1
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Ashiqueali SA, Schneider A, Zhu X, Juszczyk E, Mansoor MAM, Zhu Y, Fang Y, Zanini BM, Garcia DN, Hayslip N, Medina D, McFadden S, Stockwell R, Yuan R, Bartke A, Zasloff M, Siddiqi S, Masternak MM. Early life interventions metformin and trodusquemine metabolically reprogram the developing mouse liver through transcriptomic alterations. Aging Cell 2024:e14227. [PMID: 38798180 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the remarkable potential of early life intervention strategies at influencing the course of postnatal development, thereby offering exciting possibilities for enhancing longevity and improving overall health. Metformin (MF), an FDA-approved medication for type II diabetes mellitus, has recently gained attention for its promising anti-aging properties, acting as a calorie restriction mimetic, and delaying precocious puberty. Additionally, trodusquemine (MSI-1436), an investigational drug, has been shown to combat obesity and metabolic disorders by inhibiting the enzyme protein tyrosine phosphatase 1b (Ptp1b), consequently reducing hepatic lipogenesis and counteracting insulin and leptin resistance. In this study, we aimed to further explore the effects of these compounds on young, developing mice to uncover biomolecular signatures that are central to liver metabolic processes. We found that MSI-1436 more potently alters mRNA and miRNA expression in the liver compared with MF, with bioinformatic analysis suggesting that cohorts of differentially expressed miRNAs inhibit the action of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (Pi3k), protein kinase B (Akt), and mammalian target of rapamycin (Mtor) to regulate the downstream processes of de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, very-low-density lipoprotein transport, and cholesterol biosynthesis and efflux. In summary, our study demonstrates that administering these compounds during the postnatal window metabolically reprograms the liver through induction of potent epigenetic changes in the transcriptome, potentially forestalling the onset of age-related diseases and enhancing longevity. Future studies are necessary to determine the impacts on lifespan and overall quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Ashiqueali
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Augusto Schneider
- Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Xiang Zhu
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Ewelina Juszczyk
- Research & Development Center, Celon Pharma S.A., Kazun Nowy, Poland
| | - Mishfak A M Mansoor
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Yimin Fang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Bianka M Zanini
- Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Driele N Garcia
- Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Natalie Hayslip
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - David Medina
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Samuel McFadden
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Robert Stockwell
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Rong Yuan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Andrzej Bartke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Zasloff
- MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shadab Siddiqi
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Michal M Masternak
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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2
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Garcia G, Pinto S, Ferreira S, Lopes D, Serrador MJ, Fernandes A, Vaz AR, de Mendonça A, Edenhofer F, Malm T, Koistinaho J, Brites D. Emerging Role of miR-21-5p in Neuron-Glia Dysregulation and Exosome Transfer Using Multiple Models of Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2022; 11:3377. [PMID: 36359774 PMCID: PMC9655962 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213377] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with neuron-glia dysfunction and dysregulated miRNAs. We previously reported upregulated miR-124/miR-21 in AD neurons and their exosomes. However, their glial distribution, phenotypic alterations and exosomal spread are scarcely documented. Here, we show glial cell activation and miR-21 overexpression in mouse organotypic hippocampal slices transplanted with SH-SY5Y cells expressing the human APP695 Swedish mutation. The upregulation of miR-21 only in the CSF from a small series of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) AD patients, but not in non-AD MCI individuals, supports its discriminatory potential. Microglia, neurons, and astrocytes differentiated from the same induced pluripotent stem cells from PSEN1ΔE9 AD patients all showed miR-21 elevation. In AD neurons, miR-124/miR-21 overexpression was recapitulated in their exosomes. In AD microglia, the upregulation of iNOS and miR-21/miR-146a supports their activation. AD astrocytes manifested a restrained inflammatory profile, with high miR-21 but low miR-155 and depleted exosomal miRNAs. Their immunostimulation with C1q + IL-1α + TNF-α induced morphological alterations and increased S100B, inflammatory transcripts, sAPPβ, cytokine release and exosomal miR-21. PPARα, a target of miR-21, was found to be repressed in all models, except in neurons, likely due to concomitant miR-125b elevation. The data from these AD models highlight miR-21 as a promising biomarker and a disease-modifying target to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Garcia
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Pinto
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Ferreira
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniela Lopes
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria João Serrador
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adelaide Fernandes
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Central Nervous System, Blood and Peripheral Inflammation Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Vaz
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Frank Edenhofer
- Department of Genomics, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Koistinaho
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dora Brites
- Neuroinflammation, Signaling and Neuroregeneration Lab, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
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3
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Hou H, Chan C, Yuki KE, Sokolowski D, Roy A, Qu R, Uusküla-Reimand L, Faykoo-Martinez M, Hudson M, Corre C, Goldenberg A, Zhang Z, Palmert MR, Wilson MD. Postnatal developmental trajectory of sex-biased gene expression in the mouse pituitary gland. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:57. [PMID: 36221127 PMCID: PMC9552479 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00467-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pituitary gland regulates essential physiological processes such as growth, pubertal onset, stress response, metabolism, reproduction, and lactation. While sex biases in these functions and hormone production have been described, the underlying identity, temporal deployment, and cell-type specificity of sex-biased pituitary gene regulatory networks are not fully understood. METHODS To capture sex differences in pituitary gene regulation dynamics during postnatal development, we performed 3' untranslated region sequencing and small RNA sequencing to ascertain gene and microRNA expression, respectively, across five postnatal ages (postnatal days 12, 22, 27, 32, 37) that span the pubertal transition in female and male C57BL/6J mouse pituitaries (n = 5-6 biological replicates for each sex at each age). RESULTS We observed over 900 instances of sex-biased gene expression and 17 sex-biased microRNAs, with the majority of sex differences occurring with puberty. Using miRNA-gene target interaction databases, we identified 18 sex-biased genes that were putative targets of 5 sex-biased microRNAs. In addition, by combining our bulk RNA-seq with publicly available male and female mouse pituitary single-nuclei RNA-seq data, we obtained evidence that cell-type proportion sex differences exist prior to puberty and persist post-puberty for three major hormone-producing cell types: somatotropes, lactotropes, and gonadotropes. Finally, we identified sex-biased genes in these three pituitary cell types after accounting for cell-type proportion differences between sexes. CONCLUSION Our study reveals the identity and postnatal developmental trajectory of sex-biased gene expression in the mouse pituitary. This work also highlights the importance of considering sex biases in cell-type composition when understanding sex differences in the processes regulated by the pituitary gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huayun Hou
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cadia Chan
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kyoko E Yuki
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dustin Sokolowski
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Roy
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rihao Qu
- Interdepartmental Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Mariela Faykoo-Martinez
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matt Hudson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christina Corre
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Goldenberg
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zhaolei Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R Palmert
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Division of Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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4
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Stokar J, Gurt I, Cohen-Kfir E, Yakubovsky O, Hallak N, Benyamini H, Lishinsky N, Offir N, Tam J, Dresner-Pollak R. Hepatic Adropin is Regulated by Estrogen and Contributes to Adverse Metabolic Phenotypes in Ovariectomized Mice. Mol Metab 2022; 60:101482. [PMID: 35364299 PMCID: PMC9044006 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Menopause is associated with visceral adiposity, hepatic steatosis and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. As estrogen replacement therapy is not suitable for all postmenopausal women, a need for alternative therapeutics and biomarkers has emerged. Methods 9-week-old C57BL/6 J female mice were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) or SHAM surgery (n = 10 per group), fed a standard diet and sacrificed 6- & 12 weeks post-surgery. Results Increased weight gain, hepatic triglyceride content and changes in hepatic gene expression of Cyp17a1, Rgs16, Fitm1 as well as Il18, Rares2, Retn, Rbp4 in mesenteric visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were observed in OVX vs. SHAM. Liver RNA-sequencing 6-weeks post-surgery revealed changes in genes and microRNAs involved in fat metabolism in OVX vs. SHAM mice. Energy Homeostasis Associated gene (Enho) coding for the hepatokine adropin was significantly reduced in OVX mice livers and strongly inversely correlated with weight gain (r = −0.7 p < 0.001) and liver triglyceride content (r = −0.4, p = 0.04), with a similar trend for serum adropin. In vitro, Enho expression was tripled by 17β-estradiol in BNL 1 ME liver cells with increased adropin in supernatant. Analysis of open-access datasets revealed increased hepatic Enho expression in estrogen treated OVX mice and estrogen dependent ERα binding to Enho. Treatment of 5-month-old OVX mice with Adropin (i.p. 450 nmol/kg/twice daily, n = 4,5 per group) for 6-weeks reversed adverse adipokine gene expression signature in VAT, with a trended increase in lean body mass and decreased liver TG content with upregulation of Rgs16. Conclusions OVX is sufficient to induce deranged metabolism in adult female mice. Hepatic adropin is regulated by estrogen, negatively correlated with adverse OVX-induced metabolic phenotypes, which were partially reversed with adropin treatment. Adropin should be further explored as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for menopause-related metabolic derangement. OVX increased body weight, liver fat & adverse visceral fat adipokine signature. OVX altered liver transcriptome & miRNA profile including fat metabolism pathways. Enho was downregulated by OVX & inversely correlated with weight gain & liver fat. Hepatic adropin expression was upregulated by estrogen in-vitro & in-vivo. Adropin treatment partially reversed OVX induced adverse metabolic phenotypes.
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5
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Jensen EA, Young JA, Kuhn J, Onusko M, Busken J, List EO, Kopchick JJ, Berryman DE. Growth hormone alters gross anatomy and morphology of the small and large intestines in age- and sex-dependent manners. Pituitary 2022; 25:116-130. [PMID: 34373994 PMCID: PMC8905484 DOI: 10.1007/s11102-021-01179-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Growth hormone (GH) has an important role in intestinal barrier function, and abnormalities in GH action have been associated with intestinal complications. Yet, the impact of altered GH on intestinal gross anatomy and morphology remains unclear. METHODS This study investigated the influence of GH signaling on gross anatomy, morphology, and fibrosis by characterizing the small and large intestines in male and female bovine growth hormone transgenic (bGH) mice and GH receptor gene-disrupted (GHR-/-) mice at multiple timepoints. RESULTS The length, weight, and circumference of the small and large intestines were increased in bGH mice and decreased in GHR-/- mice across all ages. Colon circumference was significantly increased in bGH mice in a sex-dependent manner while significantly decreased in male GHR-/- mice. Villus height, crypt depth, and muscle thickness of the small intestine were generally increased in bGH mice and decreased in GHR-/- mice compared to controls with age- and sex-dependent exceptions. Colonic crypt depth and muscle thickness in bGH and GHR-/- mice were significantly altered in an age- and sex-dependent manner. Fibrosis was increased in the small intestine of bGH males at 4 months of age, but no significant differences were seen between genotypes at other timepoints. CONCLUSION This study observed notable opposing findings in the intestinal phenotype between mouse lines with GH action positively associated with intestinal gross anatomy (i.e. length, weight, and circumference). Moreover, GH action appears to alter morphology of the small and large intestines in an age- and sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Jensen
- Translational Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate College, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Jonathan A Young
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Jaycie Kuhn
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Maria Onusko
- The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Parks Hall Suite 142, Athens, OH, USA
- College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Joshua Busken
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Edward O List
- Translational Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate College, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Parks Hall Suite 142, Athens, OH, USA
| | - John J Kopchick
- Translational Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate College, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Parks Hall Suite 142, Athens, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Darlene E Berryman
- Translational Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate College, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
- The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Parks Hall Suite 142, Athens, OH, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
- Office of Research and Grants, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Irvine Hall 220B, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
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Peng C, Li J. Editorial: MicroRNAs in endocrinology and cell signaling. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1118426. [PMID: 36601018 PMCID: PMC9806391 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1118426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chun Peng
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Chun Peng,
| | - Julang Li
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Matthews BJ, Melia T, Waxman DJ. Harnessing natural variation to identify cis regulators of sex-biased gene expression in a multi-strain mouse liver model. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009588. [PMID: 34752452 PMCID: PMC8664386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in gene expression are widespread in the liver, where many autosomal factors act in tandem with growth hormone signaling to regulate individual variability of sex differences in liver metabolism and disease. Here, we compare hepatic transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles of mouse strains C57BL/6J and CAST/EiJ, representing two subspecies separated by 0.5-1 million years of evolution, to elucidate the actions of genetic factors regulating liver sex differences. We identify 144 protein coding genes and 78 lncRNAs showing strain-conserved sex bias; many have gene ontologies relevant to liver function, are more highly liver-specific and show greater sex bias, and are more proximally regulated than genes whose sex bias is strain-dependent. The strain-conserved genes include key growth hormone-dependent transcriptional regulators of liver sex bias; however, three other transcription factors, Trim24, Tox, and Zfp809, lose their sex-biased expression in CAST/EiJ mouse liver. To elucidate the observed strain specificities in expression, we characterized the strain-dependence of sex-biased chromatin opening and enhancer marks at cis regulatory elements (CREs) within expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) regulating liver sex-biased genes. Strikingly, 208 of 286 eQTLs with strain-specific, sex-differential effects on expression were associated with a complete gain, loss, or reversal of the sex differences in expression between strains. Moreover, 166 of the 286 eQTLs were linked to the strain-dependent gain or loss of localized sex-biased CREs. Remarkably, a subset of these CREs apparently lacked strain-specific genetic variants yet showed coordinated, strain-dependent sex-biased epigenetic regulation. Thus, we directly link hundreds of strain-specific genetic variants to the high variability in CRE activity and expression of sex-biased genes and uncover underlying genetically-determined epigenetic states controlling liver sex bias in genetically diverse mouse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J. Matthews
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tisha Melia
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David J. Waxman
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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8
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miR-802 regulates Paneth cell function and enterocyte differentiation in the mouse small intestine. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3339. [PMID: 34099655 PMCID: PMC8184787 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23298-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal epithelium is a complex structure that integrates digestive, immunological, neuroendocrine, and regenerative functions. Epithelial homeostasis is maintained by a coordinated cross-talk of different epithelial cell types. Loss of integrity of the intestinal epithelium plays a key role in inflammatory diseases and gastrointestinal infection. Here we show that the intestine-enriched miR-802 is a central regulator of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, Paneth cell function, and enterocyte differentiation. Genetic ablation of mir-802 in the small intestine of mice leads to decreased glucose uptake, impaired enterocyte differentiation, increased Paneth cell function and intestinal epithelial proliferation. These effects are mediated in part through derepression of the miR-802 target Tmed9, a modulator of Wnt and lysozyme/defensin secretion in Paneth cells, and the downstream Wnt signaling components Fzd5 and Tcf4. Mutant Tmed9 mice harboring mutations in miR-802 binding sites partially recapitulate the augmented Paneth cell function of mice lacking miR-802. Our study demonstrates a broad miR-802 network that is important for the integration of signaling pathways of different cell types controlling epithelial homeostasis in the small intestine.
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9
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Guo S, Huang S, Jiang X, Hu H, Han D, Moreno CS, Fairbrother GL, Hughes DA, Stoneking M, Khaitovich P. Variation of microRNA expression in the human placenta driven by population identity and sex of the newborn. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:286. [PMID: 33879051 PMCID: PMC8059241 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07542-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Analysis of lymphocyte cell lines revealed substantial differences in the expression of mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) among human populations. The extent of such population-associated differences in actual human tissues remains largely unexplored. The placenta is one of the few solid human tissues that can be collected in substantial numbers in a controlled manner, enabling quantitative analysis of transient biomolecules such as RNA transcripts. Here, we analyzed microRNA (miRNA) expression in human placental samples derived from 36 individuals representing four genetically distinct human populations: African Americans, European Americans, South Asians, and East Asians. All samples were collected at the same hospital following a unified protocol, thus minimizing potential biases that might influence the results. RESULTS Sequence analysis of the miRNA fraction yielded 938 annotated and 70 novel miRNA transcripts expressed in the placenta. Of them, 82 (9%) of annotated and 11 (16%) of novel miRNAs displayed quantitative expression differences among populations, generally reflecting reported genetic and mRNA-expression-based distances. Several co-expressed miRNA clusters stood out from the rest of the population-associated differences in terms of miRNA evolutionary age, tissue-specificity, and disease-association characteristics. Among three non-environmental influenced demographic parameters, the second largest contributor to miRNA expression variation after population was the sex of the newborn, with 32 miRNAs (3% of detected) exhibiting significant expression differences depending on whether the newborn was male or female. Male-associated miRNAs were evolutionarily younger and correlated inversely with the expression of target mRNA involved in neuron-related functions. In contrast, both male and female-associated miRNAs appeared to mediate different types of hormonal responses. Demographic factors further affected reported imprinted expression of 66 placental miRNAs: the imprinting strength correlated with the mother's weight, but not height. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that among 12 assessed demographic variables, population affiliation and fetal sex had a substantial influence on miRNA expression variation among human placental samples. The effect of newborn-sex-associated miRNA differences further led to expression inhibition of the target genes clustering in specific functional pathways. By contrast, population-driven miRNA differences might mainly represent neutral changes with minimal functional impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Guo
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205, Moscow, Russia
| | - Shuyun Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Xi Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Haiyang Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Dingding Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Carlos S Moreno
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Genevieve L Fairbrother
- Obstetrics and Gynecology of Atlanta, 1100 Johnson Ferry Rd NE Suite 800, Center 2, Atlanta, GA, 30342, USA
| | - David A Hughes
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Mark Stoneking
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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10
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Cirillo F, Catellani C, Lazzeroni P, Sartori C, Street ME. The Role of MicroRNAs in Influencing Body Growth and Development. Horm Res Paediatr 2021; 93:7-15. [PMID: 31914447 DOI: 10.1159/000504669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Body growth and development are regulated among others by genetic and epigenetic factors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are epigenetic regulators of gene expression that act at the post-transcriptional level, thereby exerting a strong influence on regulatory gene networks. Increasing studies suggest the importance of miRNAs in the regulation of the growth plate and growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis during the life course in a broad spectrum of animal species, contributing to longitudinal growth. This review summarizes the role of miRNAs in regulating growth in different in vitro and in vivo models acting on GH, GH receptor (GHR), IGFs, and IGF1R genes besides current knowledge in humans, and highlights that this regulatory system is of importance for growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Cecilia Catellani
- Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Pietro Lazzeroni
- Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Chiara Sartori
- Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Maria Elisabeth Street
- Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy,
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11
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Goldfarb CN, Waxman DJ. Global analysis of expression, maturation and subcellular localization of mouse liver transcriptome identifies novel sex-biased and TCPOBOP-responsive long non-coding RNAs. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:212. [PMID: 33761883 PMCID: PMC7992343 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07478-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While nuclear transcription and RNA processing and localization are well established for protein coding genes (PCGs), these processes are poorly understood for long non-coding (lnc)RNAs. Here, we characterize global patterns of transcript expression, maturation and localization for mouse liver RNA, including more than 15,000 lncRNAs. PolyA-selected liver RNA was isolated and sequenced from four subcellular fractions (chromatin, nucleoplasm, total nucleus, and cytoplasm), and from the chromatin-bound fraction without polyA selection. RESULTS Transcript processing, determined from normalized intronic to exonic sequence read density ratios, progressively increased for PCG transcripts in going from the chromatin-bound fraction to the nucleoplasm and then on to the cytoplasm. Transcript maturation was similar for lncRNAs in the chromatin fraction, but was significantly lower in the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. LncRNA transcripts were 11-fold more likely to be significantly enriched in the nucleus than cytoplasm, and 100-fold more likely to be significantly chromatin-bound than nucleoplasmic. Sequencing chromatin-bound RNA greatly increased the sensitivity for detecting lowly expressed lncRNAs and enabled us to discover and localize hundreds of novel regulated liver lncRNAs, including lncRNAs showing sex-biased expression or responsiveness to TCPOBOP a xenobiotic agonist ligand of constitutive androstane receptor (Nr1i3). CONCLUSIONS Integration of our findings with prior studies and lncRNA annotations identified candidate regulatory lncRNAs for a variety of hepatic functions based on gene co-localization within topologically associating domains or transcription divergent or antisense to PCGs associated with pathways linked to hepatic physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Goldfarb
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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12
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Bartke A, Hascup E, Hascup K, Masternak MM. Growth Hormone and Aging: New Findings. World J Mens Health 2021; 39:454-465. [PMID: 33663025 PMCID: PMC8255405 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.200201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex relationships between growth hormone (GH) signaling and mammalian aging continue to attract attention of many investigators. Recent results include evidence that the impact of GH on genome maintenance (DNA damage and repair) is drastically different in normal as compared to cancer cells, consistent with GH promoting aging and cancer progression. Impact of GH on DNA methylation was studied as a possible mechanism linking actions of GH during early life to the trajectory of aging. Animals with reduced or enhanced GH signaling and novel animals with adipocyte-specific deletion of GH receptors were used to elucidate the effects of GH on white and brown adipose tissue, including the impact of this hormone on lipolysis, fibrosis, and thermogenesis. Effects of GH on adipose tissue related to lipid and energy metabolism emerge as mechanistic links between GH, healthspan, and lifespan. Treatment of healthy men with a combination of GH, dehydroepiandrosterone, and metformin was reported to restore thymus function and reduce epigenetic age. Studies of human subjects with deficiency of GH or GH receptors and studies of mice with the same endocrine syndromes identified several phenotypic changes related (positively or negatively) to the previously reported predisposition to healthy aging. Results of these and other recent studies advance present understanding of the mechanisms by which GH influences aging and longevity and of the trade-offs involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Bartke
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
| | - Erin Hascup
- Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA
| | - Kevin Hascup
- Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA
| | - Michal M Masternak
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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13
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STAT5 Regulation of Sex-Dependent Hepatic CpG Methylation at Distal Regulatory Elements Mapping to Sex-Biased Genes. Mol Cell Biol 2021; 41:MCB.00166-20. [PMID: 33199496 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00166-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth hormone-activated STAT5b is an essential regulator of sex-differential gene expression in mouse liver; however, its impact on hepatic gene expression and epigenetic responses is poorly understood. Here, we found a substantial, albeit incomplete loss of liver sex bias in hepatocyte-specific STAT5a/STAT5b (collectively, STAT5)-deficient mouse liver. In male liver, many male-biased genes were downregulated in direct association with the loss of STAT5 binding; many female-biased genes, which show low STAT5 binding, were derepressed, indicating an indirect mechanism for repression by STAT5. Extensive changes in CpG methylation were seen in STAT5-deficient liver, where sex differences were abolished at 88% of ∼1,500 sex-differentially methylated regions, largely due to increased DNA methylation upon STAT5 loss. STAT5-dependent CpG hypomethylation was rarely found at proximal promoters of STAT5-dependent genes. Rather, STAT5 primarily regulated the methylation of distal enhancers, where STAT5 deficiency induced widespread hypermethylation at genomic regions enriched for accessible chromatin, enhancer histone marks (histone H3 lysine 4 monomethylation [H3K4me1] and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation [H3K27ac]), STAT5 binding, and DNA motifs for STAT5 and other transcription factors implicated in liver sex differences. Thus, the sex-dependent binding of STAT5 to liver chromatin is closely linked to the sex-dependent demethylation of distal regulatory elements linked to STAT5-dependent genes important for liver sex bias.
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14
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Shi Y, Qi W, Xu Q, Wang Z, Cao X, Zhou L, Ye L. The role of epigenetics in the reproductive toxicity of environmental endocrine disruptors. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2021; 62:78-88. [PMID: 33217042 DOI: 10.1002/em.22414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) seriously endanger human health by interfering with the normal function of reproductive systems. In males, EEDs can affect sperm formation and semen quality as well spermatogenesis, ultimately reducing fertility. In females, EEDs can affect uterine development and the expression levels of reproduction-related genes, ultimately reducing female fertility and the normal development of the fetus. There are a large number of putative mechanisms by which EEDs can induce reproductive toxicity, and many studies have shown the involvement of epigenetics. In this review, we summarize the role of DNA methylation, noncoding RNAs, genomic imprinting, chromatin remodeling and histone modification in the reproductive toxicity of EEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Shi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wen Qi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi Xu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaolian Cao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Liting Zhou
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lin Ye
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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15
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Melia T, Waxman DJ. Genetic factors contributing to extensive variability of sex-specific hepatic gene expression in Diversity Outbred mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242665. [PMID: 33264334 PMCID: PMC7710091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific transcription characterizes hundreds of genes in mouse liver, many implicated in sex-differential drug and lipid metabolism and disease susceptibility. While the regulation of liver sex differences by growth hormone-activated STAT5 is well established, little is known about autosomal genetic factors regulating the sex-specific liver transcriptome. Here we show, using genotyping and expression data from a large population of Diversity Outbred mice, that genetic factors work in tandem with growth hormone to control the individual variability of hundreds of sex-biased genes, including many long non-coding RNA genes. Significant associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and sex-specific gene expression were identified as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), many of which showed strong sex-dependent associations. Remarkably, autosomal genetic modifiers of sex-specific genes were found to account for more than 200 instances of gain or loss of sex-specificity across eight Diversity Outbred mouse founder strains. Sex-biased STAT5 binding sites and open chromatin regions with strain-specific variants were significantly enriched at eQTL regions regulating correspondingly sex-specific genes, supporting the proposed functional regulatory nature of the eQTL regions identified. Binding of the male-biased, growth hormone-regulated repressor BCL6 was most highly enriched at trans-eQTL regions controlling female-specific genes. Co-regulated gene clusters defined by overlapping eQTLs included sets of highly correlated genes from different chromosomes, further supporting trans-eQTL action. These findings elucidate how an unexpectedly large number of autosomal factors work in tandem with growth hormone signaling pathways to regulate the individual variability associated with sex differences in liver metabolism and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tisha Melia
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David J. Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Nail AN, Spear BT, Peterson ML. Highly homologous mouse Cyp2a4 and Cyp2a5 genes are differentially expressed in the liver and both express long non-coding antisense RNAs. Gene 2020; 767:145162. [PMID: 32987105 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.145162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian Cytochrome P450 (Cyp) gene superfamily encodes enzymes involved in numerous metabolic pathways and are frequently expressed in the liver. Despite the remarkably high sequence similarity of Cyp2a4 and Cyp2a5 genes and their surrounding genomic regions, they exhibit differences in expression in the adult mouse liver. For example, Cyp2a4 is highly female-biased whereas Cyp2a5 is only moderately female-biased and Cyp2a4, but not Cyp2a5, is activated in liver cancer. We hypothesized that the limited sequence differences may help us identify the basis for this differential expression. An antisense expressed sequence tag had been uniquely annotated to the Cyp2a4 gene which led us to investigate this transcript as a possible regulator of this gene. We characterized the full-length antisense transcript and also discovered a similar transcript in the Cyp2a5 gene. These transcripts are nuclear long noncoding RNAs that are expressed similarly to their sense mRNA counterparts. This includes the sex-biased and liver tumor differences seen between the Cyp2a4 and Cyp2a5 genes, but we also find that these two genes and their antisense transcripts are expressed within different zones of the liver structure. Interestingly, while the differences in sex-biased expression of the mRNAs are established 1-2 months after birth, the antisense transcripts exhibit these expression differences earlier, at 3-4 weeks after birth. By analyzing published genomic data, we have identified candidate transcription factor binding sites that could account for differences in Cyp2a4/Cyp2a5 expression. Taken together, these studies characterize the first antisense RNAs within the Cyp supergene family and identify potential transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms governing different Cyp2a4 and Cyp2a5 expression patterns in mouse liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra N Nail
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, USA
| | - Brett T Spear
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Martha L Peterson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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17
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Matthews BJ, Waxman DJ. Impact of 3D genome organization, guided by cohesin and CTCF looping, on sex-biased chromatin interactions and gene expression in mouse liver. Epigenetics Chromatin 2020; 13:30. [PMID: 32680543 PMCID: PMC7368777 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-020-00350-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several thousand sex-differential distal enhancers have been identified in mouse liver; however, their links to sex-biased genes and the impact of any sex-differences in nuclear organization and chromatin interactions are unknown. To address these issues, we first characterized 1847 mouse liver genomic regions showing significant sex differential occupancy by cohesin and CTCF, two key 3D nuclear organizing factors. These sex-differential binding sites were primarily distal to sex-biased genes but rarely generated sex-differential TAD (topologically associating domain) or intra-TAD loop anchors, and were sometimes found in TADs without sex-biased genes. A substantial subset of sex-biased cohesin-non-CTCF binding sites, but not sex-biased cohesin-and-CTCF binding sites, overlapped sex-biased enhancers. Cohesin depletion reduced the expression of male-biased genes with distal, but not proximal, sex-biased enhancers by >10-fold, implicating cohesin in long-range enhancer interactions regulating sex-biased genes. Using circularized chromosome conformation capture-based sequencing (4C-seq), we showed that sex differences in distal sex-biased enhancer-promoter interactions are common. Intra-TAD loops with sex-independent cohesin-and-CTCF anchors conferred sex specificity to chromatin interactions indirectly, by insulating sex-biased enhancer-promoter contacts and by bringing sex-biased genes into closer proximity to sex-biased enhancers. Furthermore, sex-differential chromatin interactions involving sex-biased gene promoters, enhancers, and lncRNAs were associated with sex-biased binding of cohesin and/or CTCF. These studies elucidate how 3D genome organization impacts sex-biased gene expression in a non-reproductive tissue through both direct and indirect effects of cohesin and CTCF looping on distal enhancer interactions with sex-differentially expressed genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Matthews
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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18
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Lau-Corona D, Bae WK, Hennighausen L, Waxman DJ. Sex-biased genetic programs in liver metabolism and liver fibrosis are controlled by EZH1 and EZH2. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008796. [PMID: 32428001 PMCID: PMC7263639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the incidence and progression of many liver diseases, including liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, are associated with sex-biased hepatic expression of hundreds of genes. This sexual dimorphism is largely determined by the sex-specific pattern of pituitary growth hormone secretion, which controls a transcriptional regulatory network operative in the context of sex-biased and growth hormone-regulated chromatin states. Histone H3K27-trimethylation yields a major sex-biased repressive chromatin mark deposited at many strongly female-biased genes in male mouse liver, but not at male-biased genes in female liver, and is catalyzed by polycomb repressive complex-2 through its homologous catalytic subunits, Ezh1 and Ezh2. Here, we used Ezh1-knockout mice with a hepatocyte-specific knockout of Ezh2 to investigate the sex bias of liver H3K27-trimethylation and its functional role in regulating sex-differences in the liver. Combined hepatic Ezh1/Ezh2 deficiency led to a significant loss of sex-biased gene expression, particularly in male liver, where many female-biased genes were increased in expression while male-biased genes showed decreased expression. The associated loss of H3K27me3 marks, and increases in the active enhancer marks H3K27ac and H3K4me1, were also more pronounced in male liver. Further, Ezh1/Ezh2 deficiency in male liver, and to a lesser extent in female liver, led to up regulation of many genes linked to liver fibrosis and liver cancer, which may contribute to the observed liver pathologies and the increased sensitivity of these mice to hepatotoxin exposure. Thus, Ezh1/Ezh2-catalyzed H3K27-trimethyation regulates sex-dependent genetic programs in liver metabolism and liver fibrosis through its sex-dependent effects on the epigenome, and may thereby determine the sex-bias in liver disease susceptibility. Sex-differences in the expression of genes in liver have a direct impact on liver diseases whose incidence and severity is sex-biased, and is controlled by hormones that regulate chemical alterations to histone proteins used to package chromosomal DNA. However, a direct demonstration of the functional importance of such sex differences in histone protein modifications has been elusive. Here, we address this question using a mouse model deficient in two enzymes, Ezh1/Ezh2, which generate the histone repressive mark H3K27me3. Remarkably, although H3K27me3 marks are formed by Ezh1/Ezh2 throughout the genome, loss of liver Ezh1/Ezh2 preferentially disrupts the control of sex-biased genes, with expression increasing in male mouse liver for many female-biased genes and decreasing for many male-biased genes. Sex-biased H3K27me3 repressive marks were abolished, and there was a gain of active histone marks at gene enhancers. We also found increased expression of many genes associated with liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which may help explain the increased sensitivity of Ezh1/Ezh2-deficient livers to hepatotoxic chemicals whose exposure may lead to sex differences in liver disease incidence and susceptibility. Thus, our findings highlight the potential role of sex differences in histone modifications catalyzed by Ezh1/Ezh2 in widespread sex differences in liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lau-Corona
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Woo Kyun Bae
- Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Lothar Hennighausen
- Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David J. Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Pozzi A, Dowling DK. The Genomic Origins of Small Mitochondrial RNAs: Are They Transcribed by the Mitochondrial DNA or by Mitochondrial Pseudogenes within the Nucleus (NUMTs)? Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:1883-1896. [PMID: 31218347 PMCID: PMC6619488 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have linked mitochondrial genetic variation to phenotypic modifications; albeit the identity of the mitochondrial polymorphisms involved remains elusive. The search for these polymorphisms led to the discovery of small noncoding RNAs, which appear to be transcribed by the mitochondrial DNA ("small mitochondrial RNAs"). This contention is, however, controversial because the nuclear genome of most animals harbors mitochondrial pseudogenes (NUMTs) of identical sequence to regions of mtDNA, which could alternatively represent the source of these RNAs. To discern the likely contributions of the mitochondrial and nuclear genome to transcribing these small mitochondrial RNAs, we leverage data from six vertebrate species exhibiting markedly different levels of NUMT sequence. We explore whether abundances of small mitochondrial RNAs are associated with levels of NUMT sequence across species, or differences in tissue-specific mtDNA content within species. Evidence for the former would support the hypothesis these RNAs are primarily transcribed by NUMT sequence, whereas evidence for the latter would provide strong evidence for the counter hypothesis that these RNAs are transcribed directly by the mtDNA. No association exists between the abundance of small mitochondrial RNAs and NUMT levels across species. Moreover, a sizable proportion of transcripts map exclusively to the mtDNA sequence, even in species with highest NUMT levels. Conversely, tissue-specific abundances of small mitochondrial RNAs are strongly associated with the mtDNA content. These results support the hypothesis that small mitochondrial RNAs are primarily transcribed by the mitochondrial genome and that this capacity is conserved across Amniota and, most likely, across most metazoan lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pozzi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Damian K Dowling
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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20
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Basu R, Kopchick JJ. The effects of growth hormone on therapy resistance in cancer. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2019; 2:827-846. [PMID: 32382711 PMCID: PMC7204541 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2019.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pituitary derived and peripherally produced growth hormone (GH) is a crucial mediator of longitudinal growth, organ development, metabolic regulation with tissue specific, sex specific, and age-dependent effects. GH and its cognate receptor (GHR) are expressed in several forms of cancer and have been validated as an anti-cancer target through a large body of in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological analyses. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of GH action in cancer prognosis and therapeutic response had been sparse until recently. This review assimilates the critical details of GH-GHR mediated therapy resistance across different cancer types, distilling the therapeutic implications based on our current understanding of these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reetobrata Basu
- Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM), Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.,Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - John J Kopchick
- Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM), Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.,Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
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21
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Melia T, Waxman DJ. Sex-Biased lncRNAs Inversely Correlate With Sex-Opposite Gene Coexpression Networks in Diversity Outbred Mouse Liver. Endocrinology 2019; 160:989-1007. [PMID: 30840070 PMCID: PMC6449536 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in liver gene expression are determined by pituitary growth hormone secretion patterns, which regulate sex-dependent liver transcription factors and establish sex-specific chromatin states. Hypophysectomy (hypox) identifies two major classes of liver sex-biased genes, defined by their sex-dependent positive or negative responses to pituitary hormone ablation. However, the mechanisms that underlie each hypox-response class are unknown. We sought to discover candidate, regulatory, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) controlling responsiveness to hypox. We characterized gene structures and expression patterns for 15,558 mouse liver-expressed lncRNAs, including many sex-specific lncRNAs regulated during postnatal development or subject to circadian regulation. Using the high natural allelic variance of Diversity Outbred (DO) mice, we discovered tightly coexpressed clusters of sex-specific protein-coding genes (gene modules) in male and female DO liver. Remarkably, many gene modules were strongly enriched for sex-specific genes within a single hypox-response class, indicating that the genetic heterogeneity of DO mice encompasses responsiveness to hypox. Moreover, several distant gene modules were enriched for gene subsets of the same hypox-response class, highlighting the complex regulation of hypox-responsiveness. Finally, we identified eight sex-specific lncRNAs with strong negative regulatory potential, as indicated by their strong negative correlation of expression across DO mouse livers with that of protein-coding gene modules enriched for genes of the opposite sex bias and inverse hypox-response class. These findings reveal an important role for genetic factors in regulating responsiveness to hypox, and present testable hypotheses for the roles of sex-biased liver lncRNAs in controlling the sex-bias of liver gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tisha Melia
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Correspondence: David J. Waxman, PhD, Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215. E-mail:
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22
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Wang CJ, Guo HX, Han DX, Yu ZW, Zheng Y, Jiang H, Gao Y, Yuan B, Zhang JB. Pituitary tissue-specific miR-7a-5p regulates FSH expression in rat anterior adenohypophyseal cells. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6458. [PMID: 30993031 PMCID: PMC6461031 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which is synthesized and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, plays an important role in regulating reproductive processes. In this study, using the TargetScan program, we predicted that microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate FSH secretion. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed and identified miR-7a-5p. MiR-7a-5p has been reported to regulate diverse cellular functions. However, it is unclear whether miR-7a-5p binds to mRNAs and regulates reproductive functions. Therefore, we constructed a suspension of rat anterior pituitary cells and cultured them under adaptive conditions, transfected miR-7a-5p mimics or inhibitor into the cell suspension and detected expression of the FSHb gene. The results demonstrated that miR-7a-5p downregulated FSHb expression levels, while treatment with miR-7a-5p inhibitors upregulated FSHb expression levels relative to those of negative control groups, as shown by quantitative PCR analysis. The results were confirmed with a subsequent experiment showing that FSH secretion was reduced after treatment with mimics and increased in the inhibitor groups, as shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results indicated that miR-7a-5p downregulates FSHb expression levels, resulting in decreased FSH synthesis and secretion, which demonstrates the important role of miRNAs in the regulation of FSH and animal reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Jiang Wang
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Hai-Xiang Guo
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Dong-Xu Han
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ze-Wen Yu
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Bao Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jia-Bao Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Brain Control of Sexually Dimorphic Liver Function and Disease: The Endocrine Connection. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2019; 39:169-180. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-019-00652-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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