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Merabova N, Ugartemendia L, Edlow AG, Ibarra C, Darbinian N, Tatevosian G, Goetzl L. Maternal obesity: sex-specific in utero changes in fetal brain autophagy and mTOR. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2024; 32:1136-1143. [PMID: 38644654 DOI: 10.1002/oby.24017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal obesity affects 39.7% of reproductive-age women in the United States. Emerging research has suggested that in utero exposure to maternal obesity is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, but knowledge of underlying mechanisms in human samples is lacking. METHODS A matched case-control study was performed in women with singleton fetuses who were undergoing elective pregnancy termination at gestational ages 15 to 21 weeks. Maternal adiponectin levels from plasma were measured using ELISA kits. RNA was extracted from fetal brain tissue using RNeasy Mini Kit (QIAGEN). mRNA expression from ADIPOR1, ADIPOR2, MTOR, ATG5, ATG7, BECN1, and MAP1LC3B was quantified through the ΔΔCt method and using GAPDH as a housekeeping gene. RESULTS We have identified transcription patterns associated with inhibition of autophagy in male fetal brain tissue exposed to maternal obesity (↑MTOR, ↓ATG5, ↓ATG7, and ↓MAP1LC3B), with female fetuses demonstrating either no change in transcription or nonsignificant changes associated with increased autophagy. There was significant downregulation of the autophagy-associated gene BECN1 in both male and female individuals who were exposed to obesity in utero. CONCLUSIONS We present novel evidence suggesting that in utero exposure to maternal obesity in humans may significantly affect neurodevelopment, especially in male fetuses, through alterations in normal autophagy molecular mechanisms and with adiponectin as a potential mediator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Merabova
- Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin-Prevea, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lierni Ugartemendia
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Claudia Ibarra
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Nune Darbinian
- Shriners Pediatric Research Center, Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gabriel Tatevosian
- Shriners Pediatric Research Center, Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura Goetzl
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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Fitzgerald E, Roberts J, Tennant DA, Boardman JP, Drake AJ. Metabolic adaptations to hypoxia in the neonatal mouse forebrain can occur independently of the transporters SLC7A5 and SLC3A2. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9092. [PMID: 33907288 PMCID: PMC8079390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88757-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal encephalopathy due to hypoxia-ischemia is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects. The involvement of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) in this is largely unexplored. Transport of BCAAs at the plasma membrane is facilitated by SLC7A5/SLC3A2, which increase with hypoxia. We hypothesized that hypoxia would alter BCAA transport and metabolism in the neonatal brain. We investigated this using an organotypic forebrain slice culture model with, the SLC7A5/SLC3A2 inhibitor, 2-Amino-2-norbornanecarboxylic acid (BCH) under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. We subsequently analysed the metabolome and candidate gene expression. Hypoxia was associated with increased expression of SLC7A5 and SLC3A2 and an increased tissue abundance of BCAAs. Incubation of slices with 13C-leucine confirmed that this was due to increased cellular uptake. BCH had little effect on metabolite abundance under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. This suggests hypoxia drives increased cellular uptake of BCAAs in the neonatal mouse forebrain, and membrane mediated transport through SLC7A5 and SLC3A2 is not essential for this process. This indicates mechanisms exist to generate the compounds required to maintain essential metabolism in the absence of external nutrient supply. Moreover, excess BCAAs have been associated with developmental delay, providing an unexplored mechanism of hypoxia mediated pathogenesis in the developing forebrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Jennie Roberts
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Daniel A Tennant
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - James P Boardman
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Amanda J Drake
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
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Wang X, Li Z, Zhu Y, Yan J, Liu H, Huang G, Li W. Maternal folic acid impacts DNA methylation profile in male rat offspring implicated in neurodevelopment and learning/memory abilities. GENES AND NUTRITION 2021; 16:1. [PMID: 33430764 PMCID: PMC7802276 DOI: 10.1186/s12263-020-00681-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Background Periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation not only reduces the incidence of neural tube defects, but also improves cognitive performances in offspring. However, the genes or pathways that are epigenetically regulated by FA in neurodevelopment were rarely reported. Methods To elucidate the underlying mechanism, the effect of FA on the methylation profiles in brain tissue of male rat offspring was assessed by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation chip. Differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and gene network analysis were identified using DAVID and KEGG pathway analysis. Results Compared with the folate-normal diet group, 1939 DMGs were identified in the folate-deficient diet group, and 1498 DMGs were identified in the folate-supplemented diet group, among which 298 DMGs were overlapped. The pathways associated with neurodevelopment and learning/memory abilities were differentially methylated in response to maternal FA intake during pregnancy, and there were some identical and distinctive potential mechanisms under FA deficiency or FA-supplemented conditions. Conclusions In conclusion, genes and pathways associated with neurodevelopment and learning/memory abilities were differentially methylated in male rat offspring in response to maternal FA deficiency or supplementation during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Zhenshu Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Jing Yan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, 300070, China.,Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Guowei Huang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Wen Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China. .,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, 300070, China.
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