Conserved DNA Methylation Signatures in Early Maternal Separation and in Twins Discordant for CO2 Sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: Respiratory and emotional responses to blood-acidifying inhalation of CO2 are markers of some human anxiety disorders, and can be enhanced by repeatedly cross-fostering (RCF) mouse pups from their biological mother to unrelated lactating females. Yet, these dynamics remain poorly understood. We show RCF-associated intergenerational transmission of CO2 sensitivity in normally-reared mice descending from RCF-exposed females, and describe the accompanying alterations in brain DNA methylation patterns. These epigenetic signatures were compared to DNA methylation profiles of monozygotic twins discordant for emotional reactivity to a CO2 challenge. Altered methylation was consistently associated with repeated elements and transcriptional regulatory regions among RCF-exposed animals, their normal

SUBMITTER: Giannese F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5797081 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature