Epigenetic Changes in the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Due to Arsenic Exposure

描述（由申请人提供）：砷是最常见的天然环境污染物之一，虽然大多数研究都集中在其致癌潜力上，但少数研究表明砷对认知发育有不利影响。砷已被证明扰乱下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴。这个轴的一个参数，糖皮质激素受体（GR），已被证明是直接改变砷。GR特别集中在对认知至关重要的区域（海马体、杏仁核和额叶皮层）。砷降低糖皮质激素受体功能的机制尚未阐明，但一些研究表明，砷可能会改变GR基因的表观遗传修饰。表观遗传机制，包括DNA甲基化，组蛋白修饰和非编码RNA介导的过程，已知在发育和细胞功能中发挥重要作用。由于表观遗传变化可以在体细胞中通过有丝分裂以及通过生殖系遗传，它们可以成为将环境损伤印记到哺乳动物基因组上的手段，这导致对发育中的大脑中的基因表达的长期影响。 使用我们的产前小鼠模型，我们发现中度砷暴露（50 ppb）降低了各种学习和记忆，焦虑和抑郁相关任务的表现，并显着改变了下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴（HPA）功能。进一步的研究表明，糖皮质激素受体水平下降，其启动子含有糖皮质激素反应元件（GR）并被GR结合激活的几种蛋白质的减少。GR启动子的甲基化特异性DNA测序显示，在产前砷后代的转录结合位点之一更大的甲基化。我们的战略是开发一种创新的综合方法，利用我们实验室的分子遗传学（赵博士），神经药理学和行为学（艾伦）专业知识。该项目的具体目标是证明：（1）产前砷增加GR启动子甲基化;（2）这导致GR表达减少;（3）这些产前表观遗传变化持续到出生后发育;（4）这些变化是认知能力下降的原因。了解PAE诱导的认知缺陷的分子基础对于开发环境损伤的治疗方法至关重要。 公共卫生相关性：砷是环境中最常见的天然污染物之一，研究表明它会增加癌症，并对人类认知发育产生不利影响。砷已被证明扰乱下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴，降低糖皮质激素受体的表达，但其产生这种损害的机制尚未阐明。我们的研究将使用产前砷暴露的小鼠模型来探讨糖皮质激素受体基因表达的表观遗传变化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Arsenic is one of the most common naturally occurring environment contaminants, and while most studies have focused on its carcinogenic potential, a few studies have shown that arsenic adversely affects cognitive development. Arsenic has been shown to perturb the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. One parameter of this axis, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), has been shown to be directly altered by arsenic. The GRs are particularly concentrated in areas of central importance for cognition (hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex). The mechanism through which arsenic decreases glucocorticoid receptor function has not yet been elucidated, but several studies suggest that arsenic may alter epigenetic modifications to the GR gene. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA-mediated processes, are known to play significant roles in development and cellular functions. Because epigenetic changes can be inherited mitotically in somatic cells as well as through germ-line, they can be a means to imprint environmental insults onto the mammalian genome, which leads to long-lasting effects on gene expression in the developing brain. Using our prenatal mouse model, we have found that moderate arsenic-exposure (50 ppb) reduced performance on a variety of learning and memory, anxiety and depression associated tasks and significantly altered the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function. Further studies showed that there was a decrease in glucocorticoid receptor level and a decrease in several proteins whose promoters contain glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) and are activated by GR binding. Methylation specific DNA sequencing of the GR promoter showed greater methylation at one of the transcription binding sites in the prenatal arsenic offspring. Our strategy is to develop an innovative, integrated approach that capitalizes on the molecular genetic (Dr. Zhao), neuropharmacological and behavioral (Allan) expertise of our laboratories. The specific aims developed for this project are focused on demonstrating that: (1) prenatal arsenic increases GR promoter methylation; (2) this leads to a decreased GR expression; (3) these prenatal epigenetic changes persist into postnatal development; and (4) these changes are responsible for the decrease in cognition. Understanding the molecular basis of PAE-induced cognitive deficits will be critical in developing treatments for environmental insults. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Arsenic is one of the most common naturally occurring contaminants found in the environment, and studies have shown that it can increase cancer as well as adversely affect human cognitive development. Arsenic has been shown to perturb the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and lower the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor, but the mechanism through which it produces this damage is yet to be elucidated. Our investigation will use a prenatal arsenic-exposed mouse model to explore the epigenetic changes to the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor gene.