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Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology pp 595–617Cite as

Maternal Programming of Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression and HPA Responses to Stress Through DNA Methylation in the Rat

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Abstract:

Increased levels of pup licking/grooming and arched-back nursing by rat mothers over the first week of life alter the epigenome at a glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter in the hippocampus of the offspring. Differences in the DNA methylation pattern between the offspring of high- and low-licking/grooming—arched-back mothers emerge over the first week of life. They are reversed with cross-fostering, persist into adulthood, and are associated with altered histone acetylation and transcription factor (NGFI-A) binding to the glucocorticoid receptor promoter. Central infusion of the adult offspring with the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A removes the previously defined epigenomic group differences in histone acetylation, DNA methylation, NGFI-A binding, glucocorticoid receptor expression, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal responses to stress. This suggests a causal relation between the epigenomic state, glucocorticoid receptor expression, and the effects of maternal care on stress responses in the offspring. These findings demonstrate that an epigenomic state of a gene can be established through a behavioral mode of programming, and that in spite of the inherent stability of this epigenomic mark, it is dynamic and potentially reversible.

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  1. M. J. Meaney
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  2. I. C. G. Weaver
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  3. T. Wu
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Neurochemistry, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, New York, 10962, USA

    Abel Lajtha (Director) (Director)

  2. Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA, 01003-9271, USA

    Jeffrey D. Blaustein

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Meaney, M.J., Weaver, I.C.G., Wu, T., Hellstrom, I., Diorio, J., Szyf, M. (2007). Maternal Programming of Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression and HPA Responses to Stress Through DNA Methylation in the Rat. In: Lajtha, A., Blaustein, J.D. (eds) Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30405-2_15

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