RESUMEN
All reproductively competent adults have gone through puberty. While key genes and signaling pathways that lead to the onset of sexual maturation are known, the molecular mechanisms that determine when an individual enters puberty are only beginning to be understood. Both genetic and environmental factors determine the timing of puberty. New advances in understanding how environmentally sensitive, yet highly heritable developmental processes are regulated have come from the field of epigenetics. Of note, studies investigating the epigenetic control of the onset of puberty suggest that epigenetic repression of key inhibitory loci may play a fundamental role in the initiation of puberty. Current technologies that not only read out the DNA sequence, but also determine how the DNA is modified in response to the environment, promise new insight into how puberty is regulated, including the identification and understanding of gene regulatory networks that control the biological pathways affecting pubertal timing. Here we review the findings to date and discuss how epigenetic investigation can further our understanding of this fundamental aspect of human development.
Asunto(s)
Epigénesis Genética/fisiología , Epigenómica , Pubertad/fisiología , Maduración Sexual/fisiología , Animales , HumanosRESUMEN
We have reported the induction of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, a potent survival factor for dopaminergic neurons, in the C17.2 neural stem cell line following in vitro treatment with melatonin. Furthermore, we have detected the melatonin MT(1) receptor in these cells. Given these findings and recent evidence that melatonin may play a role in cellular differentiation, we examined whether this indoleamine induces morphological and transcriptional changes suggestive of a neuronal phenotype in C17.2 cells. Moreover, in order to extend preliminary evidence of a potential role for melatonin in epigenetic modulation, its effects on the mRNA expression of several histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoforms and on histone acetylation were examined. Physiological concentrations of melatonin (nanomolar range) increased neurite-like extensions and induced mRNA expression of the neural stem cell marker, nestin, the early neuronal marker beta-III-tubulin and the orphan nuclear receptor nurr1 in C17.2 cells. The indoleamine also significantly increased mRNA expression for various HDAC isoforms, including HDAC3, HDAC5, and HDAC7. Importantly, treatment with melatonin for 24 hr caused a significant increase in histone H3 acetylation, which is associated with chromatin remodeling and gene transcription. Since the melatonin MT(2) receptor was not detected in C17.2 cells, it is likely that the MT(1) receptor is involved in mediating these physiological effects of melatonin. These findings suggest novel roles for melatonin in stem cell differentiation and epigenetic modulation of gene transcription.
Asunto(s)
Epigénesis Genética , Histona Desacetilasas/genética , Histonas/metabolismo , Melatonina/metabolismo , Neuronas/metabolismo , Células Madre/metabolismo , Acetilación , Animales , Diferenciación Celular , Línea Celular , Ensamble y Desensamble de Cromatina , Proteínas de Unión al ADN/metabolismo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Histona Desacetilasas/metabolismo , Proteínas de Filamentos Intermediarios/genética , Proteínas de Filamentos Intermediarios/metabolismo , Proteína 2 de Unión a Metil-CpG/metabolismo , Ratones , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/genética , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/metabolismo , Nestina , Neuritas/metabolismo , Neuronas/citología , Neuronas/ultraestructura , Miembro 2 del Grupo A de la Subfamilia 4 de Receptores Nucleares , Receptor de Melatonina MT1/genética , Receptor de Melatonina MT1/metabolismo , Receptor de Melatonina MT2/genética , Receptor de Melatonina MT2/metabolismo , Células Madre/ultraestructura , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Transcripción Genética , Tubulina (Proteína)/genética , Tubulina (Proteína)/metabolismoRESUMEN
AIM/HYPOTHESIS: Maternal diabetes and high-fat feeding during pregnancy have been linked to later life outcomes in offspring. To investigate the effects of both maternal and paternal hyperglycemia on offspring phenotypes, we utilized an autosomal dominant mouse model of diabetes (hypoinsulinemic hyperglycemia in Akita mice). We determined metabolic and skeletal phenotypes in wildtype offspring of Akita mothers and fathers. RESULTS: Both maternal and paternal diabetes resulted in phenotypic changes in wildtype offspring. Phenotypic changes were more pronounced in male offspring than in female offspring. Maternal hyperglycemia resulted in metabolic and skeletal phenotypes in male wildtype offspring. Decreased bodyweight and impaired glucose tolerance were observed as were reduced whole body bone mineral density and reduced trabecular bone mass. Phenotypic changes in offspring of diabetic fathers differed in effect size from changes in offspring of diabetic mothers. Male wildtype offspring developed a milder metabolic phenotype, but a more severe skeletal phenotype. Female wildtype offspring of diabetic fathers were least affected. CONCLUSIONS: Both maternal and paternal diabetes led to the development of metabolic and skeletal changes in wildtype offspring, with a greater effect of maternal diabetes on metabolic parameters and of paternal diabetes on skeletal development. The observed changes are unlikely to derive from Mendelian inheritance, since the investigated offspring did not inherit the Akita mutation. While fetal programming may explain the phenotypic changes in offspring exposed to maternal diabetes in-utero, the mechanism underlying the effect of paternal diabetes on wildtype offspring is unclear.