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Feng B, Zheng J, Cai Y, Han Y, Han Y, Wu J, Feng J, Zheng K. An Epigenetic Manifestation of Alzheimer's Disease: DNA Methylation. ACTAS ESPANOLAS DE PSIQUIATRIA 2024; 52:365-374. [PMID: 38863055 PMCID: PMC11190457 DOI: 10.62641/aep.v52i3.1595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, has a complex pathogenesis. The number of AD patients has increased in recent years due to population aging, while a trend toward a younger age of onset has arisen, imposing a substantial burden on society and families, and garnering extensive attention. DNA methylation has recently been revealed to play an important role in AD onset and progression. DNA methylation is a critical mechanism regulating gene expression, and alterations in this mechanism dysregulate gene expression and disrupt important pathways, including oxidative stress responses, inflammatory reactions, and protein degradation processes, eventually resulting in disease. Studies have revealed widespread changes in AD patients' DNA methylation in the peripheral blood and brain tissues, affecting multiple signaling pathways and severely impacting neuronal cell and synaptic functions. This review summarizes the role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of AD, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for its early prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyi Feng
- Department of Chronic Disease, Longhua District Center for Chronic Disease Control/Mental Health, 510080 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Guangming District People's Hospital, 518107 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Junli Zheng
- Department of Chronic Disease, Longhua District Center for Chronic Disease Control/Mental Health, 510080 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Cai
- Public Health Service Center, Bao'an District, 518100 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yaguang Han
- First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 150000 Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yanhua Han
- First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, 150000 Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- Department of Chronic Disease, Longhua District Center for Chronic Disease Control/Mental Health, 510080 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Department of Chronic Disease, Longhua District Center for Chronic Disease Control/Mental Health, 510080 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Kai Zheng
- Department of Chronic Disease, Longhua District Center for Chronic Disease Control/Mental Health, 510080 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Liu L, Wen Y, Ni Q, Chen L, Wang H. Prenatal ethanol exposure and changes in fetal neuroendocrine metabolic programming. Biol Res 2023; 56:61. [PMID: 37978540 PMCID: PMC10656939 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00473-y] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) (mainly through maternal alcohol consumption) has become widespread. However, studies suggest that it can cause intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and multi-organ developmental toxicity in offspring, and susceptibility to various chronic diseases (such as neuropsychiatric diseases, metabolic syndrome, and related diseases) in adults. Through ethanol's direct effects and its indirect effects mediated by maternal-derived glucocorticoids, PEE alters epigenetic modifications and organ developmental programming during fetal development, which damages the offspring health and increases susceptibility to various chronic diseases after birth. Ethanol directly leads to the developmental toxicity of multiple tissues and organs in many ways. Regarding maternal-derived glucocorticoid-mediated IUGR, developmental programming, and susceptibility to multiple conditions after birth, ethanol induces programmed changes in the neuroendocrine axes of offspring, such as the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and glucocorticoid-insulin-like growth factor 1 (GC-IGF1) axes. In addition, the differences in ethanol metabolic enzymes, placental glucocorticoid barrier function, and the sensitivity to glucocorticoids in various tissues and organs mediate the severity and sex differences in the developmental toxicity of ethanol exposure during pregnancy. Offspring exposed to ethanol during pregnancy have a "thrifty phenotype" in the fetal period, and show "catch-up growth" in the case of abundant nutrition after birth; when encountering adverse environments, these offspring are more likely to develop diseases. Here, we review the developmental toxicity, functional alterations in multiple organs, and neuroendocrine metabolic programming mechanisms induced by PEE based on our research and that of other investigators. This should provide new perspectives for the effective prevention and treatment of ethanol developmental toxicity and the early prevention of related fetal-originated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Liu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Disease Research Center of Wuhan University, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yinxian Wen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Disease Research Center of Wuhan University, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qubo Ni
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Disease Research Center of Wuhan University, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Liaobin Chen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Disease Research Center of Wuhan University, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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3
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Mukherjee S, Tarale P, Sarkar DK. Neuroimmune Interactions in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Potential Therapeutic Targets and Intervention Strategies. Cells 2023; 12:2323. [PMID: 37759545 PMCID: PMC10528917 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a set of abnormalities caused by prenatal exposure to ethanol and are characterized by developmental defects in the brain that lead to various overt and non-overt physiological abnormalities. Growing evidence suggests that in utero alcohol exposure induces functional and structural abnormalities in gliogenesis and neuron-glia interactions, suggesting a possible role of glial cell pathologies in the development of FASD. However, the molecular mechanisms of neuron-glia interactions that lead to the development of FASD are not clearly understood. In this review, we discuss glial cell pathologies with a particular emphasis on microglia, primary resident immune cells in the brain. Additionally, we examine the involvement of several neuroimmune molecules released by glial cells, their signaling pathways, and epigenetic mechanisms responsible for FASD-related alteration in brain functions. Growing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in the communication between cells via transporting bioactive cargo from one cell to the other. This review emphasizes the role of EVs in the context of neuron-glia interactions during prenatal alcohol exposure. Finally, some potential applications involving nutritional, pharmacological, cell-based, and exosome-based therapies in the treatment of FASD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayani Mukherjee
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
- Hormone Laboratory Research Group, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 91B, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Prashant Tarale
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
| | - Dipak K. Sarkar
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
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Branham EM, McLean SA, Deliwala I, Mauck MC, Zhao Y, McKibben LA, Lee A, Spencer AB, Zannas AS, Lechner M, Danza T, Velilla MA, Hendry PL, Pearson C, Peak DA, Jones J, Rathlev NK, Linnstaedt SD. CpG Methylation Levels in HPA Axis Genes Predict Chronic Pain Outcomes Following Trauma Exposure. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1127-1141. [PMID: 36906051 PMCID: PMC10330094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Chronic post-traumatic musculoskeletal pain (CPTP) is a common outcome of traumatic stress exposure. Biological factors that influence the development of CPTP are poorly understood, though current evidence indicates that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a critical role in its development. Little is known about molecular mechanisms underlying this association, including epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we assessed whether peritraumatic DNA methylation levels at 248 5'-C-phosphate-G-3' (CpG) sites in HPA axis genes (FKBP5, NR3C1, CRH, CRHR1, CRHR2, CRHBP, POMC) predict CPTP and whether identified CPTP-associated methylation levels influence expression of those genes. Using participant samples and data collected from trauma survivors enrolled into longitudinal cohort studies (n = 290), we used linear mixed modeling to assess the relationship between peritraumatic blood-based CpG methylation levels and CPTP. A total of 66 (27%) of the 248 CpG sites assessed in these models statistically significantly predicted CPTP, with the three most significantly associated CpG sites originating from the POMC gene region (ie, cg22900229 [β = .124, P < .001], cg16302441 [β = .443, P < .001], cg01926269 [β = .130, P < .001]). Among the genes analyzed, both POMC (z = 2.36, P = .018) and CRHBP (z = 4.89, P < .001) were enriched in CpG sites significantly associated with CPTP. Further, POMC expression was inversely correlated with methylation levels in a CPTP-dependent manner (6-months NRS<4: r = -.59, P < .001; 6-months NRS ≥ 4: r = -.18, P = .2312). Our results suggest that methylation of HPA axis genes including POMC and CRHBP predict risk for and may contribute to vulnerability to CPTP. PERSPECTIVE: Peritraumatic blood levels of CpG methylation sites in HPA axis genes, particularly CpG sites in the POMC gene, predict CPTP development. This data substantially advances our understanding of epigenetic predictors and potential mediators of CPTP, a highly common, morbid, and hard-to-treat form of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica M Branham
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Samuel A McLean
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ishani Deliwala
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Matthew C Mauck
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ying Zhao
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lauren A McKibben
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Aaron Lee
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alex B Spencer
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Anthony S Zannas
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Megan Lechner
- Forensic Nursing Program, Memorial Health System, Colorado Springs, Colorado
| | - Teresa Danza
- Forensic Nursing Program, Albuquerque SANE Collaborative, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - Phyllis L Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Claire Pearson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Detroit Receiving, Detroit, Michigan
| | - David A Peak
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey Jones
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Niels K Rathlev
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Baystate, Springfield, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah D Linnstaedt
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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The Association of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis with Appetite Regulation in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15061366. [PMID: 36986097 PMCID: PMC10053353 DOI: 10.3390/nu15061366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure causes growth impairment and a wide range of developmental, physical, and cognitive disorders in children, collectively referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). In the course of FASDs, abnormalities can also affect eating behavior and nutritional status, but these problems have received little attention. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the levels of hormones involved in the action of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis: proopiomelanocortin (POMC), cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), in the serum of patients with FASDs. To our knowledge, none of these hormones studied have yet been evaluated in FASDs to date. We investigated 62 FASD patients and 23 healthy controls by applying an enzyme-linked immunosorbent method (ELISA). Fasting POMC levels were significantly lower in patients with FASDs (10.97 vs. 18,57 ng/mL, p = 0.039) compared to controls. However, there were no differences in cortisol concentrations. Additionally, the sex and subgroup status (fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE), and FASD risk) did not affect hormone levels. POMC was positively correlated with some clinical parameters such as age, BMI percentile, carbohydrate biomarkers, and ACTH. A positive correlation was observed between ACTH and cortisol levels, as well as ACTH and cholesterol levels. Data analysis showed no HPA axis abnormalities in the form of elevated serum cortisol and ACTH levels. Differences in POMC concentration may indicate the involvement and/or impairment of central nervous system structures in hormonal alterations in FASD individuals, caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Hormonal dysregulation in FASDs can contribute to reduced growth and development, as well as many other disturbed processes, including neurological/neurodevelopmental dysfunctions. Further insightful studies involving a larger group of patients are needed to determine the potential impact of the measured hormones.
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Das U, Gangisetty O, Chaudhary S, Tarale P, Rousseau B, Price J, Frazier I, Sarkar DK. Epigenetic insight into effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on stress axis development: Systematic review with meta-analytic approaches. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:18-35. [PMID: 36341762 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review with meta-analytic elements using publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets to determine the role of epigenetic mechanisms in prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunctions in offspring. Several studies have demonstrated that PAE has long-term consequences on HPA axis functions in offspring. Some studies determined that alcohol-induced epigenetic alterations during fetal development persist in adulthood. However, additional research is needed to understand the major epigenetic events leading to alcohol-induced teratogenesis of the HPA axis. Our network analysis of GEO datasets identified key pathways relevant to alcohol-mediated histone modifications, DNA methylation, and miRNA involvement associated with PAE-induced alterations of the HPA axis. Our analysis indicated that PAE perturbated the epigenetic machinery to activate corticotrophin-releasing hormone, while it suppressed opioid, glucocorticoid receptor, and circadian clock genes. These results help to further our understanding of the epigenetic basis of alcohol's effects on HPA axis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ujjal Das
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Omkaram Gangisetty
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Shaista Chaudhary
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Prashant Tarale
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Bénédicte Rousseau
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Julianne Price
- Molecular Neuroscience of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Training, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Kinesiology & Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ian Frazier
- Molecular Neuroscience of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Training, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Kinesiology & Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Dipak K Sarkar
- Endocrinology Program, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Molecular Neuroscience of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Training, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Endocrinology Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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Kim HB, Lu Y, Oh SC, Morris J, Miyashiro K, Kim J, Eberwine J, Sul JY. Astrocyte ethanol exposure reveals persistent and defined calcium response subtypes and associated gene signatures. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102147. [PMID: 35716779 PMCID: PMC9293641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a critical role in brain function, but their contribution during ethanol (EtOH) consumption remains largely understudied. In light of recent findings on the heterogeneity of astrocyte physiology and gene expression, an approach with the ability to identify subtypes and capture this heterogeneity is necessary. Here, we combined measurements of calcium signaling and gene expression to define EtOH-induced astrocyte subtypes. In the absence of a demonstrated EtOH receptor, EtOH is believed to have effects on the function of many receptors and downstream biological cascades that underlie calcium responsiveness. This mechanism of EtOH-induced calcium signaling is unknown and this study provides the first step in understanding the characteristics of cells displaying these observed responses. To characterize underlying astrocyte subtypes, we assessed the correlation between calcium signaling and astrocyte gene expression signature in response to EtOH. We found that various EtOH doses increased intracellular calcium levels in a subset of astrocytes, distinguishing three cellular response types and one nonresponsive subtype as categorized by response waveform properties. Furthermore, single-cell RNA-seq analysis of astrocytes from the different response types identified type-enriched discriminatory gene expression signatures. Combining single-cell calcium responses and gene expression analysis identified specific astrocyte subgroups among astrocyte populations defined by their response to EtOH. This result provides a basis for identifying the relationship between astrocyte susceptibility to EtOH and corresponding measurable markers of calcium signaling and gene expression, which will be useful to investigate potential subgroup-specific influences of astrocytes on the physiology and pathology of EtOH exposure in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Bum Kim
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Youtao Lu
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Seonkyung C Oh
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacqueline Morris
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Miyashiro
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Junhyong Kim
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Eberwine
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jai-Yoon Sul
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Gangisetty O, Chaudhary S, Palagani A, Sarkar DK. Transgenerational inheritance of fetal alcohol effects on proopiomelanocortin gene expression and methylation, cortisol response to stress, and anxiety-like behaviors in offspring for three generations in rats: Evidence for male germline transmission. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263340. [PMID: 35143549 PMCID: PMC8830645 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously it has been shown that fetal alcohol exposure increases the stress response partly due to lowering stress regulatory proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene expression in the hypothalamus via epigenetic mechanisms for multiple generations in mixed-breed rats. In this study we assess the induction of heritable epigenetic changes of Pomc-related variants by fetal alcohol exposure in isogenic Fischer 344 rats. Using transgenerational breeding models and fetal alcohol exposure procedures, we determined changes in hypothalamic Pomc gene expression and its methylation levels, plasma corticosterone hormone response to restraint stress, and anxiety-like behaviors using elevated plus maze tests in fetal alcohol-exposed offspring for multiple generations in isogenic Fischer rats. Fetal alcohol-exposed male and female rat offspring showed significant deficits in POMC neuronal functions with increased Pomc gene methylation and reduced expression. These changes in POMC neuronal functions were associated with increased plasma corticosterone response to restraint stress and increased anxiety-like behavior. These effects of fetal alcohol exposure persisted in the F1, F2, and F3 progeny of the male germline but not of the female germline. These data suggest that fetal alcohol exposure induces heritable changes in Pomc-related variants involving stress hyperresponsiveness and anxiety-like behaviors which perpetuate into subsequent generations through the male germline via epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkaram Gangisetty
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Shaista Chaudhary
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Ajay Palagani
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Dipak K. Sarkar
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
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Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with offspring DNA methylation in mammals: a systematic review of the evidence. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:12. [PMID: 35073992 PMCID: PMC8785586 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01231-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with a range of adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several studies suggest that PAE modifies DNA methylation in offspring cells and tissues, providing evidence for a potential mechanistic link to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). We systematically reviewed existing evidence on the extent to which maternal alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with offspring DNA methylation.
Methods
A systematic literature search was conducted across five online databases according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Google Scholar and CINAHL Databases were searched for articles relating to PAE in placental mammals. Data were extracted from each study and the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) was used to assess the potential for bias in human studies.
Results
Forty-three articles were identified for inclusion. Twenty-six animal studies and 16 human studies measured offspring DNA methylation in various tissues using candidate gene analysis, methylome-wide association studies (MWAS), or total nuclear DNA methylation content. PAE dose and timing varied between studies. Risk of bias was deemed high in nearly all human studies. There was insufficient evidence in human and animal studies to support global disruption of DNA methylation from PAE. Inconclusive evidence was found for hypomethylation at IGF2/H19 regions within somatic tissues. MWAS assessing PAE effects on offspring DNA methylation showed inconsistent evidence. There was some consistency in the relatively small number of MWAS conducted in populations with FASD. Meta-analyses could not be conducted due to significant heterogeneity between studies.
Conclusion
Considering heterogeneity in study design and potential for bias, evidence for an association between PAE and offspring DNA methylation was inconclusive. Some reproducible associations were observed in populations with FASD although the limited number of these studies warrants further research.
Trail Registration: This review is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020167686).
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Hwang HM, Hashimoto-Torii K. Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex ameliorates anxiety in a preclinical model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:24. [PMID: 35058425 PMCID: PMC8776849 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01789-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
People with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are suffered from a wide range of interlinked cognitive and psychological problems. However, few therapeutic options are available for those patients due to limited dissection of its underlying etiology. Here we found that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) increases anxiety in mice due to a dysregulated functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). We also show that chemogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in the ACC reduced this anxiety behavior in the PAE mice. Interestingly, although the level of plasma corticosterone correlated with the increase in anxiety in the PAE, this level was not altered by chemogenetic activation of the ACC, suggesting that the functional connectivity between the ACC and the BLA does not alter the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Altogether, this study demonstrated that reduced excitation in the ACC is a cause of anxiety in the PAE mice, providing critical insights into the ACC-BLA neural circuit as a potential target for treating anxiety in FASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye M. Hwang
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, The Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA ,grid.253615.60000 0004 1936 9510The Institute for Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, The Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA. .,Departments of Pediatrics, and Pharmacology & Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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11
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Steane SE, Fielding AM, Kent NL, Andersen I, Browne DJ, Tejo EN, Gårdebjer EM, Kalisch-Smith JI, Sullivan MA, Moritz KM, Akison LK. Maternal choline supplementation in a rat model of periconceptional alcohol exposure: Impacts on the fetus and placenta. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2130-2146. [PMID: 34342027 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal choline supplementation in rats can ameliorate specific neurological and behavioral abnormalities caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. We tested whether choline supplementation ameliorates fetal growth restriction and molecular changes in the placenta associated with periconceptional ethanol exposure (PCE) in the rat. METHODS Sprague Dawley dams were given either 12.5% ethanol (PCE) or 0% ethanol (Con) in a liquid diet from 4 days prior to 4 days after conception. At day 5 of pregnancy, dams were either placed on a standard chow (1.6 g choline/kg chow) or an intermediate chow (2.6 g choline/kg chow). On day 10 of pregnancy, a subset of the intermediate dams were placed on a chow further supplemented with choline (7.2 g choline/kg chow), resulting in 6 groups. Fetuses and placentas were collected on day 20 of pregnancy for analysis. RESULTS Choline supplementation resulted in increased fetal weight at late gestation, ameliorating the deficits due to PCE. This was most pronounced in litters on a standard chow during pregnancy. Choline also increased fetal liver weight and decreased fetal brain:liver ratio, independent of alcohol exposure. Placental weight was reduced as choline levels in the chow increased, particularly in female placentas. This resulted in a greater ratio of fetal:placental weight, suggesting increased placental efficiency. Global DNA methylation in the placenta was altered in a sex-specific manner by both PCE and choline. However, the increased glycogen deposition in female placentas, previously reported in this PCE model, was not prevented by choline supplementation. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that choline has the potential to ameliorate fetal growth restriction associated with PCE and improve placental efficiency following prenatal alcohol exposure. Our study highlights the importance of maternal nutrition in moderating the severity of adverse fetal and placental outcomes that may arise from prenatal alcohol exposure around the time of conception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Steane
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Arree M Fielding
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nykola L Kent
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Isabella Andersen
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel J Browne
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ellen N Tejo
- Mater Research, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Emelie M Gårdebjer
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Karen M Moritz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Lisa K Akison
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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12
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Alberry B, Laufer BI, Chater-Diehl E, Singh SM. Epigenetic Impacts of Early Life Stress in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Shape the Neurodevelopmental Continuum. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:671891. [PMID: 34149355 PMCID: PMC8209299 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.671891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopment in humans is a long, elaborate, and highly coordinated process involving three trimesters of prenatal development followed by decades of postnatal development and maturation. Throughout this period, the brain is highly sensitive and responsive to the external environment, which may provide a range of inputs leading to positive or negative outcomes. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) result from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Although the molecular mechanisms of FASD are not fully characterized, they involve alterations to the regulation of gene expression via epigenetic marks. As in the prenatal stages, the postnatal period of neurodevelopment is also sensitive to environmental inputs. Often this sensitivity is reflected in children facing adverse conditions, such as maternal separation. This exposure to early life stress (ELS) is implicated in the manifestation of various behavioral abnormalities. Most FASD research has focused exclusively on the effect of prenatal ethanol exposure in isolation. Here, we review the research into the effect of prenatal ethanol exposure and ELS, with a focus on the continuum of epigenomic and transcriptomic alterations. Interestingly, a select few experiments have assessed the cumulative effect of prenatal alcohol and postnatal maternal separation stress. Regulatory regions of different sets of genes are affected by both treatments independently, and a unique set of genes are affected by the combination of treatments. Notably, epigenetic and gene expression changes converge at the clustered protocadherin locus and oxidative stress pathway. Functional studies using epigenetic editing may elucidate individual contributions of regulatory regions for hub genes and further profiling efforts may lead to the development of non-invasive methods to identify children at risk. Taken together, the results favor the potential to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes by epigenetic management of children born with FASD using favorable postnatal conditions with or without therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Alberry
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin I Laufer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Eric Chater-Diehl
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shiva M Singh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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13
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Gangisetty O, Mead EA, Sarkar DK. Sex-Determining Region Y Controls the Effects of Fetal Alcohol Exposure on Proopiomelanocortin Gene Expression. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:608102. [PMID: 33796006 PMCID: PMC8008069 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.608102] [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: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) causes various neurodevelopmental deficits in offspring, including reduced expression of the stress regulatory proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene and an elevated stress response for multiple generations via the male germline. Male germline-specific effects of FAE on the Pomc gene raises the question if the sex-determining region Y (SRY) may have a role in regulating Pomc gene expression. Using a transgenerational model of FAE in Fischer 344 rats, we determined the role of SRY in the regulation of the Pomc gene. FAEs, like on the Pomc gene, reduced Sry gene expression in sperm and the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) in male adult offspring. Fetal alcohol-induced inhibition of Sry gene expression was associated with increased Sry promoter DNA methylation. Additionally, fetal alcohol effects on the Sry gene persisted for three generations in the male germline but not in the female germline. Sry gene knockdown reduced the Pomc gene expression. Sry recruitment onto the Pomc promoter was found to be reduced in the hypothalamus of fetal alcohol-exposed rats compared to control rats. Pomc promoter luciferase activity was increased following Sry overexpression. A site-directed mutagenesis study revealed that SRY binding sites are required for POMC promoter transcription activity. Overall, these findings suggest that SRY plays a stimulatory role in the regulation of Pomc gene expression and may potentially contribute to the fetal alcohol-induced changes in the level of Pomc gene expression for multiple generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkaram Gangisetty
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Edward A Mead
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Dipak K Sarkar
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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14
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Alcohol as an early life stressor: Epigenetics, metabolic, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:654-668. [PMID: 32976915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol exposure during gestation is an early life stressor that profoundly dysregulates structure and functions of the embryonal nervous system, altering the cognitive and behavioral development. Such dysregulation is also achieved by epigenetic mechanisms, which, altering the chromatin structure, redraw the entire pattern of gene expression. In parallel, an oxidative stress response at the cellular level and a global upregulation of neuroendocrine stress response, regulated by the HPA axis, exist and persist in adulthood. This neurobehavioral framework matches those observed in other psychiatric diseases such as mood diseases, depression, autism; those early life stressing events, although probably triggered by specific and different epigenetic mechanisms, give rise to largely overlapping neurobehavioral phenotypes. An early diagnosis of prenatal alcohol exposure, using reliable markers of ethanol intake, together with a deeper understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms, some of them reversible by their nature, can offer a temporal "window" of intervention. Supplementing a mother's diet with protective and antioxidant substances in addition to supportive psychological therapies can protect newborns from being affected.
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15
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Prospects of Genetics and Epigenetics of Alcohol Use Disorder. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-020-00331-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
In this study, we illustrate recent findings regarding the genetics and epigenetics of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We further outline the future direction of genetic and epigenetic research in AUD.
Recent Findings
Recent genome- and epigenome-wide studies allow new insight into genetic and epigenetic variation associated with AUD. The largest EWAS of AUD so far/to date found evidence for altered glucocorticoid receptor regulation. Longitudinal studies provide insight into the dynamics of the disease. Analyses of postmortem brain tissue reveal the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on DNA methylation in the brain.
Summary
Genetic and environmental factors—mediated via epigenetic mechanisms—play an important role in AUD. Although knowledge of the biological underpinnings of AUD is still limited, ongoing research will ultimately lead to the development of biomarkers for disease classification, course of disease, and treatment response to support personalized medicine in the future.
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16
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Ethanol has concentration-dependent effects on hypothalamic POMC neuronal excitability. Alcohol 2020; 86:103-112. [PMID: 32304714 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse is a worldwide public health concern, yet the precise molecular targets of alcohol in the brain are still not fully understood. Alcohol may promote its euphoric and motivational effects, in part, by activating the endogenous opioid system. One particular component of this system consists of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) -producing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ArcN) of the hypothalamus, which project to reward-related brain areas. To identify the physiological effects of ethanol on ArcN POMC neurons, we utilized whole cell patch-clamp recordings and bath application of ethanol (5-40 mM) to identify alterations in spontaneous baseline activity, rheobase, spiking characteristics, or intrinsic neuronal properties. We found that 10 mM ethanol increased the number of depolarization-induced spikes in the majority of recorded cells, whereas higher concentrations of ethanol (20-40 mM) decreased the number of spikes. Interestingly, we found that basal firing rates of ArcN POMC neurons may predict physiological responding to ethanol. Rheobase and spontaneous activity, measured by spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs) at rest, were unchanged after exposure to ethanol, regardless of concentration. These results suggest that ethanol has concentration-dependent modulatory effects on ArcN POMC neuronal activity, which may be relevant to treatments for alcohol use disorders that target endogenous opioid systems.
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17
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Abstract
AbstractIt is well established that high-dose alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk for a plethora of adverse offspring outcomes. These include neurodevelopmental, cognitive and social deficits, as well as psychiatric illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. However, much less evidence is available on the effects of low- and early-dose alcohol exposure on mental health outcomes, regardless of the accumulating evidence that mental health outcomes should be considered in the context of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. This review will discuss the evidence that indicates low-dose and early prenatal alcohol exposure can increase the risk of mental illness in offspring and discuss the mechanistic pathways that may be involved.
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18
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Franks AL, Berry KJ, DeFranco DB. Prenatal drug exposure and neurodevelopmental programming of glucocorticoid signalling. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12786. [PMID: 31469457 PMCID: PMC6982551 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal neurodevelopment is dependent on precise functioning of multiple signalling pathways in the brain, including those mobilised by glucocorticoids (GC) and endocannabinoids (eCBs). Prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse, including opioids, alcohol, cocaine and cannabis, has been shown to not only impact GC signalling, but also alter functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Such exposures can have long-lasting neurobehavioural consequences, including alterations in the stress response in the offspring. Furthermore, cannabis contains cannabinoids that signal via the eCB pathway, which is linked to some components of GC signalling in the adult brain. Given that GCs are frequently used in pregnancy to prevent complications of prematurity, and also that rates of cannabis use in pregnancy are increasing, the likelihood of foetal co-exposure to these compounds is high and may have additional implications for long-term neurodevelopment. Here, we present a discussion of GC signalling and the HPA axis, as well as the effects of prenatal drug exposure on these pathways and the stress response, and we explore the interactions between GC and EC signalling in the developing brain and potential for neurodevelopmental consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Franks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly J Berry
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Donald B DeFranco
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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19
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Sarkar DK, Gangisetty O, Wozniak JR, Eckerle JK, Georgieff MK, Foroud TM, Wetherill L, Wertelecki W, Chambers CD, Riley E, Zymak-Zakutnya N, Yevtushok L. Persistent Changes in Stress-Regulatory Genes in Pregnant Women or Children Exposed Prenatally to Alcohol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1887-1897. [PMID: 31329297 PMCID: PMC6722014 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have recently shown that binge or heavy levels of alcohol drinking increase deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation and reduce gene expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and period 2 (PER2) in adult human subjects (Gangisetty et al., Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 43, 2019, 212). One hypothesis would be that methylation of these 2 genes is consistently associated with alcohol exposure and could be used as biomarkers to predict risk of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Results of the present study provided some support for this hypothesis. METHODS We conducted a series of studies to determine DNA methylation changes in stress regulatory genes proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and period 2 (PER2) using biological samples from 3 separate cohorts of patients: (i) pregnant women who consumed moderate-to-high levels of alcohol or low/unexposed controls, (ii) children with PAE and non-alcohol-exposed controls, and (iii) children with PAE treated with or without choline. RESULTS We found pregnant women who consumed moderate-to-high levels of alcohol and gave birth to PAE children had higher DNA methylation of POMC and PER2. PAE children also had increased methylation of POMC and PER2. The differences in the gene methylation of PER2 and POMC between PAE and controls did not differ by maternal smoking status. PAE children had increased levels of stress hormone cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone. Choline supplementation reduced DNA hypermethylation and increased expression of POMC and PER2 in children with PAE. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that PAE significantly elevates DNA methylation of POMC and PER2 and increases levels of stress hormones. Furthermore, these results suggest the possibility that measuring DNA methylation levels of PER2 and POMC in biological samples from pregnant women or from children may be useful for identification of a woman or a child with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak K. Sarkar
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program. Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Omkaram Gangisetty
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program. Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Jeffrey R. Wozniak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, F282/2A West, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
| | - Judith K. Eckerle
- Department Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Michael K. Georgieff
- Division of Pediatric Neonatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Tatiana M Foroud
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA
| | - Leah Wetherill
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA
| | - Wladimir Wertelecki
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92054, USA
| | - Christina D. Chambers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92054, USA
| | - Edward Riley
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, 92120, USA
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20
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Early life alcohol exposure primes hypothalamic microglia to later-life hypersensitivity to immune stress: possible epigenetic mechanism. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1579-1588. [PMID: 30737481 PMCID: PMC6785096 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0326-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence has shown that developmental alcohol exposure induces central nervous system inflammation and microglia activation, which may contribute to long-term health conditions, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. These studies sought to investigate whether neonatal alcohol exposure during postnatal days (PND) 2-6 in rats (third trimester human equivalent) leads to long-term disruption of the neuroimmune response by microglia. Exposure to neonatal alcohol resulted in acute increases in activation and inflammatory gene expression in hypothalamic microglia including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Adults with neonatal alcohol pre-exposure (alcohol fed; AF) animals showed an exaggerated peripheral stress hormonal response to an immune challenge (lipopolysaccharides; LPS). In addition, there were significantly more microglia present in the hypothalamus of adult AF animals, and their hypothalamic microglia showed more cluster of differentiation molecule 11b (Cd11b) activation, TNF-α expression, and IL-6 expression in response to LPS. Interestingly, blocking microglia activation with minocycline treatment during PND 2-6 alcohol exposure ameliorated the hormonal and microglial hypersensitivity to LPS in AF adult animals. Investigation of possible epigenetic programming mechanisms by alcohol revealed neonatal alcohol decreased several repressive regulators of transcription in hypothalamic microglia, while concomitantly increasing histone H3 acetyl lysine 9 (H3K9ac) enrichment at TNF-α and IL-6 promoter regions. Importantly, adult hypothalamic microglia from AF animals showed enduring increases in H3K9ac enrichment of TNF-α and IL-6 promoters both at baseline and after LPS exposure, suggesting a possible epigenetic mechanism for the long-term immune disruption due to hypothalamic microglial priming.
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21
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Epigenetic regulation of POMC; implications for nutritional programming, obesity and metabolic disease. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 54:100773. [PMID: 31344387 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a key mediator of satiety. Epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation may modulate POMC expression and provide a biological link between early life exposures and later phenotype. Animal studies suggest epigenetic marks at POMC are influenced by maternal energy excess and restriction, prenatal stress and Triclosan exposure. Postnatal factors including energy excess, folate, vitamin A, conjugated linoleic acid and leptin may also affect POMC methylation. Recent human studies suggest POMC DNA methylation is influenced by maternal nutrition in early pregnancy and associated with childhood and adult obesity. Studies in children propose a link between POMC DNA methylation and elevated lipids and insulin, independent of body habitus. This review brings together evidence from animal and human studies and suggests that POMC is sensitive to nutritional programming and is associated with a wide range of weight-related and metabolic outcomes.
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22
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Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Lancet Neurol 2019; 18:760-770. [PMID: 31160204 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(19)30150-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although prenatal alcohol exposure causes craniofacial anomalies, growth retardation, neurological abnormalities, cognitive impairment, and birth defects, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is underdiagnosed. Global prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is 0·77%, with a higher prevalence of 2-5% in Europe and North America, highlighting the need for increased diagnosis and treatment. However, diagnosis remains challenging because of the poor reliability of self-reported maternal drinking histories, an absence of sensitive biomarkers, and the infrequency of diagnostic dysmorphic facial features among individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Different diagnostic systems and disagreements over criteria have slowed progress in the diagnosis and management of the disorder. Neuroimaging shows abnormalities in brain structure, cortical development, white matter microstructure, and functional connectivity in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. These abnormalities modify developmental trajectories and are associated with deficits in cognition, executive function, memory, vision, hearing, motor skills, behaviour, and social adaptation. Promising trials of nutritional interventions and cognitive rehabilitation therapies are underway, with the aim of treating cognitive deficits in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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23
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Maternal ethanol exposure reshapes CART system in the rat brain: Correlation with development of anxiety, depression and memory deficits. Neuroscience 2019; 406:126-139. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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24
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Gao W, Grewen K, Knickmeyer RC, Qiu A, Salzwedel A, Lin W, Gilmore JH. A review on neuroimaging studies of genetic and environmental influences on early brain development. Neuroimage 2019; 185:802-812. [PMID: 29673965 PMCID: PMC6191379 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decades witnessed a surge of interest in neuroimaging study of normal and abnormal early brain development. Structural and functional studies of normal early brain development revealed massive structural maturation as well as sequential, coordinated, and hierarchical emergence of functional networks during the infancy period, providing a great foundation for the investigation of abnormal early brain development mechanisms. Indeed, studies of altered brain development associated with either genetic or environmental risks emerged and thrived. In this paper, we will review selected studies of genetic and environmental risks that have been relatively more extensively investigated-familial risks, candidate risk genes, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on the genetic side; maternal mood disorders and prenatal drug exposures on the environmental side. Emerging studies on environment-gene interactions will also be reviewed. Our goal was not to perform an exhaustive review of all studies in the field but to leverage some representative ones to summarize the current state, point out potential limitations, and elicit discussions on important future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CA, United States; Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
| | - Karen Grewen
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, and Psychology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Rebecca C Knickmeyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C, United States
| | - Anqi Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrew Salzwedel
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CA, United States
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C, United States
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25
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Gangisetty O, Sinha R, Sarkar DK. Hypermethylation of Proopiomelanocortin and Period 2 Genes in Blood Are Associated with Greater Subjective and Behavioral Motivation for Alcohol in Humans. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 43:212-220. [PMID: 30597578 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic modifications of a gene have been shown to play a role in maintaining a long-lasting change in gene expression. We hypothesize that alcohol's modulating effect on DNA methylation on certain genes in blood is evident in binge and heavy alcohol drinkers and is associated with alcohol motivation. METHODS Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to measure changes in gene methylation of period 2 (PER2) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) genes in peripheral blood samples collected from nonsmoking moderate, nonbinging, binge, and heavy social drinkers who participated in a 3-day behavioral alcohol motivation experiment of imagery exposure to either stress, neutral, or alcohol-related cues, 1 per day, presented on consecutive days in counterbalanced order. Following imagery exposure on each day, subjects were exposed to discrete alcoholic beer cues followed by an alcohol taste test (ATT) to assess behavioral motivation. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure gene expression of PER2 and POMC gene levels in blood samples across samples. RESULTS In the sample of moderate, binge, and heavy drinkers, we found increased methylation of the PER2 and POMC DNA, reduced expression of these genes in the blood samples of the binge and heavy drinkers relative to the moderate, nonbinge drinkers. Increased PER2 and POMC DNA methylation was also significantly predictive of both increased levels of subjective alcohol craving immediately following imagery (p < 0.0001), and with presentation of the alcohol (2 beers) (p < 0.0001) prior to the ATT, as well as with alcohol amount consumed during the ATT (p < 0.003). CONCLUSIONS These data establish significant association between binge or heavy levels of alcohol drinking and elevated levels of methylation and reduced levels of expression of POMC and PER2 genes. Furthermore, elevated methylation of POMC and PER2 genes is associated with greater subjective and behavioral motivation for alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkaram Gangisetty
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Rajita Sinha
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Dipak K Sarkar
- Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Walker SE, Papilloud A, Huzard D, Sandi C. The link between aberrant hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity during development and the emergence of aggression—Animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:138-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Georgieff MK, Tran PV, Carlson ES. Atypical fetal development: Fetal alcohol syndrome, nutritional deprivation, teratogens, and risk for neurodevelopmental disorders and psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:1063-1086. [PMID: 30068419 PMCID: PMC6074054 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that the fetal environment plays an important role in brain development and sets the brain on a trajectory across the life span. An abnormal fetal environment results when factors that should be present during a critical period of development are absent or when factors that should not be in the developing brain are present. While these factors may acutely disrupt brain function, the real cost to society resides in the long-term effects, which include important mental health issues. We review the effects of three factors, fetal alcohol exposure, teratogen exposure, and nutrient deficiencies, on the developing brain and the consequent risk for developmental psychopathology. Each is reviewed with respect to the evidence found in epidemiological and clinical studies in humans as well as preclinical molecular and cellular studies that explicate mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Phu V Tran
- University of Minnesota School of Medicine
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28
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Subbanna S, Nagre NN, Shivakumar M, Joshi V, Psychoyos D, Kutlar A, Umapathy NS, Basavarajappa BS. CB1R-Mediated Activation of Caspase-3 Causes Epigenetic and Neurobehavioral Abnormalities in Postnatal Ethanol-Exposed Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:45. [PMID: 29515368 PMCID: PMC5826222 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure can affect brain development, leading to long-lasting behavioral problems, including cognitive impairment, which together is defined as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). However, the fundamental mechanisms through which this occurs are largely unknown. In this study, we report that the exposure of postnatal day 7 (P7) mice to ethanol activates caspase-3 via cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB1R) in neonatal mice and causes a reduction in methylated DNA binding protein (MeCP2) levels. The developmental expression of MeCP2 in mice is closely correlated with synaptogenesis and neuronal maturation. It was shown that ethanol treatment of P7 mice enhanced Mecp2 mRNA levels but reduced protein levels. The genetic deletion of CB1R prevented, and administration of a CB1R antagonist before ethanol treatment of P7 mice inhibited caspase-3 activation. Additionally, it reversed the loss of MeCP2 protein, cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) activation, and activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) expression. The inhibition of caspase-3 activity prior to ethanol administration prevented ethanol-induced loss of MeCP2, CREB activation, epigenetic regulation of Arc expression, long-term potentiation (LTP), spatial memory deficits and activity-dependent impairment of several signaling molecules, including MeCP2, in adult mice. Collectively, these results reveal that the ethanol-induced CB1R-mediated activation of caspase-3 degrades the MeCP2 protein in the P7 mouse brain and causes long-lasting neurobehavioral deficits in adult mice. This CB1R-mediated instability of MeCP2 during active synaptic maturation may disrupt synaptic circuit maturation and lead to neurobehavioral abnormalities, as observed in this animal model of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivakumar Subbanna
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nagaraja N. Nagre
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - Madhu Shivakumar
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - Vikram Joshi
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - Delphine Psychoyos
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Abdullah Kutlar
- Center for Blood Disorders, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | | | - Balapal S. Basavarajappa
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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29
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Gulmez Karaca K, Brito DVC, Zeuch B, Oliveira AMM. Adult hippocampal MeCP2 preserves the genomic responsiveness to learning required for long-term memory formation. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 149:84-97. [PMID: 29438740 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
MeCP2 is required both during postnatal neurodevelopment and throughout the adult life for brain function. Although it is well accepted that MeCP2 in the maturing nervous system is critical for establishing normal development, the functions of MeCP2 during adulthood are poorly understood. Particularly, the requirement of hippocampal MeCP2 for cognitive abilities in the adult is not studied. To characterize the role of MeCP2 in adult neuronal function and cognition, we used a temporal and region-specific disruption of MeCP2 expression in the hippocampus of adult male mice. We found that MeCP2 is required for long-term memory formation and that it controls the learning-induced transcriptional response of hippocampal neurons required for memory consolidation. Furthermore, we uncovered MeCP2 functions in the adult hippocampus that may underlie cognitive integrity. We showed that MeCP2 maintains the developmentally established chromatin configuration and epigenetic landscape of CA1 neurons throughout the adulthood, and that it regulates the expression of neuronal and immune-related genes in the adult hippocampus. Overall, our findings identify MeCP2 as a maintenance factor in the adult hippocampus that preserves signal responsiveness of the genome and allows for integrity of cognitive functions. This study provides new insight into how MeCP2 maintains adult brain functions, but also into the mechanisms underlying the cognitive impairments observed in RTT patients and highlights the understudied role of DNA methylation interpretation in adult cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kubra Gulmez Karaca
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, INF 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David V C Brito
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, INF 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Zeuch
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, INF 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ana M M Oliveira
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, INF 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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Rachdaoui N, Li L, Willard B, Kasumov T, Previs S, Sarkar D. Turnover of histones and histone variants in postnatal rat brain: effects of alcohol exposure. Clin Epigenetics 2017; 9:117. [PMID: 29075360 PMCID: PMC5654083 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-017-0416-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a significant public health problem and can result in a continuum of adverse outcomes to the fetus known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Subjects with FASD show significant neurological deficits, ranging from microencephaly, neurobehavioral, and mental health problems to poor social adjustment and stress tolerance. Neurons are particularly sensitive to alcohol exposure. The neurotoxic action of alcohol, i.e., through ROS production, induces DNA damage and neuronal cell death by apoptosis. In addition, epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs), and non-coding RNA, play an important role in the neuropathology of FASD. However, little is known about the temporal dynamics and kinetics of histones and their PTMs in FASD. RESULTS We examined the effects of postnatal alcohol exposure (PAE), an animal model of human third-trimester equivalent, on the kinetics of various histone proteins in two distinct brain regions, the frontal cortex, and the hypothalamus, using in vivo 2H2O-labeling combined with mass spectrometry-based proteomics. We show that histones have long half-lives that are in the order of days. We also show that H3.3 and H2Az histone variants have faster turnovers than canonical histones and that acetylated histones, in general, have a faster turnover than unmodified and methylated histones. Our work is the first to show that PAE induces a differential reduction in turnover rates of histones in both brain regions studied. These alterations in histone turnover were associated with increased DNA damage and decreased cell proliferation in postnatal rat brain. CONCLUSION Alterations in histone turnover might interfere with histone deposition and chromatin stability, resulting in deregulated cell-specific gene expression and therefore contribute to the development of the neurological disorders associated with FASD. Using in vivo 2H2O-labeling and mass spectrometry-based proteomics might help in the understanding of histone turnover following alcohol exposure and could be of great importance in enabling researchers to identify novel targets and/or biomarkers for the prevention and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Rachdaoui
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Research Core Services, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
| | - Belinda Willard
- Department of Research Core Services, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
| | - Takhar Kasumov
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272 USA
| | - Stephen Previs
- Cardiometabolic Disease, Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ USA
| | - Dipak Sarkar
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers Endocrine Research Program, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA
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31
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Gangisetty O, Jabbar S, Wynne O, Sarkar DK. MicroRNA-9 regulates fetal alcohol-induced changes in D2 receptor to promote prolactin production. J Endocrinol 2017; 235:1-14. [PMID: 28710248 DOI: 10.1530/joe-17-0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) is known to increase prolactin (PRL) secretion from the pituitary lactotropes. In this study, we determined whether microRNAs (miRs) are involved in FAE-induced alteration in PRL release. We employed a rat animal model of FAE involving feeding pregnant Fisher 344 rats with a liquid diet containing 6.7% alcohol between gestational days 7-21 (AF). Both cyclic and estradiol-implanted FAE females showed increased levels of plasma PRL and pituitary Prl mRNA but reduced levels of pituitary dopamine D2 receptor (D2r) and its short spliced form (D2s). FAE increased the expression levels of miR-9 and miR-326 and did not produce any significant changes in miR-153 or miR-200a levels in the pituitary. Effects of FAE on miR-9 and miR-326 were associated with reduced levels of D2r and D2s, increased levels of Prl in the pituitary, and in plasma. These effects of FAE on D2r, D2s and Prl were enhanced following estradiol treatment. In PRL-producing MMQ cells, ethanol increased miR-9 but not miR-326, reduced levels of D2r and D2s and increased levels of Prl Treatment of MMQ cells with an anti-miR-9 oligo reduced ethanol effects on miR-9, D2r, D2s and Prl miR-9 mimic oligos reduced the luciferase activity of reporter vector containing D2r 3'UTR, but failed to reduce the mutant luciferase activity. These data suggest that FAE programs the pituitary to produce increased amounts of miR-9 expression that represses the D2r gene and its spliced variant D2s by targeting its 3'UTR leading to an increase in PRL production and secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkaram Gangisetty
- Endocrine ProgramDepartment of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Shaima Jabbar
- Endocrine ProgramDepartment of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Olivia Wynne
- Endocrine ProgramDepartment of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Dipak K Sarkar
- Endocrine ProgramDepartment of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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32
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Gavin DP, Grayson DR, Varghese SP, Guizzetti M. Chromatin Switches during Neural Cell Differentiation and Their Dysregulation by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E137. [PMID: 28492482 PMCID: PMC5448011 DOI: 10.3390/genes8050137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure causes persistent neuropsychiatric deficits included under the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Cellular identity emerges from a cascade of intrinsic and extrinsic (involving cell-cell interactions and signaling) processes that are partially initiated and maintained through changes in chromatin structure. Prenatal alcohol exposure influences neuronal and astrocyte development, permanently altering brain connectivity. Prenatal alcohol exposure also alters chromatin structure through histone and DNA modifications. However, the data linking alcohol-induced differentiation changes with developmental alterations in chromatin structure remain to be elucidated. In the first part of this review, we discuss the sequence of chromatin structural changes involved in neural cell differentiation during normal development. We then discuss the effects of prenatal alcohol on developmental histone modifications and DNA methylation in the context of neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis. We attempt to synthesize the developmental literature with the FASD literature, proposing that alcohol-induced changes to chromatin structure account for altered neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis as well as altered neuron and astrocyte differentiation. Together these changes may contribute to the cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in FASD. Future studies using standardized alcohol exposure paradigms at specific developmental stages will advance the understanding of how chromatin structural changes impact neural cell fate and maturation in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Gavin
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 South Damen Avenue (M/C 151), Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Dennis R Grayson
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Sajoy P Varghese
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 South Damen Avenue (M/C 151), Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L470, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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Chastain LG, Sarkar DK. Alcohol effects on the epigenome in the germline: Role in the inheritance of alcohol-related pathology. Alcohol 2017; 60:53-66. [PMID: 28431793 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol exposure has severe health consequences, and clinical and animal studies have demonstrated that disruptions in the epigenome of somatic cells, such as those in brain, are an important factor in the development of alcohol-related pathologies, such as alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). It is also well known that alcohol-related health problems are passed down across generations in human populations, but the complete mechanisms for this phenomenon are currently unknown. Recent studies in animal models have suggested that epigenetic factors are also responsible for the transmission of alcohol-related pathologies across generations. Alcohol exposure has been shown to induce changes in the epigenome of sperm of exposed male animals, and these epimutations are inherited in the offspring. This paper reviews evidence for multigenerational and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of alcohol-related pathology through the germline. We also review the literature on the epigenetic effects of alcohol exposure on somatic cells in brain, and its contribution to AUDs and FASDs. We note gaps in knowledge in this field, such as the lack of clinical studies in human populations and the lack of data on epigenetic inheritance via the female germline, and we suggest future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy G Chastain
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 67 Poultry Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Dipak K Sarkar
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 67 Poultry Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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34
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Popoola DO, Nizhnikov ME, Cameron NM. Strain-specific programming of prenatal ethanol exposure across generations. Alcohol 2017; 60:191-199. [PMID: 28433421 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can be transmitted from in utero-exposed F1 generation to their F2 offspring. This type of transmission is modulated by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. This study investigated the intergenerational consequences of prenatal exposure to a low ethanol dose (1 g/kg) during gestational days 17-20, on ethanol-induced hypnosis in adolescent male F1 and F2 generations, in two strains of rats. Adolescent Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley male rats were tested for sensitivity to ethanol-induced hypnosis at a 3.5-g/kg or 4.5-g/kg ethanol dose using the loss of righting reflex (LORR) paradigm. We hypothesized that PAE would attenuate sensitivity to ethanol-induced hypnosis in the ethanol-exposed animals in these two strains and in both generations. Interestingly, we only found this effect in Sprague-Dawley rats. Lastly, we investigated PAE related changes in expression of GABAA receptor α1, α4, and δ subunits in the cerebral cortex of the PAE sensitive Sprague-Dawley strain. We hypothesized a reduction in the cerebral cortex GABAA receptor subunits' expression in the F1 and F2 PAE groups compared to control animals. GABAA receptor α1, α4, and δ subunits protein expressions were quantified in the cerebral cortex of F1 and F2 male adolescents by western blotting. PAE did not alter cerebral cortical GABAA receptor subunit expressions in the F1 generation, but it decreased GABAA receptor α4 and δ subunits' expressions in the F2 generation, and had a tendency to decrease α1 subunit expression. We also found correlations between some of the subunits in both generations. These strain-dependent vulnerabilities to ethanol sensitivity, and intergenerational PAE-mediated changes in sensitivity to alcohol indicate that genetic and epigenetic factors interact to determine the outcomes of PAE animals and their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O Popoola
- Psychology Department, Center for Developmental and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University- SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Michael E Nizhnikov
- Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT, 06515-1355, USA
| | - Nicole M Cameron
- Psychology Department, Center for Developmental and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University- SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
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35
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Laufer BI, Chater-Diehl EJ, Kapalanga J, Singh SM. Long-term alterations to DNA methylation as a biomarker of prenatal alcohol exposure: From mouse models to human children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcohol 2017; 60:67-75. [PMID: 28187949 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 11/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Rodent models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have revealed that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) results in differential DNA cytosine methylation in the developing brain. The resulting genome-wide methylation changes are enriched in genes with neurodevelopmental functions. The profile of differential methylation is dynamic and present in some form for life. The methylation changes are transmitted across subsequent mitotic divisions, where they are maintained and further modified over time. More recent follow up has identified a profile of the differential methylation in the buccal swabs of young children born with FASD. While distinct from the profile observed in brain tissue from rodent models, there are similarities. These include changes in genes belonging to a number of neurodevelopmental and behavioral pathways. Specifically, there is increased methylation at the clustered protocadherin genes and deregulation of genomically imprinted genes, even though no single gene is affected in all patients studied to date. These novel results suggest further development of a methylation based strategy could enable early and accurate diagnostics and therapeutics, which have remained a challenge in FASD research. There are two aspects of this challenge that must be addressed in the immediate future: First, the long-term differential methylomics observed in rodent models must be functionally confirmed. Second, the similarities in differential methylation must be further established in humans at a methylomic level and overcome a number of technical limitations. While a cure for FASD is challenging, there is an opportunity for the development of early diagnostics and attenuations towards a higher quality of life.
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Tomasoni R, Morini R, Lopez-Atalaya JP, Corradini I, Canzi A, Rasile M, Mantovani C, Pozzi D, Garlanda C, Mantovani A, Menna E, Barco A, Matteoli M. Lack of IL-1R8 in neurons causes hyperactivation of IL-1 receptor pathway and induces MECP2-dependent synaptic defects. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28347403 PMCID: PMC5370184 DOI: 10.7554/elife.21735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation modifies risk and/or severity of a variety of brain diseases through still elusive molecular mechanisms. Here we show that hyperactivation of the interleukin 1 pathway, through either ablation of the interleukin 1 receptor 8 (IL-1R8, also known as SIGIRR or Tir8) or activation of IL-1R, leads to up-regulation of the mTOR pathway and increased levels of the epigenetic regulator MeCP2, bringing to disruption of dendritic spine morphology, synaptic plasticity and plasticity-related gene expression. Genetic correction of MeCP2 levels in IL-1R8 KO neurons rescues the synaptic defects. Pharmacological inhibition of IL-1R activation by Anakinra corrects transcriptional changes, restores MeCP2 levels and spine plasticity and ameliorates cognitive defects in IL-1R8 KO mice. By linking for the first time neuronal MeCP2, a key player in brain development, to immune activation and demonstrating that synaptic defects can be pharmacologically reversed, these data open the possibility for novel treatments of neurological diseases through the immune system modulation. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21735.001 Errors that occur while the brain is developing can lead to conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. They can also lead to rare disorders like Rett syndrome and MeCP2 duplication syndromes, which are characterized by severe cognitive and physical disabilities. Many people with these neurodevelopmental disorders have mutations in genes that encode proteins found at synapses, which are the junctions between neurons where the cells exchange information with one another. However, not everyone with these mutations develops a neurodevelopmental disorder, which indicates that other, non-genetic factors also play a part. One of the main non-genetic factors that can influence the risk and severity of neurodevelopmental disorders is inflammation of the brain. Inflammation is a normal part of the body’s immune response to threats such as invading microorganisms or tissue damage. However, abnormal activation of the immune system in early life can trigger excessive inflammation. This increases the risk of a neurodevelopmental disorder, but it is not clear exactly how it does so. Tomasoni et al. set out to test whether the missing link between inflammation and neurodevelopmental disorders might be damage to synapses. The experiments revealed that genetically modified mice with inflammation of the brain have abnormal synapses and are unable to learn properly. These mutant mice also have excessive levels of a protein that influences how synapses function called MeCP2, which is missing in the brains of people with Rett syndrome and abnormally increased in brains of patients affected by MeCP2 Duplication Syndrome. This is thus the first evidence that directly links inflammation of the brain to a synapse protein implicated in a disorder of brain development. Tomasoni et al. also found that a drug called anakinra – which is used to treat an inflammatory disease called rheumatoid arthritis – reduced levels of MeCP2 in the mutant mice and improved their performance in cognitive tasks. Together, these results raise the possibility that anti-inflammatory medications may be beneficial in the treatment of neurodevelopment disorders. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21735.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Romana Tomasoni
- IRCCS Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy.,Instituto de Neurociencias (Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Jose P Lopez-Atalaya
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Alice Canzi
- IRCCS Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy.,Hunimed University, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Marco Rasile
- IRCCS Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy.,Hunimed University, Rozzano, Italy
| | | | - Davide Pozzi
- IRCCS Humanitas, Rozzano, Italy.,Hunimed University, Rozzano, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Angel Barco
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), Alicante, Spain
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37
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Navarro M. The Role of the Melanocortin System in Drug and Alcohol Abuse. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:121-150. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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38
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Oni EN, Hart RP. Bioinformatic Analysis of DNA Methylation in Neural Progenitor Cell Models of Alcohol Abuse. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 2:203-210. [PMID: 27774408 DOI: 10.1007/s40495-016-0065-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Several recent publications sought to investigate the effects of ethanol treatment on models of central nervous system development, specifically through changes in DNA methylation. Regulation of DNA methylation causes a long-lasting, epigenetic change in the capacity of the genome to respond to developmental or metabolic stimuli. Changes in technologies for quantifying DNA methylation have increased the ability to identify and interpret potential effects of ethanol. Here, we review these recent studies in order to evaluate the detection technologies and bioinformatic analyses. Our evaluation finds that whole- or targeted-genome sequencing combined with bisulfite conversion of unmethylated G to U residues is now the standard for assessing genome-wide effects, and specific differentially methylated regions can be validated by one of several widely-available techniques. The acceptance of these technologies should help understand how ethanol leads to life-long developmental or behavioral deficits, and, perhaps, suggest therapies to reverse these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen N Oni
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
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39
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Preconception Alcohol Increases Offspring Vulnerability to Stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2782-93. [PMID: 27296153 PMCID: PMC5026748 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The effect of preconception drinking by the mother on the life-long health outcomes of her children is not known, and therefore, in this study using an animal model, we determined the impact of preconception alcohol drinking of the mother on offspring stress response during adulthood. In our preconception alcohol exposure model, adult female rats were fed with 6.7% alcohol in their diet for 4 weeks, went without alcohol for 3 weeks and were bred to generate male and female offspring. Preconception alcohol-exposed offsprings' birth weight, body growth, stress response, anxiety-like behaviors, and changes in stress regulatory gene and protein hormone levels were evaluated. In addition, roles of epigenetic mechanisms in preconception alcohol effects were determined. Alcohol feeding three weeks prior to conception significantly affected pregnancy outcomes of female rats, with respect to delivery period and birth weight of offspring, without affecting maternal care behaviors. Preconception alcohol negatively affected offspring adult health, producing an increased stress hormone response to an immune challenge. In addition, preconception alcohol was associated with changes in expression and methylation profiles of stress regulatory genes in various brain areas. These changes in stress regulatory genes were normalized following treatment with a DNA methylation blocker during the postnatal period. These data highlight the novel possibility that preconception alcohol affects the inheritance of stress-related diseases possibly by epigenetic mechanisms.
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Developmental and behavioral consequences of early life maternal separation stress in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Behav Brain Res 2016; 308:94-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Baiamonte M, Parker MO, Vinson GP, Brennan CH. Sustained Effects of Developmental Exposure to Ethanol on Zebrafish Anxiety-Like Behaviour. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148425. [PMID: 26862749 PMCID: PMC4749633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In zebrafish developmentally exposed to ambient ethanol (20mM-50mM) 1–9 days post fertilization (dpf), the cortisol response to stress has been shown to be significantly attenuated in larvae, juveniles and 6 month old adults. These data are somewhat at variance with similar studies in mammals, which often show heightened stress responses. To test whether these cortisol data correlate with behavioural changes in treated animals, anxiety-like behaviour of zebrafish larvae (9dpf and 10dpf) and juveniles (23dpf) was tested in locomotor assays designed to this end. In open field tests treated animals were more exploratory, spending significantly less time at the periphery of the arena. Behavioural effects of developmental exposure to ethanol were sustained in 6-month-old adults, as judged by assessment of thigmotaxis, novel tank diving and scototaxis. Like larvae and juveniles, developmentally treated adults were generally more exploratory, and spent less time at the periphery of the arena in thigmotaxis tests, less time at the bottom of the tank in the novel tank diving tests, and less time in the dark area in scototaxis tests. The conclusion that ethanol-exposed animals showed less anxiety-like behaviour was validated by comparison with the effects of diazepam treatment, which in thigmotaxis and novel tank diving tests had similar effects to ethanol pretreatment. There is thus a possible link between the hypophyseal-pituitary-interrenal axis and the behavioural actions of developmental ethanol exposure. The mechanisms require further elucidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Baiamonte
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew O. Parker
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin P. Vinson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (endogenous opioids and receptors), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (pain and analgesia); stress and social status (human studies); tolerance and dependence (opioid mediation of other analgesic responses); learning and memory (stress and social status); eating and drinking (stress-induced analgesia); alcohol and drugs of abuse (emotional responses in opioid-mediated behaviors); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (opioid involvement in stress response regulation); mental illness and mood (tolerance and dependence); seizures and neurologic disorders (learning and memory); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (opiates and conditioned place preferences (CPP)); general activity and locomotion (eating and drinking); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (alcohol and drugs of abuse); cardiovascular responses (opiates and ethanol); respiration and thermoregulation (opiates and THC); and immunological responses (opiates and stimulants). This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (endogenous opioids and receptors), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (pain and analgesia); stress and social status (human studies); tolerance and dependence (opioid mediation of other analgesic responses); learning and memory (stress and social status); eating and drinking (stress-induced analgesia); alcohol and drugs of abuse (emotional responses in opioid-mediated behaviors); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (opioid involvement in stress response regulation); mental illness and mood (tolerance and dependence); seizures and neurologic disorders (learning and memory); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (opiates and conditioned place preferences (CPP)); general activity and locomotion (eating and drinking); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (alcohol and drugs of abuse); cardiovascular responses (opiates and ethanol); respiration and thermoregulation (opiates and THC); and immunological responses (opiates and stimulants).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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Gangisetty O, Wynne O, Jabbar S, Nasello C, Sarkar DK. Fetal Alcohol Exposure Reduces Dopamine Receptor D2 and Increases Pituitary Weight and Prolactin Production via Epigenetic Mechanisms. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140699. [PMID: 26509893 PMCID: PMC4624904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence indicated that alcohol exposure during the fetal period increases the susceptibility to tumor development in mammary and prostate tissues. Whether fetal alcohol exposure increases the susceptibility to prolactin-producing tumor (prolactinoma) development in the pituitary was studied by employing the animal model of estradiol-induced prolactinomas in Fischer 344 female rats. We employed an animal model of fetal alcohol exposure that simulates binge alcohol drinking during the first two trimesters of human pregnancy and involves feeding pregnant rats with a liquid diet containing 6.7% alcohol during gestational day 7 to day 21. Control rats were pair-fed with isocaloric liquid diet or fed ad libitum with rat chow diet. Adult alcohol exposed and control female offspring rats were used in this study on the day of estrus or after estrogen treatment. Results show that fetal alcohol-exposed rats had increased levels of pituitary weight, pituitary prolactin (PRL) protein and mRNA, and plasma PRL. However, these rats show decreased pituitary levels of dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) mRNA and protein and increased pituitary levels of D2R promoter methylation. Also, they show elevated pituitary mRNA levels of DNA methylating genes (DNMT1, DNMT3b, MeCP2) and histone modifying genes (HDAC2, HDAC4, G9a). When fetal alcohol exposed rats were treated neonatally with a DNA methylation inhibitor 5-Aza deoxycytidine and/or a HDAC inhibitor trichostatin-A their pituitary D2R mRNA, pituitary weights and plasma PRL levels were normalized. These data suggest that fetal alcohol exposure programs the pituitary to increase the susceptibility to the development of prolactinomas possibly by enhancing the methylation of the D2R gene promoter and repressing the synthesis and control of D2R on PRL-producing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omkaram Gangisetty
- Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America
| | - Olivia Wynne
- Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America
| | - Shaima Jabbar
- Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America
| | - Cara Nasello
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America
| | - Dipak K. Sarkar
- Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Xue J, Ideraabdullah FY. An assessment of molecular pathways of obesity susceptible to nutrient, toxicant and genetically induced epigenetic perturbation. J Nutr Biochem 2015; 30:1-13. [PMID: 27012616 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2015] [Revised: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the etiology of human disease has greatly improved with the inclusion of epigenetic mechanisms, in particular as a common link between environment and disease. However, for most diseases we lack a detailed interpretation of the epigenetic regulatory pathways perturbed by environment and causal mechanisms. Here, we focus on recent findings elucidating nutrient-related epigenetic changes linked to obesity. We highlight studies demonstrating that obesity is a complex disease linked to disruption of epigenetically regulated metabolic pathways in the brain, adipose tissue and liver. These pathways regulate (1) homeostatic and hedonic eating behaviors, (2) adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation, and (3) energy expenditure. By compiling these data, we illustrate that obesity-related phenotypes are repeatedly linked to disruption of critical epigenetic mechanisms that regulate key metabolic genes. These data are supported by genetic mutation of key epigenetic regulators, and many of the diet-induced epigenetic mechanisms of obesity are also perturbed by exposure to environmental toxicants. Identifying similarly perturbed epigenetic mechanisms in multiple experimental models of obesity strengthens the translational applications of these findings. We also discuss many of the ongoing challenges to understanding the role of environmentally induced epigenetic pathways in obesity and suggest future studies to elucidate these roles. This assessment illustrates our current understanding of molecular pathways of obesity that are susceptible to environmental perturbation via epigenetic mechanisms. Thus, it lays the groundwork for dissecting the complex interactions between diet, genes and toxicants that contribute to obesity and obesity-related phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xue
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 500 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Folami Y Ideraabdullah
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 500 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Nutrition, 120 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
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Cecil CAM, Walton E, Viding E. DNA Methylation, Substance Use and Addiction: a Systematic Review of Recent Animal and Human Research from a Developmental Perspective. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-015-0072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Liyanage VRB, Zachariah RM, Davie JR, Rastegar M. Ethanol deregulates Mecp2/MeCP2 in differentiating neural stem cells via interplay between 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine at the Mecp2 regulatory elements. Exp Neurol 2015; 265:102-17. [PMID: 25620416 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Revised: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Methyl CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2) is an important epigenetic factor in the brain. MeCP2 expression is affected by different environmental insults including alcohol exposure. Accumulating evidence supports the role of aberrant MeCP2 expression in ethanol exposure-induced neurological symptoms. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of ethanol-induced MeCP2 deregulation remain elusive. To study the effect of ethanol on Mecp2/MeCP2 expression during neurodifferentiation, we established an in vitro model of ethanol exposure, using differentiating embryonic brain-derived neural stem cells (NSC). Previously, we demonstrated the impact of DNA methylation at the Mecp2 regulatory elements (REs) on Mecp2/MeCP2 expression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we studied whether altered DNA methylation at these REs is associated with the Mecp2/MeCP2 misexpression induced by ethanol. Binge-like and continuous ethanol exposure upregulated Mecp2/MeCP2, while ethanol withdrawal downregulated its expression. DNA methylation analysis by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation indicated that increased 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and decreased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) enrichment at specific REs were associated with upregulated Mecp2/MeCP2 following continuous ethanol exposure. The reduced Mecp2/MeCP2 expression upon ethanol withdrawal was associated with reduced 5hmC and increased 5mC enrichment at these REs. Moreover, ethanol altered global DNA methylation (5mC and 5hmC). Under the tested conditions, ethanol had minimal effects on NSC cell fate commitment, but caused changes in neuronal morphology and glial cell size. Taken together, our data represent an epigenetic mechanism for ethanol-mediated misexpression of Mecp2/MeCP2 in differentiating embryonic brain cells. We also show the potential role of DNA methylation and MeCP2 in alcohol-related neurological disorders, specifically Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vichithra Rasangi Batuwita Liyanage
- Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada.
| | - Robby Mathew Zachariah
- Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada.
| | - James Ronald Davie
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada.
| | - Mojgan Rastegar
- Regenerative Medicine Program, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 745 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J9, Canada.
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