1
|
Myrick A, Jimenez D, Jacquez B, Sun MS, Noor S, Milligan ED, Valenzuela CF, Linsenbardt DN. Maternal alcohol drinking patterns predict offspring neurobehavioral outcomes. Neuropharmacology 2024; 257:110044. [PMID: 38878859 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110044] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The timing, rate, and quantity of gestational alcohol consumption, collectively referred to here as Maternal Drinking Patterns (MDPs), are of known importance to fetal developmental outcomes. However, few studies have directly evaluated the impact of MDPs on offspring behavior. To do so, we used specialized equipment to record the precise amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnant dams, and then characterized MDPs using Principle Component Analysis (PCA). We next tested offspring on behaviors we have previously identified as impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure, and evaluated them where possible in the context of MDPs. Male alcohol exposed mice exhibited longer latencies to fall on the rotarod compared to their controls, which we attribute to a delayed decrease in body weight-gain. This effect was mediated by MDPs within the first 15 min of alcohol access (i.e. alcohol frontloading), where the highest performing male offspring came from dams exhibiting the highest rate of alcohol frontloading. Female alcohol exposed mice displayed reduced locomotor activity in the open field compared to controls, which was mediated by MDPs encompassing the entire drinking session. Surprisingly, total gestational alcohol exposure alone was not associated with any behavioral outcomes. Finally, we observed allodynia in alcohol exposed mice that developed more quickly in males compared to females, and which was not observed in controls. To our knowledge, this report represents the highest resolution assessment of alcohol drinking throughout gestation in mice, and one of few to have identified relationships between specific alcohol MDPs and neurobehavioral outcomes in offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abbey Myrick
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Diane Jimenez
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Belkis Jacquez
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Melody S Sun
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Shahani Noor
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Erin D Milligan
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | | | - David N Linsenbardt
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosciences, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vieiros M, Navarro-Tapia E, Ramos-Triguero A, García-Meseguer À, Martínez L, García-Algar Ó, Andreu-Fernández V. Analysis of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes genetic variants and RAR/RXR expression in patients diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome: a case-control study. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:610. [PMID: 38886650 PMCID: PMC11184718 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10516-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms underlying alcohol metabolism and its regulation, including the effect of polymorphisms in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, is crucial for research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The aim of this study was to identify specific single nucleotide polymorphisms in key alcohol-metabolizing enzymes in a cohort of 71 children, including children with fetal alcohol syndrome, children prenatally exposed to ethanol but without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and controls. We hypothesized that certain genetic variants related to alcohol metabolism may be fixed in these populations, giving them a particular alcohol metabolism profile. In addition, the difference in certain isoforms of these enzymes determines their affinity for alcohol, which also affects the metabolism of retinoic acid, which is key to the proper development of the central nervous system. Our results showed that children prenatally exposed to ethanol without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder traits had a higher frequency of the ADH1B*3 and ADH1C*1 alleles, which are associated with increased alcohol metabolism and therefore a protective factor against circulating alcohol in the fetus after maternal drinking, compared to FAS children who had an allele with a lower affinity for alcohol. This study also revealed the presence of an ADH4 variant in the FAS population that binds weakly to the teratogen, allowing increased circulation of the toxic agent and direct induction of developmental abnormalities in the fetus. However, both groups showed dysregulation in the expression of genes related to the retinoic acid pathway, such as retinoic acid receptor and retinoid X receptor, which are involved in the development, regeneration, and maintenance of the nervous system. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the interplay between alcohol metabolism, the retinoic acid pathway and genetic factors in the development of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melina Vieiros
- Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- IdiPAZ - Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisabet Navarro-Tapia
- IdiPAZ - Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Valencian International University, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Anna Ramos-Triguero
- Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Àgueda García-Meseguer
- Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leopoldo Martínez
- IdiPAZ - Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar García-Algar
- Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vicente Andreu-Fernández
- Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE), Institut d'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Valencian International University, Valencia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ali SK, El-Masry SS, El-Adl K, Abdel-Mawgoud M, Okla MK, Abdel-Raheam HEF, Hesham AEL, Aboel-Ainin MA, Mohamed HS. Assessment of antimicrobial activity and GC-MS using culture filtrate of local marine Bacillus strains. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART. B, PESTICIDES, FOOD CONTAMINANTS, AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES 2024; 59:399-416. [PMID: 38785435 DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2024.2357465] [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: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Secondary metabolites produced by Bacillus species from marine sources encompass a variety of compounds such as lipopeptides, isocoumarins, polyketides, macrolactones, polypeptides and fatty acids. These bioactive substances exhibit various biological activities, including antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, and antitumor properties. This study aimed to isolate and identify a particular species of Bacillus from marine water and organisms that can produce bioactive secondary metabolites. Among the 73 Bacillus isolates collected, only 5 exhibited antagonistic activity against various viral and bacterial pathogens. The active isolates were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing to determine their taxonomical affiliation. Among them, Bacillus tequilensis CCASU-2024-66 strain no. 42, with the accession number ON 054302 in GenBank, exhibited the highest inhibitory potential. It displayed an inhibition zone of 21 mm against Bacillus cereus while showing a minimum zone of inhibition of 9 mm against Escherichia coli and gave different inhibition against pathogenic fungi, the highest inhibition zone 15 mm against Candida albicans but the lowest inhibition zone 10 mm was against Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum. Furthermore, it demonstrated the highest percentage of virucidal effect against the Newcastle virus and influenza virus, with rates of 98.6% and 98.1%, respectively. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis was employed to examine the bioactive substance components, specifically focusing on volatile and polysaccharide compounds. Based on these results, Bacillus tequilensis strain 42 may have the potential to be employed as an antiviral agent in poultry cultures to combat Newcastle and influenza, two extremely destructive viruses, thus reducing economic losses in the poultry production sector. Bacteria can be harnessed for the purpose of preserving food and controlling pathogenic fungi in both human and plant environments. Molecular docking for the three highly active derivatives 2,3-Butanediol, 2TMS, D-Xylopyranose, 4TMS, and Glucofuranoside, methyl 2,3,5,6-tetrakis-O-(trimethylsilyl) was carried out against the active sites of Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Candida albicans, Newcastle virus and influenza virus. The data obtained from molecular docking is highly correlated with that obtained from biology. Moreover, these highly active compounds exhibited excellent proposed ADMET profile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa K Ali
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Egypt
| | - Samar S El-Masry
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain-Shamas University, Egypt
| | - Khaled El-Adl
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, Cairo, Egypt
- Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Mohammad K Okla
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abd El-Latif Hesham
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | | | - Hussein S Mohamed
- Chemistry of medicinal and aromatic plants department, Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (RIMAP), Beni-Suef University, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Imamura F. Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the olfactory system development. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1408187. [PMID: 38818309 PMCID: PMC11138157 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1408187] [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: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), resulting from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, are a prominent non-genetic cause of physical disabilities and brain damage in children. Alongside common symptoms like distinct facial features and neurocognitive deficits, sensory anomalies, including olfactory dysfunction, are frequently noted in FASD-afflicted children. However, the precise mechanisms underpinning the olfactory abnormalities induced by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) remain elusive. Utilizing rodents as a model organism with varying timing, duration, dosage, and administration routes of alcohol exposure, prior studies have documented impairments in olfactory system development caused by PAE. Many reported a reduction in the olfactory bulb (OB) volume accompanied by reduced OB neuron counts, suggesting the OB is a brain region vulnerable to PAE. In contrast, no significant olfactory system defects were observed in some studies, though subtle alterations might exist. These findings suggest that the timing, duration, and extent of fetal alcohol exposure can yield diverse effects on olfactory system development. To enhance comprehension of PAE-induced olfactory dysfunctions, this review summarizes key findings from previous research on the olfactory systems of offspring prenatally exposed to alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Imamura
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
May PA, Hasken JM, de Vries MM, Marais AS, Abdul-Rahman O, Robinson LK, Adam MP, Manning MA, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Seedat S, Parry CD, Hoyme HE. Maternal and paternal risk factors for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Alcohol and other drug use as proximal influences. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:2090-2109. [PMID: 38226752 PMCID: PMC10792253 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore and analyze the significance of proximal influences of maternal and paternal traits associated with bearing a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). METHODS Aggregated, maternal interview-collected data (N = 2515) concerning alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use were examined to determine risk for FASD from seven cross-sectional samples of mothers of first-grade students who were evaluated for a possible diagnosis of FASD. RESULTS Mothers of children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) reported the highest alcohol use throughout pregnancy, proportion of binge drinking, drinks per drinking day (DDD), drinking days per week, and total drinks per week. Mothers of children with FAS also consumed significantly more alcohol than mothers of children with partial FAS (PFAS), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), or typically developing controls. Mothers of children with PFAS and ARND reported similar drinking patterns, which exposed fetuses to 3-4 times more alcohol than mothers of controls, but the PFAS group was more likely than the ARND group to abstain in latter trimesters. Fathers of all children were predominantly drinkers (70%-85%), but more fathers of children with FASD binged heavily on more days than fathers of controls. Compared to the few mothers of controls who used alcohol during pregnancy, the ARND group binge drank more (3+ DDD) throughout pregnancy and drank more DDD before pregnancy and first trimester. Regression analysis, controlling for tobacco use, indicated that mothers who reported drinking <1 DDD were significantly more likely than abstainers to bear a child with FASD (OR = 2.75) as were those reporting higher levels such as 5-5.9 DDD (OR = 32.99). Exclusive, first-trimester maternal drinking increased risk for FASD five times over that of abstinence (p < 0.001, OR = 5.05, 95% CI: 3.88-6.58), first- and second-trimester drinking by 12.4 times, and drinking all trimesters by 16 times (p < 0.001, OR = 15.69, 95% CI: 11.92-20.64). Paternal drinking during and prior to pregnancy, without adjustment, increased the likelihood of FASD significantly (OR = 1.06 and 1.11, respectively), but the significance of both relationships disappeared when maternal alcohol and tobacco use were controlled. CONCLUSIONS Differences in FASD risk emerged from the examination of multiple proximal variables of maternal alcohol and tobacco use, reflecting increased FASD risk at greater levels of maternal alcohol consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip A. May
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 500 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, United States
| | - Julie M. Hasken
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 500 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, United States
| | - Marlene M. de Vries
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Anna-Susan Marais
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Omar Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Pediatrics, New York- Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University, 505 E 70 St, New York, NY 10021
| | - Luther K. Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, 1001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States
| | - Margaret P. Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98175, USA
| | - Melanie A. Manning
- Department of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Wendy O. Kalberg
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, United States
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, United States
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Charles D.H. Parry
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parowvallei, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - H. Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Sanford Children’s Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, 1600 W. 22 St. Sioux Falls, SD, 57117, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Petrelli B, Oztürk A, Pind M, Ayele H, Fainsod A, Hicks GG. Genetically programmed retinoic acid deficiency during gastrulation phenocopies most known developmental defects due to acute prenatal alcohol exposure in FASD. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1208279. [PMID: 37397253 PMCID: PMC10311642 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1208279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) arises from maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy affecting 2%-5% of the Western population. In Xenopus laevis studies, we showed that alcohol exposure during early gastrulation reduces retinoic acid (RA) levels at this critical embryonic stage inducing craniofacial malformations associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A genetic mouse model that induces a transient RA deficiency in the node during gastrulation is described. These mice recapitulate the phenotypes characteristic of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) suggesting a molecular etiology for the craniofacial malformations seen in children with FASD. Gsc +/Cyp26A1 mouse embryos have a reduced RA domain and expression in the developing frontonasal prominence region and delayed HoxA1 and HoxB1 expression at E8.5. These embryos also show aberrant neurofilament expression during cranial nerve formation at E10.5 and have significant FASD sentinel-like craniofacial phenotypes at E18.5. Gsc +/Cyp26A1 mice develop severe maxillary malocclusions in adulthood. Phenocopying the PAE-induced developmental malformations with a genetic model inducing RA deficiency during early gastrulation strongly supports the alcohol/vitamin A competition model as a major molecular etiology for the neurodevelopmental defects and craniofacial malformations seen in children with FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B. Petrelli
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - A. Oztürk
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - M. Pind
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - H. Ayele
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - A. Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel–Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - G. G. Hicks
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Qi W, Gundogan F, Gilligan J, Monte SDL. Dietary Soy Prevents Fetal Demise, Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Craniofacial Dysmorphic Features, and Impairments in Placentation Linked to Gestational Alcohol Exposure: Pivotal Role of Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Signaling Networks. Alcohol 2023:S0741-8329(23)00026-5. [PMID: 36898643 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal alcohol exposure can impair placentation and cause intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), fetal demise, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Previous studies showed that ethanol's inhibition of placental insulin and insulin-like growth factor, type 1 (IGF-1) signaling compromises trophoblastic cell motility and maternal vascular transformation at the implantation site. Since soy isolate supports insulin responsiveness, we hypothesized that dietary soy could be used to normalize placentation and fetal growth in an experimental model of FASD METHODS: Pregnant Long Evans rat dams were fed with isocaloric liquid diets containing 0% or 8.2% ethanol (v/v) from gestation day (GD) 6. Dietary protein sources were either 100% soy isolate or 100% casein (standard). Gestational sacs were harvested on GD19 to evaluate fetal resorption, fetal growth parameters, and placental morphology. Placental insulin/IGF-1 signaling through Akt pathways was assessed using commercial bead-based multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays RESULTS: Dietary soy markedly reduced or prevented the ethanol-associated fetal loss, IUGR, FASD dysmorphic features, and impairments in placentation/maturation. Furthermore, ethanol's inhibitory effects on the placental glycogen cell population at the junctional zone, invasive trophoblast populations at the implantation site, maternal vascular transformation, and signaling through the insulin and IGF1 receptors, Akt and PRAS40 were largely abrogated by co-administration of soy. CONCLUSION Dietary soy may provide an economically feasible and accessible means of reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes linked to gestational ethanol exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qi
- Liver Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905
| | - Fusun Gundogan
- Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905; Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905
| | - Jeffrey Gilligan
- Liver Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905
| | - Suzanne de la Monte
- Liver Research Center of the Department of Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905; and Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905; Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905; Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, 02905.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Popova S, Charness ME, Burd L, Crawford A, Hoyme HE, Mukherjee RAS, Riley EP, Elliott EJ. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023; 9:11. [PMID: 36823161 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-023-00420-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol readily crosses the placenta and may disrupt fetal development. Harm from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is determined by the dose, pattern, timing and duration of exposure, fetal and maternal genetics, maternal nutrition, concurrent substance use, and epigenetic responses. A safe dose of alcohol use during pregnancy has not been established. PAE can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which are characterized by neurodevelopmental impairment with or without facial dysmorphology, congenital anomalies and poor growth. FASD are a leading preventable cause of birth defects and developmental disability. The prevalence of FASD in 76 countries is >1% and is high in individuals living in out-of-home care or engaged in justice and mental health systems. The social and economic effects of FASD are profound, but the diagnosis is often missed or delayed and receives little public recognition. Future research should be informed by people living with FASD and be guided by cultural context, seek consensus on diagnostic criteria and evidence-based treatments, and describe the pathophysiology and lifelong effects of FASD. Imperatives include reducing stigma, equitable access to services, improved quality of life for people with FASD and FASD prevention in future generations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Popova
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Michael E Charness
- VA Boston Healthcare System, West Roxbury, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larry Burd
- North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatric Therapy Services, Altru Health System, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Andi Crawford
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, and University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Raja A S Mukherjee
- National UK FASD Clinic, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Redhill, Surrey, UK
| | - Edward P Riley
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Elliott
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,New South Wales FASD Assessment Service, CICADA Centre for Care and Intervention for Children and Adolescents affected by Drugs and Alcohol, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Carey JC, Opitz JM. Evolution in the clinic: Maladaptive units and "minor anomalies". Am J Med Genet A 2023; 191:640-646. [PMID: 36331276 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
It is here argued that the application of the term "minor anomalies" is often imprecise and likely outdated. In the past, the designation was used indiscriminately to refer to a great variety of unrelated morphogenetic phenomena. Also, the term does not discriminate between mild qualitative defects of development (mild malformations) and quantitative variants of normal structure. The human face was formed by natural and sexual selection. Morphological and morphogenetic analyses have shown that the human face with its skin, muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, glands, and lymphatics is a complex structure made up of progeny of ectoderm and mesoderm. Holoprosencephaly demonstrates graphically how these embryonic derivatives fit together sequentially. These derivatives are the adaptive units of the human organism, the result of stringent evolutionary forces uniting essential function to a minimum of structure. Before an "unusual" facial appearance is diagnosed as "abnormal", phenotype analysis is required to determine if there is a family resemblance or if it is a pleiotropic structure. The facial structures of chimps and humans are homologous by virtue of descent from a common ancestor (Darwin, 1859). Differences in the appearance of these species reflect adaptive divergence over some 6-7 million years of evolution while retaining over 98-99% genetic identity. Both species may develop Down syndrome, evidence of similarly retained developmental plasticity. It has occurred to us that Dobzhansky's axiom ("Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution") applies not only to genetics, but to all of medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John C Carey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - John M Opitz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Everson JL, Tseng YC, Eberhart JK. High-throughput detection of craniofacial defects in fluorescent zebrafish. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:371-389. [PMID: 36369674 PMCID: PMC9898129 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Losses and malformations of cranial neural crest cell (cNCC) derivatives are a hallmark of several common brain and face malformations. Nevertheless, the etiology of these cNCC defects remains unknown for many cases, suggesting a complex basis involving interactions between genetic and/or environmental factors. However, the sheer number of possible factors (thousands of genes and hundreds of thousands of toxicants) has hindered identification of specific interactions. Here, we develop a high-throughput analysis that will enable faster identification of multifactorial interactions in the genesis of craniofacial defects. Zebrafish embryos expressing a fluorescent marker of cNCCs (fli1:EGFP) were exposed to a pathway inhibitor standard or environmental toxicant, and resulting changes in fluorescence were measured in high-throughput using a fluorescent microplate reader to approximate cNCC losses. Embryos exposed to the environmental Hedgehog pathway inhibitor piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a Hedgehog pathway inhibitor standard, or alcohol (ethanol) exhibited reduced fli1:EGFP fluorescence at one day post fertilization, which corresponded with craniofacial defects at five days post fertilization. Combining PBO and alcohol in a co-exposure paradigm synergistically reduced fluorescence, demonstrating a multifactorial interaction. Using pathway reporter transgenics, we show that the plate reader assay is sensitive at detecting alterations in Hedgehog signaling, a critical regulator of craniofacial development. We go on to demonstrate that this technique readily detects defects in other important cell types, namely neurons. Together, these findings demonstrate this novel in vivo platform can predict developmental abnormalities and multifactorial interactions in high-throughput.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L. Everson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yung-Chia Tseng
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Johann K. Eberhart
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Salaria D, Rolta R, Patel CN, Dev K, Sourirajan A, Kumar V. In vitro and in silico analysis of Thymus serpyllum essential oil as bioactivity enhancer of antibacterial and antifungal agents. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10383-10402. [PMID: 34238127 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1943530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) of family Laminaceae is an unexplored perennial medicinal shrub. Aerial part of this plant is traditionally used for the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. The current study was designed to evaluate the GC-MS, antimicrobial and synergistic potential of T. serpyllum essential oil (TEO). Chemical characterization of TEO showed the presence of thymol (15.79%), Phenol, 2-(1,1-dimethylethyl) (11.55%), o-Cymene (10.96%) as major phytocompounds. Antimicrobial activity of TEO in terms zone of inhibition (ZOI) varied from 13.66 ± 0.58 mm to 33.66 ± 1.52 mm, while, thymol (10%, v/v) showed ZOI ranged from 15.5 ± 0.5 mm to 26.33 ± 2.08 mm against tested bacterial and fungal species. MIC of TEO was 0.039% to 0.078% against tested bacterial and fungal species, whereas, thymol showed 1.25% to 2.5% MIC against tested bacterial and fungal species. Different combinations of TEO (2MIC to ½MIC) and thymol (2MIC to ½MIC) with antibacterial and antifungal antibiotics (2MIC to ½MIC) were found to increase the efficacy of antibiotics by 4-130 folds against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Molecular docking showed the good binding of thymol with both bacterial and fungal targets. Whereas MD simulation showed the stability of thymol complexed with target proteins over 100 ns time scale. Thymol also fulfills the Lipinski rule and showed characteristics similar to that of drugs. Therefore, it can be concluded from the present study that TEO and its major phytocompound, thymol can act as a bioactivity enhancer of antibacterial and antifungal antibiotics and could be used as a potential candidate to fight against antimicrobial drug resistance.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deeksha Salaria
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Rajan Rolta
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Chirag N Patel
- Department of Botany, Bioinformatics and Climate Change Impacts Management, University School of Science, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Kamal Dev
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Anuradha Sourirajan
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fitriasari S, Trainor PA. Gene-environment interactions in the pathogenesis of common craniofacial anomalies. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 152:139-168. [PMID: 36707210 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Craniofacial anomalies often exhibit phenotype variability and non-mendelian inheritance due to their multifactorial origin, involving both genetic and environmental factors. A combination of epidemiologic studies, genome-wide association, and analysis of animal models have provided insight into the effects of gene-environment interactions on craniofacial and brain development and the pathogenesis of congenital disorders. In this chapter, we briefly summarize the etiology and pathogenesis of common craniofacial anomalies, focusing on orofacial clefts, hemifacial microsomia, and microcephaly. We then discuss how environmental risk factors interact with genes to modulate the incidence and phenotype severity of craniofacial anomalies. Identifying environmental risk factors and dissecting their interaction with different genes and modifiers is central to improved strategies for preventing craniofacial anomalies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul A Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, United States; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Everson JL, Eberhart JK. Gene-alcohol interactions in birth defects. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 152:77-113. [PMID: 36707215 PMCID: PMC9897481 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.10.003] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Most human birth defects are thought to result from complex interactions between combinations of genetic and environmental factors. This is true even for conditions that, at face value, may appear simple and straightforward, like fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD describe the full range of structural and neurological disruptions that result from prenatal alcohol exposure. While FASD require alcohol exposure, evidence from human and animal model studies demonstrate that additional genetic and/or environmental factors can influence the embryo's susceptibility to alcohol. Only a limited number of alcohol interactions in birth defects have been identified, with many sensitizing genetic and environmental factors likely yet to be identified. Because of this, while unsatisfying, there is no definitively "safe" dose of alcohol for all pregnancies. Determining these other factors, as well as mechanistically characterizing known interactions, is critical for better understanding and preventing FASD and requires combined scrutiny of human and model organism studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Everson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
| | - Johann K Eberhart
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Blood Vessels as a Key Mediator for Ethanol Toxicity: Implication for Neuronal Damage. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12111882. [PMID: 36431016 PMCID: PMC9696276 DOI: 10.3390/life12111882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Excessive intake of ethanol is associated with severe brain dysfunction, and the subsequent neurological and behavioral abnormalities are well-established social risks. Many research studies have addressed how ethanol induces neurological toxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms with which ethanol induces neurological toxicity are still obscure, perhaps due to the variety and complexity of these mechanisms. Epithelial cells are in direct contact with blood and can thus mediate ethanol neurotoxicity. Ethanol activates the endothelial cells of blood vessels, as well as lymphatic vessels, in a concentration-dependent manner. Among various signaling mediators, nitric oxide plays important roles in response to ethanol. Endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases (eNOS and iNOS) are upregulated and activated by ethanol and enhance neuroinflammation. On the other hand, angiogenesis and blood vessel remodeling are both affected by ethanol intake, altering blood supply and releasing angiocrine factors to regulate neuronal functions. Thus, ethanol directly acts on endothelial cells, yet the molecular target(s) on endothelial cells remain unknown. Previous studies on neurons and glial cells have validated the potential contribution of membrane lipids and some specific proteins as ethanol targets, which may also be the case in endothelial cells. Future studies, based on current knowledge, will allow for a greater understanding of the contribution and underlying mechanisms of endothelial cells in ethanol-induced neurological toxicity, protecting neurological health against ethanol toxicity.
Collapse
|
15
|
Mark PR, Dunwoodie SL. Viewing teratogens through the lens of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (
NAD
+). Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:1313-1323. [DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Mark
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Spectrum Health Grand Rapids Michigan USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University Grand Rapids Michigan USA
| | - Sally L. Dunwoodie
- Developmental and Regenerative Biology Division Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Sydney New South Wales Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Faculty of Science University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gualdoni GS, Pérez-Tito L, Barril C, Sobarzo C, Cebral E. Abnormal growth and morphogenesis of placenta at term is linked to adverse fetal development after perigestational alcohol consumption up to early gestation in mouse. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:611-630. [PMID: 35775613 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestation alcohol consumption produces fetal growth restriction and malformations by affecting the embryo-fetal development. Recently a relationship between abnormal placentation and fetal malformation and intrauterine growth retardation has been suggested. However, the effects of perigestational alcohol ingestion up to early pregnancy on the placenta at term and its association with fetal abnormalities are little known. METHODS In female mice, ethanol 10% in water was administered for 15 days previous and up to days 4 (D4), 8 (D8), or 10 (D10) of gestation (TF), and gestation continues without ethanol exposure. Control females (CF) received ethanol-free water. At day 18, feto-placental units and implantation sites were studied. RESULTS TF had increased resorptions and only fetuses from D8-TF and D10-TF had significantly increased weights versus CF. D4 and D10-TF-placentas had significantly reduced weights. All TF had increased junctional zone (JZ) and reduced labyrinth (Lab) areas (PAS-histology and morphometry) compared with CF. Fetuses with mainly with craniofacial abnormalities and skeletal defects (Alizarin red staining), significantly increase; while the fetal bone density (alizarin color intensity, ImageJ) was reduced in D4, D8 and D10-TF versus CF. Although all TF-placentas were histo-structural affected, TF-abnormal fetuses had the most severe placental anomalies, with junctional abundant glycogenic cells into the labyrinth, disorganized labyrinthine vascularization with signs of leukocyte infiltrates and feto-maternal blood mix. CONCLUSIONS Perigestational alcohol consumption up to early gestation induces at term fetal growth alterations, dysmorphology and defective skeleton, linked to deficient growth and abnormal morphogenesis of placenta, highlighting insight into the prenatal etiology of FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Soledad Gualdoni
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leticia Pérez-Tito
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Camila Barril
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristian Sobarzo
- Facultad de Medicina, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elisa Cebral
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Binge-like Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Causes Impaired Cellular Differentiation in the Embryonic Forebrain and Synaptic and Behavioral Defects in Adult Mice. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060793. [PMID: 35741678 PMCID: PMC9220802 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
An embryo’s in-utero exposure to ethanol due to a mother’s alcohol drinking results in a range of deficits in the child that are collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Prenatal ethanol exposure is one of the leading causes of preventable intellectual disability. Its neurobehavioral underpinnings warrant systematic research. We investigated the immediate effects on embryos of acute prenatal ethanol exposure during gestational days (GDs) and the influence of such exposure on persistent neurobehavioral deficits in adult offspring. We administered pregnant C57BL/6J mice with ethanol (1.75 g/kg) (GDE) or saline (GDS) intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 0 h and again at 2 h intervals on GD 8 and GD 12. Subsequently, we assessed apoptosis, differentiation, and signaling events in embryo forebrains (E13.5; GD13.5). Long-lasting effects of GDE were evaluated via a behavioral test battery. We also determined the long-term potentiation and synaptic plasticity-related protein expression in adult hippocampal tissue. GDE caused apoptosis, inhibited differentiation, and reduced pERK and pCREB signaling and the expression of transcription factors Pax6 and Lhx2. GDE caused persistent spatial and social investigation memory deficits compared with saline controls, regardless of sex. Interestingly, GDE adult mice exhibited enhanced repetitive and anxiety-like behavior, irrespective of sex. GDE reduced synaptic plasticity-related protein expression and caused hippocampal synaptic plasticity (LTP and LTD) deficits in adult offspring. These findings demonstrate that binge-like ethanol exposure at the GD8 and GD12 developmental stages causes defects in pERK–pCREB signaling and reduces the expression of Pax6 and Lhx2, leading to impaired cellular differentiation during the embryonic stage. In the adult stage, binge-like ethanol exposure caused persistent synaptic and behavioral abnormalities in adult mice. Furthermore, the findings suggest that combining ethanol exposure at two sensitive stages (GD8 and GD12) causes deficits in synaptic plasticity-associated proteins (Arc, Egr1, Fgf1, GluR1, and GluN1), leading to persistent FASD-like neurobehavioral deficits in mice.
Collapse
|
18
|
Pinson MR, Tseng AM, Adams A, Lehman TE, Chung K, Gutierrez J, Larin KV, Chambers C, Miranda RC. Prenatal alcohol exposure contributes to negative pregnancy outcomes by altering fetal vascular dynamics and the placental transcriptome. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1036-1049. [PMID: 35474222 PMCID: PMC9325399 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been shown to alter fetal blood flow in utero and is also associated with placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), suggesting an underlying connection between perturbed circulation and pregnancy outcomes. Methods Timed‐pregnant C57/BL6NHsd mice, bred in‐house, were exposed by gavage on gestational day 10 (GD10) to ethanol (3 g/kg) or purified water, as a control. Pulse‐wave Doppler ultrasound measurements for umbilical arteries and ascending aorta were obtained post‐gavage (GD12, GD14, GD18) on 2 fetuses/litter. RNA from the non‐decidual (labyrinthine and junctional zone) portion of placentas was isolated and processed for RNA‐seq and subsequent bioinformatic analyses, and the association between transcriptomic changes and fetal phenotypes assessed. Results Exposure to ethanol in pregnant mice on GD10 attenuates umbilical cord blood flow transiently during gestation, and is associated with indices of IUGR, specifically decreased fetal weight and morphometric indices of cranial growth. Moreover, RNA‐seq of the fetal portion of the placenta demonstrated that this single exposure has lasting transcriptomic changes, including upregulation of Tet3, which is associated with spontaneous abortion. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified erythrocyte differentiation and homeostasis as important pathways associated with improved umbilical cord blood flow as gestation progresses. WGCNA also identified sensory perception of chemical stimulus/odorant and receptor activity as important pathways associated with cranial growth. Conclusion Our data suggest that PAE perturbs the expression of placental genes relevant for placental hematopoiesis and environmental sensing, resulting in transient impairment of umbilical cord blood flow and, subsequently, IUGR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander M Tseng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Adams
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Tenley E Lehman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Karen Chung
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica Gutierrez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kirill V Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Christina Chambers
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Interdisciplinary Program of Genetics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
This article is part of a Festschrift commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Established in 1970, first as part of the National Institute of Mental Health and later as an independent institute of the National Institutes of Health, NIAAA today is the world’s largest funding agency for alcohol research. In addition to its own intramural research program, NIAAA supports the entire spectrum of innovative basic, translational, and clinical research to advance the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related problems. To celebrate the anniversary, NIAAA hosted a 2-day symposium, “Alcohol Across the Lifespan: 50 Years of Evidence-Based Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment Research,” devoted to key topics within the field of alcohol research. This article is based on Dr. Charness’ presentation at the event. NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D., serves as editor of the Festschrift.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Charness
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hasken JM, Adair LS, Martin SL, Thompson AL, Marais AS, de Vries MM, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Eugene Hoyme H, Seedat S, Parry CD, May PA. The Influence of Maternal Weight and Alcohol Exposure on Infant Physical Characteristics and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. Curr Res Toxicol 2022; 3:100076. [PMID: 35694418 PMCID: PMC9178472 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal weight was inversely related with infant dysmorphology score. The rate of change was similar among all infants regardless of maternal weight. Maternal weight may be protective but does not eliminate adverse effects of alcohol. Regardless of maternal weight during pregnancy, alcohol remains a teratogen.
Background Mothers of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders tend to have lower weight compared to other mothers. Yet how alcohol and maternal weight may predispose infants to poorer physical growth and neurodevelopmental trajectories is relatively unexplained. Methods South African mothers (n = 406) were recruited prenatally and their offspring were provided standardized dysmorphology and neurodevelopment examinations at 6 weeks and 9 months of age. Maternal weight was obtained postpartum, and linear mixed modeling determined whether postpartum maternal weight and prenatal alcohol exposure significantly influenced infant growth, dysmorphology, and neurodevelopment within the first year of life. Results Postpartum maternal weight was positively associated with birth length, weight, and head circumference centile, but the rate of growth from birth to nine months was similar among all infants. Maternal weight was inversely associated with dysmorphology. Many infants in this population were performing within the borderline or extremely low range. Higher maternal weight was associated with significantly better cognitive and motor performance at 6 weeks; however, the rate of developmental growth was similar among all infants, regardless of postpartum maternal weight. Conclusion Higher postpartum maternal weight may be a protective factor but does not eliminate the adverse effects of alcohol on infant growth and dysmorphology. Regardless of maternal weight, alcohol remains a powerful teratogen and moderate to high use prenatally can result in adverse infant physical and neurocognitive development.
Collapse
|
21
|
May PA, Hasken JM, Manning MA, Robinson LK, Abdul-Rahman O, Adam MP, Jewett T, Elliott AJ, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Hoyme HE. Characteristic physical traits of first-grade children in the United States with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and associated alcohol and drug exposures. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:2019-2035. [PMID: 35357075 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We compared growth, physical features, and minor anomalies in 131 first-grade children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) to those of a representative comparison group of typically developing children from the same populations (n = 1212). The data were collected from three regional sites in the NIAAA-funded Collaboration on FASD Prevalence (CoFASP). Dysmorphology examinations were performed by a team of expert clinical geneticists, and FASD diagnoses were assigned according to the Revised Institute of Medicine Guidelines, which include assessments of growth, dysmorphology, neurobehavior, and maternal risk interviews. We present detailed data on 32 physical traits, minor anomalies, and a summary dysmorphology score for children within each of the four diagnostic categories in the continuum of FASD. There were few differences in the frequency of FASD diagnoses by race or Hispanic ethnicity. Children with FASD were born to mothers who reported using alcohol, tobacco (28.3%), and other drugs (14.2%) during pregnancy. Controlling for tobacco and other drug use, risk analysis indicated that women with a drinking pattern of 3 drinks per drinking day prior to pregnancy were 10 times more likely (p < 0.001, OR = 9.92, 95% CI: 4.6-21.5) to bear a child with FASD than those who reported abstinence prior to pregnancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip A May
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA.,Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Omar Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tamison Jewett
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amy J Elliott
- Avera Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.,Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Licheri V, Brigman JL. Altering Cell-Cell Interaction in Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Models: Insight on Cell-Adhesion Molecules During Brain Development. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:753537. [PMID: 34975396 PMCID: PMC8715949 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.753537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy disrupts the development of the brain and produces long lasting behavioral and cognitive impairments collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are characterized by alterations in learning, working memory, social behavior and executive function. A large body of literature using preclinical prenatal alcohol exposure models reports alcohol-induced changes in architecture and activity in specific brain regions affecting cognition. While multiple putative mechanisms of alcohol’s long-lasting effects on morphology and behavior have been investigated, an area that has received less attention is the effect of alcohol on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The embryo/fetal development represents a crucial period for Central Nervous System (CNS) development during which the cell-cell interaction plays an important role. CAMs play a critical role in neuronal migration and differentiation, synaptic organization and function which may be disrupted by alcohol. In this review, we summarize the physiological structure and role of CAMs involved in brain development, review the current literature on prenatal alcohol exposure effects on CAM function in different experimental models and pinpoint areas needed for future study to better understand how CAMs may mediate the morphological, sensory and behavioral outcomes in FASDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Fernandes Y, Lovely CB. Zebrafish models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Genesis 2021; 59:e23460. [PMID: 34739740 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) describes a wide range of structural deficits and cognitive impairments. FASD impacts up to 5% of children born in the United States each year, making ethanol one of the most common teratogens. Due to limitations and ethical concerns, studies in humans are limited in their ability to study FASD. Animal models have proven critical in identifying and characterizing the mechanisms underlying FASD. In this review, we will focus on the attributes of zebrafish that make it a strong model in which to study ethanol-induced developmental defects. Zebrafish have several attributes that make it an ideal model in which to study FASD. Zebrafish produced large numbers of externally fertilized, translucent embryos. With a high degree of genetic amenability, zebrafish are at the forefront of identifying and characterizing the gene-ethanol interactions that underlie FASD. Work from multiple labs has shown that embryonic ethanol exposures result in defects in craniofacial, cardiac, ocular, and neural development. In addition to structural defects, ethanol-induced cognitive and behavioral impairments have been studied in zebrafish. Building upon these studies, work has identified ethanol-sensitive loci that underlie the developmental defects. However, analyses show there is still much to be learned of these gene-ethanol interactions. The zebrafish is ideally suited to expand our understanding of gene-ethanol interactions and their impact on FASD. Because of the conservation of gene function between zebrafish and humans, these studies will directly translate to studies of candidate genes in human populations and allow for better diagnosis and treatment of FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yohaan Fernandes
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - C Ben Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
May PA, Hasken JM, Manning MA, Hoyme HE. The challenges and pitfalls of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevalence studies. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2468-2470. [PMID: 34726795 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The experienced team of researchers, McCarthy, Mukerjee, Fleming, Green, Clayton-Smith, Price, Allely, and Cook describe a well-designed and thoughtful study of the "Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in Greater Manchester, UK." This paper is a contribution to the field, for it represents one of a handful of active case ascertainment (ACA) studies of FASD carried out among school children in Europe. McCarthy et al. report a minimal prevalence of FASD of 1.8% and an estimated rate of 3.4% if probable cases are included.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip A May
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Savage LM, Nunes PT, Gursky ZH, Milbocker KA, Klintsova AY. Midline Thalamic Damage Associated with Alcohol-Use Disorders: Disruption of Distinct Thalamocortical Pathways and Function. Neuropsychol Rev 2021; 31:447-471. [PMID: 32789537 PMCID: PMC7878584 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-020-09450-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus, a significant part of the diencephalon, is a symmetrical and bilateral central brain structure. The thalamus is subdivided into three major groups of nuclei based on their function: sensorimotor nuclei (or principal/relay nuclei), limbic nuclei and nuclei bridging these two domains. Anatomically, nuclei within the thalamus are described by their location, such as anterior, medial, lateral, ventral, and posterior. In this review, we summarize the role of medial and midline thalamus in cognition, ranging from learning and memory to flexible adaptation. We focus on the discoveries in animal models of alcohol-related brain damage, which identify the loss of neurons in the medial and midline thalamus as drivers of cognitive dysfunction associated with alcohol use disorders. Models of developmental ethanol exposure and models of adult alcohol-related brain damage and are compared and contrasted, and it was revealed that there are similar (anterior thalamus) and different (intralaminar [adult exposure] versus ventral midline [developmental exposure]) thalamic pathology, as well as disruptions of thalamo-hippocampal and thalamo-cortical circuits. The final part of the review summarizes approaches to recover alcohol-related brain damage and cognitive and behavioral outcomes. These approaches include pharmacological, nutritional and behavioral interventions that demonstrated the potential to mitigate alcohol-related damage. In summary, the medial/midline thalamus is a significant contributor to cognition function, which is also sensitive to alcohol-related brain damage across the life span, and plays a role in alcohol-related cognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Savage
- Developmental Ethanol Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA.
| | - Polliana T Nunes
- Developmental Ethanol Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Zachary H Gursky
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Katrina A Milbocker
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Anna Y Klintsova
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Chung DD, Pinson MR, Bhenderu LS, Lai MS, Patel RA, Miranda RC. Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168785. [PMID: 34445488 PMCID: PMC8395909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have immediate and long-lasting toxic and teratogenic effects on an individual’s development and health. As a toxicant, alcohol can lead to a variety of physical and neurological anomalies in the fetus that can lead to behavioral and other impairments which may last a lifetime. Recent studies have focused on identifying mechanisms that mediate the immediate teratogenic effects of alcohol on fetal development and mechanisms that facilitate the persistent toxic effects of alcohol on health and predisposition to disease later in life. This review focuses on the contribution of epigenetic modifications and intercellular transporters like extracellular vesicles to the toxicity of PAE and to immediate and long-term consequences on an individual’s health and risk of disease.
Collapse
|
27
|
Wallén E, Auvinen P, Kaminen-Ahola N. The Effects of Early Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Epigenome and Embryonic Development. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071095. [PMID: 34356111 PMCID: PMC8303887 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the most significant causes of developmental disability in the Western world. Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy leads to an increased risk of neurological deficits and developmental abnormalities in the fetus. Over the past decade, several human and animal studies have demonstrated that alcohol causes alterations in epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. There is an increasing amount of evidence that early pregnancy is a sensitive period for environmental-induced epigenetic changes. It is a dynamic period of epigenetic reprogramming, cell divisions, and DNA replication and, therefore, a particularly interesting period to study the molecular changes caused by alcohol exposure as well as the etiology of alcohol-induced developmental disorders. This article will review the current knowledge about the in vivo and in vitro effects of alcohol exposure on the epigenome, gene regulation, and the phenotype during the first weeks of pregnancy.
Collapse
|
28
|
Draghici D, Barr K, Hardy DB, Allman BL, Willmore KE. Effects of advanced maternal age and acute prenatal alcohol exposure on mouse offspring growth and craniofacial phenotype. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1383-1397. [PMID: 33960427 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in developmental defects that include growth restriction, craniofacial anomalies, and cognitive behavioral deficits, though the presence and severity of these adverse outcomes can vary dramatically among exposed individuals. Preclinical animal models have demonstrated that the dose and timing of PAE account for much, but not all, of this phenotypic variation, suggesting that additional factors mitigate the effects of PAE. Here, we used a mouse model to investigate whether maternal age modulates the effects of PAE on the severity and variation in offspring growth and craniofacial outcomes. METHODS Nulliparous C57BL/6N dams received either an intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (EtOH) or vehicle solution on gestational day 7.5. Dams were divided into four groups: (1) EtOH-treated young dams (6 to 10 weeks); (2) control young dams; (3) EtOH-treated old dams (6 to 7 months); and (4) old control dams. Neonate offspring growth restriction was measured through body mass and organ-to-body mass ratios, while skeletal craniofacial features were imaged using micro-CT and analyzed for size, shape, and variation. RESULTS PAE and advanced maternal age each increased the risk of low birthweight and growth restriction in offspring, but these factors in combination changed the nature of the growth restriction. Similarly, both PAE and advanced maternal age individually caused changes to craniofacial morphology such as smaller skull size, dysmorphic skull shape, and greater skull shape variation and asymmetry. Interestingly, while the combination of PAE and advanced maternal age did not affect mean skull shape or size, it significantly increased the variation and asymmetry of those measures. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that maternal age modulates the effects of PAE, but that the effects of this combination on offspring outcomes are more complex than simply scaling the effects of either factor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Draghici
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin Barr
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel B Hardy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Brian L Allman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine E Willmore
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Facial Phenotype in Adolescents: A Study Based on Meconium Ethyl Glucuronide. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020154. [PMID: 33503863 PMCID: PMC7911744 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we explore the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in adolescence. We investigated associations between meconium ethyl glucoronide (EtG) and facial malformation. For 129 children (66/63 male/female; M = 13.3, SD = 0.32, 12–14 years), PAE was implemented by newborn meconium EtG and maternal self-reports during the third trimester. Cognitive development was operationalized by standardized scores (WISC V). The EtG cut-off values were set at ≥10 ng/g (n = 32, 24.8% EtG10+) and ≥112 ng/g (n = 20, 15.5% EtG112+). The craniofacial shape was measured using FAS Facial Photographic Analysis Software. EtG10+− and EtG112+-affected children exhibited a shorter palpebral fissure length (p = 0.031/p = 0.055). Lip circularity was smaller in EtG112+-affected children (p = 0.026). Maternal self-reports were not associated (p > 0.164). Lip circularity correlated with fluid reasoning (EtG10+ p = 0.031; EtG112+ p = 0.298) and working memory (EtG10+ p = 0.084; EtG112+ p = 0.144). The present study demonstrates visible effects of the facial phenotype in exposed adolescents. Facial malformation was associated with a child’s cognitive performance in the alcohol-exposed group. The EtG biomarker was a better predictor than maternal self-reports.
Collapse
|
30
|
Everson JL, Batchu R, Eberhart JK. Multifactorial Genetic and Environmental Hedgehog Pathway Disruption Sensitizes Embryos to Alcohol-Induced Craniofacial Defects. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1988-1996. [PMID: 32767777 PMCID: PMC7692922 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is perhaps the most common environmental cause of human birth defects. These exposures cause a range of structural and neurological defects, including facial dysmorphologies, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). While PAE causes FASD, phenotypic outcomes vary widely. It is thought that multifactorial genetic and environmental interactions modify the effects of PAE. However, little is known of the nature of these modifiers. Disruption of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been suggested as a modifier of ethanol teratogenicity. In addition to regulating the morphogenesis of craniofacial tissues commonly disrupted in FASD, a core member of the Hh pathway, Smoothened, is susceptible to modulation by structurally diverse chemicals. These include environmentally prevalent teratogens like piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist found in thousands of pesticide formulations. METHODS Here, we characterize multifactorial genetic and environmental interactions using a zebrafish model of craniofacial development. RESULTS We show that loss of a single allele of shha sensitized embryos to both alcohol- and PBO-induced facial defects. Co-exposure of PBO and alcohol synergized to cause more frequent and severe defects. The effects of this co-exposure were even more profound in the genetically susceptible shha heterozygotes. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings shed light on the multifactorial basis of alcohol-induced craniofacial defects. In addition to further implicating genetic disruption of the Hh pathway in alcohol teratogenicity, our findings suggest that co-exposure to environmental chemicals that perturb Hh signaling may be important variables in FASD and related craniofacial disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L. Everson
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchSchool of PharmacyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Rithik Batchu
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Johann K. Eberhart
- From the Department of Molecular BiosciencesSchool of Natural SciencesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchSchool of PharmacyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Gomez DA, May PA, Tabachnick BG, Hasken JM, Lyden ER, Kalberg WO, Hoyme HE, Manning MA, Adam MP, Robinson LK, Jones KL, Buckley D, Abdul-Rahman OA. Ocular measurements in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:2243-2252. [PMID: 32677343 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) describe a range of physical, behavioral, and neurologic deficits in individuals exposed to alcohol prenatally. Reduced palpebral fissure length is one of the cardinal facial features of FASD. However, other ocular measurements have not been studied extensively in FASD. Using the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Epidemiologic Research (FASER) database, we investigated how inner canthal distance (ICD), interpupillary distance (IPD), and outer canthal distance (OCD) centiles differed between FASD and non-FASD individuals. We compared ocular measurement centiles in children with FASD to non-FASD individuals and observed reductions in all three centiles for ICD, IPD, and OCD. However, when our non-FASD children who had various forms of growth deficiency (microcephaly, short-stature, or underweight) were compared to controls, we did not observe a similar reduction in ocular measurements. This suggests that reductions in ocular measurements are a direct effect of alcohol on ocular development independent of its effect on growth parameters, which is consistent with animal models showing a negative effect of alcohol on developing neural crest cells. Interpupillary distance centile appeared to be the most significantly reduced ocular measure we evaluated, suggesting it may be a useful measure to be considered in the diagnosis of FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Gomez
- College of Arts and Sciences, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Philip A May
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Barbara G Tabachnick
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Lyden
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth Lyons Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, & Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Omar A Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Tan DW, Foo YZ, Downs J, Finlay-Jones A, Leonard H, Licari MK, Mullan N, Symons M, Varcin KJ, Whitehouse AJ, Alvares GA. A preliminary investigation of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on facial morphology in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Alcohol 2020; 86:75-80. [PMID: 32243902 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy has been associated with altered brain development and facial dysmorphology. While Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not specifically related to distinct facial phenotypes, recent studies have suggested certain facial characteristics such as increased facial masculinity and asymmetry may be associated with ASD and its clinical presentations. In the present study, we conducted a preliminary investigation to examine facial morphology in autistic children with (n = 37; mean age = 8.21 years, SD = 2.72) and without (n = 100; mean age = 8.37 years, SD = 2.47) prenatal alcohol exposure. Using three-dimensional facial scans and principal component analysis, we identified a facial shape associated with prenatal alcohol exposure in autistic children. However, variations in the alcohol-related facial shape were generally not associated with behavioral and cognitive outcomes. These findings suggest that while early exposure to alcohol may influence the development of facial structures, it does not appear to be associated with ASD phenotypic variability. Importantly, although these findings do not implicate a role for prenatal alcohol exposure in the etiology of ASD, further research is warranted to investigate the link between prenatal alcohol exposure and facial morphology differences among neurodevelopmental conditions.
Collapse
|
33
|
Sun SN, Jiang Q, Lu D, Gui YH. [Effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiovascular development in zebrafish embryos]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2020; 22:916-922. [PMID: 32800042 PMCID: PMC7441502 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2006079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiac and vascular development in zebrafish embryos and underlying mechanisms. METHODS dhfr mRNA was transcribed in vitro and microinjected into zebrafish fertilized eggs to induce the overexpression of dhfr gene, and the efficiency of overexpression was verified. Wild-type zebrafish were divided into a control group, an ethanol group, and an ethanol+dhfr overexpression group (microinjection of 6 nL dhfr mRNA). The embryonic development was observed for each group. The transgenic zebrafish Tg (cmlc2:mcherry) with heart-specific red fluorescence was used to observe atrial and ventricular development. Fluorescence microscopy was performed to observe the development of cardiac outflow tract and blood vessels. Heart rate and ventricular shortening fraction were used to assess cardiac function. Gene probes were constructed, and embryo in situ hybridization and real-time PCR were used to measure the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 in the embryo. RESULTS Compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had a significant reduction in the percentage of abnormal embryonic development and a significant increase in the percentage of embryonic survival (P<0.05), with significant improvements in the abnormalities of the atrium, ventricle, outflow tract, and blood vessels and cardiac function. Compared with the control group, the ethanol group had significant reductions in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), and compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had significant increases in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), which were still lower than their expression in the control group. CONCLUSIONS The overexpression of the dhfr gene can partially improve the abnormal development of embryonic heart and blood vessels induced by ethanol, possibly by upregulating the decreased expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 caused by ethanol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Na Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Sun SN, Jiang Q, Lu D, Gui YH. [Effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiovascular development in zebrafish embryos]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2020; 22:916-922. [PMID: 32800042 PMCID: PMC7441502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiac and vascular development in zebrafish embryos and underlying mechanisms. METHODS dhfr mRNA was transcribed in vitro and microinjected into zebrafish fertilized eggs to induce the overexpression of dhfr gene, and the efficiency of overexpression was verified. Wild-type zebrafish were divided into a control group, an ethanol group, and an ethanol+dhfr overexpression group (microinjection of 6 nL dhfr mRNA). The embryonic development was observed for each group. The transgenic zebrafish Tg (cmlc2:mcherry) with heart-specific red fluorescence was used to observe atrial and ventricular development. Fluorescence microscopy was performed to observe the development of cardiac outflow tract and blood vessels. Heart rate and ventricular shortening fraction were used to assess cardiac function. Gene probes were constructed, and embryo in situ hybridization and real-time PCR were used to measure the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 in the embryo. RESULTS Compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had a significant reduction in the percentage of abnormal embryonic development and a significant increase in the percentage of embryonic survival (P<0.05), with significant improvements in the abnormalities of the atrium, ventricle, outflow tract, and blood vessels and cardiac function. Compared with the control group, the ethanol group had significant reductions in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), and compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had significant increases in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), which were still lower than their expression in the control group. CONCLUSIONS The overexpression of the dhfr gene can partially improve the abnormal development of embryonic heart and blood vessels induced by ethanol, possibly by upregulating the decreased expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 caused by ethanol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Na Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Almeida L, Andreu-Fernández V, Navarro-Tapia E, Aras-López R, Serra-Delgado M, Martínez L, García-Algar O, Gómez-Roig MD. Murine Models for the Study of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Overview. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:359. [PMID: 32760684 PMCID: PMC7373736 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated to different physical, behavioral, cognitive, and neurological impairments collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanisms of ethanol toxicity are not completely understood. Experimental studies during human pregnancy to identify new diagnostic biomarkers are difficult to carry out beyond genetic or epigenetic analyses in biological matrices. Therefore, animal models are a useful tool to study the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the central nervous system and analyze the benefits of promising therapies. Animal models of alcohol spectrum disorder allow the analysis of key variables such as amount, timing and frequency of ethanol consumption to describe the harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In this review, we aim to synthetize neurodevelopmental disabilities in rodent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes, considering facial dysmorphology and fetal growth restriction. We examine the different neurodevelopmental stages based on the most consistently implicated epigenetic mechanisms, cell types and molecular pathways, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of murine models in the study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the different routes of alcohol administration, and alcohol consumption patterns applied to rodents. Finally, we analyze a wide range of phenotypic features to identify fetal alcohol spectrum disorder phenotypes in murine models, exploring facial dysmorphology, neurodevelopmental deficits, and growth restriction, as well as the methodologies used to evaluate behavioral and anatomical alterations produced by prenatal alcohol exposure in rodents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Almeida
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vicente Andreu-Fernández
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Nutrition and Health Deparment, Valencian International University (VIU), Valencia, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Navarro-Tapia
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Aras-López
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz Universitary Hospital (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariona Serra-Delgado
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leopoldo Martínez
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Congenital Malformations Lab, Institute of Medicine and Molecular Genetic (INGEMM), Institute for Health Research of La Paz Universitary Hospital (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar García-Algar
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (GRIE), Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, ICGON, IDIBAPS, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Maternal and Child Health and Development Network II (SAMID II), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
- Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Jiang Q, Lu D, Wang F, Zhang Y, Cao L, Gui Y, Sun S. Folic acid supplement rescues ethanol-induced developmental defects in the zebrafish embryos. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:536-545. [PMID: 32369106 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) describes a range of birth defects. Mechanisms of FASD-associated defects are not well understood. It has great significance to investigate whether nutrient supplements like folic acid (FA) can effectively rescue ethanol-induced defects. Moreover, it is very important to determine the optimal time for FA supplementation when it can most effectively antagonize the teratogenic effects of ethanol during embryonic development. Our results indicated that ethanol exposure interrupted the development of zebrafish embryos and induced multiple defects in cardiac function, pharyngeal arch arteries, vessel, craniofacial cartilage, pharyngeal arches, brain, somite and hemoglobin formation. The expressions of critical genes that play important roles in above organs such as tbx1, flk-1, hand2, ngn1, huc, titin, gata-1 and c-myb were reduced, and the apoptosis was increased in ethanol-treated group. FA supplementation could reverse ethanol-induced defects, improve the decreased expressions of above genes and reduce the apoptosis. We also found that giving FA at 6-12 h post-fertilization (hpf), which is at the gastrula period (5.25-10 hpf), can obviously prevent the teratogenicity of ethanol. This research provides clues for elucidating the mechanism of fetal abnormalities caused by alcohol intake and for preventing FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ding Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Municipal Eighth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Yawen Zhang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Li Cao
- Department of Ultrasound, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yonghao Gui
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Shuna Sun
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Gestational alcohol exposure disrupts cognitive function and striatal circuits in adult offspring. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2555. [PMID: 32444624 PMCID: PMC7244532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16385-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) is the leading preventable developmental cause of cognitive dysfunction. Even in the absence of binge drinking, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can leave offspring deficient. However, the mechanisms underlying these deficiencies are unknown. Using a mouse model of gestational ethanol exposure (GEE), we show increased instrumental lever-pressing and disruption of efficient habitual actions in adults, indicative of disrupted cognitive function. In vivo electrophysiology reveals disrupted action encoding in dorsolateral striatum (DLS) associated with altered habit learning. GEE mice exhibit decreased GABAergic transmission onto DLS projection neurons, including inputs from parvalbumin interneurons, and increased endocannabinoid tone. Chemogenetic activation of DLS parvalbumin interneurons reduces the elevated lever pressing of GEE mice. Pharmacologically increasing endocannabinoid tone mimics GEE effects on cognition and synaptic transmission. These findings show GEE induces long-lasting deficits in cognitive function that may contribute to human FAE, and identify potential mechanisms for future therapeutic targeting. Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable birth defects in the US, collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Here, the authors show that fetal alcohol exposure induces lasting neurophysiological changes in dorsal striatum that contribute to less efficient decision making.
Collapse
|
38
|
May PA, Hasken JM, Stegall JM, Mastro HA, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Brooks M, Hedrick DM, Ortega MA, Elliott AJ, Tabachnick BG, Abdul-Rahman O, Adam MP, Robinson LK, Manning MA, Jewett T, Hoyme HE. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in a Southeastern County of the United States: Child Characteristics and Maternal Risk Traits. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:939-959. [PMID: 32293734 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To detail the characteristic traits of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) and maternal risk factors in a southeastern U.S. County. METHODS Independent samples were drawn from 2 different cohorts of first-grade students. All consented children (49.8%) were measured for height, weight, and head circumference, and those ≤ 25th centile entered the study along with a random sample drawn from all enrolled students. Study children were examined for physical growth, dysmorphology, and neurobehavior, and their mothers were interviewed. RESULTS Total dysmorphology scores discriminated well the physical traits of children across the FASD continuum: fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) = 15.8, partial FAS (PFAS) = 10.8, alcohol-related neurobehavioral disorder (ARND) = 5.2, and typically developing controls = 4.4. Additionally, a neurobehavioral battery distinguished children with each FASD diagnosis from controls. Behavioral problems qualified more children for FASD diagnoses than cognitive traits. Significant proximal maternal risk variables were as follows: reports of prepregnancy drinking, drinking in any trimester, and comorbid use of other drugs in lifetime and during pregnancy, especially alcohol and marijuana (14.9% among mothers of children with FASD vs. 0.4% for controls). Distal maternal risks included reports of other health problems (e.g., depression), living unmarried with a partner during pregnancy, and a lower level of spirituality. Controlling for other drug use during pregnancy, having a child diagnosed with a FASD was 17.5 times greater for women who reported usual consumption of 3 drinks per drinking day prior to pregnancy than for nondrinking mothers (p < 0.001, 95% CI = 5.1 to 59.9). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of FASD by race, Hispanic ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. The prevalence of FASD was not lower than 17.3 per 1,000, and weighted estimated prevalence was 49.0 per 1,000 or 4.9%. CONCLUSION This site had the second lowest rate in the CoFASP study, yet children with FASD are prevalent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip A May
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Julie M Stegall
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Heather A Mastro
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Marita Brooks
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Dixie M Hedrick
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Marian A Ortega
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Amy J Elliott
- Avera Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.,Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
| | | | | | | | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Tamison Jewett
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona.,Sanford Research, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
May PA, Hasken JM, Baete A, Russo J, Elliott AJ, Kalberg WO, Buckley D, Brooks M, Ortega MA, Hedrick DM, Tabachnick BG, Abdul-Rahman O, Adam MP, Jewett T, Robinson LK, Manning MA, Hoyme HE. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in a Midwestern City: Child Characteristics, Maternal Risk Traits, and Prevalence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:919-938. [PMID: 32293735 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the characteristics of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and their mothers in a Midwestern city. METHODS Case-control samples were drawn from 2 separate first-grade cohorts (combined N = 4,047) in every city school using different methods. In Cohort Sample 1, all consented small children (≤25th centile on height, weight, and/or head circumference) entered the study along with a random sample from all enrolled students. Cohort Sample 2 was drawn totally at random. Child growth, dysmorphology, and neurobehavior were assessed using the Collaboration on FASD Prevalence (CoFASP) criteria, and mothers were interviewed. RESULTS For the samples combined, 891 children received dysmorphology examinations, and 692 were case-conferenced for final diagnosis. Forty-four children met criteria for FASD. Total dysmorphology scores differentiated diagnostic groups: fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), 16.7; partial FAS, 11.8; alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), 6.1; and typically developing controls, 4.2. Neurobehavioral tests distinguished children with FASD from controls, more for behavioral problems than cognitive delay. Children with ARND demonstrated the poorest neurobehavioral indicators. An adjusted regression model of usual prepregnancy drinking indicated that maternal reports of 3 drinks per drinking day (DDD) were significantly associated with a FASD diagnosis (p = 0.020, OR = 10.1, 95% CI = 1.44 to 70.54), as were 5 or more DDD (p < 0.001, OR = 26.47, 95% CI = 4.65 to 150.62). Other significant maternal risk factors included the following: self-reported drinking in any trimester; smoking and cocaine use during pregnancy; later pregnancy recognition and later and less prenatal care; lower maternal weight, body mass index (BMI), and head circumference; and unmarried status. There was no significant difference in FASD prevalence by race, Hispanic ethnicity, or socioeconomic status at this site, where the prevalence of FASD was 14.4 to 41.2 per 1,000 (1.4 to 4.1%). CONCLUSION This city displayed the lowest prevalence of FASD of the 4 CoFASP sites. Nevertheless, FASD were common, and affected children demonstrated a common, recognizable, and measurable array of traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip A May
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Julie M Hasken
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Amy Baete
- Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
| | | | - Amy J Elliott
- Avera Research, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.,Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
| | - Wendy O Kalberg
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - David Buckley
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Marita Brooks
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Marian A Ortega
- Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Dixie M Hedrick
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | | | - Omar Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
| | - Tamison Jewett
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Luther K Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, New York
| | - Melanie A Manning
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - H Eugene Hoyme
- Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona.,Sanford Health, Sanford Children's Genomic Medicine Consortium, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Sullivan EV, Moore EM, Lane B, Pohl KM, Riley EP, Pfefferbaum A. Graded Cerebellar Lobular Volume Deficits in Adolescents and Young Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4729-4746. [PMID: 32133485 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The extensive prenatal developmental growth period of the cerebellum renders it vulnerable to unhealthy environmental agents, especially alcohol. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is marked by neurodysmorphology including cerebral and cerebellar volume deficits, but the cerebellar lobular deficit profile has not been delineated. Legacy MRI data of 115 affected and 59 unaffected adolescents and young adults were analyzed for lobular gray matter volume and revealed graded deficits supporting a spectrum of severity. Graded deficits were salient in intracranial volume (ICV), where the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) group was smaller than the fetal alcohol effects (FAE) group, which was smaller than the controls. Adjusting for ICV, volume deficits were present in VIIB and VIIIA of the FAE group and were more widespread in FAS and included lobules I, II, IV, V, VI, Crus II, VIIB, and VIIIA. Graded deficits (FAS < FAE) were consistently present in lobules VI; neither group showed volume deficits in Crus I or IX. Neuroradiological readings blind to diagnosis identified 20 anomalies, 8 involving the cerebellum, 5 of which were in the FAS group. We speculate that the regional cerebellar FASD-related volume deficits may contribute to diagnostically characteristic functional impairment involving emotional control, visuomotor coordination, and postural stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eileen M Moore
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Barton Lane
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kilian M Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Edward P Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Lovely CB. Quantification of Ethanol Levels in Zebrafish Embryos Using Head Space Gas Chromatography. J Vis Exp 2020. [PMID: 32116298 DOI: 10.3791/60766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describe a highly variable continuum of ethanol-induced developmental defects, including facial dysmorphologies and neurological impairments. With a complex pathology, FASD affects approximately 1 in 100 children born in the United States each year. Due to the highly variable nature of FASD, animal models have proven critical in our current mechanistic understanding of ethanol-induced development defects. An increasing number of laboratories has focused on using zebrafish to examine ethanol-induced developmental defects. Zebrafish produce large numbers of externally fertilized, genetically tractable, translucent embryos. This allows researchers to precisely control timing and dosage of ethanol exposure in multiple genetic contexts and quantify the impact of embryonic ethanol exposure through live imaging techniques. This, combined with the high degree of conservation of both genetics and development with humans, has proven zebrafish to be a powerful model in which to study the mechanistic basis of ethanol teratogenicity. However, ethanol exposure regimens have varied between different zebrafish studies, which has confounded the interpretation of zebrafish data across these studies. Here is a protocol to quantify ethanol concentrations in zebrafish embryos using head space gas chromatography.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Ben Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville;
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Fainsod A, Bendelac-Kapon L, Shabtai Y. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Embryogenesis Under Reduced Retinoic Acid Signaling Conditions. Subcell Biochem 2020; 95:197-225. [PMID: 32297301 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-42282-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a complex set of developmental malformations, neurobehavioral anomalies and mental disabilities induced by exposing human embryos to alcohol during fetal development. Several experimental models and a series of developmental and biochemical approaches have established a strong link between FASD and reduced retinoic acid (RA) signaling. RA signaling is involved in the regulation of numerous developmental decisions from patterning of the anterior-posterior axis, starting at gastrulation, to the differentiation of specific cell types within developing organs, to adult tissue homeostasis. Being such an important regulatory signal during embryonic development, mutations or environmental perturbations that affect the level, timing or location of the RA signal can induce multiple and severe developmental malformations. The evidence connecting human syndromes to reduced RA signaling is presented here and the resulting phenotypes are compared to FASD. Available data suggest that competition between ethanol clearance and RA biosynthesis is a major etiological component in FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem, POB 12271, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Liat Bendelac-Kapon
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem, POB 12271, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yehuda Shabtai
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem, POB 12271, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Serio RN, Gudas LJ. Modification of stem cell states by alcohol and acetaldehyde. Chem Biol Interact 2019; 316:108919. [PMID: 31846616 PMCID: PMC7036011 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2019.108919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol (EtOH) is a recreationally ingested compound that is both teratogenic and carcinogenic in humans. Because of its abundant consumption worldwide and the vital role of stem cells in the formation of birth defects and cancers, delineating the effects of EtOH on stem cell function is currently an active and urgent pursuit of scientific investigation to explicate some of the mechanisms contributing to EtOH toxicity. Stem cells represent a primordial, undifferentiated phase of development; thus encroachment on normal physiologic processes of differentiation into terminal lineages by EtOH can greatly alter the function of progenitors and terminally differentiated cells, leading to pathological consequences that manifest as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and cancers. In this review we explore the disruptive role of EtOH in differentiation of stem cells. Our primary objective is to elucidate the mechanisms by which EtOH alters differentiation-related gene expression and lineage specifications, thus modifying stem cells to promote pathological outcomes. We additionally review the effects of a reactive metabolite of EtOH, acetaldehyde (AcH), in causing both differentiation defects in stem cells as well as genomic damage that incites cellular aging and carcinogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan N Serio
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, USA.
| | - Lorraine J Gudas
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Nguyen VT, Tieng QM, Mardon K, Zhang C, Chong S, Galloway GJ, Kurniawan ND. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Micro-Computed Tomography reveal brain morphological abnormalities in a mouse model of early moderate prenatal ethanol exposure. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 77:106849. [PMID: 31838218 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated the effects of early moderate prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) on the brain in a mouse model that mimics a scenario in humans, whereby moderate daily drinking ceases after a woman becomes aware of her pregnancy. METHODS C57BL/6J pregnant mice were given 10% v/v ethanol from gestational day 0-8 in the drinking water. The male offspring were used for imaging. Anatomical and diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging were performed in vivo at postnatal day 28 (P28, adolescence) and P80 (adulthood). Micro-Computed Tomography was performed on fixed whole heads at P80. Tensor-based morphometry (TBM) was applied to detect alterations in brain structure and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for skull morphology. Diffusion tensor and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging models were used to detect microstructural changes. Neurofilament (NF) immunohistochemistry was used to validate findings by in vivo diffusion MRI. RESULTS TBM showed that PEE mice exhibited a significantly smaller third ventricle at P28 (family-wise error rate (FWE), p < 0.05). All other macro-structural alterations did not survive FWE corrections but when displayed with an uncorrected p < 0.005 showed multiple regional volume reductions and expansions, more prominently in the right hemisphere. PEE-induced gross volume changes included a bigger thalamus, hypothalamus and ventricles at P28, and bigger total brain volumes at both P28 and P80 (2-sample t-tests). Disproportionately smaller olfactory bulbs following PEE were revealed at both time-points. No alterations in diffusion parameters were detected, but PEE animals exhibited reduced NF positive staining in the thalamus and striatum and greater bone density in various skull regions. CONCLUSION Our results show that early moderate PEE can cause alterations in the brain that are detectable during development and adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Van T Nguyen
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Quang M Tieng
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Karine Mardon
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; National Imaging Facility, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christine Zhang
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Suyinn Chong
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Graham J Galloway
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; National Imaging Facility, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Landgren V, Svensson L, Gyllencreutz E, Aring E, Grönlund MA, Landgren M. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders from childhood to adulthood: a Swedish population-based naturalistic cohort study of adoptees from Eastern Europe. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e032407. [PMID: 31666274 PMCID: PMC6830611 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a global health concern. To further understand FASD in adulthood is a major public health interest. OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical characteristics of young adults with FASD adopted from orphanages to a socially more favourable and stable rearing environment as children. DESIGN Prospective observational cohort study SETTING: Western Sweden PARTICIPANTS: A population-based cohort of 37 adoptees diagnosed with FASD in childhood. OUTCOME MEASURES Assessment consisted of clinical evaluations of social, medical, psychiatric, neuropsychological, adaptive and ophthalmological status by a physician, ophthalmologist, orthoptist and psychologist. RESULTS Out of 37 adoptees with FASD, 36 (15 females) were evaluated at a median age of 22 years (range 18-28) and a mean follow-up time of 15.5 years (range 13-17). Twenty (56%) were dependent on social support. Sexual victimisation was reported by nine (26%). In 21 individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome, growth restriction in height and head circumference of approximately -1.8 SD persisted into adulthood. Of 32 examined, 22 (69%) had gross motor coordination abnormalities. High blood pressure was measured in nine (28%). Ophthalmological abnormalities were found in 29 of 30 (97%). A median IQ of 86 in childhood had declined significantly to 71 by adulthood (mean difference: 15.5; 95% CI 9.5-21.4). Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed in 88%, most commonly attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (70%). Three or more disorders were diagnosed in 48%, and 21% had attempted suicide. The median Clinical Global Impression-Severity score was 6 = 'severely ill'. CONCLUSION Major cognitive impairments, psychiatric morbidity, facial dysmorphology, growth restriction and ophthalmological abnormalities accompanies FASD in adulthood. Recognition of FASD in childhood warrants habilitation across the lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valdemar Landgren
- Psychiatry, Skaraborg Hospital Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Leif Svensson
- Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital Mariestad, Mariestad, Sweden
| | - Emelie Gyllencreutz
- Ophthalmology, Skaraborg Hospital Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Aring
- Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Marita Andersson Grönlund
- Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Magnus Landgren
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital Mariestad, Mariestad, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Everson JL, Sun MR, Fink DM, Heyne GW, Melberg CG, Nelson KF, Doroodchi P, Colopy LJ, Ulschmid CM, Martin AA, McLaughlin MT, Lipinski RJ. Developmental Toxicity Assessment of Piperonyl Butoxide Exposure Targeting Sonic Hedgehog Signaling and Forebrain and Face Morphogenesis in the Mouse: An in Vitro and in Vivo Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2019; 127:107006. [PMID: 31642701 PMCID: PMC6867268 DOI: 10.1289/ehp5260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is a pesticide synergist used in residential, commercial, and agricultural settings. PBO was recently found to inhibit Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, a key developmental regulatory pathway. Disruption of Shh signaling is linked to birth defects, including holoprosencephaly (HPE), a malformation of the forebrain and face thought to result from complex gene-environment interactions. OBJECTIVES The impact of PBO on Shh signaling in vitro and forebrain and face development in vivo was examined. METHODS The influence of PBO on Shh pathway transduction was assayed in mouse and human cell lines. To examine its teratogenic potential, a single dose of PBO (22-1,800mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage to C57BL/6J mice at gestational day 7.75, targeting the critical period for HPE. Gene-environment interactions were investigated using Shh+/- mice, which model human HPE-associated genetic mutations. RESULTS PBO attenuated Shh signaling in vitro through a mechanism similar to that of the known teratogen cyclopamine. In utero PBO exposure caused characteristic HPE facial dysmorphology including dose-dependent midface hypoplasia and hypotelorism, with a lowest observable effect level of 67mg/kg. Median forebrain deficiency characteristic of HPE was observed in severely affected animals, whereas all effective doses disrupted development of Shh-dependent transient forebrain structures that generate cortical interneurons. Normally silent heterozygous Shh null mutations exacerbated PBO teratogenicity at all doses tested, including 33mg/kg. DISCUSSION These findings demonstrate that prenatal PBO exposure can cause overt forebrain and face malformations or neurodevelopmental disruptions with subtle or no craniofacial dysmorphology in mice. By targeting Shh signaling as a sensitive mechanism of action and examining gene-environment interactions, this study defined a lowest observable effect level for PBO developmental toxicity in mice more than 30-fold lower than previously recognized. Human exposure to PBO and its potential contribution to etiologically complex birth defects should be rigorously examined. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5260.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L. Everson
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Miranda R. Sun
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dustin M. Fink
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Galen W. Heyne
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Cal G. Melberg
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kia F. Nelson
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Padydeh Doroodchi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lydia J. Colopy
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Caden M. Ulschmid
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alexander A. Martin
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Matthew T. McLaughlin
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Robert J. Lipinski
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Flentke GR, Baulch J, Berres ME, Garic A, Smith SM. Alcohol-mediated calcium signals dysregulate pro-survival Snai2/PUMA/Bcl2 networks to promote p53-mediated apoptosis in avian neural crest progenitors. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:686-699. [PMID: 31021056 PMCID: PMC7017393 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure causes distinctive craniofacial anomalies that arise, in part, from the apoptotic elimination of neural crest (NC) progenitors that form the face. This vulnerability of NC to alcohol is puzzling as they normally express the transcriptional repressor Snail1/2 (in chick Snai2), which suppresses apoptosis and promotes their migration. Here, we investigate alcohol's impact upon Snai2 function. METHODS Chick cranial NC cells were treated with acute alcohol (52 mM, 2 hr). We evaluated NC migration, gene expression, proliferation, and apoptosis thereafter. RESULTS Transient alcohol exposure induced Snai2 (191% ± 23%; p = .003) and stimulated NC migration (p = .0092). An alcohol-induced calcium transient mediated this Snai2 induction, and BAPTA-AM blocked whereas ionomycin mimicked these pro-migratory effects. Alcohol suppressed CyclinD1 protein content (59.1 ± 12%, p = .007) and NC proliferation (19.7 ± 5.8%, p < .001), but these Snai2-enriched cells still apoptosed in response to alcohol. This was explained because alcohol induced p53 (198 ± 29%, p = .023), and the p53 antagonist pifithrin-α prevented their apoptosis. Moreover, alcohol counteracted Snai2's pro-survival signals, and Bcl2 was repressed (68.5 ± 6.0% of controls, p = .016) and PUMA was not induced, while ATM (1.32-fold, p = .01) and PTEN (1.30-fold, p = .028) were elevated. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol's calcium transient uncouples the Snai2/p53 regulatory loop that normally prevents apoptosis during EMT. This represents a novel pathway in alcohol's neurotoxicity, and complements demonstrations that alcohol suppresses PUMA in mouse NC. We propose that the NCs migratory behavior, and their requirement for Snai2/p53 co-expression, makes them vulnerable to stressors that dysregulate Snai2/p53 interactions, such as alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George R. Flentke
- Nutrition Research Institute, Dept. Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081
- Dept. Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706
| | - Joshua Baulch
- Nutrition Research Institute, Dept. Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081
| | - Mark E. Berres
- Dept. Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706
| | - Ana Garic
- Dept. Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706
| | - Susan M. Smith
- Nutrition Research Institute, Dept. Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081
- Dept. Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Bhatia S, Drake DM, Miller L, Wells PG. Oxidative stress and DNA damage in the mechanism of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:714-748. [PMID: 31033255 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This review covers molecular mechanisms involving oxidative stress and DNA damage that may contribute to morphological and functional developmental disorders in animal models resulting from exposure to alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) in utero or in embryo culture. Components covered include: (a) a brief overview of EtOH metabolism and embryopathic mechanisms other than oxidative stress; (b) mechanisms within the embryo and fetal brain by which EtOH increases the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); (c) critical embryonic/fetal antioxidative enzymes and substrates that detoxify ROS; (d) mechanisms by which ROS can alter development, including ROS-mediated signal transduction and oxidative DNA damage, the latter of which leads to pathogenic genetic (mutations) and epigenetic changes; (e) pathways of DNA repair that mitigate the pathogenic effects of DNA damage; (f) related indirect mechanisms by which EtOH enhances risk, for example by enhancing the degradation of some DNA repair proteins; and, (g) embryonic/fetal pathways like NRF2 that regulate the levels of many of the above components. Particular attention is paid to studies in which chemical and/or genetic manipulation of the above mechanisms has been shown to alter the ability of EtOH to adversely affect development. Alterations in the above components are also discussed in terms of: (a) individual embryonic and fetal determinants of risk and (b) potential risk biomarkers and mitigating strategies. FASD risk is likely increased in progeny which/who are biochemically predisposed via genetic and/or environmental mechanisms, including enhanced pathways for ROS formation and/or deficient pathways for ROS detoxification or DNA repair.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shama Bhatia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Pharmaceutical Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Danielle M Drake
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Pharmaceutical Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Peter G Wells
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Pharmaceutical Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Rah YC, Park S, Koun S, Park HC, Choi J. In vivo assay of the ethanol-induced embryonic hair cell loss and the protective role of the retinoic and folic acid in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio). Alcohol 2019; 75:113-121. [PMID: 30640074 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In reference to the auditory manifestation of fetal alcohol syndrome, previous work has preferentially focused on the deviant neural development of the auditory system. Changes in the sensory hair cell, the ultimate sensory organ, were not well understood. In this study, we carried out an in vivo assessment of the embryonic hair cell changes on the lateral line of zebrafish upon exposure to various ethanol concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%). A significant decrease in the hair cell count was confirmed as the ethanol concentration increased. Long-term observation (up to 240 hours post-fertilization [hpf]) suggested an irreversible hair cell loss with little chance of a simple delayed development. For an underlying biological process, a significant increase of hair cell apoptosis and a significant decrease of cytoplasmic mitochondria were confirmed as the ethanol concentration increased. Co-treatment with retinoic (0.1 nM) or folic (0.1 mM) acid with the same concentrations of ethanol resulted in significant increases in the remaining hair cells, compared to the ethanol-only treatment group, for every ethanol concentration. The retinoic acid provided more effective protection over folic acid, resulting in no significant changes in hair cell counts for every ethanol concentration (except 1.0%), compared with that of the negative control (without chemical treatment). Hair cell counts in every ethanol concentration were significantly lower than those in negative controls without chemical treatment after folic acid co-treatment. In conclusion, gestational ethanol exposure causes developmental sensory hair cell loss. Potential underlying mechanisms include retinoic or folic acid deficiency, and mitochondrial damage with subsequent hair cell apoptosis. Hair cell loss could possibly be prevented by administering either retinoic or folic acid, with retinoic acid supplementation as the preferred treatment.
Collapse
|
50
|
Petrelli B, Bendelac L, Hicks GG, Fainsod A. Insights into retinoic acid deficiency and the induction of craniofacial malformations and microcephaly in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Genesis 2019; 57:e23278. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Berardino Petrelli
- Regenerative Medicine Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Liat Bendelac
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel‐CanadaFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel
| | - Geoffrey G. Hicks
- Regenerative Medicine Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel‐CanadaFaculty of Medicine, Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel
| |
Collapse
|