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Roza M, Eriksson ANM, Svanholm S, Berg C, Karlsson O. Male-transmitted transgenerational effects of the herbicide linuron on DNA methylation profiles in Xenopus tropicalis brain and testis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:170949. [PMID: 38365020 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The herbicide linuron can cause endocrine disrupting effects in Xenopus tropicalis frogs, including offspring that were never exposed to the contaminant. The mechanisms by which these effects are transmitted across generations need to be further investigated. Here, we examined transgenerational alterations of brain and testis DNA methylation profiles paternally inherited from grandfathers developmentally exposed to an environmentally relevant concentration of linuron. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) revealed numerous differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in brain (3060 DMRs) and testis (2551 DMRs) of the adult male F2 generation. Key genes in the brain involved in somatotropic (igfbp4) and thyrotropic signaling (dio1 and tg) were differentially methylated and correlated with phenotypical alterations in body size, weight, hind limb length and plasma glucose levels, indicating that these methylation changes could be potential mediators of the transgenerational effects of linuron. Testis DMRs were found in genes essential for spermatogenesis, meiosis and germ cell development (piwil1, spo11 and tdrd9) and their methylation levels were correlated with the number of germ cells nests per seminiferous tubule, an endpoint of disrupted spermatogenesis. DMRs were also identified in several genes central for the machinery that regulates the epigenetic landscape including DNA methylation (dnmt3a and mbd2) and histone acetylation (hdac8, ep300, elp3, kat5 and kat14), which may at least partly drive the linuron-induced transgenerational effects. The results from this genome-wide DNA methylation profiling contribute to better understanding of potential transgenerational epigenetic inheritance mechanisms in amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Roza
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Sofie Svanholm
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Berg
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Oskar Karlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Sánchez RM, Bermeo Losada JF, Marín Martínez JA. The research landscape concerning environmental factors in neurodevelopmental disorders: Endocrine disrupters and pesticides-A review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 73:101132. [PMID: 38561126 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2024.101132] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, environmental epidemiology and toxicology have seen a growing interest in the environmental factors that contribute to the increased prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders, with the purpose of establishing appropriate prevention strategies. A literature review was performed, and 192 articles covering the topic of endocrine disruptors and neurodevelopmental disorders were found, focusing on polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, bisphenol A, and pesticides. This study contributes to analyzing their effect on the molecular mechanism in maternal and infant thyroid function, essential for infant neurodevelopment, and whose alteration has been associated with various neurodevelopmental disorders. The results provide scientific evidence of the association that exists between the environmental neurotoxins and various neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, other possible molecular mechanisms by which pesticides and endocrine disruptors may be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders are being discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Mira Sánchez
- Universidad de Murcia, Spain; Instituto de Ciencias Medioambientales y Neurodesarrollo ICMYN, Murcia, Spain.
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3
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Kretschmer M, Fischer V, Gapp K. When Dad's Stress Gets under Kid's Skin-Impacts of Stress on Germline Cargo and Embryonic Development. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1750. [PMID: 38136621 PMCID: PMC10742275 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that paternal psychological stress contributes to an increased prevalence of neuropsychiatric and metabolic diseases in the progeny. While altered paternal care certainly plays a role in such transmitted disease risk, molecular factors in the germline might additionally be at play in humans. This is supported by findings on changes to the molecular make up of germ cells and suggests an epigenetic component in transmission. Several rodent studies demonstrate the correlation between paternal stress induced changes in epigenetic modifications and offspring phenotypic alterations, yet some intriguing cases also start to show mechanistic links in between sperm and the early embryo. In this review, we summarise efforts to understand the mechanism of intergenerational transmission from sperm to the early embryo. In particular, we highlight how stress alters epigenetic modifications in sperm and discuss the potential for these modifications to propagate modified molecular trajectories in the early embryo to give rise to aberrant phenotypes in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Kretschmer
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Fischer
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Gapp
- Laboratory of Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland; (M.K.); (V.F.)
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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4
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Mu X, Liu Z, Zhao X, Chen L, Jia Q, Wang C, Li T, Guo Y, Qiu J, Qian Y. Bisphenol analogues induced social defects and neural impairment in zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:166307. [PMID: 37586522 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
There is evidence in humans that endocrine disrupting chemicals exposure, such as bisphenol A (BPA), is tied to social behavior impacts when evaluated in early life stage. However, the potential social impact of BPA alternatives and its association with central nervous system (CNS) is poorly understood. Here, we performed behavioral test for zebrafish that are continuously exposed to environmental relevant concentrations (5 and 500 ng/L) of BPA, BPF, and BPAF since embryonic stage. Surprisingly, significant social behavior defects, including increased social distance and decreased contact time, were identified in zebrafish treated by 500 ng/L BPAF and BPA. These behavioral changes were accompanied by apparent histological injury, microglia activation, enhanced apoptosis and neuron loss in brain. The gut-brain transcriptional profile showed that genes involved in neuronal development pathways were up-regulated in all bisphenol analogs treatments, indicating a protective phenotype of CNS; however, these pathways were inhibited in gut. Besides, a variety of key regulators in the gut-brain regulation were identified based on protein interaction prediction, such as rac1-limk1, insrb1 and fosab. These findings implicated that the existence of bisphenol analogues in water would influence the social life of fish, and revealed a potential role of gut-brain transcriptional alteration in mediating this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyan Mu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zaiteng Liu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Chen
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Jia
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengju Wang
- College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiejun Li
- Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, China
| | - Yuanming Guo
- Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, China
| | - Jing Qiu
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongzhong Qian
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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5
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Howdeshell KL, Beverly BEJ, Blain RB, Goldstone AE, Hartman PA, Lemeris CR, Newbold RR, Rooney AA, Bucher JR. Evaluating endocrine disrupting chemicals: A perspective on the novel assessments in CLARITY-BPA. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:1345-1397. [PMID: 37646438 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on Bisphenol A Toxicity (CLARITY-BPA) was a collaborative research effort to better link academic research with governmental guideline studies. This review explores the secondary goal of CLARITY-BPA: to identify endpoints or technologies from CLARITY-BPA and prior/concurrent literature from these laboratories that may enhance the capacity of rodent toxicity studies to detect endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted with search terms for BPA and the CLARITY-BPA participants. Relevant studies employed a laboratory rodent model and reported results on 1 of the 10 organs/organ systems evaluated in CLARITY-BPA (brain and behavior, cardiac, immune, mammary gland, ovary, penile function, prostate gland and urethra, testis and epididymis, thyroid hormone and metabolism, and uterus). Study design and findings were summarized, and a risk-of-bias assessment was conducted. RESULTS Several endpoints and methods were identified as potentially helpful to detect effects of EDCs. For example, molecular and quantitative morphological approaches were sensitive in detecting alterations in early postnatal development of the brain, ovary, and mammary glands. Hormone challenge studies mimicking human aging reported increased susceptibility of the prostate to disease following developmental BPA exposure. Statistical analyses for nonmonotonic dose responses, and computational approaches assessing multiple treatment-related outcomes concurrently in linked hormone-sensitive organ systems, reported effects at low BPA doses. CONCLUSIONS This review provided an opportunity to evaluate the unique insights provided by nontraditional assessments in CLARITY-BPA to identify technologies and endpoints to enhance detection of EDCs in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kembra L Howdeshell
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandiese E J Beverly
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Retha R Newbold
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- NIEHS, retired, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States
| | - Andrew A Rooney
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - John R Bucher
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- NIEHS, retired, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States
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6
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Molina-López AM, Bujalance-Reyes F, Ayala-Soldado N, Mora-Medina R, Lora-Benítez A, Moyano-Salvago R. An Overview of the Health Effects of Bisphenol A from a One Health Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2439. [PMID: 37570248 PMCID: PMC10417040 DOI: 10.3390/ani13152439] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound, considered as an "emerging pollutant", that appears ubiquitously, contaminating the environment and food. It is an endocrine disruptor, found in a multitude of consumer products, as it is a constituent of polycarbonate used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins. Many studies have evaluated the effects of BPA, using a wide range of doses and animal models. In this work, we carried out a review of relevant research related to the effects of BPA on health, through studies performed at different doses, in different animal models, and in human monitoring studies. Numerous effects of BPA on health have been described; in different animal species, it has been reported that it interferes with fertility in both females and males and causes alterations in their offspring, as well as being associated with an increase in hormone-dependent pathologies. Similarly, exposure to BPA has been related to other diseases of great relevance in public health such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or neurodevelopmental disorders. Its ubiquity and nonmonotonic behavior, triggering effects at exposure levels considered "safe", make it especially relevant when both animal and human populations are constantly and inadvertently exposed to this compound. Its effects at low exposure levels make it essential to establish safe exposure levels, and research into the effects of BPA must continue and be focused from a "One Health" perspective to take into account all the factors that could intervene in the development of a disease in any exposed organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Molina-López
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Unidad de Investigación Competitiva Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes desde la Perspectiva de Una Salud ENZOEM, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Francisca Bujalance-Reyes
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain; (F.B.-R.); (R.M.-M.); (A.L.-B.)
| | - Nahúm Ayala-Soldado
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain; (F.B.-R.); (R.M.-M.); (A.L.-B.)
| | - Rafael Mora-Medina
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain; (F.B.-R.); (R.M.-M.); (A.L.-B.)
| | - Antonio Lora-Benítez
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain; (F.B.-R.); (R.M.-M.); (A.L.-B.)
| | - Rosario Moyano-Salvago
- Departamento Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Unidad de Investigación Competitiva Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes desde la Perspectiva de Una Salud ENZOEM, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Darwin, E-14071 Córdoba, Spain;
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7
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Drzewiecki CM, Brinks AS, Sellinger EP, Doshi AD, Koh JY, Juraska JM. Brief postnatal exposure to bisphenol A affects apoptosis and gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex and social behavior in rats with sex specificity. Neurotoxicology 2023; 94:126-134. [PMID: 36442689 PMCID: PMC9839503 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.11.011] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor found in polycarbonate plastics and exposure in humans is nearly ubiquitous and it has widespread effects on cognitive, emotional, and reproductive behaviors in both humans and animal models. In our laboratory we previously found that perinatal BPA exposure results in a higher number of neurons in the adult male rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) and less play in adolescents of both sexes. Here we examine changes in the rate of postnatal apoptosis in the rat prefrontal cortex and its timing with brief BPA exposure. Because an increased number of neurons in the PFC is a characteristic of a subtype of autism spectrum disorder, we tested social preference following brief BPA exposure and also expression of a small group of genes. Males and females were exposed to BPA from postnatal days (P) 6 through 8 or from P10 through 12. Both exposures significantly decreased indicators of cell death in the developing medial prefrontal cortex in male subjects only. Additionally, males exposed to BPA from P6 - 8 showed decreased social preference and decreased cortical expression of Shank3 and Homer1, two synaptic scaffolding genes that have been implicated in social deficits. There were no significant effects of BPA in the female subjects. These results draw attention to the negative consequences following brief exposure to BPA during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M Drzewiecki
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA; Currently at California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Amara S Brinks
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Elli P Sellinger
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Aditi D Doshi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA; Currently at Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Jessie Y Koh
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Janice M Juraska
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
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8
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Martinez ME, Stohn JP, Mutina EM, Whitten RJ, Hernandez A. Thyroid hormone elicits intergenerational epigenetic effects on adult social behavior and fetal brain expression of autism susceptibility genes. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1055116. [PMID: 36419462 PMCID: PMC9676973 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1055116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic mutations identified in genome-wide association studies can only explain a small percentage of the cases of complex, highly heritable human conditions, including neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. This suggests that intergenerational epigenetic effects, possibly triggered by environmental circumstances, may contribute to their etiology. We previously described altered DNA methylation signatures in the sperm of mice that experienced developmental overexposure to thyroid hormones as a result of a genetic defect in hormone clearance (DIO3 deficiency). Here we studied fetal brain gene expression and adult social behavior in genetically normal F2 generation descendants of overexposed mice. The brain of F2 generation E13.5 fetuses exhibited abnormal expression of genes associated with autism in humans, including Auts2, Disc1, Ldlr, Per2, Shank3, Oxtr, Igf1, Foxg1, Cd38, Grid2, Nrxn3, and Reln. These abnormal gene expression profiles differed depending on the sex of the exposed ancestor. In the three-chamber social box test, adult F2 generation males manifested significantly decreased interest in social interaction and social novelty, as revealed by decrease total time, distance traveled and time immobile in the area of interaction with novel strangers. F1 generation mice, compared to appropriate controls also exhibited altered profiles in fetal brain gene expression, although these profiles were substantially different to those in the F2 generation. Likewise adult F1 generation mice showed some abnormalities in social behavior that were sexually dimorphic and milder than those in F2 generation mice. Our results indicate that developmental overexposure to thyroid hormone causes intergenerational epigenetic effects impacting social behavior and the expression of autism-related genes during early brain development. Our results open the possibility that altered thyroid hormone states, by eliciting changes in the epigenetic information of the germ line, contribute to the susceptibility and the missing-but heriTables-etiology of complex neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by social deficits, including autism and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Martinez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Julia Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Elizabeth M. Mutina
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Rayne J. Whitten
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, MaineHealth Institute for Research, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, United States
- Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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9
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Escher J, Yan W, Rissman EF, Wang HLV, Hernandez A, Corces VG. Beyond Genes: Germline Disruption in the Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:4608-4624. [PMID: 34596807 PMCID: PMC9035896 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05304-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Investigations into the etiology of autism spectrum disorders have been largely confined to two realms: variations in DNA sequence and somatic developmental exposures. Here we suggest a third route-disruption of the germline epigenome induced by exogenous toxicants during a parent's gamete development. Similar to cases of germline mutation, these molecular perturbations may produce dysregulated transcription of brain-related genes during fetal and early development, resulting in abnormal neurobehavioral phenotypes in offspring. Many types of exposures may have these impacts, and here we discuss examples of anesthetic gases, tobacco components, synthetic steroids, and valproic acid. Alterations in parental germline could help explain some unsolved phenomena of autism, including increased prevalence, missing heritability, skewed sex ratio, and heterogeneity of neurobiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Escher
- Escher Fund for Autism, 1590 Calaveras Avenue, San Jose, CA, USA.
| | - Wei Yan
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Center for Human Health and the Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Hsiao-Lin V Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Maine Medical Center Research Institute, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, USA
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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10
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Mouat JS, LaSalle JM. The Promise of DNA Methylation in Understanding Multigenerational Factors in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Genet 2022; 13:831221. [PMID: 35242170 PMCID: PMC8886225 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in social reciprocity and communication, restrictive interests, and repetitive behaviors. Most cases of ASD arise from a confluence of genetic susceptibility and environmental risk factors, whose interactions can be studied through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. While various parental factors are known to increase risk for ASD, several studies have indicated that grandparental and great-grandparental factors may also contribute. In animal studies, gestational exposure to certain environmental factors, such as insecticides, medications, and social stress, increases risk for altered behavioral phenotypes in multiple subsequent generations. Changes in DNA methylation, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility often accompany these altered behavioral phenotypes, with changes often appearing in genes that are important for neurodevelopment or have been previously implicated in ASD. One hypothesized mechanism for these phenotypic and methylation changes includes the transmission of DNA methylation marks at individual chromosomal loci from parent to offspring and beyond, called multigenerational epigenetic inheritance. Alternatively, intermediate metabolic phenotypes in the parental generation may confer risk from the original grandparental exposure to risk for ASD in grandchildren, mediated by DNA methylation. While hypothesized mechanisms require further research, the potential for multigenerational epigenetics assessments of ASD risk has implications for precision medicine as the field attempts to address the variable etiology and clinical signs of ASD by incorporating genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In this review, we discuss the promise of multigenerational DNA methylation investigations in understanding the complex etiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia S Mouat
- LaSalle Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- LaSalle Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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11
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Ge Y, Ren F, Chen L, Hu D, Wang X, Cui Y, Suo Y, Zhang H, He J, Yin Z, Ning H. Bisphenol A exposure induces apoptosis and impairs early embryonic development in Xenopus laevis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 280:116901. [PMID: 33773307 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical that is largely produced and used in the plastics industry, causes environmental pollution and is absorbed by humans through consumption of food and liquids in polycarbonate containers. BPA exerts developmental and genetic toxicities to embryos and offsprings, but the embryotoxicity mechanism of this chemical is unclear. This study aimed to explore the toxic effect of BPA on embryonic development and elucidate its toxicity mechanism. Embryos of Xenopus laevis as a model were treated with different concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 20 μM) of BPA at the two-cell stage to investigate the developmental toxicity of BPA. Embryonic development and behaviors were monitored 24 h-96 h of BPA exposure. BPA concentrations greater than 1 μM exerted significant teratogenic effects on the Xenopus embryos, which showed short tail axis, miscoiled guts, and bent notochord as the main malformations. The 20 μM BPA-treated embryos were seriously damaged in all aspects and exhibited deformity, impaired behavioral ability, and tissue damage. The DNA integrity and apoptosis of the Xenopus embryos were also investigated. Exposure to BPA concentrations higher than 0.1 μM significantly induced DNA damage (p < 0.05). The 10 and 20 μM BPA-treated embryos exhibited higher levels of cleaved caspase-3 protein than the control. The ratios of bax/bcl-2 mRNA were significantly higher in the 10 μM and 20 μM-treated embryos than the ratio in the control group. Overall, data indicated that BPA can delay the early development, induce DNA damage and apoptosis, and eventually cause multiple malformations in Xenopus embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaming Ge
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Fei Ren
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China; College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, China
| | - Lingli Chen
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Dongfang Hu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Xinrui Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Yunli Cui
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Yu Suo
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Hongli Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Junping He
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, China
| | - Zhihong Yin
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China
| | - Hongmei Ning
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, 453003, China.
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12
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Breton CV, Landon R, Kahn LG, Enlow MB, Peterson AK, Bastain T, Braun J, Comstock SS, Duarte CS, Hipwell A, Ji H, LaSalle JM, Miller RL, Musci R, Posner J, Schmidt R, Suglia SF, Tung I, Weisenberger D, Zhu Y, Fry R. Exploring the evidence for epigenetic regulation of environmental influences on child health across generations. Commun Biol 2021; 4:769. [PMID: 34158610 PMCID: PMC8219763 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02316-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental exposures, psychosocial stressors and nutrition are all potentially important influences that may impact health outcomes directly or via interactions with the genome or epigenome over generations. While there have been clear successes in large-scale human genetic studies in recent decades, there is still a substantial amount of missing heritability to be elucidated for complex childhood disorders. Mounting evidence, primarily in animals, suggests environmental exposures may generate or perpetuate altered health outcomes across one or more generations. One putative mechanism for these environmental health effects is via altered epigenetic regulation. This review highlights the current epidemiologic literature and supporting animal studies that describe intergenerational and transgenerational health effects of environmental exposures. Both maternal and paternal exposures and transmission patterns are considered, with attention paid to the attendant ethical, legal and social implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie V Breton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Remy Landon
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda G Kahn
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alicia K Peterson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Theresa Bastain
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sarah S Comstock
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cristiane S Duarte
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hong Ji
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Rashelle Musci
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Posner
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Irene Tung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Weisenberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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13
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Morin A, Van de Beeck L, Person E, Plamondon H. Adult Male Rats Show Resilience to Adolescent Bisphenol A Effects on Hormonal and Behavioral Responses While Co-Exposure With Hop Extracts Supports Synergistic Actions. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2021; 3:639820. [PMID: 35295120 PMCID: PMC8915799 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2021.639820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The adolescence period, marked by sexual and brain maturation, has shown sensitivity to various environmental disruptors. Exposure to the xenoestrogen bisphenol A (BPA) is known to alter physiological and behavioral responses although its role at this critical period remains largely unknown. Recent research further suggests biochemical and genomic effects of BPA to be mitigated by various natural compounds, while effects on behavior have not been examined. This study aimed to characterize (1) the effects of dietary BPA during adolescence on endogenous corticosterone (CORT) secretion, emotional behavior, and testosterone (T) in adulthood, and (2) the impact of combined exposure to BPA with hop extracts (Hop), a phytoestrogen with anxiolytic properties. To do so, four groups of male Wistar rats [postnatal day (PND) 28] were administered corn oil (control), BPA (40 mg/kg), hops (40 mg/kg), or BPA-hops by oral gavage for 21 days (PND 28–48). Blood droplets collected on PND 28, 48, and 71 served to measure CORT and T changes. As adults, rats were tested in the elevated plus maze (EPM), the social interaction test, and the forced swim test. Our findings demonstrated elevated anxiety and a trend toward depressive-like behaviors in BPA- compared to hops-exposed rats. However, BPA intake had no impact on basal CORT levels, or adulthood T secretion and sociability. Of note, BPA's anxiogenic effect manifested through decreased EPM open arm entries was abolished by hops co-supplementation. Together, our observations suggest the adolescence period to be less sensitive to deleterious effects of BPA than what has been reported upon gestational and perinatal exposure.
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14
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Sha R, Chen Y, Wang Y, Luo Y, Liu Y, Ma Y, Li Y, Xu L, Xie HQ, Zhao B. Gestational and lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in mice: Neurobehavioral effects on female offspring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 752:141784. [PMID: 32889265 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that perinatal dioxin exposure affects neurodevelopment and impairs multiple brain functions, including cognitive, language, learning and emotion, in the offspring. However, the impacts of gestational and lactational exposure to dioxin on behavior and related molecular events are still not fully understood. In this study, female C57BL/6J mice were orally administered three doses of 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (0.1 or 10 μg/kg body weight (bw)) during the pregnancy and lactation periods. The locomotion, exploration and anxiety-related behaviors were examined by an open field test of the young adult female offspring at postnatal day 68. We found that the maternal TCDD exposure, particularly at a low dose, increased movement ability, novelty-exploration and certain anxiety-related behaviors in the offspring. Such hyperactivity-like behaviors were accompanied by the upregulation of certain genes associated with cholinergic neurotransmission or synaptogenesis in the offspring brain. In accordance with the potential enhancement of cholinergic neurotransmission due to the gene upregulations, the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase was decreased, which might lead to excess acetylcholine and consequent hyper-excitation at the synapses. Thus, we found that gestational and lactational TCDD exposure at low dose caused hyperactivity-like behaviors in young adult female offspring and speculated the enhancement of cholinergic neurotransmission and synaptogenesis as potential molecular events underlying the neurobehavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sha
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yangsheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yijing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yali Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiyun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongchao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Heidi Qunhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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15
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Monaco AP. An epigenetic, transgenerational model of increased mental health disorders in children, adolescents and young adults. Eur J Hum Genet 2020; 29:387-395. [PMID: 32948849 PMCID: PMC7940651 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-020-00726-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence rates of mental health disorders in children and adolescents have increased two to threefold from the 1990s to 2016. Some increase in prevalence may stem from changing environmental conditions in the current generation which interact with genes and inherited genetic variants. Current measured genetic variant effects do not explain fully the familial clustering and high heritability estimates in the population. Another model considers environmental conditions shifting in the previous generation, which altered brain circuits epigenetically and were transmitted to offspring via non-DNA-based mechanisms (intergenerational and transgenerational effects). Parental substance use, poor diet and obesity are environmental factors with known epigenetic intergenerational and transgenerational effects, that regulate set points in brain pathways integrating sensory-motor, reward and feeding behaviors. Using summary statistics for eleven neuropsychiatric and three metabolic disorders from 128,989 families, an epigenetic effect explains more of the estimated heritability when a portion of parental environmental effects are transmitted to offspring alongside additive genetic variance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony P Monaco
- Office of the President, Ballou Hall, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
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16
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Yin Z, Hua L, Chen L, Hu D, Li J, An Z, Tian T, Ning H, Ge Y. Bisphenol-A exposure induced neurotoxicity and associated with synapse and cytoskeleton in Neuro-2a cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 67:104911. [PMID: 32512148 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental chemical that induces neurotoxic effects for human. Synaptophysin (SYP) and drebrin (Dbn) proteins are involved in regulating synaptic morphology. The stability of the cytoskeleton in nerve cells in the brain is regulated by Tau and MAP2. This study aimed to determine the toxicity of BPA to Neuro-2a cells by investigating the synaptic and cytoskeletal damage induced in these cells by 24 h of exposure to 0 (MEM), 50, 100, 150, or 200 μM BPA or DMSO. MTT and LDH assays showed that the death rates of Neuro-2a cells increased, as the BPA concentration increased. Ultrastructural assays revealed that cells underwent nucleolar swelling as well as nuclear membrane and partial mitochondrial dissolution or condensation, following BPA exposure. Morphological analysis further revealed that compared with the cells in the control group, the cells in the BPA-treated groups shrank, became rounded, and exhibited a reduced number of synapses. BPA also significantly decreased the relative protein and mRNA expression levels of Dbn, MAP2 and Tau (P < .01), but increased the relative protein and mRNA expression levels of SYP (P < .01). These results indicated that BPA suppressed the development and proliferation of Neuro-2a cells by disrupting cellular and synaptic integrity and inflicting cytoskeleton injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihong Yin
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Liushuai Hua
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Lingli Chen
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Dongfang Hu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Jinglong Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Zhixing An
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Tian Tian
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Hongmei Ning
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Yaming Ge
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China.
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17
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Bisphenol a Exposure in Utero Disrupts Hypothalamic Gene Expression Particularly Genes Suspected in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Neuron and Hormone Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093129. [PMID: 32365465 PMCID: PMC7246794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting compound detected in the urine of more than 92% of humans, easily crosses the placental barrier, and has been shown to influence gene expression during fetal brain development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of in utero BPA exposure on gene expression in the anterior hypothalamus, the basal nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and hippocampus in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were exposed in utero to human-relevant doses of BPA, and then RNA sequencing was performed on male PND 28 tissue from whole hypothalamus (n = 3/group) that included the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and BNST to determine whether any genes were differentially expressed between BPA-exposed and control mice. A subset of genes was selected for further study using RT-qPCR on adult tissue from hippocampus to determine whether any differentially expressed genes (DEGs) persisted into adulthood. Two different RNA-Seq workflows indicated a total of 259 genes that were differentially expressed between BPA-exposed and control mice. Gene ontology analysis indicated that those DEGs were overrepresented in categories relating to mating, cell-cell signaling, behavior, neurodevelopment, neurogenesis, synapse formation, cognition, learning behaviors, hormone activity, and signaling receptor activity, among others. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to interrogate novel gene networks and upstream regulators, indicating the top five upstream regulators as huntingtin, beta-estradiol, alpha-synuclein, Creb1, and estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha. In addition, 15 DE genes were identified that are suspected in autism spectrum disorders.
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18
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Martini M, Corces VG, Rissman EF. Mini-review: Epigenetic mechanisms that promote transgenerational actions of endocrine disrupting chemicals: Applications to behavioral neuroendocrinology. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104677. [PMID: 31927019 PMCID: PMC9942829 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
It is our hope this mini-review will stimulate discussion and new research. Here we briefly examine the literature on transgenerational actions of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on brain and behavior and their underlying epigenetic mechanisms including: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. We stress that epigenetic modifications need to be examined in a synergistic manner, as they act together in situ on chromatin to change transcription. Next we highlight recent work from one of our laboratories (VGC). The data provide new evidence that the sperm genome is poised for transcription. In developing sperm, gene enhancers and promoters are accessible for transcription and these activating motifs are also found in preimplantation embryos. Thus, DNA modifications associated with transcription factors during fertilization, in primordial germ cells (PGCs), and/or during germ cell maturation may be passed to offspring. We discuss the implications of this model to EDC exposures and speculate on whether natural variation in hormone levels during fertilization and PGC migration may impart transgenerational effects on brain and behavior. Lastly we discuss how this mechanism could apply to neural sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Martini
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America.
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19
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Zhang H, Wang Z, Meng L, Kuang H, Liu J, Lv X, Pang Q, Fan R. Maternal exposure to environmental bisphenol A impairs the neurons in hippocampus across generations. Toxicology 2020; 432:152393. [PMID: 32027964 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Humans from fetal to adult stages are chronically and passively exposed to bisphenol A (BPA, an endocrine disruptor) due to its ubiquitous existence in daily life. To investigate the long-term neurotoxicity of maternal exposure to BPA for offspring, mice were used as the animal model. In this study, pregnant mice (F0) were orally dosed with BPA (i.e. mice from low-, medium- and high-exposed groups were treated with 0.5, 50, 5000 μg/kg·bw of BPA per day) until weaning. Then, the first generation (F1) mice were used to generate the F2 ones. The offspring of mice not exposed to BPA served as the control groups. The Y-maze test, comet assay, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining method, Golgi-Cox assay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) were conducted to study any alterations to learning and memory abilities, the morphological variations in hippocampal neurons and transmitter levels of F1 and F2 mice induced by BPA exposure. Results showed that even a low-dose of maternal BPA exposure could sex-dependently and significantly impair the learning and memory ability of F1 male mice, but not of generation F2. Furthermore, decreased neuron quantities and spine densities in hippocampi were observed in both F1 and F2 generations after maternal BPA exposure. However, DNA damage of brain cells were only limited to F1 offspring, in which DNA damage was only observed in the low-exposed male mice and medium-exposed female mice. Additionally, maternal BPA exposure leads to variations in hippocampal neurotransmitter levels, indicated by the decreased ratio of Glu/GABA in F1 offspring. In conclusion, maternal exposure to an environmental dose of BPA resulted in lasting adverse effects on neurological development for offspring mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibin Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Zhouyu Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Lingxue Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Hongxuan Kuang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Xuejing Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Qihua Pang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Ruifang Fan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Drug and Food Biological Resources Processing and Comprehensive Utilization, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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20
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Woodruff TK. Lifting Life's Little Anchors: The Latitude and Longitude of Science. Endocrinology 2019; 160:2861-2862. [PMID: 31712827 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa K Woodruff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
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