A Tissue Comparison of DNA Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (Nr3c1) in European Starlings
A Tissue Comparison of DNA Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (Nr3c1) in European Starlings
复制标题
欧洲椋鸟糖皮质激素受体基因 (Nr3c1) DNA 甲基化的组织比较
DOI：
10.1093/icb/icz034
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发表时间：
2019
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Rubenstein, Dustin R
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Siller, Stefanie J;Rubenstein, Dustin R
脊椎动物应激反应的负反馈通过下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴由脑中的糖皮质激素受体调节。糖皮质激素受体基因（Nr 3c 1）的表观遗传修饰，包括启动子区域的DNA甲基化，可以影响这些受体的表达，影响行为，生理和健身。然而，我们仍然对这些修改对健身的长期影响知之甚少。为了更好地理解这些适应性效应，我们必须首先开发一种非致命的方法来评估大脑中的DNA甲基化，这种方法允许在生物体的整个生命周期中进行多次测量。在这项研究中，我们的目的是确定血液是否是一个可行的生物标志物Nr 3c 1 DNA甲基化在两个大脑区域（海马和下丘脑）在成年欧洲椋鸟（Sturnus vulgaris）。我们发现，完整的Nr 3c 1推定的启动子中的CpG位点的DNA甲基化在组织类型之间变化，并且在血液中最低。虽然我们在每个组织中鉴定了相似的相关Nr 3c 1推定启动子CpG位点簇，但该簇在组织之间的DNA甲基化中没有显示出任何相关性。进一步的研究应考虑发育环境在不同组织中产生表观遗传修饰的作用。
Negative feedback of the vertebrate stress response via the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is regulated by glucocorticoid receptors in the brain. Epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Nr3c1), including DNA methylation of the promoter region, can influence expression of these receptors, impacting behavior, physiology, and fitness. However, we still know little about the long-term effects of these modifications on fitness. To better understand these fitness effects, we must first develop a non-lethal method to assess DNA methylation in the brain that allows for multiple measurements throughout an organism’s lifetime. In this study, we aimed to determine if blood is a viable biomarker for Nr3c1 DNA methylation in two brain regions (hippocampus and hypothalamus) in adult European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). We found that DNA methylation of CpG sites in the complete Nr3c1 putative promoter varied among tissue types and was lowest in blood. Although we identified a similar cluster of correlated Nr3c1 putative promoter CpG sites within each tissue, this cluster did not show any correlation in DNA methylation among tissues. Additional studies should consider the role of the developmental environment in producing epigenetic modifications in different tissues.