Dataset Information

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the Apobec1 cytidine deaminase deficiency on testicular germ cell tumor susceptibility and embryonic viability.

ABSTRACT: Environmental agents and genetic variants can induce heritable epigenetic changes that affect phenotypic variation and disease risk in many species. These transgenerational effects challenge conventional understanding about the modes and mechanisms of inheritance, but their molecular basis is poorly understood. The Deadend1 (Dnd1) gene enhances susceptibility to testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) in mice, in part by interacting epigenetically with other TGCT modifier genes in previous generations. Sequence homology to A1cf, the RNA-binding subunit of the ApoB editing complex, raises the possibility that the function of Dnd1 is related to Apobec1 activity as a cytidine deaminase. We conducted a series of experiments with a genetically engineered deficiency of Apobec1 on the TGCT-susceptible 129/Sv inbred background to determine whether dosage of Apobec1 modifies susceptibility, either alone or in combination with Dnd1, and either in a conventional or a transgenerational manner. In the paternal germ-lineage, Apobec1 deficiency significantly increased susceptibility among heterozygous but not wild-type male offspring, without subsequent transgenerational effects, showing that increased TGCT risk resulting from partial loss of Apobec1 function is inherited in a conventional manner. By contrast, partial deficiency in the maternal germ-lineage led to suppression of TGCTs in both partially and fully deficient males and significantly reduced TGCT risk in a transgenerational manner among wild-type offspring. These heritable epigenetic changes persisted for multiple generations and were fully reversed after consecutive crosses through the alternative germ-lineage. These results suggest that Apobec1 plays a central role in controlling TGCT susceptibility in both a conventional and a transgenerational manner.

SUBMITTER: Nelson VR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3478648 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the Apobec1 cytidine deaminase deficiency on testicular germ cell tumor susceptibility and embryonic viability.

Nelson Vicki R VR Heaney Jason D JD Tesar Paul J PJ Davidson Nicholas O NO Nadeau Joseph H JH

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20120824 41

Environmental agents and genetic variants can induce heritable epigenetic changes that affect phenotypic variation and disease risk in many species. These transgenerational effects challenge conventional understanding about the modes and mechanisms of inheritance, but their molecular basis is poorly understood. The Deadend1 (Dnd1) gene enhances susceptibility to testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) in mice, in part by interacting epigenetically with other TGCT modifier genes in previous generatio ...[more]

PMID: 22923694

Similar Datasets

Project description:Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of colorectal cancer, particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC) when the majority of colon epithelial cells may be exposed to inflammation-associated mutagenesis. In addition to mutagenesis generated by oxidative stress, inflammation can induce activation-induced cytidine deaminase (Aicda), a mutator enzyme in the APOBEC family, within colon epithelial cells. This study tested the hypothesis that deletion of the Aicda gene could protect against the development of inflammation-associated colorectal cancers, using a model of UC-like colitis in "T/I" mice deficient in TNF and IL10. Results showed that T/I mice that were additionally Aicda-deficient ("TIA" mice) spontaneously developed moderate to severe UC-like colitis soon after weaning, with histologic features and colon inflammation severity scores similar those in T/I mice. Although the mean survival of TIA mice was decreased compared to T/I mice, multivariable analysis that adjusted for age when neoplasia was ascertained showed a decreased numbers of neoplastic colorectal lesions in TIA mice, with a trend toward decreased incidence of neoplasia. Aicda deficiency increased serum IL1α and slightly decreased IL12p40 and M-CSF, as compared with T/I mice, and led to undetectable levels of IgA, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3. Taken together, these studies show that Aicda deficiency can decrease the number of neoplastic lesions but is not sufficient to prevent the risk of inflammation-associated colorectal neoplasia in the setting of severe UC-like inflammation. The TIA model may also be useful for assessing the roles of antibody class-switch recombination deficiency and somatic hypermutation on regulation of microbiota and inflammation in the small intestine and colon, as well as the pathogenesis of colitis associated with hyper-IgM syndrome in humans. Further studies will be required to determine the mechanisms that drive early mortality in TIA mice.

Dataset Information

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the Apobec1 cytidine deaminase deficiency on testicular germ cell tumor susceptibility and embryonic viability.

Publications

Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the Apobec1 cytidine deaminase deficiency on testicular germ cell tumor susceptibility and embryonic viability.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure