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Rich MT, Swinford-Jackson SE, Pierce RC. Epigenetic inheritance of phenotypes associated with parental exposure to cocaine. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2023; 99:169-216. [PMID: 38467481 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Parental exposure to drugs of abuse induces changes in the germline that can be transmitted across subsequent generations, resulting in enduring effects on gene expression and behavior. This transgenerational inheritance involves a dynamic interplay of environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors that impact an individual's vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. This chapter aims to summarize recent research into the mechanisms underlying the inheritance of gene expression and phenotypic patterns associated with exposure to drugs of abuse, with an emphasis on cocaine. We will first define the epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, and expression of non-coding RNAs that are impacted by parental cocaine use. We will then explore how parental cocaine use induces heritable epigenetic changes that are linked to alterations in neural circuitry and synaptic plasticity within reward-related circuits, ultimately giving rise to potential behavioral vulnerabilities. This discussion will consider phenotypic differences associated with gestational as well as both maternal and paternal preconception drug exposure and will emphasize differences based on offspring sex. In this context, we explore the complex interactions between genetics, epigenetics, environment, and biological sex. Overall, this chapter consolidates the latest developments in the multigenerational effects and long-term consequences of parental substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Rich
- Brain Health Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
| | - Sarah E Swinford-Jackson
- Brain Health Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - R Christopher Pierce
- Brain Health Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
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Rosati L, Chianese T, Mileo A, De Falco M, Capaldo A. Cocaine Effects on Reproductive Behavior and Fertility: An Overview. Vet Sci 2023; 10:484. [PMID: 37624271 PMCID: PMC10458869 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10080484] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is one of the most widely used drugs that, due to its molecular properties, causes various behavioral alterations, including sexual behavior. In vivo and in vitro studies conducted mainly in mammals have shown various disorders of sexual activity and morpho-functional dysfunctions of the gonads in both sexes. Although the modalities are still unclear, cocaine has been shown to alter the cell cycle, induce apoptosis, and alter sperm motility. In females, this drug alters the formation of the meiotic spindle as well as may obstruct the ovulation mechanism of mature oocytes. The data provided in this review, in addition to reviewing the current literature on the main effects of cocaine on spermatogenesis and oogenesis mainly in mammals, will hopefully provide a basic overview that may help and support further future studies on the molecular interaction of cocaine and its metabolites with germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Rosati
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy; (T.C.); (A.M.); (M.D.F.); (A.C.)
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca “Ambiente” (CIRAM), University Federico II, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Teresa Chianese
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy; (T.C.); (A.M.); (M.D.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Aldo Mileo
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy; (T.C.); (A.M.); (M.D.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Maria De Falco
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy; (T.C.); (A.M.); (M.D.F.); (A.C.)
- Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi (INBB), 00136 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Capaldo
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy; (T.C.); (A.M.); (M.D.F.); (A.C.)
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Yaw AM, Glass JD, Prosser RA, Caldwell HK. Paternal Cocaine in Mice Alters Social Behavior and Brain Oxytocin Receptor Density in First Generation Offspring. Neuroscience 2022; 485:65-77. [PMID: 35063583 PMCID: PMC8866213 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that the damaging effects of drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, can extend beyond the user to their offspring. While most preclinical models of the generational effects of cocaine abuse have focused on maternal effects, we, and others, report distinct effects on offspring sired by fathers treated with cocaine prior to breeding. However, little is known about the effects of paternal cocaine use on first generation (F1) offspring's social behaviors. Here, we expand upon our model of oral self-administered paternal cocaine use to address the idea that paternal cocaine alters first generation offspring social behaviors through modulation of the oxytocin system. F1 cocaine-sired males displayed unaltered social recognition vs. non-cocaine sired controls but showed increased investigation times that were not related to altered olfaction. Paternal cocaine did not alter F1 male-aggression behavior or depression-like behaviors, but cocaine-sired males did display decreased anxiety-like behaviors. Female F1 behavior was similarly examined, but there were no effects of paternal cocaine. Cocaine-sired male mice also exhibited localized oxytocin receptor expression differences vs. controls in several brain regions regulating social behavior. These results provide evidence for effects of paternal cocaine exposure on social behaviors in male offspring with associated alterations in central oxytocin transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Yaw
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242,Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, United States
| | - J. David Glass
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242
| | - Rebecca A. Prosser
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the NeuroNET Research Center, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Heather K. Caldwell
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio 44242,Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, United States,Corresponding Author Dr. Heather K. Caldwell, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State Univ., Kent, OH 44242, 330-672-3636,
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Varela RB, Cararo JH, Tye SJ, Carvalho AF, Valvassori SS, Fries GR, Quevedo J. Contributions of epigenetic inheritance to the predisposition of major psychiatric disorders: theoretical framework, evidence, and implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104579. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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López AJ, Johnson AR, Euston TJ, Wilson R, Nolan SO, Brady LJ, Thibeault KC, Kelly SJ, Kondev V, Melugin P, Kutlu MG, Chuang E, Lam TT, Kiraly DD, Calipari ES. Cocaine self-administration induces sex-dependent protein expression in the nucleus accumbens. Commun Biol 2021; 4:883. [PMID: 34272455 PMCID: PMC8285523 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02358-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic neuropsychiatric condition characterized by long-lasting alterations in the neural circuitry regulating reward and motivation. Substantial work has focused on characterizing the molecular substrates that underlie these persistent changes in neural function and behavior. However, this work has overwhelmingly focused on male subjects, despite mounting clinical and preclinical evidence that females demonstrate dissimilar progression to SUD and responsivity to stimulant drugs of abuse, such as cocaine. Here, we show that sex is a critical biological variable that defines drug-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we assessed the protein expression patterns induced by cocaine self-administration and demonstrated unique molecular profiles between males and females. We show that 1. Cocaine self-administration induces non-overlapping protein expression patterns in significantly regulated proteins in males and females and 2. Critically, cocaine-induced protein regulation differentially interacts with sex to eliminate basal sexual dimorphisms in the proteome. Finally, eliminating these baseline differences in the proteome is concomitant with the elimination of sex differences in behavior for non-drug rewards. Together, these data suggest that cocaine administration is capable of rewriting basal proteomic function and reward-associated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J López
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Amy R Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Tanner J Euston
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rashaun Wilson
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- WM Keck Biotechnology Resource Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Suzanne O Nolan
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lillian J Brady
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kimberly C Thibeault
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shannon J Kelly
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Veronika Kondev
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Patrick Melugin
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - M Gunes Kutlu
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Emily Chuang
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - TuKiet T Lam
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- WM Keck Biotechnology Resource Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale/NIDA Neuroproteomics Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Drew D Kiraly
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Center for Autism, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Rimawi I, Ornoy A, Yanai J. Paternal and/or maternal preconception-induced neurobehavioral teratogenicity in animal and human models. Brain Res Bull 2021; 174:103-121. [PMID: 34087361 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal insult exposure effects on the offspring, have and are still considered the main interest of most teratological studies, while paternal and maternal preconception effects have received relatively little interest. Once thought to be a myth, paternal exposure to insults leading to numerous detrimental effects in the offspring, has been confirmed on several occasions and is gaining increased attention. These effects could be demonstrated molecularly, biochemically and/or behaviorally. Different epigenetic mechanisms have been proposed for these effects to occur, including DNA methylation, histone modification and sperm RNA transmission. Paternal insult exposure has been shown to cause several neurobehavioral and developmental defects in the offspring. Findings on parental insult exposure effects on the progeny will be discussed in this review, with the main focus being on neurobehavioral effects after parental preconceptional exposure. The exposure to the insults induced long-lasting, mostly marked, defects. A few pioneering, prevention and reversal studies were published. Interestingly, most studies were conducted on paternal exposure and, at the present state of this field, on animal models. Clinical translation remains the subsequent challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Issam Rimawi
- The Ross Laboratory for Studies in Neural Birth Defects, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada and The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Box 12272, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Asher Ornoy
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Israel; Laboratory of Teratology, department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada and The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Joseph Yanai
- The Ross Laboratory for Studies in Neural Birth Defects, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research - Israel-Canada and The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Box 12272, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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7
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Mason B, Calhoun C, Woytowicz V, Pina L, Kanda R, Dunn C, Alves A, Donaldson ST. CXCR4 inhibition with AMD3100 attenuates amphetamine induced locomotor activity in adolescent Long Evans male rats. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247707. [PMID: 33647040 PMCID: PMC7920371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescent psychostimulant abuse has been on the rise over the past decade. This trend has demonstrable ramifications on adolescent behavior and brain morphology, increasing risk for development of addiction during adolescence and in later adulthood. Neuroimmune substrates are implicated in the etiology of substance use disorders. To add to this body of work, the current study was developed to explore the role of a chemokine receptor, CXC Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4), in the development of amphetamine (AMPH) sensitization. We targeted CXCR4 as it is implicated in developmental processes, dopaminergic transmission, neuroimmune responses, and the potentiation of psychostimulant abuse pathology. To evaluate the role of CXCR4 activity on the development of AMPH sensitization, a CXCR4 antagonist (Plerixafor; AMD3100) was administered to rats as a pretreatment variable. Specifically, adolescent Long Evans male rats (N = 37) were divided into four groups: (1) AMD3100 (IP, 4.0 mg/kg) + AMPH (IP, 4.0 mg/kg), (2) saline (SAL; 0.9% NaCl) + AMPH, (3) AMD3100 + SAL, and (4) SAL + SAL. Animals were first habituated to locomotor activity (LMA) chambers, then injected with a pretreatment drug (AMD3100 or SAL) followed by AMPH or SAL every other for four days. After a one-week withdrawal period, all animals were administered a low challenge dose of AMPH (IP, 1.0 mg/kg). AMPH-injected rats displayed significantly more locomotor activity compared to controls across all testing days. CXCR4 antagonism significantly attenuated AMPH-induced locomotor activity. On challenge day, AMD3100 pre-treated animals exhibited diminutive AMPH-induced locomotor activity compared to SAL pre-treated animals. Postmortem analyses of brain tissue revealed elevated CXCR4 protein levels in the striatum of all experimental groups. Our results implicate CXCR4 signaling in the development of AMPH sensitization and may represent an important therapeutic target for future research in psychostimulant abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana Mason
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Corey Calhoun
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Victoria Woytowicz
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Latifa Pina
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Roshninder Kanda
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Curtis Dunn
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Antonio Alves
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - S. Tiffany Donaldson
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Baratta AM, Rathod RS, Plasil SL, Seth A, Homanics GE. Exposure to drugs of abuse induce effects that persist across generations. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:217-277. [PMID: 33461664 PMCID: PMC8167819 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders are highly prevalent and continue to be one of the leading causes of disability in the world. Notably, not all people who use addictive drugs develop a substance use disorder. Although substance use disorders are highly heritable, patterns of inheritance cannot be explained purely by Mendelian genetic mechanisms. Vulnerability to developing drug addiction depends on the interplay between genetics and environment. Additionally, evidence from the past decade has pointed to the role of epigenetic inheritance in drug addiction. This emerging field focuses on how environmental perturbations, including exposure to addictive drugs, induce epigenetic modifications that are transmitted to the embryo at fertilization and modify developmental gene expression programs to ultimately impact subsequent generations. This chapter highlights intergenerational and transgenerational phenotypes in offspring following a history of parental drug exposure. Special attention is paid to parental preconception exposure studies of five drugs of abuse (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, cannabinoids, and opiates) and associated behavioral and physiological outcomes in offspring. The highlighted studies demonstrate that parental exposure to drugs of abuse has enduring effects that persist into subsequent generations. Understanding the contribution of epigenetic inheritance in drug addiction may provide clues for better treatments and therapies for substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa M Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Richa S Rathod
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Sonja L Plasil
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Amit Seth
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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Verstegen RHJ, Wang G, Langenberg-Ververgaert KPS, Ren LY, Nulman I. Paternal exposure to recreational drugs before conception and its effect on live-born offspring: A scoping review. Birth Defects Res 2020; 112:970-988. [PMID: 32431075 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Men of reproductive age increasingly use recreational drugs. While many of these substances may reduce the quantity and quality of sperm, less is known about the effects of these exposures on their offspring. We performed a scoping review to summarize the available literature and identify areas for future research on the outcome of live-born offspring of fathers who were exposed to recreational drugs before conception. METHODS A systematic search was conducted of the Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases, which included keywords for the following substances: cannabis-related products, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy and amphetamines. In total, 2,983 records were screened, and 129 publications were selected for full-text assessment. Publications were included if (a) the timing of exposure included the preconceptional period, and (b) if outcomes in live-born offspring were compared with an unexposed group. RESULTS We included 30 publications, of which 15 animal studies and 15 human studies. Animal studies showed neurocognitive abnormalities, in particular in male offspring. Interestingly, these outcomes depend significantly on the method of exposure (i.e., fixed-dose administration vs. variable self-administration, which mimics addiction). Human studies were limited to specific congenital malformations and childhood cancers, which showed small increased odds ratios. CONCLUSIONS While animal studies describe impaired neurocognitive outcomes following paternal exposure to recreational drugs, data in humans is currently lacking. Human studies require sound methodology in order to confirm findings on congenital malformations and childhood cancers. In addition, future neurocognitive studies require parental neurocognitive assessments to correct for confounding effects (i.e., role of genetics).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruud H J Verstegen
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Guo Wang
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Lily Yuxi Ren
- Hospital Library, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Irena Nulman
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Paternal morphine self-administration produces object recognition memory deficits in female, but not male offspring. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1209-1221. [PMID: 31912193 PMCID: PMC7124995 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05450-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Parental drug use around or before conception can have adverse consequences for offspring. Historically, this research has focused on the effects of maternal substance use on future generations but less is known about the influence of the paternal lineage. This study focused on the impact of chronic paternal morphine exposure prior to conception on behavioral outcomes in male and female progeny. OBJECTIVES This study sought to investigate the impact of paternal morphine self-administration on anxiety-like behavior, the stress response, and memory in male and female offspring. METHODS Adult, drug-naïve male and female progeny of morphine-treated sires and controls were evaluated for anxiety-like behavior using defensive probe burying and novelty-induced hypophagia paradigms. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function was assessed by measuring plasma corticosterone levels following a restraint stressor in male and female progeny. Memory was probed using a battery of tests including object location memory, novel object recognition, and contextual fear conditioning. RESULTS Paternal morphine exposure did not alter anxiety-like behavior or stress-induced HPA axis activation in male or female offspring. Morphine-sired male and female offspring showed intact hippocampus-dependent memory: they performed normally on the long-term fear conditioning and object location memory tests. In contrast, paternal morphine exposure selectively disrupted novel object recognition in female, but not male, progeny. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that paternal morphine taking produces sex-specific and selective impairments in object recognition memory while leaving hippocampal function largely intact.
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Wanner NM, Colwell ML, Faulk C. The epigenetic legacy of illicit drugs: developmental exposures and late-life phenotypes. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2019; 5:dvz022. [PMID: 31777665 PMCID: PMC6875650 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvz022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The effects of in utero exposure to illicit drugs on adult offspring are a significant and widespread but understudied global health concern, particularly in light of the growing opioid epidemic and emerging therapeutic uses for cannabis, ketamine, and MDMA. Epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and expression of non-coding RNAs provide a mechanistic link between the prenatal environment and health consequences years beyond the original exposure, and shifts in the epigenome present in early life or adolescence can lead to disease states only appearing during adulthood. The current review summarizes the literature assessing effects of perinatal illicit drug exposure on adult disease phenotypes as mediated by perturbations of the epigenome. Both behavioral and somatic phenotypes are included and studies reporting clinical data in adult offspring, epigenetic readouts in offspring of any age, or both phenotypic and epigenetic measures are prioritized. Studies of licit substances of abuse (i.e. alcohol, nicotine) are excluded with a focus on cannabis, psychostimulants, opioids, and psychedelics; current issues in the field and areas of interest for further investigation are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Wanner
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495B AnSc/VetMed, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Mathia L Colwell
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Natural Resource Sciences, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495B AnSc/VetMed, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Christopher Faulk
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495B AnSc/VetMed, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Natural Resource Sciences, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495B AnSc/VetMed, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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