1
|
Akpınar G, Ketenci S, Sarıdoğan GE, Aydın B, Tekin N, Cabadak H, Zafer Gören M. The epigenetic changes are affected by sex and valproic acid treatment in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Neurosci Lett 2024; 839:137957. [PMID: 39218294 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 08/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents distinct sex-specific differences in both symptom expression and treatment outcomes, with the underlying biological mechanisms still remain unclear. Epigenetic modifications, particularly histone acetylation, have been increasingly recognized as critical factors in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Valproic acid (VPA), a potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, has shown promise in modulating epigenetic responses and improving therapeutic outcomes is PTSD, though its effect may differ between sexes. This study aimed to explore the sex-specific epigenetic changes in response to trauma and the impact of VPA treatment in a rat model of PTSD induced by predator scent stress. Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes were randomly assigned to stressed and non-stressed groups and treated with either VPA (100 mg/kg) or vehicle. Anxiety levels were assessed using the elevated plus maze, followed by analysis of histone H3 and H4 acetylation, HDAC activity, and c-fos expression in the hippocampus. Our findings revealed that traumatic stress led to increased freezing time and anxiety levels, with more pronounced effects observed in females. Additionally, we have identified sex-specific differences in hippocampal epigenetic modifications; stressed females exhibited higher H3 acetylation, and VPA-treated stressed males showed increased H4 acetylation. These results highlight the importance of considering sex differences in the epigenetic mechanism underlying PTSD and suggest that personalized therapeutic approaches may be necessary to address these complexities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gökçe Akpınar
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sema Ketenci
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gökçe E Sarıdoğan
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Banu Aydın
- Department of Biophysics, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nurdan Tekin
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences, Hamidiye Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hülya Cabadak
- Department of Biophysics, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - M Zafer Gören
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kumar C, Roy JK. Decoding the epigenetic mechanism of mammalian sex determination. Exp Cell Res 2024; 439:114011. [PMID: 38531506 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Sex determination embodies a dynamic and intricate developmental process wielding significant influence over the destiny of bipotential gonads, steering them towards male or female gonads. Gonadal differentiation and the postnatal manifestation of the gonadal phenotype involve a sophisticated interplay of transcription factors such as SOX9 and FOXL2. Central to this interplay are chromatin modifiers regulating the mutual antagonism during this interplay. In this review, the key findings and knowledge gaps in DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-mediated control throughout mammalian gonadal development are covered. Furthermore, it explores the role of the developing brain in playing a pivotal role in the initiation of gonadogenesis and the subsequent involvement of gonadal hormone/hormone receptor in fine-tuning sexual differentiation. Based on promising facts, the role of the developing brain through the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis is explained and suggested as a novel hypothesis. The article also discusses the potential impact of ecological factors on the human epigenome in relation to sex determination and trans-generational epigenetics in uncovering novel genes and mechanisms involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation. We have subtly emphasized the disruptions in epigenetic regulations contributing to sexual disorders, which further allows us to raise certain questions, decipher approaches for handling these questions and setting up the direction of future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cash Kumar
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Jagat Kumar Roy
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xiao T, Lee J, Gauntner TD, Velegraki M, Lathia JD, Li Z. Hallmarks of sex bias in immuno-oncology: mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:338-355. [PMID: 38589557 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences are present across multiple non-reproductive organ cancers, with male individuals generally experiencing higher incidence of cancer with poorer outcomes. Although some mechanisms underlying these differences are emerging, the immunological basis is not well understood. Observations from clinical trials also suggest a sex bias in conventional immunotherapies with male individuals experiencing a more favourable response and female individuals experiencing more severe adverse events to immune checkpoint blockade. In this Perspective article, we summarize the major biological hallmarks underlying sex bias in immuno-oncology. We focus on signalling from sex hormones and chromosome-encoded gene products, along with sex hormone-independent and chromosome-independent epigenetic mechanisms in tumour and immune cells such as myeloid cells and T cells. Finally, we highlight opportunities for future studies on sex differences that integrate sex hormones and chromosomes and other emerging cancer hallmarks such as ageing and the microbiome to provide a more comprehensive view of how sex differences underlie the response in cancer that can be leveraged for more effective immuno-oncology approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xiao
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Juyeun Lee
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Timothy D Gauntner
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Maria Velegraki
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumour Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Zihai Li
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-The James, Columbus, OH, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kumar P, Brooks HL. Sex-specific epigenetic programming in renal fibrosis and inflammation. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2023; 325:F578-F594. [PMID: 37560775 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00091.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity along with an aging population is leading to a higher incidence of renal diseases in society. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized mainly by persistent inflammation, fibrosis, and gradual loss of renal function leading to renal failure. Sex is a known contributor to the differences in incidence and progression of CKD. Epigenetic programming is an essential regulator of renal physiology and is critically involved in the pathophysiology of renal injury and fibrosis. Epigenetic signaling integrates intrinsic and extrinsic signals onto the genome, and various environmental and hormonal stimuli, including sex hormones, which regulate gene expression and downstream cellular responses. The most extensively studied epigenetic alterations that play a critical role in renal damage include histone modifications and DNA methylation. Notably, these epigenetic alterations are reversible, making them candidates for potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of renal diseases. Here, we will summarize the current knowledge on sex differences in epigenetic modulation of renal fibrosis and inflammation and highlight some possible epigenetic therapeutic strategies for CKD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Kumar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| | - Heddwen L Brooks
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qiu LL, Tan XX, Yang JJ, Ji MH, Zhang H, Zhao C, Xia JY, Sun J. Lactate Improves Long-term Cognitive Impairment Induced By Repeated Neonatal Sevoflurane Exposures Through SIRT1-mediated Regulation of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Synaptic Plasticity in Male Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5273-5291. [PMID: 37286723 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03413-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane induce long-term cognitive impairment that has been reported to have sex-dependent differences. Exercise promotes learning and memory by releasing lactate from the muscle. The study tested the hypothesis that lactate may improve long-term cognitive impairment induced by repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane through SIRT1-mediated regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. C57BL/6 mice of both genders were exposed to 3% sevoflurane for 2 h daily from postnatal day 6 (P6) to P8. In the intervention experiments, mice received lactate at 1 g/kg intraperitoneally once daily from P21 to P41. Behavioral tests including open field (OF), object location (OL), novel object recognition (NOR), and fear conditioning (FC) tests were performed to assess cognitive function. The number of 5-Bromo-2'- deoxyuridine positive (BrdU+) cells and BrdU+/DCX+ (doublecortin) co-labeled cells, expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc), early growth response 1 (Egr-1), SIRT1, PGC-1α and FNDC5, and long-term potentiation (LTP) were evaluated in the hippocampus. Repeated exposures to sevoflurane induced deficits in OL, NOR and contextual FC tests in male but not female mice. Similarly, adult hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity-related proteins and hippocampal LTP were impaired after repeated exposures to sevoflurane in male but not female mice, which could rescue by lactate treatment. Our study suggests that repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane inhibit adult hippocampal neurogenesis and induce defects of synaptic plasticity in male but not female mice, which may contribute to long-term cognitive impairment. Lactate treatment rescues these abnormalities through activation of SIRT1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Li Qiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiao-Xiang Tan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mu-Huo Ji
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiang-Yan Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Pain Management, School of Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, No. 87 Dingjiaqiao Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pacheco-Sánchez B, Tovar R, Ben Rabaa M, Sánchez-Salido L, Vargas A, Suárez J, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Rivera P. Sex-Dependent Altered Expression of Cannabinoid Signaling in Hippocampal Astrocytes of the Triple Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Controlling Astroglial Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12598. [PMID: 37628778 PMCID: PMC10454447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease. In AD-associated neuroinflammation, astrocytes play a key role, finding glial activation both in patients and in animal models. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a neurolipid signaling system with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties implicated in AD. Astrocytes respond to external cannabinoid signals and also have their own cannabinoid signaling. Our main objective is to describe the cannabinoid signaling machinery present in hippocampal astrocytes from 3×Tg-AD mice to determine if they are actively involved in the neurodegenerative process. Primary cultures of astrocytes from the hippocampus of 3×Tg-AD and non-Tg offspring were carried out. We analyzed the gene expression of astrogliosis markers, the main components of the ECS and Ca2+ signaling. 3×Tg-AD hippocampal astrocytes show low inflammatory activity (Il1b, Il6, and Gls) and Ca2+ flow (P2rx5 and Mcu), associated with low cannabinoid signaling (Cnr1 and Cnr2). These results were more evident in females. Our study corroborates glial involvement in AD pathology, in which cannabinoid signaling plays an important role. 3×Tg-AD mice born with hippocampal astrocytes with differential gene expression of the ECS associated with an innate attenuation of their activity. In addition, we show that there are sex differences from birth in this AD animal, which should be considered when investigating the pathogenesis of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Pacheco-Sánchez
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| | - Rubén Tovar
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| | - Meriem Ben Rabaa
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
- Molecular Biotechnology, FH Campus Wien, University for Applied Sciences, Favoritenstraße 222, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lourdes Sánchez-Salido
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| | - Antonio Vargas
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| | - Juan Suárez
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
- Departamento de Anatomía Humana, Medicina Legal e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| | - Patricia Rivera
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Hospital Universitario Regional de Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain; (B.P.-S.); (R.T.); (M.B.R.); (L.S.-S.); (A.V.); (J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vu H, Ernst J. Universal chromatin state annotation of the mouse genome. Genome Biol 2023; 24:153. [PMID: 37370147 PMCID: PMC10294404 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02994-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A large-scale application of the "stacked modeling" approach for chromatin state discovery previously provides a single "universal" chromatin state annotation of the human genome based jointly on data from many cell and tissue types. Here, we produce an analogous chromatin state annotation for mouse based on 901 datasets assaying 14 chromatin marks in 26 cell or tissue types. To characterize each chromatin state, we relate the states to external annotations and compare them to analogously defined human states. We expect the universal chromatin state annotation for mouse to be a useful resource for studying this key model organism's genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ha Vu
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jason Ernst
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Computer Science Department, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kim SA, Jang EH, Lee J, Cho SH. Neonatal Exposure to Valproate Induces Long-Term Alterations in Steroid Hormone Levels in the Brain Cortex of Prepubertal Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076681. [PMID: 37047656 PMCID: PMC10094755 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076681] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA) is a known drug for treating epilepsy and mood disorders; however, it is not recommended for pregnant women because of its possible teratogenicity. VPA affects neurotransmission and gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms by acting as a histone deacetylase inhibitor and has been used to establish animal models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, studies on the long-term effects of early exposure to VPA on glucocorticoid and neurosteroid synthesis in the brain are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the long-term changes in metabolic alterations and gene expression regulation according to sex, using metabolic steroid profiling data from cerebral cortex samples of rats four weeks after VPA exposure (400 mg/kg). In neonatal VPA-exposed models, estradiol levels decreased, and cytochrome P450 19A1 gene (Cyp19a1) expression was reduced in the prepubertal male cortex. Progesterone and allopregnanolone levels decreased, and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 gene (Hsd3b1) expression was also downregulated in the prepubertal female cortex. Furthermore, cortisol levels increased, and mRNA expression of the nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 gene (Nr3c1) was downregulated in the cortices of both sexes. Unlike the neonatal VPA-exposed models, although a decrease in progestin and estradiol levels was observed in females and males, respectively, no differences were observed in cortisol levels in the cortex tissues of 8-week-old adult rats administered VPA for four weeks. These results indicate that early environmental chemical exposure induces long-term neurosteroid metabolic effects in the brain, with differences according to sex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soon-Ae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 34824, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hye Jang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 34824, Republic of Korea
| | - Jangjae Lee
- Chemical Analysis Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hee Cho
- Chemical Analysis Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Velmans C, O'Donnell-Luria AH, Argilli E, Tran Mau-Them F, Vitobello A, Chan MC, Fung JLF, Rech M, Abicht A, Aubert Mucca M, Carmichael J, Chassaing N, Clark R, Coubes C, Denommé-Pichon AS, de Dios JK, England E, Funalot B, Gerard M, Joseph M, Kennedy C, Kumps C, Willems M, van de Laar IMBH, Aarts-Tesselaar C, van Slegtenhorst M, Lehalle D, Leppig K, Lessmeier L, Pais LS, Paterson H, Ramanathan S, Rodan LH, Superti-Furga A, Chung BHY, Sherr E, Netzer C, Schaaf CP, Erger F. O'Donnell-Luria-Rodan syndrome: description of a second multinational cohort and refinement of the phenotypic spectrum. J Med Genet 2022; 59:697-705. [PMID: 34321323 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2020-107470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND O'Donnell-Luria-Rodan syndrome (ODLURO) is an autosomal-dominant neurodevelopmental disorder caused by pathogenic, mostly truncating variants in KMT2E. It was first described by O'Donnell-Luria et al in 2019 in a cohort of 38 patients. Clinical features encompass macrocephaly, mild intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) susceptibility and seizure susceptibility. METHODS Affected individuals were ascertained at paediatric and genetic centres in various countries by diagnostic chromosome microarray or exome/genome sequencing. Patients were collected into a case cohort and were systematically phenotyped where possible. RESULTS We report 18 additional patients from 17 families with genetically confirmed ODLURO. We identified 15 different heterozygous likely pathogenic or pathogenic sequence variants (14 novel) and two partial microdeletions of KMT2E. We confirm and refine the phenotypic spectrum of the KMT2E-related neurodevelopmental disorder, especially concerning cognitive development, with rather mild ID and macrocephaly with subtle facial features in most patients. We observe a high prevalence of ASD in our cohort (41%), while seizures are present in only two patients. We extend the phenotypic spectrum by sleep disturbances. CONCLUSION Our study, bringing the total of known patients with ODLURO to more than 60 within 2 years of the first publication, suggests an unexpectedly high relative frequency of this syndrome worldwide. It seems likely that ODLURO, although just recently described, is among the more common single-gene aetiologies of neurodevelopmental delay and ASD. We present the second systematic case series of patients with ODLURO, further refining the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of this not-so-rare syndrome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Velmans
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Anne H O'Donnell-Luria
- Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emanuela Argilli
- Brain Development Research Program, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Division of Hospital Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Frederic Tran Mau-Them
- UFR Des Sciences de Santé, INSERM UMR1231 GAD Génétique des Anomalies du Développement, FHU-TRANSLAD, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, Bourgogne, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle d'Innovation diagnostique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Antonio Vitobello
- UFR Des Sciences de Santé, INSERM UMR1231 GAD Génétique des Anomalies du Développement, FHU-TRANSLAD, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, Bourgogne, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle d'Innovation diagnostique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Marcus Cy Chan
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jasmine Lee-Fong Fung
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Megan Rech
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Marion Aubert Mucca
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Centre Toulouse, Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, France
| | - Jason Carmichael
- Department of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Valley Children's Hospital, Madera, California, USA
| | - Nicolas Chassaing
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Centre Toulouse, Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, France
| | - Robin Clark
- Pediatrics Specialty Clinics, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Christine Coubes
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Center Montpellier, Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Denommé-Pichon
- UFR Des Sciences de Santé, INSERM UMR1231 GAD Génétique des Anomalies du Développement, FHU-TRANSLAD, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, Bourgogne, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle d'Innovation diagnostique des maladies rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - John Karl de Dios
- Department of Medical Genetics, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Eleina England
- Center for Mendelian Genomics and Medical and Population Genetics Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benoit Funalot
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Hopital Henri Mondor, Creteil, Île-de-France, France
| | - Marion Gerard
- Service de Génétique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen, Caen, Basse-Normandie, France
| | - Maries Joseph
- Department of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Valley Children's Hospital, Madera, California, USA
| | - Colleen Kennedy
- Department of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Valley Children's Hospital, Madera, California, USA
| | - Camille Kumps
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
| | - Marjolaine Willems
- Medical Genetic Department for Rare Diseases and Personalized Medicine, Reference Center AD SOOR, AnDDI-RARE, Groupe DI, Inserm U1298, Montpellier University, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ingrid M B H van de Laar
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marjon van Slegtenhorst
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daphné Lehalle
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Hopital Henri Mondor, Creteil, Île-de-France, France
| | - Kathleen Leppig
- Genetic Services, Kaiser Permanente Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lennart Lessmeier
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Lynn S Pais
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Heather Paterson
- Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Subhadra Ramanathan
- Pediatrics Specialty Clinics, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Lance H Rodan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrea Superti-Furga
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland
| | - Brian H Y Chung
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Elliott Sherr
- Brain Development Research Program, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Division of Hospital Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christian Netzer
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Florian Erger
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Palejowski H, Bylemans J, Ammann V, Marques da Cunha L, Nusbaumer D, Castro I, Uppal A, Mobley KB, Knörr S, Wedekind C. Sex-Specific Life History Affected by Stocking in Juvenile Brown Trout. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.869925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonids are a socioeconomically and ecologically important group of fish that are often managed by stocking. Little is known about potential sex-specific effects of stocking, but recent studies found that the sexes differ in their stress tolerances already at late embryonic stage, i.e., before hatchery-born larvae are released into the wild and long before morphological gonad formation. It has also been speculated that sex-specific life histories can affect juvenile growth and mortality, and that a resulting sex-biassed demography can reduce population growth. Here we test whether juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) show sex-specific life histories and whether such sex effects differ in hatchery- and wild-born fish. We modified a genetic sexing protocol to reduce false assignment rates and used it to study the timing of sex differentiation in a laboratory setting, and in a large-scale field experiment to study growth and mortality of hatchery- and wild-born fish in different environments. We found no sex-specific mortality in any of the environments we studied. However, females started sex differentiation earlier than males, and while growth rates were similar in the laboratory, they differed significantly in the field depending on location and origin of fish. Overall, hatchery-born males grew larger than hatchery-born females while wild-born fish showed the reverse pattern. Whether males or females grew larger was location-specific. We conclude that juvenile brown trout show sex-specific growth that is affected by stocking and by other environmental factors that remain to be identified.
Collapse
|
11
|
Fisher JL, Jones EF, Flanary VL, Williams AS, Ramsey EJ, Lasseigne BN. Considerations and challenges for sex-aware drug repurposing. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:13. [PMID: 35337371 PMCID: PMC8949654 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00420-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are essential factors in disease etiology and manifestation in many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration [33]. The biological influence of sex differences (including genomic, epigenetic, hormonal, immunological, and metabolic differences between males and females) and the lack of biomedical studies considering sex differences in their study design has led to several policies. For example, the National Institute of Health's (NIH) sex as a biological variable (SABV) and Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) policies to motivate researchers to consider sex differences [204]. However, drug repurposing, a promising alternative to traditional drug discovery by identifying novel uses for FDA-approved drugs, lacks sex-aware methods that can improve the identification of drugs that have sex-specific responses [7, 11, 14, 33]. Sex-aware drug repurposing methods either select drug candidates that are more efficacious in one sex or deprioritize drug candidates based on if they are predicted to cause a sex-bias adverse event (SBAE), unintended therapeutic effects that are more likely to occur in one sex. Computational drug repurposing methods are encouraging approaches to develop for sex-aware drug repurposing because they can prioritize sex-specific drug candidates or SBAEs at lower cost and time than traditional drug discovery. Sex-aware methods currently exist for clinical, genomic, and transcriptomic information [1, 7, 155]. They have not expanded to other data types, such as DNA variation, which has been beneficial in other drug repurposing methods that do not consider sex [114]. Additionally, some sex-aware methods suffer from poorer performance because a disproportionate number of male and female samples are available to train computational methods [7]. However, there is development potential for several different categories (i.e., data mining, ligand binding predictions, molecular associations, and networks). Low-dimensional representations of molecular association and network approaches are also especially promising candidates for future sex-aware drug repurposing methodologies because they reduce the multiple hypothesis testing burden and capture sex-specific variation better than the other methods [151, 159]. Here we review how sex influences drug response, the current state of drug repurposing including with respect to sex-bias drug response, and how model organism study design choices influence drug repurposing validation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Fisher
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Emma F. Jones
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Victoria L. Flanary
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Avery S. Williams
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Elizabeth J. Ramsey
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Brittany N. Lasseigne
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bazan IS, Ardito TA, Zhang Y, Shan P, Kim SJ, Sauler M, Lee P. Sex Differences and Altered Mitophagy in Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2022; 322:L761-L769. [PMID: 35137625 PMCID: PMC9076415 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00019.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a debilitating condition characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressures and remodeling of pulmonary arteries, leading to right heart failure. Women have a higher prevalence of PH, while men have more severe disease and poorer outcomes. Animal models also show a female-predominant disease. Despite the known sex differences in PH, little is known about how the pathogenesis differs between the sexes. There is growing evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in PH, as well as suggestions of altered mitophagy. We hypothesized that sexual dimorphism contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction and altered mitophagy in PH. Using mouse lung endothelial cells (MLECs), we exposed both wild-type and Parkin -/- cells to hypoxia and measured the effects on mitochondrial function and mitophagy-associated proteins. Our results show that females have more Parkin expression and increased mitochondrial respiratory capacity when exposed to oxidative stress. Inhibition of Parkin increased metabolic activity in but reduced cell proliferation, with results differing by sex. Our findings demonstrate sexual dimorphism in mitophagy-associated proteins and in mitochondrial respiration, which may help shed light on how the pathogenesis of PH may differ between the sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel S Bazan
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Taylor A Ardito
- Duke University, Section of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yi Zhang
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Peiying Shan
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - So-Jin Kim
- Duke University, Section of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Maor Sauler
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Patty Lee
- Duke University, Section of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tasin FR, Ahmed A, Halder D, Mandal C. On-going consequences of in utero exposure of Pb: An epigenetic perspective. J Appl Toxicol 2022; 42:1553-1569. [PMID: 35023172 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications by toxic heavy metals are one of the intensively investigated fields of modern genomic research. Among a diverse group of heavy metals, lead (Pb) is an extensively distributed toxicant causing an immense number of abnormalities in the developing fetus via a wide variety of epigenetic changes. As a divalent cation, Pb can readily cross the placental membrane and the fetal blood brain barrier leading to far-reaching alterations in DNA methylation patterns, histone protein modifications and micro-RNA expression. Over recent years, several human cohorts and animal model studies have documented hyper- and hypo-methylation of developmental genes along with altered DNA methyl-transferase expression by in utero Pb exposure in a dose-, duration- and sex-dependent manner. Modifications in the expression of specific histone acetyltransferase enzymes along with histone acetylation and methylation levels have been reported in rodent and murine models. Apart from these, down-regulation and up-regulation of certain microRNAs crucial for fetal development have been shown to be associated with in utero Pb exposure in human placenta samples. All these modifications in the developing fetus during the prenatal and perinatal stages reportedly caused severe abnormalities in early or adult age, such as - impaired growth, obesity, autism, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, risks of cancer development and Alzheimer's disease. In this review, currently available information on Pb-mediated alterations in the fetal epigenome is summarized. Further research on Pb-induced epigenome modification will help to understand the mechanisms in detail and will enable us to formulate safety guidelines for pregnant women and developing children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fahim Rejanur Tasin
- Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Asif Ahmed
- Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Debasish Halder
- Rare Disease research center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chanchal Mandal
- Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Cortes LR, Cisternas CD, Cabahug INKV, Mason D, Ramlall EK, Castillo-Ruiz A, Forger NG. DNA Methylation and Demethylation Underlie the Sex Difference in Estrogen Receptor Alpha in the Arcuate Nucleus. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 112:636-648. [PMID: 34547753 PMCID: PMC8934748 DOI: 10.1159/000519671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurons expressing estrogen receptor (ER) ɑ in the arcuate (ARC) and ventromedial (VMH) nuclei of the hypothalamus sex-specifically control energy homeostasis, sexual behavior, and bone density. Females have more ERɑ neurons in the VMH and ARC than males, and the sex difference in the VMH is eliminated by neonatal treatment with testosterone or a DNA methylation inhibitor. OBJECTIVE Here, we tested the roles of testosterone and DNA methylation/demethylation in development of ERɑ in the ARC. METHODS ERɑ was examined at birth and weaning in mice that received vehicle or testosterone subcutaneously, and vehicle or DNA methyltransferase inhibitor intracerebroventricularly, as neonates. To examine effects of DNA demethylation on the ERɑ cell number in the ARC, mice were treated neonatally with small interfering RNAs against ten-eleven translocase enzymes. The methylation status of the ERɑ gene (Esr1) was determined in the ARC and VMH using pyrosequencing of bisulfite-converted DNA. RESULTS A sex difference in ERɑ in the ARC, favoring females, developed between birth and weaning and was due to programming effects of testosterone. Neonatal inhibition of DNA methylation decreased ERɑ in the ARC of females, and an inhibition of <underline>de</underline>methylation increased ERɑ in the ARC of males. The promoter region of Esr1 exhibited a small sex difference in percent of total methylation in the ARC (females > males) that was opposite to that in the VMH (males > females). CONCLUSION DNA methylation and demethylation regulate ERɑ cell number in the ARC, and methylation correlates with activation of Esr1 in this region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Cortes
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carla D Cisternas
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferrreyra INIMEC-CONICET-UNC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Damian Mason
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Emma K Ramlall
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Nancy G Forger
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Histone Modifications in Neurological Disorders. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1382:95-107. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-05460-0_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
16
|
Sikes-Keilp C, Rubinow DR. In search of sex-related mediators of affective illness. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:55. [PMID: 34663459 PMCID: PMC8524875 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the rates of affective disorders have been recognized for decades. Studies of physiologic sex-related differences in animals and humans, however, have generally yielded little in terms of explaining these differences. Furthermore, the significance of these findings is difficult to interpret given the dynamic, integrative, and highly context-dependent nature of human physiology. In this article, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex differences as they relate to mood disorders, organizing existing findings into five levels at which sex differences conceivably influence physiology relevant to affective states. These levels include the following: brain structure, network connectivity, signal transduction, transcription/translation, and epigenesis. We then evaluate the importance and limitations of this body of work, as well as offer perspectives on the future of research into sex differences. In creating this overview, we attempt to bring perspective to a body of research that is complex, poorly synthesized, and far from complete, as well as provide a theoretical framework for thinking about the role that sex differences ultimately play in affective regulation. Despite the overall gaps regarding both the underlying pathogenesis of affective illness and the role of sex-related factors in the development of affective disorders, it is evident that sex should be considered as an important contributor to alterations in neural function giving rise to susceptibility to and expression of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tetorou K, Sisa C, Iqbal A, Dhillon K, Hristova M. Current Therapies for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic and Infection-Sensitised Hypoxic-Ischaemic Brain Damage. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:709301. [PMID: 34504417 PMCID: PMC8421799 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.709301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and cognitive disabilities. The majority of neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic cases arise as a result of impaired cerebral perfusion to the foetus attributed to uterine, placental, or umbilical cord compromise prior to or during delivery. Bacterial infection is a factor contributing to the damage and is recorded in more than half of preterm births. Exposure to infection exacerbates neuronal hypoxic-ischaemic damage thus leading to a phenomenon called infection-sensitised hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury. Models of neonatal hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) have been developed in different animals. Both human and animal studies show that the developmental stage and the severity of the HI insult affect the selective regional vulnerability of the brain to damage, as well as the subsequent clinical manifestations. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the only clinically approved treatment for neonatal HI. However, the number of HI infants needed to treat with TH for one to be saved from death or disability at age of 18-22 months, is approximately 6-7, which highlights the need for additional or alternative treatments to replace TH or increase its efficiency. In this review we discuss the mechanisms of HI injury to the immature brain and the new experimental treatments studied for neonatal HI and infection-sensitised neonatal HI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mariya Hristova
- Perinatal Brain Repair Group, Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, UCL Institute for Women’s Health, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kawatake-Kuno A, Murai T, Uchida S. The Molecular Basis of Depression: Implications of Sex-Related Differences in Epigenetic Regulation. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:708004. [PMID: 34276306 PMCID: PMC8282210 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.708004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Although the etiology and pathophysiology of MDD remain poorly understood, aberrant neuroplasticity mediated by the epigenetic dysregulation of gene expression within the brain, which may occur due to genetic and environmental factors, may increase the risk of this disorder. Evidence has also been reported for sex-related differences in the pathophysiology of MDD, with female patients showing a greater severity of symptoms, higher degree of functional impairment, and more atypical depressive symptoms. Males and females also differ in their responsiveness to antidepressants. These clinical findings suggest that sex-dependent molecular and neural mechanisms may underlie the development of depression and the actions of antidepressant medications. This review discusses recent advances regarding the role of epigenetics in stress and depression. The first section presents a brief introduction of the basic mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNAs. The second section reviews their contributions to neural plasticity, the risk of depression, and resilience against depression, with a particular focus on epigenetic modulators that have causal relationships with stress and depression in both clinical and animal studies. The third section highlights studies exploring sex-dependent epigenetic alterations associated with susceptibility to stress and depression. Finally, we discuss future directions to understand the etiology and pathophysiology of MDD, which would contribute to optimized and personalized therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Kawatake-Kuno
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shusaku Uchida
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
The Effects of Biological Sex on Sepsis Treatments in Animal Models: A Systematic Review and a Narrative Elaboration on Sex- and Gender-Dependent Differences in Sepsis. Crit Care Explor 2021; 3:e0433. [PMID: 34151276 PMCID: PMC8205191 DOI: 10.1097/cce.0000000000000433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Preclinical studies provide an opportunity to evaluate the relationship between sex and sepsis, and investigate underlying mechanisms in a controlled experimental environment. The objective of our systematic review was to assess the impact of biological sex on treatment response to fluid and antibiotic therapy in animal models of sepsis. Furthermore, we provide a narrative elaboration of sex-dependent differences in preclinical models of sepsis. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE and Embase were searched from inception to March 16, 2020. STUDY SELECTION All studies reporting sex-stratified data comparing antibiotics and/or fluid resuscitation with a placebo or no treatment arm in an in vivo model of sepsis were included. DATA EXTRACTION Outcomes of interest were mortality (primary) and organ dysfunction (secondary). Risk of bias was assessed. Study selection and data extraction were conducted independently and in duplicate. DATA SYNTHESIS The systematic search returned 2,649 unique studies, and two met inclusion criteria. Both studies used cecal ligation and puncture models with imipenem/cilastatin antibiotics. No eligible studies investigated fluids. In one study, antibiotic therapy significantly reduced mortality in male, but not female, animals. The other study reported no sex differences in organ dysfunction. Both studies were deemed to be at a high overall risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS There is a remarkable and concerning paucity of data investigating sex-dependent differences in fluid and antibiotic therapy for the treatment of sepsis in animal models. This may reflect poor awareness of the importance of investigating sex-dependent differences. Our discussion therefore expands on general concepts of sex and gender in biomedical research and sex-dependent differences in key areas of sepsis research such as the cardiovascular system, immunometabolism, the microbiome, and epigenetics. Finally, we discuss current clinical knowledge, the potential for reverse translation, and directions for future studies. REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42020192738.
Collapse
|
20
|
Han J, Fan Y, Zhou K, Blomgren K, Harris RA. Uncovering sex differences of rodent microglia. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:74. [PMID: 33731174 PMCID: PMC7972194 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02124-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There are inherent structural and functional differences in the central nervous systems (CNS) of females and males. It has been gradually established that these sex-specific differences are due to a spectrum of genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal factors which actively contribute to the differential incidences, disease courses, and even outcomes of CNS diseases between sexes. Microglia, as principle resident macrophages in the CNS, play a crucial role in both CNS physiology and pathology. However, sex differences of microglia have been relatively unexplored until recently. Emerging data has convincingly demonstrated the existence of sex-dependent structural and functional differences of rodent microglia, consequently changing our current understanding of these versatile cells. In this review, we attempt to comprehensively outline the current advances revealing microglial sex differences in rodent and their potential implications for specific CNS diseases with a stark sex difference. A detailed understanding of molecular processes underlying microglial sex differences is of major importance in design of translational sex- and microglia-specific therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Han
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Yueshan Fan
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert A Harris
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Donnelly CG, Bellone RR, Hales EN, Nguyen A, Katzman SA, Dujovne GA, Knickelbein KE, Avila F, Kalbfleisch TS, Giulotto E, Kingsley NB, Tanaka J, Esdaile E, Peng S, Dahlgren A, Fuller A, Mienaltowski MJ, Raudsepp T, Affolter VK, Petersen JL, Finno CJ. Generation of a Biobank From Two Adult Thoroughbred Stallions for the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes Initiative. Front Genet 2021; 12:650305. [PMID: 33763124 PMCID: PMC7982670 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.650305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the successful creation of a biobank from two adult Thoroughbred mares, this study aimed to recapitulate sample collection in two adult Thoroughbred stallions as part of the Functional Annotation of the Animal Genome (FAANG) initiative. Both stallions underwent thorough physical, lameness, neurologic, and ophthalmic (including electroretinography) examinations prior to humane euthanasia. Epididymal sperm was recovered from both stallions immediately postmortem and cryopreserved. Aseptically collected full thickness skin biopsies were used to isolate, culture and cryopreserve dermal fibroblasts. Serum, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and gastrointestinal content from various locations were collected and cryopreserved. Under guidance of a board-certified veterinary anatomic pathologist, 102 representative tissue samples were collected from both horses. Whole tissue samples were flash-frozen and prioritized tissues had nuclei isolated and cryopreserved. Spatially contemporaneous samples of each tissue were submitted for histologic examination. Antemortem and gross pathologic examination revealed mild abnormalities in both stallions. One stallion (ECA_UCD_AH3) had unilateral thoracic limb lameness and bilateral chorioretinal scars. The second stallion (ECA_UCD_AH4) had subtle symmetrical pelvic limb ataxia, symmetrical prostatomegally, and moderate gastrointestinal nematodiasis. DNA from each was whole-genome sequenced and genotyped using the GGP Equine 70K SNP array. The genomic resources and banked biological samples from these animals augments the existing resource available to the equine genomics community. Importantly we may now improve the resolution of tissue-specific gene regulation as affected by sex, as well as add sex-specific tissues and gametes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Callum G Donnelly
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Rebecca R Bellone
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Erin N Hales
- Morris Animal Foundation, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Annee Nguyen
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Scott A Katzman
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ghislaine A Dujovne
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Kelly E Knickelbein
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Felipe Avila
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ted S Kalbfleisch
- Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Elena Giulotto
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Nicole B Kingsley
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jocelyn Tanaka
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Esdaile
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Sichong Peng
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Anna Dahlgren
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Anna Fuller
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Michael J Mienaltowski
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Verena K Affolter
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jessica L Petersen
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Carrie J Finno
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nicolay-Kritter K, Lassalle J, Guillou JL, Mons N. The histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase G9a/GLP complex activity is required for long-term consolidation of spatial memory in mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 179:107406. [PMID: 33609736 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The G9a/G9a-like protein (GLP) histone lysine dimethyltransferase complex and downstream histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) repressive mark have recently emerged as key transcriptional regulators of gene expression programs necessary for long-term memory (LTM) formation in the dorsal hippocampus. However, the role for hippocampal G9a/GLP complex in mediating the consolidation of spatial LTM remains largely unknown. Using a water maze competition task in which both dorsal hippocampus-dependent spatial and striatum-dependent cue navigation strategies are effective to solve the maze, we found that pharmacological inhibition of G9a/GLP activity immediately after learning disrupts long-term consolidation of previously learned spatial information in male mice, hence producing cue bias on the competition test performed 24 h later. Importantly, the inhibition of hippocampal G9a/GLP did not disrupt short-term memory retention. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed increases in global levels of permissive histone H3K9 acetylation in the dorsal hippocampus and dorsal striatum at 1 h post-training, which persisted up to 24 h in the hippocampus. Conversely, H3K9me2 levels were either unchanged in the dorsal hippocampus or transiently decreased at 15 min post-training in the dorsal striatum. Finally, the inhibition of G9a/GLP activity further increased global levels of H3K9 acetylation while decreasing H3K9me2 in the hippocampus at 1 h post-training. However, both marks returned to vehicle control levels at 24 h. Together, these findings support the possibility that G9a/GLP in the dorsal hippocampus is required for the transcriptional switch from short-term to long-term spatial memory formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyrian Nicolay-Kritter
- Université de Bordeaux, France; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, 33615 Pessac, France
| | - Jordan Lassalle
- Université de Bordeaux, France; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, 33615 Pessac, France
| | - Jean-Louis Guillou
- Université de Bordeaux, France; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, 33615 Pessac, France
| | - Nicole Mons
- Université de Bordeaux, France; Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287, 33615 Pessac, France.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
Health and lifespan disparities between sexes are dependent on the immune responses. Men and women have different life styles which determine the environment, nutritional requirements and their interactions with the sex hormones. Sexual dimorphism in innate and adaptive immunity determines responses to infections and other environmental factors regulating health and diseases. Sex hormones regulate immune responses through the expression of receptors which differ for female and male hormones. Estrogen receptors are expressed in brain, lymphoid tissue cells and many immune cells while androgen receptors are limited in expression. Genetic, epigenetic factors and X chromosome linked immune function genes are important in enhanced adaptive immunity in females, leading to production of higher levels of antibodies compared to males. Different nutritional requirements and hormonal control of the mucosal microbiome and its function regulate mucosal immunity. Hormonal changes during various aspects of life and during aging control immune senescence. Evolutionarily, females have an advantage during young age when they are protected from infections by heightened immune reactivity though during aging that can lead to pathologies. Considering the sexual dimorphism in immunity, guidelines need to be established for sex-based treatments for optimal response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veena Taneja
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Swaab DF, Wolff SEC, Bao AM. Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 181:427-443. [PMID: 34238476 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820683-6.00031-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Gender identity (an individual's perception of being male or female) and sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality) are programmed into our brain during early development. During the intrauterine period in the second half of pregnancy, a testosterone surge masculinizes the fetal male brain. If such a testosterone surge does not occur, this will result in a feminine brain. As sexual differentiation of the brain takes place at a much later stage in development than sexual differentiation of the genitals, these two processes can be influenced independently of each other and can result in gender dysphoria. Nature produces a great variability for all aspects of sexual differentiation of the brain. Mechanisms involved in sexual differentiation of the brain include hormones, genetics, epigenetics, endocrine disruptors, immune response, and self-organization. Furthermore, structural and functional differences in the hypothalamus relating to gender dysphoria and sexual orientation are described in this review. All the genetic, postmortem, and in vivo scanning observations support the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria, i.e., it is the sizes of brain structures, the neuron numbers, the molecular composition, functions, and connectivity of brain structures that determine our gender identity or sexual orientation. There is no evidence that one's postnatal social environment plays a crucial role in the development of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dick F Swaab
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Samantha E C Wolff
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ai-Min Bao
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Streifer M, Gore AC. Epigenetics, estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and the brain. ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS 2021; 92:73-99. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
26
|
So SY, Savidge TC. Sex-Bias in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Linking Steroids to the Gut-Brain Axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:684096. [PMID: 34093447 PMCID: PMC8170482 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.684096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that is more common in females. Despite its high global incidence, the disease mechanism is still unclear and therapeutic options remain limited. The sexual dimorphism in IBS incidence suggests that sex steroids play a role in disease onset and symptoms severity. This review considers sex steroids and their involvement in IBS symptoms and the underlying disease mechanisms. Estrogens and androgens play important regulatory roles in IBS symptomology, including visceral sensitivity, gut motility and psychological conditions, possibly through modulating the gut-brain axis. Steroids are regulators of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and autonomic nervous system function. They also modulate gut microbiota and enteric nervous systems, impacting serotonin and mast cell signaling. Sex steroids also facilitate bidirectional cross-talk between the microbiota and host following bacterial transformation and recycling of steroids by the intestine. The sex-specific interplay between sex steroids and the host provides neuroendocrinology insight into the pathophysiology, epigenetics and treatment of IBS patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sik Yu So
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Children’s Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Tor C. Savidge
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Children’s Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Tor C. Savidge,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Palazzo RP, Torres ILS, Grefenhagen ÁI, da Silva BB, de Meireles LCF, de Vargas KC, Alves Z, Pereira Silva LO, Siqueira IR. Early life exposure to hypercaloric diet impairs eating behavior during weaning: The role of BDNF signaling and astrocyte marks. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:667-678. [PMID: 32926590 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Literature shows that gestational and/or lactational exposure to hypercaloric diets induces long term effects on eating behavior and the involvement of neurochemical mechanisms. We hypothesized that the effects of hypercaloric diets in early development phases can precede an overweight or an obesity status. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of gestational and lactational exposure to cafeteria diet on eating behavior and neurochemical parameters, BDNF signaling, epigenetic and astrocyte marks in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb during the weaning phase. Pregnant female rats were randomized between standard and cafeteria diet, the respective diet was maintained through the lactational period. The framework of feeding pattern, meal, and its microstructure, was observed in postnatal day 20. Exposure to cafeteria diet increased the number of meals, associated with a lower first inter-meal interval and higher consumption in both genders, without any changes in body weight. Diet exposure also reduced the number of grooming, a behavior typically found at the end of meals. Hypercaloric diet exposure reduced BDNF levels in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus from rats of both sexes and increased the content of the TrkB receptor in hippocampi. It was observed an increase in HDAC5 levels, an epigenetic mark. Still, early exposure to the hypercaloric diet reduced hippocampal GFAP and PPARγ levels, without any effect on NeuN content, indicating that alterations in astrocytes can precede those neuronal outcomes. Our results showed that changes in interrelated neurochemical signaling, BDNF, and astrocyte marks, induced by hypercaloric diet in early stages of development may be related to impairment in the temporal distribution of eating pattern and consequent amounts of consumed food during the weaning phase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Passos Palazzo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Iraci L S Torres
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Unidade de Experimentação Animal e Grupo de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ágnis Iohana Grefenhagen
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Bruno Batista da Silva
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Kethleen Costa de Vargas
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Zingara Alves
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lenir Orlandi Pereira Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ionara Rodrigues Siqueira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ramzan F, Baumbach J, Monks AD, Zovkic IB. Histone H2A.Z is required for androgen receptor-mediated effects on fear memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107311. [PMID: 32916283 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic factors translate environmental signals into stable outcomes, but how they are influenced by regulators of plasticity remain unclear. We previously showed that androgen receptor overexpression inhibited fear memory in male mice and increased expression of the histone variant H2A.Z, a novel epigenetic regulator of memory. Here, we used conditional-inducible H2A.Z knockout mice to investigate how H2A.Z deletion influences androgenic regulation of fear memory. We showed that conditional inducible H2A.Z deletion blocked memory-enhancing effects of androgen depletion (induced by gonadectomy), and of pharmacological inhibition of the androgen receptor with flutamide. Similarly, H2A.Z deletion blocked the memory-reducing effects of DHT, and DHT treatment in cultured hippocampal neurons altered H2A.Z binding, suggesting that AR is an H2A.Z regulator in neurons. Overall, these data show that fear memory formation is regulated by interactions between sex hormones and epigenetic factors, which has implications for sex differences in fear-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Firyal Ramzan
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jennet Baumbach
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Ashley D Monks
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Psychology, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Gestational exposures to organophosphorus insecticides: From acute poisoning to developmental neurotoxicity. Neuropharmacology 2020; 180:108271. [PMID: 32814088 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
For over three-quarters of a century, organophosphorus (OP) insecticides have been ubiquitously used in agricultural, residential, and commercial settings and in public health programs to mitigate insect-borne diseases. Their broad-spectrum insecticidal effectiveness is accounted for by the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that catalyzes acetylcholine (ACh) hydrolysis, in the nervous system of insects. However, because AChE is evolutionarily conserved, OP insecticides are also toxic to mammals, including humans, and acute OP intoxication remains a major public health concern in countries where OP insecticide usage is poorly regulated. Environmental exposures to OP levels that are generally too low to cause marked inhibition of AChE and to trigger acute signs of intoxication, on the other hand, represent an insidious public health issue worldwide. Gestational exposures to OP insecticides are particularly concerning because of the exquisite sensitivity of the developing brain to these insecticides. The present article overviews and discusses: (i) the health effects and therapeutic management of acute OP poisoning during pregnancy, (ii) epidemiological studies examining associations between environmental OP exposures during gestation and health outcomes of offspring, (iii) preclinical evidence that OP insecticides are developmental neurotoxicants, and (iv) potential mechanisms underlying the developmental neurotoxicity of OP insecticides. Understanding how gestational exposures to different levels of OP insecticides affect pregnancy and childhood development is critical to guiding implementation of preventive measures and direct research aimed at identifying effective therapeutic interventions that can limit the negative impact of these exposures on public health.
Collapse
|
30
|
Glendining KA, Higgins MBA, Fisher LC, Jasoni CL. Maternal obesity modulates sexually dimorphic epigenetic regulation and expression of leptin receptor in offspring hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 88:151-160. [PMID: 32173454 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with a greater risk for obesity and neurodevelopmental deficits in offspring. This developmental programming of disease is proposed to involve neuroendocrine, inflammatory, and epigenetic factors during gestation that disrupt normal fetal brain development. The hormones leptin and insulin are each intrinsically linked to metabolism, inflammation, and neurodevelopment, which led us to hypothesise that maternal obesity may disrupt leptin or insulin receptor signalling in the developing brain of offspring. Using a C57BL/6 mouse model of high fat diet-induced maternal obesity (mHFD), we performed qPCR to examine leptin receptor (Lepr) and insulin receptor (Insr) gene expression in gestational day (GD) 17.5 fetal brain. We found a significant effect of maternal diet and offspring sex on Lepr regulation in the developing hippocampus, with increased Lepr expression in female mHFD offspring (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Maternal diet did not alter hippocampal Insr in the fetal brain, or Lepr or Insr in prefrontal cortex, amygdala, or hypothalamus of female or male offspring. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed decreased binding of histones possessing the repressive histone mark H3K9me3 at the Lepr promoter (p < 0.05) in hippocampus of female mHFD offspring compared to controls, but not in males. Sex-specific deregulation of Lepr could be reproduced in vitro by exposing female hippocampal neurons to the obesity related proinflammatory cytokine IL-6, but not IL-17a or IFNG. Our findings indicate that the obesity-related proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 during pregnancy leads to sexually dimorphic changes in the modifications of histones binding at the Lepr gene promoter, and concomitant changes to Lepr transcription in the developing hippocampus. This suggests that exposure of the fetus to metabolic inflammatory molecules can impact epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the developing hippocampus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K A Glendining
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - M B A Higgins
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - L C Fisher
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - C L Jasoni
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Jusic A, Salgado-Somoza A, Paes AB, Stefanizzi FM, Martínez-Alarcón N, Pinet F, Martelli F, Devaux Y, Robinson EL, Novella S. Approaching Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Non-Coding RNA Research. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4890. [PMID: 32664454 PMCID: PMC7402336 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the biggest cause of sickness and mortality worldwide in both males and females. Clinical statistics demonstrate clear sex differences in risk, prevalence, mortality rates, and response to treatment for different entities of CVD. The reason for this remains poorly understood. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging as key mediators and biomarkers of CVD. Similarly, current knowledge on differential regulation, expression, and pathology-associated function of ncRNAs between sexes is minimal. Here, we provide a state-of-the-art overview of what is known on sex differences in ncRNA research in CVD as well as discussing the contributing biological factors to this sex dimorphism including genetic and epigenetic factors and sex hormone regulation of transcription. We then focus on the experimental models of CVD and their use in translational ncRNA research in the cardiovascular field. In particular, we want to highlight the importance of considering sex of the cellular and pre-clinical models in clinical studies in ncRNA research and to carefully consider the appropriate experimental models most applicable to human patient populations. Moreover, we aim to identify sex-specific targets for treatment and diagnosis for the biggest socioeconomic health problem globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amela Jusic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Tuzla, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
| | - Antonio Salgado-Somoza
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg; (A.S.-S.); (F.M.S.); (Y.D.)
| | - Ana B. Paes
- INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Menéndez Pelayo 4 Accesorio, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (A.B.P.); (N.M.-A.)
| | - Francesca Maria Stefanizzi
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg; (A.S.-S.); (F.M.S.); (Y.D.)
| | - Núria Martínez-Alarcón
- INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Menéndez Pelayo 4 Accesorio, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (A.B.P.); (N.M.-A.)
| | - Florence Pinet
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, University of Lille, U1167 F-59000 Lille, France;
| | - Fabio Martelli
- Molecular Cardiology Laboratory, Policlinico San Donato IRCCS, San Donato Milanese, 20097 Milan, Italy;
| | - Yvan Devaux
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg; (A.S.-S.); (F.M.S.); (Y.D.)
| | - Emma Louise Robinson
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Susana Novella
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia, and INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Menéndez Pelayo 4 Accesorio, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Acute Valproate Exposure Induces Sex-Specific Changes in Steroid Hormone Metabolism in the Cerebral Cortex of Juvenile Mice. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:2044-2051. [PMID: 32601984 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03065-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic and mood stabilizer, modulates neurotransmission and gene expression by inhibiting histone deacetylase activity. It is reported that VPA may affects the steroid hormone level. In this study, VPA-induced acute metabolic alterations were investigated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in prepubertal mice brain. In VPA-treated (400 mg/kg in saline solution, intraperitoneal) mice, cortisol levels were increased (female: P < 0.004, male: P < 0.003) and 17β-estradiol levels were decreased (Both P < 0.03). Furthermore, in the VPA-treated male mice, dihydrotestosterone levels were increased (P < 0.02) and testosterone were decreased (P < 0.002). The 4-hydroxylase activity was upregulated in the female VPA-treated mice (P < 0.01) and the 5α-reductase activity was increased in the male VPA-treated mice (P < 0.003). These results indicate sex specific differences in VPA-induced steroid metabolism in the brain cortex.
Collapse
|
33
|
Abstract
The hippocampus is central to spatial learning and stress responsiveness, both of which differ in form and function in males versus females, yet precisely how the hippocampus contributes to these sex differences is largely unknown. In reproductively mature individuals, sex differences in the steroid hormone milieu undergirds many sex differences in hippocampal-related endpoints. However, there is also evidence for developmental programming of adult hippocampal function, with a central role for androgens as well as their aromatized byproduct, estrogens. These include sex differences in cell genesis, synapse formation, dendritic arborization, and excitatory/inhibitory balance. Enduring effects of steroid hormone modulation occur during two developmental epochs, the first being the classic perinatal critical period of sexual differentiation of the brain and the other being adolescence and the associated hormonal changes of puberty. The cellular mechanisms by which steroid hormones enduringly modify hippocampal form and function are poorly understood, but we here review what is known and highlight where attention should be focused.
Collapse
|
34
|
Rubin JB, Lagas JS, Broestl L, Sponagel J, Rockwell N, Rhee G, Rosen SF, Chen S, Klein RS, Imoukhuede P, Luo J. Sex differences in cancer mechanisms. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:17. [PMID: 32295632 PMCID: PMC7161126 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00291-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We now know that cancer is many different diseases, with great variation even within a single histological subtype. With the current emphasis on developing personalized approaches to cancer treatment, it is astonishing that we have not yet systematically incorporated the biology of sex differences into our paradigms for laboratory and clinical cancer research. While some sex differences in cancer arise through the actions of circulating sex hormones, other sex differences are independent of estrogen, testosterone, or progesterone levels. Instead, these differences are the result of sexual differentiation, a process that involves genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, in addition to acute sex hormone actions. Sexual differentiation begins with fertilization and continues beyond menopause. It affects virtually every body system, resulting in marked sex differences in such areas as growth, lifespan, metabolism, and immunity, all of which can impact on cancer progression, treatment response, and survival. These organismal level differences have correlates at the cellular level, and thus, males and females can fundamentally differ in their protections and vulnerabilities to cancer, from cellular transformation through all stages of progression, spread, and response to treatment. Our goal in this review is to cover some of the robust sex differences that exist in core cancer pathways and to make the case for inclusion of sex as a biological variable in all laboratory and clinical cancer research. We finish with a discussion of lab- and clinic-based experimental design that should be used when testing whether sex matters and the appropriate statistical models to apply in data analysis for rigorous evaluations of potential sex effects. It is our goal to facilitate the evaluation of sex differences in cancer in order to improve outcomes for all patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B Rubin
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Joseph S Lagas
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Lauren Broestl
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jasmin Sponagel
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Nathan Rockwell
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Gina Rhee
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Sarah F Rosen
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Si Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Robyn S Klein
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Princess Imoukhuede
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jingqin Luo
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Goudarzi A, Hosseinmardi N, Salami S, Mehdikhani F, Derakhshan S, Aminishakib P. Starvation promotes histone lysine butyrylation in the liver of male but not female mice. Gene 2020; 745:144647. [PMID: 32247738 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones are regulated by the availability of their respective acyl-CoAs. Among these histone PTMs, the metabolic origin of histone butyrylation (Kbu) is still poorly understood. MATERIAL AND METHODS The impact of starvation on the levels of Kbu was determined by western blotting on histones extracted from the liver of fed and fasted C57BL/6 mice and immunohistochemistry on liver paraffin sections. KEY FINDINGS Using animal model we provide evidence that the stimulation of ketogenesis following starvation, in addition to histone beta-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb), also leads to an increase in histone butyrylation (Kbu). Using an immunohistochemistry (IHC) approach we report first that hepatocytes contained butyrylated histones with important cell-to-cell heterogeneity. More importantly, our investigations based on western blotting and IHC also proposed that the basal levels of Kbu differ between male and female mice, with female mouse hepatocytes containing higher levels of butyrylated histones. Starvation enhanced solely histone Kbu levels in the liver of males but not females. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first demonstration of a sex-dependent large-scale stimulation of histone acylation. Our data also point to different basal metabolic conditions of the male and female liver cells with a sex-dependent impact on the hepatocytes' epigenome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Afsaneh Goudarzi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Narges Hosseinmardi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Siamak Salami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mehdikhani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samira Derakhshan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pouyan Aminishakib
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Martini M, Corces VG, Rissman EF. Mini-review: Epigenetic mechanisms that promote transgenerational actions of endocrine disrupting chemicals: Applications to behavioral neuroendocrinology. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104677. [PMID: 31927019 PMCID: PMC9942829 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
It is our hope this mini-review will stimulate discussion and new research. Here we briefly examine the literature on transgenerational actions of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on brain and behavior and their underlying epigenetic mechanisms including: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. We stress that epigenetic modifications need to be examined in a synergistic manner, as they act together in situ on chromatin to change transcription. Next we highlight recent work from one of our laboratories (VGC). The data provide new evidence that the sperm genome is poised for transcription. In developing sperm, gene enhancers and promoters are accessible for transcription and these activating motifs are also found in preimplantation embryos. Thus, DNA modifications associated with transcription factors during fertilization, in primordial germ cells (PGCs), and/or during germ cell maturation may be passed to offspring. We discuss the implications of this model to EDC exposures and speculate on whether natural variation in hormone levels during fertilization and PGC migration may impart transgenerational effects on brain and behavior. Lastly we discuss how this mechanism could apply to neural sexual differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Martini
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States of America
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Cabrera OH, Gulvezan T, Symmes B, Quillinan N, Jevtovic-Todorovic V. Sex differences in neurodevelopmental abnormalities caused by early-life anaesthesia exposure: a narrative review. Br J Anaesth 2020; 124:e81-e91. [PMID: 31980157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to anaesthetic drugs during the fetal or neonatal period induces widespread neuronal apoptosis in the brains of rodents and non-human primates. Hundreds of published preclinical studies and nearly 20 clinical studies have documented cognitive and behavioural deficits many months or years later, raising the spectre that early life anaesthesia exposure is a long-term, perhaps permanent, insult that might affect the quality of life of millions of humans. Although the phenomenon of anaesthesia-induced developmental neurotoxicity is well characterised, there are important and lingering questions pertaining to sex differences and neurodevelopmental sequelae that might occur differentially in females and males. We review the relevant literature on sex differences in the field of anaesthesia-induced developmental neurotoxicity, and present an emerging pattern of potential sex-dependent neurodevelopmental abnormalities in rodent models of human infant anaesthesia exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omar H Cabrera
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Thomas Gulvezan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Breanna Symmes
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nidia Quillinan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Le Dieu-Lugon B, Dupré N, Legouez L, Leroux P, Gonzalez BJ, Marret S, Leroux-Nicollet I, Cleren C. Why considering sexual differences is necessary when studying encephalopathy of prematurity through rodent models. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 52:2560-2574. [PMID: 31885096 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth is a high-risk factor for the development of gray and white matter abnormalities, referred to as "encephalopathy of prematurity," that may lead to life-long motor, cognitive, and behavioral impairments. The prevalence and clinical outcomes of encephalopathy of prematurity differ between sexes, and elucidating the underlying biological basis has become a high-priority challenge. Human studies are often limited to assessment of brain region volumes by MRI, which does not provide much information about the underlying mechanisms of lesions related to very preterm birth. However, models using KO mice or pharmacological manipulations in rodents allow relevant observations to help clarify the mechanisms of injury sustaining sex-differential vulnerability. This review focuses on data obtained from mice aged P1-P5 or rats aged P3 when submitted to cerebral damage such as hypoxia-ischemia, as their brain lesions share similarities with lesion patterns occurring in very preterm human brain, before 32 gestational weeks. We first report data on the mechanisms underlying the development of sexual brain dimorphism in rodent, focusing on the hippocampus. In the second part, we describe sex specificities of rodent models of encephalopathy of prematurity (RMEP), focusing on mechanisms underlying differences in hippocampal vulnerability. Finally, we discuss the relevance of these RMEP. Together, this review highlights the need to systematically search for potential effects of sex when studying the mechanisms underlying deficits in RMEP in order to design effective sex-specific medical interventions in human preterms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bérénice Le Dieu-Lugon
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Nicolas Dupré
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Lou Legouez
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Philippe Leroux
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Bruno J Gonzalez
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Stéphane Marret
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France.,Department of Neonatal Paediatrics and Intensive Care, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Isabelle Leroux-Nicollet
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Carine Cleren
- Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 Team 4, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Tsai HW, Franklin M, Armoskus C, Taniguchi S, Moder C, Trang K, Santacruz M, Milla A. Androgenic regulation of sexually dimorphic expression of RNA binding motif protein 48 in the developing mouse cortex and hippocampus. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:33-44. [PMID: 31400491 PMCID: PMC6897302 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
To further reveal the molecular mechanism underlying sexual differentiation of the mouse cerebral cortex and hippocampus, we reanalyzed our previous microarray study with Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment and found that the GO term "RNA binding" was over-represented among the 89 sexually dimorphic candidate genes. Thus, we selected 16 autosomal genes annotated to the term RNA binding and profiled their mRNA expression in the developing male and female mouse cortex/hippocampus. During the first three weeks after birth, sex differences in mRNA levels of Khdrbs2, Nanos2, Rbm48, and Tdrd3 were observed in the mouse cortex/hippocampus. Of these genes, only the female-biased expression of Rbm48 in neonates was abolished by prenatal exposure to testosterone propionate (TP), while postnatal treatment of TP three weeks after birth increased Rbm48 and Tdrd3 mRNA levels in both sexes. Regardless of sex, the postnatal cortex/hippocampus also showed a marked increase in the content of androgen receptor (Ar) and estrogen receptor β (Esr2), but a decrease in estrogen receptor α (Esr1) and aromatase (Cyp19a1), which might confer the different responses of Rbm48 to prenatal and postnatal TP. Our results suggest that androgen-regulated, sexually dimorphic Rbm48 expression might present a novel molecular mechanism by which perinatal androgens control development of sexual dimorphism in cortical and hippocampal structure and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Houng-Wei Tsai
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Michael Franklin
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Chris Armoskus
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Saori Taniguchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Courtney Moder
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Kathy Trang
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Marilisa Santacruz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Allyson Milla
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Wang Y, Wu H, Sun ZS. The biological basis of sexual orientation: How hormonal, genetic, and environmental factors influence to whom we are sexually attracted. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100798. [PMID: 31593707 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Humans develop relatively stable attractions to sexual partners during maturation and present a spectrum of sexual orientation from homosexuality to heterosexuality encompassing varying degrees of bisexuality, with some individuals also displaying asexuality. Sexual orientation represents a basic life phenomenon for humans. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these diverse traits of sexual orientation remain highly controversial. In this review, we systematically discuss recent advancements in sexual orientation research, including those related to measurements and associated brain regions. Current findings regarding sexual orientation modulation by hormonal, genetic, maternal immune system, and environmental factors are summarized in both human and model systems. We also emphasize that future studies should recognize the differences between males and females and pay more attention to minor traits and the epigenetic regulation of sexual orientation. A comprehensive view of sexual orientation may promote our understanding of the biological basis of sex, and that of human reproduction, and evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Haoda Wu
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Zhong Sheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Keiser AA, Wood MA. Examining the contribution of histone modification to sex differences in learning and memory. Learn Mem 2019; 26:318-331. [PMID: 31416905 PMCID: PMC6699407 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048850.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The epigenome serves as a signal integration platform that encodes information from experience and environment that adds tremendous complexity to the regulation of transcription required for memory, beyond the directions encoded in the genome. To date, our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms integrate information to regulate gene expression required for memory is primarily obtained from male derived data despite sex-specific life experiences and sex differences in consolidation and retrieval of memory, and in the molecular mechanisms that mediate these processes. In this review, we examine the contribution of chromatin modification to learning and memory in both sexes. We provide examples of how exposure to a number of internal and external factors influence the epigenome in sex-similar and sex-specific ways that may ultimately impact transcription required for memory processes. We also pose a number of key open questions and identify areas requiring further investigation as we seek to understand how histone modifying mechanisms shape memory in females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Marcelo A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Khalid M, Abdollahi M. Epigenetic modifications associated with pathophysiological effects of lead exposure. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2019; 37:235-287. [PMID: 31402779 DOI: 10.1080/10590501.2019.1640581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure during different stages of development has demonstrated dose, duration, sex, and tissue-specific pathophysiological outcomes due to altered epigenetic regulation via (a) DNA methylation, (b) histone modifications, (c) miRNAs, and (d) chromatin accessibility. Pb-induced alteration of epigenetic regulation causes neurotoxic and extra-neurotoxic pathophysiological outcomes. Neurotoxic effects of Pb include dysfunction of memory and learning, behavioral disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, aging, Alzheimer's disease, tauopathy, and neurodegeneration. Extra-neurotoxic effects of Pb include altered body weight, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disorders, hematopoietic disorder, and reproductive impairment. Pb exposure either early in life or at any stage of development results in undesirable pathophysiological outcomes that tends to sustain and maintain for a lifetime.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madiha Khalid
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Abdollahi
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Post-translational histone modifications and their interaction with sex influence normal brain development and elaboration of neuropsychiatric disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1865:1968-1981. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
44
|
Neuroepigenetic signatures of age and sex in the living human brain. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2945. [PMID: 31270332 PMCID: PMC6610136 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11031-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age- and sex-related alterations in gene transcription have been demonstrated, however the underlying mechanisms are unresolved. Neuroepigenetic pathways regulate gene transcription in the brain. Here, we measure in vivo expression of the epigenetic enzymes, histone deacetylases (HDACs), across healthy human aging and between sexes using [11C]Martinostat positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging (n = 41). Relative HDAC expression increases with age in cerebral white matter, and correlates with age-associated disruptions in white matter microstructure. A post mortem study confirmed that HDAC1 and HDAC2 paralogs are elevated in white matter tissue from elderly donors. There are also sex-specific in vivo HDAC expression differences in brain regions associated with emotion and memory, including the amygdala and hippocampus. Hippocampus and white matter HDAC expression negatively correlates with emotion regulation skills (n = 23). Age and sex are associated with HDAC expression in vivo, which could drive age- and sex-related transcriptional changes and impact human behavior. Gene transcription is known to vary with age and sex, although the underlying mechanisms are unresolved. Here, the authors show that epigenetic enzymes known as HDACs, which regulate gene transcription, are increasingly expressed with age in the living human brain, with sex differences also observed.
Collapse
|
45
|
Landen S, Voisin S, Craig JM, McGee SL, Lamon S, Eynon N. Genetic and epigenetic sex-specific adaptations to endurance exercise. Epigenetics 2019; 14:523-535. [PMID: 30957644 PMCID: PMC6557612 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2019.1603961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the interest in personalised interventions such as medicine, nutrition, and exercise is rapidly rising to maximize health outcomes and ensure the most appropriate treatments. Exercising regularly is recommended for both healthy and diseased populations to improve health. However, there are sex-specific adaptations to exercise that often are not taken into consideration. While endurance exercise training alters the human skeletal muscle epigenome and subsequent gene expression, it is still unknown whether it does so differently in men and women, potentially leading to sex-specific physiological adaptations. Elucidating sex differences in genetics, epigenetics, gene regulation and expression in response to exercise will have great health implications, as it may enable gene targets in future clinical interventions and may better individualised interventions. This review will cover this topic and highlight the recent findings of sex-specific genetic, epigenetic, and gene expression studies, address the gaps in the field, and offer recommendations for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanie Landen
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sarah Voisin
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jeffrey M Craig
- Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, Australia
- Environmental & Genetic Epidemiology Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Sean L. McGee
- Metabolic Research Unit, School of Medicine and Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Séverine Lamon
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Nir Eynon
- Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Royal Children’s Hospital, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Preventing epigenetic traces of caregiver maltreatment: A role for HDAC inhibition. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:178-184. [PMID: 31075305 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reorganization of the brain's epigenetic landscape occurs alongside early adversity in both human and non-human animals. Whether this reorganization is simply incidental to or is a causal mechanism of the behavioral abnormalities that result from early adversity is important to understand. Using the scarcity-adversity model of low nesting resources in Long Evans rats, our lab has previously reported specific epigenetic and behavioral trajectories occurring in response to early disruption of the caregiving environment. To further probe that relationship, the current work investigates the ability of the epigenome-modifying drug sodium butyrate to prevent maltreatment-induced methylation changes when administered alongside maltreatment. Following exposure to the scarcity-adversity model, during which drug was administered prior to each caregiving session, methylation of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) IX DNA was examined in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of male and female pups at postnatal day (PN) 8. As our previous work reports, increased methylation at this exon of Bdnf in the PFC is a stable epigenetic change across the lifespan that occurs in response to early maltreatment, thus giving us a suitable starting point to investigate pharmacological prevention of maltreatment-induced epigenetic marks. Here we also examined off-target effects of sodium butyrate by assessing methylation in another region of Bdnf (exon IV) not affected in the infant brain as well as global levels of methylation in the brain region of interest. Results indicate that a 400 mg/kg (but not 300 mg/kg) dose of sodium butyrate is effective in preventing the maltreatment-induced rise in methylation at Bdnf exon IX in the PFC of male (but not female) infant pups. Administration of sodium butyrate did not affect the methylation status of Bdnf IV or overall levels of global methylation in the PFC, suggesting potential specificity of this drug. These data provide us an avenue forward for investigating whether the relationship between adversity-induced epigenetic outcomes in our model can be manipulated to improve behavioral outcomes.
Collapse
|
47
|
Sase AS, Lombroso SI, Santhumayor BA, Wood RR, Lim CJ, Neve RL, Heller EA. Sex-Specific Regulation of Fear Memory by Targeted Epigenetic Editing of Cdk5. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:623-634. [PMID: 30661667 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in the expression and prevalence of trauma- and stress-related disorders have led to a growing interest in the sex-specific molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying these diseases. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is known to underlie both fear memory and stress behavior in male mice. Given our recent finding that targeted histone acetylation of Cdk5 regulates stress responsivity in male mice, we hypothesized that such a mechanism may be functionally relevant in female mice as well. METHODS We applied epigenetic editing of Cdk5 in the hippocampus and examined the regulation of fear memory retrieval in male and female mice. Viral expression of zinc finger proteins targeting histone acetylation to the Cdk5 promoter was paired with a quantification of learning and memory of contextual fear conditioning, expression of CDK5, and enrichment of histone modifications of the Cdk5 gene. RESULTS We found that male mice exhibit stronger long-term memory retrieval than do female mice, and this finding was associated with male-specific epigenetic activation of hippocampal Cdk5 expression. Sex differences in behavior and epigenetic regulation of Cdk5 occurred after long-term, but not short-term, fear memory retrieval. Finally, targeted histone acetylation of hippocampal Cdk5 promoter attenuated fear memory retrieval and increased tau phosphorylation in female but not male mice. CONCLUSIONS Epigenetic editing uncovered a female-specific role of Cdk5 activation in attenuating fear memory retrieval. This finding may be attributed to CDK5 mediated hyperphosphorylation of tau only in the female hippocampus. Sex-specific epigenetic regulation of Cdk5 may reflect differences in the effect of CDK5 on downstream target proteins that regulate memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya S Sase
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sonia I Lombroso
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Brandon A Santhumayor
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rozalyn R Wood
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Carissa J Lim
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Heller
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Penn Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Sexual dimorphism in brain transcriptomes of Amami spiny rats (Tokudaia osimensis): a rodent species where males lack the Y chromosome. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:87. [PMID: 30683046 PMCID: PMC6347839 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5426-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Brain sexual differentiation is sculpted by precise coordination of steroid hormones during development. Programming of several brain regions in males depends upon aromatase conversion of testosterone to estrogen. However, it is not clear the direct contribution that Y chromosome associated genes, especially sex-determining region Y (Sry), might exert on brain sexual differentiation in therian mammals. Two species of spiny rats: Amami spiny rat (Tokudaia osimensis) and Tokunoshima spiny rat (T. tokunoshimensis) lack a Y chromosome/Sry, and these individuals possess an XO chromosome system in both sexes. Both Tokudaia species are highly endangered. To assess the neural transcriptome profile in male and female Amami spiny rats, RNA was isolated from brain samples of adult male and female spiny rats that had died accidentally and used for RNAseq analyses. Results RNAseq analyses confirmed that several genes and individual transcripts were differentially expressed between males and females. In males, seminal vesicle secretory protein 5 (Svs5) and cytochrome P450 1B1 (Cyp1b1) genes were significantly elevated compared to females, whereas serine (or cysteine) peptidase inhibitor, clade A, member 3 N (Serpina3n) was upregulated in females. Many individual transcripts elevated in males included those encoding for zinc finger proteins, e.g. zinc finger protein X-linked (Zfx). Conclusions This method successfully identified several genes and transcripts that showed expression differences in the brain of adult male and female Amami spiny rat. The functional significance of these findings, especially differential expression of transcripts encoding zinc finger proteins, in this unusual rodent species remains to be determined. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5426-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
|
49
|
Becker JB, Chartoff E. Sex differences in neural mechanisms mediating reward and addiction. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:166-183. [PMID: 29946108 PMCID: PMC6235836 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0125-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 270] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence in humans and laboratory animals for biologically based sex differences in every phase of drug addiction: acute reinforcing effects, transition from occasional to compulsive use, withdrawal-associated negative affective states, craving, and relapse. There is also evidence that many qualitative aspects of the addiction phases do not differ significantly between males and females, but one sex may be more likely to exhibit a trait than the other, resulting in population differences. The conceptual framework of this review is to focus on hormonal, chromosomal, and epigenetic organizational and contingent, sex-dependent mechanisms of four neural systems that are known-primarily in males-to be key players in addiction: dopamine, mu-opioid receptors (MOR), kappa opioid receptors (KOR), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We highlight data demonstrating sex differences in development, expression, and function of these neural systems as they relate-directly or indirectly-to processes of reward and addictive behavior, with a focus on psychostimulants and opioids. We identify gaps in knowledge about how these neural systems interact with sex to influence addictive behavior, emphasizing throughout that the impact of sex can be highly nuanced and male/female data should be reported regardless of the outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jill B Becker
- Department of Psychology and the Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Elena Chartoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Woelfel JR, Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK. Precision Physical Therapy: Exercise, the Epigenome, and the Heritability of Environmentally Modified Traits. Phys Ther 2018; 98:946-952. [PMID: 30388254 PMCID: PMC6185994 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzy092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
One of the newest frontiers of physical therapy is the field of epigenetics, which examines how pervasive environmental factors such as exercise regulate the expression of genes. The epigenome may be one of the most powerful systems through which exercise exerts its beneficial effects on health and longevity. Large epidemiology studies show that individuals who regularly exercise demonstrate a lower "epigenetic age," experience fewer metabolic diseases, and enjoy greater longevity. However, the dose, mode, intensity, and duration of exercise required to achieve a healthy epigenetic profile is unknown. As experts in exercise prescription, physical therapists are ideally suited to contribute to the discovery of this dose-response relationship. This perspective makes a case for the genesis of "precision physical therapy," which capitalizes on epigenetic discoveries to optimize exercise-based interventions. Summarized here is the emerging body of knowledge supporting epigenetic adaptations to exercise in humans, including the intriguing possibility that these environmentally modified traits could be passed down to offspring. In the future, it is likely that epigenetic data will enhance our understanding of individual disease risk and individual response to prescribed exercise. The profession of physical therapy must be alert to new epigenetic knowledge that can enhance the specificity and efficacy of movement-based treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Woelfel
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Shauna Dudley-Javoroski
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa
| | - Richard K Shields
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, 1–252 Medical Education Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52252 (USA),Address all correspondence to Dr Shields at:
| |
Collapse
|