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Ospelt C. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases collection on epigenetics: from three dimensional chromatin organisation to microRNA. Ann Rheum Dis 2024; 83:821-825. [PMID: 38123909 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-224857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
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2
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Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Murga-Garrido SM, Ting-Chun Pan J, Bhanap P, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T. The microbiota and T cells non-genetically modulate inherited phenotypes transgenerationally. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114029. [PMID: 38573852 PMCID: PMC11102039 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114029] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The host-microbiota relationship has evolved to shape mammalian physiology, including immunity, metabolism, and development. Germ-free models are widely used to study microbial effects on host processes such as immunity. Here, we find that both germ-free and T cell-deficient mice exhibit a robust sebum secretion defect persisting across multiple generations despite microbial colonization and T cell repletion. These phenotypes are inherited by progeny conceived during in vitro fertilization using germ-free sperm and eggs, demonstrating that non-genetic information in the gametes is required for microbial-dependent phenotypic transmission. Accordingly, gene expression in early embryos derived from gametes from germ-free or T cell-deficient mice is strikingly and similarly altered. Our findings demonstrate that microbial- and immune-dependent regulation of non-genetic information in the gametes can transmit inherited phenotypes transgenerationally in mice. This mechanism could rapidly generate phenotypic diversity to enhance host adaptation to environmental perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C Harris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Natalie A Trigg
- Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics - Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bruktawit Goshu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yuichi Yokoyama
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lenka Dohnalová
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ellen K White
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adele Harman
- Transgenic Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sofía M Murga-Garrido
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jamie Ting-Chun Pan
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Preeti Bhanap
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christoph A Thaiss
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Grice
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Colin C Conine
- Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Departments of Genetics and Pediatrics - Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Taku Kambayashi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Babington S, Tilbrook AJ, Maloney SK, Fernandes JN, Crowley TM, Ding L, Fox AH, Zhang S, Kho EA, Cozzolino D, Mahony TJ, Blache D. Finding biomarkers of experience in animals. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2024; 15:28. [PMID: 38374201 PMCID: PMC10877933 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
At a time when there is a growing public interest in animal welfare, it is critical to have objective means to assess the way that an animal experiences a situation. Objectivity is critical to ensure appropriate animal welfare outcomes. Existing behavioural, physiological, and neurobiological indicators that are used to assess animal welfare can verify the absence of extremely negative outcomes. But welfare is more than an absence of negative outcomes and an appropriate indicator should reflect the full spectrum of experience of an animal, from negative to positive. In this review, we draw from the knowledge of human biomedical science to propose a list of candidate biological markers (biomarkers) that should reflect the experiential state of non-human animals. The proposed biomarkers can be classified on their main function as endocrine, oxidative stress, non-coding molecular, and thermobiological markers. We also discuss practical challenges that must be addressed before any of these biomarkers can become useful to assess the experience of an animal in real-life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Babington
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Alan J Tilbrook
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Shane K Maloney
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jill N Fernandes
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Tamsyn M Crowley
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3217, Australia
- Poultry Hub Australia, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia
| | - Luoyang Ding
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Archa H Fox
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Song Zhang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Elise A Kho
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel Cozzolino
- Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Timothy J Mahony
- Centre for Animal Science, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Dominique Blache
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Augustyniak M, Ajay AK, Kędziorski A, Tarnawska M, Rost-Roszkowska M, Flasz B, Babczyńska A, Mazur B, Rozpędek K, Alian RS, Skowronek M, Świerczek E, Wiśniewska K, Ziętara P. Survival, growth and digestive functions after exposure to nanodiamonds - Transgenerational effects beyond contact time in house cricket strains. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140809. [PMID: 38036229 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The long-term exposure effects of nanodiamonds (NDs), spanning an organism's entire lifespan and continuing for subsequent generation, remain understudied. Most research has focused on evaluating their biological impacts on cell lines and selected organisms, typically over short exposure durations lasting hours or days. The study aimed to assess growth, mortality, and digestive functions in wild (H) and long-lived (D) strains of Acheta domesticus (Insecta: Orthoptera) after two-generational exposure to NDs in concentrations of 0.2 or 2 mg kg-1 of food, followed by their elimination in the third generation. NDs induced subtle stimulating effect that depended on the strain and generation. In the first generation, more such responses occurred in the H than in the D strain. In the first generation of H strain insects, contact with NDs increased survival, stimulated the growth of young larvae, and the activity of most digestive enzymes in mature adults. The same doses and exposure time did not cause similar effects in the D strain. In the first generation of D strain insects, survival and growth were unaffected by NDs, whereas, in the second generation, significant stimulation of those parameters was visible. Selection towards longevity appears to support higher resistance of the insects to exposure to additional stressor, at least in the first generation. The cessation of ND exposure in the third generation caused potentially harmful changes, which included, e.g., decreased survival probability in H strain insects, slowed growth of both strains, as well as changes in heterochromatin density and distribution in nuclei of the gut cells in both strains. Such a reaction may suggest the involvement of epigenetic inheritance mechanisms, which may become inadequate after the stress factor is removed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Augustyniak
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Amrendra K Ajay
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Andrzej Kędziorski
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Monika Tarnawska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Rost-Roszkowska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Barbara Flasz
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Babczyńska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Beata Mazur
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Rozpędek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Reyhaneh Seyed Alian
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Skowronek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Ewa Świerczek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Klaudia Wiśniewska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
| | - Patrycja Ziętara
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Bankowa 9, 40-007, Katowice, Poland
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5
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Roach AN, Bhadsavle SS, Higgins SL, Derrico DD, Basel A, Thomas KN, Golding MC. Alterations in sperm RNAs persist after alcohol cessation and correlate with epididymal mitochondrial dysfunction. Andrology 2023:10.1111/andr.13566. [PMID: 38044754 PMCID: PMC11144833 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic preconception paternal alcohol use adversely modifies the sperm epigenome, inducing fetoplacental and craniofacial growth defects in the offspring of exposed males. A crucial outstanding question in the field of paternal epigenetic inheritance concerns the resilience of the male germline and its capacity to recover and correct sperm-inherited epigenetic errors after stressor withdrawal. OBJECTIVES We set out to determine if measures of the sperm-inherited epigenetic program revert to match the control treatment 1 month after withdrawing the daily alcohol treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using a voluntary access model, we exposed C57BL/6J males to 6% or 10% alcohol for 10 weeks, withdrew the alcohol treatments for 4 weeks, and used RNA sequencing to examine gene expression patterns in the caput section of the epididymis. We then compared the abundance of sperm small RNA species between treatments. RESULTS In the caput section of the epididymis, chronic alcohol exposure induced changes in the transcriptional control of genetic pathways related to the mitochondrial function, oxidative phosphorylation, and the generalized stress response (EIF2 signaling). Subsequent analysis identified region-specific, alcohol-induced changes in mitochondrial DNA copy number across the epididymis, which correlated with increases in the mitochondrial DNA content of alcohol-exposed sperm. Notably, in the corpus section of the epididymis, increases in mitochondrial DNA copy number persisted 1 month after alcohol cessation. Analysis of sperm noncoding RNAs between control and alcohol-exposed males 1 month after alcohol withdrawal revealed a ∼100-fold increase in mir-196a, a microRNA induced as part of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-driven cellular antioxidant response. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Our data reveal that alcohol-induced epididymal mitochondrial dysfunction and differences in sperm noncoding RNA content persist after alcohol withdrawal. Further, differences in mir-196a and sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number may serve as viable biomarkers of adverse alterations in the sperm-inherited epigenetic program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis N. Roach
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Sanat S. Bhadsavle
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Samantha L. Higgins
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Destani D. Derrico
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Alison Basel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Kara N. Thomas
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
| | - Michael C. Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, 77843
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Kachhawaha AS, Mishra S, Tiwari AK. Epigenetic control of heredity. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 198:25-60. [PMID: 37225323 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics is the field of science that deals with the study of changes in gene function that do not involve changes in DNA sequence and are heritable while epigenetics inheritance is the process of transmission of epigenetic modifications to the next generation. It can be transient, intergenerational, or transgenerational. There are various epigenetic modifications involving mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA expression, all of which are inheritable. In this chapter, we summarize the information on epigenetic inheritance, its mechanism, inheritance studies on various organisms, factors affecting epigenetic modifications and their inheritance, and the role of epigenetic inheritance in the heritability of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Singh Kachhawaha
- Laboratory of Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Forensic Sciences, National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Sarita Mishra
- Laboratory of Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology, School of Forensic Sciences, National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Anand Krishna Tiwari
- Genetics & Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
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Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T. The microbiota and immune system non-genetically affect offspring phenotypes transgenerationally. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535940. [PMID: 37066207 PMCID: PMC10104111 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The host-microbiota relationship has evolved to shape mammalian processes, including immunity, metabolism, and development 1-3 . Host phenotypes change in direct response to microbial exposures by the individual. Here we show that the microbiota induces phenotypic change not only in the individual but also in their succeeding generations of progeny. We found that germ-free mice exhibit a robust sebum secretion defect and transcriptional changes in various organs, persisting across multiple generations despite microbial colonization and breeding with conventional mice. Host-microbe interactions could be involved in this process, since T cell-deficient mice, which display defective sebum secretion 4 , also transgenerationally transmit their phenotype to progeny. These phenotypes are inherited by progeny conceived during in vitro fertilization using germ-free sperm and eggs, demonstrating that epigenetic information in the gametes is required for phenotypic transmission. Accordingly, small non-coding RNAs that can regulate embryonic gene expression 5 were strikingly and similarly altered in gametes of germ-free and T cell-deficient mice. Thus, we have uncovered a novel mechanism whereby the microbiota and immune system induce phenotypic changes in successive generations of offspring. This epigenetic form of inheritance could be advantageous for host adaptation to environmental perturbation, where phenotypic diversity can be introduced more rapidly than by genetic mutation.
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Sun Y, Zhang C, Luo L, Lin H, Liu C, Zhang W. Paternal genetic intergenerational and transgenerational effects of cadmium exposure on hormone synthesis disorders in progeny ovarian granulosa cells. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:121175. [PMID: 36731734 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the paternal genetic effects of cadmium (Cd) exposure on hormone synthesis disorders in the ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) of offspring. Here, male Sprague‒Dawley (SD) rats were gavaged with CdCl2 (0, 0.5, 2, 8 mg/kg) from postnatal day (PND) 28-56, followed by mating with newly purchased healthy adult females to produce F1, and F1 adult males (PND 56) were mated with newly purchased healthy adult females to produce F2. The serum levels of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Pg) decreased in F1 but essentially returned to normal in F2. The levels of StAR, CYP11A1, CYP17A1, CYP19A1, and SF-1 showed different alterations in F1 and F2 ovarian GCs. The expression patterns of miRNAs and imprinted genes related to hormone synthesis in GCs of F1 and F2 differed, but methylation of hormone synthesis-related genes was not significantly altered (except for individual loci in F1). In addition, there were significant changes in the expression of imprinted genes and miRNAs in F0 and F1 sperm. We conclude that paternal Cd exposure causes intergenerational genetic effects (hormone synthesis disorders) and transgenerational effects (reparative changes in hormone synthesis function) in ovarian GCs. These genetic effects were related to the downregulation of StAR in F1 and the upregulation of CYP17A1, CYP19A1, StAR and SF-1 in F2. Important changes in miRNAs and imprinted genes were also observed, but not all alterations originated from paternal inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sun
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China
| | - Chenyun Zhang
- School of Health Management, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China
| | - Lingfeng Luo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China
| | - Hao Lin
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, 350005, Fujian, China
| | - Chenchen Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China
| | - Wenchang Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Cancer, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China.
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Liu S, Sharma U. Sperm RNA Payload: Implications for Intergenerational Epigenetic Inheritance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5889. [PMID: 36982962 PMCID: PMC10052761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is mounting evidence that ancestral life experiences and environment can influence phenotypes in descendants. The parental environment regulates offspring phenotypes potentially via modulating epigenetic marks in the gametes. Here, we review examples of across-generational inheritance of paternal environmental effects and the current understanding of the role of small RNAs in such inheritance. We discuss recent advances in revealing the small RNA payload of sperm and how environmental conditions modulate sperm small RNAs. Further, we discuss the potential mechanism of inheritance of paternal environmental effects by focusing on sperm small RNA-mediated regulation of early embryonic gene expression and its role in influencing offspring phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Upasna Sharma
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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10
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Svanes C, Holloway JW, Krauss-Etschmann S. Preconception origins of asthma, allergies and lung function: The influence of previous generations on the respiratory health of our children. J Intern Med 2023; 293:531-549. [PMID: 36861185 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Emerging research suggests that exposures occurring years before conception are important determinants of the health of future offspring and subsequent generations. Environmental exposures of both the father and mother, or exposure to disease processes such as obesity or infections, may influence germline cells and thereby cause a cascade of health outcomes in multiple subsequent generations. There is now increasing evidence that respiratory health is influenced by parental exposures that occur long before conception. The strongest evidence relates adolescent tobacco smoking and overweight in future fathers to increased asthma and lower lung function in their offspring, supported by evidence on parental preconception occupational exposures and air pollution. Although this literature is still sparse, the epidemiological analyses reveal strong effects that are consistent across studies with different designs and methodologies. The results are strengthened by mechanistic research from animal models and (scarce) human studies that have identified molecular mechanisms that can explain the epidemiological findings, suggesting transfer of epigenetic signals through germline cells, with susceptibility windows in utero (both male and female line) and prepuberty (male line). The concept that our lifestyles and behaviours may influence the health of our future children represents a new paradigm. This raises concerns for future health in decades to come with respect to harmful exposures but may also open for radical rethinking of preventive strategies that may improve health in multiple generations, reverse the imprint of our parents and forefathers, and underpin strategies that can break the vicious circle of propagation of health inequalities across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Svanes
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Susanne Krauss-Etschmann
- Division of Early Life Origins of Chronic Lung Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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11
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Debnath M, Berk M. Is paternal immune activation just as important as maternal immune activation? Time to rethink the bi-parental immune priming of neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Med Hypotheses 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2023.111059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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12
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Barbero G, de Sousa Serro MG, Perez Lujan C, Vitullo AD, González CR, González B. Transcriptome profiling of histone writers/erasers enzymes across spermatogenesis, mature sperm and pre-cleavage embryo: Implications in paternal epigenome transitions and inheritance mechanisms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1086573. [PMID: 36776561 PMCID: PMC9911891 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1086573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence points out that sperm carry epigenetic instructions to embryo in the form of retained histones marks and RNA cargo that can transmit metabolic and behavioral traits to offspring. However, the mechanisms behind epigenetic inheritance of paternal environment are still poorly understood. Here, we curated male germ cells RNA-seq data and analyzed the expression profile of all known histone lysine writers and erasers enzymes across spermatogenesis, unraveling the developmental windows at which they are upregulated, and the specific activity related to canonical and non-canonical histone marks deposition and removal. We also characterized the epigenetic enzymes signature in the mature sperm RNA cargo, showing most of them positive translation at pre-cleavage zygote, suggesting that paternally-derived enzymes mRNA cooperate with maternal factors to embryo chromatin assembly. Our study shows several histone modifying enzymes not described yet in spermatogenesis and even more, important mechanistic aspects behind transgenerational epigenetics. Epigenetic enzymes not only can respond to environmental stressors, but could function as vectors of epigenetic information and participate in chromatin organization during maternal-to-zygote transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gastón Barbero
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maximiliano G. de Sousa Serro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (Universidad de Buenos Aires–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Camila Perez Lujan
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (Universidad de Buenos Aires–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo D. Vitullo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Candela R. González
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Betina González
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (Universidad de Buenos Aires–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina,*Correspondence: Betina González,
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13
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Greeson KW, Crow KMS, Edenfield RC, Easley CA. Inheritance of paternal lifestyles and exposures through sperm DNA methylation. Nat Rev Urol 2023:10.1038/s41585-022-00708-9. [PMID: 36653672 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-022-00708-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Many different lifestyle factors and chemicals present in the environment are a threat to the reproductive tracts of humans. The potential for parental preconception exposure to alter gametes and for these alterations to be passed on to offspring and negatively affect embryo growth and development is of concern. The connection between maternal exposures and offspring health is a frequent focus in epidemiological studies, but paternal preconception exposures are much less frequently considered and are also very important determinants of offspring health. Several environmental and lifestyle factors in men have been found to alter sperm epigenetics, which can regulate gene expression during early embryonic development. Epigenetic information is thought to be a mechanism that evolved for organisms to pass on information about their lived experiences to offspring. DNA methylation is a well-studied epigenetic regulator that is sensitive to environmental exposures in somatic cells and sperm. The continuous production of sperm from spermatogonial stem cells throughout a man's adult life and the presence of spermatogonial stem cells outside of the blood-testis barrier makes them susceptible to environmental insults. Furthermore, altered sperm DNA methylation patterns can be maintained throughout development and ultimately result in impairments, which could predispose offspring to disease. Innovations in human stem cell-based spermatogenic models can be used to elucidate the paternal origins of health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Greeson
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Krista M S Crow
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - R Clayton Edenfield
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Charles A Easley
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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14
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Vitullo AD, Roldan ERS, González CR. Editorial: Environmental factors affecting the germ line epigenome. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 13:1126967. [PMID: 36686465 PMCID: PMC9850218 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1126967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo D. Vitullo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Candela R. González
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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15
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Nixon B, Schjenken JE, Burke ND, Skerrett-Byrne DA, Hart HM, De Iuliis GN, Martin JH, Lord T, Bromfield EG. New horizons in human sperm selection for assisted reproduction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1145533. [PMID: 36909306 PMCID: PMC9992892 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1145533] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a commonly encountered pathology that is estimated to be a contributory factor in approximately 50% of couples seeking recourse to assisted reproductive technologies. Upon clinical presentation, such males are commonly subjected to conventional diagnostic andrological practices that rely on descriptive criteria to define their fertility based on the number of morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa encountered within their ejaculate. Despite the virtual ubiquitous adoption of such diagnostic practices, they are not without their limitations and accordingly, there is now increasing awareness of the importance of assessing sperm quality in order to more accurately predict a male's fertility status. This realization raises the important question of which characteristics signify a high-quality, fertilization competent sperm cell. In this review, we reflect on recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of sperm biology and function, which are contributing to a growing armory of innovative approaches to diagnose and treat male infertility. In particular we review progress toward the implementation of precision medicine; the robust clinical adoption of which in the setting of fertility, currently lags well behind that of other fields of medicine. Despite this, research shows that the application of advanced technology platforms such as whole exome sequencing and proteomic analyses hold considerable promise in optimizing outcomes for the management of male infertility by uncovering and expanding our inventory of candidate infertility biomarkers, as well as those associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. Similarly, the development of advanced imaging technologies in tandem with machine learning artificial intelligence are poised to disrupt the fertility care paradigm by advancing our understanding of the molecular and biological causes of infertility to provide novel avenues for future diagnostics and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Brett Nixon,
| | - John E. Schjenken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Nathan D. Burke
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - David A. Skerrett-Byrne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Hanah M. Hart
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Geoffry N. De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Jacinta H. Martin
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Tessa Lord
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G. Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
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16
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Dissecting early life stress-induced adolescent depression through epigenomic approach. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:141-153. [PMID: 36517640 PMCID: PMC9812796 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS), such as abuse and neglect during childhood, can lead to psychiatric disorders in later life. Previous studies have suggested that ELS can cause profound changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, which can lead to psychiatric disorders in adulthood; however, studies on epigenetic modifications associated with ELS and psychiatric disorders in adolescents are limited. Moreover, how these epigenetic modifications can lead to psychiatric disorders in adolescents is not fully understood. Commonly, DNA methylation, histone modification, and the regulation of noncoding RNAs have been attributed to the reprogramming of epigenetic profiling associated with ELS. Although only a few studies have attempted to examine epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, existing evidence suggests that there are commonalities and differences in epigenetic profiling between adolescents and adults. In addition, epigenetic modifications are sex-dependent and are influenced by the type of ELS. In this review, we have critically evaluated the current evidence on epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, particularly DNA methylation and the expression of microRNAs in both preclinical models and humans. We have also clarified the impact of ELS on psychiatric disorders in adolescents to predict the development of neuropsychiatric disorders and to prevent and recover these disorders through personalized medicine.
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Byregowda R, Prasad SR, Oelmüller R, Nataraja KN, Prasanna Kumar MK. Is Endophytic Colonization of Host Plants a Method of Alleviating Drought Stress? Conceptualizing the Hidden World of Endophytes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169194. [PMID: 36012460 PMCID: PMC9408852 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the wake of changing climatic conditions, plants are frequently exposed to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses at various stages of their development, all of which negatively affect their growth, development, and productivity. Drought is one of the most devastating abiotic stresses for most cultivated crops, particularly in arid and semiarid environments. Conventional breeding and biotechnological approaches are used to generate drought-tolerant crop plants. However, these techniques are costly and time-consuming. Plant-colonizing microbes, notably, endophytic fungi, have received increasing attention in recent years since they can boost plant growth and yield and can strengthen plant responses to abiotic stress. In this review, we describe these microorganisms and their relationship with host plants, summarize the current knowledge on how they “reprogram” the plants to promote their growth, productivity, and drought tolerance, and explain why they are promising agents in modern agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roopashree Byregowda
- Department of Seed Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India
- Department of Plant Physiology, Matthias Schleiden Institute of Genetics, Bioinformatics and Molecular Botany, Friedrich-Schiller-University, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Oelmüller
- Department of Plant Physiology, Matthias Schleiden Institute of Genetics, Bioinformatics and Molecular Botany, Friedrich-Schiller-University, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Karaba N. Nataraja
- Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - M. K. Prasanna Kumar
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore 560065, India
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