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Karami K, Zerehdaran S, Javadmanesh A. Differential Expression of RNAseq Imprinted Genes from Bovine Females Before and After Puberty. Biochem Genet 2023; 61:2633-2649. [PMID: 37225913 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10395-9] [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: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The productivity of beef cows depends on early reproduction traits such as puberty and has an economic impact on the efficiency of production system. Imprinted genes modulate many important endocrine processes such as growth, the onset of puberty and maternal reproductive and behavior. The role of imprinted genes in puberty is a challenging subject since they show the reciprocal role of maternal and paternal genomes in progeny. Although, there are evidences of the involvement of imprint genes in puberty in human, the role of this type of genes in the onset of puberty in cattle has not been studied yet. Here we examined the expression of 27 imprinted genes in pre and post puberty in a bovine model to find differentially expressed imprinted genes in maternal-paternal purebreds and reciprocal crosses across eight tissues and discussed the task of these genes in this crucial process of development and in onset of puberty. DLK1 and MKRN3 that previously described as cause of the central precocious puberty (CPP) in human were differentially expressed in this study. Functional annotation analysis of differentially imprinted genes in different tissues showed significant biological processes of cellular response to growth factor stimulus, response to growth factor, response to parathyroid hormone, developmental growth and the importance of alternative splicing. The results of this study have implications in understanding the role of imprinted genes in the onset of puberty in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyvan Karami
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Saeed Zerehdaran
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Ali Javadmanesh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
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John RM, Higgs MJ, Isles AR. Imprinted genes and the manipulation of parenting in mammals. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:783-796. [PMID: 37714957 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00644-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting refers to the parent-of-origin expression of genes, which originates from epigenetic events in the mammalian germ line. The evolution of imprinting may reflect a conflict over resource allocation early in life, with silencing of paternal genes in offspring soliciting increased maternal provision and silencing of maternal genes limiting demands on the mother. Parental caregiving has been identified as an area of potential conflict, with several imprinted genes serendipitously found to directly influence the quality of maternal care. Recent systems biology approaches, based on single-cell RNA sequencing data, support a more deliberate relationship, which is reinforced by the finding that imprinted genes expressed in the offspring influence the quality of maternal caregiving. These bidirectional, reiterative relationships between parents and their offspring are critical both for short-term survival and for lifelong wellbeing, with clear implications for human health.
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Scagliotti V, Vignola ML, Willis T, Howard M, Marinelli E, Gaston-Massuet C, Andoniadou C, Charalambous M. Imprinted Dlk1 dosage as a size determinant of the mammalian pituitary gland. eLife 2023; 12:e84092. [PMID: 37589451 PMCID: PMC10468206 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84092] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-regulated genes of the Imprinted Gene Network are involved in the control of growth and body size, and imprinted gene dysfunction underlies human paediatric disorders involving the endocrine system. Imprinted genes are highly expressed in the pituitary gland, among them, Dlk1, a paternally expressed gene whose membrane-bound and secreted protein products can regulate proliferation and differentiation of multiple stem cell populations. Dosage of circulating DLK1 has been previously implicated in the control of growth through unknown molecular mechanisms. Here we generate a series of mouse genetic models to modify levels of Dlk1 expression in the pituitary gland and demonstrate that the dosage of DLK1 modulates the process of stem cell commitment with lifelong impact on pituitary gland size. We establish that stem cells are a critical source of DLK1, where embryonic disruption alters proliferation in the anterior pituitary, leading to long-lasting consequences on growth hormone secretion later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Scagliotti
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Maria Lillina Vignola
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thea Willis
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mark Howard
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Eugenia Marinelli
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Carles Gaston-Massuet
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Cynthia Andoniadou
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Marika Charalambous
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Willis TL, Lodge EJ, Andoniadou CL, Yianni V. Cellular interactions in the pituitary stem cell niche. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:612. [PMID: 36451046 PMCID: PMC9712314 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04612-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells in the anterior pituitary gland can give rise to all resident endocrine cells and are integral components for the appropriate development and subsequent maintenance of the organ. Located in discreet niches within the gland, stem cells are involved in bi-directional signalling with their surrounding neighbours, interactions which underpin pituitary gland homeostasis and response to organ challenge or physiological demand. In this review we highlight core signalling pathways that steer pituitary progenitors towards specific endocrine fate decisions throughout development. We further elaborate on those which are conserved in the stem cell niche postnatally, including WNT, YAP/TAZ and Notch signalling. Furthermore, we have collated a directory of single cell RNA sequencing studies carried out on pituitaries across multiple organisms, which have the potential to provide a vast database to study stem cell niche components in an unbiased manner. Reviewing published data, we highlight that stem cells are one of the main signalling hubs within the anterior pituitary. In future, coupling single cell sequencing approaches with genetic manipulation tools in vivo, will enable elucidation of how previously understudied signalling pathways function within the anterior pituitary stem cell niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea L Willis
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emily J Lodge
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Cynthia L Andoniadou
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Val Yianni
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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Higgs MJ, Hill MJ, John RM, Isles AR. Systematic investigation of imprinted gene expression and enrichment in the mouse brain explored at single-cell resolution. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:754. [PMID: 36384442 PMCID: PMC9670596 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08986-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although a number of imprinted genes are known to be highly expressed in the brain, and in certain brain regions in particular, whether they are truly over-represented in the brain has never been formally tested. Using thirteen single-cell RNA sequencing datasets we systematically investigated imprinted gene over-representation at the organ, brain region, and cell-specific levels. RESULTS We established that imprinted genes are indeed over-represented in the adult brain, and in neurons particularly compared to other brain cell-types. We then examined brain-wide datasets to test enrichment within distinct brain regions and neuron subpopulations and demonstrated over-representation of imprinted genes in the hypothalamus, ventral midbrain, pons and medulla. Finally, using datasets focusing on these regions of enrichment, we identified hypothalamic neuroendocrine populations and the monoaminergic hindbrain neurons as specific hotspots of imprinted gene expression. CONCLUSIONS These analyses provide the first robust assessment of the neural systems on which imprinted genes converge. Moreover, the unbiased approach, with each analysis informed by the findings of the previous level, permits highly informed inferences about the functions on which imprinted gene expression converges. Our findings indicate the neuronal regulation of motivated behaviours such as feeding and sleep, alongside the regulation of pituitary function, as functional hotspots for imprinting. This adds statistical rigour to prior assumptions and provides testable predictions for novel neural and behavioural phenotypes associated with specific genes and imprinted gene networks. In turn, this work sheds further light on the potential evolutionary drivers of genomic imprinting in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Higgs
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M J Hill
- School of Medicine, UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - R M John
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - A R Isles
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
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Lagunas N, Fernández-García JM, Blanco N, Ballesta A, Carrillo B, Arevalo MA, Collado P, Pinos H, Grassi D. Organizational Effects of Estrogens and Androgens on Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Expression in Pituitary and Adrenal Glands in Adult Male and Female Rats. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:902218. [PMID: 35815333 PMCID: PMC9261283 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.902218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex steroid hormones, such as androgens and estrogens, are known to exert organizational action at perinatal periods and activational effects during adulthood on the brain and peripheral tissues. These organizational effects are essential for the establishment of biological axes responsible for regulating behaviors, such as reproduction, stress, and emotional responses. Estradiol (E2), testosterone, and their metabolites exert their biological action through genomic and non-genomic mechanisms, bounding to canonical receptors, such as estrogen receptor (ER)α, ERβ, and androgen receptor (AR) or membrane receptors, such as the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), respectively. Expression of ERs and AR was found to be different between males and females both in the brain and peripheral tissues, suggesting a sex-dependent regulation of their expression and function. Therefore, studying the ERs and AR distribution and expression levels is key to understand the central and peripheral role of sex steroids in the establishment of sex-specific behaviors in males and females. We investigated the organizational effects of estrogens and androgens in the pituitary and adrenal glands of adult male and female rats. For this, selective blockade of AR with flutamide or 5α-reductase with finasteride or aromatase with letrozole during the first 5 days of life has been performed in male and female pups and then quantification of ERs and AR expression in both glands has been carried out in adulthood. Data show that inhibition of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and E2 production during the first five postnatal days mainly decreases the ER expression in male to female values and AR expression in female to male levels in the pituitary gland and increases AR expression in female to male levels in the adrenal gland. In contrast, blocking the action of androgens differentially modulates the ERs in males and females and decreases AR in both males and females in both glands. Altogether, the results suggest that neonatal modifications of the androgen and estrogen pathways can potentially lead to permanent modifications of the neuroendocrine functions of the pituitary and adrenal glands in the adulthood of both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Lagunas
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Fernández-García
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Villanueva, Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemí Blanco
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Ballesta
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Biomedical Science and Health, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Carrillo
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria-Angeles Arevalo
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Collado
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Pinos
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Daniela Grassi
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