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Papageorgiou G, Amoah SK, Pierotti C, Otero M, Eckel S, Coffey K, Allan AM, Caldwell KK, Mellios N. Prenatal alcohol exposure results in brain region- and sex-specific changes in circHomer1 expression in adult mouse brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1087950. [PMID: 36875647 PMCID: PMC9983553 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1087950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel category of covalently-closed non-coding RNAs mainly derived from the back-splicing of exons or introns of protein-coding genes. In addition to their inherent high overall stability, circRNAs, have been shown to have strong functional effects on gene expression via a multitude of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Furthermore, circRNAs, appear to be particularly enriched in the brain and able to influence both prenatal development and postnatal brain function. However, little is known about the potential involvement of circRNAs in the long term influence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in the brain and their relevance for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Using circRNA-specific quantification, we have found that circHomer1, an activity-dependent circRNA derived from Homer protein homolog 1 (Homer1) and enriched in postnatal brain, is significantly down-regulated in the male frontal cortex and hippocampus of mice subjected to modest PAE. Our data further suggest that the expression of H19, an imprinted embryonic brain-enriched long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), is significantly up-regulated in the frontal cortex of male PAE mice. Furthermore, we show opposing changes in the developmental- and brain region specific- expression of circHomer1 and H19. Lastly, we show that knockdown of H19 results in robust increases in circHomer1 but not linear HOMER1 mRNA expression in human glioblastoma cell lines. Taken together, our work uncovers notable sex- and brain region-specific alterations in circRNA and lncRNA expression following PAE and introduces novel mechanistic insights with potential relevance to FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorios Papageorgiou
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Stephen K. Amoah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Caroline Pierotti
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Madison Otero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sophie Eckel
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kacie Coffey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Andrea M. Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kevin K. Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Autophagy, Inflammation, and Metabolism (AIM) Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Roach AN, Zimmel KN, Thomas KN, Basel A, Bhadsavle SS, Golding MC. Preconception paternal alcohol exposure decreases IVF embryo survival and pregnancy success rates in a mouse model. Mol Hum Reprod 2023; 29:gaad002. [PMID: 36637195 PMCID: PMC9907225 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, couples struggling with fertility turn to assisted reproductive techniques, including IVF, to have children. Despite the demonstrated influence of periconception male health and lifestyle choices on offspring development, studies examining IVF success rates and child health outcomes remain exclusively focused on maternal factors. Using a physiologically relevant mouse model, we tested the hypothesis that chronic paternal preconception alcohol intake adversely affects IVF success and negatively impacts IVF offspring fetoplacental growth. Using a voluntary, binge-like mouse model, we exposed sexually mature C57BL/6J males to three preconception treatments (0% (Control), 6% EtOH or 10% EtOH) for 6 weeks, isolated and cryopreserved caudal sperm from treated males, and then used these samples to fertilize oocytes before assessing IVF embryo developmental outcomes. We found that preconception paternal alcohol use reduced IVF embryo survival and pregnancy success rates in a dose-dependent manner, with the pregnancy success rate of the 10% EtOH treatment falling to half those of the Controls. Mechanistically, we found that preconception paternal alcohol exposure disrupts embryonic gene expression, including Fgf4 and Egfr, two critical regulators of trophectoderm stem cell growth and placental patterning, with lasting impacts on the histological organization of the late-term placenta. The changes in placental histoarchitecture were accompanied by altered regulation of pathways controlling mitochondrial function, oxidative phosphorylation and some imprinted genes. Our studies indicate that male alcohol use may significantly impede IVF success rates, increasing the couple's financial burden and emotional stress, and highlights the need to expand prepregnancy messaging to emphasize the reproductive dangers of alcohol use by both parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis N Roach
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Katherine N Zimmel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Kara N Thomas
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Alison Basel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sanat S Bhadsavle
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Michael C Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Lussier AA, Bodnar TS, Weinberg J. Intersection of Epigenetic and Immune Alterations: Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:788630. [PMID: 34924946 PMCID: PMC8680672 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.788630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can impact virtually all body systems, resulting in a host of structural, neurocognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. Among the adverse impacts associated with prenatal alcohol exposure are alterations in immune function, including an increased incidence of infections and alterations in immune/neuroimmune parameters that last throughout the life-course. Epigenetic patterns are also highly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure, with widespread alcohol-related alterations to epigenetic profiles, including changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNA expression. Importantly, epigenetic programs are crucial for immune system development, impacting key processes such as immune cell fate, differentiation, and activation. In addition to their role in development, epigenetic mechanisms are emerging as attractive candidates for the biological embedding of environmental factors on immune function and as mediators between early-life exposures and long-term health. Here, following an overview of the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on immune function and epigenetic patterns, we discuss the potential role for epigenetic mechanisms in reprogramming of immune function and the consequences for health and development. We highlight a range of both clinical and animal studies to provide insights into the array of immune genes impacted by alcohol-related epigenetic reprogramming. Finally, we discuss potential consequences of alcohol-related reprogramming of immune/neuroimmune functions and their effects on the increased susceptibility to mental health disorders. Overall, the collective findings from animal models and clinical studies highlight a compelling relationship between the immune system and epigenetic pathways. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the long-term and multisystem effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, laying the groundwork for possible novel interventions and therapeutic strategies to treat individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Lussier
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tamara S Bodnar
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Chung DD, Pinson MR, Bhenderu LS, Lai MS, Patel RA, Miranda RC. Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168785. [PMID: 34445488 PMCID: PMC8395909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168785] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have immediate and long-lasting toxic and teratogenic effects on an individual’s development and health. As a toxicant, alcohol can lead to a variety of physical and neurological anomalies in the fetus that can lead to behavioral and other impairments which may last a lifetime. Recent studies have focused on identifying mechanisms that mediate the immediate teratogenic effects of alcohol on fetal development and mechanisms that facilitate the persistent toxic effects of alcohol on health and predisposition to disease later in life. This review focuses on the contribution of epigenetic modifications and intercellular transporters like extracellular vesicles to the toxicity of PAE and to immediate and long-term consequences on an individual’s health and risk of disease.
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Gomes AR, Sangani NB, Fernandes TG, Diogo MM, Curfs LMG, Reutelingsperger CP. Extracellular Vesicles in CNS Developmental Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9428. [PMID: 33322331 PMCID: PMC7763819 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is the most complex structure in the body, consisting of multiple cell types with distinct morphology and function. Development of the neuronal circuit and its function rely on a continuous crosstalk between neurons and non-neural cells. It has been widely accepted that extracellular vesicles (EVs), mainly exosomes, are effective entities responsible for intercellular CNS communication. They contain membrane and cytoplasmic proteins, lipids, non-coding RNAs, microRNAs and mRNAs. Their cargo modulates gene and protein expression in recipient cells. Several lines of evidence indicate that EVs play a role in modifying signal transduction with subsequent physiological changes in neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis and network circuit formation and activity, as well as synaptic pruning and myelination. Several studies demonstrate that neural and non-neural EVs play an important role in physiological and pathological neurodevelopment. The present review discusses the role of EVs in various neurodevelopmental disorders and the prospects of using EVs as disease biomarkers and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Gomes
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.R.G.); (T.G.F.); (M.M.D.)
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- GKC-Rett Expertise Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Nasim Bahram Sangani
- Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- GKC-Rett Expertise Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Tiago G. Fernandes
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.R.G.); (T.G.F.); (M.M.D.)
| | - M. Margarida Diogo
- Department of Bioengineering and IBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.R.G.); (T.G.F.); (M.M.D.)
| | - Leopold M. G. Curfs
- GKC-Rett Expertise Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Chris P. Reutelingsperger
- Department of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands;
- GKC-Rett Expertise Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
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