Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michelle Z. L. Kee, Ai Ling Teh, Andrew Clappison, Irina Pokhvisneva, Julie L. MacIssac, David T. S. Lin, Katia E. Ramadori, Birit F. P. Broekman, Helen Chen, Mary Lourdes Daniel, Neerja Karnani, Michael S. Kobor, Peter D. Gluckman, Yap Seng Chong, Jonathan Y. Huang, Michael J. Meaney
Summary: This study found an association between prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and inter-individual genome-wide DNA methylation, specifically in mothers carrying female fetuses. It also revealed sex-dependent associations with depression-related genes and signaling pathways, suggesting the potential role of maternal-fetal interactions in intergenerational transmission.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Paula Gastiazoro, Maria Florencia Rossetti, Rocio Schumacher, Cora Stoker, Milena Durando, Oliver Zierau, Jorge Guillermo Ramos, Jorgelina Varayoud
Summary: Maternal diet has a significant impact on reproduction, fetal development, and offspring behavior. This study demonstrates that chronic consumption of a Western-style diet impairs feto-placental development in female rats and may be attributed to epigenetic disruption of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor systems.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Sanjay Basak, Asim K. Duttaroy
Summary: Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 long-chain PUFAs, are crucial for fetal brain development. Omega-3 fatty acids, despite being highly unsaturated, play a protective role in the brain as antioxidants. Deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids during fetal development can cause irreversible damage to neurodevelopment. Dietary PUFAs also impact placental structure and functions, promoting nutrient exchange through remodeling of uteroplacental architecture. Omega-3 PUFA deficiency leads to epigenetic changes in the placenta, possibly affecting fetal development.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jean Guibourdenche, Marie-Clemence Leguy, Guillaume Pidoux, Marylise Hebert-Schuster, Christelle Laguillier, Olivia Anselem, Gilles Grange, Fideline Bonnet, Vassilis Tsatsaris
Summary: It is well established that maternal serum markers can be abnormal in fetal trisomy 21, and their determination is recommended for prenatal screening and pregnancy follow-up. However, the mechanisms leading to abnormal levels of these markers are still debated. This review of published studies aims to unravel the pathophysiology of these markers, with a focus on the six most widely used markers and cell-free feto-placental DNA.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingya Zhao, Pengpeng Wang, Yuhan Zhou, Bin Xia, Qingyang Zhu, Wenzhen Ge, Jialin Li, Huijing Shi, Xirong Xiao, Yunhui Zhang
Summary: This study examined the impact of prenatal PM2.5 exposure on fetal growth and placental epigenetic mechanisms in Chinese women. Results showed that increased PM2.5 exposure was associated with reduced fetal growth characteristics and aberrant changes in placental DNA methylation.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Ilaria Barchetta, Jeanette Arvastsson, Luis Sarmiento, Corrado M. Cilio
Summary: This article discusses the pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmune diseases and the contribution of environmental factors, highlighting the role of epigenetic changes induced by maternal conditions in preventing type 1 diabetes through adjustment of the maternal environment.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Wen Huang, Jin Zhou, Juanjuan Guo, Wen Hu, Guanghui Chen, Bin Li, Yajie Wen, Yimin Jiang, Kaili Fu, Huichang Bi, Yuanzhen Zhang, Hui Wang
Summary: Prenatal dexamethasone exposure can have lasting adverse effects on bile acid metabolism in offspring by affecting placental BA transporters and inducing imbalanced fetal-placental-maternal BA circulation, leading to increased levels of primary BAs in fetal serum.
Article
Developmental Biology
Kimberly O. O'Brien
Summary: The human placenta is a specialized organ responsible for housing and nourishing the fetus during pregnancy. Iron is an essential nutrient for successful pregnancy outcomes, but iron deficiency is common in pregnant women. Hormones produced by the mother, placenta, and fetus play important roles in iron homeostasis, but their functions vary in each compartment. Further research is needed to understand the partitioning of iron between these compartments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jingjing Liu, Yuduo Wu, Hairui Sun, Xiaowei Liu, Xiaoyan Gu, Ye Zhang, Ying Zhao, Jiancheng Han, Yihua He
Summary: This study investigated the association between prenatal placental DNA methylation and congenital heart disease (CHD). Through differential methylation analysis, several genes and pathways related to heart development and disease were identified. These findings suggest that placental tissue's DNA methylation level is closely associated with fetal CHD.
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Monica Strawn, Susanta K. Behura
Summary: This study assesses DNA methylation changes in the pig fetal brain and identifies specific methylation changes that occur during rapid growth. These differential methylations are overrepresented in specific genomic features and show mutual informativeness. Sex-bias methylations of known single nucleotide polymorphic sites are also identified.
Review
Pediatrics
Meredith Monaco-Brown, David A. Lawrence
Summary: Obesity in women of childbearing age is associated with placental dysfunction, abnormal fetal development, and increased risk of related diseases. Environmental chemicals also contribute to obesity and affect placental function. The immune function of the placenta plays a crucial role in clinical outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudia Pisanu, Anna Meloni, Giovanni Severino, Alessio Squassina
Summary: This article provides an overview of the most relevant findings regarding the pharmacogenomics and pharmacoepigenomics of lithium response in bipolar disorder. It discusses the candidate gene studies, genome-wide association studies, and post-GWAS approaches that support an association between genetic load for various psychiatric disorders and poor response to lithium. The article also explores the role of epigenetic mechanisms, such as changes in methylation or noncoding RNA levels, in regulating gene expression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Megan G. McGill, Irina Pokhvisneva, Andrew S. Clappison, Lisa M. McEwen, Roseriet Beijers, Marieke S. Tollenaar, Hung Pham, Michelle Z. L. Kee, Elika Garg, Euclides J. de Mendonca Filho, Neerja Karnani, Patricia P. Silveira, Michael S. Kobor, Carolina de Weerth, Michael J. Meaney, Kieran J. O'Donnell
Summary: Prenatal maternal anxiety predicts child PedBE epigenetic age acceleration, predominantly in males. PedBE age acceleration predicts increased externalizing symptoms in males in the BIBO cohort.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Xinlu Liu, Gang Wang, Haiqin Huang, Xin Lv, Yanru Si, Lixia Bai, Guohui Wang, Qinghua Li, Weiwei Yang
Summary: The placenta plays a crucial role in pregnancy by facilitating nutrient and gas exchange between the mother and fetus. Abnormalities in placental development can lead to pregnancy-related disorders and have long-term effects on maternal health. In vitro models, particularly trophoblast stem cell culture and organoids, have been used to study placental development and pregnancy-related diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Hikaru Sato, Juan Santos-Gonzalez, Claudia Koehler
Summary: The study reveals that maternal alleles marked by H3K27me3 in Arabidopsis endosperm are targeted by the H3K27me3 demethylase REF6 and become activated during germination, while other maternal alleles marked by H3K27me3, H3K9me2, and CHG methylation are protected from REF6 targeting and remain silenced. This suggests that combinations of different repressive epigenetic modifications play a role in modulating access of REF6 and timing key adaptive traits.
Article
Oncology
Wei Yang, Yating Yao, Yingying Chen, Fangsi Jin, Tingting Zheng, Xinyi Ai, Ting Zhang, Chunming Ding, Minghua Jiang
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of postoperative platelet/preoperative platelet ratio (PPR) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results showed that high platelet counts and elevated PPR were associated with poor prognosis. PPR can stably predict the long-term prognosis of NSCLC patients, and can be used as a reliable indicator for evaluating their prognosis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rui Zhang, Shuanghui Liu, Bojiang Gong, Wenran Xie, Youjuan Zhao, Liang Xu, Yi Zheng, Shengnan Jin, Chunming Ding, Chang Xu, Zhixiong Dong
Summary: The expression of Kif4A in pretreated tumor tissue is positively correlated with the tumor regression after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in colorectal cancer patients. Kif4A regulates the chemosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells through controlling DNA damage repair.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2022)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Weijiang Jin, Zhengquan Yang, Xiaojun Tang, Xiuchao Wang, Yaxin Huang, Chenmin Hui, Jiaming Yao, Ju Luan, Shaohua Tang, Shengnan Wu, Shengnan Jin, Chunming Ding
Summary: This study reports the MS-CNV method for the quantification of SMN1 and SMN2 gene dosages in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The method is accurate and high-throughput, and can be used for carrier screening and genetic diagnosis of SMA.
CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Shengnan Jin, Dan Huang, Weijiang Jin, Yourong Wang, Hengrong Shao, Lisha Gong, Zhenni Luo, Zhengquan Yang, Ju Luan, Deyao Xie, Chunming Ding
Summary: The study developed a method for CNAs detection through SNP allelotyping and rcPCR, successfully detecting CNAs in heterogeneous DNA samples and quantitatively distinguishing different types of CNAs. This approach can validate CNA regions identified by NGS and detect CNAs in tumor tissues consisting of a mixture of neoplastic and normal cells.
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhengquan Yang, Chengliang Zhang, Guojun Lian, Shijie Dong, Menghui Song, Hengrong Shao, Jingmei Wang, Tao Zhong, Zhenni Luo, Shengnan Jin, Chunming Ding
Summary: This study presents a newly discovered Pfu RNA ligase in the hyperthermophilic archaea Pyrococcus furiosus and an engineered fusion enzyme that can catalyze the production of adenylated products from DNA substrates. These enzymes may serve as useful tools for applications involving AppOligos.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Wei Yang, Xiaoying Zheng, Minghui Wu, Fengming Zhang, Shuizhi Xu, Xiuchao Wang, Menghui Song, Chang You, Ting Zhang, Minghua Jiang, Chunming Ding
Summary: This study designed a standardized indicator of platelet count to evaluate the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The results showed that postoperative platelet count and postoperative/preoperative platelets ratio (PPR) were independent predictors of prognosis in CRC patients. This indicator had good predictive performance and clinical net benefit.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuqin Zhu, Haoran Li, Mengchen Ma, Dandan Li, Ouyang Zhang, Suili Cai, Yajiao Wang, Dandan Chen, Shengnan Jin, Chunming Ding, Liang Xu
Summary: This study demonstrates the therapeutic effects of Swertiamarin (STM) on preventing obesity and its associated metabolic diseases. STM improves energy expenditure, promotes fat browning, and reduces fat deposition in mice with preexisting obesity. These findings suggest that STM may serve as a potential therapy for obesity.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Liang Xu, Dandan Li, Haoran Li, Ouyang Zhang, Yaxin Huang, Hengrong Shao, Yajiao Wang, Suili Cai, Yuqin Zhu, Shengnan Jin, Chunming Ding
Summary: This study found that melatonin can suppress obesity and insulin resistance caused by a high-fat diet by increasing brown adipose tissue activity and promoting energy expenditure. These effects may be mediated by the regulation of fibroblast growth factor 21.
NUTRITION & DIABETES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuanghui Liu, Rui Zhang, Zhengquan Yang, Yajiao Wang, Xingxiu Guo, Youjuan Zhao, Huangjue Lin, Youqun Xiang, Chunming Ding, Zhixiong Dong, Chang Xu
Summary: The expression of HOXA13 is negatively associated with tumor regression and progression-free survival in patients with advanced colorectal cancer who undergo neoadjuvant therapy. Silencing HOXA13 enhances chemosensitivity and leads to increased apoptosis and DNA damage response in colorectal cancer cells, while overexpression of HOXA13 causes increased chemoresistance.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Liang Xu, Haoran Li, Ouyang Zhang, Fengming Zhang, Menghui Song, Mengchen Ma, Youjuan Zhao, Rongxiu Ding, Dandan Li, Zhixiong Dong, Shengnan Jin, Weiping Han, Chunming Ding
Summary: The pathogenesis of NASH involves multiple cell interactions and therapies targeting these interactions are lacking. Melatonin (MEL) has been found to alleviate NASH, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigates the effects of MEL on key cell types involved in NASH, including hepatocytes, macrophages, and stellate cells. MEL administration in a NASH mouse model showed reduced lipid accumulation, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation and fibrogenesis, and attenuated activation and polarization of macrophages and stellate cells. These findings suggest that MEL could be a potential treatment for NASH.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhixiong Dong, Jinhai Li, Wenqing Dai, Dongbo Yu, Youjuan Zhao, Shuanghui Liu, Xuanwen Li, Zhengzheng Zhang, Rui Zhang, Xue Liang, Qingran Kong, Shengnan Jin, Hao Jiang, Wei Jiang, Chunming Ding
Summary: Ribosome biogenesis (RiBi) plays a crucial role in carcinogenesis by regulating protein translation and stress response. In this study, it was found that RRP15, a nucleolar protein critical for RiBi and checkpoint control, is frequently upregulated in primary CRCs and its higher expression correlated with TNM stage and poor survival of CRC patients. Silencing RRP15 induced ribosome stress, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis, resulting in suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis, while overexpression of RRP15 promoted proliferation and metastasis. Mechanistically, RRP15 deficiency led to ribosome stress that facilitated the suppression of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in CRC.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Stephanie C. Y. Yu, L. Y. Lois Choy, Y. M. Dennis Lo
Summary: Liquid biopsy using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has gained global interest as a molecular diagnostic tool. Recent studies have discovered long cfDNA in the plasma of pregnant women and cancer patients, opening up a new avenue of long cfDNA-based liquid biopsy. This review summarizes the current knowledge in this nascent field of long cfDNA analysis, focusing on its fragmentomic and epigenetic features. Long-read sequencing enables single-molecule methylation analysis, which has promising clinical potential in prenatal and cancer testing. The limitations hindering the immediate clinical applications of long cfDNA analysis and the efforts to address them are also discussed. With concerted efforts, long cfDNA analysis is expected to contribute to the expanding armamentarium of liquid biopsy.
MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS & THERAPY
(2023)