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Hodge KM, Burt AA, Camerota M, Carter BS, Check J, Conneely KN, Helderman J, Hofheimer JA, Hüls A, McGowan EC, Neal CR, Pastyrnak SL, Smith LM, DellaGrotta SA, Dansereau LM, O'Shea TM, Marsit CJ, Lester BM, Everson TM. Epigenetic associations with neonatal age in infants born very preterm, particularly among genes involved in neurodevelopment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18147. [PMID: 39103365 PMCID: PMC11300786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68071-w] [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: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The time from conception through the first year of life is the most dynamic period in human development. This time period is particularly important for infants born very preterm (< 30 weeks gestation; VPT), as they experience a significant disruption in the normal developmental trajectories and are at heightened risk of experiencing developmental impairments and delays. Variations in the epigenetic landscape during this period may reflect this disruption and shed light on the interrelationships between aging, maturation, and the epigenome. We evaluated how gestational age (GA) and age since conception in neonates [post-menstrual age (PMA)], were related to DNA methylation in buccal cells collected at NICU discharge from VPT infants (n = 538). After adjusting for confounders and applying Bonferroni correction, we identified 2,366 individual CpGs associated with GA and 14,979 individual CpGs associated with PMA, as well as multiple differentially methylated regions. Pathway enrichment analysis identified pathways involved in axonogenesis and regulation of neuron projection development, among many other growth and developmental pathways (FDR q < 0.001). Our findings align with prior work, and also identify numerous novel associations, suggesting that genes important in growth and development, particularly neurodevelopment, are subject to substantial epigenetic changes during early development among children born VPT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenyaita M Hodge
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Amber A Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Marie Camerota
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brian S Carter
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Jennifer Check
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Karen N Conneely
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer Helderman
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Julie A Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anke Hüls
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Charles R Neal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Steven L Pastyrnak
- Department of Pediatrics, Spectrum Health-Helen Devos Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Lynne M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Sheri A DellaGrotta
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lynne M Dansereau
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Tartour AI, Chivese T, Eltayeb S, Elamin FM, Fthenou E, Seed Ahmed M, Babu GR. Prenatal psychological distress and 11β-HSD2 gene expression in human placentas: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107060. [PMID: 38677195 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta acts as a buffer to regulate the degree of fetal exposure to maternal cortisol through the 11-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase isoenzyme type 2 (11-β HSD2) enzyme. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of prenatal psychological distress (PPD) on placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression and explore the related mechanistic pathways involved in fetal neurodevelopment. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo®, and ProQuest Dissertations for observational studies assessing the association between PPD and 11-β HSD2 expression in human placentas. Adjusted regression coefficients (β) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled based on three contextual PPD exposure groups: prenatal depression, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. RESULTS Of 3159 retrieved records, sixteen longitudinal studies involving 1869 participants across seven countries were included. Overall, exposure to PPD disorders showed weak negative associations with the placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression as follows: prenatal depression (β -0.01, 95% CI 0.05-0.02, I2=0%), anxiety symptoms (β -0.02, 95% CI 0.06-0.01, I2=0%), and perceived stress (β -0.01 95% CI 0.06-0.04, I2=62.8%). Third-trimester PPD exposure was more frequently associated with lower placental 11-β HSD2 levels. PPD and placental 11-β HSD2 were associated with changes in cortisol reactivity and the development of adverse health outcomes in mothers and children. Female-offspring were more vulnerable to PPD exposures. CONCLUSION The study presents evidence of a modest role of prenatal psychological distress in regulating placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression. Future prospective cohorts utilizing larger sample sizes or advanced statistical methods to enhance the detection of small effect sizes should be planned. Additionally, controlling for key predictors such as the mother's ethnicity, trimester of PPD exposure, mode of delivery, and infant sex is crucial for valid exploration of PPD effects on fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angham Ibrahim Tartour
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Tawanda Chivese
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Safa Eltayeb
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Fatima M Elamin
- Office of Research Ethics and Integrity, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Eleni Fthenou
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammed Seed Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Giridhara Rathnaiah Babu
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
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Choi MK, Cook A, Mungikar K, Eachus H, Tochwin A, Linke M, Gerber S, Ryu S. Exposure to elevated glucocorticoid during development primes altered transcriptional responses to acute stress in adulthood. iScience 2024; 27:110160. [PMID: 38989456 PMCID: PMC11233911 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is a major risk factor for developing psychiatric disorders, with glucocorticoids (GCs) implicated in mediating its effects in shaping adult phenotypes. In this process, exposure to high levels of developmental GC (hdGC) is thought to induce molecular changes that prime differential adult responses. However, identities of molecules targeted by hdGC exposure are not completely known. Here, we describe lifelong molecular consequences of hdGC exposure using a newly developed zebrafish double-hit stress model, which shows altered behaviors and stress hypersensitivity in adulthood. We identify a set of primed genes displaying altered expression only upon acute stress in hdGC-exposed adult fish brains. Interestingly, this gene set is enriched in risk factors for psychiatric disorders in humans. Lastly, we identify altered epigenetic regulatory elements following hdGC exposure. Thus, our study provides comprehensive datasets delineating potential molecular targets mediating the impact of hdGC exposure on adult responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Kyeung Choi
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, EX4 4QD Exeter, UK
| | - Alexander Cook
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kanak Mungikar
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Helen Eachus
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, EX4 4QD Exeter, UK
| | - Anna Tochwin
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, EX4 4QD Exeter, UK
| | - Matthias Linke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, EX4 4QD Exeter, UK
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Hodge KM, Zhabotynsky V, Burt AA, Carter BS, Fry RC, Helderman J, Hofheimer JA, McGowan EC, Neal CR, Pastyrnak SL, Smith LM, DellaGrotta SA, Dansereau LM, Lester BM, Marsit CJ, O'Shea TM, Everson TM. Epigenetic associations in HPA axis genes related to bronchopulmonary dysplasia and antenatal steroids. Pediatr Res 2024; 96:510-518. [PMID: 38480856 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03116-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a common morbidity among very preterm infants, is associated with chronic disease and neurodevelopmental impairments. A hypothesized mechanism for these outcomes lies in altered glucocorticoid (GC) activity. We hypothesized that BPD and its treatments may result in epigenetic differences in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is modulated by GC, and could be ascertained using an established GC risk score and DNA methylation (DNAm) of HPA axis genes. METHODS DNAm was quantified from buccal tissue (ECHO-NOVI) and from neonatal blood spots (ELGAN ECHO) via the EPIC microarray. Prenatal maternal characteristics, pregnancy complication, and neonatal medical complication data were collected from medical record review and maternal interviews. RESULTS The GC score was not associated with steroid exposure or BPD. However, six HPA genes involved in stress response regulation demonstrated differential methylation with antenatal steroid exposure; two CpGs within FKBP5 and POMC were differentially methylated with BPD severity. These findings were sex-specific in both cohorts; males had greater magnitude of differential methylation within these genes. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that BPD severity and antenatal steroids are associated with DNAm at some HPA genes in very preterm infants and the effects appear to be sex-, tissue-, and age-specific. IMPACT This study addresses bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), an important health outcome among preterm neonates, and interrogates a commonly studied pathway, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The combination of BPD, the HPA axis, and epigenetic markers has not been previously reported. In this study, we found that BPD itself was not associated with epigenetic responses in the HPA axis in infants born very preterm; however, antenatal treatment with steroids was associated with epigenetic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenyaita M Hodge
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vasyl Zhabotynsky
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amber A Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian S Carter
- Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Helderman
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Julie A Hofheimer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elisabeth C McGowan
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Charles R Neal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Steven L Pastyrnak
- Department of Pediatrics, Spectrum Health-Helen Devos Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Lynne M Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Sheri A DellaGrotta
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lynne M Dansereau
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Todd M Everson
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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5
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Zheng B, Zheng Y, Hu W, Chen Z. Dissecting the networks underlying diverse brain disorders after prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1975-1990. [PMID: 38581585 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03733-2] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
New human life begins in the uterus in a period of both extreme plasticity and sensitivity to environmental disturbances. The fetal stage is also a vital period for central nervous system development, with experiences at this point profoundly and permanently shaping brain structure and function. As such, some brain disorders may originate in utero. Glucocorticoids, a class of essential stress hormones, play indispensable roles in fetal development, but overexposure may have lasting impacts on the brain. In this review, we summarize data from recent clinical and non-clinical studies regarding alterations in fetal brains due to prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure that are associated with nervous system disorders. We discuss relevant changes to brain structure and cellular functions and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. In addition, we summarize factors that may cause differential outcomes between varying brain regions, and outline clinically feasible intervention strategies that are expected to minimize negative consequences arising from fetal glucocorticoid overexposure. Finally, we highlight the need for experimental evidence aided by new technologies to clearly determine the effects of excessive prenatal glucocorticoid exposure. This review consolidates diverse findings to help researchers better understand the relationship between the prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure and the effects it has on various fetal brain regions, promoting further development of critical intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baixiu Zheng
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanrong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Weiwei Hu
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Zhong Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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6
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Paes T, Feelders RA, Hofland LJ. Epigenetic Mechanisms Modulated by Glucocorticoids With a Focus on Cushing Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:e1424-e1433. [PMID: 38517306 PMCID: PMC11099489 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
In Cushing syndrome (CS), prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels results in a wide range of devastating effects causing multisystem morbidity. Despite the efficacy of treatment leading to disease remission and clinical improvement, hypercortisolism-induced complications may persist. Since glucocorticoids use the epigenetic machinery as a mechanism of action to modulate gene expression, the persistence of some comorbidities may be mediated by hypercortisolism-induced long-lasting epigenetic changes. Additionally, glucocorticoids influence microRNA expression, which is an important epigenetic regulator as it modulates gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Evidence suggests that chronically elevated glucocorticoid levels may induce aberrant microRNA expression which may impact several cellular processes resulting in cardiometabolic disorders. The present article reviews the evidence on epigenetic changes induced by (long-term) glucocorticoid exposure. Key aspects of some glucocorticoid-target genes and their implications in the context of CS are described. Lastly, the effects of epigenetic drugs influencing glucocorticoid effects are discussed for their ability to be potentially used as adjunctive therapy in CS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ticiana Paes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, MA, USA
| | - Richard A Feelders
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leo J Hofland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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7
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Yusupov N, Roeh S, Sotillos Elliott L, Chang S, Loganathan S, Urbina-Treviño L, Fröhlich AS, Sauer S, Ködel M, Matosin N, Czamara D, Deussing JM, Binder EB. DNA methylation patterns of FKBP5 regulatory regions in brain and blood of humanized mice and humans. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1510-1520. [PMID: 38317011 PMCID: PMC11189813 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02430-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Humanized mouse models can be used to explore human gene regulatory elements (REs), which frequently lie in non-coding and less conserved genomic regions. Epigenetic modifications of gene REs, also in the context of gene x environment interactions, have not yet been explored in humanized mouse models. We applied high-accuracy measurement of DNA methylation (DNAm) via targeted bisulfite sequencing (HAM-TBS) to investigate DNAm in three tissues/brain regions (blood, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus) of mice carrying the human FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene, an important candidate gene associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders. We explored DNAm in three functional intronic glucocorticoid-responsive elements (at introns 2, 5, and 7) of FKBP5 at baseline, in cases of differing genotype (rs1360780 single nucleotide polymorphism), and following application of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. We compared DNAm patterns in the humanized mouse (N = 58) to those in human peripheral blood (N = 447 and N = 89) and human postmortem brain prefrontal cortex (N = 86). Overall, DNAm patterns in the humanized mouse model seem to recapitulate DNAm patterns observed in human tissue. At baseline, this was to a higher extent in brain tissue. The animal model also recapitulated effects of dexamethasone on DNAm, especially in peripheral blood and to a lesser extent effects of genotype on DNAm. The humanized mouse model could thus assist in reverse translation of human findings in psychiatry that involve genetic and epigenetic regulation in non-coding elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natan Yusupov
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Sotillos Elliott
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Chang
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Srivaishnavi Loganathan
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Natalie Matosin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
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8
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Krontira AC, Cruceanu C, Dony L, Kyrousi C, Link MH, Rek N, Pöhlchen D, Raimundo C, Penner-Goeke S, Schowe A, Czamara D, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Sammallahti S, Wolford E, Heinonen K, Roeh S, Sportelli V, Wölfel B, Ködel M, Sauer S, Rex-Haffner M, Räikkönen K, Labeur M, Cappello S, Binder EB. Human cortical neurogenesis is altered via glucocorticoid-mediated regulation of ZBTB16 expression. Neuron 2024; 112:1426-1443.e11. [PMID: 38442714 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.02.005] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are important for proper organ maturation, and their levels are tightly regulated during development. Here, we use human cerebral organoids and mice to study the cell-type-specific effects of glucocorticoids on neurogenesis. We show that glucocorticoids increase a specific type of basal progenitors (co-expressing PAX6 and EOMES) that has been shown to contribute to cortical expansion in gyrified species. This effect is mediated via the transcription factor ZBTB16 and leads to increased production of neurons. A phenome-wide Mendelian randomization analysis of an enhancer variant that moderates glucocorticoid-induced ZBTB16 levels reveals causal relationships with higher educational attainment and altered brain structure. The relationship with postnatal cognition is also supported by data from a prospective pregnancy cohort study. This work provides a cellular and molecular pathway for the effects of glucocorticoids on human neurogenesis that relates to lasting postnatal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthi C Krontira
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany.
| | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden
| | - Leander Dony
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; Department for Computational Health, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany; TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Christina Kyrousi
- Developmental Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens 15784, Greece; University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute "Costas Stefanis", Athens 15601, Greece
| | - Marie-Helen Link
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Nils Rek
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Catarina Raimundo
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Signe Penner-Goeke
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Alicia Schowe
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 82152, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland; Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki 00271, Finland; Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Sara Sammallahti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Elina Wolford
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Kati Heinonen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland; Psychology/Welfare, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere 33014, Finland; Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Vincenza Sportelli
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Barbara Wölfel
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Monika Rex-Haffner
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Marta Labeur
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany
| | - Silvia Cappello
- Developmental Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany; Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich 82152, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich 80804, Germany.
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9
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Dahrendorff J, Currier G, Uddin M. Leveraging DNA methylation to predict treatment response in major depressive disorder: A critical review. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2024:e32985. [PMID: 38650309 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating and prevalent mental disorder with a high disease burden. Despite a wide array of different treatment options, many patients do not respond to initial treatment attempts. Selection of the most appropriate treatment remains a significant clinical challenge in psychiatry, highlighting the need for the development of biomarkers with predictive utility. Recently, the epigenetic modification DNA methylation (DNAm) has emerged to be of great interest as a potential predictor of MDD treatment outcomes. Here, we review efforts to date that seek to identify DNAm signatures associated with treatment response in individuals with MDD. Searches were conducted in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science with the concepts and keywords MDD, DNAm, antidepressants, psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and brain stimulation therapies. We identified 32 studies implicating DNAm patterns associated with MDD treatment outcomes. The majority of studies (N = 25) are focused on selected target genes exploring treatment outcomes in pharmacological treatments (N = 22) with a few studies assessing treatment response to electroconvulsive therapy (N = 3). Additionally, there are few genome-scale efforts (N = 7) to characterize DNAm patterns associated with treatment outcomes. There is a relative dearth of studies investigating DNAm patterns in relation to psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, or transcranial magnetic stimulation; importantly, most existing studies have limited sample sizes. Given the heterogeneity in both methods and results of studies to date, there is a need for additional studies before existing findings can inform clinical decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Dahrendorff
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Glenn Currier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Monica Uddin
- Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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10
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Cattane N, Di Benedetto MG, D'Aprile I, Riva MA, Cattaneo A. Dissecting the Long-Term Effect of Stress Early in Life on FKBP5: The Role of miR-20b-5p and miR-29c-3p. Biomolecules 2024; 14:371. [PMID: 38540789 PMCID: PMC10967956 DOI: 10.3390/biom14030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to early-life stress (ELS) has been related to an increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders later in life. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are still under investigation, glucocorticoid signaling has been proposed to be a key mediator. Here, we used two preclinical models, the prenatal stress (PNS) animal model and an in vitro model of hippocampal progenitor cells, to assess the long-term effect of ELS on FKBP5, NR3C1, NR3C2, and FoxO1, four stress-responsive genes involved in the effects of glucocorticoids. In the hippocampus of male PNS rats sacrificed at different time points during neurodevelopment (PND 21, 40, 62), we found a statistically significant up-regulation of FKBP5 at PND 40 and PND 62 and a significant increase in FoxO1 at PND 62. Interestingly, all four genes were significantly up-regulated in differentiated cells treated with cortisol during cell proliferation. As FKBP5 was consistently modulated by PNS at adolescence (PND 40) and adulthood (PND 62) and by cortisol treatment after cell differentiation, we measured a panel of miRNAs targeting FKBP5 in the same samples where FKBP5 expression levels were available. Interestingly, both miR-20b-5p and miR-29c-3p were significantly reduced in PNS-exposed animals (both at PND40 and 62) and also in the in vitro model after cortisol exposure. Our results highlight the key role of miR-20b-5p and miR-29c-3p in sustaining the long-term effects of ELS on the stress response system, representing a mechanistic link possibly contributing to the enhanced stress-related vulnerability to mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Cattane
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Di Benedetto
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilari D'Aprile
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
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11
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Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309469121. [PMID: 38442181 PMCID: PMC10945818 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309469121] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The early-life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early-life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early-life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Amanda J. Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37235
| | | | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Mercy Y. Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A. Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN46556
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
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12
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. How is prenatal stress transmitted from the mother to the fetus? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246073. [PMID: 38449331 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246073] [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] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal stress programmes long-lasting neuroendocrine and behavioural changes in the offspring. Often this programming is maladaptive and sex specific. For example, using a rat model of maternal social stress in late pregnancy, we have demonstrated that adult prenatally stressed male, but not prenatally stressed female offspring display heightened anxiety-like behaviour, whereas both sexes show hyperactive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to stress. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning dysregulated HPA axis responses, including evidence supporting a role for reduced neurosteroid-mediated GABAergic inhibitory signalling in the brains of prenatally stressed offspring. How maternal psychosocial stress is signalled from the mother to the fetuses is unclear. Direct transfer of maternal glucocorticoids to the fetuses is often considered to mediate the programming effects of maternal stress on the offspring. However, protective mechanisms including attenuated maternal stress responses and placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (which inactivates glucocorticoids) should limit materno-fetal glucocorticoid transfer during pregnancy. Moreover, a lack of correlation between maternal stress, circulating maternal glucocorticoid levels and circulating fetal glucocorticoid levels is reported in several studies and across different species. Therefore, here we interrogate the evidence for a role for maternal glucocorticoids in mediating the effects of maternal stress on the offspring and consider the evidence for alternative mechanisms, including an indirect role for glucocorticoids and the contribution of changes in the placenta in signalling the stress status of the mother to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. China
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13
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Eachus H, Ryu S. Glucocorticoid effects on the brain: from adaptive developmental plasticity to allostatic overload. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246128. [PMID: 38449327 PMCID: PMC10949071 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246128] [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] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to stress during early life may alter the developmental trajectory of an animal by a mechanism known as adaptive plasticity. For example, to enhance reproductive success in an adverse environment, it is known that animals accelerate their growth during development. However, these short-term fitness benefits are often associated with reduced longevity, a phenomenon known as the growth rate-lifespan trade-off. In humans, early life stress exposure compromises health later in life and increases disease susceptibility. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are major stress hormones implicated in these processes. This Review discusses the evidence for GC-mediated adaptive plasticity in development, leading to allostatic overload in later life. We focus on GC-induced effects on brain structure and function, including neurogenesis; highlight the need for longitudinal studies; and discuss approaches to identify molecular mechanisms mediating GC-induced alteration of the brain developmental trajectory leading to adult dysfunctions. Further understanding of how stress and GC exposure can alter developmental trajectories at the molecular and cellular level is of critical importance to reduce the burden of mental and physical ill health across the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Eachus
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
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14
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Creasey N, Leijten P, Tollenaar MS, Boks MP, Overbeek G. DNA methylation variation after a parenting program for child conduct problems: Findings from a randomized controlled trial. Child Dev 2024. [PMID: 38436454 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated associations of the Incredible Years (IY) parenting program with children's DNA methylation. Participants were 289 Dutch children aged 3-9 years (75% European ancestry, 48% female) with above-average conduct problems. Saliva was collected 2.5 years after families were randomized to IY or care as usual (CAU). Using an intention-to-treat approach, confirmatory multiple-regression analyses revealed no significant differences between the IY and CAU groups in children's methylation levels at the NR3C1 and FKBP5 genes. However, exploratory epigenome-wide analyses revealed nine differentially methylated regions between groups, coinciding with SLAMF1, MITF, FAM200B, PSD3, SNX31, and CELSR1. The study provides preliminary evidence for associations of IY with children's salivary methylation levels and highlights the need for further research into biological outcomes of parenting programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Creasey
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patty Leijten
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marco P Boks
- Institute of Psychology & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Geertjan Overbeek
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Johnston RA, Aracena KA, Barreiro LB, Lea AJ, Tung J. DNA methylation-environment interactions in the human genome. eLife 2024; 12:RP89371. [PMID: 38407202 PMCID: PMC10942648 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89371] [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] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Previously, we showed that a massively parallel reporter assay, mSTARR-seq, could be used to simultaneously test for both enhancer-like activity and DNA methylation-dependent enhancer activity for millions of loci in a single experiment (Lea et al., 2018). Here, we apply mSTARR-seq to query nearly the entire human genome, including almost all CpG sites profiled either on the commonly used Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array or via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We show that fragments containing these sites are enriched for regulatory capacity, and that methylation-dependent regulatory activity is in turn sensitive to the cellular environment. In particular, regulatory responses to interferon alpha (IFNA) stimulation are strongly attenuated by methyl marks, indicating widespread DNA methylation-environment interactions. In agreement, methylation-dependent responses to IFNA identified via mSTARR-seq predict methylation-dependent transcriptional responses to challenge with influenza virus in human macrophages. Our observations support the idea that pre-existing DNA methylation patterns can influence the response to subsequent environmental exposures-one of the tenets of biological embedding. However, we also find that, on average, sites previously associated with early life adversity are not more likely to functionally influence gene regulation than expected by chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Zoo New EnglandBostonUnited States
- Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | | | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
- Committee on Immunology, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
- Canadian Institute for Advanced ResearchTorontoCanada
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Canadian Institute for Advanced ResearchTorontoCanada
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
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16
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Coda DM, Gräff J. From cellular to fear memory: An epigenetic toolbox to remember. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102829. [PMID: 38128422 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102829] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Throughout development, the neuronal epigenome is highly sensitive to external stimuli, yet capable of safeguarding cellular memory for a lifetime. In the adult brain, memories of fearful experiences are rapidly instantiated, yet can last for decades, but the mechanisms underlying such longevity remain unknown. Here, we showcase how fear memory formation and storage - traditionally thought to exclusively affect synapse-based events - elicit profound and enduring changes to the chromatin, proposing epigenetic regulation as a plausible molecular template for mnemonic processes. By comparing these to mechanisms occurring in development and differentiation, we notice that an epigenetic machinery similar to that preserving cellular memories might be employed by brain cells so as to form, store, and retrieve behavioral memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Martino Coda
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Johannes Gräff
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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17
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Schwarze CE, von der Heiden S, Wallwiener S, Pauen S. The role of perinatal maternal symptoms of depression, anxiety and pregnancy-specific anxiety for infant's self-regulation: A prospective longitudinal study. J Affect Disord 2024; 346:144-153. [PMID: 37832733 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression are highly prevalent during pregnancy and postpartum and have the potential to impact fetal development and offspring behavior. However, research on the effects of fetal exposure to maternal subclinical affective symptoms on infant self-regulation is still lacking. Self-regulation provides a fundamental precondition for healthy development and overall life success whereas dysfunctional self-regulation can lead to behavioral problems, poor academic achievement, social rejection, and physical/mental disorders. During pregnancy and infancy, children largely depend upon their mothers in order to successfully regulate their internal states. Given the high prevalence of mothers suffering from anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after childbirth, the aim of the present study is to explore how maternal affective symptoms change during the pre- and postnatal period, and how measures obtained in pregnancy and beyond impact self-regulation in infants, as indicated by crying-, sleeping-, and/or feeding problems. METHODS This prospective longitudinal study investigates the effects of maternal symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pregnancy-specific anxiety on infant's self-regulation in N = 225 mother-infant dyads. Maternal affective symptoms were examined at five prenatal and three postnatal time-points using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Questionnaire Revised (PRAQ-R2). Infant's self-regulation was assessed twice - at the age of three and six months - using the Crying Feeding Sleeping Scale (SFS). RESULTS Maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety was the most significant predictor for infant self-regulatory problems. It predicted crying-, sleeping, and feeding problems and explained up to 18 % of the variance. Even when controlling for maternal postpartum affective symptoms, pregnancy-specific anxiety remained a significant predictor for infant self-regulation problems. LIMITATIONS Rather homogenous sample (high socioeconomic status). Data based on maternal reports of infant behavior. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that fetal exposure to maternal affective symptoms - specifically pregnancy-related anxiety - plays a substantial role in the development of infant self-regulation problems, potentially mediated by epigenetic modifications. Importantly, even though maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety only reached subclinical levels, they were predictive for infant crying-, sleeping-, and feeding problems. Our findings underline the importance of early prevention and clearly tailored interventions during pregnancy and postpartum to prevent adverse outcome for mother, child and family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia E Schwarze
- Heidelberg University, Department of Psychology, Developmental and Biological Psychology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Sina von der Heiden
- Heidelberg University, Department of Psychology, Developmental and Biological Psychology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Wallwiener
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heidelberg, Germany; University of Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Halle, Germany
| | - Sabina Pauen
- Heidelberg University, Department of Psychology, Developmental and Biological Psychology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
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18
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Best C, Mennigen JA, Gilmour KM. Exploring transcriptional and post-transcriptional epigenetic regulation of crf and 11βhsd2 in rainbow trout brain during chronic social stress. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 288:111557. [PMID: 38043640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111557] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Using dominance hierarchies in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as a model of chronic social stress in fish, we explored whether epigenetic transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms are involved in the gene expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (crf) and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βhsd2), key factors involved in the regulation of the endocrine stress axis response. In juvenile rainbow trout pairs, subordinate individuals display sustained elevation of circulating cortisol concentrations. Cortisol production is controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis in fish and initiated by CRF release from the preoptic area (POA). Given that crf is modulated during chronic social stress, and that such stress has been implicated in the epigenetic regulation of crf in other taxa, we probed a role for epigenetic regulation of crf transcript abundance in chronically stressed rainbow trout. We also investigated the regulation of the cortisol-metabolising enzyme 11βhsd2 in the POA, which is upregulated in subordinates. The potential involvement of DNA methylation and microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of crf transcript abundance was investigated during social stress in the POA of fish, as was the potential involvement of miRNAs in 11βhsd2 regulation. Although transcript abundances of crf were elevated in subordinate fish after 4 days, DNA methylation profiles within putative promoter sequences upstream of the crf gene were not significantly affected by chronic stress. An inverse relationship between crf and its predicted posttranscriptional regulator miR-103a-3p in the POA suggests that miRNAs may be involved in mediating the effects of chronic social stress on key components of the endocrine stress axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Best
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Jan A Mennigen
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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19
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Stańczykiewicz B, Bogudzińska B, Kowalski K, Misiak B. The association between depression and the cortisol awakening response is moderated by loneliness in men from a non-clinical sample. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 160:106924. [PMID: 38086318 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/02/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies investigating cortisol levels in people with depression or depressive symptoms have provided mixed findings. It has been suggested that the difficulty to generalize findings across studies in this field might be related to interindividual variability in experiencing depressive symptoms in terms of clinical and social contexts. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to test the association of morning cortisol levels and depressive symptoms in a non-clinical sample of young men taking into consideration the level of perceived loneliness. We hypothesized that the level of loneliness might moderate the association between morning cortisol levels and depressive symptoms. A total of 102 participants (aged 29.9 ± 5.0 years) completed questionnaires measuring the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and loneliness. Cortisol levels were determined in four morning samples of saliva. There were significant positive correlations of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and the mean increase in cortisol levels during the measurement period (MnInc) with the levels of depressive symptoms and loneliness. Moreover, a significant association of the depressive symptoms by loneliness interaction with the CAR and the MnInc was found. Specifically, the correlation of depressive symptoms with the CAR and the MnInc appeared to be significant and negative at high levels of loneliness. No significant association between depressive symptoms and the CAR was observed in men with low levels of loneliness. There were no significant associations of depressive symptoms, loneliness and the depressive symptoms by loneliness interaction with cortisol levels at awakening. In conclusion, findings from the present study indicate the importance of social contexts in understanding the association between altered activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and depressive symptoms in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Stańczykiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Consultation Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Bogna Bogudzińska
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kowalski
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Consultation Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Błażej Misiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
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20
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Arcego DM, Buschdorf JP, O'Toole N, Wang Z, Barth B, Pokhvisneva I, Rayan NA, Patel S, de Mendonça Filho EJ, Lee P, Tan J, Koh MX, Sim CM, Parent C, de Lima RMS, Clappison A, O'Donnell KJ, Dalmaz C, Arloth J, Provençal N, Binder EB, Diorio J, Silveira PP, Meaney MJ. A Glucocorticoid-Sensitive Hippocampal Gene Network Moderates the Impact of Early-Life Adversity on Mental Health Outcomes. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:48-61. [PMID: 37406925 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early stress increases the risk for psychiatric disorders. Glucocorticoids are stress mediators that regulate transcriptional activity and morphology in the hippocampus, which is implicated in the pathophysiology of multiple psychiatric conditions. We aimed to establish the relevance of hippocampal glucocorticoid-induced transcriptional activity as a mediator of the effects of early life on later psychopathology in humans. METHODS RNA sequencing was performed with anterior and posterior hippocampal dentate gyrus from adult female macaques (n = 12/group) that were chronically treated with betamethasone (glucocorticoid receptor agonist) or vehicle. Coexpression network analysis identified a preserved gene network in the posterior hippocampal dentate gyrus that was strongly associated with glucocorticoid exposure. The single nucleotide polymorphisms in the genes in this network were used to create an expression-based polygenic score in humans. RESULTS The expression-based polygenic score significantly moderated the association between early adversity and psychotic disorders in adulthood (UK Biobank, women, n = 44,519) and on child peer relations (ALSPAC [Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children], girls, n = 1666 for 9-year-olds and n = 1594 for 11-year-olds), an endophenotype for later psychosis. Analyses revealed that this network was enriched for glucocorticoid-induced epigenetic remodeling in human hippocampal cells. We also found a significant association between single nucleotide polymorphisms from the expression-based polygenic score and adult brain gray matter density. CONCLUSIONS We provide an approach for the use of transcriptomic data from animal models together with human data to study the impact of environmental influences on mental health. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that hippocampal glucocorticoid-related transcriptional activity mediates the effects of early adversity on neural mechanisms implicated in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danusa Mar Arcego
- Douglas Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Jan-Paul Buschdorf
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Nicholas O'Toole
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Zihan Wang
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Barbara Barth
- Douglas Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Irina Pokhvisneva
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Sachin Patel
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Patrick Lee
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jennifer Tan
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ming Xuan Koh
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Chu Ming Sim
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Carine Parent
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Clappison
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Carla Dalmaz
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Janine Arloth
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nadine Provençal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Josie Diorio
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patrícia Pelufo Silveira
- Douglas Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Douglas Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Brain Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore
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21
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Dias BG. Legacies of salient environmental experiences-insights from chemosensation. Chem Senses 2024; 49:bjae002. [PMID: 38219073 PMCID: PMC10825851 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence for parental environments profoundly influencing the physiology, biology, and neurobiology of future generations has been accumulating in the literature. Recent efforts to understand this phenomenon and its underlying mechanisms have sought to use species like rodents and insects to model multi-generational legacies of parental experiences like stress and nutritional exposures. From these studies, we have come to appreciate that parental exposure to salient environmental experiences impacts the cadence of brain development, hormonal responses to stress, and the expression of genes that govern cellular responses to stress in offspring. Recent studies using chemosensory exposure have emerged as a powerful tool to shed new light on how future generations come to be influenced by environments to which parents are exposed. With a specific focus on studies that have leveraged such use of salient chemosensory experiences, this review synthesizes our current understanding of the concept, causes, and consequences of the inheritance of chemosensory legacies by future generations and how this field of inquiry informs the larger picture of how parental experiences can influence offspring biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian G Dias
- Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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22
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de Kloet ER, Joëls M. The cortisol switch between vulnerability and resilience. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:20-34. [PMID: 36599967 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In concert with neuropeptides and transmitters, the end products of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone (CORT), promote resilience: i.e., the ability to cope with threats, adversity, and trauma. To exert this protective action, CORT activates mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) that operate in a complementary manner -as an on/off switch- to coordinate circadian events, stress-coping, and adaptation. The evolutionary older limbic MR facilitates contextual memory retrieval and supports an on-switch in the selection of stress-coping styles at a low cost. The rise in circulating CORT concentration after stress subsequently activates a GR-mediated off-switch underlying recovery of homeostasis by providing the energy for restraining the primary stress reactions and promoting cognitive control over emotional reactivity. GR activation facilitates contextual memory storage of the experience to enable future stress-coping. Such complementary MR-GR-mediated actions involve rapid non-genomic and slower gene-mediated mechanisms; they are time-dependent, conditional, and sexually dimorphic, and depend on genetic background and prior experience. If coping fails, GR activation impairs cognitive control and promotes emotional arousal which eventually may compromise resilience. Such breakdown of resilience involves a transition to a chronic stress construct, where information processing is crashed; it leads to an imbalanced MR-GR switch and hence increased vulnerability. Novel MR-GR modulators are becoming available that may reset a dysregulated stress response system to reinstate the cognitive flexibility required for resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ronald de Kloet
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden/Amsterdam Center of Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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23
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Johnston RA, Aracena KA, Barreiro LB, Lea AJ, Tung J. DNA methylation-environment interactions in the human genome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.541437. [PMID: 37293015 PMCID: PMC10245841 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.541437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Previously we showed that a massively parallel reporter assay, mSTARR-seq, could be used to simultaneously test for both enhancer-like activity and DNA methylation-dependent enhancer activity for millions of loci in a single experiment (Lea et al., 2018). Here we apply mSTARR-seq to query nearly the entire human genome, including almost all CpG sites profiled either on the commonly used Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array or via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We show that fragments containing these sites are enriched for regulatory capacity, and that methylation-dependent regulatory activity is in turn sensitive to the cellular environment. In particular, regulatory responses to interferon alpha (IFNA) stimulation are strongly attenuated by methyl marks, indicating widespread DNA methylation-environment interactions. In agreement, methylation-dependent responses to IFNA identified via mSTARR-seq predict methylation-dependent transcriptional responses to challenge with influenza virus in human macrophages. Our observations support the idea that pre-existing DNA methylation patterns can influence the response to subsequent environmental exposures-one of the tenets of biological embedding. However, we also find that, on average, sites previously associated with early life adversity are not more likely to functionally influence gene regulation than expected by chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Zoo New England, Boston, MA 02121, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1Z8
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1Z8
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
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24
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de Kloet ER. Glucocorticoid feedback paradox: a homage to Mary Dallman. Stress 2023; 26:2247090. [PMID: 37589046 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2247090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As the end product of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone coordinate circadian activities, stress-coping, and adaptation to change. For this purpose, the hormone promotes energy metabolism and controls defense reactions in the body and brain. This life-sustaining action exerted by glucocorticoids occurs in concert with the autonomic nervous and immune systems, transmitters, growth factors/cytokines, and neuropeptides. The current contribution will focus on the glucocorticoid feedback paradox in the HPA-axis: the phenomenon that stress responsivity remains resilient if preceded by stress-induced secretion of glucocorticoid hormone, but not if this hormone is previously administered. Furthermore, in animal studies, the mixed progesterone/glucocorticoid antagonist RU486 or mifepristone switches to an apparent partial agonist upon repeated administration. To address these enigmas several interesting phenomena are highlighted. These include the conditional nature of the excitation/inhibition balance in feedback regulation, the role of glucose as a determinant of stress responsivity, and the potential of glucocorticoids in resetting the stress response system. The analysis of the feedback paradox provides also a golden opportunity to review the progress in understanding the role of glucocorticoid hormone in resilience and vulnerability during stress, the science that was burned deeply in Mary Dallman's emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edo Ronald de Kloet
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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25
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Borsini A, Giacobbe J, Mandal G, Boldrini M. Acute and long-term effects of adolescence stress exposure on rodent adult hippocampal neurogenesis, cognition, and behaviour. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4124-4137. [PMID: 37612364 PMCID: PMC10827658 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02229-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence represents a critical period for brain and behavioural health and characterised by the onset of mood, psychotic and anxiety disorders. In rodents, neurogenesis is very active during adolescence, when is particularly vulnerable to stress. Whether stress-related neurogenesis changes influence adolescence onset of psychiatric symptoms remains largely unknown. A systematic review was conducted on studies investigating changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions, and behaviour, occurring after adolescence stress exposure in mice both acutely (at post-natal days 21-65) and in adulthood. A total of 37 studies were identified in the literature. Seven studies showed reduced hippocampal cell proliferation, and out of those two reported increased depressive-like behaviours, in adolescent rodents exposed to stress. Three studies reported a reduction in the number of new-born neurons, which however were not associated with changes in cognition or behaviour. Sixteen studies showed acutely reduced hippocampal neuroplasticity, including pre- and post-synaptic plasticity markers, dendritic spine length and density, and long-term potentiation after stress exposure. Cognitive impairments and depressive-like behaviours were reported by 11 of the 16 studies. Among studies who looked at adolescence stress exposure effects into adulthood, seven showed that the negative effects of stress observed during adolescence on either cell proliferation or hippocampal neuroplasticity, cognitive deficits and depressive-like behaviour, had variable impact in adulthood. Treating adolescent mice with antidepressants, glutamate receptor inhibitors, glucocorticoid antagonists, or healthy diet enriched in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A, prevented or reversed those detrimental changes. Future research should investigate the translational value of these preclinical findings. Developing novel tools for measuring hippocampal neurogenesis in live humans, would allow assessing neurogenic changes following stress exposure, investigating relationships with psychiatric symptom onset, and identifying effects of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Borsini
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Juliette Giacobbe
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Gargi Mandal
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Maura Boldrini
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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26
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Jiao Y, Shi C, Sun Y. The use of Xuanbai Chengqi decoction on monkeypox disease through the estrone-target AR interaction. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1234817. [PMID: 37808322 PMCID: PMC10553791 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1234817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction After COVID-19, there was an outbreak of a new infectious disease caused by monkeypox virus. So far, no specific drug has been found to treat it. Xuanbai Chengqi decoction (XBCQD) has shown effects against a variety of viruses in China. Methods We searched for the active compounds and potential targets for XBCQD from multiple open databases and literature. Monkeypox related targets were searched out from the OMIM and GeneCards databases. After determining the assumed targets of XBCQD for monkeypox treatment, we built the PPI network and used R for GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. The interactions between the active compounds and the hub targets were investigated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Results In total, 5 active compounds and 10 hub targets of XBCQD were screened out. GO enrichment and KEGG analysis demonstrated that XBCQD plays a therapeutic role in monkeypox mainly by regulating signaling pathways related to viral infection and inflammatory response. The main active compound estrone binding to target AR was confirmed to be the best therapy choice for monkeypox. Discussion This study systematically explored the interactions between the bioactive compounds of XBCQD and the monkeypox-specific XBCQD targets using network pharmacological methods, bioinformatics analyses and molecular simulations, suggesting that XBCQD could have a beneficial therapeutic effect on monkeypox by reducing the inflammatory damage and viral replication via multiple pathways. The use of XBCQD on monkeypox disease was confirmed to be best worked through the estrone-target AR interaction. Our work could provide evidence and guidance for further research on the treatment of monkeypox disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Jiao
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China
| | - Chengcheng Shi
- School of Science/State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China
| | - Yao Sun
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China
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27
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Walton E, Baltramonaityte V, Calhoun V, Heijmans BT, Thompson PM, Cecil CAM. A systematic review of neuroimaging epigenetic research: calling for an increased focus on development. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2839-2847. [PMID: 37185958 PMCID: PMC10615743 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02067-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), have gained increasing attention as potential biomarkers and mechanisms underlying risk for neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and other brain-based disorders. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the extent to which DNAm is linked to individual differences in the brain itself, and how these associations may unfold across development - a time of life when many of these disorders emerge. Here, we systematically review evidence from the nascent field of Neuroimaging Epigenetics, combining structural or functional neuroimaging measures with DNAm, and the extent to which the developmental period (birth to adolescence) is represented in these studies. We identified 111 articles published between 2011-2021, out of which only a minority (21%) included samples under 18 years of age. Most studies were cross-sectional (85%), employed a candidate-gene approach (67%), and examined DNAm-brain associations in the context of health and behavioral outcomes (75%). Nearly half incorporated genetic data, and a fourth investigated environmental influences. Overall, studies support a link between peripheral DNAm and brain imaging measures, but there is little consistency in specific findings and it remains unclear whether DNAm markers present a cause, correlate or consequence of brain alterations. Overall, there is large heterogeneity in sample characteristics, peripheral tissue and brain outcome examined as well as the methods used. Sample sizes were generally low to moderate (median nall = 98, ndevelopmental = 80), and attempts at replication or meta-analysis were rare. Based on the strengths and weaknesses of existing studies, we propose three recommendations on how advance the field of Neuroimaging Epigenetics. We advocate for: (1) a greater focus on developmentally oriented research (i.e. pre-birth to adolescence); (2) the analysis of large, prospective, pediatric cohorts with repeated measures of DNAm and imaging to assess directionality; and (3) collaborative, interdisciplinary science to identify robust signals, triangulate findings and enhance translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Walton
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | | | - Vince Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bastiaan T Heijmans
- Molecular Epidemiology, Dept. of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging & Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Molecular Epidemiology, Dept. of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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28
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Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.05.542485. [PMID: 37333311 PMCID: PMC10274726 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.542485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The early life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early life effects on fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, USA
| | - Rachel A Johnston
- Zoo New England, Stoneham, Massachusetts, 02180
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142
| | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Mercy Y Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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29
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Gaylord A, Cohen A, Kupsco A. Biomarkers of aging through the life course: A Recent Literature Update. CURRENT OPINION IN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 2:7-17. [PMID: 38130910 PMCID: PMC10732539 DOI: 10.1097/pxh.0000000000000018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of review The development of biomarkers of aging has greatly advanced epidemiological studies of aging processes. However, much debate remains on the timing of aging onset and the causal relevance of these biomarkers. In this review, we discuss the most recent biomarkers of aging that have been applied across the life course. Recent findings The most recently developed aging biomarkers that have been applied across the life course can be designated into three categories: epigenetic clocks, epigenetic markers of chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial DNA copy number. While these have been applied at different life stages, the development, validation, and application of these markers has been largely centered on populations of older adults. Few studies have examined trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. As the wealth of molecular and biochemical data increases, emerging biomarkers may be able to capture complex and system-specific aging processes. Recently developed biomarkers include novel epigenetic clocks; clocks based on ribosomal DNA, transcriptomic profiles, proteomics, metabolomics, and inflammatory markers; clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential gene mutations; and multi-omics approaches. Summary Attention should be placed on aging at early and middle life stages to better understand trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. Additionally, novel biomarkers will provide greater insight into aging processes. The specific mechanisms of aging reflected by these biomarkers should be considered when interpreting results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Gaylord
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alan Cohen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- PRIMUS Research Group, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Research Center on Aging and Research Center of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Allison Kupsco
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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30
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Antoniou G, Lambourg E, Steele JD, Colvin LA. The effect of adverse childhood experiences on chronic pain and major depression in adulthood: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Anaesth 2023; 130:729-746. [PMID: 37087334 PMCID: PMC10251130 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences have been linked to increased multimorbidity, with physical and mental health consequences throughout life. Chronic pain is often associated with mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD); both have been linked to adverse childhood experiences. It is unclear how the effect of adverse childhood experiences on neural processing impacts on vulnerability to chronic pain, MDD, or both, and whether there are shared mechanisms. We aimed to assess evidence for central neural changes associated with adverse childhood experiences in subjects with chronic pain, MDD, or both using systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS Electronic databases were systematically searched for neuroimaging studies of adverse childhood experiences, with chronic pain, MDD, or both. Two independent reviewers screened title, abstracts, and full text, and assessed quality. After extraction of neuroimaging data, activation likelihood estimate meta-analysis was performed to identify significant brain regions associated with these comorbidities. RESULTS Forty-nine of 2414 studies were eligible, of which 43 investigated adverse childhood experiences and MDD and six investigated adverse childhood experiences and chronic pain. None investigated adverse childhood experiences, chronic pain, and MDD together. Functional and structural brain abnormalities were identified in the superior frontal, lingual gyrus, hippocampus, insula, putamen, superior temporal, inferior temporal gyrus, and anterior cerebellum in patients with MDD exposed to adverse childhood experiences. In addition, brain function abnormalities were identified for patients with MDD or chronic pain and exposure to adverse childhood experiences in the cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and precuneus in task-based functional MRI studies. CONCLUSIONS We found that adverse childhood experiences exposure can result in different functional and structural brain alterations in adults with MDD or chronic pain compared with those without adverse childhood experiences. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL PROSPERO CRD42021233989.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Antoniou
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
| | - Emilie Lambourg
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - J Douglas Steele
- Division of Imaging Science and Technology, Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Lesley A Colvin
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
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31
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Buss C, Genuneit J. How Many Are Too Much? Clinical and Epidemiological Considerations for the Era of Poly-Pre- and Postnatal Exposures Relevant for the Developing Brain. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:861-863. [PMID: 35953318 PMCID: PMC9790042 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Buss
- German Center for Child and Youth Health, Germany; Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California.
| | - Jon Genuneit
- German Center for Child and Youth Health, Germany; Pediatric Epidemiology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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32
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Zannas AS. Molecular integrators of stress and aging: the example of FKBP5. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:713-715. [PMID: 37020089 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02572-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S Zannas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, 438 Taylor Hall, 109 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7096, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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33
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Matosin N, Arloth J, Czamara D, Edmond KZ, Maitra M, Fröhlich AS, Martinelli S, Kaul D, Bartlett R, Curry AR, Gassen NC, Hafner K, Müller NS, Worf K, Rehawi G, Nagy C, Halldorsdottir T, Cruceanu C, Gagliardi M, Gerstner N, Ködel M, Murek V, Ziller MJ, Scarr E, Tao R, Jaffe AE, Arzberger T, Falkai P, Kleinmann JE, Weinberger DR, Mechawar N, Schmitt A, Dean B, Turecki G, Hyde TM, Binder EB. Associations of psychiatric disease and ageing with FKBP5 expression converge on superficial layer neurons of the neocortex. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:439-459. [PMID: 36729133 PMCID: PMC10020280 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Identification and characterisation of novel targets for treatment is a priority in the field of psychiatry. FKBP5 is a gene with decades of evidence suggesting its pathogenic role in a subset of psychiatric patients, with potential to be leveraged as a therapeutic target for these individuals. While it is widely reported that FKBP5/FKBP51 mRNA/protein (FKBP5/1) expression is impacted by psychiatric disease state, risk genotype and age, it is not known in which cell types and sub-anatomical areas of the human brain this occurs. This knowledge is critical to propel FKBP5/1-targeted treatment development. Here, we performed an extensive, large-scale postmortem study (n = 1024) of FKBP5/1, examining neocortical areas (BA9, BA11 and ventral BA24/BA24a) derived from subjects that lived with schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder. With an extensive battery of RNA (bulk RNA sequencing, single-nucleus RNA sequencing, microarray, qPCR, RNAscope) and protein (immunoblot, immunohistochemistry) analysis approaches, we thoroughly investigated the effects of disease state, ageing and genotype on cortical FKBP5/1 expression including in a cell type-specific manner. We identified consistently heightened FKBP5/1 levels in psychopathology and with age, but not genotype, with these effects strongest in schizophrenia. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq; BA9 and BA11) and targeted histology (BA9, BA24a), we established that these disease and ageing effects on FKBP5/1 expression were most pronounced in excitatory superficial layer neurons of the neocortex, and this effect appeared to be consistent in both the granular and agranular areas examined. We then found that this increase in FKBP5 levels may impact on synaptic plasticity, as FKBP5 gex levels strongly and inversely correlated with dendritic mushroom spine density and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in superficial layer neurons in BA11. These findings pinpoint a novel cellular and molecular mechanism that has potential to open a new avenue of FKBP51 drug development to treat cognitive symptoms in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Matosin
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.
| | - Janine Arloth
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Katrina Z Edmond
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Malosree Maitra
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Silvia Martinelli
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominic Kaul
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Rachael Bartlett
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Amber R Curry
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Nils C Gassen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Neurohomeostasis Research Group, Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Centre, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kathrin Hafner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikola S Müller
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Karolina Worf
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ghalia Rehawi
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miriam Gagliardi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nathalie Gerstner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Murek
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Michael J Ziller
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Synaptic Neurobiology and Cognition Laboratory, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ran Tao
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Arzberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Centre for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Joel E Kleinmann
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27), Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos 785, São Paulo, 05453-010, Brazil
| | - Brian Dean
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Synaptic Neurobiology and Cognition Laboratory, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA.
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34
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Wei J, Arber C, Wray S, Hardy J, Piers TM, Pocock JM. Human myeloid progenitor glucocorticoid receptor activation causes genomic instability, type 1 IFN- response pathway activation and senescence in differentiated microglia; an early life stress model. Glia 2023; 71:1036-1056. [PMID: 36571248 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24325] [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: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
One form of early life stress, prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs), confers a higher risk of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in later life. Increasingly, the importance of microglia in these disorders is recognized. Studies on GCs exposure during microglial development have been limited, and there are few, if any, human studies. We established an in vitro model of ELS by continuous pre-exposure of human iPS-microglia to GCs during primitive hematopoiesis (the critical stage of iPS-microglial differentiation) and then examined how this exposure affected the microglial phenotype as they differentiated and matured to microglia, using RNA-seq analyses and functional assays. The iPS-microglia predominantly expressed glucocorticoid receptors over mineralocorticoid receptors, and in particular, the GR-α splice variant. Chronic GCs exposure during primitive hematopoiesis was able to recapitulate in vivo ELS effects. Thus, pre-exposure to prolonged GCs resulted in increased type I interferon signaling, the presence of Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-positive (cGAS) micronuclei, cellular senescence and reduced proliferation in the matured iPS-microglia. The findings from this in vitro ELS model have ramifications for the responses of microglia in the pathogenesis of GC- mediated ELS-associated disorders such as schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhang Wei
- Department of Neuroinflammation, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Charles Arber
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Thomas M Piers
- Department of Neuroinflammation, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Jennifer M Pocock
- Department of Neuroinflammation, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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35
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Lin S, Ye MY, Fu QY, Pan CL, Liu YJ, Zheng LM, Hong Q, Chen YH. Cholic acid exposure during late pregnancy causes placental dysfunction and fetal growth restriction by reactive oxygen species-mediated activation of placental GCN2/eIF2α pathway. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22820. [PMID: 36801982 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202202126r] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that fetal growth restriction (FGR) caused by gestational cholestasis is associated with elevated serum cholic acid (CA). Here, we explore the mechanism by which CA induces FGR. Pregnant mice except controls were orally administered with CA daily from gestational day 13 (GD13) to GD17. Results found that CA exposure decreased fetal weight and crown-rump length, and increased the incidence of FGR in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, CA caused placental glucocorticoid (GC) barrier dysfunction via down-regulating the protein but not the mRNA level of placental 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (11β-HSD2). Additionally, CA activated placental GCN2/eIF2α pathway. GCN2iB, an inhibitor of GCN2, significantly inhibited CA-induced down-regulation of 11β-HSD2 protein. We further found that CA caused excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress in mouse placentas and human trophoblasts. NAC significantly rescued CA-induced placental barrier dysfunction by inhibiting activation of GCN2/eIF2α pathway and subsequent down-regulation of 11β-HSD2 protein in placental trophoblasts. Importantly, NAC rescued CA-induced FGR in mice. Overall, our results suggest that CA exposure during late pregnancy induces placental GC barrier dysfunction and subsequent FGR may be via ROS-mediated placental GCN2/eIF2α activation. This study provides valuable insight for understanding the mechanism of cholestasis-induced placental dysfunction and subsequent FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Meng-Ying Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qian-Yun Fu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chao-Lin Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ya-Jie Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Li-Ming Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiang Hong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuan-Hua Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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36
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Cecil CAM, Neumann A, Walton E. Epigenetics applied to child and adolescent mental health: Progress, challenges and opportunities. JCPP ADVANCES 2023; 3:jcv2.12133. [PMID: 36910008 PMCID: PMC7614304 DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epigenetic processes are fast emerging as a promising molecular system in the search for both biomarkers and mechanisms underlying human health and disease risk, including psychopathology. Methods In this review, we discuss the application of epigenetics (specifically DNA methylation) to research in child and adolescent mental health, with a focus on the use of developmentally sensitive datasets, such as prospective, population-based cohorts. We look back at lessons learned to date, highlight current developments in the field and areas of priority for future research. We also reflect on why epigenetic research on child and adolescent mental health currently lags behind other areas of epigenetic research and what we can do to overcome existing barriers. Results To move the field forward, we advocate for the need of large-scale, harmonized, collaborative efforts that explicitly account for the time-varying nature of epigenetic and mental health data across development. Conclusion We conclude with a perspective on what the future may hold in terms of translational applications as more robust signals emerge from epigenetic research on child and adolescent mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Complex Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Group, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Esther Walton
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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37
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Bassil K, Krontira AC, Leroy T, Escoto AIH, Snijders C, Pernia CD, Pasterkamp RJ, de Nijs L, van den Hove D, Kenis G, Boks MP, Vadodaria K, Daskalakis NP, Binder EB, Rutten BPF. In vitro modeling of the neurobiological effects of glucocorticoids: A review. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 23:100530. [PMID: 36891528 PMCID: PMC9986648 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA)axis dysregulation has long been implicated in stress-related disorders such as major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are released from the adrenal glands as a result of HPA-axis activation. The release of GCs is implicated with several neurobiological changes that are associated with negative consequences of chronic stress and the onset and course of psychiatric disorders. Investigating the underlying neurobiological effects of GCs may help to better understand the pathophysiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders. GCs impact a plethora of neuronal processes at the genetic, epigenetic, cellular, and molecular levels. Given the scarcity and difficulty in accessing human brain samples, 2D and 3D in vitro neuronal cultures are becoming increasingly useful in studying GC effects. In this review, we provide an overview of in vitro studies investigating the effects of GCs on key neuronal processes such as proliferation and survival of progenitor cells, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, neuronal activity, inflammation, genetic vulnerability, and epigenetic alterations. Finally, we discuss the challenges in the field and offer suggestions for improving the use of in vitro models to investigate GC effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Bassil
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Anthi C Krontira
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Leroy
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alana I H Escoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Clara Snijders
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Cameron D Pernia
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Laurence de Nijs
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Daniel van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Gunter Kenis
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Marco P Boks
- Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Krishna Vadodaria
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, San Diego, United States
| | | | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Bart P F Rutten
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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38
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Silveira PP, Meaney MJ. Examining the biological mechanisms of human mental disorders resulting from gene-environment interdependence using novel functional genomic approaches. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106008. [PMID: 36690304 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We explore how functional genomics approaches that integrate datasets from human and non-human model systems can improve our understanding of the effect of gene-environment interplay on the risk for mental disorders. We start by briefly defining the G-E paradigm and its challenges and then discuss the different levels of regulation of gene expression and the corresponding data existing in humans (genome wide genotyping, transcriptomics, DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, chromosome conformational changes, non-coding RNAs, proteomics and metabolomics), discussing novel approaches to the application of these data in the study of the origins of mental health. Finally, we discuss the multilevel integration of diverse types of data. Advance in the use of functional genomics in the context of a G-E perspective improves the detection of vulnerabilities, informing the development of preventive and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Pelufo Silveira
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore; Brain - Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore.
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39
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Marques-Feixa L, Palma-Gudiel H, Romero S, Moya-Higueras J, Rapado-Castro M, Castro-Quintas Á, Zorrilla I, José Muñoz M, Ramírez M, Mayoral M, Mas A, José Lobato M, Blasco-Fontecilla H, Fañanás L. Childhood maltreatment disrupts HPA-axis activity under basal and stress conditions in a dose-response relationship in children and adolescents. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1060-1073. [PMID: 34269169 PMCID: PMC9976019 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172100249x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigates the impact of childhood maltreatment (CM) on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis functioning and on anxiety perception. Moreover, the influence of CM severity and frequency was also explored. METHODS In total, 187 participants aged 7-17 were assessed for CM history using validated questionnaires and ad hoc interviews to be classified according to the criteria of the Tool for Assessing the Severity of Situations in which Children are Vulnerable (TASSCV). Psychopathology was ascertained using the K-SADS-PL5. To assess HPA-axis functioning, salivary cortisol samples were collected throughout a normal day and during an acute psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test for children (TSST-C). Subjective anxiety was evaluated using STAI/-C. RESULTS Youth with a CM history had higher overall diurnal cortisol levels (p = 0.001), blunted cortisol response to acute psychosocial stress (p = 0.002) and greater perceived anxiety (p = 0.003), than those without CM. Specifically, participants exposed to moderate/severe or often/frequent CM showed the greater diurnal cortisol output (pseverity = 0.002; pfrequency = 0.003), and blunted cortisol response during the TSST-C (pseverity = 0.006; pfrequency = 0.008). Meanwhile, youth with low CM severity/frequency exhibited a similar cortisol response to those without CM. However, perceived anxiety was higher in those exposed to CM (p < 0.001), regardless of its severity/frequency. CONCLUSIONS Disturbances in HPA-axis functioning are already evident early after CM exposure, while psychological and physiological responses to an acute stressor are dissociated in youth exposed to CM. The dose-response relationship described in this paper highlights the need to comprehensively evaluate CM so that vulnerable children can be identified and assigned to proper interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Marques-Feixa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Helena Palma-Gudiel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Soledad Romero
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR88, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Moya-Higueras
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Spain
| | - Marta Rapado-Castro
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Águeda Castro-Quintas
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Iñaki Zorrilla
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Santiago Apostol, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - María José Muñoz
- Hospital Benito Menni, Adolescent Crisis Unit, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Maite Ramírez
- Galdakao Mental Health Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Galdakao, Spain
| | - María Mayoral
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ariadna Mas
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR88, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María José Lobato
- Department of Psychiatry, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital-Majadahonda, Autonoma University, ITA Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital-Majadahonda, Autonoma University, ITA Mental Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lourdes Fañanás
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Institute of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain
- Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBER of Mental Health, CIBERSAM), Spain
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Lin YH, Lin CH, Lin MC, Hsu YC, Hsu CT. Antenatal Corticosteroid Exposure is Associated with Childhood Mental Disorders in Late Preterm and Term Infants. J Pediatr 2023; 253:245-251.e2. [PMID: 36202238 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.09.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To study the association between antenatal corticosteroids treatment and childhood mental disorders in infants born at different gestational ages, and to investigate the effect of different administration timing. STUDY DESIGN This population-based cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. All singleton live births born between 2004 and 2010 were enrolled and followed up for at least 6 years. The primary outcome was any childhood mental disorder. Secondary outcomes included 7 specific subgroups of mental disorders. RESULTS A total of 1 163 443 singleton infants were included in the analysis, and 16 847 (1.45%) infants were exposed to antenatal corticosteroid treatment. Children exposed to antenatal corticosteroids were found to have a higher risk of developing childhood mental disorders in the entire cohort (hazard ratio [HR], 1.13; 95% CI, 1.08-1.18), the term group (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.16), and the late-preterm group (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06-1.25). The administration of corticosteroids in the early stage of pregnancy (<28 weeks of gestation) significantly increased the risk of childhood mental disorders (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.31). CONCLUSIONS Exposure to antenatal corticosteroid treatment increases the cumulative risk of childhood mental disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, both in term and late preterm infants. The administration of corticosteroids in the early stage of pregnancy tends to increase the risk of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsuan Lin
- Children's Medical Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Heng Lin
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Lin
- Children's Medical Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Chi Hsu
- Children's Medical Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Ting Hsu
- Children's Medical Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Sathyanarayanan A, Mueller TT, Ali Moni M, Schueler K, Baune BT, Lio P, Mehta D, Baune BT, Dierssen M, Ebert B, Fabbri C, Fusar-Poli P, Gennarelli M, Harmer C, Howes OD, Janzing JGE, Lio P, Maron E, Mehta D, Minelli A, Nonell L, Pisanu C, Potier MC, Rybakowski F, Serretti A, Squassina A, Stacey D, van Westrhenen R, Xicota L. Multi-omics data integration methods and their applications in psychiatric disorders. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 69:26-46. [PMID: 36706689 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
To study mental illness and health, in the past researchers have often broken down their complexity into individual subsystems (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, clinical data) and explored the components independently. Technological advancements and decreasing costs of high throughput sequencing has led to an unprecedented increase in data generation. Furthermore, over the years it has become increasingly clear that these subsystems do not act in isolation but instead interact with each other to drive mental illness and health. Consequently, individual subsystems are now analysed jointly to promote a holistic understanding of the underlying biological complexity of health and disease. Complementing the increasing data availability, current research is geared towards developing novel methods that can efficiently combine the information rich multi-omics data to discover biologically meaningful biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. However, clinical translation of the research is still challenging. In this review, we summarise conventional and state-of-the-art statistical and machine learning approaches for discovery of biomarker, diagnosis, as well as outcome and treatment response prediction through integrating multi-omics and clinical data. In addition, we describe the role of biological model systems and in silico multi-omics model designs in clinical translation of psychiatric research from bench to bedside. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and explore the application of multi-omics integration in future psychiatric research. The review provides a structured overview and latest updates in the field of multi-omics in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Sathyanarayanan
- Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Tamara T Mueller
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Informatics in Medicine, TU Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health Data Science, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Katja Schueler
- Clinic for Psychosomatics, Hospital zum Heiligen Geist, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Frankfurt Psychoanalytic Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Australia; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Pietro Lio
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Divya Mehta
- Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia.
| | | | - Bernhard T Baune
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Australia; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bjarke Ebert
- Medical Strategy & Communication, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Chiara Fabbri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Early Psychosis: Intervention and Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, United Kingdom; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Massimo Gennarelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia; Genetics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Oliver D Howes
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging, Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Pietro Lio
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Eduard Maron
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Documental Ltd, Tallin, Estonia; West Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Divya Mehta
- Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
| | - Alessandra Minelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia; Genetics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Lara Nonell
- MARGenomics, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Claudia Pisanu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Filip Rybakowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Alessandro Serretti
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Squassina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - David Stacey
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roos van Westrhenen
- Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health and Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Xicota
- Paris Brain Institute ICM, Salpetriere Hospital, Paris, France
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Perret LC, Geoffroy MC, Barr E, Parnet F, Provencal N, Boivin M, O’Donnell KJ, Suderman M, Power C, Turecki G, Ouellet-Morin I. Associations between epigenetic aging and childhood peer victimization, depression, and suicidal ideation in adolescence and adulthood: A study of two population-based samples. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1051556. [PMID: 36712964 PMCID: PMC9879289 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1051556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Prior studies indicate that peer victimization (including bullying) is associated with higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation across the life course. However, molecular mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. This two-cohort study proposes to test whether epigenetic aging and pace of aging, as well as a DNA methylation marker of responsive to glucocorticoids, are associated to childhood peer victimization and later depressive symptoms, or suicidal ideation. Methods: Cohort 1: Epigenome-wide DNA methylation (EPIC array) was measured in saliva collected when participants were 10.47 years (standard deviation = 0.35) in a subsample of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD, n = 149 participants), with self-reported peer victimization at 6-8 years, depressive symptoms (mean symptoms, and dichotomized top 30% symptoms) and suicidal ideation at 15-17 years. Cohort 2: Epigenome-wide DNA methylation (EPIC array) was measured in blood collected from participants aged 45.13 years (standard deviation = 0.37) in a subsample of the 1958 British Birth cohort (1958BBC, n = 238 participants) with information on mother-reported peer victimization at 7-11 years, self-reported depressive symptoms at 50 years, and suicidal ideation at 45 years. Five epigenetic indices were derived: three indicators of epigenetic aging [Horvath's pan-tissue (Horvath1), Horvath's Skin-and-Blood (Horvath2), Pediatric-Buccal-Epigenetic age (PedBE)], pace of aging (DunedinPACE), and stress response reactivity (Epistress). Results: Peer victimization was not associated with the epigenetic indices in either cohort. In the QLSCD, higher PedBE epigenetic aging and a slower pace of aging as measured by DunedinPACE predicted higher depressive symptoms scores. In contrast, neither the Horvath1, or Horvath2 epigenetic age estimates, nor the Epistress score were associated with depressive symptoms in either cohort, and none of the epigenetic indices predicted suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The findings are consistent with epigenome-wide and candidate gene studies suggesting that these epigenetic indices did not relate to peer victimization, challenging the hypothesis that cumulative epigenetic aging indices could translate vulnerability to depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation following peer victimization. Since some indices of epigenetic aging and pace of aging signaled higher risk for depressive symptoms, future studies should pursue this investigation to further evaluate the robustness and generalization of these preliminary findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. C. Perret
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - M-C. Geoffroy
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - E. Barr
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - F. Parnet
- School of Criminology, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - N. Provencal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - M. Boivin
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - K. J. O’Donnell
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States,Child and Brain Development Program, CIFAR, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M. Suderman
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Bristol Population Health Science Institute, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - C. Power
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - G. Turecki
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - I. Ouellet-Morin
- School of Criminology, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: I. Ouellet-Morin,
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Wu T, Zhou K, Hua Y, Zhang W, Li Y. The molecular mechanisms in prenatal drug exposure-induced fetal programmed adult cardiovascular disease. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1164487. [PMID: 37153765 PMCID: PMC10157035 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1164487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The "developmental origins of health and disease" (DOHaD) hypothesis posits that early-life environmental exposures have a lasting impact on individual's health and permanently shape growth, structure, and metabolism. This reprogramming, which results from fetal stress, is believed to contribute to the development of adulthood cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and increased susceptibility to ischemic injuries. Recent studies have shown that prenatal exposure to drugs, such as glucocorticoids, antibiotics, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and other toxins, increases the risk of adult-onset cardiovascular diseases. In addition, observational and animal experimental studies have demonstrated the association between prenatal drug exposure and the programming of cardiovascular disease in the offspring. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are still being explored but are thought to involve metabolism dysregulation. This review summarizes the current evidence on the relationship between prenatal drug exposure and the risk of adult cardiovascular disorders. Additionally, we present the latest insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to programmed cardiovascular phenotypes after prenatal drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaiyu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yimin Hua
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Wen Zhang, ; Yifei Li,
| | - Yifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Wen Zhang, ; Yifei Li,
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Dubey H, Sharma RK, Krishnan S, Knickmeyer R. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a possible risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1021721. [PMID: 36590303 PMCID: PMC9800937 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1021721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnant women constitute one of the most vulnerable populations to be affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy could negatively impact fetal brain development via multiple mechanisms. Accumulating evidence indicates that mother to fetus transmission of SARS-CoV-2 does occur, albeit rarely. When it does occur, there is a potential for neuroinvasion via immune cells, retrograde axonal transport, and olfactory bulb and lymphatic pathways. In the absence of maternal to fetal transmission, there is still the potential for negative neurodevelopmental outcomes as a consequence of disrupted placental development and function leading to preeclampsia, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction. In addition, maternal immune activation may lead to hypomyelination, microglial activation, white matter damage, and reduced neurogenesis in the developing fetus. Moreover, maternal immune activation can disrupt the maternal or fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leading to altered neurodevelopment. Finally, pro-inflammatory cytokines can potentially alter epigenetic processes within the developing brain. In this review, we address each of these potential mechanisms. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 could lead to neurodevelopmental disorders in a subset of pregnant women and that long-term studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikesh Dubey
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ravindra K. Sharma
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Suraj Krishnan
- Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca Knickmeyer
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,*Correspondence: Rebecca Knickmeyer,
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Vetrovoy O, Stratilov V, Lomert E, Tyulkova E. Prenatal Hypoxia-Induced Adverse Reaction to Mild Stress is Associated with Depressive-Like Changes in the Glucocorticoid System of Rats. Neurochem Res 2022; 48:1455-1467. [PMID: 36495386 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The effects of prenatal hypoxia on neurodevelopment are predominantly associated with impaired maternal glucocorticoid stimulation of the fetus, which is "imprinted" in altered sensitivity of glucocorticoid reception in brain structures of offspring and can affect brain plasticity during lifespan. This study aimed to investigate response of the brain glucocorticoid system to mild stress (MS) in adult rats that survived prenatal severe hypoxia (PSH) on embryonic days 14-16. In response to MS the control (but not PSH) rats demonstrate increased corticosterone levels, a decrease in exploratory activity and increased anxiety. In the raphe nuclei of adult PSH rats the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) is increased without changes in serotonin levels in comparison with the control. MS induces a decrease in GR expression accompanied by up-regulation of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (tph2) and down-regulation of monoamine oxidase A (maoa) transcription in the raphe nuclei of both control and PSH groups. PSH also causes significant deviations in GR expression and GR-dependent transcription in the hippocampus, the medial prefrontal cortex, but not in the amygdala of rats. However, in response to MS, PSH rats demonstrate mild changes in their activity, while in control animals the MS-induced activity of the glucocorticoid system in these brain structures is similar to intact PSH animals. Impaired activity of the glucocorticoid system in the extrahypothalamic brain structures of PSH rats is accompanied by increase in the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) levels in comparison with the control regardless of MS. Synthesis of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the blood are decreased in response to MS in the pituitary of control rats, which demonstrates a negative glucocorticoid feedback mechanism. Meanwhile, in the pituitary of PSH rats reduced POMC levels were found regardless of MS. Thus, prenatal hypoxia causes depression-like patterns in the brain glucocorticoid system with adverse reaction to mild stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Vetrovoy
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, 199034, Saint- Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Viktor Stratilov
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Lomert
- Group of Molecular Genetics of Tumor Cells, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tihoretsky Pr. 4, 194064, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Tyulkova
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb. 6, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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Bassil K, De Nijs L, Rutten BPF, Van Den Hove DLA, Kenis G. In vitro modeling of glucocorticoid mechanisms in stress-related mental disorders: Current challenges and future perspectives. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1046357. [DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1046357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, in vitro models has been attracting a great deal of attention for the investigation of a number of mechanisms underlying neurological and mental disorders, including stress-related disorders, for which human brain material has rarely been available. Neuronal cultures have been extensively used to investigate the neurobiological effects of stress hormones, in particular glucocorticoids. Despite great advancements in this area, several challenges and limitations of studies attempting to model and investigate stress-related mechanisms in vitro exist. Such experiments often come along with non-standardized definitions stress paradigms in vitro, variations in cell models and cell types investigated, protocols with differing glucocorticoid concentrations and exposure times, and variability in the assessment of glucocorticoid-induced phenotypes, among others. Hence, drawing consensus conclusions from in-vitro stress studies is challenging. Addressing these limitations and aligning methodological aspects will be the first step towards an improved and standardized way of conducting in vitro studies into stress-related disorders, and is indispensable to reach the full potential of in vitro neuronal models. Here, we consider the most important challenges that need to be overcome and provide initial guidelines to achieve improved use of in vitro neuronal models for investigating mechanisms underlying the development of stress-related mental disorders.
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Neurological implications of antenatal corticosteroids on late preterm and term infants: a scoping review. Pediatr Res 2022; 92:1225-1239. [PMID: 35681094 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02135-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to synthesize the body of knowledge on the association between ACS exposure for risk of preterm birth and brain development in infants ultimately born late preterm and term. Three databases and eight conference proceedings were systematically searched (1972-2021). Selection criteria included ACS administration for risk of preterm delivery, cohort of late preterm and term infants, and assessment of brain development. Data on study characteristics, ACS administration, and neurological outcomes were extracted and qualitatively synthesized according to themes. Neurological outcomes of the included studies (n = 27) were grouped into four themes. The most common adverse outcomes were reduced neonatal head circumference, structural cortical differences on MRI, increased prevalence of psychiatric problems, and increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays in ACS-exposed late preterm and term infants. Our scoping review demonstrated that ACS exposure for risk of preterm delivery may have important neurological implications in infants ultimately born late preterm and term. Given that the existing research is at serious risk for bias, further research that accounts for confounders such as preterm labor, maternal stress, and the number of ACS courses is needed to better establish the long-term neurological effects of ACS on late preterm and term infants. IMPACT: Due to the difficulty in predicting preterm birth, approximately 40% of fetuses exposed to antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are born at term (≥37 weeks' gestation). This scoping review summarizes the knowledge on the association between ACS exposure for risk of preterm birth and brain development in late preterm and term infants. The majority of studies reported that ACS exposure was associated with adverse brain development outcomes across various domains, such as reduced neonatal head circumference, cortical differences on MRI, and increased prevalence of psychiatric problems and neurodevelopmental delays in late preterm and term infants.
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Seah C, Breen MS, Rusielewicz T, Bader HN, Xu C, Hunter CJ, McCarthy B, Deans PJM, Chattopadhyay M, Goldberg J, Desarnaud F, Makotkine I, Flory JD, Bierer LM, Staniskyte M, Noggle SA, Huckins LM, Paull D, Brennand KJ, Yehuda R. Modeling gene × environment interactions in PTSD using human neurons reveals diagnosis-specific glucocorticoid-induced gene expression. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1434-1445. [PMID: 36266471 PMCID: PMC9630117 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following severe trauma, but the extent to which genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to individual clinical outcomes is unknown. Here, we compared transcriptional responses to hydrocortisone exposure in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived glutamatergic neurons and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from combat veterans with PTSD (n = 19 hiPSC and n = 20 PBMC donors) and controls (n = 20 hiPSC and n = 20 PBMC donors). In neurons only, we observed diagnosis-specific glucocorticoid-induced changes in gene expression corresponding with PTSD-specific transcriptomic patterns found in human postmortem brains. We observed glucocorticoid hypersensitivity in PTSD neurons, and identified genes that contribute to this PTSD-dependent glucocorticoid response. We find evidence of a coregulated network of transcription factors that mediates glucocorticoid hyper-responsivity in PTSD. These findings suggest that induced neurons represent a platform for examining the molecular mechanisms underlying PTSD, identifying biomarkers of stress response, and conducting drug screening to identify new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Seah
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael S Breen
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tom Rusielewicz
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather N Bader
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Changxin Xu
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Barry McCarthy
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - P J Michael Deans
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mitali Chattopadhyay
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Goldberg
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frank Desarnaud
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iouri Makotkine
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janine D Flory
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Linda M Bierer
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Migle Staniskyte
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott A Noggle
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura M Huckins
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel Paull
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Womersley JS, Roeh S, Martin L, Ahmed-Leitao F, Sauer S, Rex-Haffner M, Hemmings SMJ, Binder EB, Seedat S. FKBP5 intron 7 methylation is associated with higher anxiety proneness and smaller right thalamus volume in adolescents. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2809-2820. [PMID: 36197505 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02577-9] [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: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of stress response systems may mediate the detrimental effects of childhood trauma (CT) on mental health. FKBP5 regulates glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and exerts pleiotropic effects on intracellular signaling, neurobiology and behavior. We investigated whether CT, alone and in combination with rs1360780 genotype, is associated with altered FKBP5 methylation and whether CT-associated methylation profiles are associated with anxiety proneness (AP) and structural brain volumes. Ninety-four adolescents completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and a composite AP score was generated from the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait measure. Mean methylation values for 12 regulatory regions and 25 individual CpG sites were determined using high-accuracy measurement via targeted bisulfite sequencing. FKBP5 rs1360780 genotype and structural MRI data were available for a subset of participants (n = 71 and n = 75, respectively). Regression models revealed an inverse association between methylation of three intron 7 CpG sites (35558438, 35558566 and 35558710) and right thalamus volume. CpG35558438 methylation was positively associated with AP scores. Our data indicate that an intron 7 methylation profile, consistent with lower FKBP5 expression and elevated high sensitivity glucocorticoid receptor levels, is associated with higher AP and smaller right thalamus volume. Research into the mechanisms underlying the intron 7 methylation-thalamus volume relationship, and whether it confers increased risk for long-term psychopathology by altering the regulatory threshold of stress responding, is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline S Womersley
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. .,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. .,Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lindi Martin
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Fatima Ahmed-Leitao
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Monika Rex-Haffner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Sian M J Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Soraya Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council/Stellenbosch University Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) in PTSD, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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50
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Fernandes V, Preeti K, Sood A, Nair KP, Khan S, Rao BSS, Khatri DK, Singh SB. Neuroepigenetic Changes in DNA Methylation Affecting Diabetes-Induced Cognitive Impairment. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2022:10.1007/s10571-022-01278-5. [PMID: 36138280 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01278-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Chronic diabetic conditions have been associated with certain cerebral complications, that include neurobehavioral dysfunctional patterns and morphological alterations of neurons, especially the hippocampus. Neuroanatomical studies done by the authors have shown decreased total dendritic length, intersections, dendritic length per branch order and nodes in the CA1 hippocampal region of the diabetic brain as compared to its normal control group, indicating reduced dendritic arborization of the hippocampal CA1 neurons. Epigenetic alterations in the brain are well known to affect age-associated disorders, however its association with the evolving diabetes-induced damage in the brain is still not fully understood. DNA hypermethylation within the neurons, tend to silent the gene expression of several regulatory proteins. The findings in the study have shown an increase in global DNA methylation in palmitic acid-induced lipotoxic Neuro-2a cells as well as within the diabetic mice brain. Inhibiting DNA methylation, restored the levels of HSF1 and certain HSPs, suggesting plausible effect of DNMTs in maintaining the proteostasis and synaptic fidelity. Neuroinflammation, as exhibited by the astrocyte activation (GFAP), were further significantly decreased in the 5-azadeoxycytidine group (DNMT inhibitor). This was further evidenced by decrease in proinflammatory cytokines TNF⍺, IL-6, and mediators iNOS and Phospho-NFkB. Our results suggest that changes in DNA methylation advocate epigenetic dysregulation and its involvement in disrupting the synaptic exactitude in the hippocampus of diabetic mice model, providing an insight into the pathophysiology of diabetes-induced neuroepigenetic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valencia Fernandes
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Kumari Preeti
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Anika Sood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Kala P Nair
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560029, India
| | - Sabiya Khan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - B S Shankaranarayana Rao
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560029, India
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Khatri
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India.
| | - Shashi Bala Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India.
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