scholarly journals Paternal obesity in a rodent model affects placental gene expression in a sex-specific manner

Reproduction ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 149 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie K Binder ◽  
Sally A Beard ◽  
Tu'uhevaha J Kaitu'u-Lino ◽  
Stephen Tong ◽  
Natalie J Hannan ◽  
...  

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major obstetric complication stemming from poor placental development. We have previously demonstrated that paternal obesity in mice is associated with impaired embryo development and significantly reduced fetal and placental weights. We hypothesised that the FGR observed in our rodent model of paternal diet-induced obesity is associated with alterations in metabolic, cell signalling and stress pathways. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a normal or high-fat diet for 10 weeks before sperm collection for IVF and subsequent embryo transfer. On embryonic day 14, placentas were collected and RNA extracted from both male and female placentas to assess mRNA expression of 24 target genes using custom RT-qPCR arrays. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (Ppara) and caspase-12 (Casp12) expression were significantly altered in male placentas from obese fathers compared with normal (P<0.05), but not female placentas. PPARA and CASP12 proteins were localised within the placenta to trophoblast giant cells by immunohistochemistry, and relative protein abundance was determined by western blot analysis. DNA was also extracted from the same placentas to determine methylation status. Global DNA methylation was significantly increased in female placentas from obese fathers compared with normal (P<0.05), but not male placentas. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that paternal obesity is associated with changes in gene expression and methylation status of extraembryonic tissue in a sex-specific manner. These findings reinforce the negative consequences of paternal obesity before conception, and emphasise the need for more lifestyle advice for prospective fathers.

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (20) ◽  
pp. 9079-9091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice M. Huss ◽  
Inés Pineda Torra ◽  
Bart Staels ◽  
Vincent Giguère ◽  
Daniel P. Kelly

ABSTRACT Estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are orphan nuclear receptors activated by the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), a critical regulator of cellular energy metabolism. However, metabolic target genes downstream of ERRα have not been well defined. To identify ERRα-regulated pathways in tissues with high energy demand such as the heart, gene expression profiling was performed with primary neonatal cardiac myocytes overexpressing ERRα. ERRα upregulated a subset of PGC-1α target genes involved in multiple energy production pathways, including cellular fatty acid transport, mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation, and mitochondrial respiration. These results were validated by independent analyses in cardiac myocytes, C2C12 myotubes, and cardiac and skeletal muscle of ERRα−/− mice. Consistent with the gene expression results, ERRα increased myocyte lipid accumulation and fatty acid oxidation rates. Many of the genes regulated by ERRα are known targets for the nuclear receptor PPARα, and therefore, the interaction between these regulatory pathways was explored. ERRα activated PPARα gene expression via direct binding of ERRα to the PPARα gene promoter. Furthermore, in fibroblasts null for PPARα and ERRα, the ability of ERRα to activate several PPARα targets and to increase cellular fatty acid oxidation rates was abolished. PGC-1α was also shown to activate ERRα gene expression. We conclude that ERRα serves as a critical nodal point in the regulatory circuitry downstream of PGC-1α to direct the transcription of genes involved in mitochondrial energy-producing pathways in cardiac and skeletal muscle.


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1261-1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hummasti ◽  
Peter Tontonoz

Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARγ, PPARα, and PPARδ) are important regulators of lipid metabolism. Although they share significant structural similarity, the biological effects associated with each PPAR isotype are distinct. For example, PPARα and PPARδ regulate fatty acid catabolism, whereas PPARγ controls lipid storage and adipogenesis. The different functions of PPARs in vivo can be explained at least in part by the different tissue distributions of the three receptors. The question of whether the receptors have different intrinsic activities and regulate distinct target genes, however, has not been adequately explored. We have engineered cell lines that express comparable amounts of each receptor. Transcriptional profiling of these cells in the presence of selective agonists reveals partially overlapping but distinct patterns of gene regulation by the three PPARs. Moreover, analysis of chimeric receptors points to the N terminus of each receptor as the key determinant of isotype-selective gene expression. For example, the N terminus of PPARγ confers the ability to promote adipocyte differentiation when fused to the PPARδ DNA binding domain and ligand binding domain, whereas the N terminus of PPARδ leads to the inappropriate expression of fatty acid oxidation genes in differentiated adipocytes when fused to PPARγ. Finally, we demonstrate that the N terminus of each receptor functions in part to limit receptor activity because deletion of the N terminus leads to nonselective activation of target genes. A more detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which the individual PPARs differentially regulate gene expression should aid in the design of more effective drugs, including tissue- and target gene-selective PPAR modulators.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E. LeBlanc ◽  
Silvana Konda ◽  
Qiong Wu ◽  
Yu-Jie Hu ◽  
Christine M. Oslowski ◽  
...  

Abstract Regulation of adipose tissue formation by adipogenic-regulatory proteins has long been a topic of interest given the ever-increasing health concerns of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the general population. Differentiation of precursor cells into adipocytes involves a complex network of cofactors that facilitate the functions of transcriptional regulators from the CCATT/enhancer binding protein, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) families. Many of these cofactors are enzymes that modulate the structure of chromatin by altering histone-DNA contacts in an ATP-dependent manner or by posttranslationally modifying the histone proteins. Here we report that inhibition of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (Prmt5) expression in multiple cell culture models for adipogenesis prevented the activation of adipogenic genes. In contrast, overexpression of Prmt5 enhanced adipogenic gene expression and differentiation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that Prmt5 binds to and dimethylates histones at adipogenic promoters. Furthermore, the presence of Prmt5 promoted the binding of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling enzymes and was required for the binding of PPARγ2 at PPARγ2-regulated promoters. The data indicate that Prmt5 acts as a coactivator for the activation of adipogenic gene expression and promotes adipogenic differentiation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 437 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masae Ohno ◽  
Jun Komakine ◽  
Eiko Suzuki ◽  
Makoto Nishizuka ◽  
Shigehiro Osada ◽  
...  

LRH-1 (liver receptor homologue-1), a transcription factor and member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, regulates the expression of its target genes, which are involved in bile acid and cholesterol homoeostasis. However, the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional control by LRH-1 are not completely understood. Previously, we identified Ku80 and Ku70 as LRH-1-binding proteins and reported that they function as co-repressors. In the present study, we identified an additional LRH-1-binding protein, ILF3 (interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3). ILF3 formed a complex with LRH-1 and the other two nuclear receptor co-activators PRMT1 (protein arginine methyltransferase 1) and PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator-1α). We demonstrated that ILF3, PRMT1 and PGC-1α were recruited to the promoter region of the LRH-1-regulated SHP (small heterodimer partner) gene, encoding one of the nuclear receptors. ILF3 enhanced SHP gene expression in co-operation with PRMT1 and PGC-1α through the C-terminal region of ILF3. In addition, we found that the small interfering RNA-mediated down-regulation of ILF3 expression led to a reduction in the occupancy of PGC-1α at the SHP promoter and SHP expression. Taken together, our results suggest that ILF3 functions as a novel LRH-1 co-activator by acting synergistically with PRMT1 and PGC-1α, thereby promoting LRH-1-dependent gene expression.


PPAR Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoru Matsuda ◽  
Mayumi Kobayashi ◽  
Yasuko Kitagishi

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are members of the superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors involved in embryonic development and differentiation of several tissues including placenta, which respond to specific ligands such as polyunsaturated fatty acids by altering gene expression. Three subtypes of this receptor have been discovered, each evolving to achieve different biological functions. The PPARs also control a variety of target genes involved in lipid homeostasis. Similar to other nuclear receptors, the transcriptional activity of PPARs is affected not only by ligand-stimulation but also by crosstalk with other molecules. For example, both PPARs and the RXRs are ligand-activated transcription factors that coordinately regulate gene expression. In addition, several mechanisms underlying negative regulation of gene expression by PPARs have been shown. It is suggested that PPARs are key messengers responsible for the translation of nutritional stimuli into changes in gene expression pathways for placental development.


2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (7) ◽  
pp. E824-E837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Bonzo ◽  
Chad Brocker ◽  
Changtao Jiang ◽  
Rui-Hong Wang ◽  
Chu-Xia Deng ◽  
...  

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) mediates metabolic remodeling, resulting in enhanced mitochondrial and peroxisomal β-oxidation of fatty acids. In addition to the physiological stimuli of fasting and high-fat diet, PPARα is activated by the fibrate class of drugs for the treatment of dyslipidemia. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), an important regulator of energy homeostasis, was downregulated in fibrate-treated wild-type mice, suggesting PPARα regulation of Sirt1 gene expression. The impact of SIRT1 loss on PPARα functionality in vivo was assessed in hepatocyte-specific knockout mice that lack the deacetylase domain of SIRT1 ( Sirt1 ΔLiv). Knockout mice were treated with fibrates or fasted for 24 h to activate PPARα. Basal expression of the PPARα target genes Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 was reduced in Sirt1 ΔLiv mice compared with wild-type mice. However, no difference was observed between wild-type and Sirt1 ΔLiv mice in either fasting- or fibrate-mediated induction of PPARα target genes. Similar to the initial results, there was no difference in fibrate-activated PPARα gene induction. To assess the relationship between SIRT1 and PPARα in a pathophysiological setting, Sirt1 ΔLiv mice were maintained on a high-fat diet for 14 wk, followed by fibrate treatment. Sirt1 ΔLiv mice exhibited increased body mass compared with control mice. In the context of a high-fat diet, Sirt1 ΔLiv mice did not respond to the cholesterol-lowering effects of the fibrate treatment. However, there were no significant differences in PPARα target gene expression. These results suggest that, in vivo, SIRT1 deacetylase activity does not significantly impact induced PPARα activity.


PPAR Research ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry G. Higgins ◽  
Wojciech G. Garbacz ◽  
Mattias C. U. Gustafsson ◽  
Sitheswaran Nainamalai ◽  
Peter R. Ashby ◽  
...  

The nuclear receptor, NR1C2 or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-δ, is ubiquitously expressed and important for placental development, fatty acid metabolism, wound healing, inflammation, and tumour development. PPARδhas been hypothesized to function as both a ligand activated transcription factor and a repressor of transcription in the absence of agonist. In this paper, treatment of mice conditionally expressing human PPARδwith GW501516 resulted in a marked loss in body weight that was not evident in nontransgenic animals or animals expressing a dominant negative derivative of PPARδ. Expression of either functional or dominant negative hPPARδblocked bezafibrate-induced PPARα-dependent hepatomegaly and blocked the effect of bezafibrate on the transcription of PPARαtarget genes. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that PPARδcould inhibit the activation of PPARα in vivoand provide novel models for the investigation of the role of PPARδin pathophysiology.


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