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Geleta U, Prajapati P, Bachstetter A, Nelson PT, Wang WX. Sex-Biased Expression and Response of microRNAs in Neurological Diseases and Neurotrauma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2648. [PMID: 38473893 PMCID: PMC10931569 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052648] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurological diseases and neurotrauma manifest significant sex differences in prevalence, progression, outcome, and therapeutic responses. Genetic predisposition, sex hormones, inflammation, and environmental exposures are among many physiological and pathological factors that impact the sex disparity in neurological diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a powerful class of gene expression regulator that are extensively involved in mediating biological pathways. Emerging evidence demonstrates that miRNAs play a crucial role in the sex dimorphism observed in various human diseases, including neurological diseases. Understanding the sex differences in miRNA expression and response is believed to have important implications for assessing the risk of neurological disease, defining therapeutic intervention strategies, and advancing both basic research and clinical investigations. However, there is limited research exploring the extent to which miRNAs contribute to the sex disparities observed in various neurological diseases. Here, we review the current state of knowledge related to the sexual dimorphism in miRNAs in neurological diseases and neurotrauma research. We also discuss how sex chromosomes may contribute to the miRNA sexual dimorphism phenomenon. We attempt to emphasize the significance of sexual dimorphism in miRNA biology in human diseases and to advocate a gender/sex-balanced science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urim Geleta
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (U.G.); (P.P.); (A.B.); (P.T.N.)
| | - Paresh Prajapati
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (U.G.); (P.P.); (A.B.); (P.T.N.)
| | - Adam Bachstetter
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (U.G.); (P.P.); (A.B.); (P.T.N.)
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Peter T. Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (U.G.); (P.P.); (A.B.); (P.T.N.)
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Wang-Xia Wang
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; (U.G.); (P.P.); (A.B.); (P.T.N.)
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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2
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Willekens J, Mosca P, Burt-Oberecken N, Laugeais E, Kaoma T, Bernardin F, Vallar L, Dimofski P, Renaud M, Lambert L, Leheup B, Guéant JL, Leininger-Muller B, Dreumont N. Cross-Talk between miRNAs from the Dlk1-Dio3 Locus and Histone Methylation to Protect Male Cerebellum from Methyl Donor Deficiency. Mol Nutr Food Res 2023; 67:e2300040. [PMID: 37672803 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300040] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
SCOPE Disruption of the one carbon metabolism during development, i.e., following a gestational vitamin B9 and B12 deficiencies, is involved in birth defects and brain development delay. Using a rat nutritional model, consisting of pups born to dams fed a vitamin B9 and B12 deficient diet (MDD), the study previously reports molecular and cellular alterations in the brain, in a sex dependent manner, with females being more affected than males. The study hypothesizes that epigenetic modifications could participate in the sex differences is observed. METHODS AND RESULTS The study investigates lysine methylation of histones and expression of microRNAs in the cerebellum of MDD male and female pups. The study reports a differential regulation of H3K36Me2 and H4K20Me3 between males and females, in response to MDD. Moreover, distinct regulation of Kmt5b and Kdm2a expression by miR-134-5p and miR-369-5p from the Dlk1-Dio3 locus, contributes to the maintenance of expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity. CONCLUSION These results could explain the neuroprotection to MDD that male pups display. The work will contribute to the understanding of the consequences of vitamin starvation on brain development, as well as how the epigenome is affected by one carbon metabolism disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Willekens
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
- CINJ, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Pauline Mosca
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
| | | | - Edgar Laugeais
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
| | - Tony Kaoma
- Luxembourg Institute of Health, Bioinformatics Platform, 1 A-B, Luxembourg, L-1445, Luxembourg
| | - François Bernardin
- Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg, L-1210, Luxembourg
| | - Laurent Vallar
- Luxembourg Institute of Health, Bioinformatics Platform, 1 A-B, Luxembourg, L-1445, Luxembourg
| | | | - Mathilde Renaud
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
- CHRU Nancy, Hôpital d'enfants, Service de Génétique Clinique, Nancy, F-54000, France
| | - Laetitia Lambert
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
- CHRU Nancy, Hôpital d'enfants, Service de Génétique Clinique, Nancy, F-54000, France
| | - Bruno Leheup
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, NGERE, Nancy, F-54000, France
- CHRU Nancy, Hôpital d'enfants, Service de Génétique Clinique, Nancy, F-54000, France
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3
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Szakats S, McAtamney A, Cross H, Wilson MJ. Sex-biased gene and microRNA expression in the developing mouse brain is associated with neurodevelopmental functions and neurological phenotypes. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:57. [PMID: 37679839 PMCID: PMC10486049 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00538-3] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences pose a challenge and an opportunity in biomedical research. Understanding how sex chromosomes and hormones affect disease-causing mechanisms will shed light on the mechanisms underlying predominantly idiopathic sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism. Gene expression is a crucial conduit for the influence of sex on developmental processes; therefore, this study focused on sex differences in gene expression and the regulation of gene expression. The increasing interest in microRNAs (miRNAs), small, non-coding RNAs, for their contribution to normal and pathological neurodevelopment prompted us to test how miRNA expression differs between the sexes in the developing brain. METHODS High-throughput sequencing approaches were used to identify transcripts, including miRNAs, that showed significantly different expression between male and female brains on day 15.5 of development (E15.5). RESULTS Robust sex differences were identified for some genes and miRNAs, confirming the influence of biological sex on RNA. Many miRNAs that exhibit the greatest differences between males and females have established roles in neurodevelopment, implying that sex-biased expression may drive sex differences in developmental processes. In addition to highlighting sex differences for individual miRNAs, gene ontology analysis suggested several broad categories in which sex-biased RNAs might act to establish sex differences in the embryonic mouse brain. Finally, mining publicly available SNP data indicated that some sex-biased miRNAs reside near the genomic regions associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings reinforce the importance of cataloguing sex differences in molecular biology research and highlight genes, miRNAs, and pathways of interest that may be important for sexual differentiation in the mouse and possibly the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Szakats
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Alice McAtamney
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Hugh Cross
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Megan J Wilson
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
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4
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Kouhnavardi S, Cabatic M, Mañas-Padilla MC, Malabanan MA, Smani T, Cicvaric A, Muñoz Aranzalez EA, Koenig X, Urban E, Lubec G, Castilla-Ortega E, Monje FJ. miRNA-132/212 Deficiency Disrupts Selective Corticosterone Modulation of Dorsal vs. Ventral Hippocampal Metaplasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9565. [PMID: 37298523 PMCID: PMC10253409 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119565] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortisol is a potent human steroid hormone that plays key roles in the central nervous system, influencing processes such as brain neuronal synaptic plasticity and regulating the expression of emotional and behavioral responses. The relevance of cortisol stands out in the disease, as its dysregulation is associated with debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease, chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Among other brain regions, cortisol importantly influences the function of the hippocampus, a structure central for memory and emotional information processing. The mechanisms fine-tuning the different synaptic responses of the hippocampus to steroid hormone signaling remain, however, poorly understood. Using ex vivo electrophysiology and wild type (WT) and miR-132/miR-212 microRNAs knockout (miRNA-132/212-/-) mice, we examined the effects of corticosterone (the rodent's equivalent to cortisol in humans) on the synaptic properties of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. In WT mice, corticosterone predominantly inhibited metaplasticity in the dorsal WT hippocampi, whereas it significantly dysregulated both synaptic transmission and metaplasticity at dorsal and ventral regions of miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Western blotting further revealed significantly augmented levels of endogenous CREB and a significant CREB reduction in response to corticosterone only in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Sirt1 levels were also endogenously enhanced in the miR-132/212-/- hippocampi but unaltered by corticosterone, whereas the levels of phospo-MSK1 were only reduced by corticosterone in WT, not in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. In behavioral studies using the elevated plus maze, miRNA-132/212-/- mice further showed reduced anxiety-like behavior. These observations propose miRNA-132/212 as potential region-selective regulators of the effects of steroid hormones on hippocampal functions, thus likely fine-tuning hippocampus-dependent memory and emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Kouhnavardi
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maureen Cabatic
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marife-Astrid Malabanan
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tarik Smani
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Ana Cicvaric
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Edison Alejandro Muñoz Aranzalez
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Xaver Koenig
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Urban
- Department for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 2D 303, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gert Lubec
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Francisco J. Monje
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Hou H, Chan C, Yuki KE, Sokolowski D, Roy A, Qu R, Uusküla-Reimand L, Faykoo-Martinez M, Hudson M, Corre C, Goldenberg A, Zhang Z, Palmert MR, Wilson MD. Postnatal developmental trajectory of sex-biased gene expression in the mouse pituitary gland. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:57. [PMID: 36221127 PMCID: PMC9552479 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00467-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pituitary gland regulates essential physiological processes such as growth, pubertal onset, stress response, metabolism, reproduction, and lactation. While sex biases in these functions and hormone production have been described, the underlying identity, temporal deployment, and cell-type specificity of sex-biased pituitary gene regulatory networks are not fully understood. METHODS To capture sex differences in pituitary gene regulation dynamics during postnatal development, we performed 3' untranslated region sequencing and small RNA sequencing to ascertain gene and microRNA expression, respectively, across five postnatal ages (postnatal days 12, 22, 27, 32, 37) that span the pubertal transition in female and male C57BL/6J mouse pituitaries (n = 5-6 biological replicates for each sex at each age). RESULTS We observed over 900 instances of sex-biased gene expression and 17 sex-biased microRNAs, with the majority of sex differences occurring with puberty. Using miRNA-gene target interaction databases, we identified 18 sex-biased genes that were putative targets of 5 sex-biased microRNAs. In addition, by combining our bulk RNA-seq with publicly available male and female mouse pituitary single-nuclei RNA-seq data, we obtained evidence that cell-type proportion sex differences exist prior to puberty and persist post-puberty for three major hormone-producing cell types: somatotropes, lactotropes, and gonadotropes. Finally, we identified sex-biased genes in these three pituitary cell types after accounting for cell-type proportion differences between sexes. CONCLUSION Our study reveals the identity and postnatal developmental trajectory of sex-biased gene expression in the mouse pituitary. This work also highlights the importance of considering sex biases in cell-type composition when understanding sex differences in the processes regulated by the pituitary gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huayun Hou
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cadia Chan
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kyoko E Yuki
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dustin Sokolowski
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Roy
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rihao Qu
- Interdepartmental Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Mariela Faykoo-Martinez
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matt Hudson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christina Corre
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Goldenberg
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zhaolei Zhang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark R Palmert
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Division of Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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6
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Identification of microRNAs related with neural germ layer lineage-specific progenitors during reprogramming. J Mol Histol 2022; 53:623-634. [DOI: 10.1007/s10735-022-10082-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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7
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Chen H, Yang KG, Zhang J, Cheuk KY, Nepotchatykh E, Wang Y, Hung ALH, Lam TP, Moreau A, Lee WYW. Upregulation of microRNA-96-5p is associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and low bone mass phenotype. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9705. [PMID: 35690607 PMCID: PMC9188568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12938-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone densitometry revealed low bone mass in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and its prognostic potential to predict curve progression. Recent studies showed differential circulating miRNAs in AIS but their diagnostic potential and links to low bone mass have not been well-documented. The present study aimed to compare miRNA profiles in bone tissues collected from AIS and non-scoliotic subjects, and to explore if the selected miRNA candidates could be useful diagnostic biomarkers for AIS. Microarray analysis identified miR-96-5p being the most upregulated among the candidates. miR-96-5p level was measured in plasma samples from 100 AIS and 52 healthy girls. Our results showed significantly higher plasma levels of miR-96-5p in AIS girls with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.671 for diagnostic accuracy. A model that was composed of plasma miR-96-5p and patient-specific parameters (age, body weight and years since menarche) gave rise to an improved AUC of 0.752. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) indicated functional links between bone metabolic pathways and miR-96-5p. In conclusion, differentially expressed miRNAs in AIS bone and plasma samples represented a new source of disease biomarkers and players in AIS etiopathogenesis, which required further validation study involving AIS patients of both genders with long-term follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanxiong Chen
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China.,Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kenneth Guangpu Yang
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ka-Yee Cheuk
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Evguenia Nepotchatykh
- Viscogliosi Laboratory in Molecular Genetics of Musculoskeletal Diseases, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yujia Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alec Lik-Hang Hung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tsz-Ping Lam
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alain Moreau
- Viscogliosi Laboratory in Molecular Genetics of Musculoskeletal Diseases, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Dentistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Wayne Yuk-Wai Lee
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SH Ho Scoliosis Research Laboratory, Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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8
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Sex-Specific Expression of Non-Coding RNA Fragments in Frontal Cortex, Hippocampus and Cerebellum of Rats. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:epigenomes6020011. [PMID: 35466186 PMCID: PMC9036230 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6020011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNA fragments (ncRFs) are processed from various non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), with the most abundant being those produced from tRNAs. ncRFs were reported in many animal and plant species. Many ncRFs exhibit tissue specificity or/and are affected by stress. There is, however, only a handful of reports that describe differential expression of ncRFs in the brain regions. In this work, we analyzed the abundance of ncRFs processed from four major ncRNAs, including tRNA (tRFs), snoRNA (snoRFs), snRNA (snRFs), and rRNA (rRFs) in the frontal cortex (FC), hippocampus (HIP), and cerebellum (CER) of male and female rats. We found brain-specific and sex-specific differences. Reads mapping to lincRNAs were significantly larger in CER as compared to HIP and CER, while those mapping to snRNAs and tRNA were smaller in HIP than in FC and CER. tRF reads were the most abundant among all ncRF reads, and FC had more reads than HIP and CER. Reads mapping to antisense ncRNAs were significantly larger in females than in males in FC. Additionally, males consistently had more tRF, snRF, and snoRF reads in all brain regions. rRFs were more abundant in males in FC and females in HIP. Several tRFs were significantly underrepresented, including tRF-ValCAC, tRF-ValACC, and tRF-LysCTT in all brain regions. We also found brain- and sex-specific differences in the number of brain function-related mRNA targets. To summarize, we found sex-specific differences in the expression of several ncRNA fragments in various brain regions of healthy rats.
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9
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Rani A, Barter J, Kumar A, Stortz JA, Hollen M, Nacionales D, Moldawer LL, Efron PA, Foster TC. Influence of age and sex on microRNA response and recovery in the hippocampus following sepsis. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:728-746. [PMID: 35094981 PMCID: PMC8833110 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sepsis, defined as a dysregulated host immune response to infection, is a common and dangerous clinical syndrome. The excessive host inflammatory response can induce immediate and persistent cognitive decline, which can be worse in older individuals. Sex-specific differences in the outcome of infectious diseases and sepsis appear to favor females. We employed a murine model to examine the influence of age and sex on the brain's microRNA (miR) response following sepsis. Young and old mice of both sexes underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with daily restraint stress. Expression of hippocampal miR was examined in age- and sex-matched controls at 1 and 4 days post-CLP. Few miR were modified in a similar manner across age or sex and these few miR were generally associated with neuroprotection against inflammation. Similar to previous work examining transcription, young females exhibited a better recovery of the miR profile from day 1 to day 4, relative to young males and old females. For young males and all female groups, the initial response mainly involved a decrease in miR expression. In contrast, old males exhibited only upregulated miR on day 1 and day 4 and many of the miR upregulated on day 1 and day 4 were linked to neurodegeneration, increased neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairment. The results emphasize age and sex differences in epigenetic mechanisms that likely contribute to susceptibility or resilience to cognitive impairment due to sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asha Rani
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jolie Barter
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Julie A Stortz
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - McKenzie Hollen
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Dina Nacionales
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Lyle L Moldawer
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Philip A Efron
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.,Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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10
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Rainville JR, Lipuma T, Hodes GE. Translating the Transcriptome: Sex Differences in the Mechanisms of Depression and Stress, Revisited. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:25-35. [PMID: 33865609 PMCID: PMC10197090 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has produced a plethora of studies examining sex differences in the transcriptional profiles of stress and mood disorders. As we move forward from accepting the existence of extensive molecular sex differences in the brain to exploring the purpose of these sex differences, our approach must become more systemic and less reductionist. Earlier studies have examined specific brain regions and/or cell types. To use this knowledge to develop the next generation of personalized medicine, we need to comprehend how transcriptional changes across the brain and/or the body relate to each other. We provide an overview of the relationships between baseline and depression/stress-related transcriptional sex differences and explore contributions of preclinically identified mechanisms and their impacts on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Rainville
- Department of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Timothy Lipuma
- Department of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- Department of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.
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11
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Sikes-Keilp C, Rubinow DR. In search of sex-related mediators of affective illness. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:55. [PMID: 34663459 PMCID: PMC8524875 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the rates of affective disorders have been recognized for decades. Studies of physiologic sex-related differences in animals and humans, however, have generally yielded little in terms of explaining these differences. Furthermore, the significance of these findings is difficult to interpret given the dynamic, integrative, and highly context-dependent nature of human physiology. In this article, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex differences as they relate to mood disorders, organizing existing findings into five levels at which sex differences conceivably influence physiology relevant to affective states. These levels include the following: brain structure, network connectivity, signal transduction, transcription/translation, and epigenesis. We then evaluate the importance and limitations of this body of work, as well as offer perspectives on the future of research into sex differences. In creating this overview, we attempt to bring perspective to a body of research that is complex, poorly synthesized, and far from complete, as well as provide a theoretical framework for thinking about the role that sex differences ultimately play in affective regulation. Despite the overall gaps regarding both the underlying pathogenesis of affective illness and the role of sex-related factors in the development of affective disorders, it is evident that sex should be considered as an important contributor to alterations in neural function giving rise to susceptibility to and expression of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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12
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Molehin D, Filleur S, Pruitt K. Regulation of aromatase expression: Potential therapeutic insight into breast cancer treatment. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 531:111321. [PMID: 33992735 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen signaling has been implicated in hormone-dependent breast cancer which constitutes >75% of breast cancer diagnosis and other malignancies. Aromatase, the key enzyme involved in the synthesis of estrogen, is often dysregulated in breast cancers. This has led to the administration of aromatase-inhibitors (AIs), commonly used for hormone-dependent breast cancers. Unfortunately, the increasing development of acquired resistance to the current AIs and modulators of estrogen receptors, following initial disease steadiness, has posed a serious clinical challenge in breast cancer treatment. In this review we highlight historical and recent advances on the transcriptional and post-translational regulation of aromatase in both physiological and pathological contexts. We also discuss the different drug combinations targeting various tumor promoting cell signaling pathways currently being developed and tested both in laboratory settings and in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Molehin
- Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie Filleur
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kevin Pruitt
- Department of Immunology & Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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13
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Lopes-Ramos CM, Quackenbush J, DeMeo DL. Genome-Wide Sex and Gender Differences in Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:597788. [PMID: 33330090 PMCID: PMC7719817 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.597788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite their known importance in clinical medicine, differences based on sex and gender are among the least studied factors affecting cancer susceptibility, progression, survival, and therapeutic response. In particular, the molecular mechanisms driving sex differences are poorly understood and so most approaches to precision medicine use mutational or other genomic data to assign therapy without considering how the sex of the individual might influence therapeutic efficacy. The mandate by the National Institutes of Health that research studies include sex as a biological variable has begun to expand our understanding on its importance. Sex differences in cancer may arise due to a combination of environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors, as well as differences in gene regulation, and expression. Extensive sex differences occur genome-wide, and ultimately influence cancer biology and outcomes. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge about sex-specific genetic and genome-wide influences in cancer, describe how differences in response to environmental exposures and genetic and epigenetic alterations alter the trajectory of the disease, and provide insights into the importance of integrative analyses in understanding the interplay of sex and genomics in cancer. In particular, we will explore some of the emerging analytical approaches, such as the use of network methods, that are providing a deeper understanding of the drivers of differences based on sex and gender. Better understanding these complex factors and their interactions will improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes for all individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila M Lopes-Ramos
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - John Quackenbush
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dawn L DeMeo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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14
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Marrocco J, Einhorn NR, McEwen BS. Environmental epigenetics of sex differences in the brain. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 175:209-220. [PMID: 33008526 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64123-6.00015-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Experiences throughout the life course lead to unique phenotypes even among those with the same genotype. Genotype sets the substrate on which physiologic processes, which communicate with the brain, mediate the effects of life experiences via epigenetics. Epigenetics modify the expression of genes in the brain and body in response to circulating hormones and other mediators, which are activated to facilitate survival responses through a process called allostasis. Epigenetic signatures can even be inherited, resulting in transgenerational effects. This chapter addresses epigenetics in the context of sex differences, discussing the intersection between genetics and gonadal hormones and their effect in the brain at discrete developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Marrocco
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Nathan R Einhorn
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
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15
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Tsamou M, Vrijens K, Wang C, Winckelmans E, Neven KY, Madhloum N, de Kok TM, Nawrot TS. Genome-wide microRNA expression analysis in human placenta reveals sex-specific patterns: an ENVIR ONAGE birth cohort study. Epigenetics 2020; 16:373-388. [PMID: 32892695 PMCID: PMC7993149 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1803467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in microRNAs (miRNAs) as they are of utmost importance in gene regulation at the posttranscriptional level. Sex-related susceptibility for non-communicable diseases later in life could originate in early life. Until now, no data on sex-specific miRNA expression are available for the placenta. Therefore, we investigated the difference by sex of newborn's miRNA expression in human placental tissue. Within the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort, miRNA and mRNA expression profiling was performed in 60 placentae (50% boys) using Agilent (8 × 60 K) microarrays. The distribution of chromosome locations was studied and pathway analysis of the identified sex-specific miRNAs in the placenta was carried out. Of the total 2558 miRNAs on the array, 597 miRNAs were expressed in over 70% of the samples and were included for further analyses. A total of 142 miRNAs were significantly (FDR<0.05) associated with the newborn's sex. In newborn girls, 76 miRNAs had higher expression (hsa-miR-361-5p as most significant) and 66 miRNAs had lower expression (hsa-miR-4646-5p as most significant) than in newborn boys. In the same study population, placental differentially expressed genes by sex were also identified using a whole genome approach. The placental gene expression revealed 27 differentially expressed genes by comparing girls to boys. Ultimately, we studied the miRNA-RNA interactome and identified 14 miRNA-mRNA interactions as sex-specific. Sex differences in placental m(i)RNA expression may reveal sex-specific patterns already present during pregnancy, which may influence physiological conditions in early or later life. These molecular processes might play a role in sex-specific disease susceptibility in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tsamou
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Karen Vrijens
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Congrong Wang
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Ellen Winckelmans
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Kristof Y Neven
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Narjes Madhloum
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Theo M de Kok
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW Institute of Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Center for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.,Department of Public Health, Environment & Health Unit, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Koch EJ, Moriano-Gutierrez S, Ruby EG, McFall-Ngai M, Liebeke M. The impact of persistent colonization by Vibrio fischeri on the metabolome of the host squid Euprymna scolopes. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb212860. [PMID: 32616546 PMCID: PMC7473655 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.212860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Associations between animals and microbes affect not only the immediate tissues where they occur, but also the entire host. Metabolomics, the study of small biomolecules generated during metabolic processes, provides a window into how mutualistic interactions shape host biochemistry. The Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, is amenable to metabolomic studies of symbiosis because the host can be reared with or without its species-specific symbiont, Vibrio fischeri In addition, unlike many invertebrates, the host squid has a closed circulatory system. This feature allows a direct sampling of the refined collection of metabolites circulating through the body, a focused approach that has been highly successful with mammals. Here, we show that rearing E. scolopes without its natural symbiont significantly affected one-quarter of the more than 100 hemolymph metabolites defined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. Furthermore, as in mammals, which harbor complex consortia of bacterial symbionts, the metabolite signature oscillated on symbiont-driven daily rhythms and was dependent on the sex of the host. Thus, our results provide evidence that the population of even a single symbiont species can influence host hemolymph biochemistry as a function of symbiotic state, host sex and circadian rhythm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Koch
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Silvia Moriano-Gutierrez
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Edward G Ruby
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Margaret McFall-Ngai
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Manuel Liebeke
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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17
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miRNA Clusters with Down-Regulated Expression in Human Colorectal Cancer and Their Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134633. [PMID: 32610706 PMCID: PMC7369991 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression has been extensively studied with respect to colorectal cancer (CRC), since CRC is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Transcriptional control of miRNAs creating clusters can be, to some extent, estimated from cluster position on a chromosome. Levels of miRNAs are also controlled by miRNAs “sponging” by long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Both types of miRNA regulation strongly influence their function. We focused on clusters of miRNAs found to be down-regulated in CRC, containing miR-1, let-7, miR-15, miR-16, miR-99, miR-100, miR-125, miR-133, miR-143, miR-145, miR-192, miR-194, miR-195, miR-206, miR-215, miR-302, miR-367 and miR-497 and analysed their genome position, regulation and functions. Only evidence provided with the use of CRC in vivo and/or in vitro models was taken into consideration. Comprehensive research revealed that down-regulated miRNA clusters in CRC are mostly located in a gene intron and, in a majority of cases, miRNA clusters possess cluster-specific transcriptional regulation. For all selected clusters, regulation mediated by long ncRNA was experimentally demonstrated in CRC, at least in one cluster member. Oncostatic functions were predominantly linked with the reviewed miRNAs, and their high expression was usually associated with better survival. These findings implicate the potential of down-regulated clusters in CRC to become promising multi-targets for therapeutic manipulation.
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18
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Puttabyatappa M, Sargis RM, Padmanabhan V. Developmental programming of insulin resistance: are androgens the culprits? J Endocrinol 2020; 245:R23-R48. [PMID: 32240982 PMCID: PMC7219571 DOI: 10.1530/joe-20-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Insulin resistance is a common feature of many metabolic disorders. The dramatic rise in the incidence of insulin resistance over the past decade has enhanced focus on its developmental origins. Since various developmental insults ranging from maternal disease, stress, over/undernutrition, and exposure to environmental chemicals can all program the development of insulin resistance, common mechanisms may be involved. This review discusses the possibility that increases in maternal androgens associated with these various insults are key mediators in programming insulin resistance. Additionally, the intermediaries through which androgens misprogram tissue insulin sensitivity, such as changes in inflammatory, oxidative, and lipotoxic states, epigenetic, gut microbiome and insulin, as well as data gaps to be filled are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert M. Sargis
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
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19
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Umansky S. Aging and aging-associated diseases: a microRNA-based endocrine regulation hypothesis. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:2557-2569. [PMID: 30375982 PMCID: PMC6224249 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Although there are numerous hypotheses explaining the nature of aging and associated processes, two concepts are dominant: (i) aging is a result of cell-autonomous processes, such as the accumulation of DNA mutations, aberrant methylations, protein defects, and shortening of telomeres, leading to either inhibition of cellular proliferation and death of non-dividing terminally differentiated cells or tumor development; (ii) aging is a result of a central program that is switched on at a specific stage of organismic development. The microRNA-based endocrine regulation hypothesis combines the two above concepts by proposing central regulation of cell death occurrences via hypothalamus-pituitary gland (PG)-secreted miRNA hormones, the expression and/or secretion of which are regulated by sex hormones. This hypothesis explains such well-known phenomena as inverse comorbidity of either cancer or Alzheimer’s (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases; higher AD morbidity and lower frequency of many common types of cancer in women vs. men; higher risk of early AD and lower risk of cancer in subjects with Down syndrome; longer life expectancy in women vs. men and much lower sex-dependent differences, if any, in other mammals; increased lifespans due to hypophysectomy or PG hypofunction; and parabiotic effects of blood or plasma transfusions between young and old animals.
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20
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Sheinerman K, Tsivinsky V, Mathur A, Kessler D, Shaz B, Umansky S. Age- and sex-dependent changes in levels of circulating brain-enriched microRNAs during normal aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:3017-3041. [PMID: 30383539 PMCID: PMC6224262 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for many common and life-threatening pathologies. The development of reliable biomarkers of aging should lead to a better understanding of aging-associated processes and facilitate the development of therapeutic regimens that delay aging. Levels of 38 brain-enriched microRNAs (miRNA) circulating in plasma were measured by quantitative RT-PCR in two age groups: 26-35 and 56-65 years old. An miRNA-pair approach was used for data normalization and determination of effective miRNA biomarker ratios. Nineteen miRNAs, comprising miRNA pairs and pair combinations (classifiers) that effectively differentiated the age and sex (individual pairs: 74-95% and 68-95%, respectively; classifiers: up to 100% accuracy) groups, were selected for further analysis of plasma samples from 5 donor age groups: 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65 and 66-75 years old. Dynamic changes in the plasma concentrations of certain miRNAs occurred at different ages in females and males, with peaks in the 46-55-year-old and 56-65-year-old groups, respectively. This finding suggests that the changes in miRNA levels can reflect centrally regulated processes, including changes in hormone levels during menopause. Certain miRNAs and miRNA pairs correlated with age in the sex-stratified groups at different ages and should be investigated further as potentially promising biomarkers of brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Beth Shaz
- , New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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21
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Gestational diabetes alters microRNA signatures in human feto-placental endothelial cells depending on fetal sex. Clin Sci (Lond) 2018; 132:2437-2449. [DOI: 10.1042/cs20180825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, have emerged as important, epigenetic regulators of endothelial function. Metabolic disturbances such as diabetes alter miRNA expression. In adults, the miRNA transcriptome as well as endothelial function differ between the sexes. Here, we hypothesized that metabolic disturbances associated with gestational diabetes (GDM) alter miRNA signatures in feto-placental endothelial cells (fpEC), dependent on fetal sex. We isolated human primary fpEC after normal and GDM-complicated pregnancies with male and female neonates and screened for differential miRNA expression using next-generation miRNA sequencing. To test for miRNAs commonly regulated in fpEC of female and male progeny, data were stratified for fetal sex and maternal body mass index (BMI). Analyses were also performed separately for female and male fpEC, again accounting for maternal BMI as covariate. Potential biological pathways regulated by the altered set of miRNAs were determined using mirPath software. Maternal GDM altered 26 miRNA signatures when male and female fpEC were analyzed together. Separate analysis of male versus female fpEC revealed 22 GDM affected miRNAs in the females and only 4 in the males, without overlap. Biological functions potentially modulated by the affected miRNAs related to ‘Protein Processing in Endoplasmic Reticulum’ and ‘Proteoglycans in Cancer’. Maternal GDM alters miRNA signatures in fpEC, and biological functions affected by these miRNAs relate to well-known adverse functional consequences of diabetes on endothelium. GDM effects were highly dependent on fetal sex with miRNA signatures in female fpEC being more susceptible to metabolic derangements of GDM than miRNAs in male fpEC.
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22
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O'Hanlan KA, Gordon JC, Sullivan MW. Biological origins of sexual orientation and gender identity: Impact on health. Gynecol Oncol 2018; 149:33-42. [PMID: 29605047 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Gynecologic Oncologists are sometimes consulted to care for patients who present with diverse gender identities or sexual orientations. Clinicians can create more helpful relationships with their patients if they understand the etiologies of these diverse expressions of sexual humanity. Multidisciplinary evidence reveals that a sexually dimorphic spectrum of somatic and neurologic anatomy, traits and abilities, including sexual orientation and gender identity, are conferred together during the first half of pregnancy due to genetics, epigenetics and the diversity of timing and function of sex chromosomes, sex-determining protein secretion, gonadal hormone secretion, receptor levels, adrenal function, maternally ingested dietary hormones, fetal health, and many other factors. Multiple layers of evidence confirm that sexual orientation and gender identity are as biological, innate and immutable as the other traits conferred during that critical time in gestation. Negative social responses to diverse orientations or gender identities have caused marginalization of these individuals with resultant alienation from medical care, reduced self-care and reduced access to medical care. The increased risks for many diseases, including gynecologic cancers are reviewed. Gynecologic Oncologists can potentially create more effective healthcare relationships with their patients if they have this information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A O'Hanlan
- Laparoscopic Institute for Gynecology and Oncology (LIGO), 4370 Alpine Rd. Suite 104, Portola Valley, CA 94028, United States.
| | - Jennifer C Gordon
- University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, United States.
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23
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Sobolewski M, Conrad K, Marvin E, Allen JL, Cory-Slechta DA. Endocrine active metals, prenatal stress and enhanced neurobehavioral disruption. Horm Behav 2018; 101:36-49. [PMID: 29355495 PMCID: PMC5970043 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Metals, including lead (Pb), methylmercury (MeHg) and arsenic (As), are long-known developmental neurotoxicants. More recently, environmental context has been recognized to modulate metals toxicity, including nutritional state and stress exposure. Modulation of metal toxicity by stress exposure can occur through shared targeting of endocrine systems, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Our previous rodent research has identified that prenatal stress (PS) modulates neurotoxicity of two endocrine active metals (EAMs), Pb and MeHg, by altering HPA and CNS systems disrupting behavior. Here, we review this research and further test the hypothesis that prenatal stress modulates metals neurotoxicity by expanding to test the effect of developmental As ± PS exposure. Serum corticosterone and behavior was assessed in offspring of dams exposed to As ± PS. PS increased female offspring serum corticosterone at birth, while developmental As exposure decreased adult serum corticosterone in both sexes. As + PS induced reductions in locomotor activity in females and reduced response rates on a Fixed Interval schedule of reinforcement in males, with the latter suggesting unique learning deficits only in the combined exposure. As-exposed males showed increased time in the open arms of an elevated plus maze and decreased novel object recognition whereas females did not. These data further confirm the hypothesis that combined exposure to chemical (EAMs) and non-chemical (PS) stressors results in enhanced neurobehavioral toxicity. Given that humans are exposed to multiple environmental risk factors that alter endocrine function in development, such models are critical for risk assessment and public health protection, particularly for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Sobolewski
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States. marissa:
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Elena Marvin
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Joshua L Allen
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Dept. of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States
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24
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Rosenfeld CS. Brain Sexual Differentiation and Requirement of SRY: Why or Why Not? Front Neurosci 2017; 11:632. [PMID: 29200993 PMCID: PMC5696354 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain sexual differentiation is orchestrated by precise coordination of sex steroid hormones. In some species, programming of select male brain regions is dependent upon aromatization of testosterone to estrogen. In mammals, these hormones surge during the organizational and activational periods that occur during perinatal development and adulthood, respectively. In various fish and reptiles, incubation temperature during a critical embryonic period results in male or female sexual differentiation, but this can be overridden in males by early exposure to estrogenic chemicals. Testes development in mammals requires a Y chromosome and testis determining gene SRY (in humans)/Sry (all other therian mammals), although there are notable exceptions. Two species of spiny rats: Amami spiny rat (Tokudaia osimensis) and Tokunoshima spiny rat (Tokudaia tokunoshimensis) and two species of mole voles (Ellobius lutescens and Ellobius tancrei), lack a Y chromosome/Sry and possess an XO chromosome system in both sexes. Such rodent species, prototherians (monotremes, who also lack Sry), and fish and reptile species that demonstrate temperature sex determination (TSD) seemingly call into question the requirement of Sry for brain sexual differentiation. This review will consider brain regions expressing SRY/Sry in humans and rodents, respectively, and potential roles of SRY/Sry in the brain will be discussed. The evidence from various taxa disputing the requirement of Sry for brain sexual differentiation in mammals (therians and prototherians) and certain fish and reptilian species will be examined. A comparative approach to address this question may elucidate other genes, pathways, and epigenetic modifications stimulating brain sexual differentiation in vertebrate species, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.,Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.,Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.,Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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25
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Cambiasso MJ, Cisternas CD, Ruiz-Palmero I, Scerbo MJ, Arevalo MA, Azcoitia I, Garcia-Segura LM. Interaction of sex chromosome complement, gonadal hormones and neuronal steroid synthesis on the sexual differentiation of mammalian neurons. J Neurogenet 2017; 31:300-306. [DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2017.1390572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Julia Cambiasso
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Carla Daniela Cisternas
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Isabel Ruiz-Palmero
- CSIC, Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Julia Scerbo
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Bucal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria Angeles Arevalo
- CSIC, Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iñigo Azcoitia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M. Garcia-Segura
- CSIC, Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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