Pre-implantation alcohol exposure induces lasting sex-specific DNA methylation programming errors in the developing forebrain.
Clin Epigenetics 2021;
13:164. [PMID:
34425890 PMCID:
PMC8381495 DOI:
10.1186/s13148-021-01151-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Prenatal alcohol exposure is recognized for altering DNA methylation profiles of brain cells during development, and to be part of the molecular basis underpinning Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) etiology. However, we have negligible information on the effects of alcohol exposure during pre-implantation, the early embryonic window marked with dynamic DNA methylation reprogramming, and on how this may rewire the brain developmental program.
Results
Using a pre-clinical in vivo mouse model, we show that a binge-like alcohol exposure during pre-implantation at the 8-cell stage leads to surge in morphological brain defects and adverse developmental outcomes during fetal life. Genome-wide DNA methylation analyses of fetal forebrains uncovered sex-specific alterations, including partial loss of DNA methylation maintenance at imprinting control regions, and abnormal de novo DNA methylation profiles in various biological pathways (e.g., neural/brain development).
Conclusion
These findings support that alcohol-induced DNA methylation programming deviations during pre-implantation could contribute to the manifestation of neurodevelopmental phenotypes associated with FASD.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01151-0.
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