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Saavedra LPJ, Piovan S, Moreira VM, Gonçalves GD, Ferreira ARO, Ribeiro MVG, Peres MNC, Almeida DL, Raposo SR, da Silva MC, Barbosa LF, de Freitas Mathias PC. Epigenetic programming for obesity and noncommunicable disease: From womb to tomb. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2024; 25:309-324. [PMID: 38040983 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-023-09854-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Several epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies in recent decades have shown the relationship between exposure to stressors during development and health outcomes later in life. The characterization of these susceptible phases, such as preconception, gestation, lactation and adolescence, and the understanding of factors that influence the risk of an adult individual for developing obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, is the focus of the DOHaD (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) research line. In this sense, advancements in molecular biology techniques have contributed significantly to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes, their morphological and physiological alterations, having as a main driving factor the epigenetic modifications and their consequent modulation of gene expression. The present narrative review aimed to characterize the different susceptible phases of development and associated epigenetic modifications, and their implication in the development of non-communicable diseases. Additionally, we provide useful insights into interventions during development to counteract or prevent long-term programming for disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Paulo Jacinto Saavedra
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Silvano Piovan
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Veridiana Mota Moreira
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Gessica Dutra Gonçalves
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Anna Rebeka Oliveira Ferreira
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Maiara Vanusa Guedes Ribeiro
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Maria Natália Chimirri Peres
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Douglas Lopes Almeida
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Scarlett Rodrigues Raposo
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Mariane Carneiro da Silva
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Letícia Ferreira Barbosa
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Paulo Cezar de Freitas Mathias
- Department of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Cellular Biology, State University of Maringá, 5790 Av Colombo, Sala 19, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil.
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Perez-Gomez R. The Development of SARS-CoV-2 Variants: The Gene Makes the Disease. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:58. [PMID: 34940505 PMCID: PMC8705434 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged towards the end of 2019 that caused a severe respiratory disease in humans called COVID-19. It led to a pandemic with a high rate of morbidity and mortality that is ongoing and threatening humankind. Most of the mutations occurring in SARS-CoV-2 are synonymous or deleterious, but a few of them produce improved viral functions. The first known mutation associated with higher transmissibility, D614G, was detected in early 2020. Since then, the virus has evolved; new mutations have occurred, and many variants have been described. Depending on the genes affected and the location of the mutations, they could provide altered infectivity, transmissibility, or immune escape. To date, mutations that cause variations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein have been among the most studied because of the protein's role in the initial virus-cell contact and because it is the most variable region in the virus genome. Some concerning mutations associated with an impact on viral fitness have been described in the Spike protein, such as D614G, N501Y, E484K, K417N/T, L452R, and P681R, among others. To understand the impact of the infectivity and antigenicity of the virus, the mutation landscape of SARS-CoV-2 has been under constant global scrutiny. The virus variants are defined according to their origin, their genetic profile (some characteristic mutations prevalent in the lineage), and the severity of the disease they produce, which determines the level of concern. If they increase fitness, new variants can outcompete others in the population. The Alpha variant was more transmissible than previous versions and quickly spread globally. The Beta and Gamma variants accumulated mutations that partially escape the immune defenses and affect the effectiveness of vaccines. Nowadays, the Delta variant, identified around March 2021, has spread and displaced the other variants, becoming the most concerning of all lineages that have emerged. The Delta variant has a particular genetic profile, bearing unique mutations, such as T478K in the spike protein and M203R in the nucleocapsid. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the different mutations that have appeared in SARS-CoV-2, mainly on the spike protein. It analyzes their impact on the protein function and, subsequently, on the level of concern of different variants and their importance in the ongoing pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Perez-Gomez
- Translational Genomics Group, Institut Universitari de Biotecnologia y Biomedicina BIOTECMED, Universitat de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain
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Lisboa PC, Miranda RA, Souza LL, Moura EG. Can breastfeeding affect the rest of our life? Neuropharmacology 2021; 200:108821. [PMID: 34610290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The breastfeeding period is one of the most important critical windows in our development, since milk, our first food after birth, contains several compounds, such as macronutrients, micronutrients, antibodies, growth factors and hormones that benefit human health. Indeed, nutritional, and environmental alterations during lactation, change the composition of breast milk and induce alterations in the child's development, such as obesity, leading to the metabolic dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases and neurobehavioral disorders. This review is based on experimental animal models, most of them in rodents, and summarizes the impact of an adequate breast milk supply in view of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) concept, which has been proposed by researchers in the areas of epidemiology and basic science from around the world. Here, experimental advances in understanding the programming during breastfeeding were compiled with the purpose of generating knowledge about the genesis of chronic noncommunicable diseases and to guide the development of public policies to deal with and prevent the problems arising from this phenomenon. This review article is part of the special issue on "Cross talk between periphery and brain".
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Lisboa
- Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Rosiane A Miranda
- Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luana L Souza
- Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Egberto G Moura
- Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Roberto Alcantara Gomes Biology Institute, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Arvinti B, Iacob ER, Isar A, Iacob D, Costache M. Automated Medical Care: Bradycardia Detection and Cardiac Monitoring of Preterm Infants. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2021; 57:1199. [PMID: 34833417 PMCID: PMC8625917 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57111199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Prematurity of birth occurs before the 37th week of gestation and affects up to 10% of births worldwide. It is correlated with critical outcomes; therefore, constant monitoring in neonatal intensive care units or home environments is required. The aim of this work was to develop solutions for remote neonatal intensive supervision systems, which should assist medical diagnosis of premature infants and raise alarm at cardiac abnormalities, such as bradycardia. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a worldwide stress upon the medical staff and the management of healthcare units. Materials and Methods: A traditional medical diagnosing scheme was set up, implemented with the aid of powerful mathematical operators. The algorithm was tailored to the infants' personal ECG characteristics and was tested on real ECG data from the publicly available PhysioNet database "Preterm Infant Cardio-Respiratory Signals Database". Different processing problems were solved: noise filtering, baseline drift removal, event detection and compression of medical data using the à trous wavelet transform. Results: In all 10 available clinical cases, the bradycardia events annotated by the physicians were correctly detected using the RR intervals. Compressing the ECG signals for remote transmission, we obtained compression ratios (CR) varying from 1.72 to 7.42, with the median CR value around 3. Conclusions: We noticed that a significant amount of noise can be added to a signal while monitoring using standard clinical sensors. We tried to offer solutions for these technical problems. Recent studies have shown that persons infected with the COVID-19 disease are frequently reported to develop cardiovascular symptoms and cardiac arrhythmias. An automatic surveillance system (both for neonates and adults) has a practical medical application. The proposed algorithm is personalized, no fixed reference value being applied, and the algorithm follows the neonate's cardiac rhythm changes. The performance depends on the characteristics of the input ECG. The signal-to-noise ratio of the processed ECG was improved, with a value of up to 10 dB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Arvinti
- Fundamentals of Physics for Engineers Department, “Politehnica” University Timisoara, Bd. Vasile Pârvan 2, 300223 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Emil Radu Iacob
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Alexandru Isar
- Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies, “Politehnica” University Timisoara, Bd. Vasile Pârvan 2, 300223 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Daniela Iacob
- Department of Neonatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Marius Costache
- Fundamentals of Physics for Engineers Department, “Politehnica” University Timisoara, Bd. Vasile Pârvan 2, 300223 Timisoara, Romania;
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