1
|
Shah RG, Salafia CM, Girardi T, Rukat C, Brunner J, Barrett ES, O'Connor TG, Misra DP, Miller RK. Maternal affective symptoms and sleep quality have sex-specific associations with placental topography. J Affect Disord 2024; 360:62-70. [PMID: 38806063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impacts of prenatal maternal affective symptoms on the placental structure are not well-established. Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial autocorrelation, Moran's I, can help characterize placental thickness uniformity/variability and evaluate the impacts of maternal distress on placental topography. METHODS This study (N = 126) utilized cohort data on prenatal maternal affective symptoms and placental 2D and 3D morphology. Prenatal maternal depression, stress, anxiety and sleep quality were scored for each trimester using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Stressful Life Event Scale (SLE), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Placental shape was divided into Voronoi cells and thickness variability among these cells was computed using Moran's I for 4-nearest neighbors and neighbors within a 10 cm radius. Sex-stratified Spearman correlations and linear regression were used to study associations between mean placental thickness, placental GIS variables, placental weight and the average score of each maternal variable. RESULTS For mothers carrying boys, poor sleep was associated with higher mean thickness (r = 0.308,p = 0.035) and lower placental thickness uniformity (r = -0.36,p = 0.012). Lower placental weight (r = 0.395,p = 0.003), higher maternal depression (r = -0.318,p = 0.019) and worry/anxiety (r = -0.362,p = 0.007) were associated with lower placental thickness uniformity for mothers carrying girls. LIMITATIONS The study is exploratory and not all GIS models were developed. Excluding high-risk pregnancies prevented investigating pregnancy complications related hypotheses. A larger sample size is needed for greater confidence for clinical application. CONCLUSIONS Placental topography can be studied using GIS theory and has shown that prenatal maternal affective symptoms and sleep have sex-specific associations with placental thickness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchit G Shah
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA.
| | - Carolyn M Salafia
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Theresa Girardi
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Cate Rukat
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Jessica Brunner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, USA
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
| | - Dawn P Misra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, MI, USA
| | - Richard K Miller
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Environmental Medicine, Pathology, and Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Boschen KE, Dragicevich CJ, Fish EW, Hepperla AJ, Simon JM, Parnell SE. Gastrulation-stage alcohol exposure induces similar rates of craniofacial malformations in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2292. [PMID: 38116840 PMCID: PMC10872400 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2292] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure during gastrulation (embryonic day [E] 7 in mice, ~3rd week of human pregnancy) impairs eye, facial, and cortical development, recapitulating birth defects characteristic of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). However, it is not known whether the prevalence or severity of craniofacial features associated with FAS is affected by biological sex. METHODS The current study administered either alcohol (2.9 g/kg, two i.p. doses, 4 hr apart) or vehicle to pregnant C57BL/6J females on E7, prior to gonadal sex differentiation, and assessed fetal morphology at E17. RESULTS Whereas sex did not affect fetal size in controls, alcohol-exposed females were smaller than both control females and alcohol-treated males. Alcohol exposure increased the incidence of eye defects to a similar degree in males and females. Together, these data suggest that females might be more sensitive to the general developmental effects of alcohol, but not effects specific to the craniofacies. Whole transcriptomic analysis of untreated E7 embryos found 214 differentially expressed genes in females vs. males, including those in pathways related to cilia and mitochondria, histone demethylase activity, and pluripotency. CONCLUSION Gastrulation-stage alcohol induces craniofacial malformations in male and female mouse fetuses at similar rates and severity, though growth deficits are more prevalent females. These findings support the investigation of biological sex as a contributing factor in prenatal alcohol studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen E. Boschen
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Constance J. Dragicevich
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eric W. Fish
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Austin J. Hepperla
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy M. Simon
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Scott E. Parnell
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pinson MR, Tseng AM, Lehman TE, Chung K, Gutierrez J, Larin KV, Chambers CD, Miranda RC. Maternal circulating miRNAs contribute to negative pregnancy outcomes by altering placental transcriptome and fetal vascular dynamics. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290720. [PMID: 37930978 PMCID: PMC10627460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating miRNAs the in blood are promising biomarkers for predicting pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. Previous work identified 11 gestationally elevated maternal circulating miRNAs (HEamiRNAs) that predicted infant growth deficits following prenatal alcohol exposure and regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the placenta. Here we show that a single intravascular administration of pooled murine-conserved HEamiRNAs to pregnant mice on gestational day 10 (GD10) attenuates umbilical cord blood flow during gestation, explaining the observed intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), specifically decreased fetal weight, and morphometric indices of cranial growth. Moreover, RNAseq of the fetal portion of the placenta demonstrated that this single exposure has lasting transcriptomic changes, including upregulation of members of the Notch pathway (Dll4, Rfng, Hey1), which is a pathway important for trophoblast migration and differentiation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis also identified chemokine signaling, which is responsible for regulating immune cell-mediated angiogenesis in the placenta, as an important predictor of fetal growth and head size. Our data suggest that HEamiRNAs perturb the expression of placental genes relevant for angiogenesis, resulting in impaired umbilical cord blood flow and subsequently, IUGR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R. Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Alexander M. Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Tenley E. Lehman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Karen Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Jessica Gutierrez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Christina D. Chambers
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Rajesh C. Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
- Women’s Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mooney SM, Billings E, McNew M, Munson CA, Shaikh SR, Smith SM. Behavioral changes in FPR2/ALX and Chemr23 receptor knockout mice are exacerbated by prenatal alcohol exposure. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1187220. [PMID: 37483341 PMCID: PMC10357512 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1187220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes neuroinflammation that may contribute to the pathophysiology underlying Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has shown success in mitigating effects of PAE in animal models, however, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Some PUFA metabolites, specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), play a role in the resolution phase of inflammation, and receptors for these are in the brain. Methods To test the hypothesis that the SPM receptors FPR2 and ChemR23 play a role in PAE-induced behavioral deficits, we exposed pregnant wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice to alcohol in late gestation and behaviorally tested male and female offspring as adolescents and young adults. Results Maternal and fetal outcomes were not different among genotypes, however, growth and behavioral phenotypes in the offspring did differ and the effects of PAE were unique to each line. In the absence of PAE, ChemR23 KO animals showed decreased anxiety-like behavior on the elevated plus maze and FPR2 KO had poor grip strength and low activity compared to age-matched WT mice. WT mice showed improved performance on fear conditioning between adolescence and young adulthood, this was not seen in either KO. Discussion This PAE model has subtle effects on WT behavior with lower activity levels in young adults, decreased grip strength in males between test ages, and decreased response to the fear cue indicating an effect of alcohol exposure on learning. The PAE-mediated decreased response to the fear cue was also seen in ChemR23 KO but not FPR2 KO mice, and PAE worsened performance of adolescent FPR2 KO mice on grip strength and activity. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insight into how PUFAs could act to attenuate cognitive impairments caused by PAE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M. Mooney
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| | - Elanaria Billings
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| | - Madison McNew
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| | - Carolyn A. Munson
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| | - Saame R. Shaikh
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| | - Susan M. Smith
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Quintrell E, Wyrwoll C, Rosenow T, Larcombe A, Kelty E. The effects of acamprosate on maternal and neonatal outcomes in a mouse model of alcohol use disorders. Physiol Behav 2023; 259:114037. [PMID: 36427542 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114037] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the teratogenic effects of alcohol, little is known about the safety of pharmacotherapies such as acamprosate for the treatment of alcohol use disorders in pregnancy. The aims of this study were to investigate, in a mouse model, the effects of maternally administered acamprosate on maternal and neonatal health, offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour, as well as examine whether acamprosate reduces the neurological harm associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy. METHODS Dams were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: (i) control (water), (ii) acamprosate (1.6 g/L), (iii) alcohol (5% v/v) or (iv) acamprosate and alcohol (1.6 g/L; 5% v/v ethanol) and exposed from 2-weeks pre-pregnancy until postpartum day 7. Gestational outcomes including litter size and sex ratio were assessed, in addition to early-life markers of neurodevelopment. At 8 weeks of age, motor coordination, anxiety, locomotion, and memory of the adult offspring were also examined. RESULTS Exposure to acamprosate did not affect maternal and birth outcomes (mating success, gestational weight gain, litter size, sex ratio), neonatal outcomes (head and body length, postnatal weight) or neurodevelopmental markers (righting reflex and negative geotaxis). Acamprosate exposure did not affect offspring motor control, locomotion or anxiety, however the effects on short-term memory remain uncertain. Prenatal alcohol exposed offspring exhibited various alterations, such as lower postnatal weight, smaller head (p = 0.04) and body lengths (p = 0.046) at postnatal day 70 (males only), increased negative geotaxis speed (p = 0.03), an increased time spent in the inner zone of the open field (p = 0.02). Acamprosate mitigated the effects of alcohol for negative geotaxis at postnatal day 7 (p = 0.01) and female offspring weight at postnatal day 70 (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Overall, we show that prenatal acamprosate exposure was not associated with poor maternal or neonatal health outcomes or impaired neurodevelopment and behaviour. However, acamprosate's effects on short-term memory remain uncertain. We present preliminary evidence to suggest acamprosate displayed some neuroprotective effects against damage caused by in utero alcohol exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ebony Quintrell
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia Australia; Respiratory Environmental Health, Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Caitlin Wyrwoll
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Tim Rosenow
- The Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alexander Larcombe
- Respiratory Environmental Health, Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Occupation, Environment and Safety, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Erin Kelty
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bedi YS, Wang H, Thomas KN, Basel A, Prunier J, Robert C, Golding MC. Alcohol induced increases in sperm Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation correlate with increased placental CTCF occupancy and altered developmental programming. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8839. [PMID: 35614060 PMCID: PMC9130987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12188-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a mouse model, studies by our group reveal that paternal preconception alcohol intake affects offspring fetal-placental growth, with long-lasting consequences on adult metabolism. Here, we tested the hypothesis that chronic preconception male alcohol exposure impacts histone enrichment in sperm and that these changes are associated with altered developmental programming in the placenta. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we find alcohol-induced increases in sperm histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) that map to promoters and presumptive enhancer regions enriched in genes driving neurogenesis and craniofacial development. Given the colocalization of H3K4me3 with the chromatin binding factor CTCF across both sperm and embryos, we next examined CTCF localization in the placenta. We find global changes in CTCF binding within placentae derived from the male offspring of alcohol-exposed sires. Furthermore, altered CTCF localization correlates with dysregulated gene expression across multiple gene clusters; however, these transcriptional changes only occur in male offspring. Finally, we identified a correlation between genomic regions exhibiting alcohol-induced increases in sperm H3K4me3 and increased CTCF binding in male placentae. Collectively, our analysis demonstrates that the chromatin landscape of sperm is sensitive to chronic alcohol exposure and that a subset of these affected regions exhibits increased placental CTCF enrichment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yudhishtar S Bedi
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Haiqing Wang
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kara N Thomas
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Alison Basel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Julien Prunier
- Genomics Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Claude Robert
- Département des Sciences Animales, Faculté des Sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Michael C Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Helfrich KK, Saini N, Kwan STC, Rivera OC, Hodges R, Smith SM. Gestational Iron Supplementation Improves Fetal Outcomes in a Rat Model of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14081653. [PMID: 35458215 PMCID: PMC9025692 DOI: 10.3390/nu14081653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure causes neurodevelopmental disability and is associated with a functional iron deficiency in the fetus and neonate, even when the mother consumes an apparently iron-adequate diet. Here, we test whether gestational administration of the clinically relevant iron supplement Fer-In-Sol mitigates alcohol’s adverse impacts upon the fetus. Pregnant Long-Evans rats consumed an iron-adequate diet and received 5 g/kg alcohol by gavage for 7 days in late pregnancy. Concurrently, some mothers received 6 mg/kg oral iron. We measured maternal and fetal weights, hematology, tissue iron content, and oxidative damage on gestational day 20.5. Alcohol caused fetal anemia, decreased fetal body and brain weight, increased hepatic iron content, and modestly elevated hepatic malondialdehyde (p’s < 0.05). Supplemental iron normalized this brain weight reduction in alcohol-exposed males (p = 0.154) but not female littermates (p = 0.031). Iron also reversed the alcohol-induced fetal anemia and normalized both red blood cell numbers and hematocrit (p’s < 0.05). Iron had minimal adverse effects on the mother or fetus. These data show that gestational iron supplementation improves select fetal outcomes in prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) including brain weight and hematology, suggesting that this may be a clinically feasible approach to improve prenatal iron status and fetal outcomes in alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee K. Helfrich
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Nipun Saini
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
- Correspondence: (N.S.); (S.M.S.)
| | - Sze Ting Cecilia Kwan
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Olivia C. Rivera
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Rachel Hodges
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Susan M. Smith
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (K.K.H.); (S.T.C.K.); (O.C.R.); (R.H.)
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
- Correspondence: (N.S.); (S.M.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Smith SM, Pjetri E, Friday WB, Presswood BH, Ricketts DK, Walter KR, Mooney SM. Aging-Related Behavioral, Adiposity, and Glucose Impairments and Their Association following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in the C57BL/6J Mouse. Nutrients 2022; 14:1438. [PMID: 35406051 PMCID: PMC9002573 DOI: 10.3390/nu14071438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
People that experience prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) may have behavioral and metabolic impairments, and it is unclear whether these remain stable or change with age. We assessed behavioral and metabolic endpoints across the lifespan in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Pregnant C57BL/6J mice received alcohol (ALC; 3 g/kg) or maltose-dextrin (control, CON) daily from embryonic day 8.5 to 17.5. Offspring were tested on accelerating rotarod, Y-maze, novel object recognition, and fear conditioning at 6 weeks and 10 and 17 months; females were also tested at 24 months. Body composition, fasting glucose, and glucose clearance were assessed at 18 months. Female but not male ALC mice had greater adiposity than age-matched CON from 7 months onward. At 18 months, male but not female ALC mice had reduced glucose clearance and ALC mice were more likely to have elevated fasting glucose. In the rotarod training session, ALC females performed worse than CON. In the Y-maze, significant exposure-age interactions affected ALC performance in both sexes versus age-match CON. For fear conditioning, all animals acquired the task and froze more at older ages. In both the context and cued tasks, there were exposure-age interactions and ALC animals frozen less than CON at 10 months. Correlation analysis revealed that fasting glucose and glucose clearance correlated with % of body fat in ALC but not in CON mice. Additionally, glucose intolerance and % body fat negatively correlated with performance in the rotarod, context learning, and novel object recognition tasks in ALC but not CON mice. All mice exhibit worsening of behavioral performance as they age, and PAE did not further exacerbate this. ALC but not CON mice displayed adiposity and glucose intolerance that correlate with their cognitive impairments, suggesting that these may be mechanistically related in PAE. Findings emphasize that FASD should be considered a whole-body disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Smith
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Eneda Pjetri
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Walter B. Friday
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Brandon H. Presswood
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Dane K. Ricketts
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Kathleen R. Walter
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
| | - Sandra M. Mooney
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (E.P.); (W.B.F.); (B.H.P.); (D.K.R.); (K.R.W.)
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Untargeted Metabolome Analysis Reveals Reductions in Maternal Hepatic Glucose and Amino Acid Content That Correlate with Fetal Organ Weights in a Mouse Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14051096. [PMID: 35268071 PMCID: PMC8912878 DOI: 10.3390/nu14051096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes fetal growth restrictions. A major driver of fetal growth deficits is maternal metabolic disruption; this is under-investigated following PAE. Untargeted metabolomics on the dam and fetus exposed to alcohol (ALC) revealed that the hepatic metabolome of ALC and control (CON) dams were distinct, whereas that of ALC and CON fetuses were similar. Alcohol reduced maternal hepatic glucose content and enriched essential amino acid (AA) catabolites, N-acetylated AA products, urea content, and free fatty acids. These alterations suggest an attempt to minimize the glucose gap by increasing gluconeogenesis using AA and glycerol. In contrast, ALC fetuses had unchanged glucose and AA levels, suggesting an adequate draw of maternal nutrients, despite intensified stress on ALC dams. Maternal metabolites including glycolytic intermediates, AA catabolites, urea, and one-carbon-related metabolites correlated with fetal liver and brain weights, whereas lipid metabolites correlated with fetal body weight, indicating they may be drivers of fetal weight outcomes. Together, these data suggest that ALC alters maternal hepatic metabolic activity to limit glucose availability, thereby switching to alternate energy sources to meet the high-energy demands of pregnancy. Their correlation with fetal phenotypic outcomes indicates the influence of maternal metabolism on fetal growth and development.
Collapse
|
10
|
Mooney SM, Pjetri E, Friday WB, Smith SM. Growth and behavioral differences in a C57BL/6J mouse model of prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol 2021; 97:51-57. [PMID: 34592334 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can produce behavioral deficits in the presence or absence of growth and morphological deficits. Here, we describe a murine PAE model having parallels to the clinical diagnosis of alcohol-related neurodevelopmental deficit (ARND). METHODS Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with alcohol (ALC, 3 g/kg) or maltodextrin daily on embryonic days (E) E8.5 through E17.5. Blood alcohol levels were 211 ± 14 mg/dL at 30 min post-gavage. Offspring behavior was tested at adolescence. RESULTS ALC dams gained less weight during the alcohol exposure period (p = 0.035). ALC male and female pups weighed more than controls at P15 (p ≤ 0.001) and P22 (p ≤ 0.001), but not at P37, perhaps because their dams were pair-housed. During the training session for accelerating rotarod, control offspring trended to stay longer on the rotarod than did ALC offspring [F(1,54) = 2.892, p = 0.095]. In the Y-maze, ALC offspring had a higher percent alternation than did controls [F(1,54) = 16.577, p < 0.001], but activity level did not appear to differ. In the fear-conditioning test, there was no ALC effect in the training trial. In the contextual test, there was a group × minute effect for males [F(4,120) = 2.94, p = 0.023], and ALC trended to freeze less than controls in minute 1 (p = 0.076) and froze less in minute 2 (p = 0.02). In the cue test, there was a trend for a group-sex interaction [F(1,53) = 3.008, p = 0.089] on overall freezing, such that ALC males (p < 0.05) again froze less than control males, whereas ALC females (p < 0.05) froze more than control females. CONCLUSIONS This mouse model of PAE, using a repeated intermediate exposure, produces modest behavioral impairments that are consistent along the continuum of PAE models, including deficits in associative memory and hyper-responsivity. The lack of growth or morphological deficits suggests these mice may model aspects of ARND.
Collapse
|
11
|
Steane SE, Young SL, Clifton VL, Gallo LA, Akison LK, Moritz KM. Prenatal alcohol consumption and placental outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; 225:607.e1-607.e22. [PMID: 34181895 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.06.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A systematic review was conducted to determine placental outcomes following prenatal alcohol exposure in women. DATA SOURCES The search terms "maternal OR prenatal OR pregnant OR periconception" AND "placenta" AND "alcohol OR ethanol" were used across 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL) from inception until November 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Articles were included if they reported placental outcomes in an alcohol exposure group compared with a control group. Studies were excluded if placentas were from elective termination before 20 weeks' gestation, animal studies, in vitro studies, case studies, or coexposure studies. METHODS Study quality was assessed by 2 reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Title and abstract screening was conducted by 2 reviewers to remove duplicates and irrelevant studies. Remaining full text articles were screened by 2 reviewers against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Placental outcome data were extracted and tabulated separately for studies of placentation, placental weight, placental morphology, and placental molecular studies. Meta-analyses were conducted for outcomes reported by >3 studies. RESULTS Database searching retrieved 640 unique records. Screening against inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in 33 included studies. The quality assessment identified that 61% of studies were high quality, 30% were average quality, and 9% were low quality. Meta-analyses indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure increased the likelihood of placental abruption (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-1.60) but not placenta previa (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.34) and resulted in a reduction in placental weight of 51 g (95% confidence interval, -82.8 to -19.3). Reports of altered placental vasculature, placental DNA methylation, and gene expression following prenatal alcohol exposure were identified. A single study examined placentas from male and female infants separately and found sex-specific placental outcomes. CONCLUSION Prenatal alcohol exposure increases the likelihood of placental abruption and is associated with decreased placental weight, altered placental vasculature, DNA methylation, and molecular pathways. Given the critical role of the placenta in determining pregnancy outcomes, further studies investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced placental dysfunction are required. Sex-specific placental adaptations to adverse conditions in utero have been well documented; thus, future studies should examine prenatal alcohol exposure-associated placental outcomes separately by sex.
Collapse
|
12
|
Kwan STC, Ricketts DK, Presswood BH, Smith SM, Mooney SM. Prenatal choline supplementation during mouse pregnancy has differential effects in alcohol-exposed fetal organs. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2471-2484. [PMID: 34697823 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are preventable adverse outcomes consequent to prenatal alcohol exposure. Supplemental choline confers neuroprotection to the alcohol-exposed offspring, but its actions outside the brain are unclear. We previously reported that prenatal exposure of mice to 4.5 g/kg of alcohol decreased placental weight in females only, but decreased body weight and liver-to-body weight ratio and increased brain-to-body weight ratio in both sexes. Here we test the hypotheses that a lower alcohol dose will elicit similar outcomes, and that concurrent choline treatment will mitigate these outcomes. METHODS Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with alcohol (3 g/kg; Alc) or maltodextrin (MD) from embryonic day (E) 8.5-17.5. Some also received a subcutaneous injection of 100 mg/kg choline chloride (Alc + Cho, MD + Cho). Outcomes were evaluated on E17.5. RESULTS Alc dams had lower gestational weight gain than MD; this was normalized by choline. In males, Alc decreased placental weight whereas choline increased placental efficiency, and Alc + Cho (vs. MD) tended to further reduce placental weight and increase efficiency. Despite no significant alcohol effects on these measures, choline increased fetal body weight but not brain weight, thus reducing brain-to-body weight ratio in both sexes. This ratio was also lower in the Alc + Cho (vs. MD) fetuses. Alc reduced liver weight and the liver-to-body weight ratio; choline did not improve these. Placental weight and efficiency correlated with litter size, whereas placental efficiency correlated with fetal morphometric measurements. CONCLUSIONS Choline prevents an alcohol-induced reduction in gestational weight gain and fetal body weight and corrects fetal brain sparing, consistent with clinical findings of improvements in alcohol-exposed children born to mothers receiving choline supplementation. Importantly, we show that choline enhances placental efficiency in the alcohol-exposed offspring but does not normalize fetal liver growth. Our findings support choline supplementation during pregnancy to mitigate the severity of FASD and emphasize the need to examine choline's actions in different organ systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sze Ting Cecilia Kwan
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dane K Ricketts
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandon H Presswood
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Susan M Smith
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sandra M Mooney
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Steane SE, Fielding AM, Kent NL, Andersen I, Browne DJ, Tejo EN, Gårdebjer EM, Kalisch-Smith JI, Sullivan MA, Moritz KM, Akison LK. Maternal choline supplementation in a rat model of periconceptional alcohol exposure: Impacts on the fetus and placenta. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2130-2146. [PMID: 34342027 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal choline supplementation in rats can ameliorate specific neurological and behavioral abnormalities caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. We tested whether choline supplementation ameliorates fetal growth restriction and molecular changes in the placenta associated with periconceptional ethanol exposure (PCE) in the rat. METHODS Sprague Dawley dams were given either 12.5% ethanol (PCE) or 0% ethanol (Con) in a liquid diet from 4 days prior to 4 days after conception. At day 5 of pregnancy, dams were either placed on a standard chow (1.6 g choline/kg chow) or an intermediate chow (2.6 g choline/kg chow). On day 10 of pregnancy, a subset of the intermediate dams were placed on a chow further supplemented with choline (7.2 g choline/kg chow), resulting in 6 groups. Fetuses and placentas were collected on day 20 of pregnancy for analysis. RESULTS Choline supplementation resulted in increased fetal weight at late gestation, ameliorating the deficits due to PCE. This was most pronounced in litters on a standard chow during pregnancy. Choline also increased fetal liver weight and decreased fetal brain:liver ratio, independent of alcohol exposure. Placental weight was reduced as choline levels in the chow increased, particularly in female placentas. This resulted in a greater ratio of fetal:placental weight, suggesting increased placental efficiency. Global DNA methylation in the placenta was altered in a sex-specific manner by both PCE and choline. However, the increased glycogen deposition in female placentas, previously reported in this PCE model, was not prevented by choline supplementation. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that choline has the potential to ameliorate fetal growth restriction associated with PCE and improve placental efficiency following prenatal alcohol exposure. Our study highlights the importance of maternal nutrition in moderating the severity of adverse fetal and placental outcomes that may arise from prenatal alcohol exposure around the time of conception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Steane
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Arree M Fielding
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nykola L Kent
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Isabella Andersen
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel J Browne
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ellen N Tejo
- Mater Research, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Emelie M Gårdebjer
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Karen M Moritz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Lisa K Akison
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Programmed suppression of oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial function by gestational alcohol exposure correlate with widespread increases in H3K9me2 that do not suppress transcription. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:27. [PMID: 34130715 PMCID: PMC8207718 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00403-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A critical question emerging in the field of developmental toxicology is whether alterations in chromatin structure induced by toxicant exposure control patterns of gene expression or, instead, are structural changes that are part of a nuclear stress response. Previously, we used a mouse model to conduct a three-way comparison between control offspring, alcohol-exposed but phenotypically normal animals, and alcohol-exposed offspring exhibiting craniofacial and central nervous system structural defects. In the cerebral cortex of animals exhibiting alcohol-induced dysgenesis, we identified a dramatic increase in the enrichment of dimethylated histone H3, lysine 9 (H3K9me2) within the regulatory regions of key developmental factors driving histogenesis in the brain. However, whether this change in chromatin structure is causally involved in the development of structural defects remains unknown. Results Deep-sequencing analysis of the cortex transcriptome reveals that the emergence of alcohol-induced structural defects correlates with disruptions in the genetic pathways controlling oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial function. The majority of the affected pathways are downstream targets of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2), indicating that this stress-responsive complex plays a role in propagating the epigenetic memory of alcohol exposure through gestation. Importantly, transcriptional disruptions of the pathways regulating oxidative homeostasis correlate with the emergence of increased H3K9me2 across genic, repetitive, and non-transcribed regions of the genome. However, although associated with gene silencing, none of the candidate genes displaying increased H3K9me2 become transcriptionally repressed, nor do they exhibit increased markers of canonical heterochromatin. Similar to studies in C. elegans, disruptions in oxidative homeostasis induce the chromatin looping factor SATB2, but in mammals, this protein does not appear to drive increased H3K9me2 or altered patterns of gene expression. Conclusions Our studies demonstrate that changes in H3K9me2 associate with alcohol-induced congenital defects, but that this epigenetic change does not correlate with transcriptional suppression. We speculate that the mobilization of SATB2 and increased enrichment of H3K9me2 may be components of a nuclear stress response that preserve chromatin integrity and interactions under prolonged oxidative stress. Further, we postulate that while this response may stabilize chromatin structure, it compromises the nuclear plasticity required for normal differentiation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13072-021-00403-w.
Collapse
|