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Effects of Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress (UVPS) on Bdnf DNA Methylation and Telomere Length in the Adult Rat BrainIn utero exposure to stress can shape neurobiological and behavioral outcomes in offspring, producing vulnerability to psychopathology later in life. Animal models of prenatal stress likewise have demonstrated long-­‐term alterations in brain function and behavioral deficits in offspring. For example, using a rodent model of unpredictable variable prenatal stress (UVPS), in which dams are exposed to unpredictable, variable stress across pregnancy, we have found increased body weight and anxiety-­‐like behavior in adult male, but not female, offspring. DNA methylation (addition of methyl groups to cytosines which normally represses gene transcription) and changes in telomere length (TTAGGG repeats on the ends of chromosomes) are two molecular modifications that result from stress and could be responsible for the long-­‐term effects of UVPS. Here, we measured methylation of brain-­‐derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), a gene important in development and plasticity, and telomere length in the brains of adult offspring from the UVPS model. Results indicate that prenatally stressed adult males have greater methylation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) compared to non-­‐stressed controls, while females have greater methylation in the ventral hippocampus compared to controls. Further, prenatally stressed males had shorter telomeres than controls in the mPFC. These findings demonstrate the ability of UVPS to produce epigenetic alterations and changes in telomere length across behaviorally-­‐relevant brain regions, which may have linkages to the phenotypic outcomes.
Document ID
20150022146
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Blaze, Jennifer
(Delaware Univ. Newark, DE, United States)
Asok, A.
(Delaware Univ. Newark, DE, United States)
Moyer, E. L.
(Wake Forest Univ. Winston-Salem, NC, United States)
Roth, T. L.
(Delaware Univ. Newark, DE, United States)
Ronca, A. E.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
December 2, 2015
Publication Date
July 20, 2015
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN22394
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Society for Developmental Psychobiology (ISDP)
Location: San Sebastian
Country: Spain
Start Date: July 20, 2015
End Date: July 23, 2015
Sponsors: International Society for Developmental Psychobiology (ISDP)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NIGMS 1P20GM103653
CONTRACT_GRANT: NICHD 1R0150201
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
epigenetic developmental programming
Telomere length
DNA methylation
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