Browsing by Author "Jirtle, Randy L"
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Item Open Access Association of cord blood methylation fractions at imprinted insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), plasma IGF2, and birth weight.(Cancer causes & control : CCC, 2012-04) Hoyo, Cathrine; Fortner, Kimberly; Murtha, Amy P; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Soubry, Adelheid; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Jirtle, Randy L; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Forman, Michele R; Overcash, Francine; Huang, Zhiqing; Murphy, Susan KPurpose
Altered methylation at Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) regulatory regions has previously been associated with obesity, and several malignancies including colon, esophageal, and prostate adenocarcinomas, presumably via changes in expression and/or loss of imprinting, but the functional significance of these DNA methylation marks have not been demonstrated in humans. We examined associations among DNA methylation at IGF2 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), circulating IGF2 protein concentrations in umbilical cord blood (UCB) and birth weight in newborns.Methods
Questionnaire data were obtained from 300 pregnant women recruited between 2005 and 2009. UCB DNA methylation was measured by bisulfite pyrosequencing. UCB plasma concentrations of soluble IGF2 were measured by ELISA assays. Generalized linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between DMR methylation and IGF2 levels.Results
Lower IGF2 DMR methylation was associated with elevated plasma IGF2 protein concentrations (β = -9.87, p < 0.01); an association that was stronger in infants born to obese women (pre-pregnancy BMI > 30 kg/m(2), β = -20.21, p < 0.0001). Elevated IGF2 concentrations were associated with higher birth weight (p < 0.0001) after adjusting for maternal race/ethnicity, pre-pregnancy BMI, cigarette smoking, gestational diabetes, and infant sex. These patterns of association were not apparent at the H19 DMR.Conclusion
Our data suggest that variation in IGF2 DMR methylation is an important mechanism by which circulating IGF2 concentrations, a putative risk factor for obesity and cancers of the colon, esophagus, and prostate, are modulated; associations that may depend on pre-pregnancy obesity.Item Open Access Associations between birth and one year anthropometric measurements and IGF2 and IGF2R genetic variants in African American and Caucasian American infants.(Journal of pediatric genetics, 2013-01) Vidal, Adriana C; Overcash, Francine; Murphy, Susan K; Murtha, Amy P; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Forman, Michele R; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Skaar, David; Jirtle, Randy L; Hoyo, CathrineInsulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R) and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) genetic variants have been inconsistently associated with low birth weight and birth length in Caucasian and Asian infants, however few studies have included African Americans (AA). Generalized linear models and logistic regression models were used to examine associations between IGF2R single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs629849 and rs8191754, and IGF2 SNP rs680 and infant anthropometric measurements, in a racially diverse birth cohort in Durham County, North Carolina. Caucasian American (CA) carriers of the IGF2R SNP rs629849 were heavier (P = 0.02) and longer (P = 0.003) at birth, however body size at age 1 yr was similar to that of AA. Birth length significantly differed between carriers and non-carriers of the IGF2 rs680 variant in both AA (P = 0.04) and CA infants (P = 0.03). Both AA and CA carriers were 1 cm shorter at birth compared to non-carriers. We found no evidence for an association between rs8191754 and infant anthropometric measurements. Associations between SNPs andone year weight gain were only observed for rs680; CA infant carriers of rs680 variants weighed less than non-carriers at year one (P = 0.03); however, no associations were found in AA infants at year one. Larger studies using ancestral markers are required to disentangle these associations.Item Open Access Epigenetic Response to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation(2012) Bernal, Autumn JoyLow-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) exposure (under 10.0 centigray (cGy)) from man-made sources, such as diagnostic imaging, predominates in the US population and comprises nearly 50% of an average individual's yearly radiation exposure (Ullrich, Brooks et al. 2009). The increase in such exposures has led to public and government alarm about the impact of LDIR on human health (Ullrich, Brooks et al. 2009). Besides the mutational effects of radiation exposure, there is concern it might also result in modifications of the epigenome. Such aberrations can disrupt normal development and are involved in the progression of numerous diseases, including cancer (Gasser and Li 2011). High doses of radiation (>100.0 cGy) have been shown to cause epigenetic disruption (Kaup, Grandjean et al. 2006; Tamminga, Koturbash et al. 2008; Ilnytskyy, Koturbash et al. 2009), which is necessary for the persistence of radiation-induced genomic instability (Rugo, Mutamba et al. 2011); however, it is presently unclear to what extent LDIR in vivo alters the epigenome.
The viable yellow agouti (Avy) mouse was used here to characterize the dose-dependent epigenetic response to LDIR. The Avy mouse is a unique biological model that functions as a biosensor for environmentally induced epigenetic changes and disease susceptibility due to the presence of a metastable epiallele that modulates coat color (Waterland and Jirtle 2003). Pregnant dams were whole-body exposed to one of five doses of X-ray radiation ranging from 0-10.0 cGy on gestational day 4.5. Using a phantom mouse model, the intrauterine doses were estimated to be 0.0 cGy, 0.4 cGy, 0.7 cGy, 1.4 cGy, 3.0 cGy, and 7.6 cGy, respectively. At weaning, offspring coat colors were assessed and tissues were collected for methylation analysis. First, methylation changes at CpG sites in the Avy and Cdk activator binding protein (CabpIAP) metastable epialleles and at intracisternal a particle (IAP) elements across the genome were quantified using Sequenom technology. Second, three imprinted genes, Peg3, Nnat, and H19, were assessed for methylation changes in differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that regulate their parent-of-origin monoallelic expression using Sequenom technology. Lastly, it was postulated that the epigenetic changes at the Avy locus could be counteracted with dietary alterations. To test this hypothesis, female mice were placed on an antioxidant-supplemented diet prior to pregnancy and throughout gestation and lactation. Pregnant dams were irradiated with 3.0 cGy of whole-body X-rays. Offspring coat colors were assessed and methylation changes at the Avy allele were measured with the Sequenom platform.
Herein, I demonstrate that in utero LDIR exposure induced epigenetic changes in the Avy mouse in a dose-dependent and sex-specific manner. Acute, whole-body exposure to 0.7 cGy, 1.4 cGy, 3.0 cGy or 7.6 cGy X-rays significantly shifted offspring coat color distribution toward pseudoagouti. Acute exposure to 1.4 cGy, 3.0 cGy, and 7.6 cGy significantly increased methylation at multiple CpG sites in the Avy metastable epiallele in male offspring, but not female offspring. Methylation changes at DMRs in Nnat, Peg3, and H19 also occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, inhibition of the phenotypic and Avy methylation changes with an antioxidant-supplemented diet suggests that the mechanisms to induce epigenetic changes are mediated by oxidative stress. These results demonstrate that relevant, low doses of radiation can elicit epigenetic changes that lead to a persistent phenotype, but can be mitigated with dietary supplementation. The successful completion of this project has resulted in the first in vivo epigenetic characterization of LDIR exposure and will contribute to the development of more relevant risk assessment strategies for protecting human populations.
Item Open Access Erythrocyte folate concentrations, CpG methylation at genomically imprinted domains, and birth weight in a multiethnic newborn cohort.(Epigenetics, 2014-08) Hoyo, Cathrine; Daltveit, Anne Kjersti; Iversen, Edwin; Benjamin-Neelon, Sara E; Fuemmeler, Bernard; Schildkraut, Joellen; Murtha, Amy P; Overcash, Francine; Vidal, Adriana C; Wang, Frances; Huang, Zhiqing; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Seewaldt, Victoria; Forman, Michele; Jirtle, Randy L; Murphy, Susan KEpigenetic mechanisms are proposed to link maternal concentrations of methyl group donor nutrients with the risk of low birth weight. However, empirical data are lacking. We have examined the association between maternal folate and birth weight and assessed the mediating role of DNA methylation at nine differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of genomically imprinted genes in these associations. Compared with newborns of women with folate levels in the lowest quartile, birth weight was higher in newborns of mothers in the second (β = 143.2, se = 63.2, P = 0.02), third (β = 117.3, se = 64.0, P = 0.07), and fourth (β = 133.9, se = 65.2, P = 0.04) quartiles, consistent with a threshold effect. This pattern of association did not vary by race/ethnicity but was more apparent in newborns of non-obese women. DNA methylation at the PLAGL1, SGCE, DLK1/MEG3 and IGF2/H19 DMRs was associated with maternal folate levels and also birth weight, suggestive of threshold effects. MEG3 DMR methylation mediated the association between maternal folate levels and birth weight (P =0.06). While the small sample size and partial scope of examined DMRs limit our conclusions, our data suggest that, with respect to birth weight, no additional benefits may be derived from increased maternal folate concentrations, especially in non-obese women. These data also support epigenetic plasticity as a key mechanistic response to folate availability during early fetal development.Item Open Access Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy in the Newborn Epigenetics STudy (NEST).(BMC public health, 2011-01-21) Hoyo, Cathrine; Murtha, Amy P; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Forman, Michele R; Calingaert, Brian; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Jirtle, Randy L; Murphy, Susan KBackground
Folic acid (FA) added to foods during fortification is 70-85% bioavailable compared to 50% of folate occurring naturally in foods. Thus, if FA supplements also are taken during pregnancy, both mother and fetus can be exposed to FA exceeding the Institute of Medicine's recommended tolerable upper limit (TUL) of 1,000 micrograms per day (μg/d) for adult pregnant women. The primary objective is to estimate the proportion of women taking folic acid (FA) doses exceeding the TUL before and during pregnancy, and to identify correlates of high FA use.Methods
During 2005-2008, pre-pregnancy and pregnancy-related data on dietary supplementation were obtained by interviewing 539 pregnant women enrolled at two obstetrics-care facilities in Durham County, North Carolina.Results
Before pregnancy, 51% of women reported FA supplementation and 66% reported this supplementation during pregnancy. Before pregnancy, 11.9% (95% CI = 9.2%-14.6%) of women reported supplementation with FA doses above the TUL of 1,000 μg/day, and a similar proportion reported this intake prenatally. Before pregnancy, Caucasian women were more likely to take FA doses above the TUL (OR = 2.99; 95% = 1.28-7.00), compared to African American women, while women with chronic conditions were less likely to take FA doses above the TUL (OR = 0.48; 95%CI = 0.21-0.97). Compared to African American women, Caucasian women were also more likely to report FA intake in doses exceeding the TUL during pregnancy (OR = 5.09; 95%CI = 2.07-12.49).Conclusions
Fifty-one percent of women reported some FA intake before and 66% during pregnancy, respectively, and more than one in ten women took FA supplements in doses that exceeded the TUL. Caucasian women were more likely to report high FA intake. A study is ongoing to identify possible genetic and non-genotoxic effects of these high doses.Item Open Access Identification of Novel Imprinted Domains in the Therian Lineage(2010) Das, RadhikaGenomic imprinting is the parent-of-origin dependent monoallelic expression of select developmentally important genes that are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. It is believed to have co-evolved with placentation in the Therian lineage, but it is unclear whether this phenomenon arose in a convergent or divergent manner in the Metatherians (those with a rudimentary placenta) and Eutherians (true placental mammals). Moreover, the precise epigenetic mechanisms involved in establishing genomic imprinting (DNA methylation or histone modifications) are still poorly defined. Thus, I studied Metatherian orthologues of Eutherian imprinted loci using Monodelphis domestica as a model organism. L3MBTL and HTR2A were monoallelically expressed; PEG1/MEST had one imprinted and one non-imprinted transcript, while IMPACT, COPG2 and PLAGL1 were not imprinted, thus revealing that this phenomenon is conserved at some, but not all loci between the two groups of Therians. Moreover, differential methylation patterns and the associated regulatory non-coding RNA are also not conserved amongst them, exemplified by the novel DMR identified within IGF2R which had no associated anti-sense transcript. However, histone modifications, specifically the activating H3 Lysine 4 dimethylation mark at the active allele's promoter seems to be important in both lineages and probably serves as the primordial imprint mark. Although the evidence does not resolve the issue of convergence or divergence, it raises the intriguing possibility that both forms of evolution occurred during establishment of imprinting in these mammals.
The imposition of functional haploidy in the genome by such epigenetic mechanisms necessarily makes imprinted genes more susceptible to deleterious mutations and regulatory perturbations. Thus, imprinting is implicated in a number of developmental disorders, but its role in the etiology of complex human diseases and neurological disorders, like autism and schizophrenia, remains to be determined. I chose to investigate the imprint status of the duplicated locus DGCR6/DGCR6L lying within the 22q11.2 microdeletion causative of DiGeorge Syndrome (DGS), because our lab previously predicted genes at this genomic location to be imprinted. My studies revealed that both genes DGCR6 and DGCR6L are monoallelically expressed in the primate lineage, but not in a parent-of-origin dependent manner. Interestingly, DGCR6L is not present in the mouse, and Dgcr6 is expressed from both parental alleles.
Although DGS primarily manifests as facial, limb and heart abnormalities in children, a number of these patients also ultimately present with variable neurocognitive defects. Thus, I focused my studies on determining the effect of the microdeletion at this chromosomal region on DGCR6 and DGCR6L expression because of their potential role in neural crest cell migration. This revealed that DGS subjects have a highly dysregulated pattern of DGCR6 and DGCR6L expression as compared to that in controls. Moreover, increased expression of these genes correlated significantly with decreased performance in sustained-attention tests. This provides the first evidence that disruption of the normal monoallelic expression pattern of DGCR6 and DGCR6L by hemizygous deletion is involved in the variability in neurocognitive symptoms associated with DiGeorge Syndrome. The results of my studies highlight the importance of searching for novel imprinted domains to better understand not only their evolution, but also the potential role of such epigenetically labile regions in modulating complex human diseases and neurological disorders.
Item Open Access Insulin-like growth factor 2/H19 methylation at birth and risk of overweight and obesity in children.(The Journal of pediatrics, 2012-07) Perkins, Ellen; Murphy, Susan K; Murtha, Amy P; Schildkraut, Joellen; Jirtle, Randy L; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Forman, Michele R; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Overcash, Francine; Huang, Zhiqing; Hoyo, CathrineObjective
To determine whether aberrant DNA methylation at differentially methylated regions (DMRs) regulating insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) expression in umbilical cord blood is associated with overweight or obesity in a multiethnic cohort.Study design
Umbilical cord blood leukocytes of 204 infants born between 2005 and 2009 in Durham, North Carolina, were analyzed for DNA methylation at two IGF2 DMRs by using pyrosequencing. Anthropometric and feeding data were collected at age 1 year. Methylation differences were compared between children >85th percentile of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts weight-for-age (WFA) and children ≤ 85th percentile of WFA at 1 year by using generalized linear models, adjusting for post-natal caloric intake, maternal cigarette smoking, and race/ethnicity.Results
The methylation percentages at the H19 imprint center DMR was higher in infants with WFA >85th percentile (62.7%; 95% CI, 59.9%-65.5%) than in infants with WFA ≤ 85th percentile (59.3%; 95% CI, 58.2%-60.3%; P = .02). At the intragenic IGF2 DMR, methylation levels were comparable between infants with WFA ≤ 85th percentile and infants with WFA >85th percentile.Conclusions
Our findings suggest that IGF2 plasticity may be mechanistically important in early childhood overweight or obese status. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings suggest aberrant DNA methylation at sequences regulating imprinted genes may be useful identifiers of children at risk for the development of early obesity.Item Open Access Maternal stress, preterm birth, and DNA methylation at imprint regulatory sequences in humans.(Genetics & epigenetics, 2014-01) Vidal, Adriana C; Benjamin Neelon, Sara E; Liu, Ying; Tuli, Abbas M; Fuemmeler, Bernard F; Hoyo, Cathrine; Murtha, Amy P; Huang, Zhiqing; Schildkraut, Joellen; Overcash, Francine; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Jirtle, Randy L; Iversen, Edwin S; Murphy, Susan KIn infants exposed to maternal stress in utero, phenotypic plasticity through epigenetic events may mechanistically explain increased risk of preterm birth (PTB), which confers increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancers in adulthood. We examined associations between prenatal maternal stress and PTB, evaluating the role of DNA methylation at imprint regulatory regions. We enrolled women from prenatal clinics in Durham, NC. Stress was measured in 537 women at 12 weeks of gestation using the Perceived Stress Scale. DNA methylation at differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with H19, IGF2, MEG3, MEST, SGCE/PEG10, PEG3, NNAT, and PLAGL1 was measured from peripheral and cord blood using bisulfite pyrosequencing in a sub-sample of 79 mother-infant pairs. We examined associations between PTB and stress and evaluated differences in DNA methylation at each DMR by stress. Maternal stress was not associated with PTB (OR = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.40-2.40; P = 0.96), after adjustment for maternal body mass index (BMI), income, and raised blood pressure. However, elevated stress was associated with higher infant DNA methylation at the MEST DMR (2.8% difference, P < 0.01) after adjusting for PTB. Maternal stress may be associated with epigenetic changes at MEST, a gene relevant to maternal care and obesity. Reduced prenatal stress may support the epigenomic profile of a healthy infant.Item Open Access Methylation variation at IGF2 differentially methylated regions and maternal folic acid use before and during pregnancy.(Epigenetics, 2011-07) Hoyo, Cathrine; Murtha, Amy P; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Jirtle, Randy L; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy; Forman, Michele R; Iversen, Edwin S; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Overcash, Francine; Huang, Zhiqing; Murphy, Susan KFolic acid (FA) supplementation before and during pregnancy has been associated with decreased risk of neural tube defects although recent reports suggest it may also increase the risk of other chronic diseases. We evaluated exposure to maternal FA supplementation before and during pregnancy in relation to aberrant DNA methylation at two differentially methylated regions (DMRs) regulating Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) expression in infants. Aberrant methylation at these regions has been associated with IGF2 deregulation and increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases. Using a self-administered questionnaire, we assessed FA intake before and during pregnancy in 438 pregnant women. Pyrosequencing was used to measure methylation at two IGF2 DMRs in umbilical cord blood leukocytes. Mixed models were used to determine relationships between maternal FA supplementation before or during pregnancy and DNA methylation levels at birth. Average methylation at the H19 DMR was 61.2%. Compared to infants born to women reporting no FA intake before or during pregnancy, methylation levels at the H19 DMR decreased with increasing FA intake (2.8%, p=0.03, and 4.9%, p=0.04, for intake before and during pregnancy, respectively). This methylation decrease was most pronounced in male infants (p=0.01). Methylation alterations at the H19 DMR are likely an important mechanism by which FA risks and/or benefits are conferred in utero. Because stable methylation marks at DMRs regulating imprinted genes are acquired before gastrulation, they may serve as archives of early exposures with the potential to improve our understanding of developmental origins of adult disease.Item Open Access Paternal obesity is associated with IGF2 hypomethylation in newborns: results from a Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST) cohort.(BMC medicine, 2013-02-06) Soubry, Adelheid; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Murtha, Amy; Wang, Frances; Huang, Zhiqing; Bernal, Autumn; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Jirtle, Randy L; Murphy, Susan K; Hoyo, CathrineBackground
Data from epidemiological and animal model studies suggest that nutrition during pregnancy may affect the health status of subsequent generations. These transgenerational effects are now being explained by disruptions at the level of the epigenetic machinery. Besides in vitro environmental exposures, the possible impact on the reprogramming of methylation profiles at imprinted genes at a much earlier time point, such as during spermatogenesis or oogenesis, has not previously been considered. In this study, our aim was to determine associations between preconceptional obesity and DNA methylation profiles in the offspring, particularly at the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the imprinted Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene.Methods
We examined DNA from umbilical cord blood leukocytes from 79 newborns, born between July 2005 and November 2006 at Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC. Their mothers participated in the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST) during pregnancy. Parental characteristics were obtained via standardized questionnaires and medical records. DNA methylation patterns at two DMRs were analyzed by bisulfite pyrosequencing; one DMR upstream of IGF2 (IGF2 DMR), and one DMR upstream of the neighboring H19 gene (H19 DMR). Multiple regression models were used to determine potential associations between the offspring's DNA methylation patterns and parental obesity before conception. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m².Results
Hypomethylation at the IGF2 DMR was associated with paternal obesity. Even after adjusting for several maternal and newborn characteristics, we observed a persistent inverse association between DNA methylation in the offspring and paternal obesity (β-coefficient was -5.28, P = 0.003). At the H19 DMR, no significant associations were detected between methylation patterns and paternal obesity. Our data suggest an increase in DNA methylation at the IGF2 and H19 DMRs among newborns from obese mothers, but a larger study is warranted to further explore the potential effects of maternal obesity or lifestyle on the offspring's epigenome.Conclusions
While our small sample size is limited, our data indicate a preconceptional impact of paternal obesity on the reprogramming of imprint marks during spermatogenesis. Given the biological importance of imprinting fidelity, our study provides evidence for transgenerational effects of paternal obesity that may influence the offspring's future health status.Item Open Access Variable histone modifications at the A(vy) metastable epiallele(2010) Dolinoy, Dana C; Weinhouse, Caren; Jones, Tamara R; Rozek, Laura S; Jirtle, Randy LThe ability of environmental factors to shape health and disease involves epigenetic mechanisms that mediate gene-environment interactions. Metastable epiallele genes are variably expressed in genetically identical individuals due to epigenetic modifications established during early development. DNA methylation within metastable epialleles is stochastic due to probabilistic reprogramming of epigenetic marks during embryogenesis. Maternal nutrition and environment have been shown to affect metastable epiallele methylation patterns and subsequent adult phenotype. Little is known, however, about the role of histone modifications in influencing metastable epiallele expression and phenotypic variation. Utilizing chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by qPCR, we observe variable histone patterns in the 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) of the murine viable yellow agouti (A(vy)) metastable epiallele. This region contains 6 CpG sites, which are variably methylated in isogenic A(vy)/a offspring. Yellow mice, which are hypomethylated at the A(vy) LTR and exhibit constitutive ectopic expression of Agouti (a), also display enrichment of H3 and H4 di-acetylation (p = 0.08 and 0.09, respectively). Pseudoagouti mice, in which A(vy) hypermethylation is thought to silence ectopic expression, exhibit enrichment of H4K20 tri-methylation (p = 0.01). No differences are observed for H3K4 tri-methylation (p = 0.7), a modification often enriched in the promoter of active genes. These results show for the first time the presence of variable histone modifications at a metastable epiallele, indicating that DNA methylation acts in concert with histone modifications to affect inter-individual variation of metastable epiallele expression. Therefore, the potential for environmental factors to influence histone modifications, in addition to DNA methylation, should be addressed in environmental epigenomic studies.