Developmental Origins of Transgenerational Sperm DNA Methylation Epimutations Following Ancestral Vinclozolin Exposure
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ABSTRACT: Previously the agricultural fungicide vinclozolin was found to promote the transgenerational inheritance of sperm differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) termed epimutations that help mediate this epigenetic inheritance. The current study was designed to investigate the developmental origins of the transgenerational DMRs during gametogenesis. Male control and vinclozolin lineage F3 generation rats were used as a source of embryonic day 16 (E16) prospermatogonia, postnatal day 10 (P10) spermatogonia, and adult pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids, caput epididymal sperm, and caudal sperm. The DMRs between the control versus vinclozolin lineage samples were determined for each developmental stage. The top 100 statistically significant DMRs for each stage were compared and the developmental origins of the caudal epididymal sperm DMRs were assessed.
Project description:Previously the agricultural fungicide vinclozolin was found to promote the transgenerational inheritance of sperm differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) termed epimutations that help mediate this epigenetic inheritance. The current study was designed to investigate the developmental origins of the transgenerational DMRs during gametogenesis. Male control and vinclozolin lineage F3 generation rats were used as a source of embryonic day 13 (E13) primordial germ cells. The DMRs between the control versus vinclozolin lineage samples were determined for this stage.
Project description:In previous studies, the pesticide DDT was shown to promote the transgenerational inheritance of sperm differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs), also called epimutations, which can mediate this epigenetic inheritance. In the current study, the developmental origins of the transgenerational DMRs during gametogenesis have been investigated. Male control and DDT lineage F3 generation rats were used to isolate embryonic day 16 (E16) prospermatogonia, postnatal day 10 (P10) spermatogonia, adult pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids, caput epididymal spermatozoa, and caudal sperm. The DMRs between the control versus DDT lineage samples were determined at each developmental stage. The top 100 statistically significant DMRs at each stage were compared and the developmental origins of the caudal epididymal sperm DMRs were assessed.
Project description:This study was designed to investigate the developmental origins of the transgenerational differential histone retention sites (called DHRs) during gametogenesis of the sperm. Vinclozolin and DDT were independently used to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of these DHRs. Male control, DDT lineage and vinclozolin lineage F3 generation rats were used to isolate round spermatids, caput epididymal spermatozoa, and caudal sperm. The DHRs between the control versus DDT lineage or vinclozolin lineage were determined in these three developmental stages. DHRs and a reproducible core of histone H3 retention sites were observed using an H3 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-Seq) analysis in the germ cell populations. The chromosomal locations and genomic features of the DHRs were also analyzed. A cascade of epigenetic histone retention site alterations was found to be initiated in or prior to the round spermatids that is further altered during epididymal sperm maturation. Observations show that in addition to alterations in sperm DNA methylation previously identified, the induction of differential histone retention sites (DHRs) in the later stages of spermatogenesis also occurs.
Project description:Environmental factors have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease through the germline. This study was designed to investigate vinclozolin induced concurrent alterations of a number of different epigenetic processes including DNA methylation and histone retention in sperm. Gestating female rats were exposed transiently to vinclozolin during fetal gonadal development and then F1, F2 and F3 generation sperm were analyzed.
Project description:The agricultural fungicide vinclozolin exposure of a gestating female rat has previously been shown to promote transgenerational disease and epimutations in F3 generation (great-grand-offspring) animals. The current study was designed to investigate the actions of direct fetal exposure on the F1 generation rat sperm DMRs compared to the F3 transgenerational sperm DMRs. The F1 generation DMRs were found to be fewer in number and for the most part distinct from the F3 generation epimutations. Therefore, the direct exposure induced F1 generation DMRs appear to promote alterations in germ cell development that lead to the programming of the F3 generation epimutations, but are distinct between the generations.
Project description:F0 generation rats were exposed to vinclozolin, and the subsequent F1, F2 and transgenerational F3 generations are evaluated for diseases and pathologies. F3 generation rats showed transgenerational increases in testis, prostate, and kidney disease, changes in the age of puberty onset in males, and an increased obesity rate in females. Overall there was an increase in the rate of animals with disease, and in the incidence of animals with multiple disease. The methylation of the F3 vinclozolin lineage rat samples was determined using MeDIP-seq. Unique signatures of differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) in sperm were found that associated with testis disease, prostate disease and kidney disease, however, these signatures were not statistically significant.
Project description:Previous observations have demonstrated that the agricultural fungicide vinclozolin and the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) induce transgenerational sperm epimutations involving DNA methylation. These two environmental toxicants were used to investigate the impacts of parent-of-origin outcross on the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease. Male and female rats were collected from a paternal outcross (POC) or a maternal outcross (MOC) F4 generation control and exposure lineages for pathology and epigenetic analysis. This model allows the parental allelic transmission of disease and epimutations to be investigated. There was increased pathology incidence in MOC outcross F4 generation male prostate, kidney, obesity and multiple diseases through a maternal allelic transmission. The POC outcross F4 generation female offspring had increase pathology incidence for kidney, obesity and multiple diseases through the paternal allelic transmission. Some disease such as testis or ovarian pathology appear to be transmitted through the combined actions of both male and female alleles. Analysis of the F4 generation sperm epigenomes identified differential DNA methylated regions (DMRs) in a genome-wide analysis. Observations demonstrate that DDT and vinclozolin have the potential to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease and sperm epimutations to the outcross F4 generation in a sex specific and exposure specific manner.
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