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22
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Santos HP, Enggasser AE, Clark J, Roell K, Zhabotynsky V, Gower WA, Yanni D, Yang NG, Washburn L, Gogcu S, Marsit CJ, Kuban K, O'Shea TM, Fry RC. Sexually dimorphic methylation patterns characterize the placenta and blood from extremely preterm newborns. BMC Biol 2023; 21:173. [PMID: 37608375 PMCID: PMC10464100 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01662-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health outcomes among children born prematurely are known to be sexually dimorphic, with male infants often more affected, yet the mechanism behind this observation is not clear. CpG methylation levels in the placenta and blood also differ by sex and are associated with adverse health outcomes. We contrasted CpG methylation levels in the placenta and neonatal blood (n = 358) from the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn (ELGAN) cohort based on the EPIC array, which assays over 850,000 CpG sites across the epigenome. Sex-specific epigenome-wide association analyses were conducted for the placenta and neonatal blood samples independently, and the results were compared to determine tissue-specific differences between the methylation patterns in males and females. All models were adjusted for cell type heterogeneity. Enrichment pathway analysis was performed to identify the biological functions of genes related to the sexually dimorphic CpG sites. RESULTS Approximately 11,500 CpG sites were differentially methylated in relation to sex. Of these, 5949 were placenta-specific and 5361 were blood-specific, with only 233 CpG sites overlapping in both tissues. For placenta-specific CpG sites, 90% were hypermethylated in males. For blood-specific CpG sites, 95% were hypermethylated in females. In the placenta, keratinocyte differentiation biological pathways were enriched among the differentially methylated genes. No enrichment pathways were observed for blood. CONCLUSIONS Distinct methylation patterns were observed between male and female children born extremely premature, and keratinocyte differentiation pathways were enriched in the placenta. These findings provide new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sexually dimorphic health outcomes among extremely premature infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hudson P Santos
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | - Adam E Enggasser
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeliyah Clark
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kyle Roell
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Vasyl Zhabotynsky
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William Adam Gower
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Diana Yanni
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nou Gao Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Washburn
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Semsa Gogcu
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karl Kuban
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Boston. University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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23
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Jo S, Beetch M, Gustafson E, Wong A, Oribamise E, Chung G, Vadrevu S, Satin LS, Bernal-Mizrachi E, Alejandro EU. Sex Differences in Pancreatic β-Cell Physiology and Glucose Homeostasis in C57BL/6J Mice. J Endocr Soc 2023; 7:bvad099. [PMID: 37873500 PMCID: PMC10590649 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvad099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of sexual dimorphism has been highlighted in recent years since the National Institutes of Health's mandate on considering sex as a biological variable. Although recent studies have taken strides to study both sexes side by side, investigations into the normal physiological differences between males and females are limited. In this study, we aimed to characterized sex-dependent differences in glucose metabolism and pancreatic β-cell physiology in normal conditions using C57BL/6J mice, the most common mouse strain used in metabolic studies. Here, we report that female mice have improved glucose and insulin tolerance associated with lower nonfasted blood glucose and insulin levels compared with male mice at 3 and 6 months of age. Both male and female animals show β-cell mass expansion from embryonic day 17.5 to adulthood, and no sex differences were observed at embryonic day 17.5, newborn, 1 month, or 3 months of age. However, 6-month-old males displayed increased β-cell mass in response to insulin resistance compared with littermate females. Molecularly, we uncovered sexual dimorphic alterations in the protein levels of nutrient sensing proteins O-GlcNAc transferase and mTOR, as well as differences in glucose-stimulus coupling mechanisms that may underlie the differences in sexually dimorphic β-cell physiology observed in C57BL/6J mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokwon Jo
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Megan Beetch
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Eric Gustafson
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Alicia Wong
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Eunice Oribamise
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Grace Chung
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Suryakiran Vadrevu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Leslie S Satin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi
- Diabetes, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Miami VA Healthcare System and Division Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33125, USA
| | - Emilyn U Alejandro
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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24
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Song Y, Ma R. Comprehensive Analysis Reveals the Potential Roles of Transcription Factor Dp-1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma. World J Oncol 2023; 14:205-223. [PMID: 37350808 PMCID: PMC10284640 DOI: 10.14740/wjon1595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Transcription factor Dp-1 (TFDP1) was overexpressed and interacted with other genes to impact multiple signaling pathways in various human cancers. However, there is less research about the TFDP1 specific roles in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods We first explored TFDP1 expression levels and relative diseases from a pan-cancer perspective using the ONCOMINE, TIMER, and Open Targets Platform databases. Then, we used UALCAN, GEPIA 2, TCGA-LUAD data, and Kaplan-Meier plotter to examine TFDP1 clinicopathological features and prognosis in LUAD patients. Genomic alterations and DNA methylation analysis were performed by cBioPortal and MethSurv, respectively. Then, we used a cancer single-cell state atlas (CancerSEA) to find TFDP1 functions at a single-cell resolution. LinkedOmics was used to find TFDP1 coexpressed genes, biological processes, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Then, Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) was used to examine the drug resistence of TFDP1 in LUAD. Results We found that TFDP1 was overexpressed in most human cancers and related to various diseases, including LUAD. Moreover, LUAD patients with high TFDP1 expression levels might be significantly associated with individual cancer stages and have a poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) pathologic stage, AJCC stage T, and AJCC stage N were the independent prognostic factors. LUAD patients with TFDP1 alterations suggested poor overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS), while hypermethylation might lead to a good prognosis. TFDP1 and its coexpressed genes were enriched in multiple signaling pathways and biological processes involved in the cell cycle, spliceosome, and DNA replication. Furthermore, TFDP1 was strongly positively related to the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of multiple drugs. Conclusions In summary, TFDP1 was a possible biomarker and potential therapeutic target for LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yipeng Song
- School of Law and Criminal Justice, East China University of Political Science and Law, Songjiang University Town, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Rongna Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Blood Transfusion, Shanghai Blood Center, Shanghai 200051, China
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25
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Llobet MO, Johansson A, Gyllensten U, Allen M, Enroth S. Forensic prediction of sex, age, height, body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio, smoking status and lipid lowering drugs using epigenetic markers and plasma proteins. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2023; 65:102871. [PMID: 37054667 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2023.102871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The prediction of human characteristics from blood using molecular markers would be very helpful in forensic science. Such information can be particularly important in providing investigative leads in police casework from, for example, blood found at crime scenes in cases without a suspect. Here, we investigated the possibilities and limitations of predicting seven phenotypic traits (sex, age, height, body mass index [BMI], hip-to-waist [WTH] ratio, smoking status and lipid-lowering drug use) using either DNA methylation or plasma proteins separately or in combination. We developed a prediction pipeline starting with the prediction of sex followed by sex-specific, stepwise, individual age, sex-specific anthropometric traits and, finally, lifestyle-related traits. Our data revealed that age, sex and smoking status can be accurately predicted from DNA methylation alone, while the use of plasma proteins was highly accurate for prediction of the WTH ratio, and a combined analysis of the best predictions for BMI and lipid-lowering drug use. In unseen individuals, age was predicted with a standard error of 3.3 years for women and 6.5 years for men, while the accuracy in smoking prediction across both men and women was 0.86. In conclusion, we have developed a stepwise approach for the de-novo prediction of individual characteristics from plasma proteins and DNA methylation markers. These models are accurate and may provide valuable information and investigative leads in future forensic casework.
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26
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Luo SS, Zhu H, Huang HF, Ding GL. Sex differences in glycolipidic disorders after exposure to maternal hyperglycemia during early development. J Endocrinol Invest 2023:10.1007/s40618-023-02069-5. [PMID: 36976483 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02069-5] [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: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this review was to summarize sex differences in glycolipid metabolic phenotypes of human and animal models after exposure to maternal hyperglycemia and overview the underlying mechanisms, providing a new perspective on the maternal hyperglycemia-triggered risk of glycolipidic disorders in offspring. METHODS A comprehensive literature search within PubMed was performed. Selected publications related to studies on offspring exposed to maternal hyperglycemia investigating the sex differences of glycolipid metabolism were reviewed. RESULTS Maternal hyperglycemia increases the risk of glycolipid metabolic disorders in offspring, such as obesity, glucose intolerance and diabetes. Whether with or without intervention, metabolic phenotypes have been shown to exhibit sex differences between male and female offspring in response to maternal hyperglycemia, which may be related to gonadal hormones, organic intrinsic differences, placenta, and epigenetic modifications. CONCLUSION Sex may play a role in the different incidences and pathogenesis of abnormal glycolipid metabolism. More studies investigating both sexes are needed to understand how and why environmental conditions in early life affect long-term health between male and female individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-S Luo
- School of Medicine, The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - H Zhu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - H-F Huang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - G-L Ding
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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27
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Hu J, Xu X, Li J, Jiang Y, Hong X, Rexrode KM, Wang G, Hu FB, Zhang H, Karmaus WJ, Wang X, Liang L. Sex differences in the intergenerational link between maternal and neonatal whole blood DNA methylation: a genome-wide analysis in 2 birth cohorts. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:51. [PMID: 36966332 PMCID: PMC10040137 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01442-8] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mother-child inheritance of DNA methylation (DNAm) variations could contribute to the inheritance of disease susceptibility across generations. However, no study has investigated patterns of mother-child associations in DNAm at the genome-wide scale. It remains unknown whether there are sex differences in mother-child DNAm associations. RESULTS Using genome-wide DNAm profiling data (721,331 DNAm sites, including 704,552 on autosomes and 16,779 on the X chromosome) of 396 mother-newborn pairs (54.5% male) from the Boston Birth Cohort, we found significant sex differences in mother-newborn correlations in genome-wide DNAm patterns (Spearman's rho = 0.91-0.98; p = 4.0 × 10-8), with female newborns having stronger correlations. Sex differences in correlations were attenuated but remained significant after excluding X-chromosomal DNAm sites (Spearman's rho = 0.91-0.98; p = 0.035). Moreover, 89,267 DNAm sites (12.4% of all analyzed, including 88,051 [12.5% of analyzed] autosomal and 1,216 [7.2% of analyzed] X-chromosomal sites) showed significant mother-newborn associations in methylation levels, and the top autosomal DNAm sites had high heritability than the genome-wide background (e.g., the top 100 autosomal DNAm sites had a medium h2 of 0.92). Additionally, significant interactions between newborn sex and methylation levels were observed for 11 X-chromosomal and 4 autosomal DNAm sites that were mapped to genes that have been associated with sex-specific disease/traits or early development (e.g., EFHC2, NXY, ADCYAP1R1, and BMP4). Finally, 18,769 DNAm sites (14,482 [77.2%] on the X chromosome) showed mother-newborn differences in methylation levels that were significantly associated with newborn sex, and the top autosomal DNAm sites had relatively small heritability (e.g., the top 100 autosomal DNAm sites had a medium h2 of 0.23). These DNAm sites were mapped to 2,532 autosomal genes and 978 X-chromosomal genes with significant enrichment in pathways involved in neurodegenerative and psychological diseases, development, neurophysiological process, immune response, and sex-specific cancers. Replication analysis in the Isle of Wight birth cohort yielded consistent results. CONCLUSION In two independent birth cohorts, we demonstrated strong mother-newborn correlations in whole blood DNAm on both autosomes and ChrX, and such correlations vary substantially by sex. Future studies are needed to examine to what extent our findings contribute to developmental origins of pediatric and adult diseases with well-observed sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hu
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Bigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Room 207, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Room 207, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Room 207, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Jiang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Center On the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kathryn M Rexrode
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Bigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guoying Wang
- Center On the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Frank B Hu
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Room 207, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Wilfried J Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center On the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Room 207, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Taylor HJ, Hung YH, Narisu N, Erdos MR, Kanke M, Yan T, Grenko CM, Swift AJ, Bonnycastle LL, Sethupathy P, Collins FS, Taylor DL. Human pancreatic islet microRNAs implicated in diabetes and related traits by large-scale genetic analysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2206797120. [PMID: 36757889 PMCID: PMC9963967 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206797120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic studies have identified ≥240 loci associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet most of these loci lie in non-coding regions, masking the underlying molecular mechanisms. Recent studies investigating mRNA expression in human pancreatic islets have yielded important insights into the molecular drivers of normal islet function and T2D pathophysiology. However, similar studies investigating microRNA (miRNA) expression remain limited. Here, we present data from 63 individuals, the largest sequencing-based analysis of miRNA expression in human islets to date. We characterized the genetic regulation of miRNA expression by decomposing the expression of highly heritable miRNAs into cis- and trans-acting genetic components and mapping cis-acting loci associated with miRNA expression [miRNA-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs)]. We found i) 84 heritable miRNAs, primarily regulated by trans-acting genetic effects, and ii) 5 miRNA-eQTLs. We also used several different strategies to identify T2D-associated miRNAs. First, we colocalized miRNA-eQTLs with genetic loci associated with T2D and multiple glycemic traits, identifying one miRNA, miR-1908, that shares genetic signals for blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Next, we intersected miRNA seed regions and predicted target sites with credible set SNPs associated with T2D and glycemic traits and found 32 miRNAs that may have altered binding and function due to disrupted seed regions. Finally, we performed differential expression analysis and identified 14 miRNAs associated with T2D status-including miR-187-3p, miR-21-5p, miR-668, and miR-199b-5p-and 4 miRNAs associated with a polygenic score for HbA1c levels-miR-216a, miR-25, miR-30a-3p, and miR-30a-5p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry J. Taylor
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0BB, UK
- Heart and Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 0BB, UK
| | - Yu-Han Hung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Narisu Narisu
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Michael R. Erdos
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Matthew Kanke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Tingfen Yan
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Caleb M. Grenko
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Amy J. Swift
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Lori L. Bonnycastle
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Praveen Sethupathy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Francis S. Collins
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - D. Leland Taylor
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
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Brownrigg GP, Xia YH, Chu CMJ, Wang S, Chao C, Zhang JA, Skovsø S, Panzhinskiy E, Hu X, Johnson JD, Rideout EJ. Sex differences in islet stress responses support female β cell resilience. Mol Metab 2023; 69:101678. [PMID: 36690328 PMCID: PMC9971554 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pancreatic β cells play a key role in maintaining glucose homeostasis; dysfunction of this critical cell type causes type 2 diabetes (T2D). Emerging evidence points to sex differences in β cells, but few studies have examined male-female differences in β cell stress responses and resilience across multiple contexts, including diabetes. Here, we address the need for high-quality information on sex differences in β cell and islet gene expression and function using both human and rodent samples. METHODS In humans, we compared β cell gene expression and insulin secretion in donors with T2D to non-diabetic donors in both males and females. In mice, we generated a well-powered islet RNAseq dataset from 20-week-old male and female siblings with similar insulin sensitivity. Our unbiased gene expression analysis pointed to a sex difference in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. Based on this analysis, we hypothesized female islets would be more resilient to ER stress than male islets. To test this, we subjected islets isolated from age-matched male and female mice to thapsigargin treatment and monitored protein synthesis, cell death, and β cell insulin production and secretion. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were used to characterize sex differences in islet responses to ER stress. RESULTS Our single-cell analysis of human β cells revealed sex-specific changes to gene expression and function in T2D, correlating with more robust insulin secretion in human islets isolated from female donors with T2D compared to male donors with T2D. In mice, RNA sequencing revealed differential enrichment of unfolded protein response pathway-associated genes, where female islets showed higher expression of genes linked with protein synthesis, folding, and processing. This differential expression was physiologically significant, as islets isolated from female mice were more resilient to ER stress induction with thapsigargin. Specifically, female islets showed a greater ability to maintain glucose-stimulated insulin production and secretion during ER stress compared with males. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate sex differences in β cell gene expression in both humans and mice, and that female β cells show a greater ability to maintain glucose-stimulated insulin secretion across multiple physiological and pathological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- George P Brownrigg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Yi Han Xia
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Chieh Min Jamie Chu
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Su Wang
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Charlotte Chao
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jiashuo Aaron Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Søs Skovsø
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Evgeniy Panzhinskiy
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Xiaoke Hu
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - James D Johnson
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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30
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Iannuzzi V, Bacalini MG, Franceschi C, Giuliani C. The role of genetics and epigenetics in sex differences in human survival. GENUS 2023. [DOI: 10.1186/s41118-023-00181-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractSex differences in human survival have been extensively investigated in many studies that have in part uncovered the biological determinants that promote a longer life in females with respect to males. Moreover, researches performed in the past years have prompted increased awareness about the biological effects of environmental factors that can modulate the magnitude of the sex gap in survival. Besides the genetic background, epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation, that can modulate cell function, have been particularly studied in this framework. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in promoting female advantage from the early in life (“INNATE” features), and in influencing the magnitude of the gap in sex differences in survival and ageing (“VARIABLE” features). After briefly discussing the biological bases of sex determination in humans, we will provide much evidence showing that (i) “innate” mechanisms common to all males and to all females (both genetic and epigenetic) play a major role in sex differences in lifespan; (ii) “variable” genetic and epigenetic patterns, that vary according to context, populations and exposures to different environments, can affect the magnitude of the gap in sex differences in survival. Then we will describe recent findings in the use of epigenetic clocks to uncover sex differences in biological age and thus potentially in mortality. In conclusion, we will discuss how environmental factors cannot be kept apart from the biological factors providing evidence from the field of human ecology.
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Inkster AM, Wong MT, Matthews AM, Brown CJ, Robinson WP. Who's afraid of the X? Incorporating the X and Y chromosomes into the analysis of DNA methylation array data. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:1. [PMID: 36609459 PMCID: PMC9825011 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many human disease phenotypes manifest differently by sex, making the development of methods for incorporating X and Y-chromosome data into analyses vital. Unfortunately, X and Y chromosome data are frequently excluded from large-scale analyses of the human genome and epigenome due to analytical complexity associated with sex chromosome dosage differences between XX and XY individuals, and the impact of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) on the epigenome. As such, little attention has been given to considering the methods by which sex chromosome data may be included in analyses of DNA methylation (DNAme) array data. RESULTS With Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 DNAme array data from 634 placental samples, we investigated the effects of probe filtering, normalization, and batch correction on DNAme data from the X and Y chromosomes. Processing steps were evaluated in both mixed-sex and sex-stratified subsets of the analysis cohort to identify whether including both sexes impacted processing results. We found that identification of probes that have a high detection p-value, or that are non-variable, should be performed in sex-stratified data subsets to avoid over- and under-estimation of the quantity of probes eligible for removal, respectively. All normalization techniques investigated returned X and Y DNAme data that were highly correlated with the raw data from the same samples. We found no difference in batch correction results after application to mixed-sex or sex-stratified cohorts. Additionally, we identify two analytical methods suitable for XY chromosome data, the choice between which should be guided by the research question of interest, and we performed a proof-of-concept analysis studying differential DNAme on the X and Y chromosome in the context of placental acute chorioamnionitis. Finally, we provide an annotation of probe types that may be desirable to filter in X and Y chromosome analyses, including probes in repetitive elements, the X-transposed region, and cancer-testis gene promoters. CONCLUSION While there may be no single "best" approach for analyzing DNAme array data from the X and Y chromosome, analysts must consider key factors during processing and analysis of sex chromosome data to accommodate the underlying biology of these chromosomes, and the technical limitations of DNA methylation arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Inkster
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada.
| | - Martin T Wong
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Allison M Matthews
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z7, Canada
| | - Carolyn J Brown
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Wendy P Robinson
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, V6H 3N1, Canada
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32
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Loyfer N, Magenheim J, Peretz A, Cann G, Bredno J, Klochendler A, Fox-Fisher I, Shabi-Porat S, Hecht M, Pelet T, Moss J, Drawshy Z, Amini H, Moradi P, Nagaraju S, Bauman D, Shveiky D, Porat S, Dior U, Rivkin G, Or O, Hirshoren N, Carmon E, Pikarsky A, Khalaileh A, Zamir G, Grinbaum R, Abu Gazala M, Mizrahi I, Shussman N, Korach A, Wald O, Izhar U, Erez E, Yutkin V, Samet Y, Rotnemer Golinkin D, Spalding KL, Druid H, Arner P, Shapiro AMJ, Grompe M, Aravanis A, Venn O, Jamshidi A, Shemer R, Dor Y, Glaser B, Kaplan T. A DNA methylation atlas of normal human cell types. Nature 2023; 613:355-364. [PMID: 36599988 PMCID: PMC9811898 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 124.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a fundamental epigenetic mark that governs gene expression and chromatin organization, thus providing a window into cellular identity and developmental processes1. Current datasets typically include only a fraction of methylation sites and are often based either on cell lines that underwent massive changes in culture or on tissues containing unspecified mixtures of cells2-5. Here we describe a human methylome atlas, based on deep whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, allowing fragment-level analysis across thousands of unique markers for 39 cell types sorted from 205 healthy tissue samples. Replicates of the same cell type are more than 99.5% identical, demonstrating the robustness of cell identity programmes to environmental perturbation. Unsupervised clustering of the atlas recapitulates key elements of tissue ontogeny and identifies methylation patterns retained since embryonic development. Loci uniquely unmethylated in an individual cell type often reside in transcriptional enhancers and contain DNA binding sites for tissue-specific transcriptional regulators. Uniquely hypermethylated loci are rare and are enriched for CpG islands, Polycomb targets and CTCF binding sites, suggesting a new role in shaping cell-type-specific chromatin looping. The atlas provides an essential resource for study of gene regulation and disease-associated genetic variants, and a wealth of potential tissue-specific biomarkers for use in liquid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Netanel Loyfer
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Judith Magenheim
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ayelet Peretz
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | | | - Agnes Klochendler
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ilana Fox-Fisher
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sapir Shabi-Porat
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Merav Hecht
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tsuria Pelet
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Joshua Moss
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Zeina Drawshy
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Dvora Bauman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Shveiky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shay Porat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Uri Dior
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Gurion Rivkin
- Department of Orthopedics, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Omer Or
- Department of Orthopedics, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nir Hirshoren
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Einat Carmon
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Surgery, Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Alon Pikarsky
- Surgery Division, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Abed Khalaileh
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Gideon Zamir
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ronit Grinbaum
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Machmud Abu Gazala
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ido Mizrahi
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Noam Shussman
- Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Korach
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ori Wald
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Uzi Izhar
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eldad Erez
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vladimir Yutkin
- Department of Urology, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaacov Samet
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Devorah Rotnemer Golinkin
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Kirsty L Spalding
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Druid
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Medicine, The National Board of Forensic Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Arner
- Department of Medicine (H7) and Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A M James Shapiro
- Department of Surgery and the Clinical Islet Transplant Program, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Grompe
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Alex Aravanis
- GRAIL, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA
- Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Ruth Shemer
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yuval Dor
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Benjamin Glaser
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Tommy Kaplan
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Phan TH, Chi Nguyen VT, Thi Pham TT, Nguyen VC, Ho TD, Quynh Pham TM, Tran TH, Nguyen TD, Khang Le ND, Nguyen TH, Duong ML, Bach HPT, Kim VV, Pham TA, Nguyen BT, Vo Nguyen TN, Nguyen TD, Bieu Phu DT, Huu Phan BH, Nguyen DS, Truong DK, Do TTT, Giang H, Nguyen HN, Phan MD, Tran LS. Circulating DNA methylation profile improves the accuracy of serum biomarkers for the detection of nonmetastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. Future Oncol 2022; 18:4399-4413. [PMID: 36786635 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2022-1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study exploited hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific circulating DNA methylation profiles to improve the accuracy of a current screening assay for HCC patients in high-risk populations. Methods: Differentially methylated regions in cell-free DNA between 58 nonmetastatic HCC and 121 high-risk patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis were identified and used to train machine learning classifiers. Results: The model could distinguish HCC from high-risk non-HCC patients in a validation cohort, with an area under the curve of 0.84. Combining these markers with the three serum biomarkers (AFP, lectin-reactive AFP, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin) in a commercial test, μTASWako®, achieved an area under the curve of 0.87 and sensitivity of 68.8% at 95.8% specificity. Conclusion: HCC-specific circulating DNA methylation markers may be added to the available assay to improve the early detection of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Van Thien Chi Nguyen
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Van-Chu Nguyen
- National Cancer Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tan Dat Ho
- MEDIC Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thi Mong Quynh Pham
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thanh-Huong Tran
- National Cancer Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Thanh Dat Nguyen
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen Duy Khang Le
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Trong-Hieu Nguyen
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Van-Vu Kim
- National Cancer Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Duy-Sinh Nguyen
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Hoa Giang
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Hoai-Nghia Nguyen
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Minh-Duy Phan
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Le Son Tran
- Medical Genetics Institute, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Gene Solutions, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Mirza I, Mohamed A, Deen H, Balaji S, Elsabbahi D, Munasser A, Naquiallah D, Abdulbaseer U, Hassan C, Masrur M, Bianco FM, Ali MM, Mahmoud AM. Obesity-Associated Vitamin D Deficiency Correlates with Adipose Tissue DNA Hypomethylation, Inflammation, and Vascular Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214377. [PMID: 36430854 PMCID: PMC9694734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is a hallmark of obesity and vascular dysfunction. We sought to test the hypothesis that VD deficiency may contribute to obesity-related vascular dysfunction by inducing adipokine hypomethylation and augmented expression. To this end, we collected blood and adipose tissues (ATs) from a cohort of 77 obese participants who were classified as having mild, moderate, or severe VD deficiency. The body composition, vascular reactivity, cardiometabolic profiles, and DNA methylation of 94 inflammation-related adipokines were measured. Our results show that higher degrees of VD deficiency were associated with lower DNA methylation and induced the expression of inflammatory adipokines such as B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6), C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 8 (CXCL8), histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5), interleukin 12A (IL12A), and nuclear factor κB (NFκB) in the ATs. They were also associated with higher BMI and total and visceral fat mass, impaired insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles, AT hypoxia, and higher concentrations of circulating inflammatory markers. Moderate and severe VD deficiency correlated with impaired vasoreactivity of the brachial artery and AT-isolated arterioles, reduced nitric oxide generation, and increased arterial stiffness. In a multivariate regression analysis, the VD deficiency level strongly predicted the adipokine methylation score, systemic inflammation, and microvascular dysfunction. In conclusion, our findings suggest that VD deficiency is a possible contributor to obesity-related adipokine hypomethylation, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imaduddin Mirza
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ariej Mohamed
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Hania Deen
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Swetha Balaji
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Duaa Elsabbahi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Amier Munasser
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Dina Naquiallah
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Uzma Abdulbaseer
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Chandra Hassan
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Mario Masrur
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Francesco M. Bianco
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Mohamed M. Ali
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Abeer M. Mahmoud
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Correspondence:
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A Low Dose of Ouabain Alters the Metabolic Profile of Adult Rats Experiencing Intrauterine Growth Restriction in a Sex-Specific Manner. Reprod Sci 2022; 30:1594-1607. [PMID: 36333644 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01118-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic diseases. The pancreas of fetuses with IUGR is usually characterized by pancreatic dysplasia and reduced levels of insulin secretion caused by the diminished replication of β-cells. Previous studies showed that a low dose of ouabain could reduce the apoptosis of embryonic nephric cells during IUGR and partially restore the number of nephrons at birth. The rescued kidneys functioned well and decreased the prevalence of hypertension. Thus, we hypothesized that ouabain could rescue pancreatic development during IUGR and reduce the morbidity of T2DM and metabolic diseases. Maternal malnutrition was used to induce the IUGR model, and then a low dose of ouabain was administered to rats with IUGR during pregnancy. Throughout the experiment, we monitored the pattern of weight increase and evaluated the metabolic parameters in the offspring in different stages. Male, but not female, offspring in the IUGR group presented catch-up growth. Ouabain could benefit the impaired glucose tolerance of male offspring; however, this desirable effect was eliminated by aging. The insulin sensitivity was significantly impaired in male offspring with IUGR, but it was improved by ouabain, even during old age. However, in the female offspring, low birth weight appeared to be a beneficial factor even in old age; administering ouabain exacerbated these favorable effects. Our data suggested that IUGR influenced glucose metabolism in a sex-specific manner and ouabain treatment during pregnancy exerted strongly contrasting effects in male and female rats.
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Yong HJ, Toledo MP, Nowakowski RS, Wang YJ. Sex Differences in the Molecular Programs of Pancreatic Cells Contribute to the Differential Risks of Type 2 Diabetes. Endocrinology 2022; 163:bqac156. [PMID: 36130190 PMCID: PMC10409906 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiology studies demonstrate that women are at a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to men. However, the molecular basis of this risk difference is not well understood. In this study, we examined the sex differences in the genetic programs of pancreatic endocrine cells. We combined pancreas perifusion data and single-cell genomic data from our laboratory and from publicly available data sets to investigate multiple axes of the sex differences in the human pancreas at the single-cell type and single-cell level. We systematically compared female and male islet secretion function, gene expression program, and regulatory principles of pancreatic endocrine cells. The perifusion data indicate that female endocrine cells have a higher secretion capacity than male endocrine cells. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis suggests that endocrine cells in male controls have molecular signatures that resemble T2D. In addition, we identified genomic elements associated with genome-wide association study T2D loci to have differential accessibility between female and male delta cells. These genomic elements may play a sex-specific causal role in the pathogenesis of T2D. We provide molecular mechanisms that explain the differential risk of T2D between women and men. Knowledge gained from our study will accelerate the development of diagnostics and therapeutics in sex-aware precision medicine for diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Jeong Yong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Maria Pilar Toledo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Richard S Nowakowski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Yue J Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
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Dietrich E, Jomard A, Osto E. Crosstalk between high-density lipoproteins and endothelial cells in health and disease: Insights into sex-dependent modulation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:989428. [PMID: 36304545 PMCID: PMC9594152 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.989428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Intense research in vascular biology has advanced our knowledge of molecular mechanisms of its onset and progression until complications; however, several aspects of the patho-physiology of atherosclerosis remain to be further elucidated. Endothelial cell homeostasis is fundamental to prevent atherosclerosis as the appearance of endothelial cell dysfunction is considered the first pro-atherosclerotic vascular modification. Physiologically, high density lipoproteins (HDLs) exert protective actions for vessels and in particular for ECs. Indeed, HDLs promote endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation, contribute to the regulation of vascular lipid metabolism, and have immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Sex- and gender-dependent differences are increasingly recognized as important, although not fully elucidated, factors in cardiovascular health and disease patho-physiology. In this review, we highlight the importance of sex hormones and sex-specific gene expression in the regulation of HDL and EC cross-talk and their contribution to cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Dietrich
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anne Jomard
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Osto
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Cardiology, Heart Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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De Paoli M, Wood DW, Bohn MK, Pandey AK, Borowitz DK, Fang S, Patel Z, Venegas-Pino DE, Shi Y, Werstuck GH. Investigating the protective effects of estrogen on β-cell health and the progression of hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2022; 323:E254-E266. [PMID: 35830687 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00353.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in the prevalence and development of diabetes and associated cardiometabolic complications are well established. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of estrogen on the maintenance of β-cell health/function and atherosclerosis progression, using a mouse model of hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis, the ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mouse. ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice exhibit sexual dimorphism in the control of blood glucose levels. Male ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice are chronically hyperglycemic due to a significant reduction in pancreatic β-cell mass. Female mice are only transiently hyperglycemic, maintain β-cell mass, and blood glucose levels normalize at 35 ± 1 days of age. To determine the effects of estrogen on pancreatic β-cell health and function, ovariectomies and estrogen supplementation experiments were performed, and pancreatic health and atherosclerosis were assessed at various time points. Ovariectomized ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice developed chronic hyperglycemia with significantly reduced β-cell mass. To determine whether the observed effects on ovariectomized ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice were due to a lack of estrogens, slow-releasing estradiol pellets were inserted subcutaneously. Ovariectomized ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice treated with exogenous estradiol showed normalized blood glucose levels and maintained β-cell mass. Exogenous estradiol significantly reduced atherosclerosis in both ovariectomized female and male ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice relative to controls. Together, these findings suggest that estradiol confers significant protection to pancreatic β-cell health and can directly and indirectly slow the progression of atherosclerosis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study examines the effect(s) of estrogen on β cell and cardiometabolic health/function in a novel mouse model of hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis (ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita). Using a combination of estrogen deprivation (ovariectomy) and supplementation strategies, we quantify effects on glucose homeostasis and atherogenesis. Our results clearly show a protective role for estrogen on pancreatic β-cell health and function and glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, estrogen supplementation dramatically reduces atherosclerosis progression in both male and female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica De Paoli
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dempsey W Wood
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mary K Bohn
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arjun K Pandey
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dana K Borowitz
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Susanna Fang
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zinal Patel
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel E Venegas-Pino
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yuanyuan Shi
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoff H Werstuck
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Prolonged insulin-induced hypoglycaemia reduces ß-cell activity rather than number in pancreatic islets in non-diabetic rats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14113. [PMID: 35982111 PMCID: PMC9388517 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18398-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic β-cells have an extraordinary ability to adapt to acute fluctuations in glucose levels by rapid changing insulin production to meet metabolic needs. Although acute changes have been characterised, effects of prolonged metabolic stress on β-cell dynamics are still unclear. Here, the aim was to investigate pancreatic β-cell dynamics and function during and after prolonged hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia was induced in male and female rats by infusion of human insulin for 8 weeks, followed by a 4-week infusion-free recovery period. Animals were euthanized after 4 or 8 weeks of infusion, and either 2 days and 4 weeks after infusion-stop. Total volumes of pancreatic islets and β-cell nuclei, islet insulin and glucagon content, and plasma c-peptide levels were quantified. Prolonged hypoglycaemia reduced c-peptide levels, islet volume and almost depleted islet insulin. Relative β-cell nuclei: total pancreas volume decreased, while being unchanged relative to islet volume. Glucagon: total pancreas volume decreased during hypoglycaemia, whereas glucagon: islet volume increased. Within two days after infusion-stop, plasma glucose and c-peptide levels normalised and all remaining parameters were fully reversed after 4 weeks. In conclusion, our findings indicate that prolonged hypoglycaemia inactivates β-cells, which can rapidly be reactivated when needed, demonstrating the high plasticity of β-cells even following prolonged suppression.
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Govender P, Ghai M, Okpeku M. Sex-specific DNA methylation: impact on human health and development. Mol Genet Genomics 2022; 297:1451-1466. [PMID: 35969270 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-022-01935-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Human evolution has shaped gender differences between males and females. Over the years, scientific studies have proposed that epigenetic modifications significantly influence sex-specific differences. The evolution of sex chromosomes with epigenetics as the driving force may have led to one sex being more adaptable than the other when exposed to various factors over time. Identifying and understanding sex-specific differences, particularly in DNA methylation, will help determine how each gender responds to factors, such as disease susceptibility, environmental exposure, brain development and neurodegeneration. From a medicine and health standpoint, sex-specific methylation studies have shed light on human disease severity, progression, and response to therapeutic intervention. Interesting findings in gender incongruent individuals highlight the role of genetic makeup in influencing DNA methylation differences. Sex-specific DNA methylation studies will empower the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry with more knowledge to identify biomarkers, design and develop sex bias drugs leading to better treatment in men and women based on their response to different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Govender
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, South Africa
| | - Meenu Ghai
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, South Africa.
| | - Moses Okpeku
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, South Africa
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Characterization of methylation patterns associated with lifestyle factors and vitamin D supplementation in a healthy elderly cohort from Southwest Sweden. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12670. [PMID: 35879377 PMCID: PMC9310683 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15924-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that lifestyle factors, such as regular physical activity and vitamin D intake, may remarkably improve overall health and mental wellbeing. This is especially important in older adults whose vitamin D deficiency occurs with a high prevalence. This study aimed to examine the influence of lifestyle and vitamin D on global DNA methylation patterns in an elderly cohort in Southwest of Sweden. We also sought to examine the methylation levels of specific genes involved in vitamin D's molecular and metabolic activated pathways. We performed a genome wide methylation analysis, using Illumina Infinium DNA Methylation EPIC 850kBeadChip array, on 277 healthy individuals from Southwest Sweden at the age of 70–95. The study participants also answered queries on lifestyle, vitamin intake, heart medication, and estimated health. Vitamin D intake did not in general affect methylation patterns, which is in concert with other studies. However, when comparing the group of individuals taking vitamin supplements, including vitamin D, with those not taking supplements, a difference in methylation in the solute carrier family 25 (SCL25A24) gene was found. This confirms a previous finding, where changes in expression of SLC25A24 were associated with vitamin D treatment in human monocytes. The combination of vitamin D intake and high physical activity increased methylation of genes linked to regulation of vitamin D receptor pathway, the Wnt pathway and general cancer processes. To our knowledge, this is the first study detecting epigenetic markers associated with the combined effects of vitamin D supplementation and high physical activity. These results deserve to be further investigated in an extended, interventional study cohort, where also the levels of 25(OH)D3 can be monitored.
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Chilunga FP, Meeks KAC, Henneman P, Agyemang C, Doumatey AP, Rotimi CN, Adeyemo AA. An epigenome-wide association study of insulin resistance in African Americans. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:88. [PMID: 35836279 PMCID: PMC9281172 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01309-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background African Americans have a high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance. Studies among other population groups have identified DNA methylation loci associated with insulin resistance, but data in African Americans are lacking. Using DNA methylation profiles of blood samples obtained from the Illumina Infinium® HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, we performed an epigenome-wide association study to identify DNA methylation loci associated with insulin resistance among 136 non-diabetic, unrelated African American men (mean age 41.6 years) from the Howard University Family Study. Results We identified three differentially methylated positions (DMPs) for homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) at 5% FDR. One DMP (cg14013695, HOXA5) is a known locus among Mexican Americans, while the other two DMPs are novel—cg00456326 (OSR1; beta = 0.027) and cg20259981 (ST18; beta = 0.010). Although the cg00456326 DMP is novel, the OSR1 gene has previously been found associated with both insulin resistance and T2D in Europeans. The genes HOXA5 and ST18 have been implicated in biological processes relevant to insulin resistance. Differential methylation at the significant HOXA5 and OSR1 DMPs is associated with differences in gene expression in the iMETHYL database. Analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) did not identify any epigenome-wide DMRs for HOMA-IR. We tested transferability of HOMA-IR associated DMPs from five previous EWAS in Mexican Americans, Indian Asians, Europeans, and European ancestry Americans. Out of the 730 previously reported HOMA-IR DMPs, 47 (6.4%) were associated with HOMA-IR in this cohort of African Americans. Conclusions The findings from our study suggest substantial differences in DNA methylation patterns associated with insulin resistance across populations. Two of the DMPs we identified in African Americans have not been reported in other populations, and we found low transferability of HOMA-IR DMPs reported in other populations in African Americans. More work in African-ancestry populations is needed to confirm our findings as well as functional analyses to understand how such DNA methylation alterations contribute to T2D pathology. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01309-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix P Chilunga
- Department of Public & Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karlijn A C Meeks
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter Henneman
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charles Agyemang
- Department of Public & Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ayo P Doumatey
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Charles N Rotimi
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adebowale A Adeyemo
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Ling C, Bacos K, Rönn T. Epigenetics of type 2 diabetes mellitus and weight change - a tool for precision medicine? Nat Rev Endocrinol 2022; 18:433-448. [PMID: 35513492 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-022-00671-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pioneering studies performed over the past few decades demonstrate links between epigenetics and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the metabolic disorder with the most rapidly increasing prevalence in the world. Importantly, these studies identified epigenetic modifications, including altered DNA methylation, in pancreatic islets, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and the liver from individuals with T2DM. As non-genetic factors that affect the risk of T2DM, such as obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, ageing and the intrauterine environment, have been associated with epigenetic modifications in healthy individuals, epigenetics probably also contributes to T2DM development. In addition, genetic factors associated with T2DM and obesity affect the epigenome in human tissues. Notably, causal mediation analyses found DNA methylation to be a potential mediator of genetic associations with metabolic traits and disease. In the past few years, translational studies have identified blood-based epigenetic markers that might be further developed and used for precision medicine to help patients with T2DM receive optimal therapy and to identify patients at risk of complications. This Review focuses on epigenetic mechanisms in the development of T2DM and the regulation of body weight in humans, with a special focus on precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Ling
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Scania University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Karl Bacos
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Scania University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Tina Rönn
- Epigenetics and Diabetes Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Lund University, Scania University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
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Abstract
Sex is a key risk factor for many types of cardiovascular disease. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms underlying sex differences to devise optimal preventive and therapeutic approaches for all individuals. Both biological sex (determined by sex chromosomes and gonadal hormones) and gender (social and cultural behaviors associated with femininity or masculinity) influence differences between men and women in disease susceptibility and pathology. Here, we focus on the application of experimental mouse models that elucidate the influence of 2 components of biological sex-sex chromosome complement (XX or XY) and gonad type (ovaries or testes). These models have revealed that in addition to well-known effects of gonadal hormones, sex chromosome complement influences cardiovascular risk factors, such as plasma cholesterol levels and adiposity, as well as the development of atherosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension. One mechanism by which sex chromosome dosage influences cardiometabolic traits is through sex-biased expression of X chromosome genes that escape X inactivation. These include chromatin-modifying enzymes that regulate gene expression throughout the genome. The identification of factors that determine sex-biased gene expression and cardiometabolic traits will expand our mechanistic understanding of cardiovascular disease processes and provide insight into sex differences that remain throughout the lifespan as gonadal hormone levels alter with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Reue
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Carrie B. Wiese
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
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45
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Andrews SV, Yang IJ, Froehlich K, Oskotsky T, Sirota M. Large-scale placenta DNA methylation integrated analysis reveals fetal sex-specific differentially methylated CpG sites and regions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9396. [PMID: 35672357 PMCID: PMC9174475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13544-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although male–female differences in placental structure and function have been observed, little is understood about their molecular underpinnings. Here, we present a mega-analysis of 14 publicly available placenta DNA methylation (DNAm) microarray datasets to identify individual CpGs and regions associated with fetal sex. In the discovery dataset of placentas from full term pregnancies (N = 532 samples), 5212 CpGs met genome-wide significance (p < 1E−8) and were enriched in pathways such as keratinization (FDR p-value = 7.37E−14), chemokine activity (FDR p-value = 1.56E−2), and eosinophil migration (FDR p-value = 1.83E−2). Nine differentially methylated regions were identified (fwerArea < 0.1) including a region in the promoter of ZNF300 that showed consistent differential DNAm in samples from earlier timepoints in pregnancy and appeared to be driven predominately by effects in the trophoblast cell type. We describe the largest study of fetal sex differences in placenta DNAm performed to date, revealing genes and pathways characterizing sex-specific placenta function and health outcomes later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan V Andrews
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Irene J Yang
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Dougherty Valley High School, San Ramon, CA, USA
| | - Karolin Froehlich
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tomiko Oskotsky
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Huang HH, Stillman TJ, Branham LA, Williams SC. The Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Porcine Islet Insulin Secretion. Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg 2022; 40:395-401. [DOI: 10.1089/photob.2022.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Han-Hung Huang
- Department of Physical Therapy, Angelo State University, Member, Texas Tech University System, San Angelo, Texas, USA
| | - Tori J. Stillman
- Department of Agriculture, and Angelo State University, Member, Texas Tech University System, San Angelo, Texas, USA
| | - Loree A. Branham
- Department of Agriculture, and Angelo State University, Member, Texas Tech University System, San Angelo, Texas, USA
| | - Scott C. Williams
- Department of Physics and Geosciences, Angelo State University, Member, Texas Tech University System, San Angelo, Texas, USA
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47
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Grant OA, Wang Y, Kumari M, Zabet NR, Schalkwyk L. Characterising sex differences of autosomal DNA methylation in whole blood using the Illumina EPIC array. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:62. [PMID: 35568878 PMCID: PMC9107695 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01279-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences are known to play a role in disease aetiology, progression and outcome. Previous studies have revealed autosomal epigenetic differences between males and females in some tissues, including differences in DNA methylation patterns. Here, we report for the first time an analysis of autosomal sex differences in DNAme using the Illumina EPIC array in human whole blood by performing a discovery (n = 1171) and validation (n = 2471) analysis. RESULTS We identified and validated 396 sex-associated differentially methylated CpG sites (saDMPs) with the majority found to be female-biased CpGs (74%). These saDMP's are enriched in CpG islands and CpG shores and located preferentially at 5'UTRs, 3'UTRs and enhancers. Additionally, we identified 266 significant sex-associated differentially methylated regions overlapping genes, which have previously been shown to exhibit epigenetic sex differences, and novel genes. Transcription factor binding site enrichment revealed enrichment of transcription factors related to critical developmental processes and sex determination such as SRY and ESR1. CONCLUSION Our study reports a reliable catalogue of sex-associated CpG sites and elucidates several characteristics of these sites using large-scale discovery and validation data sets. This resource will benefit future studies aiming to investigate sex specific epigenetic signatures and further our understanding of the role of DNA methylation in sex differences in human whole blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia A Grant
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, UK
| | - Yucheng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Meena Kumari
- Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Nicolae Radu Zabet
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, UK.
| | - Leonard Schalkwyk
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
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Rentzeperi E, Pegiou S, Koufakis T, Grammatiki M, Kotsa K. Sex Differences in Response to Treatment with Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists: Opportunities for a Tailored Approach to Diabetes and Obesity Care. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12030454. [PMID: 35330453 PMCID: PMC8950819 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The available data suggest differences in the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) between men and women, influenced by the distinguishing features of the sex. Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are a relatively new class of antidiabetic drugs that act by mimicking the function of endogenous glucagon-like peptide 1. They constitute valuable agents for the management of T2DM as, in addition to exerting a strong hypoglycemic action, they present cardiorenal protective properties, promote weight loss, and have a good safety profile, particularly with respect to the risk of hypoglycemia. Due to the precedent of studies having identified sexual dimorphic elements regarding the action of other antidiabetic agents, ongoing research has attempted to examine whether this is also the case for GLP-1 RAs. Until now, sex differences have been observed in the impact of GLP1-RAs on glycemic control, weight reduction, and frequency of adverse events. On the contrary, the question of whether these drugs differentially affect the two sexes with respect to cardiovascular risk and incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events remains under investigation. Knowledge of the potential sex-specific effects of these medications is extremely useful for the implementation of individualized therapeutic plans in the treatment of T2DM. This narrative review aims to present the available data regarding the sex-specific action of GLP-1 RAs as well as to discuss the potential pathophysiologic mechanisms explaining these dissimilarities.
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Tokatli MR, Sisti LG, Marziali E, Nachira L, Rossi MF, Amantea C, Moscato U, Malorni W. Hormones and Sex-Specific Medicine in Human Physiopathology. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030413. [PMID: 35327605 PMCID: PMC8946266 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A prodigious increment of scientific evidence in both preclinical and clinical studies is narrowing a major gap in knowledge regarding sex-specific biological responses observed in numerous branches of clinical practices. Some paradigmatic examples include neurodegenerative and mental disorders, immune-related disorders such as pathogenic infections and autoimmune diseases, oncologic conditions, and cardiovascular morbidities. The male-to-female proportion in a population is expressed as sex ratio and varies eminently with respect to the pathophysiology, natural history, incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates. The factors that determine this scenario incorporate both sex-associated biological differences and gender-dependent sociocultural issues. A broad narrative review focused on the current knowledge about the role of hormone regulation in gender medicine and gender peculiarities across key clinical areas is provided. Sex differences in immune response, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, cancer, and COVID-19 are some of the hints reported. Moreover, gender implications in occupational health and health policy are offered to support the need for more personalized clinical medicine and public health approaches to achieve an ameliorated quality of life of patients and better outcomes in population health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leuconoe Grazia Sisti
- Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.G.S.); (E.M.); (L.N.); (U.M.)
- National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Marziali
- Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.G.S.); (E.M.); (L.N.); (U.M.)
| | - Lorenza Nachira
- Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.G.S.); (E.M.); (L.N.); (U.M.)
| | - Maria Francesca Rossi
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Occupational Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.R.); (C.A.)
| | - Carlotta Amantea
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Occupational Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.R.); (C.A.)
| | - Umberto Moscato
- Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.G.S.); (E.M.); (L.N.); (U.M.)
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Occupational Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.R.); (C.A.)
| | - Walter Malorni
- Course in Pharmacy, University of Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
- Center for Global Health Research and Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.G.S.); (E.M.); (L.N.); (U.M.)
- Correspondence:
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50
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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] [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. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01236-4.
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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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