title: Elimination of methylation marks at lysines 4 and 9 of histone 3 (H3K4 and H3K9) of spermatozoa alters offspring phenotype.
abstract: The contribution of the contents of spermatozoa to the development of the embryo is currently being considered wider than was previously thought. Recent findings point to the participation of epigenetic marks present in the retained histones of mature spermatozoa on embryo and fetal development. Here we created a novel conditional transgenic mouse that expresses lysine (K) demethylase 1a (Kdm1a) during spermatogenesis when the testicles are subjected to heat stress. Using these animals under these conditions we were able to reduce the methylation level of histone 3 at lysines 4 and 9 (H3K4 and H3K9, respectively) in mature spermatozoa. The offspring of these transgenic mice were followed for correct development and growth after birth. We found that the offspring of males expressing Kdm1a suffered 20% of reabsorptions at Day 15 after implantation (vs 0.3% in the control). In addition, 35% of the offspring sired by these males showed some kind of abnormality (suckling defects, lack of movement coordination, dropping forelimbs, abnormal body curvature, absence of eyes, gigantisms and neuromuscular defects) and 25% died before postnatal Day 21. Some abnormalities were maintained to adulthood. These results show that alteration of epigenetic marks present in the retained histones of mature spermatozoa affect fetal development and have phenotypic consequences in the newborn.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Serafín
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez-Cerezales
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramos-Ibeas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez-Cardona
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pericuesta
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Transgénesis, CNB-CBMSO CSIC, UAM. Calle Nicolás Cabrera, 1. 28049, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Belen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pintado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproduccion Animal, INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, n°12, local 10. 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Adán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D056466:Histone Demethylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010641:Phenotype; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D056466:Histone Demethylases; C504076:KDM1a protein, mouse