Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Environmentally Induced Transgenerational Epigenetic Reprogramming of Primordial Germ Cells and Subsequent Germline

ABSTRACT: A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germline is associated with primordial germ cell development and during fetal gonadal sex determination. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation primordial germ cell transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) was altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, the differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) and altered transcriptomes were distinct between the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DMR and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 PGC than E16 germ cells. Observations demonstrate an altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the primordial germ cells and subsequent male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The combined observations demonstrate ancestral exposure of a gestating female during fetal gonadal sex determination can promote transgenerational alterations in the primordial germ cell and subsequent male germline epigenetic and transcriptional programming. This altered germline programming leads to the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Observations support the role of the primordial germ cell programming in the molecular mechanism involved and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that control the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance phenomena. Results suggest a cascade of epigenetic and transcriptional events during germ cell development is needed to obtain the mature germline epigenome that is then transmitted transgenerationally. RNA samples from PGC of 2 F3-control lineage groups were compared to PGC of 2 F3-vinclozolin lineage groups for two embryonic age E13 and E16

ORGANISM(S): Rattus norvegicus

SUBMITTER: Michael Skinner

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-43559 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germline is associated with primordial germ cell development and during fetal gonadal sex determination. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation primordial germ cell transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) was altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, the differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) and altered transcriptomes were distinct between the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DMR and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 PGC than E16 germ cells. Observations demonstrate an altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the primordial germ cells and subsequent male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The combined observations demonstrate ancestral exposure of a gestating female during fetal gonadal sex determination can promote transgenerational alterations in the primordial germ cell and subsequent male germline epigenetic and transcriptional programming. This altered germline programming leads to the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Observations support the role of the primordial germ cell programming in the molecular mechanism involved and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that control the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance phenomena. Results suggest a cascade of epigenetic and transcriptional events during germ cell development is needed to obtain the mature germline epigenome that is then transmitted transgenerationally.

Project description:A number of environmental factors (e.g. toxicants) have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and phenotypic variation. Transgenerational inheritance requires the germline transmission of altered epigenetic information between generations in the absence of direct environmental exposures. The primary periods for epigenetic programming of the germ line are those associated with primordial germ cell development and subsequent fetal germline development. The current study examined the actions of an agricultural fungicide vinclozolin on gestating female (F0 generation) progeny in regards to the primordial germ cell (PGC) epigenetic reprogramming of the F3 generation (i.e. great-grandchildren). The F3 generation germline transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylation) were altered transgenerationally. Interestingly, disruptions in DNA methylation patterns and altered transcriptomes were distinct between germ cells at the onset of gonadal sex determination at embryonic day 13 (E13) and after cord formation in the testis at embryonic day 16 (E16). A larger number of DNA methylation abnormalities (epimutations) and transcriptional alterations were observed in the E13 germ cells than in the E16 germ cells. These observations indicate that altered transgenerational epigenetic reprogramming and function of the male germline is a component of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Insights into the molecular control of germline transmitted epigenetic inheritance are provided. The F0 generation females were exposed to a vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide DMSO) as control or to vinclozolin, as described in the Methods. The F1 generation offspring were bred to generate the F2 generation and the F2 generation offspring were bred to generate the F3 generation offspring. The timed pregnant F2 generation females were used to isolate the F3 generation control and vinclozolin lineage fetal gonads at the E13 and E16 time points. The F3 generation E13 PGC and E16 prospermatogonia were isolated. DNA was isolated from the freshly isolated cells to examine DNA methylation by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) followed by analysis on a genome-wide promoter tiling array (Chip) using a comparative hybridization MeDIP-Chip analysis between control and vinclozolin lineage samples as described in Methods. This allowed a comparison of the epigenome alterations in F3 vinclozolin lineage germ cells at E13 and E16. Three separate experimental comparisons of control and vinclozolin-lineage animals involving different germ cell isolations were analyzed with three different MeDIP-Chip analyses at each time point.

Project description:Environmental toxicants have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult onset disease, including testis disease and male infertility. The exposure of a gestating female during the period of gonadal sex determination has been shown to promote sperm epimutations, differential DNA methylation regions (DMR), that transmit transgenerational disease to subsequent generations. The current study was designed to determine the impact of an altered sperm epigenome on the subsequent development of an adult somatic cell (Sertoli cell) that influences the onset of a specific disease (male infertility). A gestating female rat (F0 generation) was exposed to the agriculture fungicide vinclozolin during gonadal sex determination and then the subsequent F3 generation progeny used for the isolation of Sertoli cells and assessment of testis disease. As previously observed, a spermatogenic cell apoptosis was observed. The Sertoli cells that provide the physical and nutritional support for the spermatogenic cells were isolated and alterations in gene expression examined. Over 400 genes were differentially expressed in the F3 generation control versus vinclozolin lineage Sertoli cells. A number of specific signaling pathways and cellular processes were identified to be transgenerationally altered. One of the key metabolic processes affected was pyruvate/lactate production that is directly linked to spermatogenic cell viability. The Sertoli cell epigenome was also altered with over 100 promoter differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) modified in the vinclozolin F3 generation Sertoli cell. The genomic features and overlap with the sperm DMR were investigated. Observations demonstrate that the transgenerational sperm epigenetic alterations subsequently alters the development of a specific somatic cell (Sertoli cell) epigenome and transcriptome that then has a role in the adult onset disease (male infertility). The environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of testis disease appears to be a component of the molecular etiology of male infertility. Environmental toxicants have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult onset male infertility. The exposure of a gestating female during the period of gonadal sex determination has been shown to promote sperm epimutations, differential DNA methylation regions (DMR), that transmit transgenerational disease to subsequent generations. The current study was designed to determine the impact of an altered sperm epigenome on the subsequent development of an adult somatic cell (Sertoli cell) that influences the onset of a specific disease (male infertility). A gestating female rat (F0 generation) was exposed to the agriculture fungicide vinclozolin during gonadal sex determination and then the subsequent F3 generation progeny used for the isolation of Sertoli cells and assessment of testis disease. The Sertoli cells provide the physical and nutritional support for the spermatogenic cells in the testis. The F3 generation Sertoli cells have an altered transcriptome and epigenome associated with adult onset testis disease. The environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of Sertoli cell abnormalities appears to be a component of the molecular etiology of male infertility. RNA samples from Sertoli cell of 3 F3-control lineage groups are compared to Sertoli cell of 3 F3-vinclozolin lineage groups

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Environmentally Induced Transgenerational Epigenetic Reprogramming of Primordial Germ Cells and Subsequent Germline

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