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Hamada H, Casciaro C, Moisiadis VG, Constantinof A, Kostaki A, Matthews SG. Prenatal maternal glucocorticoid exposure modifies sperm miRNA profiles across multiple generations in the guinea-pig. J Physiol 2024; 602:2127-2139. [PMID: 38285002 DOI: 10.1113/jp284942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress and glucocorticoid exposure during pregnancy have multigenerational effects on neuroendocrine function and behaviours in offspring. Importantly, effects are transmitted through the paternal lineage. Altered phenotypes are associated with profound differences in transcription and DNA methylation in the brain. In the present study, we hypothesized that maternal prenatal synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) exposure in the F0 pregnancy will result in differences in miRNA levels in testes germ cells and sperm across multiple generations, and that these changes will associate with modified microRNA (miRNA) profiles and gene expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of subsequent generations. Pregnant guinea-pigs (F0) were treated with multiple courses of the sGC betamethasone (Beta) (1 mg kg-1; gestational days 40, 41, 50, 51, 60 and 61) in late gestation. miRNA levels were assessed in testes germ cells and in F2 PFC using the GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array and candidate miRNA measured in epididymal sperm by quantitative real-time PCR. Maternal Beta exposure did not alter miRNA levels in germ cells derived from the testes of adult male offspring. However, there were significant differences in the levels of four candidate miRNAs in the sperm of F1 and F2 adult males. There were no changes in miRNA levels in the PFC of juvenile F2 female offspring. The present study has identified that maternal Beta exposure leads to altered miRNA levels in sperm that are apparent for at least two generations. The fact that differences were confined to epididymal sperm suggests that the intergenerational effects of Beta may target the epididymis. KEY POINTS: Paternal glucocorticoid exposure prior to conception leads to profound epigenetic changes in the brain and somatic tissues in offspring, and microRNAs (miRNAs) in sperm may mediate these changes. We show that there were significant differences in the miRNA profile of epididymal sperm in two generations following prenatal glucocorticoid exposure that were not observed in germ cells derived from the testes. The epididymis is a probable target for intergenerational programming. The effects of prenatal glucocorticoid treatment may span multiple generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Hamada
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Christopher Casciaro
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vasilis G Moisiadis
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Constantinof
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alisa Kostaki
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health Systems, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Beil J, Perner J, Pfaller L, Gérard MA, Piaia A, Doelemeyer A, Wasserkrug Naor A, Martin L, Piequet A, Dubost V, Chibout SD, Moggs J, Terranova R. Unaltered hepatic wound healing response in male rats with ancestral liver injury. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6353. [PMID: 37816736 PMCID: PMC10564731 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41998-w] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The possibility that ancestral environmental exposure could result in adaptive inherited effects in mammals has been long debated. Numerous rodent models of transgenerational responses to various environmental factors have been published but due to technical, operational and resource burden, most still await independent confirmation. A previous study reported multigenerational epigenetic adaptation of the hepatic wound healing response upon exposure to the hepatotoxicant carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in male rats. Here, we comprehensively investigate the transgenerational effects by repeating the original CCl4 multigenerational study with increased power, pedigree tracing, F2 dose-response and suitable randomization schemes. Detailed pathology evaluations do not support adaptive phenotypic suppression of the hepatic wound healing response or a greater fitness of F2 animals with ancestral liver injury exposure. However, transcriptomic analyses identified genes whose expression correlates with ancestral liver injury, although the biological relevance of this apparent transgenerational transmission at the molecular level remains to be determined. This work overall highlights the need for independent evaluation of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance paradigms in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Beil
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Lena Pfaller
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Lori Martin
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, East-Hanover, NJ, USA
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3
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Wu T, Zhou K, Hua Y, Zhang W, Li Y. The molecular mechanisms in prenatal drug exposure-induced fetal programmed adult cardiovascular disease. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1164487. [PMID: 37153765 PMCID: PMC10157035 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1164487] [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: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The "developmental origins of health and disease" (DOHaD) hypothesis posits that early-life environmental exposures have a lasting impact on individual's health and permanently shape growth, structure, and metabolism. This reprogramming, which results from fetal stress, is believed to contribute to the development of adulthood cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and increased susceptibility to ischemic injuries. Recent studies have shown that prenatal exposure to drugs, such as glucocorticoids, antibiotics, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and other toxins, increases the risk of adult-onset cardiovascular diseases. In addition, observational and animal experimental studies have demonstrated the association between prenatal drug exposure and the programming of cardiovascular disease in the offspring. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are still being explored but are thought to involve metabolism dysregulation. This review summarizes the current evidence on the relationship between prenatal drug exposure and the risk of adult cardiovascular disorders. Additionally, we present the latest insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to programmed cardiovascular phenotypes after prenatal drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaiyu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yimin Hua
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Wen Zhang, ; Yifei Li,
| | - Yifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Wen Zhang, ; Yifei Li,
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4
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Li Q, Chen H, Li Z, Zhang F, Chen L. Glucocorticoid caused lactic acid accumulation and damage in human chondrocytes via ROS-mediated inhibition of Monocarboxylate Transporter 4. Bone 2022; 155:116299. [PMID: 34915176 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease lacking effective treatments. Dexamethasone (Dex) is often used to relieve joint pain. However, the adverse effects of Dex on cartilage can't be ignored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Dex on articular cartilage and its mechanism by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results showed that intra-articular injection with Dex damaged the matrix synthesis of cartilage. In vitro, Dex induced human chondrocytes mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, while down-regulated or unchanged key glycolysis genes, but increased lactic acid (LA) concentration. It was showed that high concentrations of LA induced chondrocytes apoptosis. Mechanistically, monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) was inhibited by Dex and had a significant negative correlation with ROS level. Further results showed that the trimethyl-histone H3-K4 (H3K4me3) level of MCT4 was reduced by Dex, and the ROS scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) alleviated the Dex-induced obstruction of matrix synthesis and high level of ROS by up-regulating the H3K4me3 level of MCT4 and its expression. In conclusion, Dex exhibited harm to cartilage, shown as mitochondrial dysfunction and increased ROS. The latter further caused LA accumulation in chondrocytes via decreasing the H3K4me3 level of MCT4 and its expression, which may account for the long-term side effects of Dex on chondrocytes. And α-KG may be used as an auxiliary drug to weaken the toxic effect of Dex on cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxian Li
- Division of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Haitao Chen
- Division of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhenyu Li
- Division of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Division of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Liaobin Chen
- Division of Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
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Liu W, Mohan SP, Nagaraj NR, Sundar Jaganathan S, Wen Y, Ramasubramanyan S, Irudayaraj J. Epigenetic alterations associated with dexamethasone sodium phosphate through DNMT and TET in RPE cells. Mol Vis 2021; 27:643-655. [PMID: 34924744 PMCID: PMC8645185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To elucidate the mechanism behind epigenetic alteration associated with dexamethasone (DEX) sodium phosphate treatment. METHODS We performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantify changes in global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) of the DNA methylation- and hydroxymethylation-related gene, in vitro DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) enzymatic activity assays with purified DNMTs, and DNA hydroxymethylation pattern with super-resolution imaging. RESULTS We identified global DNA hypomethylation and hyper-hydroxymethylation upon DEX treatment, associated with aberrant mRNA expression levels of DNMT and ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins. Additionally, DEX exposure could directly hinder DNMT activities. CONCLUSIONS We showed that DEX-induced epigenetic alterations are linked to aberrant DNMT and TET expression, potentially through an essential role of DNMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, Cancer Center at Illinois, Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL,Biomedical Research Center in Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carles Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL
| | - Sruthi Priya Mohan
- R.S. Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, KBIRVO, Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, TN, India
| | | | - Shyam Sundar Jaganathan
- R.S. Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, KBIRVO, Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, TN, India
| | - Yi Wen
- Department of Bioengineering, Cancer Center at Illinois, Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL,Biomedical Research Center in Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carles Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL
| | - Sharada Ramasubramanyan
- R.S. Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, KBIRVO, Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, TN, India
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- Department of Bioengineering, Cancer Center at Illinois, Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL,Biomedical Research Center in Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carles Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL
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Gapp K, Parada GE, Gross F, Corcoba A, Kaur J, Grau E, Hemberg M, Bohacek J, Miska EA. Single paternal dexamethasone challenge programs offspring metabolism and reveals multiple candidates in RNA-mediated inheritance. iScience 2021; 24:102870. [PMID: 34386731 PMCID: PMC8346661 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Single traumatic events that elicit an exaggerated stress response can lead to the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Rodent studies suggested germline RNA as a mediator of effects of chronic environmental exposures to the progeny. The effects of an acute paternal stress exposure on the germline and their potential consequences on offspring remain to be seen. We find that acute administration of an agonist for the stress-sensitive Glucocorticoid receptor, using the common corticosteroid dexamethasone, affects the RNA payload of mature sperm as soon as 3 hr after exposure. It further impacts early embryonic transcriptional trajectories, as determined by single-embryo sequencing, and metabolism in the offspring. We show persistent regulation of tRNA fragments in sperm and descendant 2-cell embryos, suggesting transmission from sperm to embryo. Lastly, we unravel environmentally induced alterations in sperm circRNAs and their targets in the early embryo, highlighting this class as an additional candidate in RNA-mediated inheritance of disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Gapp
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Guillermo E. Parada
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Fridolin Gross
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | | | - Jasmine Kaur
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Evelyn Grau
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Medicine, CITIID, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Johannes Bohacek
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Eric A. Miska
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
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7
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Juanola O, Martínez-López S, Francés R, Gómez-Hurtado I. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Metabolic, Genetic, Epigenetic and Environmental Risk Factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18105227. [PMID: 34069012 PMCID: PMC8155932 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most frequent causes of chronic liver disease in the Western world, probably due to the growing prevalence of obesity, metabolic diseases, and exposure to some environmental agents. In certain patients, simple hepatic steatosis can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can sometimes lead to liver cirrhosis and its complications including hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the mechanisms that cause the progression of NAFLD to NASH is crucial to be able to control the advancement of the disease. The main hypothesis considers that it is due to multiple factors that act together on genetically predisposed subjects to suffer from NAFLD including insulin resistance, nutritional factors, gut microbiota, and genetic and epigenetic factors. In this article, we will discuss the epidemiology of NAFLD, and we overview several topics that influence the development of the disease from simple steatosis to liver cirrhosis and its possible complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriol Juanola
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Translational Research Laboratory, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Sebastián Martínez-López
- Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Rubén Francés
- Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center for Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Gómez-Hurtado
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center for Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBERehd), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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8
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Pang TY, Yaeger JDW, Summers CH, Mitra R. Cardinal role of the environment in stress induced changes across life stages and generations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:137-150. [PMID: 33549740 PMCID: PMC9286069 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The stress response in rodents and humans is exquisitely dependent on the environmental context. The interactive element of the environment is typically studied by creating laboratory models of stress-induced plasticity manifested in behavior or the underlying neuroendocrine mediators of the behavior. Here, we discuss three representative sets of studies where the role of the environment in mediating stress sensitivity or stress resilience is considered across varying windows of time. Collectively, these studies testify that environmental variation at an earlier time point modifies the relationship between stressor and stress response at a later stage. The metaplastic effects of the environment on the stress response remain possible across various endpoints, including behavior, neuroendocrine regulation, region-specific neural plasticity, and regulation of receptors. The timescale of such variation spans adulthood, across stages of life history and generational boundaries. Thus, environmental variables are powerful determinants of the observed diversity in stress response. The predominant role of the environment suggests that it is possible to promote stress resilience through purposeful modification of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence Y Pang
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Jazmine D W Yaeger
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
| | - Cliff H Summers
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
| | - Rupshi Mitra
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
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9
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Chen YT, Hu Y, Yang QY, Son JS, Liu XD, de Avila JM, Zhu MJ, Du M. Excessive Glucocorticoids During Pregnancy Impair Fetal Brown Fat Development and Predispose Offspring to Metabolic Dysfunctions. Diabetes 2020; 69:1662-1674. [PMID: 32409491 PMCID: PMC7372078 DOI: 10.2337/db20-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy exposes fetuses to hyperglucocorticoids, which increases the risk of metabolic dysfunctions in offspring. Despite being a key tissue for maintaining metabolic health, the impacts of maternal excessive glucocorticoids (GC) on fetal brown adipose tissue (BAT) development and its long-term thermogenesis and energy expenditure remain unexamined. For testing, pregnant mice were administered dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic GC, in the last trimester of gestation, when BAT development is the most active. DEX offspring had glucose, insulin resistance, and adiposity and also displayed cold sensitivity following cold exposure. In BAT of DEX offspring, Ppargc1a expression was suppressed, together with reduced mitochondrial density, and the brown progenitor cells sorted from offspring BAT demonstrated attenuated brown adipogenic capacity. Increased DNA methylation in Ppargc1a promoter had a fetal origin; elevated DNA methylation was also detected in neonatal BAT and brown progenitors. Mechanistically, fetal GC exposure increased GC receptor/DNMT3b complex in binding to the Ppargc1a promoter, potentially driving its de novo DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing, which impaired fetal BAT development. In summary, maternal GC exposure during pregnancy increases DNA methylation in the Ppargc1a promoter, which epigenetically impairs BAT thermogenesis and energy expenditure, predisposing offspring to metabolic dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ting Chen
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Yun Hu
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Qi-Yuan Yang
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Jun Seok Son
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Xiang-Dong Liu
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Jeanene M de Avila
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Mei-Jun Zhu
- School of Food Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Min Du
- Nutrigenomics and Growth Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
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10
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Bayoumi A, Grønbæk H, George J, Eslam M. The Epigenetic Drug Discovery Landscape for Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease. Trends Genet 2020; 36:429-441. [PMID: 32396836 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of research, effective therapies for metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are lacking. An increasing body of evidence suggests that epigenetic dysregulation is frequent in MAFLD, and orchestrates many aspects of its development and progression. Furthermore, the high plasticity of epigenetic modifications in response to environmental cues renders epigenetics a novel area for therapeutic drug discovery. Over recent years, several epigenetics-based drugs and diagnostic biomarkers have entered clinical development and/or obtained regulatory approval. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of epigenetic regulation and programming during MAFLD, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodelling, transcriptional control, and noncoding (nc)RNAs. We also discuss the potential translational implications and challenges of epigenetics in the context of MAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Bayoumi
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Henning Grønbæk
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammed Eslam
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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11
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Baxter FA, Drake AJ. Non-genetic inheritance via the male germline in mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180118. [PMID: 30966887 PMCID: PMC6460076 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies in humans and in animal models have demonstrated that exposure to adverse environmental conditions in early life results in long-term structural and functional changes in an organism, increasing the risk of cardiometabolic, neurobehavioural and reproductive disorders in later life. Such effects are not limited to the first generation offspring but may be transmitted to a second or a number of subsequent generations, through non-genomic mechanisms. While the transmission of ‘programmed’ effects through the maternal line could occur as a consequence of multiple influences, for example, altered maternal physiology, the inheritance of effects through the male line is more difficult to explain and there is much interest in a potential role for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms by which induced effects may be transmitted through the paternal lineage, with a particular focus on the role of epigenetic inheritance. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Developing differences: early-life effects and evolutionary medicine’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye A Baxter
- 1 Royal Hospital for Sick Children , 9 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LF , UK
| | - Amanda J Drake
- 1 Royal Hospital for Sick Children , 9 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LF , UK.,2 University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh , 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ , UK
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12
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Sperm RNA: Quo vadis? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 97:123-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Gapp
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK; Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, CH-8057, Switzerland.
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Zhang Y, Chen Q. The expanding repertoire of hereditary information carriers. Development 2019; 146:146/6/dev170902. [PMID: 30877124 DOI: 10.1242/dev.170902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A hereditary system that is based on double-helix DNA sequences provides a stable way to store inherited traits and is favored by most life forms on Earth. However, emerging studies on the phenomenon of non-DNA sequence-based inheritance in multiple species, including mammals, urges a rethinking of the nature of hereditary information carriers and the ways in which they encode heritable traits. In this short opinion piece, we discuss how potential hereditary information carriers such as DNA-associated proteins, epigenetic marks, RNAs and organelles could function via distinct and synergistic modes of action in encoding and transmitting ancestral traits, either inherited or acquired from the environment. In particular, we discuss how the 3D structure of chromatin, in addition to its DNA sequence, may represent a higher-order carrier of hereditary information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA .,Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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Hamada H, Matthews SG. Prenatal programming of stress responsiveness and behaviours: Progress and perspectives. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12674. [PMID: 30582647 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Parental exposure to stress or glucocorticoids either before or during pregnancy can have profound influences on neurodevelopment, neuroendocrine function and behaviours in offspring. Specific outcomes are dependent on the nature, intensity and timing of the exposure, as well as species, sex and age of the subject. Most recently, it has become evident that outcomes are not confined to first-generation offspring and that there may be intergenerational and transgenerational transmission of effects. There has been intense focus on the mechanisms by which such early exposure leads to long-term and potential transgenerational outcomes, and there is strong emerging evidence that epigenetic processes (histone modifications, DNA methylation, and small non-coding RNAs) are involved. New knowledge in this area may allow the development of interventions that can prevent, ameliorate or reverse the long-term negative outcomes associated with exposure to early adversity. This review will focus on the latest research, bridging human and pre-clinical studies, and will highlight some of the limitations, challenges and gaps that exist in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Hamada
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Coping-Style Behavior Identified by a Survey of Parent-of-Origin Effects in the Rat. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:3283-3291. [PMID: 30135107 PMCID: PMC6169385 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study we investigate the effects of parent of origin on complex traits in the laboratory rat, with a focus on coping style behavior in stressful situations. We develop theory, based on earlier work, to partition heritability into a component due to a combination of parent of origin, maternal, paternal and shared environment, and another component that estimates classical additive genetic variance. We use this theory to investigate the effects on heritability of the parental origin of alleles in 798 outbred heterogeneous stock rats across 199 complex traits. Parent-of-origin-like heritability was on average 2.7fold larger than classical additive heritability. Among the phenotypes with the most enhanced parent-of-origin heritability were 10 coping style behaviors, with average 3.2 fold heritability enrichment. To confirm these findings on coping behavior, and to eliminate the possibility that the parent of origin effects are due to confounding with shared environment, we performed a reciprocal F1 cross between the behaviorally divergent RHA and RLA rat strains. We observed parent-of-origin effects on F1 rat anxiety/coping-related behavior in the Elevated Zero Maze test. Our study is the first to assess genetic parent-of-origin effects in rats, and confirm earlier findings in mice that such effects influence coping and impulsive behavior, and suggest these effects might be significant in other mammals, including humans.
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