1
|
García-Suastegui WA, Navarro-Mabarak C, Silva-Adaya D, Dolores-Raymundo HG, Alvarez-Gonzalez MY, León-Olea M, Ramos-Chávez LA. Neurotransmitter Systems Affected by PBDE Exposure: Insights from In Vivo and In Vitro Neurotoxicity Studies. TOXICS 2025; 13:316. [PMID: 40278631 PMCID: PMC12030920 DOI: 10.3390/toxics13040316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2025] [Accepted: 01/28/2025] [Indexed: 04/26/2025]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic halogen compounds, industrially used as flame retardants in many flammable products. PBDEs are environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative substances that were used from the 1970s and discontinued in the 1990s. PBDEs are present in air, soil, water, and food, where they remain stable for a long time. Chronic exposure to PBDEs is associated with adverse human health effects, including cancer, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, reproductive and metabolic disorders, motor and hormonal impairments, and neurotoxicity, especially in children. It has been demonstrated that PBDE exposure can cause mitochondrial and DNA damage, apoptosis, oxidative stress, epigenetic modifications, and changes in calcium and neurotransmitter levels. Here, we conduct a comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms of the neurotoxicity of PBDEs using different approaches. We discuss the main neurotransmitter pathways affected by exposure to PBDEs in vitro and in vivo in different mammalian models. Excitatory and inhibitory signaling pathways are the putative target where PBDEs carry out their neurotoxicity. Based on this evidence, environmental PBDEs are considered a risk to human public health and a hazard to biota, underscoring the need for environmental monitoring to mitigate exposure to PBDEs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Argelia García-Suastegui
- Departamento de Biología y Toxicología de la Reproducción, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla C.P. 72570, Mexico; (W.A.G.-S.); (H.G.D.-R.)
| | - Cynthia Navarro-Mabarak
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City C.P. 04510, Mexico;
| | - Daniela Silva-Adaya
- Laboratorio Experimental de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de Mexico 14269, Mexico;
- Centro de Investigación Sobre el Envejecimiento, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CIE-CINVESTAV), Ciudad de Mexico C.P. 14330, Mexico
| | - Heidy Galilea Dolores-Raymundo
- Departamento de Biología y Toxicología de la Reproducción, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla C.P. 72570, Mexico; (W.A.G.-S.); (H.G.D.-R.)
| | - Mhar Yovavyn Alvarez-Gonzalez
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de Mexico C.P. 14370, Mexico;
| | - Martha León-Olea
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de Mexico C.P. 14370, Mexico;
| | - Lucio Antonio Ramos-Chávez
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de Mexico C.P. 14370, Mexico;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen W, Zou H, Xu H, Cao R, Zhang Y, Ma Y, Lin W, Zhang H, Zhao J. Exploring the Mechanisms of Testicular Aging: Advances in Biomarker Research. Aging Dis 2025:AD.2025.0070. [PMID: 40153586 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2025.0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2025] [Accepted: 03/07/2025] [Indexed: 03/30/2025] Open
Abstract
Aging biomarkers quantify aging progression and provide actionable targets for therapeutic interventions to mitigate age-related decline. This review synthesizes emerging evidence on testicular aging biomarkers, focusing on cellular senescence (Leydig, Sertoli, and endothelial cells), protein homeostasis disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, germ stem cell depletion, sperm telomere length, epigenetic alterations, oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. We propose that testicular aging serves as a critical nexus linking reproductive decline with systemic aging processes, with its pathological progression being quantifiable through specific biomarkers including the Leydig, Sertoli, and endothelial cells, INSL3, ribosomal protein RPL39L, sperm telomere length, relative telomere length mitochondrial translocator protein, and sialic acid. By bridging systemic aging paradigms with testis-specific mechanisms, we emphasize the urgency to identify organ-selective biomarkers for targeted interventions, advancing strategies to preserve male fertility and address population aging challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenkang Chen
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hede Zou
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haoran Xu
- Graduate School of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Rui Cao
- Graduate School of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yapeng Zhang
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjie Ma
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hekun Zhang
- Graduate School of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jiayou Zhao
- Graduate School of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Amir S, Arowolo O, Mironova E, McGaunn J, Oluwayiose O, Sergeyev O, Pilsner JR, Suvorov A. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in Sertoli cells regulates age-dependent changes in sperm DNA methylation. eLife 2024; 13:RP90992. [PMID: 39283662 PMCID: PMC11405012 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90992] [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] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, a trend toward delayed childbirth has led to increases in parental age at the time of conception. Sperm epigenome undergoes age-dependent changes increasing risks of adverse conditions in offspring conceived by fathers of advanced age. The mechanism(s) linking paternal age with epigenetic changes in sperm remain unknown. The sperm epigenome is shaped in a compartment protected by the blood-testes barrier (BTB) known to deteriorate with age. Permeability of the BTB is regulated by the balance of two mTOR complexes in Sertoli cells where mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) promotes the opening of the BTB and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) promotes its integrity. We hypothesized that this balance is also responsible for age-dependent changes in the sperm epigenome. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed reproductive outcomes, including sperm DNA methylation in transgenic mice with Sertoli cell-specific suppression of mTORC1 (Rptor KO) or mTORC2 (Rictor KO). mTORC2 suppression accelerated aging of the sperm DNA methylome and resulted in a reproductive phenotype concordant with older age, including decreased testes weight and sperm counts, and increased percent of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa and mitochondrial DNA copy number. Suppression of mTORC1 resulted in the shift of DNA methylome in sperm opposite to the shift associated with physiological aging - sperm DNA methylome rejuvenation and mild changes in sperm parameters. These results demonstrate for the first time that the balance of mTOR complexes in Sertoli cells regulates the rate of sperm epigenetic aging. Thus, mTOR pathway in Sertoli cells may be used as a novel target of therapeutic interventions to rejuvenate the sperm epigenome in advanced-age fathers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saira Amir
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| | - Olatunbosun Arowolo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| | - Ekaterina Mironova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscowRussian Federation
| | - Joseph McGaunn
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| | - Oladele Oluwayiose
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State UniversityDetroitUnited States
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscowRussian Federation
| | - J Richard Pilsner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State UniversityDetroitUnited States
| | - Alexander Suvorov
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of MassachusettsAmherstUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jarosiewicz M, Krześlak A. Epigenetic implications of common brominated flame retardants (PBDEs and TBBPA): Understanding the health risks of BFRs exposure. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 361:142488. [PMID: 38821124 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are synthetic chemicals incorporated into a wide variety of products, both for industrial applications and everyday use, with the primary aim of reducing their flammability or reducing the material burning rate. These compounds find widespread use in plastics, textiles, and electrical/electronic devices. However, BFRs can be released from products and, thus are determined in many environmental matrices such as soil, water and air.This review discuss the potential health implications of selected BFRs (PBDEs and TBBPA) exposure arising from their impact on the epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation or methylation, as well as changes in miRNA pattern, play significant roles in gene expression and cell function and can be influenced by environmental factors.The studies indicate that PBDEs exposure can lead to global DNA hypomethylation, disrupting normal gene regulation and contributing to genomic instability. In animal models, PBDEs have been associated with adverse effects on neurodevelopment, including impairments in memory and learning. TBBPA exposure has also been linked to changes in DNA methylation patterns, alterations in histone posttranslational modifications and non-coding RNA expression. These epigenetic changes may contribute to health issues related to growth, development, and endocrine functions.The growing evidence of epigenetic modifications induced by BFRs exposure highlights the importance of understanding their potential risks to human health. Further investigations are needed to fully elucidate the long-term consequences of altered epigenetic marks and their impact on human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Jarosiewicz
- Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Anna Krześlak
- Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu D, Zhang K, Guan K, Khan FA, Pandupuspitasari NS, Negara W, Sun F, Huang C. Future in the past: paternal reprogramming of offspring phenotype and the epigenetic mechanisms. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:1685-1703. [PMID: 38460001 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03713-6] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
That certain preconceptual paternal exposures reprogram the developmental phenotypic plasticity in future generation(s) has conceptualized the "paternal programming of offspring health" hypothesis. This transgenerational effect is transmitted primarily through sperm epigenetic mechanisms-DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and associated RNA modifications, and histone modifications-and potentially through non-sperm-specific mechanisms-seminal plasma and circulating factors-that create 'imprinted' memory of ancestral information. The epigenetic landscape in sperm is highly responsive to environmental cues, due to, in part, the soma-to-germline communication mediated by epididymosomes. While human epidemiological studies and experimental animal studies have provided solid evidences in support of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, how ancestral information is memorized as epigenetic codes for germline transmission is poorly understood. Particular elusive is what the downstream effector pathways that decode those epigenetic codes into persistent phenotypes. In this review, we discuss the paternal reprogramming of offspring phenotype and the possible underlying epigenetic mechanisms. Cracking these epigenetic mechanisms will lead to a better appreciation of "Paternal Origins of Health and Disease" and guide innovation of intervention algorithms to achieve 'healthier' outcomes in future generations. All this will revolutionize our understanding of human disease etiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Kejia Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Kaifeng Guan
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Faheem Ahmed Khan
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | | | - Windu Negara
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | - Fei Sun
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Chunjie Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Karahan G, Martel J, Rahimi S, Farag M, Matias F, MacFarlane AJ, Chan D, Trasler J. Higher incidence of embryonic defects in mouse offspring conceived with assisted reproduction from fathers with sperm epimutations. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 33:48-63. [PMID: 37740387 PMCID: PMC10729866 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad160] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) account for 1-6% of births in developed countries. While most children conceived are healthy, increases in birth and genomic imprinting defects have been reported; such abnormal outcomes have been attributed to underlying parental infertility and/or the ART used. Here, we assessed whether paternal genetic and lifestyle factors, that are associated with male infertility and affect the sperm epigenome, can influence ART outcomes. We examined how paternal factors, haploinsufficiency for Dnmt3L, an important co-factor for DNA methylation reactions, and/or diet-induced obesity, in combination with ART (superovulation, in vitro fertilization, embryo culture and embryo transfer), could adversely influence embryo development and DNA methylation patterning in mice. While male mice fed high-fat diets (HFD) gained weight and showed perturbed metabolic health, their sperm DNA methylation was minimally affected by the diet. In contrast, Dnmt3L haploinsufficiency induced a marked loss of DNA methylation in sperm; notably, regions affected were associated with neurodevelopmental pathways and enriched in young retrotransposons, sequences that can have functional consequences in the next generation. Following ART, placental imprinted gene methylation and growth parameters were impacted by one or both paternal factors. For embryos conceived by natural conception, abnormality rates were similar for WT and Dnmt3L+/- fathers. In contrast, paternal Dnmt3L+/- genotype, as compared to WT fathers, resulted in a 3-fold increase in the incidence of morphological abnormalities in embryos generated by ART. Together, the results indicate that embryonic morphological and epigenetic defects associated with ART may be exacerbated in offspring conceived by fathers with sperm epimutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gurbet Karahan
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Josée Martel
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Sophia Rahimi
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Mena Farag
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Fernando Matias
- Nutrition Research Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | | | - Donovan Chan
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Jacquetta Trasler
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Khani L, Martin L, Pułaski Ł. Cellular and physiological mechanisms of halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardant toxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165272. [PMID: 37406685 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Flame retardants (FRs) are chemical substances used to inhibit the spread of fire in numerous industrial applications, and their abundance in modern manufactured products in the indoor and outdoor environment leads to extensive direct and food chain exposure of humans. Although once considered relatively non-toxic, FRs are demonstrated by recent literature to have disruptive effects on many biological processes, including signaling pathways, genome stability, reproduction, and immune system function. This review provides a summary of research investigating the impact of major groups of FRs, including halogenated and organophosphorus FRs, on animals and humans in vitro and/or in vivo. We put in focus those studies that explained or referenced the modes of FR action at the level of cells, tissues and organs. Since FRs are highly hydrophobic chemicals, their biophysical and biochemical modes of action usually involve lipophilic interactions, e.g. with biological membranes or elements of signaling pathways. We present selected toxicological information about these molecular actions to show how they can lead to damaging membrane integrity, damaging DNA and compromising its repair, changing gene expression, and cell cycle as well as accelerating cell death. Moreover, we indicate how this translates to deleterious bioactivity of FRs at the physiological level, with disruption of hormonal action, dysregulation of metabolism, adverse effects on male and female reproduction as well as alteration of normal pattern of immunity. Concentrating on these subjects, we make clear both the advances in knowledge in recent years and the remaining gaps in our understanding, especially at the mechanistic level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leila Khani
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Medical Biology PAS, Lodz, Poland; Bio-Med-Chem Doctoral School of the University of Lodz and Lodz Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodz, Poland
| | - Leonardo Martin
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Medical Biology PAS, Lodz, Poland; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Łukasz Pułaski
- Department of Oncobiology and Epigenetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Medical Biology PAS, Lodz, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lahimer M, Montjean D, Cabry R, Capelle S, Lefranc E, Bach V, Ajina M, Ben Ali H, Khorsi-Cauet H, Benkhalifa M. Paternal Age Matters: Association with Sperm Criteria's- Spermatozoa DNA Integrity and Methylation Profile. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4928. [PMID: 37568329 PMCID: PMC10420110 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12154928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced age has been reported to negatively affect sperm parameters and spermatozoa DNA integrity. A decline in sperm criteria was also associated with altered epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation with a potential downstream impact on in vitro fertilization success and clinical outcomes. The aim of the present retrospective study was to clarify the association between advanced paternal age (APA) and sperm parameters, DNA integrity and DNA methylation profile. A total of 671 patients consulting for infertility underwent sperm analysis, sperm DNA integrity assessment and methylation level measurement. The principal finding was that individuals over 40 years of age exhibit a significant increase in DNA fragmentation levels compared to the younger group (15% versus 9%, respectively, p = 0.04). However, there was no significant difference in DNA decondensation and sperm parameters in association with APA. In addition, a drop in the global methylation level was also found in men over 40 years (6% in the young group versus 2% in the old group, p = 0.03). As a conclusion, men over 40 years are at higher risk of elevated sperm DNA fragmentation and lower methylation level. Based on these observations, it is recommended that the assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation should be taken into consideration particularly after the age of 40. Our findings support the idea that paternal age is a crucial factor that should not be neglected during fertility evaluation and treatment since it is associated with epigenetics changes in sperm. Although the underlying mechanism remains to be clarified, we believe that environmental and professional exposure factors are likely involved in the process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Lahimer
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
- PERITOX—Périnatalité et Risques Toxiques—UMR-I1, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025 Amiens, France;
- Exercise Physiology and Physiopathology: From Integrated to Molecular “Biology, Medicine and Health” (Code: LR19ES09), Sousse 4002, Tunisia
| | - Debbie Montjean
- Fertilys, Centres de Fertilité, Laval and Brossard, Québec, QC H7S 1Z5, Canada;
| | - Rosalie Cabry
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
- PERITOX—Périnatalité et Risques Toxiques—UMR-I1, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025 Amiens, France;
| | - Severine Capelle
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
| | - Elodie Lefranc
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
| | - Véronique Bach
- PERITOX—Périnatalité et Risques Toxiques—UMR-I1, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025 Amiens, France;
| | - Mounir Ajina
- Unit of Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Farhat Hached, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
| | - Habib Ben Ali
- Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
| | - Hafida Khorsi-Cauet
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
- PERITOX—Périnatalité et Risques Toxiques—UMR-I1, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025 Amiens, France;
| | - Moncef Benkhalifa
- Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology & Genetics, University Hospital and School of Medicine, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80054 Amiens, France; (M.L.); (R.C.); (S.C.); (E.L.); (M.B.)
- PERITOX—Périnatalité et Risques Toxiques—UMR-I1, Picardie University Jules Verne, CHU Sud, 80025 Amiens, France;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Fice HE, Robaire B. Aging affects gene expression in spermatids of Brown Norway rats. Exp Gerontol 2023; 173:112086. [PMID: 36626969 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112086] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The effects of aging on the reproductive health of men and the consequences for their offspring are becoming more widely recognized. Correlative epidemiological studies examining paternal age and offspring health suggest there are more frequent occurrences of genetic disorders in the children of older fathers. Given the genetic basis for paternal age-related disorders, we aim to characterize gene expression in developing germ cells. Round spermatids (RS) were collected from young (mean = 5.3 months) and aged (mean = 19.5 months) Brown Norway rats, representative of humans aged 20-30 years and 55+ years, respectively. Gene expression data were obtained by mRNA sequencing (n = 5), and were analysed for differential expression. Sequencing data display 211 upregulated and 9 downregulated transcripts in RS of aged rats, compared to young (log2FC >1, p < 0.05). Transcripts with increased expression are involved in several processes including sperm motility/morphology, sperm-egg binding, capacitation, and epigenetic inheritance. In addition, there are numerous dysregulated transcripts that regulate germ cell epigenetic marks and Sertoli-germ cell binding and communication. These results show an overall increase in RS gene expression with age, with spermatogenic functions being perturbed. Taken together, these findings help identify the genetic origin of the fertility, germ cell niche, and epigenetic effects observed with advanced paternal aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Fice
- McGill University, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Canada.
| | - Bernard Robaire
- McGill University, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Canada; McGill University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mechanisms of Male Reproductive Toxicity of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214229. [PMID: 36430706 PMCID: PMC9693139 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are a group of flame retardants used in a variety of artificial materials. Despite being phased out in most industrial countries, they remain in the environment and human tissues due to their persistence, lipophilicity, and bioaccumulation. Populational and experimental studies demonstrate the male reproductive toxicity of PBDEs including increased incidence of genital malformations (hypospadias and cryptorchidism), altered weight of testes and other reproductive tissues, altered testes histology and transcriptome, decreased sperm production and sperm quality, altered epigenetic regulation of developmental genes in spermatozoa, and altered secretion of reproductive hormones. A broad range of mechanistic hypotheses of PBDE reproductive toxicity has been suggested. Among these hypotheses, oxidative stress, the disruption of estrogenic signaling, and mitochondria disruption are affected by PBDE concentrations much higher than concentrations found in human tissues, making them unlikely links between exposures and adverse reproductive outcomes in the general population. Robust evidence suggests that at environmentally relevant doses, PBDEs and their metabolites may affect male reproductive health via mechanisms including AR antagonism and the disruption of a complex network of metabolic signaling.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ashapkin V, Suvorov A, Pilsner JR, Krawetz SA, Sergeyev O. Age-associated epigenetic changes in mammalian sperm: implications for offspring health and development. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 29:24-44. [PMID: 36066418 PMCID: PMC9825272 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Modern reproductive behavior in most developed countries is characterized by delayed parenthood. Older gametes are generally less fertile, accumulating and compounding the effects of varied environmental exposures that are modified by lifestyle factors. Clinicians are primarily concerned with advanced maternal age, while the influence of paternal age on fertility, early development and offspring health remains underappreciated. There is a growing trend to use assisted reproductive technologies for couples of advanced reproductive age. Thus, the number of children born from older gametes is increasing. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE We review studies reporting age-associated epigenetic changes in mammals and humans in sperm, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs. The interplay between environment, fertility, ART and age-related epigenetic signatures is explored. We focus on the association of sperm epigenetics on epigenetic and phenotype events in embryos and offspring. SEARCH METHODS Peer-reviewed original and review articles over the last two decades were selected using PubMed and the Web of Science for this narrative review. Searches were performed by adopting the two groups of main terms. The first group included 'advanced paternal age', 'paternal age', 'postponed fatherhood', 'late fatherhood', 'old fatherhood' and the second group included 'sperm epigenetics', 'sperm', 'semen', 'epigenetic', 'inheritance', 'DNA methylation', 'chromatin', 'non-coding RNA', 'assisted reproduction', 'epigenetic clock'. OUTCOMES Age is a powerful factor in humans and rodent models associated with increased de novo mutations and a modified sperm epigenome. Age affects all known epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and profiles of small non-coding (snc)RNA. While DNA methylation is the most investigated, there is a controversy about the direction of age-dependent changes in differentially hypo- or hypermethylated regions with advanced age. Successful development of the human sperm epigenetic clock based on cross-sectional data and four different methods for DNA methylation analysis indicates that at least some CpG exhibit a linear relationship between methylation levels and age. Rodent studies show a significant overlap between genes regulated through age-dependent differentially methylated regions and genes targeted by age-dependent sncRNA. Both age-dependent epigenetic mechanisms target gene networks enriched for embryo developmental, neurodevelopmental, growth and metabolic pathways. Thus, age-dependent changes in the sperm epigenome cannot be described as a stochastic accumulation of random epimutations and may be linked with autism spectrum disorders. Chemical and lifestyle exposures and ART techniques may affect the epigenetic aging of sperm. Although most epigenetic modifications are erased in the early mammalian embryo, there is growing evidence that an altered offspring epigenome and phenotype is linked with advanced paternal age due to the father's sperm accumulating epigenetic changes with time. It has been hypothesized that age-induced changes in the sperm epigenome are profound, physiological and dynamic over years, yet stable over days and months, and likely irreversible. WIDER IMPLICATIONS This review raises a concern about delayed fatherhood and age-associated changes in the sperm epigenome that may compromise reproductive health of fathers and transfer altered epigenetic information to subsequent generations. Prospective studies using healthy males that consider confounders are recommended. We suggest a broader discussion focused on regulation of the father's age in natural and ART conceptions is needed. The professional community should be informed and should raise awareness in the population and when counseling older men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J Richard Pilsner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Stephen A Krawetz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Correspondence address. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskye Gory, House 1, Building 40, Room 322, Moscow 119992, Russia. E-mail: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5745-3348
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pepin AS, Lafleur C, Lambrot R, Dumeaux V, Kimmins S. Sperm histone H3 lysine 4 tri-methylation serves as a metabolic sensor of paternal obesity and is associated with the inheritance of metabolic dysfunction. Mol Metab 2022; 59:101463. [PMID: 35183795 PMCID: PMC8931445 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parental environmental exposures can strongly influence descendant risks for adult disease. How paternal obesity changes the sperm chromatin leading to the acquisition of metabolic disease in offspring remains controversial and ill-defined. The objective of this study was to assess (1) whether obesity induced by a high-fat diet alters sperm histone methylation; (2) whether paternal obesity can induce metabolic disturbances across generations; (3) whether there could be cumulative damage to the sperm epigenome leading to enhanced metabolic dysfunction in descendants; and (4) whether obesity-sensitive regions associate with embryonic epigenetic and transcriptomic profiles. Using a genetic mouse model of epigenetic inheritance, we investigated the role of histone H3 lysine 4 methylation (H3K4me3) in the paternal transmission of metabolic dysfunction. This transgenic mouse overexpresses the histone demethylase enzyme KDM1A in the developing germline and has an altered sperm epigenome at the level of histone H3K4 methylation. We hypothesized that challenging transgenic sires with a high-fat diet would further erode the sperm epigenome and lead to enhanced metabolic disturbances in the next generations. METHODS To assess whether paternal obesity can have inter- or transgenerational impacts, and if so to identify potential mechanisms of this non-genetic inheritance, we used wild-type C57BL/6NCrl and transgenic males with a pre-existing altered sperm epigenome. To induce obesity, sires were fed either a control or high-fat diet (10% or 60% kcal fat, respectively) for 10-12 weeks, then bred to wild-type C57BL/6NCrl females fed a regular diet. F1 and F2 descendants were characterized for metabolic phenotypes by examining the effects of paternal obesity by sex, on body weight, fat mass distribution, the liver transcriptome, intraperitoneal glucose, and insulin tolerance tests. To determine whether obesity altered the F0 sperm chromatin, native chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing targeting H3K4me3 was performed. To gain insight into mechanisms of paternal transmission, we compared our sperm H3K4me3 profiles with embryonic and placental chromatin states, histone modification, and gene expression profiles. RESULTS Obesity-induced alterations in H3K4me3 occurred in genes implicated in metabolic, inflammatory, and developmental processes. These processes were associated with offspring metabolic dysfunction and corresponded to genes enriched for H3K4me3 in embryos and overlapped embryonic and placenta gene expression profiles. Transgenerational susceptibility to metabolic disease was only observed when obese F0 had a pre-existing modified sperm epigenome. This coincided with increased H3K4me3 alterations in sperm and more severe phenotypes affecting their offspring. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest sperm H3K4me3 might serve as a metabolic sensor that connects paternal diet with offspring phenotypes via the placenta. This non-DNA-based knowledge of inheritance has the potential to improve our understanding of how environment shapes heritability and may lead to novel routes for the prevention of disease. This study highlights the need to further study the connection between the sperm epigenome, placental development, and children's health. SUMMARY SENTENCE Paternal obesity impacts sperm H3K4me3 and is associated with placenta, embryonic and metabolic outcomes in descendants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Pepin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Christine Lafleur
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Romain Lambrot
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Vanessa Dumeaux
- Department of Biology, PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Sarah Kimmins
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada; Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Johnson S. Welcome to the 14th volume of Epigenomics. Epigenomics 2021; 14:1-4. [PMID: 34904443 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Storm Johnson
- Future Medicine, Future Science Group Ltd, London N3 1QB, UK
| |
Collapse
|