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Shaikh M, Doshi G. Epigenetic aging in major depressive disorder: Clocks, mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 978:176757. [PMID: 38897440 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Depression, a chronic mental disorder characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and difficulty in daily tasks, impacts millions globally with varying treatment options. Antidepressants, despite their long half-life and minimal effectiveness, leave half of patients undertreated, highlighting the need for new therapies to enhance well-being. Epigenetics, which studies genetic changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype without altering the underlying Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence, is explored in this article. This article delves into the intricate relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and depression, shedding light on how environmental stressors, early-life adversity, and genetic predispositions shape gene expression patterns associated with depression. We have also discussed Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which enhance cognitive function and mood regulation in depression. Non-coding RNAs, (ncRNAs) such as Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and micro RNA (miRNAs), are highlighted as potential biomarkers for detecting and monitoring major depressive disorder (MDD). This article also emphasizes the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications and their influence on neuronal growth processes, underscoring the dynamic interplay between genetics, environment, and epigenetics in depression development. It explores the therapeutic potential of targeting epigenetic pathways in treating clinical depression. Additionally, it examines clinical findings related to epigenetic clocks and their role in studying depression and biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muqtada Shaikh
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, 400 056, India
| | - Gaurav Doshi
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, 400 056, India.
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2
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Khalid S, Kearney M, McReynolds DE. Can social adversity alter the epigenome, trigger oral disease, and affect future generations? Ir J Med Sci 2024:10.1007/s11845-024-03697-3. [PMID: 38740675 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-024-03697-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The nature versus nurture debate has intrigued scientific circles for decades. Although extensive research has established a clear relationship between genetics and disease development, recent evidence has highlighted the insufficiency of attributing adverse health outcomes to genetic factors alone. In fact, it has been suggested that environmental influences, such as socioeconomic position (SEP), may play a much larger role in the development of disease than previously thought, with extensive research suggesting that low SEP is associated with adverse health conditions. In relation to oral health, a higher prevalence of caries (tooth decay) exists among those of low SEP. Although little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying this relationship, epigenetic modifications resulting from environmental influences have been suggested to play an important role. This review explores the intersection of health inequalities and epigenetics, the role of early-life social adversity and its long-term epigenetic impacts, and how those living within the lower hierarchies of the socioeconomic pyramid are indeed at higher risk of developing diseases, particularly in relation to oral health. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms could lead to the development of targeted interventions for individuals of low SEP to improve oral health or identify those who are at higher risk of developing oral disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakr Khalid
- Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michaela Kearney
- Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David E McReynolds
- Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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3
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Creasey N, Beijers R, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C, Tollenaar MS. Maternal sensitivity and child internalizing and externalizing behavior: a mediating role for glucocorticoid receptor gene ( NR3C1) methylation? Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:967-978. [PMID: 36896668 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The early caregiving environment can have lasting effects on child mental health. Animal models suggest that glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) DNA methylation plays a mediating role in linking more responsive caregiving to improved behavioral outcomes by its impact on the stress regulatory system. In this longitudinal study, we examined whether children's NR3C1 methylation levels mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity in infancy on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior in a community sample. Maternal sensitivity of 145 mothers was rated at infant age 5 weeks, 12 months, and 30 months by observing mother-infant interactions. Buccal DNA methylation was assessed in the same children at age 6 years and maternal-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior was assessed at age 6 and 10 years. Higher sensitivity at age 5 weeks significantly predicted lower DNA methylation levels at two NR3C1 CpG loci, although methylation levels at these loci did not mediate an effect of maternal sensitivity on levels of child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Overall, the study provides evidence that maternal sensitivity in early infancy is associated with DNA methylation levels at loci involved in stress regulation, but the significance of this finding for child mental health remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Preventive Youth Care, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands, and Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; and Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, the Netherlands
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4
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Scuto M, Rampulla F, Reali GM, Spanò SM, Trovato Salinaro A, Calabrese V. Hormetic Nutrition and Redox Regulation in Gut-Brain Axis Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:484. [PMID: 38671931 PMCID: PMC11047582 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of hormetic nutrition for enhancing stress resilience and overall human health have received much attention. Recently, the gut-brain axis has attracted prominent interest for preventing and therapeutically impacting neuropathologies and gastrointestinal diseases. Polyphenols and polyphenol-combined nanoparticles in synergy with probiotics have shown to improve gut bioavailability and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, thus inhibiting the oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction and inflammation linked to gut dysbiosis and ultimately the onset and progression of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In accordance with hormesis, polyphenols display biphasic dose-response effects by activating at a low dose the Nrf2 pathway resulting in the upregulation of antioxidant vitagenes, as in the case of heme oxygenase-1 upregulated by hidrox® or curcumin and sirtuin-1 activated by resveratrol to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, microbiota dysfunction and neurotoxic damage. Importantly, modulation of the composition and function of the gut microbiota through polyphenols and/or probiotics enhances the abundance of beneficial bacteria and can prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. Interestingly, dysregulation of the Nrf2 pathway in the gut and the brain can exacerbate selective susceptibility under neuroinflammatory conditions to CNS disorders due to the high vulnerability of vagal sensory neurons to oxidative stress. Herein, we aimed to discuss hormetic nutrients, including polyphenols and/or probiotics, targeting the Nrf2 pathway and vitagenes for the development of promising neuroprotective and therapeutic strategies to suppress oxidative stress, inflammation and microbiota deregulation, and consequently improve cognitive performance and brain health. In this review, we also explore interactions of the gut-brain axis based on sophisticated and cutting-edge technologies for novel anti-neuroinflammatory approaches and personalized nutritional therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Scuto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.R.); (G.M.R.); (S.M.S.); (V.C.)
| | | | | | | | - Angela Trovato Salinaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.R.); (G.M.R.); (S.M.S.); (V.C.)
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5
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Bekdash RA. Epigenetics, Nutrition, and the Brain: Improving Mental Health through Diet. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4036. [PMID: 38612845 PMCID: PMC11012292 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationship between nutrition and brain health is intricate. Studies suggest that nutrients during early life impact not only human physiology but also mental health. Although the exact molecular mechanisms that depict this relationship remain unclear, there are indications that environmental factors such as eating, lifestyle habits, stress, and physical activity, influence our genes and modulate their function by epigenetic mechanisms to shape mental health outcomes. Epigenetic mechanisms act as crucial link between genes and environmental influences, proving that non-genetic factors could have enduring effects on the epigenome and influence health trajectories. We review studies that demonstrated an epigenetic mechanism of action of nutrition on mental health, focusing on the role of specific micronutrients during critical stages of brain development. The methyl-donor micronutrients of the one-carbon metabolism, such as choline, betaine, methionine, folic acid, VitB6 and VitB12 play critical roles in various physiological processes, including DNA and histone methylation. These micronutrients have been shown to alter gene function and susceptibility to diseases including mental health and metabolic disorders. Understanding how micronutrients influence metabolic genes in humans can lead to the implementation of early nutritional interventions to reduce the risk of developing metabolic and mental health disorders later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rola A Bekdash
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
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Nikolaeva EI, Dydenkova EA, Mayorova LA, Portnova GV. The impact of daily affective touch on cortisol levels in institutionalized & fostered children. Physiol Behav 2024; 277:114479. [PMID: 38309608 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Institutionalized children are often deprived of affective touch. Such tactile deprivation often leads to constant stress, as measured by the levels of salivary cortisol. We report here the impact of an affective touch program, optimized to activate a specific population of unmyelinated mechanosensitive nerves in the skin called c-tactile afferents (CT) on stress resistance. Two populations of children (age 4-10) were recruited: (i) a cohort living in an orphanage and (ii) a fostered cohort. Both groups received the affective touch program daily for 10-15 min for 5-6 weeks. A cohort of age-matched children living in a family environment acted as a control group and did not receive any instructions for tactile stimulation. Salivary cortisol was collected at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the study in all three groups. For institutionalized and fostered children there was a significant improvement in the level of cortisol (p < 0.0001) between T1 and T2, which is manifested in the balancing cortisol levels: a decrease where it was elevated and an increase, where the critically low level testified to the distress of the child. Balancing cortisol levels is a process of recovery to normal values, which indicates the restoration of neurohumoral mechanisms of stress regulation. The effect of balancing cortisol levels was more pronounced in the group of fostered children compared to the group of orphanage children (p = 0.0326). The children in the control group had no significant differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena I Nikolaeva
- Herzen State pedagogical University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation; Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Eva A Dydenkova
- Minin University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation; Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - Larisa A Mayorova
- Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation; Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Galina V Portnova
- Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation; Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
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7
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Nicolaides NC, Kanaka-Gantenbein C, Pervanidou P. Developmental Neuroendocrinology of Early-Life Stress: Impact on Child Development and Behavior. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:461-474. [PMID: 37563814 PMCID: PMC10845081 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230810162344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Our internal balance, or homeostasis, is threatened or perceived as threatened by stressful stimuli, the stressors. The stress system is a highly conserved system that adjusts homeostasis to the resting state. Through the concurrent activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the locus coeruleus/norepinephrine-autonomic nervous systems, the stress system provides the appropriate physical and behavioral responses, collectively termed as "stress response", to restore homeostasis. If the stress response is prolonged, excessive or even inadequate, several acute or chronic stress-related pathologic conditions may develop in childhood, adolescence and adult life. On the other hand, earlylife exposure to stressors has been recognized as a major contributing factor underlying the pathogenesis of non-communicable disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that early-life stress has been associated with an increased risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder in the offspring, although findings are still controversial. Nevertheless, at the molecular level, early-life stressors alter the chemical structure of cytosines located in the regulatory regions of genes, mostly through the addition of methyl groups. These epigenetic modifications result in the suppression of gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. In addition to DNA methylation, several lines of evidence support the role of non-coding RNAs in the evolving field of epigenetics. In this review article, we present the anatomical and functional components of the stress system, discuss the proper, in terms of quality and quantity, stress response, and provide an update on the impact of early-life stress on child development and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas C. Nicolaides
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ‘Aghia Sophia’ Children's Hospital, Athens, 11527, Greece
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
- School of Medicine, University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Function and Therapy, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, ‘Aghia Sophia’ Children's Hospital, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
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8
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Recław R, Lachowicz M, Chmielowiec K, Chmielowiec J, Strońska-Pluta A, Kowalski MT, Kudliński B, Grzywacz A. Analysis of the Methylation Level of the DAT1 Dopamine Transporter Gene in Patients Addicted to Stimulants, Taking into Account an Analysis of Personality Traits. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:532. [PMID: 38203701 PMCID: PMC10779366 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010532] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic biochemical drug use disorder that affects the human brain and behavior and leads to the uncontrolled use of legal or illicit drugs. It has been shown that three factors are involved in the development of addiction: genetic factors, a diverse environment, and the effect of medication on gene expression. The comprehensive approach and holistic analysis of the problem are due to the multigenic and multifactorial nature of addiction. Dopamine, one of the major neurotransmitters in the brain, is believed to be the "culprit" that leads to a drug abuse-induced "high". That is why, in our research, we focused mainly on the genes related to dopaminergic reuptake. In the present study, we chose methylation of the DAT1 dopamine transporter gene based on molecular reasons related to the dopaminergic theory of addiction. This study included two groups: 226 stimulant-dependent and 290 non-stimulant-dependent subjects. The analysis consisted of a case-control comparison of people addicted to psychostimulants compared to a control group of healthy and non-addicted people. There were differences in the levels of statistical significance between the groups. Our research shows lower methylation of islands 1, 9, and 14 in addicted people and greater methylation of islands 32 and 33. The difference in individual CpG methylation islands of the gene under study provides valuable information about the DNA methylation process in patients addicted to psychostimulants. Pearson's linear correlation analysis in stimulant dependence showed a negative correlation between total methylation island levels and the NEO-FFI Neuroticism scale. In subjects with neuroticism, the methylation level was statistically significantly lower. Pearson's linear correlation analysis of stimulant-dependent subjects showed a positive correlation between total methylation island levels and the NEO-FFI Openness scale and the NEO-FFI Conscientiousness scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remigiusz Recław
- Foundation Strong in the Spirit, 60 Sienkiewicza St., 90-058 Łodz, Poland;
| | - Milena Lachowicz
- Department of Psychology, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Kazimierza Górskiego 1 St., 80-336 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Krzysztof Chmielowiec
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Góra, 28 Zyty St., 65-046 Zielona Gora, Poland; (K.C.); (J.C.)
| | - Jolanta Chmielowiec
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Góra, 28 Zyty St., 65-046 Zielona Gora, Poland; (K.C.); (J.C.)
| | - Aleksandra Strońska-Pluta
- Independent Laboratory of Health Promotion, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72 St., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Michał Tomasz Kowalski
- Clinical Department of Cardiology, Nowa Sól Multidisciplinary Hospital, 67-100 Nowa Sol, Poland;
| | - Bartosz Kudliński
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care in K. Marcinkowski University Hospital, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Góra, 65-046 Zielona Gora, Poland;
| | - Anna Grzywacz
- Independent Laboratory of Health Promotion, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72 St., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
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Mandrioli M. From Environmental Epigenetics to the Inheritance of Acquired Traits: A Historian and Molecular Perspective on an Unnecessary Lamarckian Explanation. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1077. [PMID: 37509113 PMCID: PMC10377537 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, it has been suggested that epigenetics may enhance the adaptive possibilities of animals and plants to novel environments and/or habitats and that such epigenetic changes may be inherited from parents to offspring, favoring their adaptation. As a consequence, several Authors called for a shift in the Darwinian paradigm, asking for a neo-Lamarckian view of evolution. Regardless of what will be discovered about the mechanisms of rapid adaptation to environmental changes, the description of epigenetic inheritance as a Lamarckian process is incorrect from a historical point of view and useless at a scientific level. At the same time, even if some examples support the presence of adaptation without the involvement of changes in DNA sequences, in the current scenario no revolution is actually occurring, so we are simply working on a stimulating research program that needs to be developed but that is, at present, completely Darwinian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Mandrioli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/D, 41125 Modena, Italy
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10
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Levin G, Ein-Dor T. A unified model of the biology of peripartum depression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:138. [PMID: 37117197 PMCID: PMC10147643 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02439-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent and debilitating disorder that adversely affects the development of mothers and infants. Recently, there has been a plea for increased mental health screening during the peripartum period; however, currently, there is no accurate screening tool to identify women at risk of PPD. In addition, some women do not respond to current treatment schemes and develop treatment-resistant depression. The current perspective aims to propose a unified understanding of the biological underpinnings of PPD (UmPPD) that considers the heterogeneity in the onset, symptoms cluster, and severity of PPD. Such a model could promote basic and applied research on PPD and suggest new treatment avenues. The central hub of the model is the kynurenine pathway (KP) and the KP-serotonin ratio. The forces and specific processes at play that cause an imbalance within the KP and between KP and serotonin are inflammation, stress, reproductive hormones (especially estradiol and progesterone), and oxytocin. UmPPD predicts that the most severe PPD would comprise prolonged inflammation, ongoing or multiple stressors, excessive estrogen, progesterone resistance, and avoidance of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, and social proximity. These factors would be associated with a higher likelihood of developing PPD, early onset, and more significant symptom severity. In addition, subtypes of PPD would consist of different compositions and expressions of these components, with one central common factor. UmPPD could aid in directing future research and possibly detecting critical processes that could help discover, develop, and utilize novel treatments for PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Levin
- Reichman University. Please address all correspondence to: Tsachi Ein-Dor, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, University St. 8, Herzliya, 4610101, Israel
| | - Tsachi Ein-Dor
- Reichman University. Please address all correspondence to: Tsachi Ein-Dor, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, University St. 8, Herzliya, 4610101, Israel.
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11
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van Oers K, van den Heuvel K, Sepers B. The Epigenetics of Animal Personality. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105194. [PMID: 37094740 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Animal personality, consistent individual differences in behaviour, is an important concept for understanding how individuals vary in how they cope with environmental challenges. In order to understand the evolutionary significance of animal personality, it is crucial to understand the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation are hypothesised to play a major role in explaining variation in phenotypic changes in response to environmental alterations. Several characteristics of DNA methylation also align well with the concept of animal personality. In this review paper, we summarise the current literature on the role that molecular epigenetic mechanisms may have in explaining personality variation. We elaborate on the potential for epigenetic mechanisms to explain behavioural variation, behavioural development and temporal consistency in behaviour. We then suggest future routes for this emerging field and point to potential pitfalls that may be encountered. We conclude that a more inclusive approach is needed for studying the epigenetics of animal personality and that epigenetic mechanisms cannot be studied without considering the genetic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Krista van den Heuvel
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernice Sepers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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12
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Ju LS, Morey TE, Seubert CN, Martynyuk AE. Intergenerational Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040567. [PMID: 37106766 PMCID: PMC10135810 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Accelerated neurocognitive decline after general anesthesia/surgery, also known as perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND), is a widely recognized public health problem that may affect millions of patients each year. Advanced age, with its increasing prevalence of heightened stress, inflammation, and neurodegenerative alterations, is a consistent contributing factor to the development of PND. Although a strong homeostatic reserve in young adults makes them more resilient to PND, animal data suggest that young adults with pathophysiological conditions characterized by excessive stress and inflammation may be vulnerable to PND, and this altered phenotype may be passed to future offspring (intergenerational PND). The purpose of this narrative review of data in the literature and the authors' own experimental findings in rodents is to draw attention to the possibility of intergenerational PND, a new phenomenon which, if confirmed in humans, may unravel a big new population that may be affected by parental PND. In particular, we discuss the roles of stress, inflammation, and epigenetic alterations in the development of PND. We also discuss experimental findings that demonstrate the effects of surgery, traumatic brain injury, and the general anesthetic sevoflurane that interact to induce persistent dysregulation of the stress response system, inflammation markers, and behavior in young adult male rats and in their future offspring who have neither trauma nor anesthetic exposure (i.e., an animal model of intergenerational PND).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Sha Ju
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Timothy E Morey
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Christoph N Seubert
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Anatoly E Martynyuk
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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13
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Cruz-Mendoza F, Luquin S, García-Estrada J, Fernández-Quezada D, Jauregui-Huerta F. Acoustic Stress Induces Opposite Proliferative/Transformative Effects in Hippocampal Glia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065520. [PMID: 36982594 PMCID: PMC10058072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a brain region crucially involved in regulating stress responses and highly sensitive to environmental changes, with elevated proliferative and adaptive activity of neurons and glial cells. Despite the prevalence of environmental noise as a stressor, its effects on hippocampal cytoarchitecture remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of acoustic stress on hippocampal proliferation and glial cytoarchitecture in adult male rats, using environmental noise as a stress model. After 21 days of noise exposure, our results showed abnormal cellular proliferation in the hippocampus, with an inverse effect on the proliferation ratios of astrocytes and microglia. Both cell lineages also displayed atrophic morphologies with fewer processes and lower densities in the noise-stressed animals. Our findings suggest that, stress not only affects neurogenesis and neuronal death in the hippocampus, but also the proliferation ratio, cell density, and morphology of glial cells, potentially triggering an inflammatory-like response that compromises their homeostatic and repair functions.
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Xu H, Shao Z, Zhang S, Liu X, Zeng P. How can childhood maltreatment affect post-traumatic stress disorder in adult: Results from a composite null hypothesis perspective of mediation analysis. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1102811. [PMID: 36970281 PMCID: PMC10033829 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundA greatly growing body of literature has revealed the mediating role of DNA methylation in the influence path from childhood maltreatment to psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adult. However, the statistical method is challenging and powerful mediation analyses regarding this issue are lacking.MethodsTo study how the maltreatment in childhood alters long-lasting DNA methylation changes which further affect PTSD in adult, we here carried out a gene-based mediation analysis from a perspective of composite null hypothesis in the Grady Trauma Project (352 participants and 16,565 genes) with childhood maltreatment as exposure, multiple DNA methylation sites as mediators, and PTSD or its relevant scores as outcome. We effectively addressed the challenging issue of gene-based mediation analysis by taking its composite null hypothesis testing nature into consideration and fitting a weighted test statistic.ResultsWe discovered that childhood maltreatment could substantially affected PTSD or PTSD-related scores, and that childhood maltreatment was associated with DNA methylation which further had significant roles in PTSD and these scores. Furthermore, using the proposed mediation method, we identified multiple genes within which DNA methylation sites exhibited mediating roles in the influence path from childhood maltreatment to PTSD-relevant scores in adult, with 13 for Beck Depression Inventory and 6 for modified PTSD Symptom Scale, respectively.ConclusionOur results have the potential to confer meaningful insights into the biological mechanism for the impact of early adverse experience on adult diseases; and our proposed mediation methods can be applied to other similar analysis settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Xu
- Center for Mental Health Education and Research, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- School of Management, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Haibo Xu,
| | - Zhonghe Shao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Center for Mental Health Education and Research, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- School of Management, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Human Genetics and Environmental Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Ping Zeng,
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Bai J, Tang L, Luo Y, Han Z, Li C, Sun Y, Sun Q, Lu J, Qiu H, Zhao Z, Huo T, Xiong W, Zhang Q. Vitamin B complex blocks the dust fall PM 2 .5 -induced acute lung injury through DNA methylation in rats. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2023; 38:403-414. [PMID: 36282901 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore whether vitamin B complex (folic acid, B6 , and B12 ) could avert DNA methylation changes associated with inflammation induced by acute PM2.5 exposure. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered by gavage with different concentrations of vitamin B complex once a day for 28 days, and then by intratracheal instillation with saline or PM2.5 once every 2 days for three times. Vitamin B continued to be taken during the PM2.5 exposure. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last exposure. The results showed that vitamin B complex could block the pathological changes and injury in lungs induced by PM2.5 . Meanwhile, vitamin B complex could prevent the abnormal DNA methylation of IL-4 and IFN-γ to antagonize the imbalance of IL-4/IFN-γ associated with inflammation. It was further found that vitamin B complex could regulate DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and increase the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)/S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) ratio to reverse the hypomethylation of genomic DNA and the abnormal DNA methylation of IL-4 and IFN-γ. In conclusion, vitamin B complex has a protective effect on acute lung injury by attenuating abnormal DNA methylation induced by PM2.5 in rats. This study may provide a new insight into the physiological function of vitamin B to prevent the health effects induced by PM2.5 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Bai
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lanlan Tang
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Chengdu Jintang Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, China
| | - Yajun Luo
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhixia Han
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chenwen Li
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yaochuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qian Sun
- Luzhou Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Ji Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Hao Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhenhu Zhao
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Tingting Huo
- School of Environmental and Resource, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qingbi Zhang
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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16
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Azar N, Booij L. DNA methylation as a mediator in the association between prenatal maternal stress and child mental health outcomes: Current state of knowledge. J Affect Disord 2022; 319:142-163. [PMID: 36113690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal maternal stress is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for offspring mental health challenges. DNA methylation may be a mechanism, but few studies directly tested mediation. These few integrative studies are reviewed along with studies from three research areas: prenatal maternal stress and child mental health, prenatal maternal stress and child DNA methylation, and child mental health and DNA methylation. METHODS We conducted a narrative review of articles in each research area and the few published integrative studies to evaluate the state of knowledge. RESULTS Prenatal maternal stress was related to greater offspring internalizing and externalizing symptoms and to greater offspring peripheral DNA methylation of the NR3C1 gene. Youth mental health problems were also related to NR3C1 hypermethylation while epigenome-wide studies identified genes involved in nervous system development. Integrative studies focused on infant outcomes and did not detect significant mediation by DNA methylation though methodological considerations may partially explain these null results. LIMITATIONS Operationalization of prenatal maternal stress and child mental health varied greatly. The few published integrative studies did not report conclusive evidence of mediation by DNA methylation. CONCLUSIONS DNA methylation likely mediates the association between prenatal maternal stress and child mental health. This conclusion still needs to be tested in a larger number of integrative studies. Key empirical and statistical considerations for future research are discussed. Understanding the consequences of prenatal maternal stress and its pathways of influence will help prevention and intervention efforts and ultimately promote well-being for both mothers and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Azar
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada; Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada.
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17
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Vetrovoy O, Stratilov V, Lomert E, Tyulkova E. Prenatal Hypoxia-Induced Adverse Reaction to Mild Stress is Associated with Depressive-Like Changes in the Glucocorticoid System of Rats. Neurochem Res 2022; 48:1455-1467. [PMID: 36495386 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The effects of prenatal hypoxia on neurodevelopment are predominantly associated with impaired maternal glucocorticoid stimulation of the fetus, which is "imprinted" in altered sensitivity of glucocorticoid reception in brain structures of offspring and can affect brain plasticity during lifespan. This study aimed to investigate response of the brain glucocorticoid system to mild stress (MS) in adult rats that survived prenatal severe hypoxia (PSH) on embryonic days 14-16. In response to MS the control (but not PSH) rats demonstrate increased corticosterone levels, a decrease in exploratory activity and increased anxiety. In the raphe nuclei of adult PSH rats the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) is increased without changes in serotonin levels in comparison with the control. MS induces a decrease in GR expression accompanied by up-regulation of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (tph2) and down-regulation of monoamine oxidase A (maoa) transcription in the raphe nuclei of both control and PSH groups. PSH also causes significant deviations in GR expression and GR-dependent transcription in the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex, but not in the amygdala of rats. However, in response to MS, PSH rats demonstrate mild changes in their activity, while in control animals the MS-induced activity of the glucocorticoid system in these brain structures is similar to intact PSH animals. Impaired activity of the glucocorticoid system in the extrahypothalamic brain structures of PSH rats is accompanied by increase in the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) levels in comparison with the control regardless of MS. Synthesis of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the blood are decreased in response to MS in the pituitary of control rats, which demonstrates a negative glucocorticoid feedback mechanism. Meanwhile, in the pituitary of PSH rats reduced POMC levels were found regardless of MS. Thus, prenatal hypoxia causes depression-like patterns in the brain glucocorticoid system with adverse reaction to mild stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Vetrovoy
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, 199034, Saint- Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Viktor Stratilov
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Lomert
- Group of Molecular Genetics of Tumor Cells, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tihoretsky Pr. 4, 194064, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Tyulkova
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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18
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Reemst K, Kracht L, Kotah JM, Rahimian R, van Irsen AAS, Congrains Sotomayor G, Verboon LN, Brouwer N, Simard S, Turecki G, Mechawar N, Kooistra SM, Eggen BJL, Korosi A. Early-life stress lastingly impacts microglial transcriptome and function under basal and immune-challenged conditions. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:507. [PMID: 36481769 PMCID: PMC9731997 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02265-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) leads to increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders including depression later in life. Neuroinflammatory processes have been implicated in ELS-induced negative health outcomes, but how ELS impacts microglia, the main tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system, is unknown. Here, we determined the effects of ELS-induced by limited bedding and nesting material during the first week of life (postnatal days [P]2-9) on microglial (i) morphology; (ii) hippocampal gene expression; and (iii) synaptosome phagocytic capacity in male pups (P9) and adult (P200) mice. The hippocampus of ELS-exposed adult mice displayed altered proportions of morphological subtypes of microglia, as well as microglial transcriptomic changes related to the tumor necrosis factor response and protein ubiquitination. ELS exposure leads to distinct gene expression profiles during microglial development from P9 to P200 and in response to an LPS challenge at P200. Functionally, synaptosomes from ELS-exposed mice were phagocytosed less by age-matched microglia. At P200, but not P9, ELS microglia showed reduced synaptosome phagocytic capacity when compared to control microglia. Lastly, we confirmed the ELS-induced increased expression of the phagocytosis-related gene GAS6 that we observed in mice, in the dentate gyrus of individuals with a history of child abuse using in situ hybridization. These findings reveal persistent effects of ELS on microglial function and suggest that altered microglial phagocytic capacity is a key contributor to ELS-induced phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Laura Kracht
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janssen M. Kotah
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Reza Rahimian
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Astrid A. S. van Irsen
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Gonzalo Congrains Sotomayor
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Laura N. Verboon
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Nieske Brouwer
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Simard
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Susanne M. Kooistra
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J. L. Eggen
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, The Netherlands.
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19
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Kolosova II, Shatorna VF. Toxicity of cadmium salts on indicators of embryogenesis of rats. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.15421/022243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal which is considered a dangerous environmental pollutant and has a detrimental effect on the organs of the reproductive system, the period of implantation and the development of embryos. The experiment presented in this article established the effect of cadmium salts (chloride and citrate) on the general progress of embryogenesis. For this purpose, 60 rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, experimental group with cadmium chloride exposure and experimental group with cadmium citrate exposure. Cadmium chloride solvent, cadmium citrate solvent at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg and distilled intragastric water were injected from the first to the thirteenth (first subgroup) and from the first to the twentieth days of embryogenesis (second subgroup). When cadmium chloride was injected, total embryonic (by 4.24 and 3.67 times), pre-implantation (by 6.50 and 14.03 times) and post-implantation mortality (by 3.07 and 2.49 times) increased with a reduction of the number of surviving fetuses by 24.0% and 25.9% compared with the control group on the 13th and 20th days of embryogenesis respectively. At the same time, during exposure to cadmium citrate, indicators of total embryonic mortality increased by 4.02 and 3.52 times, pre-implantation mortality by 6.04 and 13.03 times, and post-implantation mortality by 3.09 and 2.26 times, and indicators of the number of live fetuses decreased by 18.3% and 22.2% in relation to the control group. When determining the accumulation of cadmium in embryos on the 20th day of gestation, polyelement analysis of biological materials using the atomic emission method with electric arc atomization revealed a 15.83-fold increase in cadmium chloride and 9.00 times in cadmium citrate relative to the control group. Embryolethality rates increased in animals of both experimental groups while the number of live fetuses per female decreased, which indicated an obvious embryotoxic effect of cadmium compounds. It is would be useful to conduct histological studies, which will help detect changes at the tissue level and possibly explain the level of embryonic mortality.
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20
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Marcolongo-Pereira C, Castro FCDAQ, Barcelos RM, Chiepe KCMB, Rossoni Junior JV, Ambrosio RP, Chiarelli-Neto O, Pesarico AP. Neurobiological mechanisms of mood disorders: Stress vulnerability and resilience. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1006836. [PMID: 36386785 PMCID: PMC9650072 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1006836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is an important factor in the development of several human pathologies. The response of rodents and humans to stress depends on many factors; some people and rodents develop stress-related mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety in humans, depression-like and anxiety-like behavior in mice and rats, while others report no new psychological symptoms in response to chronic or acute stress, and are considered susceptible and resilient to stress, respectively. Resilience is defined as the ability to thrive in the face of adversity and is a learned process that can help protect against occupational stressors and mental illnesses. There is growing interest in the underlying mechanisms involved in resilience and vulnerability to depression caused by stress, and some studies have demonstrated that individual variability in the way animals and humans respond to stress depends on several mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, neuronal plasticity, immunology and genetic factors, among others not discussed in this review, this review provides a general overview about this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clairton Marcolongo-Pereira
- Coordenadoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão (CEPEG), Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Colatina, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Mazioli Barcelos
- Coordenadoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão (CEPEG), Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Colatina, Brazil
| | | | - Joamyr Victor Rossoni Junior
- Coordenadoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão (CEPEG), Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Colatina, Brazil
| | - Roberta Passamani Ambrosio
- Coordenadoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão (CEPEG), Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Colatina, Brazil
| | - Orlando Chiarelli-Neto
- Coordenadoria de Pesquisa, Pós-Graduação e Extensão (CEPEG), Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), Colatina, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Pesarico
- Curso de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Pampa (Unipampa), Bagé, Brazil
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The Mutagenic Consequences of DNA Methylation within and across Generations. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:epigenomes6040033. [PMID: 36278679 PMCID: PMC9624357 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6040033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification with wide-ranging consequences across the life of an organism. This modification can be stable, persisting through development despite changing environmental conditions. However, in other contexts, DNA methylation can also be flexible, underlying organismal phenotypic plasticity. One underappreciated aspect of DNA methylation is that it is a potent mutagen; methylated cytosines mutate at a much faster rate than other genetic motifs. This mutagenic property of DNA methylation has been largely ignored in eco-evolutionary literature, despite its prevalence. Here, we explore how DNA methylation induced by environmental and other factors could promote mutation and lead to evolutionary change at a more rapid rate and in a more directed manner than through stochastic genetic mutations alone. We argue for future research on the evolutionary implications of DNA methylation driven mutations both within the lifetime of organisms, as well as across timescales.
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22
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Dall' Aglio L, Rijlaarsdam J, Mulder RH, Neumann A, Felix JF, Kok R, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, van Ijzendoorn MH, Tiemeier H, Cecil CAM. Epigenome-wide associations between observed maternal sensitivity and offspring DNA methylation: a population-based prospective study in children. Psychol Med 2022; 52:2481-2491. [PMID: 33267929 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720004353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental work in animals has shown that DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression, is influenced by typical variation in maternal care. While emerging research in humans supports a similar association, studies to date have been limited to candidate gene and cross-sectional approaches, with a focus on extreme deviations in the caregiving environment. METHODS Here, we explored the prospective association between typical variation in maternal sensitivity and offspring epigenome-wide DNAm, in a population-based cohort of children (N = 235). Maternal sensitivity was observed when children were 3- and 4-years-old. DNAm, quantified with the Infinium 450 K array, was extracted at age 6 (whole blood). The influence of methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTLs), DNAm at birth (cord blood), and confounders (socioeconomic status, maternal psychopathology) was considered in follow-up analyses. RESULTS Genome-wide significant associations between maternal sensitivity and offspring DNAm were observed at 13 regions (p < 1.06 × 10-07), but not at single sites. Follow-up analyses indicated that associations at these regions were in part related to genetic factors, confounders, and baseline DNAm levels at birth, as evidenced by the presence of mQTLs at five regions and estimate attenuations. Robust associations with maternal sensitivity were found at four regions, annotated to ZBTB22, TAPBP, ZBTB12, and DOCK4. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide novel leads into the relationship between typical variation in maternal caregiving and offspring DNAm in humans, highlighting robust regions of associations, previously implicated in psychological and developmental problems, immune functioning, and stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza Dall' Aglio
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jolien Rijlaarsdam
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rosa H Mulder
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Janine F Felix
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne Kok
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marinus H van Ijzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Primary Care Unit School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Mayes C, Lawson-Boyd E, Meloni M. Situating the Father: Strengthening Interdisciplinary Collaborations between Sociology, History and the Emerging POHaD Paradigm. Nutrients 2022; 14:3884. [PMID: 36235537 PMCID: PMC9572680 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Albeit the main focus remains largely on mothers, in recent years Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) scientists, including epigeneticists, have started to examine how a father's environment affects disease risk in children and argued that more attention needs to be given to father's health-related behaviors for their influence on offspring at preconception (i.e., sperm health) as well as paternal lifestyle influences over the first 1000 days. This research ushers in a new paternal origins of health and disease (POHaD) paradigm and is considered a welcome equalization to the overemphasis on maternal influences. Epigeneticists are excited by the possibilities of the POHaD paradigm but are also cautious about how to interpret data and avoid biased impression of socio-biological reality. (2) Methods: We review sociological and historical literatures on the intersection of gender, food and diet across different social and historical contexts to enrich our understanding of the father; (3) Results: Sociological and historical research on family food practices and diet show that there are no "fathers" in the abstract or vacuum, but they are differently classed, racialized and exist in socially stratified situations where choices may be constrained or unavailable. This confirms that epigeneticists researching POHaD need to be cautious in interpreting paternal and maternal dietary influences on offspring health; (4) Conclusions: We suggest that interdisciplinary approach to this new paradigm, which draws on sociology, history and public health, can help provide the social and historical context for interpreting and critically understanding paternal lifestyles and influences on offspring health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Mayes
- Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Rd, Geelong 3216, Australia
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24
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Early life adversity shapes neural circuit function during sensitive postnatal developmental periods. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:306. [PMID: 35915071 PMCID: PMC9343623 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02092-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for mental illness, but the neurobiological mechanisms by which ELA increases the risk for future psychopathology are still poorly understood. Brain development is particularly malleable during prenatal and early postnatal life, when complex neural circuits are being formed and refined through an interplay of excitatory and inhibitory neural input, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, myelination, and neurogenesis. Adversity that influences these processes during sensitive periods of development can thus have long-lasting and pervasive effects on neural circuit maturation. In this review, we will discuss clinical and preclinical evidence for the impact of ELA on neural circuit formation with a focus on the early postnatal period, and how long-lasting impairments in these circuits can affect future behavior. We provide converging evidence from human and animal studies on how ELA alters the functional development of brain regions, neural circuits, and neurotransmitter systems that are crucial for cognition and affective behavior, including the hippocampus, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, neural networks of fear responses and cognition, and the serotonin (5-HT) system. We also discuss how gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions can determine individual differences in susceptibility and resilience to ELA, as well as molecular pathways by which ELA regulates neural circuit development, for which we emphasize epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying ELA effects on brain function and psychopathology during early postnatal sensitive periods may have great potential to advance strategies to better treat or prevent psychiatric disorders that have their origin early in life.
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25
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Robakis TK, Roth MC, King LS, Humphreys KL, Ho M, Zhang X, Chen Y, Li T, Rasgon NL, Watson KT, Urban AE, Gotlib IH. Maternal attachment insecurity, maltreatment history, and depressive symptoms are associated with broad DNA methylation signatures in infants. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3306-3315. [PMID: 35577912 PMCID: PMC9666564 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01592-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The early environment, including maternal characteristics, provides many cues to young organisms that shape their long-term physical and mental health. Identifying the earliest molecular events that precede observable developmental outcomes could help identify children in need of support prior to the onset of physical and mental health difficulties. In this study, we examined whether mothers' attachment insecurity, maltreatment history, and depressive symptoms were associated with alterations in DNA methylation patterns in their infants, and whether these correlates in the infant epigenome were associated with socioemotional and behavioral functioning in toddlerhood. We recruited 156 women oversampled for histories of depression, who completed psychiatric interviews and depression screening during pregnancy, then provided follow-up behavioral data on their children at 18 months. Buccal cell DNA was obtained from 32 of their infants for a large-scale analysis of methylation patterns across 5 × 106 individual CpG dinucleotides, using clustering-based significance criteria to control for multiple comparisons. We found that tens of thousands of individual infant CpGs were alternatively methylated in association with maternal attachment insecurity, maltreatment in childhood, and antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms, including genes implicated in developmental patterning, cell-cell communication, hormonal regulation, immune function/inflammatory response, and neurotransmission. Density of DNA methylation at selected genes from the result set was also significantly associated with toddler socioemotional and behavioral problems. This is the first report to identify novel regions of the human infant genome at which DNA methylation patterns are associated longitudinally both with maternal characteristics and with offspring socioemotional and behavioral problems in toddlerhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalia K Robakis
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Marissa C Roth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lucy S King
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Marcus Ho
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xianglong Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Natalie L Rasgon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kathleen T Watson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexander E Urban
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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26
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Joseph PL. Managing health in inequitable contexts: Health capacities as integral to life course health development. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022; 2022:145-168. [PMID: 35653299 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Health behavior models are widely used in prevention research with children and adolescents; yet, many of these models were developed based on adult experiences and fail to consider the development of health constructs. The concept of health capacity development is a theoretical model of how health capacities, the health-related developmental sociocultural resources individuals use to regulate their coactions with their environments to sustain health, develop. Health capacities are formed through person-environment transactions and thus, are informed by, and help individuals manage, the opportunities and constraints situated in their environments. The extent to which health capacities support long-term adaptive health development varies; yet, health capacities may be leveraged for adaptative functioning. Grounded in the Life Course Health Development (LCHD) framework and the principles of Relational Developmental Systems (RDS) metatheory, the development of three health capacities, their role in managing person-environment coactions, and their potential for facilitating displays of resilient functioning in inequitable contexts are described. Implications of the model, its limitations, and avenues for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrece L Joseph
- Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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27
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Canada's Colonial Genocide of Indigenous Peoples: A Review of the Psychosocial and Neurobiological Processes Linking Trauma and Intergenerational Outcomes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116455. [PMID: 35682038 PMCID: PMC9179992 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The policies and actions that were enacted to colonize Indigenous Peoples in Canada have been described as constituting cultural genocide. When one considers the long-term consequences from the perspective of the social and environmental determinants of health framework, the impacts of such policies on the physical and mental health of Indigenous Peoples go well beyond cultural loss. This paper addresses the impacts of key historical and current Canadian federal policies in relation to the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples. Far from constituting a mere lesson in history, the connections between colonialist policies and actions on present-day outcomes are evaluated in terms of transgenerational and intergenerational transmission processes, including psychosocial, developmental, environmental, and neurobiological mechanisms and trauma responses. In addition, while colonialist policies have created adverse living conditions for Indigenous Peoples, resilience and the perseverance of many aspects of culture may be maintained through intergenerational processes.
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28
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Xie L, Jiao Z, Zhang H, Wang T, Qin J, Zhang S, Luo M, Lu M, Yao B, Wang H, Xu D. Altered hippocampal GR/KCC2 signaling mediates susceptibility to convulsion in male offspring following dexamethasone exposure during pregnancy in rats. Toxicol Lett 2022; 364:12-23. [PMID: 35595036 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological research suggests that convulsions may have an intrauterine developmental origin related to the application of dexamethasone, an artificially synthesized glucocorticoid. Here, using a rat animal model of prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE) we confirm that PDE can cause susceptibility to convulsions in male offspring and explore the epigenetic programming mechanism underlying this effect related to intrauterine type 2K+-Cl- cotransporter (KCC2). Wistar rats were injected with dexamethasone (0.2mg/kg/d) subcutaneously during the gestational days (GD) 9-20 and part of the offspring was given lithium pilocarpine (LiPC) at postnatal week 10. Our results showed that male offspring of the PDE+LiPC group exhibited convulsions susceptibility, as well as increased hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and intracellular chloride ions level and decreased GABA receptor expression. The offspring also showed a decrease of hippocampal KCC2 H3K14ac levels and KCC2 expression. PDE male fetal rats (GD20) showed similar changes to male offspring after birth and exhibited an increased expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and histone deacetylase type 2 (HDAC2). We observed effects consistent with those observed in PDE fetal rats following in vitro dexamethasone treatment of the fetal rat hippocampal neuron H19-7 cell line, and the effects could be reversed by treatment with a GR inhibitor (RU486) or HDAC2 inhibitor (romidepsin). Taken together, this study confirmed that PDE causes a reduction of H3K14ac levels in the KCC2 promoter region caused by activation of fetal hippocampal GR-HDAC2-KCC2 signaling. We proposed that this abnormal epigenetic modification is the mechanism underlying offspring convulsions susceptibility. CATEGORIES: mechanism of toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhexiao Jiao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Haiju Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiaxin Qin
- Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingcui Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengxi Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Baozhen Yao
- Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, China.
| | - Dan Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan, China.
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29
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Sosnowski P, Sass P, Słonimska P, Płatek R, Kamińska J, Baczyński Keller J, Mucha P, Peszyńska-Sularz G, Czupryn A, Pikuła M, Piotrowski A, Janus Ł, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S, Skowron P, Sachadyn P. Regenerative Drug Discovery Using Ear Pinna Punch Wound Model in Mice. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050610. [PMID: 35631437 PMCID: PMC9145447 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050610] [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: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The ear pinna is a complex tissue consisting of the dermis, cartilage, muscles, vessels, and nerves. Ear pinna healing is a model of regeneration in mammals. In some mammals, including rabbits, punch wounds in the ear pinna close spontaneously; in common-use laboratory mice, they remain for life. Agents inducing ear pinna healing are potential regenerative drugs. We tested the effects of selected bioactive agents on 2 mm ear pinna wound closure in BALB/c mice. Our previous research demonstrated that a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, zebularine, remarkably induced ear pinna regeneration. Although experiments with two other demethylating agents, RG108 and hydralazine, were unsuccessful, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid, was another epigenetic agent found to increase ear hole closure. In addition, we identified a pro-regenerative activity of 4-ketoretinoic acid, a retinoic acid metabolite. Attempts to counteract the regenerative effects of the demethylating agent zebularine, with folates as methyl donors, failed. Surprisingly, a high dose of methionine, another methyl donor, promoted ear hole closure. Moreover, we showed that the regenerated areas of ear pinna were supplied with nerve fibre networks and blood vessels. The ear punch model proved helpful in testing the pro-regenerative activities of small-molecule compounds and observations of peripheral nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Sosnowski
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Piotr Sass
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Paulina Słonimska
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Rafał Płatek
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Jolanta Kamińska
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Jakub Baczyński Keller
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
| | - Piotr Mucha
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Grażyna Peszyńska-Sularz
- Tri-City University Animal House—Research Service Centre, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Artur Czupryn
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Michał Pikuła
- Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Embryology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Arkadiusz Piotrowski
- Department of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-416 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | | | | | - Piotr Skowron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Paweł Sachadyn
- Laboratory for Regenerative Biotechnology, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland; (P.S.); (P.S.); (P.S.); (R.P.); (J.K.); (J.B.K.)
- Correspondence:
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30
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Cattane N, Vernon AC, Borsini A, Scassellati C, Endres D, Capuron L, Tamouza R, Benros ME, Leza JC, Pariante CM, Riva MA, Cattaneo A. Preclinical animal models of mental illnesses to translate findings from the bench to the bedside: Molecular brain mechanisms and peripheral biomarkers associated to early life stress or immune challenges. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 58:55-79. [PMID: 35235897 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal models are useful preclinical tools for studying the pathogenesis of mental disorders and the effectiveness of their treatment. While it is not possible to mimic all symptoms occurring in humans, it is however possible to investigate the behavioral, physiological and neuroanatomical alterations relevant for these complex disorders in controlled conditions and in genetically homogeneous populations. Stressful and infection-related exposures represent the most employed environmental risk factors able to trigger or to unmask a psychopathological phenotype in animals. Indeed, when occurring during sensitive periods of brain maturation, including pre, postnatal life and adolescence, they can affect the offspring's neurodevelopmental trajectories, increasing the risk for mental disorders. Not all stressed or immune challenged animals, however, develop behavioral alterations and preclinical animal models can explain differences between vulnerable or resilient phenotypes. Our review focuses on different paradigms of stress (prenatal stress, maternal separation, social isolation and social defeat stress) and immune challenges (immune activation in pregnancy) and investigates the subsequent alterations in several biological and behavioral domains at different time points of animals' life. It also discusses the "double-hit" hypothesis where an initial early adverse event can prime the response to a second negative challenge. Interestingly, stress and infections early in life induce the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, alter the levels of neurotransmitters, neurotrophins and pro-inflammatory cytokines and affect the functions of microglia and oxidative stress. In conclusion, animal models allow shedding light on the pathophysiology of human mental illnesses and discovering novel molecular drug targets for personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Cattane
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Anthony C Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Borsini
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Catia Scassellati
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Dominique Endres
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lucile Capuron
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ryad Tamouza
- Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), Laboratoire Neuro-psychiatrie translationnelle, AP-HP, UniversitéParis Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Fondation FondaMental, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Michael Eriksen Benros
- Biological and Precision Psychiatry, Copenhagen Research Centre for Mental Health, Copenhagen University Hospital, Gentofte Hospitalsvej 15, 4th floor, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Juan C Leza
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), IUIN-UCM. Spain
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco A Riva
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
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31
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Lax E. DNA Methylation as a Therapeutic and Diagnostic Target in Major Depressive Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:759052. [PMID: 35431832 PMCID: PMC9006940 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.759052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elad Lax
- *Correspondence: Elad Lax ; orcid.org/0000-0002-0310-0520
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32
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Understanding and Reducing Persistent Racial Disparities in Preterm Birth: a Model of Stress-Induced Developmental Plasticity. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:2051-2059. [PMID: 35298790 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00903-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and is characterized by substantial racial disparities in the US. Despite efforts to reduce preterm birth, rates have risen and racial disparities persist. Maternal stress is a risk factor for preterm birth; however, often, it is treated as a secondary variable rather than a primary target for intervention. Stress is known to affect several biological processes leading to downstream sequelae. Here, we present a model of stress-induced developmental plasticity where maternal stress is a key environmental cue impacting the length of gestation and therefore a primary target for intervention. Black women experience disproportionate and unique maternal stressors related to perceived racism and discrimination. It is therefore not surprising that Black women have disproportionate rates of preterm birth. The downstream effects of racism on preterm birth pathophysiology may reflect an appropriate response to stressors through the highly conserved maternal-fetal-placental neuroendocrine stress axis. This environmentally sensitive system mediates both maternal stress and the timing of birth and is a mechanism by which developmental plasticity occurs. Fortunately, stress does not appear to be an all-or-none variable. Evidence suggests that developmental plasticity is dynamic, functioning on a continuum. Therefore, simple, stress-reducing interventions that support pregnant women may tangibly reduce rates of preterm birth and improve birth outcomes for all women, particularly Black women.
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33
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Sanacora G, Yan Z, Popoli M. The stressed synapse 2.0: pathophysiological mechanisms in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:86-103. [PMID: 34893785 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00540-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Stress is a primary risk factor for several neuropsychiatric disorders. Evidence from preclinical models and clinical studies of depression have revealed an array of structural and functional maladaptive changes, whereby adverse environmental factors shape the brain. These changes, observed from the molecular and transcriptional levels through to large-scale brain networks, to the behaviours reveal a complex matrix of interrelated pathophysiological processes that differ between sexes, providing insight into the potential underpinnings of the sex bias of neuropsychiatric disorders. Although many preclinical studies use chronic stress protocols, long-term changes are also induced by acute exposure to traumatic stress, opening a path to identify determinants of resilient versus susceptible responses to both acute and chronic stress. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression has emerged as a key player underlying the persistent impact of stress on the brain. Indeed, histone modification, DNA methylation and microRNAs are closely involved in many aspects of the stress response and reveal the glutamate system as a key player. The success of ketamine has stimulated a whole line of research and development on drugs directly or indirectly targeting glutamate function. However, the challenge of translating the emerging understanding of stress pathophysiology into effective clinical treatments remains a major challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Maurizio Popoli
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milano, Milan, Italy.
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34
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Hang Y, Boryczka J, Wu N. Visible-light and near-infrared fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering point-of-care sensing and bio-imaging: a review. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:329-375. [PMID: 34897302 PMCID: PMC9135580 DOI: 10.1039/c9cs00621d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This review article deals with the concepts, principles and applications of visible-light and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in in vitro point-of-care testing (POCT) and in vivo bio-imaging. It has discussed how to utilize the biological transparency windows to improve the penetration depth and signal-to-noise ratio, and how to use surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to amplify fluorescence and SERS signals. This article has highlighted some plasmonic fluorescence and SERS probes. It has also reviewed the design strategies of fluorescent and SERS sensors in the detection of metal ions, small molecules, proteins and nucleic acids. Particularly, it has provided perspectives on the integration of fluorescent and SERS sensors into microfluidic chips as lab-on-chips to realize point-of-care testing. It has also discussed the design of active microfluidic devices and non-paper- or paper-based lateral flow assays for in vitro diagnostics. In addition, this article has discussed the strategies to design in vivo NIR fluorescence and SERS bio-imaging platforms for monitoring physiological processes and disease progression in live cells and tissues. Moreover, it has highlighted the applications of POCT and bio-imaging in testing toxins, heavy metals, illicit drugs, cancers, traumatic brain injuries, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, HIV and sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Hang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003-9303, USA.
| | - Jennifer Boryczka
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003-9303, USA.
| | - Nianqiang Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003-9303, USA.
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Lite C, Raja GL, Juliet M, Sridhar VV, Subhashree KD, Kumar P, Chakraborty P, Arockiaraj J. In utero exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, maternal factors and alterations in the epigenetic landscape underlying later-life health effects. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2022; 89:103779. [PMID: 34843942 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Widespread persistence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment has mandated the need to study their potential effects on an individual's long-term health after both acute and chronic exposure periods. In this review article a particular focus is given on in utero exposure to EDCs in rodent models which resulted in altered epigenetic programming and transgenerational effects in the offspring causing disrupted reproductive and metabolic phenotypes. The literature to date establishes the impact of transgenerational effects of EDCs potentially associated with epigenetic mediated mechanisms. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of epigenetic programming and it's regulation in mammals, primarily focusing on the epigenetic plasticity and susceptibility to exogenous hormone active chemicals during the early developmental period. Further, we have also in depth discussed the epigenetic alterations associated with the exposure to selected EDCs such as Bisphenol A (BPA), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and vinclozlin upon in utero exposure especially in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Lite
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Glancis Luzeena Raja
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Melita Juliet
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vasisht Varsh Sridhar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - K Divya Subhashree
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Paromita Chakraborty
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulatur, Chennai 603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Dion A, Muñoz PT, Franklin TB. Epigenetic mechanisms impacted by chronic stress across the rodent lifespan. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 17:100434. [PMID: 35198660 PMCID: PMC8841894 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposures to stress at all stages of development can lead to long-term behavioural effects, in part through changes in the epigenome. This review describes rodent research suggesting that stress in prenatal, postnatal, adolescent and adult stages leads to long-term changes in epigenetic regulation in the brain which have causal impacts on rodent behaviour. We focus on stress-induced epigenetic changes that have been linked to behavioural deficits including poor learning and memory, and increased anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviours. Interestingly, aspects of these stress-induced behavioural changes can be transmitted to offspring across several generations, a phenomenon that has been proposed to result via epigenetic mechanisms in the germline. Here, we also discuss evidence for the differential impact of stress on the epigenome in males and females, conscious of the fact that the majority of published studies have only investigated males. This has led to a limited picture of the epigenetic impact of stress, highlighting the need for future studies to investigate females as well as males.
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Bastianini S, Lo Martire V, Alvente S, Berteotti C, Matteoli G, Rullo L, Stamatakos S, Silvani A, Candeletti S, Romualdi P, Cohen G, Zoccoli G. Early-life nicotine or cotinine exposure produces long-lasting sleep alterations and downregulation of hippocampal corticosteroid receptors in adult mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23897. [PMID: 34903845 PMCID: PMC8668915 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03468-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposure to environmental toxins like tobacco can permanently re-program body structure and function. Here, we investigated the long-term effects on mouse adult sleep phenotype exerted by early-life exposure to nicotine or to its principal metabolite, cotinine. Moreover, we investigated whether these effects occurred together with a reprogramming of the activity of the hippocampus, a key structure to coordinate the hormonal stress response. Adult male mice born from dams subjected to nicotine (NIC), cotinine (COT) or vehicle (CTRL) treatment in drinking water were implanted with electrodes for sleep recordings. NIC and COT mice spent significantly more time awake than CTRL mice at the transition between the rest (light) and the activity (dark) period. NIC and COT mice showed hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) downregulation compared to CTRL mice, and NIC mice also showed hippocampal mineralocorticoid receptor downregulation. Hippocampal GR expression significantly and inversely correlated with the amount of wakefulness at the light-to-dark transition, while no changes in DNA methylation were found. We demonstrated that early-life exposure to nicotine (and cotinine) concomitantly entails long-lasting reprogramming of hippocampal activity and sleep phenotype suggesting that the adult sleep phenotype may be modulated by events that occurred during that critical period of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Bastianini
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Viviana Lo Martire
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Alvente
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Berteotti
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Matteoli
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Rullo
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Serena Stamatakos
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Silvani
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gary Cohen
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.412703.30000 0004 0587 9093Centre for Sleep Health and Research, Sleep Investigation Laboratory, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Giovanna Zoccoli
- PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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Milbocker KA, Campbell TS, Collins N, Kim S, Smith IF, Roth TL, Klintsova AY. Glia-Driven Brain Circuit Refinement Is Altered by Early-Life Adversity: Behavioral Outcomes. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:786234. [PMID: 34924972 PMCID: PMC8678604 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.786234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life adversity (ELA), often clinically referred to as "adverse childhood experiences (ACE)," is the exposure to stress-inducing events in childhood that can result in poor health outcomes. ELA negatively affects neurodevelopment in children and adolescents resulting in several behavioral deficits and increasing the risk of developing a myriad of neuropsychiatric disorders later in life. The neurobiological mechanisms by which ELA alters neurodevelopment in childhood have been the focus of numerous reviews. However, a comprehensive review of the mechanisms affecting adolescent neurodevelopment (i.e., synaptic pruning and myelination) is lacking. Synaptic pruning and myelination are glia-driven processes that are imperative for brain circuit refinement during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Failure to optimize brain circuitry between key brain structures involved in learning and memory, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, leads to the emergence of maladaptive behaviors including increased anxiety or reduced executive function. As such, we review preclinical and clinical literature to explore the immediate and lasting effects of ELA on brain circuit development and refinement. Finally, we describe a number of therapeutic interventions best-suited to support adolescent neurodevelopment in children with a history of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Y. Klintsova
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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Thumfart KM, Jawaid A, Bright K, Flachsmann M, Mansuy IM. Epigenetics of childhood trauma: Long term sequelae and potential for treatment. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:1049-1066. [PMID: 34742726 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Childhood trauma (CT) can have persistent effects on the brain and is one of the major risk factors for neuropsychiatric diseases in adulthood. Recent advances in the field of epigenetics suggest that epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, as well as regulatory processes involving non-coding RNA are associated with the long-term sequelae of CT. This narrative review summarizes current knowledge on the epigenetic basis of CT and describes studies in animal models and human subjects examining how the epigenome and transcriptome are modified by CT in the brain. It discusses psychological and pharmacological interventions that can counteract epigenetic changes induced by CT and the need to establish longitudinal assessment after CT for developing more effective diagnostics and treatment strategies based on epigenetic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Thumfart
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich and Institute for Neuroscience of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ali Jawaid
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich and Institute for Neuroscience of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland; Laboratory for Translational Research in Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TREND), BRAINCITY: Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland
| | - Kristina Bright
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Flachsmann
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle M Mansuy
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich and Institute for Neuroscience of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Abstract
The interaction between the gut and its eventual trillions of microbe inhabitants during microbial colonization, represents a critical time period for establishing the overall health and wellbeing of an individual. The gut microbiome represents a diverse community of microbes that are critical for many physiological roles of the host including host metabolism. These processes are controlled by a fine-tuned chemical cross talk between the host and microbiota. Although the exact mechanisms behind this cross talk remains elusive, microbiota induced epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modifications may be key. This review presents our perspective on the epigenome as a mediator for host-microbiota cross talk, as well as methodology to study epigenetics, the role of dysbiosis in disease, and how the gut microbiome-host axis may be used in personal medicine.
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Duclot F, Kabbaj M. Epigenetics of Aggression. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 54:283-310. [PMID: 34595741 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a complex behavioral trait modulated by both genetic and environmental influences on gene expression. By controlling gene expression in a reversible yet potentially lasting manner in response to environmental stimulation, epigenetic mechanisms represent prime candidates in explaining both individual differences in aggression and the development of elevated aggressive behaviors following life adversity. In this manuscript, we review the evidence for an epigenetic basis in the development and expression of aggression in both humans and related preclinical animal models. In particular, we discuss reports linking DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, as well as non-coding RNA, to the regulation of a variety of genes implicated in the neurobiology of aggression including neuropeptides, the serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems, and stress response related systems. While clinical reports do reveal interesting patterns of DNA methylation underlying individual differences and experience-induced aggressive behaviors, they do, in general, face the challenge of linking peripheral observations to central nervous system regulations. Preclinical studies, on the other hand, provide detailed mechanistic insights into the epigenetic reprogramming of gene expression following life adversities. Although the functional link to aggression remains unclear in most, these studies together do highlight the involvement of epigenetic events driven by DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA in the neuroadaptations underlying the development and expression of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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Rasmussen EMK, Seier KL, Pedersen IK, Kreibich C, Amdam GV, Münch D, Dahl JA. Screening bioactive food compounds in honey bees suggests curcumin blocks alcohol-induced damage to longevity and DNA methylation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19156. [PMID: 34580381 PMCID: PMC8476562 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98614-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Various bioactive food compounds may confer health and longevity benefits, possibly through altering or preserving the epigenome. While bioactive food compounds are widely being marketed for human consumption as 'improving health and longevity' by counteracting harmful effects of poor nutrition and lifestyle, claimed effects are often not adequately documented. Using the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as a model species, we here employed a multi-step screening approach to investigate seven compounds for effects on lifespan and DNA methylation using ELISA and whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). A positive longevity effect was detected for valproic acid, isovaleric acid, and cyanocobalamin. For curcumin, we found that lifespan shortening caused by ethanol intake, was restored when curcumin and ethanol were co-administered. Furthermore, we identified region specific DNA methylation changes as a result of ethanol intake. Ethanol specific changes in DNA methylation were fully or partially blocked in honey bees receiving ethanol and curcumin together. Ethanol-affected and curcumin-blocked differentially methylated regions covered genes involved in fertility, temperature regulation and tubulin transport. Our results demonstrate fundamental negative effects of low dose ethanol consumption on lifespan and associated DNA methylation changes and present a proof-of-principle on how longevity and DNA methylation changes can be negated by the bioactive food component curcumin. Our findings provide a fundament for further studies of curcumin in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik M K Rasmussen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway.
| | - Kristine L Seier
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway
- Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, 3004, Drammen, Norway
| | - Ingrid K Pedersen
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway
- Institute for Energy Technology, 2007, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Claus Kreibich
- Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway
| | - Gro V Amdam
- Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Daniel Münch
- Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1433, Aas, Norway.
- Animalia - Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, 0513, Oslo, Norway.
| | - John Arne Dahl
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, 0027, Oslo, Norway.
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Ramirez K, Fernández R, Collet S, Kiyar M, Delgado-Zayas E, Gómez-Gil E, Van Den Eynde T, T'Sjoen G, Guillamon A, Mueller SC, Pásaro E. Epigenetics Is Implicated in the Basis of Gender Incongruence: An Epigenome-Wide Association Analysis. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:701017. [PMID: 34489625 PMCID: PMC8418298 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.701017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The main objective was to carry out a global DNA methylation analysis in a population with gender incongruence before gender-affirming hormone treatment (GAHT), in comparison to a cisgender population. Methods A global CpG (cytosine-phosphate-guanine) methylation analysis was performed on blood from 16 transgender people before GAHT vs. 16 cisgender people using the Illumina© Infinium Human Methylation 850k BeadChip, after bisulfite conversion. Changes in the DNA methylome in cisgender vs. transgender populations were analyzed with the Partek® Genomics Suite program by a 2-way ANOVA test comparing populations by group and their sex assigned at birth. Results The principal components analysis (PCA) showed that both populations (cis and trans) differ in the degree of global CpG methylation prior to GAHT. The 2-way ANOVA test showed 71,515 CpGs that passed the criterion FDR p < 0.05. Subsequently, in male assigned at birth population we found 87 CpGs that passed both criteria (FDR p < 0.05; fold change ≥ ± 2) of which 22 were located in islands. The most significant CpGs were related to genes: WDR45B, SLC6A20, NHLH1, PLEKHA5, UBALD1, SLC37A1, ARL6IP1, GRASP, and NCOA6. Regarding the female assigned at birth populations, we found 2 CpGs that passed both criteria (FDR p < 0.05; fold change ≥ ± 2), but none were located in islands. One of these CpGs, related to the MPPED2 gene, is shared by both, trans men and trans women. The enrichment analysis showed that these genes are involved in functions such as negative regulation of gene expression (GO:0010629), central nervous system development (GO:0007417), brain development (GO:0007420), ribonucleotide binding (GO:0032553), and RNA binding (GO:0003723), among others. Strengths and Limitations It is the first time that a global CpG methylation analysis has been carried out in a population with gender incongruence before GAHT. A prospective study before/during GAHT would provide a better understanding of the influence of epigenetics in this process. Conclusion The main finding of this study is that the cis and trans populations have different global CpG methylation profiles prior to GAHT. Therefore, our results suggest that epigenetics may be involved in the etiology of gender incongruence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Ramirez
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, Department of Psychology, Institute Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.,Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Center for Biophysics and Biochemistry, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Rosa Fernández
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, Department of Psychology, Institute Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Sarah Collet
- Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Meltem Kiyar
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Enrique Delgado-Zayas
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, Department of Psychology, Institute Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | | | | | - Guy T'Sjoen
- Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Antonio Guillamon
- Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, National University of Distance Education (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sven C Mueller
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eduardo Pásaro
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, Department of Psychology, Institute Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
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Abstract
Animal and humans exposed to stress early in life are more likely to suffer from long-term behavioral, mental health, metabolic, immune, and cardiovascular health consequences. The hypothalamus plays a nodal role in programming, controlling, and regulating stress responses throughout the life course. Epigenetic reprogramming in the hippocampus and the hypothalamus play an important role in adapting genome function to experiences and exposures during the perinatal and early life periods and setting up stable phenotypic outcomes. Epigenetic programming during development enables one genome to express multiple cell type identities. The most proximal epigenetic mark to DNA is a covalent modification of the DNA itself by enzymatic addition of methyl moieties. Cell-type-specific DNA methylation profiles are generated during gestational development and define cell and tissue specific phenotypes. Programming of neuronal phenotypes and sex differences in the hypothalamus is achieved by developmentally timed rearrangement of DNA methylation profiles. Similarly, other stations in the life trajectory such as puberty and aging involve predictable and scheduled reorganization of DNA methylation profiles. DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks are critical for maintaining cell-type identity in the brain, across the body, and throughout life. Data that have emerged in the last 15 years suggest that like its role in defining cell-specific phenotype during development, DNA methylation might be involved in defining experiential identities, programming similar genes to perform differently in response to diverse experiential histories. Early life stress impact on lifelong phenotypes is proposed to be mediated by DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks. Epigenetic marks, as opposed to genetic mutations, are reversible by either pharmacological or behavioral strategies and therefore offer the potential for reversing or preventing disease including behavioral and mental health disorders. This chapter discusses data testing the hypothesis that DNA methylation modulations of the HPA axis mediate the impact of early life stress on lifelong behavioral and physical phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Eachus H, Choi MK, Ryu S. The Effects of Early Life Stress on the Brain and Behaviour: Insights From Zebrafish Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:657591. [PMID: 34368117 PMCID: PMC8335398 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.657591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The early life period represents a window of increased vulnerability to stress, during which exposure can lead to long-lasting effects on brain structure and function. This stress-induced developmental programming may contribute to the behavioural changes observed in mental illness. In recent decades, rodent studies have significantly advanced our understanding of how early life stress (ELS) affects brain development and behaviour. These studies reveal that ELS has long-term consequences on the brain such as impairment of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, altering learning and memory. Despite such advances, several key questions remain inadequately answered, including a comprehensive overview of brain regions and molecular pathways that are altered by ELS and how ELS-induced molecular changes ultimately lead to behavioural changes in adulthood. The zebrafish represents a novel ELS model, with the potential to contribute to answering some of these questions. The zebrafish offers some important advantages such as the ability to non-invasively modulate stress hormone levels in a whole animal and to visualise whole brain activity in freely behaving animals. This review discusses the current status of the zebrafish ELS field and its potential as a new ELS model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Eachus
- Living Systems Institute and College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Min-Kyeung Choi
- Living Systems Institute and College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Living Systems Institute and College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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The methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine reverses the DNA methylation signature of chronic neuropathic pain in mouse frontal cortex. Pain Rep 2021; 6:e944. [PMID: 34278163 PMCID: PMC8280078 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Chronic administration of S-adenosylmethionine reverses neuropathic pain–induced changes in DNA methylation in the mouse frontal cortex. Chronic pain is associated with persistent but reversible structural and functional changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This stable yet malleable plasticity implicates epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, as a potential mediator of chronic pain–induced cortical pathology. We previously demonstrated that chronic oral administration of the methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) attenuates long-term peripheral neuropathic pain and alters global frontal cortical DNA methylation. However, the specific genes and pathways associated with the resolution of chronic pain by SAM remain unexplored.
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Intergenerational Trauma and Its Relationship to Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Inquiry. Community Ment Health J 2021; 57:631-643. [PMID: 32804293 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-020-00698-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Intergenerational trauma is a discrete form of trauma which occurs when traumatic effects are passed across generations without exposure to the original event. This qualitative study aimed to explore how psychiatrists understand intergenerational trauma in respect to their practice, for the purposes of identifying interventions for addressing intergenerational trauma in public mental health services. Findings revealed that psychiatrists observe intergenerational trauma frequently in their roles and try to opportunistically promote awareness of trauma with adults, and refer families to external services for supportive interventions. They feel powerless when faced with directly intervening with intergenerational trauma and required restructuring of their roles to adequately address it in public settings. Findings have implications for training, advocacy and research on the relationship between trauma and mental illness. Alongside this, there is an indicated need for examination of how systems can ensure access to appropriate services once organisations become trauma-informed.
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Lewis CR, Breitenstein RS, Henderson A, Sowards HA, Piras IS, Huentelman MJ, Doane LD, Lemery-Chalfant K. Harsh Parenting Predicts Novel HPA Receptor Gene Methylation and NR3C1 Methylation Predicts Cortisol Daily Slope in Middle Childhood. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:783-793. [PMID: 32472381 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00885-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences in childhood are associated with altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and negative health outcomes throughout life. It is now commonly accepted that abuse and neglect can alter epigenetic regulation of HPA genes. Accumulated evidence suggests harsh parenting practices such as spanking are also strong predictors of negative health outcomes. We predicted harsh parenting at 2.5 years old would predict HPA gene DNA methylation similarly to abuse and neglect, and cortisol output at 8.5 years old. Saliva samples were collected three times a day across 3 days to estimate cortisol diurnal slopes. Methylation was quantified using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array BeadChip (850 K) with DNA collected from buccal cells. We used principal components analysis to compute a summary statistic for CpG sites across candidate genes. The first and second components were used as outcome variables in mixed linear regression analyses with harsh parenting as a predictor variable. We found harsh parenting significantly predicted methylation of several HPA axis genes, including novel gene associations with AVPRB1, CRHR1, CRHR2, and MC2R (FDR corrected p < 0.05). Further, we found NR3C1 methylation predicted a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Our results extend the current literature by demonstrating harsh parenting may influence DNA methylation similarly to more extreme early life experiences such as abuse and neglect. Further, we show NR3C1 methylation is associated with diurnal HPA function. Elucidating the molecular consequences of harsh parenting on health can inform best parenting practices and provide potential treatment targets for common complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candace R Lewis
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
- Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | | | - Adrienne Henderson
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | | | - Ignazio S Piras
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Matthew J Huentelman
- Neurogenomics, Translational Genomics Research Institute, 445 N 5th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Leah D Doane
- Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Filipe AM, Lloyd S, Larivée A. Troubling Neurobiological Vulnerability: Psychiatric Risk and the Adverse Milieu in Environmental Epigenetics Research. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2021; 6:635986. [PMID: 33912612 PMCID: PMC8072338 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.635986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In post-genomic science, the development of etiological models of neurobiological vulnerability to psychiatric risk has expanded exponentially in recent decades, particularly since the neuromolecular and biosocial turns in basic research. Among this research is that of McGill Group for Suicide Studies (MGSS) whose work centers on the identification of major risk factors and epigenetic traits that help to identify a specific profile of vulnerability to psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression) and predict high-risk behaviors (e.g., suicidality). Although the MGSS has attracted attention for its environmental epigenetic models of suicide risk over the years and the translation of findings from rodent studies into human populations, its overall agenda includes multiple research axes, ranging from retrospective studies to clinical and epidemiological research. Common to these research axes is a concern with the long-term effects of adverse experiences on maladaptive trajectories and negative mental health outcomes. As these findings converge with post-genomic understandings of health and also translate into new orientations in global public health, our article queries the ways in which neurobiological vulnerability is traced, measured, and profiled in environmental epigenetics and in the MGSS research. Inspired by the philosophy of Georges Canguilhem and by literature from the social studies of risk and critical public health, we explore how the epigenetic models of neurobiological vulnerability tie into a particular way of thinking about the normal, the pathological, and the milieu in terms of risk. Through this exploration, we examine how early life adversity (ELA) and neurobiological vulnerability are localized and materialized in those emerging models while also considering their broader conceptual and translational implications in the contexts of mental health and global public health interventions. In particular, we consider how narratives of maladaptive trajectories and vulnerable selves who are at risk of harm might stand in as a "new pathological" with healthy trajectories and resilient selves being potentially equated with a "new normal" way of living in the face of adversity. By troubling neurobiological vulnerability as a universal biosocial condition, we suggest that an ecosocial perspective may help us to think differently about the dynamics of mental health and distress in the adverse milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Marques Filipe
- Department of Sociology and Centre for Research on Children & Families, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre for Biomedicine, Self & Society, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Lloyd
- Department of Anthropology, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Parade SH, Huffhines L, Daniels TE, Stroud LR, Nugent NR, Tyrka AR. A systematic review of childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: candidate gene and epigenome-wide approaches. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:134. [PMID: 33608499 PMCID: PMC7896059 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment is a major risk factor for chronic and severe mental and physical health problems across the lifespan. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that maltreatment is associated with epigenetic changes that may subsequently serve as mechanisms of disease. The current review uses a systematic approach to identify and summarize the literature related to childhood maltreatment and alterations in DNA methylation in humans. A total of 100 empirical articles were identified in our systematic review of research published prior to or during March 2020, including studies that focused on candidate genes and studies that leveraged epigenome-wide data in both children and adults. Themes arising from the literature, including consistent and inconsistent patterns of results, are presented. Several directions for future research, including important methodological considerations for future study design, are discussed. Taken together, the literature on childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation underscores the complexity of transactions between the environment and biology across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H Parade
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Lindsay Huffhines
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E. P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Teresa E Daniels
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Laura R Stroud
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nicole R Nugent
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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