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Fanfarillo F, Ferraguti G, Lucarelli M, Fuso A, Ceccanti M, Terracina S, Micangeli G, Tarani L, Fiore M. The Impact of Alcohol-Induced Epigenetic Modifications in the Treatment of Alcohol use Disorders. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:5837-5855. [PMID: 37828672 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673256937231004093143] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders are responsible for 5.9% of all death annually and 5.1% of the global disease burden. It has been suggested that alcohol abuse can modify gene expression through epigenetic processes, namely DNA and histone methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA expression. The alcohol influence on epigenetic mechanisms leads to molecular adaptation of a wide number of brain circuits, including the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis, the prefrontal cortex, the mesolimbic-dopamine pathways and the endogenous opioid pathways. Epigenetic regulation represents an important level of alcohol-induced molecular adaptation in the brain. It has been demonstrated that acute and chronic alcohol exposure can induce opposite modifications in epigenetic mechanisms: acute alcohol exposure increases histone acetylation, decreases histone methylation and inhibits DNA methyltransferase activity, while chronic alcohol exposure induces hypermethylation of DNA. Some studies investigated the chromatin status during the withdrawal period and the craving period and showed that craving was associated with low methylation status, while the withdrawal period was associated with elevated activity of histone deacetylase and decreased histone acetylation. Given the effects exerted by ethanol consumption on epigenetic mechanisms, chromatin structure modifiers, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, might represent a new potential strategy to treat alcohol use disorder. Further investigations on molecular modifications induced by ethanol might be helpful to develop new therapies for alcoholism and drug addiction targeting epigenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giampiero Ferraguti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Lucarelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Fuso
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceccanti
- SITAC, Società Italiana per il Trattamento dell'Alcolismo e le sue Complicanze, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Terracina
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ginevra Micangeli
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Tarani
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Fiore
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC-CNR, Rome, Italy
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Derme M, Piccioni MG, Brunelli R, Crognale A, Denotti M, Ciolli P, Scomparin D, Tarani L, Paparella R, Terrin G, Di Chiara M, Mattia A, Nicotera S, Salomone A, Ceccanti M, Messina MP, Maida NL, Ferraguti G, Petrella C, Fiore M. Oxidative Stress in a Mother Consuming Alcohol during Pregnancy and in Her Newborn: A Case Report. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1216. [PMID: 37371946 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061216] [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: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a set of conditions resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). FASD is estimated to affect between 2% and 5% of people in the United States and Western Europe. The exact teratogenic mechanism of alcohol on fetal development is still unclear. Ethanol (EtOH) contributes to the malfunctioning of the neurological system in children exposed in utero by decreasing glutathione peroxidase action, with an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which causes oxidative stress. We report a case of a mother with declared alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking during pregnancy. By analyzing the ethyl glucuronide (EtG, a metabolite of alcohol) and the nicotine/cotinine in the mother's hair and meconium, we confirmed the alcohol and smoking abuse magnitude. We also found that the mother during pregnancy was a cocaine abuser. As a result, her newborn was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). At the time of the delivery, the mother, but not the newborn, had an elevation in oxidative stress. However, the infant, a few days later, displayed marked potentiation in oxidative stress. The clinical complexity of the events involving the infant was presented and discussed, underlining also the importance that for cases of FASD, it is crucial to have more intensive hospital monitoring and controls during the initial days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Derme
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Piccioni
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Roberto Brunelli
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alba Crognale
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Marika Denotti
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Paola Ciolli
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Debora Scomparin
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Luigi Tarani
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Roberto Paparella
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Gianluca Terrin
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Di Chiara
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mattia
- Dipartimento Della Pubblica Sicurezza, Direzione Centrale di Sanità, Centro di Ricerche e Laboratorio di Tossicologia Forense, Ministero dell'Interno, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Simona Nicotera
- Dipartimento Della Pubblica Sicurezza, Direzione Centrale di Sanità, Centro di Ricerche e Laboratorio di Tossicologia Forense, Ministero dell'Interno, 00185 Roma, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Salomone
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceccanti
- SITAC, Società Italiana per il Trattamento Dell'alcolismo e le sue Complicanze, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marisa Patrizia Messina
- Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Nunzia La Maida
- National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giampiero Ferraguti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Petrella
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC-CNR), Department of Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Fiore
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC-CNR), Department of Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
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Ferraguti G, Terracina S, Petrella C, Greco A, Minni A, Lucarelli M, Agostinelli E, Ralli M, de Vincentiis M, Raponi G, Polimeni A, Ceccanti M, Caronti B, Di Certo MG, Barbato C, Mattia A, Tarani L, Fiore M. Alcohol and Head and Neck Cancer: Updates on the Role of Oxidative Stress, Genetic, Epigenetics, Oral Microbiota, Antioxidants, and Alkylating Agents. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:145. [PMID: 35052649 PMCID: PMC8773066 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) concerns more than 890,000 patients worldwide annually and is associated with the advanced stage at presentation and heavy outcomes. Alcohol drinking, together with tobacco smoking, and human papillomavirus infection are the main recognized risk factors. The tumorigenesis of HNC represents an intricate sequential process that implicates a gradual acquisition of genetic and epigenetics alterations targeting crucial pathways regulating cell growth, motility, and stromal interactions. Tumor microenvironment and growth factors also play a major role in HNC. Alcohol toxicity is caused both directly by ethanol and indirectly by its metabolic products, with the involvement of the oral microbiota and oxidative stress; alcohol might enhance the exposure of epithelial cells to carcinogens, causing epigenetic modifications, DNA damage, and inaccurate DNA repair with the formation of DNA adducts. Long-term markers of alcohol consumption, especially those detected in the hair, may provide crucial information on the real alcohol drinking of HNC patients. Strategies for prevention could include food supplements as polyphenols, and alkylating drugs as therapy that play a key role in HNC management. Indeed, polyphenols throughout their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions may counteract or limit the toxic effect of alcohol whereas alkylating agents inhibiting cancer cells' growth could reduce the carcinogenic damage induced by alcohol. Despite the established association between alcohol and HNC, a concerning pattern of alcohol consumption in survivors of HNC has been shown. It is of primary importance to increase the awareness of cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption, both in oncologic patients and the general population, to provide advice for reducing HNC prevalence and complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampiero Ferraguti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.); (S.T.); (M.L.)
| | - Sergio Terracina
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.); (S.T.); (M.L.)
| | - Carla Petrella
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC—CNR, 000185 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (M.G.D.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Antonio Greco
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (A.M.); (E.A.); (M.R.); (M.d.V.)
| | - Antonio Minni
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (A.M.); (E.A.); (M.R.); (M.d.V.)
| | - Marco Lucarelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.); (S.T.); (M.L.)
| | - Enzo Agostinelli
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (A.M.); (E.A.); (M.R.); (M.d.V.)
| | - Massimo Ralli
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (A.M.); (E.A.); (M.R.); (M.d.V.)
| | - Marco de Vincentiis
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (A.M.); (E.A.); (M.R.); (M.d.V.)
| | - Giammarco Raponi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Antonella Polimeni
- Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillofacial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Mauro Ceccanti
- SITAC, Società Italiana per il Trattamento dell’Alcolismo, 00184 Rome, Italy;
- SIFASD, Società Italiana Sindrome Feto-Alcolica, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Brunella Caronti
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Maria Grazia Di Certo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC—CNR, 000185 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (M.G.D.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Christian Barbato
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC—CNR, 000185 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (M.G.D.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Alessandro Mattia
- Ministero dell’Interno, Dipartimento della Pubblica Sicurezza, Direzione Centrale di Sanità, Centro di Ricerche e Laboratorio di Tossicologia Forense, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Luigi Tarani
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University Hospital of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marco Fiore
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC—CNR, 000185 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (M.G.D.C.); (C.B.)
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