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McKay L, Petrelli B, Pind M, Reynolds JN, Wintle RF, Chudley AE, Drögemöller B, Fainsod A, Scherer SW, Hanlon-Dearman A, Hicks GG. Risk and Resilience Variants in the Retinoic Acid Metabolic and Developmental Pathways Associated with Risk of FASD Outcomes. Biomolecules 2024; 14:569. [PMID: 38785976 PMCID: PMC11117505 DOI: 10.3390/biom14050569] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an estimated 2-5% of North Americans. FASD is induced by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) during pregnancy and while there is a clear genetic contribution, few genetic factors are currently identified or understood. In this study, using a candidate gene approach, we performed a genetic variant analysis of retinoic acid (RA) metabolic and developmental signaling pathway genes on whole exome sequencing data of 23 FASD-diagnosed individuals. We found risk and resilience alleles in ADH and ALDH genes known to normally be involved in alcohol detoxification at the expense of RA production, causing RA deficiency, following PAE. Risk and resilience variants were also identified in RA-regulated developmental pathway genes, especially in SHH and WNT pathways. Notably, we also identified significant variants in the causative genes of rare neurodevelopmental disorders sharing comorbidities with FASD, including STRA6 (Matthew-Wood), SOX9 (Campomelic Dysplasia), FDG1 (Aarskog), and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (TBX1). Although this is a small exploratory study, the findings support PAE-induced RA deficiency as a major etiology underlying FASD and suggest risk and resilience variants may be suitable biomarkers to determine the risk of FASD outcomes following PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo McKay
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Berardino Petrelli
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Molly Pind
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - James N. Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada
| | - Richard F. Wintle
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Albert E. Chudley
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Britt Drögemöller
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
- Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4, Canada
- Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12271, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Stephen W. Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics and McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Ana Hanlon-Dearman
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Geoffrey G. Hicks
- Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
- Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada
- Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4, Canada
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2
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Belyaeva OV, Klyuyeva AV, Vyas A, Berger WK, Halasz L, Yu J, Atigadda VR, Slay A, Goggans KR, Renfrow MB, Kane MA, Nagy L, Kedishvili NY. The retinoid X receptor has a critical role in synthetic rexinoid-induced increase in cellular all-trans-retinoic acid. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301447. [PMID: 38557762 PMCID: PMC10984533 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Rexinoids are agonists of nuclear rexinoid X receptors (RXR) that heterodimerize with other nuclear receptors to regulate gene transcription. A number of selective RXR agonists have been developed for clinical use but their application has been hampered by the unwanted side effects associated with the use of rexinoids and a limited understanding of their mechanisms of action across different cell types. Our previous studies showed that treatment of organotypic human epidermis with the low toxicity UAB30 and UAB110 rexinoids resulted in increased steady-state levels of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), the obligatory ligand of the RXR-RAR heterodimers. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the increase in ATRA levels using a dominant negative RXRα that lacks the activation function 2 (AF-2) domain. The results demonstrated that overexpression of dnRXRα in human organotypic epidermis markedly reduced signaling by resident ATRA, suggesting the existence of endogenous RXR ligand, diminished the biological effects of UAB30 and UAB110 on epidermis morphology and gene expression, and nearly abolished the rexinoid-induced increase in ATRA levels. Global transcriptome analysis of dnRXRα-rafts in comparison to empty vector-transduced rafts showed that over 95% of the differentially expressed genes in rexinoid-treated rafts constitute direct or indirect ATRA-regulated genes. Thus, the biological effects of UAB30 and UAB110 are mediated through the AF-2 domain of RXRα with minimal side effects in human epidermis. As ATRA levels are known to be reduced in certain epithelial pathologies, treatment with UAB30 and UAB110 may represent a promising therapy for normalizing the endogenous ATRA concentration and signaling in epithelial tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Belyaeva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Alla V. Klyuyeva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Ansh Vyas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Wilhelm K. Berger
- Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Laszlo Halasz
- Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Jianshi Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Venkatram R. Atigadda
- Department of Dermatology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Aja Slay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Kelli R. Goggans
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Renfrow
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Maureen A. Kane
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Laszlo Nagy
- Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Natalia Y. Kedishvili
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
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Edri T, Cohen D, Shabtai Y, Fainsod A. Alcohol induces neural tube defects by reducing retinoic acid signaling and promoting neural plate expansion. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1282273. [PMID: 38116205 PMCID: PMC10728305 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1282273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most debilitating and common developmental defects in humans. The induction of NTDs has been attributed to abnormal folic acid (vitamin B9) metabolism, Wnt and BMP signaling, excess retinoic acid (RA), dietary components, environmental factors, and many others. In the present study we show that reduced RA signaling, including alcohol exposure, induces NTDs. Methods: Xenopus embryos were exposed to pharmacological RA biosynthesis inhibitors to study the induction of NTDs. Embryos were treated with DEAB, citral, or ethanol, all of which inhibit the biosynthesis of RA, or injected to overexpress Cyp26a1 to reduce RA. NTD induction was studied using neural plate and notochord markers together with morphological analysis. Expression of the neuroectodermal regulatory network and cell proliferation were analyzed to understand the morphological malformations of the neural plate. Results: Reducing RA signaling levels using retinaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors (ethanol, DEAB, and citral) or Cyp26a1-driven degradation efficiently induce NTDs. These NTDs can be rescued by providing precursors of RA. We mapped this RA requirement to early gastrula stages during the induction of neural plate precursors. This reduced RA signaling results in abnormal expression of neural network genes, including the neural plate stem cell maintenance genes, geminin, and foxd4l1.1. This abnormal expression of neural network genes results in increased proliferation of neural precursors giving rise to an expanded neural plate. Conclusion: We show that RA signaling is required for neural tube closure during embryogenesis. RA signaling plays a very early role in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of the neural plate soon after the induction of neural progenitors during gastrulation. RA signaling disruption leads to the induction of NTDs through the mis regulation of the early neuroectodermal network, leading to increased proliferation resulting in the expansion of the neural plate. Ethanol exposure induces NTDs through this mechanism involving reduced RA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Abraham Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Petrelli B, Oztürk A, Pind M, Ayele H, Fainsod A, Hicks GG. Genetically programmed retinoic acid deficiency during gastrulation phenocopies most known developmental defects due to acute prenatal alcohol exposure in FASD. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1208279. [PMID: 37397253 PMCID: PMC10311642 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1208279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) arises from maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy affecting 2%-5% of the Western population. In Xenopus laevis studies, we showed that alcohol exposure during early gastrulation reduces retinoic acid (RA) levels at this critical embryonic stage inducing craniofacial malformations associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A genetic mouse model that induces a transient RA deficiency in the node during gastrulation is described. These mice recapitulate the phenotypes characteristic of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) suggesting a molecular etiology for the craniofacial malformations seen in children with FASD. Gsc +/Cyp26A1 mouse embryos have a reduced RA domain and expression in the developing frontonasal prominence region and delayed HoxA1 and HoxB1 expression at E8.5. These embryos also show aberrant neurofilament expression during cranial nerve formation at E10.5 and have significant FASD sentinel-like craniofacial phenotypes at E18.5. Gsc +/Cyp26A1 mice develop severe maxillary malocclusions in adulthood. Phenocopying the PAE-induced developmental malformations with a genetic model inducing RA deficiency during early gastrulation strongly supports the alcohol/vitamin A competition model as a major molecular etiology for the neurodevelopmental defects and craniofacial malformations seen in children with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Petrelli
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - A. Oztürk
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - M. Pind
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - H. Ayele
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - A. Fainsod
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel–Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - G. G. Hicks
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Bolkhovitinov L, Weselman BT, Shaw GA, Dong C, Giribhattanavar J, Saha MS. Tissue Rotation of the Xenopus Anterior-Posterior Neural Axis Reveals Profound but Transient Plasticity at the Mid-Gastrula Stage. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:38. [PMID: 36135371 PMCID: PMC9503425 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of anterior-posterior (AP) regional identity is an essential step in the appropriate development of the vertebrate central nervous system. An important aspect of AP neural axis formation is the inherent plasticity that allows developing cells to respond to and recover from the various perturbations that embryos continually face during the course of development. While the mechanisms governing the regionalization of the nervous system have been extensively studied, relatively less is known about the nature and limits of early neural plasticity of the anterior-posterior neural axis. This study aims to characterize the degree of neural axis plasticity in Xenopus laevis by investigating the response of embryos to a 180-degree rotation of their AP neural axis during gastrula stages by assessing the expression of regional marker genes using in situ hybridization. Our results reveal the presence of a narrow window of time between the mid- and late gastrula stage, during which embryos are able undergo significant recovery following a 180-degree rotation of their neural axis and eventually express appropriate regional marker genes including Otx, Engrailed, and Krox. By the late gastrula stage, embryos show misregulation of regional marker genes following neural axis rotation, suggesting that this profound axial plasticity is a transient phenomenon that is lost by late gastrula stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuba Bolkhovitinov
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bryan T. Weselman
- School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Gladys A. Shaw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Chen Dong
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Margaret S. Saha
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
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O’Connor C, Varshosaz P, Moise AR. Mechanisms of Feedback Regulation of Vitamin A Metabolism. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14061312. [PMID: 35334970 PMCID: PMC8950952 DOI: 10.3390/nu14061312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient required throughout life. Through its various metabolites, vitamin A sustains fetal development, immunity, vision, and the maintenance, regulation, and repair of adult tissues. Abnormal tissue levels of the vitamin A metabolite, retinoic acid, can result in detrimental effects which can include congenital defects, immune deficiencies, proliferative defects, and toxicity. For this reason, intricate feedback mechanisms have evolved to allow tissues to generate appropriate levels of active retinoid metabolites despite variations in the level and format, or in the absorption and conversion efficiency of dietary vitamin A precursors. Here, we review basic mechanisms that govern vitamin A signaling and metabolism, and we focus on retinoic acid-controlled feedback mechanisms that contribute to vitamin A homeostasis. Several approaches to investigate mechanistic details of the vitamin A homeostatic regulation using genomic, gene editing, and chromatin capture technologies are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine O’Connor
- MD Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Parisa Varshosaz
- Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada;
| | - Alexander R. Moise
- Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, 317-MSE Bldg., 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-705-662-7253
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Gur M, Bendelac-Kapon L, Shabtai Y, Pillemer G, Fainsod A. Reduced Retinoic Acid Signaling During Gastrulation Induces Developmental Microcephaly. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:844619. [PMID: 35372345 PMCID: PMC8967241 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.844619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) is a central signaling molecule regulating multiple developmental decisions during embryogenesis. Excess RA induces head malformations, primarily by expansion of posterior brain structures at the expense of anterior head regions, i.e., hindbrain expansion. Despite this extensively studied RA teratogenic effect, a number of syndromes exhibiting microcephaly, such as DiGeorge, Vitamin A Deficiency, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and others, have been attributed to reduced RA signaling. This causative link suggests a requirement for RA signaling during normal head development in all these syndromes. To characterize this novel RA function, we studied the involvement of RA in the early events leading to head formation in Xenopus embryos. This effect was mapped to the earliest RA biosynthesis in the embryo within the gastrula Spemann-Mangold organizer. Head malformations were observed when reduced RA signaling was induced in the endogenous Spemann-Mangold organizer and in the ectopic organizer of twinned embryos. Two embryonic retinaldehyde dehydrogenases, ALDH1A2 (RALDH2) and ALDH1A3 (RALDH3) are initially expressed in the organizer and subsequently mark the trunk and the migrating leading edge mesendoderm, respectively. Gene-specific knockdowns and CRISPR/Cas9 targeting show that RALDH3 is a key enzyme involved in RA production required for head formation. These observations indicate that in addition to the teratogenic effect of excess RA on head development, RA signaling also has a positive and required regulatory role in the early formation of the head during gastrula stages. These results identify a novel RA activity that concurs with its proposed reduction in syndromes exhibiting microcephaly.
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Enhanced Loss of Retinoic Acid Network Genes in Xenopus laevis Achieves a Tighter Signal Regulation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030327. [PMID: 35159137 PMCID: PMC8834563 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) is a major regulatory signal during embryogenesis produced from vitamin A (retinol) by an extensive, autoregulating metabolic and signaling network to prevent fluctuations that result in developmental malformations. Xenopus laevis is an allotetraploid hybrid frog species whose genome includes L (long) and S (short) chromosomes from the originating species. Evolutionarily, the X. laevis subgenomes have been losing either L or S homoeologs in about 43% of genes to generate singletons. In the RA network, out of the 47 genes, about 47% have lost one of the homoeologs, like the genome average. Interestingly, RA metabolism genes from storage (retinyl esters) to retinaldehyde production exhibit enhanced gene loss with 75% singletons out of 28 genes. The effect of this gene loss on RA signaling autoregulation was studied. Employing transient RA manipulations, homoeolog gene pairs were identified in which one homoeolog exhibits enhanced responses or looser regulation than the other, while in other pairs both homoeologs exhibit similar RA responses. CRISPR/Cas9 targeting of individual homoeologs to reduce their activity supports the hypothesis where the RA metabolic network gene loss results in tighter network regulation and more efficient RA robustness responses to overcome complex regulation conditions.
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