title: Nuclear receptors in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
abstract: Nuclear Receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors that translate information about the lipid environment into specific genetic programs, a property that renders them good candidates to be mediators of rapid adaptation changes of a species. Lipid-based morphogens, endocrine hormones, fatty acids and xenobiotics might act through this class of transcription factors making them regulators able to fine-tune physiological processes. Here we review the basic concepts and current knowledge on the process whereby small molecules act through nuclear receptors and contribute to transgenerational changes. Several molecules shown to cause transgenerational changes like phthalates, BPA, nicotine, tributylin bind and activate nuclear receptors like ERs, androgen receptors, glucocorticoid receptors or PPARγ. A specific subset of observations involving nuclear receptors has focused on the effects of environmental stress or maternal behaviour on the development of transgenerational traits. While these effects do not involve environmental ligands, they change the expression levels of Estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors of the second generation and consequently initiate an altered genetic program in the second generation. In this review we summarize the available literature about the role of nuclear receptors in transgenerational inheritance.
authors: University of Debrecen, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4012 Pf6, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors: Lilla
authors: L
authors: Ozgyin
authors: University of Debrecen, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4012 Pf6, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors: Edina
authors: E
authors: Erdős
authors: University of Debrecen, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4012 Pf6, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors: Dóra
authors: D
authors: Bojcsuk
authors: University of Debrecen, Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Nagyerdei krt 98, 4012 Pf6, Debrecen, Hungary. Electronic address: lbalint@med.unideb.hu.
authors: Balint L
authors: BL
authors: Balint
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
keywords: Epigenetic; Estrogen; Glucocorticoids; Nuclear receptors; Transgenerational