Category Archives: Epigenetics

Childhood trauma affects your mind, body, and well-being. The study of epigenetics suggests it may also affect your genes.

Intergenerational and historical trauma centers around the idea that the trauma a person experiences can have ripple effects on the next generation.

Examples of trauma that could be intergenerational include ongoing sexual abuse, war, and systemic trauma like racism.

Trauma doesnt just impact the individual who endured it, but it impacts future generations as well, and is, in a sense, inherited, says Saba Harouni Lurie, LMFT and founder of Take Root Therapy in Los Angeles.

Research on exactly how and to what extent trauma affects your DNA is ongoing, but recent studies suggest theres a connection between trauma and genetics.

The genetic makeup that youre born with plays a role in whether you will develop certain mental or physical health conditions, but thats only one piece of the puzzle. The study of epigenetics shows us how your lived experiences and environment can actually change how your DNA and genetic traits are expressed in situations.

Experiencing trauma might alter your genetic makeup and those changes could be passed down to future generations. In this way, a child might inherit trauma responses from a parent, such as a tendency to react to threats with a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response.

Epigenetics could also influence what someone is afraid of, what someone is sensitive to, and how their body functions and develops, says Lurie.

A 2018 study in mice suggests that epigenetic changes can continue to show effects for generations, supporting the idea of intergenerational trauma.

The researchers found that starving a group of mice caused them to engage in aggressive behavior toward their food. They gave the next generation ample food to eat but despite having plenty of food, the offspring of the starved mice also showed aggressiveness toward their food.

Epigeneticists also look at how the genes you inherit dont manifest. Things that run in your family might stay inactive or even be reversible, including trauma.

Methylation is a natural, biochemical process. When methyl groups are added to DNA, it can impact how those genes are expressed. Some researchers believe that experiencing trauma can affect your genes through methylation.

If trauma affects your genes, it can have effects on:

According to an older research paper from 2003, a lack of methyl groups or disruption of a methylation cycle can lead to immune system complications.

One 2018 Swedish study suggests a link between certain mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autoimmune disorders.

An adverse childhood experience (ACE) score is a measure of childhood trauma a person has lived through, such as abuse or neglect from a caregiver or having a parent who has experienced incarceration.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), experts have linked ACE scores to mental and physical health conditions. A higher score may increase the likelihood of developing:

Having a higher ACE score reflects the trauma youve experienced. It may mean youre more likely to have trouble:

If you have a higher ACE score, you might be more likely to experience health issues. Health issues can crop up because of a weakened stress response due to the lifelong effects of trauma exposure, says Lurie.

Sharnell Myles, PsyD, a certified clinical trauma professional and Vice President of Embark Behavioral Health, explains that Black people, particularly children, are subject to racial bias regarding their trauma responses.

Theres a common stereotype that Black people are excessively angry when really what theyre experiencing is strong emotions. But we know defensiveness can be a response to trauma, and expressiveness is part of Black culture, says Myles.

Myles adds that underlying factors can account for overblown reactions in people who have experienced trauma, especially in marginalized people.

Its also important to recognize that excessive anger stereotypically ascribed to Black people has been shown to be inaccurate, resulting from racial bias and power dynamics. So excessive anger may be perceived by other individuals, but not actually accurate.

One of the ways that these trauma-induced epigenetic modifications can occur is via stress response genes. By altering how the genes that respond to stressors function, an individual might develop lowered resilience to any additional trauma faced later in life, says Lurie.

Experts believe the link between epigenetics and trauma might serve as potential biomarkers for mental and physical health conditions.

This might help provide better support to folks whove experienced trauma. It could also help researchers find ways to potentially alter these genetic changes.

Know that while your parents trauma may have impacts on how you were parented and on how you experience the world, there are also ways to recover from trauma and adverse childhood experiences, says Lurie.

Whether youre navigating childhood trauma or trauma from being parented by someone with their own trauma, dealing with the effects can be challenging. But its possible to heal.

A 2019 clinical trial involving 39 English-speaking adults and a 6-week expressive writing program suggests creative expression, meditation, and mindfulness might help reduce depression symptoms and increase resilience in people with a history of trauma.

Creating supportive social environments can be challenging, especially if youve experienced trauma. But you might find it helpful to lean on others for support. Consider:

Connecting with a trauma specialist is also an option. There are various therapies for trauma.

You might also find it helpful to look for a therapist who regularly works with people from your specific cultural background or gender identity.

Psychotherapy can be very effective in treating mental health challenges, including those that may be caused or exacerbated by adverse childhood experiences. There is hope, and there is help, says Lurie.

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Understanding the Epigenetics of Childhood Trauma - Psych Central

Presently, there are no effective therapies for spinal cord damage. Physical therapy can help patients regain some movement, but the outcomes are heavily limited in severe cases due to the inability of spinal neurons to repair organically after injury.

However, in a study published in the journal PLOS Biology, Simone Di Giovanni and his research team at Imperial College London (United Kingdom) have looked to change this roadblock. The team displayed how weekly treatments that contain an epigenetic activator can help the regeneration of motor and sensory neurons in the spinal cord, when administered to mice 12 weeks after a serious injury.

Using a small molecule known asTTK21, theresearchers were able to trigger genetic programming that stimulates axon regeneration in neurons. TTK21 affects gene epigenetics via activating the CBP/p300 family of coactivator proteins.

TTK21 therapy was investigated in micemodels where the specimen had experiencedsevere spinal cord damage. The mice were raised in an enriching environment that allowed them to be physically active, as is recommended for human patients.

The treatment started 12 weeks after the severe spinal cord damage and lasted 10 weeks. Researchers discovered numerous improvements following TTK21 therapy when compared to the control treatment. Increased neuron sprouting in the spinal cord was the most noticeable effect. The researchers additionally found that motor axon retraction above the site of injury stopped and sensory axon development sharply increased. These changes were most likely caused by the observed increase in gene expression associated with regeneration. The next stage will be to further increase these effects to stimulate the regenerated axons to reconnect with the rest of the nervous system, so that the mice regain the capability to may move freely again.

Di Giovanni goes on to emphasize, This work shows that a drug called TTK21 that is administered systemically once/week after a chronic spinal cord injury in animals can promote neuronal regrowth and an increase in synapses that are needed for neuronal transmission. This is important because chronic spinal cord injury is a condition without a cure where neuronal regrowth and repair fail. We are now exploring the combination of this drug with strategies that bridge the spinal cord gap such as biomaterials as possible avenues to improve disability in spinal cord injury patients.

Press release:https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/964425

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Epigenetic therapy promotes spinal cord regeneration in mice following injury - RegMedNet

Oryzon Genomics, S.A.

MADRID, Spain and BOSTON, Oct. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oryzon Genomics, S.A. (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging epigenetics to develop therapies in diseases with strong unmet medical need, announced today that its management will give an update on corporate progress at several international events in October.

Oryzon will participate at the Chardan's 6th Annual Genetic Medicines Conference, which will be held on October 3-4 in New York (USA). The company will hold one-to-one meetings with pharmaceutical companies and global investors. Click on link for more info about the Chardan's 6th Annual Genetic Medicines Conference

Oryzon will participate at the MSD European Business Development Outreach, which will be held on October 5 in Zurich (Switzerland). The company will hold one-to-one meetings with pharmaceutical companies and global investors.

Oryzon will participate at the Iberian Digital Forum on October 6-7, where the company will hold one-to-one meetings with national investors.

Oryzon will participate at the AACR Special Conference: Cancer Epigenomics in Washington (USA) on October 6-8, where the company will present a poster communication entitled: ASCL1 and SOX2 expression levels predict sensitivity to LSD1 inhibition with iadademstat in small cell lung cancer on October 7 at 18:00 ET. Click on link for more info about the AACR Special Conference: Cancer Epigenomics

Oryzon has been invited to the European Brain Council (EBC)s annual European congress, Brain Innovation Days, which will be held on October 11-12 in Brussels (Belgium). The company will take part in a panel discussion entitled Innovative Funding Models, taking place on October 12 at 14:35 CEST. Click on link for more info about the Brain Innovation Days

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Oryzon has been invited to the HealthTech Innovation Days, which will be held on October 13-14 in Paris (France). The company will participate at a round table devoted to age-related diseases on October 13 at 11:00 CEST. Click on link for more info about the HealthTech Innovation Days

Oryzon will attend BIO-Europe 2022, which will be held in Leipzig (Germany) and virtually on October 24-26, where the company will provide a corporate update and will also hold one-to-one meetings with pharmaceutical companies and global investors. Click on link for more info about BIO-Europe 2022

Finally, Oryzon will participate at the 34th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium, which will be held on October 26-28 in Barcelona (Spain). The company will present two poster communications entitled Iadademstat effects on neuroendocrine, inflamed and mesenchymal gene expression patterns in small cell lung cancer subtypesand Iadademstat and gilteritinib synergistically abrogate viability of both treatment-nave and drug-resistant AML cellson October 27. Click on link for more info about the 34th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium

About OryzonFounded in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon (ISIN Code: ES0167733015) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company considered as the European leader in epigenetics. Oryzon has one of the strongest portfolios in the field, with two LSD1 inhibitors, iadademstat and vafidemstat, in Phase II clinical trials, and other pipeline assets directed against other epigenetic targets. In addition, Oryzon has a strong platform for biomarker identification and target validation for a variety of malignant and neurological diseases. For more information, visit http://www.oryzon.com

About Iadademstat Iadademstat (ORY-1001) is a small oral molecule, which acts as a highly selective inhibitor of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and has a powerful differentiating effect in hematologic cancers (see Maes et al., Cancer Cell 2018 Mar 12; 33 (3): 495-511.e12.doi: 10.1016 / j.ccell.2018.02.002.). A FiM Phase I/IIa clinical trial with iadademstat in R/R AML patients demonstrated the safety and good tolerability of the drug and preliminary signs of antileukemic activity, including a CRi (see Salamero et al, J Clin Oncol, 2020, 38(36): 4260-4273. doi: 10.1200/JCO.19.03250). In an ongoing, fully-accrued Phase IIa trial in elder 1L-AML patients (ALICE trial), iadademstat has shown encouraging safety and efficacy data in combination with azacitidine (see Salamero et al., EHA 2022 poster). The company has obtained approval from the U.S. FDA for its IND for FRIDA, a Phase Ib trial of iadademstat plus gilteritinib in patients with relapsed/refractory AML with FLT3 mutations. Beyond hematological cancers, the inhibition of LSD1 has been proposed as a valid therapeutic approach in some solid tumors such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), neuroendocrine tumors (NET), medulloblastoma and others. In a Phase IIa trial in combination with platinum/etoposide in second line ED-SCLC patients (CLEPSIDRA trial), preliminary activity and safety results have been reported (see Navarro et al., ESMO 2018 poster). New trials in combination in SCLC and NET are under preparation. Oryzon has recently entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) to collaborate on potential further clinical development of iadademstat in different types of solid and hematological cancers. In total iadademstat has been dosed so far to more than 100 cancer patients in four clinical trials. Iadademstat has orphan drug designation for SCLC in the US and for AML in the US and EU.

About Vafidemstat Vafidemstat (ORY-2001) is an oral, CNS optimized LSD1 inhibitor. The molecule acts on several levels: it reduces cognitive impairment, including memory loss and neuroinflammation, and at the same time has neuroprotective effects. In animal studies vafidemstat not only restores memory but reduces the exacerbated aggressiveness of SAMP8 mice, a model for accelerated aging and Alzheimers disease (AD), to normal levels and also reduces social avoidance and enhances sociability in murine models. In addition, vafidemstat exhibits fast, strong and durable efficacy in several preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oryzon has performed two Phase IIa clinical trials in aggressiveness in patients with different psychiatric disorders (REIMAGINE) and in aggressive/agitated patients with moderate or severe AD (REIMAGINE-AD), with positive clinical results reported in both. Additional finalized Phase IIa clinical trials with vafidemstat include the ETHERAL trial in patients with Mild to Moderate AD, where a significant reduction of the inflammatory biomarker YKL40 has been observed after 6 and 12 months of treatment, and the pilot, small scale SATEEN trial in Relapse-Remitting and Secondary Progressive MS, where antiinflammatory activity has also been observed. Vafidemstat has also been tested in a Phase II in severe Covid-19 patients (ESCAPE) assessing the capability of the drug to prevent ARDS, one of the most severe complications of the viral infection, where it showed significant anti-inflammatory effects in severe Covid-19 patients. Currently, vafidemstat is in two Phase IIb trials in borderline personality disorder (PORTICO) and in schizophrenia patients (EVOLUTION). The company is also deploying a CNS precision medicine approach with vafidemstat in genetically-defined patient subpopulations of certain CNS disorders and is preparing a clinical trial in Kabuki Syndrome patients. The company is also exploring the clinical development of vafidemstat in other neurodevelopmental syndromes.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains, or may contain, forward-looking information and statements about Oryzon, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates and similar expressions. Although Oryzon believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Oryzon shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Oryzon that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by Oryzon to the Spanish Comisin Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), which are accessible to the public. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and have not been reviewed by the auditors of Oryzon. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Oryzon or any of its members, directors, officers, employees or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. All forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to Oryzon on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, Oryzon does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Oryzons securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of Oryzons securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from Oryzon or the selling security holder, as applicable, that will contain detailed information about Oryzon and management, as well as financial statements.

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ORYZON to Give Updates on Corporate Progress in October - Yahoo Finance

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Resverlogix Corp. (TSX:RVX) (OTCPink:RVXCF), a world leader in epigenetics, or gene regulation, announced that apabetalones future development related to COVID-19, will focus on the prevention and treatment of Post COVID-19 Conditions. The companys new focus on patients with Post COVID-19 Conditions (PCC), colloquially known as long-COVID, as opposed to hospitalized COVID-19 patients, reflects the compelling opportunity for apabetalone to benefit long-COVID patients along with guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on the image or link below:

For more information, please view the InvestmentPitch Media video which provides additional information about this news and the company. The video is available for viewing on InvestmentPitch.com and on YouTube. If these links are not enabled, please visit http://www.InvestmentPitch.com and enter Resverlogix in the search box.

Following the recent FDA meeting, Dr. Michael Sweeney, Senior VP, Clinical Development for Resverlogix, stated: We are grateful to the FDA for the feedback and suggestions provided in our recent Type C meeting, and we look forward to continuing to work with regulators in our evaluation of apabetalones safety and efficacy in treating Post COVID-19 Conditions.

A recent estimate from the CDC suggests that as many as one-in-three US adults may experience long-COVID after contracting COVID-19. Vaccination against COVID-19 helps reduce the risk of long-COVID, but only by as little as 15%, according to a recent study of more than 13 million people.

Dr. Michael Sweeney, added: Patients around the world are dealing with persistent COVID-19 symptoms, often lasting weeks and months after their initial infections. There are currently few available treatment options for this group of people, and we feel that apabetalone has great potential to help them. We know that individuals who contract COVID-19 are at greater risk of negative cardiovascular outcomes, and we have seen the cardioprotective benefit of apabetalone in other high-risk populations.

Founded in 2001, Resverlogix is a Calgary based late-stage biotechnology company and the world leader in epigenetics, or gene regulation, with the goal of developing first-in-class therapies for the benefit of patients with chronic disease. Resverlogix is developing a new class of epigenetic therapies designed to regulate the expression of disease-causing genes.

Apabetalone (RVX-208), is a first-in-class, small molecule, therapeutic candidate with an epigenetic mechanism of action. It is a BD2 (bromodomain) selective BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal) inhibitor that works in preventing and treating disease progression by regulating the expression of disease-causing genes. Due to the extensive role for BET proteins in the human body, apabetalone, can simultaneously target multiple disease-related biological processes while maintaining a well-described safety profile leading to a new way to treat chronic disease.

Apabetalone received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA and is the only drug of its class with an established safety record in human clinical trials, with well over 4200 patient-years of safety data across 10 clinical trials. Studies published in prestigious scientific journals, including Cell, demonstrate that apabetalone has the potential to act against COVID-19 with a unique dual-mechanism: first by preventing viruses from entering the cells and replicating; and second by averting excessive inflammatory reactions that can cause severe and lasting organ damage.

The investigational treatment could potentially reduce the severity and duration of post COVID-19 conditions. Apabetalones unique dual-mechanism also means that it has the potential to show efficacy against new COVID-19 variants and may even help fight other viruses. The company is finalizing the Phase 3 study protocol of apabetalone in PCC and plans to launch the trial in the first half of 2023, subject to all necessary regulatory and other applicable approvals and securing the necessary resources.

Resverlogix has partnered with EVERSANA, the pioneer of next generation commercial services to the global life sciences industry, to support the rapid global commercialization of apabetalone for COVID-19. EVERSANA is currently leading clinical outreach and advocacy for apabetalone.

The shares are trading at $0.21. For more information. please visit companys website, http://www.resverlogix.com, or contact the company at 403-254-9252 or by email at ir@resverlogix.com.

Disclaimer

The information in this InvestmentPitch Media Ltd video is for the viewers information only. Resverlogix has paid a fee not exceeding $2,000 in cash to have its current news release produced in video format. The corporate information is based on information that is publicly available. Any information provided by InvestmentPitch Media Ltd., through its media services is not to be construed as a recommendation or suggestion or offer to buy or sell securities but is provided solely as an informational media service. InvestmentPitch Media Ltd makes no warranties or undertakings as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. All due diligence should be done by the viewer or their financial advisor. Investing in securities is speculative and carries risk.

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InvestmentPitch Media Video Discusses Resverlogix and its Focus on Apabetalone's Future Development for the Prevention and Treatment of Post COVID-19...

CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Cardio Diagnostics, Inc. ("Cardio Diagnostics"), a pioneering precision cardiovascular medicine company, announced they will sponsor and participate in the American Heart Association's 2022 Metro Chicago Heart Walk. The event will occur at Soldier Field (410 Museum Campus Dr, Chicago, IL 60605) on September 16, 2022.

"We're thrilled to be able to support a wonderful cause that will bring attention and funding to such a critical issue."

Non-profit agencies like the American Heart Associationplay a critical role in educating the public about heart disease and its risk factors. The American Heart Association also works with partners to promote heart-healthy policies, such as tobacco control measures, and supports research to further our understanding of this complex condition.

"We're thrilled to be able to support a wonderful cause that will bring attention and funding to such a critical issue," stated Meesha Dogan, co-founder, and CEO of Cardio Diagnostics. "It takes multiple stakeholders working together to address heart disease. By collaborating and sharing resources, we can make a real difference in the fight against this leading cause of death in the United States."

Cardio Diagnostics' test, Epi+Gen CHD, is a clinical test that was recently commercialized to assess the 3-year risk for coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease and the primary cause of heart attacks.Epi+Gen CHD is a scientifically backed clinical test that is based on an individual's objective genetic and epigenetic DNA biomarkers. In a peer-reviewed study done in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare (Dogan, Meeshanthini & Knight, Stacey & Dogan, Timur & Knowlton, Kirk & Philibert, Robert. (2021). External validation of integrated genetic-epigenetic biomarkers for predicting incident coronary heart disease. Epigenomics. 13. 10.2217/epi-2021-0123), this test demonstrated a 76% and 78% sensitivity for men and women, respectively, for three-year CHD risk.

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This means that for every 100 men and 100 women deemed "at-risk" for a coronary heart disease event, the test correctly identifies 76 men and 78 women. In comparison, the average sensitivity of the Framingham Risk Score and the ASCVD Pooled Cohort Equation was found to be 44% and 32% for men and women, respectively. Epi+Gen CHD is approximately 1.7 times and 2.4 times more sensitive than the current lipid-based clinical risk estimators in men and women, respectively.

More details about the Chicago and surrounding area Heart Walk events can be found here.

About Cardio Diagnostics, Inc.:

Cardio Diagnostics is a biotechnology company that makes cardiovascular disease prevention and early detection more accessible, personalized, and precise. The company's vision is to transform medical care for cardiovascular disease from reactive to proactive. With prevention and early detection as the new norm, epigenetics-based technologies driven by artificial intelligence will usher in an era of Precision Cardiovascular Medicine. The company's flagship solutions were developed in partnership with dedicated scientists and clinicians; the Cardio Diagnostics' Epi+Gen CHD test helps clinicians better assess each patient's risk profile for cardiovascular disease. For more information, see https://cardiodiagnosticsinc.com/.

No Offer or Solicitation

On May 31, 2022, Cardio Diagnostics, Inc. announced that the Company had entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Mana Capital Acquisition Corp. ("Mana"). Mana has filed a Form S-4 Registration Statement/proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the proposed Business Combination.

This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization concerning any securities or in respect of the proposed Business Combination. It shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of Mana or Cardio, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except utilizing a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

Contact:Khullani M. Abdullahi. JDpr@cardiodiagnosticsinc.com

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SOURCE Cardio Diagnostics, Inc.

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Cardio Diagnostics To Sponsor, Participate in the American Heart Association's 2022 Metro Chicago Heart Walk - Yahoo Finance

Sep. 9Jamie Ford's new novel is part historical fiction, part feminist fiction, part science fiction and totally captivating.

"The Many Daughters of Afong Moy" grabs the reader's attention from the beginning and holds it through generations of a mythical family that jumps to life on these pages.

It follows the tale of a real woman, Afong Moy, the first recognized Chinese woman immigrant to America. Although not much is known about her, Ford imagines a family journey through the lens of recent psychological studies that suggest trauma can be passed between generations. It's called epigenetics and Ford uses the developing research to drive the story.

Not much is really known about what happened to Afong after she was brought to America by white traders and then exhibited as a sideshow attraction to sell wares from the Far East. With her bound feet and exotic beauty, she was an early brand ambassador and influencer, although not in the glamorous way currently portrayed on social media. She was abused by her handlers and, after a brief sensation as a curiosity who made headlines across the nation, disappeared, forgotten to history.

Using the theory of shared generational trauma, however, Ford brings her back to life and fills in blanks about what could have happened to the women who followed her.

Ford's intense research into the science behind the plot lends a strong credibility to the story and sweeps the reader away into the world of Afong and her possible female progeny.

Based on real-life studies at Emory University, New York's Mount Sinai Hospital and other venerable institutions, researchers have shown that trauma of past generations could be passed along, for example, in families of Holocaust survivors and Native Americans. It's been themes in other books reviewed in these pages, such as "Red Paint," the memoir by Sasha taqweblu LaPointe.

Ford then weaves this topic with the beliefs of Buddhism and karma, which partner perfectly in driving this fascinating storyline.

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He explores all of that through Afong's story and what might have happened to her descendants: a girl who escapes the Barbary Plague in San Francisco's Chinatown at the turn of the 20th century, a brilliant British boarding school student in the 1920s, a World War II nurse, the developer of a dating app, the future poet laureate of Washington, and her daughter.

Throughout, Ford weaves the details of their lives together, not just through their tribulations but even through the music they listen to and the poetry they unintentionally pass along to one another.

Nature rarely cooperates, as Ford imagines a future 20 years away, where the rains of Seattle churn into an annual typhoon season that floods streets and destroys buildings the way hurricanes are ravaging the South. Spokane contends with a contingency of white nationalists and fire season.

After a particularly destructive storm in 2043, people in the Seattle subway show special kindness, patience, and charity to one another. "Even the Amazon workers looked happy," Ford writes. The ancillary characters are fully formed, even when most of them are causing pain.

It's easy to fall in love with Afong Moy and all her daughters. Despite the years that pass, they never seem to rise above the struggles of just being a woman. Even when they succeed, they are one step away from a man stepping in to rob them of the success they may attain, or dignity they hope to hold close.

Stories of pandemics, failures of immigration policies, misogyny, racism and the fickle tech industry all come together to create a story of the past and future clearly relevant with our present.

This is an emotional ride that keeps you flipping pages to find out what will happen to these strong, loving women working so hard to overcome the trauma that haunts and burdens them.

Because no matter what's thrown at them, they manage to maintain hope.

And this really is a book about hope.

Sometimes, it's all we have left.

Excerpt from:
Book review: Daughters and the stories they carry - Yahoo News

Epigenetics is the study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes to the way genes work

One in eightcouples have trouble getting pregnant, and the reasons for that can be varied, yet fertility is still thought of mostly as women's health issue, meaning the actual issues often go undiagnosed and untreated.

'Fertility testing and treatments almost entirely focuses on the female partner, yet 50% of infertility is due to male factors,"Andy Olson, co-founder and CEO ofInherent Biosciences, which uses epigenetics to raise the standard of care for male fertility, told VatorNews.

Epigenetics, as defined by the CDC, is "the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work." That means it's actually getting to the root causes of fertility issues and going beyond the current standard of care, which Olson says is "looking at sperm with a microscope, counting how many sperm are there, and how many are swimming."

"We're aiming to raise the standard of care in male reproductive health by applying the latest in molecular technology to this gap," he explained.

On Tuesday, the company announced it raised an undisclosed amount of Series A funding from an investor group led by Propel Bio Partners, along with what the company calls "numerous stakeholders from patients to physicians and reproductive healthcare executives," including Portfolias FemTech II Fund and Alliance of Angels. This follows the company's seed funding round,from MedMountain Ventures, Kickstart Funds, Park City Angels, Rhythm VC and several angel investors, in February 2021.

Founded in 2019, the Salt Lake City-basedInherent Biosciences currently has two products currently on the market: PATH SpermQT, an epigenetic sperm quality test that can predict the need for assisted reproductive technologyl; andPATH SpermAge, which can calculate sperm's biological age.

The company works with fertility clinics and the providers in these clinics, positioning SpermQT, along with the standard semen analysis, aka looking at sperm with a microscope, for the initial evaluation of the male partner at the beginning of the fertility journey.

The reason the company chose to go after the fertility, Olson explained, is because he had friends who were going through fertility treatment, which took years and around $80,000, mostly out of pocket, only for their doctor to say they had "un-explained infertility".

"One in eight couples experience infertility, so it's a huge problem that is growing as people wait longer to have children. The female partner takes the unfair burden, but there's a big gap on the male side, and new technology that can help," he said.

Inherent Bioscience entered the market this year and has around 25 providers piloting SpermQT. The company has been able to show that aprovider doing 120 procedures spends $50,000 on Inherent's testing, they achieve an ROI of $450,000 in incremental revenue by getting patients to the procedure sooner thatis most likely to work.

"There is a very highdrop-out rateas patients do procedures that don't work. We guide treatment early to the procedure that is most likely to work and so they have fewer patients dropping out of care," said Olson.

The funding will allow Inherent to scale commercial operations and generate the further seminal data necessary to add SpermQT to the standard of care through additional prospective studies. The company will also expand its pipeline to areas such as offspring health and cancer, both of which have been shown to be influenced by epigenetics.

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Inherent Biosciences raises funding to expand fertility care though epigenetics - VatorNews

1. All-out lagoons

Sure, its cold outside in Iceland, but bubbling below the surface, geothermal energy is turning up the heat on wild-water dips in the land of fire and ice. Since the 12th century, Icelanders have soaked in silica-rich pools and hidden hot springs. But a new generation of super-spas is delivering greater comfort without making the experience any less rugged. By the same architects that created Keflaviks Blue Lagoon and the recent Geosea baths, Forest Lagoon, ensconced in rock and wood, is a timber-clad complex that seems to have emerged out of the sap-scented deep. Overlooking Valaskogur forests birch and pine, the Eyja fjord and the city of Akureyri, it includes a restaurant, two infinity pools, two swim-up bars, a cold tub and sauna. An hours drive north-east in the town of Husavik, Geoseas cliff-side seawater pools overlook a bay visited by humpbacks; while further east, near Egilsstair, Vok Baths have two pools suspended in a lake with water clean enough to drink. Down south, Reykjaviks Sky Lagoon has mastered the holistic hot-spring experience. A seven-step ritual includes a circuit of sauna, rain room and body scrub, waterfall shower and drinks at a swim-up bar: good vibes all round. Sarah Marshall

At the new Chenot Molecular Lab at Chenot Palace Weggis in Switzerland, epigenetics has gone up a notch. New mRNA-based technology at the brands sleek flagship on Lake Lucerne analyses gene activity, determines biological aging and prescribes treatment via supplements, nutrition, stress control and lifestyle changes. Inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance and the structural integrity of tissue are highlighted. Its a modern approach, says Dr George Gaitanos, Chenots chief scientist and COO, where health is defined as what is unseen. Plus, its not all doom and gloom, because the epigenetic picture is dynamic and totally malleable, he promises. DNA is static, the 21,000 piano keys you were born with. But then you play the piano and create the melody. Are you hitting good notes, or are you too aggressive? The idea is to uncover the causes of aging and health issues years before the onset of decline. Lydia Bell

Healing Holidays can arrange a seven-night Advanced Detox programme from 6,449 per person full board; healingholidays.com. The Chenot Molecular Lab costs an extra 1,050

Sophie Delaporte / Trunk Archive

The meditation of the future is about diving deeper, a plunge into existential fathoms rather than a fey skip through the shallows of mindfulness. Mandali, a seductively minimalist new retreat in Italy, slides a side order of sybaritic comfort alongside pristine meditation instruction, with stunning views over Lake Orta inspiring guests into awed silence. At Eremito, Umbrias monastery-meets-eco hotel, meditators sleep in celluzze, or hermit cells, and the aura of peace here is palpable. Zenways life-shifting and intensive three-day retreats (in the UK, mainland Europe and the USA) are definitely not for the faint-minded. The schedule runs from dawn to nudging midnight, with 13 sessions every day. As you sit in pairs, it kicks off with a simple question: Tell me who you are? The idea is that the ego plays Twister with itself before finally giving in and settling into Zen awakening, or satori. It works and its often the beginners who get it first. Jane Alexander

Having honed Hollywoods highly insured bodies, The Ranch, known for its earthy fitness small, zesty-fresh plant-based portions and ferocious group hikes in nature has been airlifted to the sylvan surrounds of Palazzo Fiuggi. This frescoed haven outside Rome is best known for pristine medical attention and Heinz Becks carnivorous cuisine. The Ranch Italy at Palazzo Fiuggi is an unusual pairing but the proof is in the pudding. A 5.30am wake-up call heralds a stretch class followed by homemade granola and almond milk before a gruelling four-hour mountain hike that has some quitting after day one (theres more cardio and optional yoga later). Vegan fare such as macadamia Parmigiana is on the table throughout, with zero caffeine and alcohol. Daily deep tissue massages and restorative plunges into Kneipp pools take the edge off. For those who last the ride it is game-changing, with inches lost around midsections and bottoms hewn as lithe as lazio oak. Jemima Sissons

Healing Holidays can arrange a seven-night programme from 7,519 per person full board; healingholidays.com

Yoga as a gymnastic ego trip is losing its grip, while somatic movement, embodiment, fascial unwinding and pandiculation are edging in. At Yobaba Lounge in south-east France, embodiment pioneer Gertrud Keazor guides you to inhabit that soft animal of your body rather than bludgeoning you into the perfect Warrior II. Eyes are kept shut, all the better to enjoy birdsong and the soft breeze. Forget rigid adjustments follow your unfurling. You twist and twine around the mat, working deep into the fascia; its as much an emotional as a physical workout. Malabar Retreats centres on the Tibetan healing practice of Lu Jong at its outposts in Spain, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Its a stringent practice but doesnt require bendiness or strength so works for beginners, or anyone sick of yoga-sculpt. Gone are the days of gurus, lineages and the same set of pre-defined poses, says trailblazer Gillie Sutherland, who runs retreats in Croatia and online workshops. Its about working with the bodys natural intelligence, wild and free. JA

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10 wellness retreat trends to know about - Cond Nast Traveller

Dr. Kassis with members of her laboratory.Credit: NICHD

During a research career that spans four decades, NICHDs Judith Kassis, Ph.D., has learned many lessons along the way. For the last 23 years, she has headed the Section on Gene Expression at NICHD, and before that, she spent 12 years as a researcher and regulator at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Kassis is a leader in the field of transcriptional gene repression by Polycomb group proteins (PcG), and her laboratory explores how genes are regulated during embryonic development.

I like to follow up on unexpected results. Be open-minded about the answer, and test the hypothesis. A lot of experiments today are designed to prove a hypothesis, when you should always evaluate your idea and assumptions first, shared Dr. Kassis. Todays research environment limits ones ability to do this, but early on, I could chase whatever I wanted in the lab. When I started my graduate studies, I didnt even think about my career. I simply loved science and wanted to do it.

Childhood photo of Dr. Kassis (left) at age 1.5 with her sister Diane, age 3.Credit: Judith Kassis, Ph.D.

Dr. Kassis was the second of six children, raised in Sacramento, CA. Her paternal grandparents were Lebanese American and had an arranged marriage. They lived in North Dakota, where her grandfather owned a candy store, but the Dust Bowl forced the couple to relocate with extended family in California. Dr. Kassis father worked as a grocery store manager and insurance salesman. He later went back to school to become a certified financial planner. Dr. Kassis mother, who grew up in Minneapolis, was a college graduate and medical technician. She became a full-time homemaker soon after becoming a mother.

Looking back, Dr. Kassis is proud of carving out her career and having the opportunity to conduct research at NIH. My mom didnt work outside of the home, and I didnt know what I was going to do. Its amazing to consider where I ended up with this career when I didnt have a plan, she said.

Dr. Kassis mother was active in the American Field Service , which was known at the time for its international student exchange programs. They also had programs to learn about Native cultures, explained Dr. Kassis. When she was a senior in high school, she was an exchange student in Kotzebue, Alaska, about 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and spent a semester at a Bureau of Indian Affairs school. I was there during the fall and got to see the Northern lights. What I remember most is looking at the stars over the the Kotzebue Sound and the tundra, so beautiful. I was so lucky to be able to experience such a different environment and culture.

Her parents also planned independent trips for their children. When I was 18 years old, my older sister and I took Greyhound buses all over the country and visited friends of my parents. Remember, we didnt have cell phones back then, she said. Dr. Kassis and a younger brother also visited Mexico, where they took buses to Guatemala and El Salvador. My parents were very loving, generous people, who encouraged us to be curious and try different things.

For college, Dr. Kassis attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, initially with no idea of what she wanted to study. This is going to sound extremely nerdy, but I took a biochemistry class and loved it. I studied so hard that I could actually see the connections between all the different biochemical pathways, she said. For my final exam, I got an A++, and my professor helped me apply for a summer research fellowship through the National Science Foundation. It was the summer of 77, and I absolutely loved working in the lab. For her fellowship, Dr. Kassis studied malaria and enzymatic pathways at the University of California, Riverside, and then published her first paper.

During her senior year, Dr. Kassis worked in the laboratory of Leslie Wilson, Ph.D. Research was my passion, and I realized there was nothing else I wanted to do. Thats why I applied for graduate school, she explained. After graduating with highest honors and a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, Dr. Kassis moved in 1978 to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, for her doctoral studies. I knew I wanted to move out of state, and Wisconsin had one of the best biochemistry programs in the country, she said.

Her thesis advisor was Jack Gorski, Ph.D. , one of the discoverers of the estrogen receptor. He was very smart and kind. I remember I had the choice of three topics and, after I picked one, I had to learn how to be independentthat was his philosophy. I had to think for myself, figure out who to talk to, and learn how to seek help, she said. It was a nice lab, and there were a lot of women. Overall, it was a very good experience. During those years, Dr. Kassis studied estrogen receptor recycling and met her future husband, Scott Stibitz, a fellow graduate student.

While finishing graduate school in 1983, Dr. Kassis decided to change fields. She found a new postdoctoral position in a lab headed by Patrick O'Farrell, Ph.D. , at the University of California, San Francisco, where she studied evolutionary conservation of the Drosophila engrailed gene, an important developmental gene in fruit flies that has counterparts in other living organisms, including people. It was there that she also developed a lifelong interest in how developmental genes are regulated by DNA sequences that are far away (i.e., tens to hundreds of kilobases) from where the activity begins at a transcription unit. Eventually, she would focus on the field of developmental epigenetics.

In my opinion, it was the best time to be in biology. The homeodomain was discoveredflies had it, humans had it. For the first time, people recognized that animals had so much in common at a genetic level. It was very exciting, she said. But at that time, cloning a gene and sequencing it was a whole project. For my postdoc, I cloned the engrailed gene from a related Drosophila species and sequenced it. Experiments have completely changed now. Its great that you can do more, but back then, you had more time to think.

Dr. Kassis published several postdoctoral papers and got married as she wrapped up her four-year position. I had great advisors, but there was no career mentoring back then. People didnt really talk much about careers. The biotech industry was just starting. No one asked me, Do you want to be a [principal investigator]? Everything was just about the science, she explained. Her husband received a job offer from the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). So, Dr. Kassis applied for jobs in the Washington, DC, area and received a job offer from CBER, too.

In 1987, she and her husband moved to the East coast, where Dr. Kassis split her time between leading a small research laboratory and regulating products made in living cells for CBER. At the time, the FDA had laboratories on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, and Dr. Kassis collaborated often with NIH researchers. Like all principal investigators at CBER, her progress was reviewed under NIHs tenure system, and she received tenure in 1994. The next few years brought many exciting changes.

Dr. Kassis was featured in the NIH Catalyst when she received tenure in 1994.Credit: Judith Kassis, Ph.D.

The first was related to Polycomb Response Elements (PREs). During embryonic development, some genes must be silenced or inactivated at certain times and places, for instance, in the development of different tissues and organs. This silencing is orchestrated by Polycomb group proteins (PcG), which must be recruited to the gene in question. The genes themselves contain special sequences called PREs, which bring in an intermediaryPRE DNA-binding proteinsto recruit the PcGs.

Dr. Kassis and colleagues made a string of discoveries beginning with an unexpected observation in fruit flies that enabled Dr. Kassis to easily identify PREs. She initially wanted to identify regulatory DNA by cloning it and placing it into a vector to make transgenic flies. The vector also contained a marker for eye color, a common research practice to easily identify transgenic flies from normal flies. When white-eyed flies were injected with the vector, their transgenic offspring had colored eyes. Normally, flies with two copies of the transgene (i.e., homozygotes) have a darker eye color than those that only have one copy (i.e., heterozygotes).

However, in Dr. Kassis experiments, when certain fragments of DNA were cloned into the transgene vector, the eye color of the homozygotes was lighter than that of heterozygotes. In fact, most of these homozygotes had white eyes, suggesting that the eye color marker was somehow blocked or silenced. Dr. Kassis called this phenomenon pairing-sensitive silencing. Later, she discovered that this phenomenon was caused by the PREs that she had cloned into the vector. When I presented my findings at a conference, people were very excited, and some even mentioned they had similar observations but had not followed up. I think thats how I distinguished myselfI follow up on unexpected, interesting findings, she said.

Dr. Kassis and her laboratory also discovered the first PRE binding protein, Pho, and later identified three more: Pho-like, Spps, and Combgap. The benefit of having two jobs at FDA was that I didnt have to worry about publishing in high-profile journals. I didnt have to be a bigshot. I could just do good work, explained Dr. Kassis. At that point, I was just doing what I was interested in, and I found [PREs], and it was so much fun.

Dr. Kassis with her daughter Sandy in the 1990s.Credit. Judith Kassis, Ph.D.

Dr. Kassis worked at CBER for 12 years, heading two licensing committees and her small lab. During that time, she also had her two children. It was very hard to do both the regulatory work and the research. I could see that I was going to have to make a decision, especially once you have kids. Thats like three jobs: the lab, the regulatory work, and your children, she said. She successfully applied for an opening at NICHD in 1999 to head a research lab, and she brought along her staff scientist, Lesley Brown, Ph.D., and a postbaccalaureate fellow. It was a very good time to look for a new job, and I want to highlight Lesleys contribution. Shes a transcription factor expert and discovered Pho in my lab. Im not sure I would have gotten the [NICHD] job without her and the timely publications.

NICHD colleague Paul Love, M.D., Ph.D., said that Dr. Kassis is patient, inquisitive, supportive, and always willing to listen. Scientifically, she exemplifies the model investigator. Early in her career, she identified an important but very complex question in biological science, Polycomb-mediated gene repression, and she has devoted her career to steadily chipping away at the problem. Along the way, she has come up with new insights and challenged existing paradigms. It doesnt get any better than that!

When Dr. Kassis first started her lab, she did a lot of work at the bench. Even today, you can find her observing fly embryos under the microscope and doing her own immunostaining. On some of her early papers, she was the only author because the lab was so small. It can be difficult hiring good postdocs when youre starting out, said Dr. Kassis. My advice for tenure-track investigators is to attend meetings, talk to people, talk to journal editors, and promote yourself. If youre shy, pretend you are not.

She also recommends finding a core scientific family. Dr. Kassis attends a small, regional meeting, which originally consisted of five laboratories interested in somatic chromosomal pairing in flies. We collaborate and review each others papers before submission. I also found a postdoc through this group. If youre not currently part of one, consider starting your own group.

At one point, Dr. Kassis considered taking a break from research to teach children, like her son, Zack, who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). When he was younger, one of the hardest things we did was fight for resources. It took a lot of time and emotional energy, but things have gotten better for children and their families. Dr. Kassis also appreciates the flexibility of science that can enable a work-life balance. If I had to take my son to therapy, I could go and make up the time later. But I didnt travel to meetings as much as I might have. My husband was very supportive, so I could have gone, but I didnt want to leave them. After graduating from high school, Zack attended a program in Arizona to learn to live independently. He still resides there, with limited assistance from an agency that supports adults with ASD.

Dr. Kassis (center) on vacation with her son Zack (left) and husband Scott (right).Credit: Judith Kassis, Ph.D.

Many colleagues have benefitted from Dr. Kassis career and mentorship. Todd Macfarlan, Ph.D., recalled his early years as a tenure-track investigator at NICHD, when the intramural program reorganized into affinity groups that included several labs. Dr. Kassis became the head of our affinity group, and she demonstrated tremendous leadership, creating a fun and exciting environment for sharing our science with our close colleagues. This was a truly exceptional incubator for me, personally, and a major part of my labs early success, he said.

Mitzi Kuroda, Ph.D. , a professor at Harvard Medical School who also studies Polycomb proteins, co-authored a review with Dr. Kassis. She shared, Dr. Kassis discoveries include the foundational analysis of Pho, as well as recent elegant genetic studies on the establishment of repressive Polycomb domains and their boundaries. Her scientific acumen and creativity are especially evident in her truly unexpected discoveries of pairing-sensitive silencing and P-element homing. For these important scientific insights, as well as for her leadership and generosity, she has been irreplaceable as a mentor and colleague.

Dr. Kassis, who is now in her mid-60s, plans to retire next year. Her timeline for retirement has been influenced by various decisions and experiences over the last several years. One of the most pivotal was the unexpected death of her older sister Diane, who passed away four years ago from an aggressive cancer. We were very close and had shared a room growing up. Her death made me realize that theres more I want to do. I want to spend more time with loved ones, said Dr. Kassis. In addition to her son, she has a daughter, Sandy, who lives in Louisiana, and she enjoys visiting both of them. Dr. Kassis and her husband also raise chickens and bees and have three dogs. While I never planned on working until my 80s, I realize now that things can happen.

About eight years ago, Dr. Kassis considered switching fields but never did. Instead, she decided to tackle the unfinished projects that accumulated over the years. She also stopped hiring postdoctoral fellows once she committed to her retirement timeline. These decisions resulted in a perfect pairing of projects ideal for postbaccalaureate fellows, who generally stay for one or two years before moving on to graduate school. Dr. Kassis also does not have to concern herself with high-profile journals, which are more important for a postdoctoral fellows future job prospects.

Anna Horacek, a former postbaccalaureate trainee currently in the Molecular Cell and Biology Program at the University of California, Berkeley, is grateful for her time in Dr. Kassis lab. Notably, Dr. Kassis recognizes that each mentee is unique. While I struggled with communication and specific organizational skills, others needed support with critical thinking and designing experiments. With these objectives in mind, Dr. Kassis altered her approach for each person. She encouraged us to think of future experiments, set up one-on-one meetings to discuss professional development, and provided opportunities for us to present our research.

Currently, one of the labs most exciting projects looks at the stability of a genes on and off transcriptional state and how it is regulated. The lab is using a 79-kilobase transgene to study two epigenetically regulated enhancers, regulatory DNA sequences, important in the Drosophila wing. She and her colleagues found that deletion of either of these enhancers from the 79-kilobase transgene causes flies to have mutant wings. Surprisingly, deletion of the same enhancers from the endogenous locus (i.e., where it occurs naturally in the flys genome) does not cause the same wing mutations.

No one has moved a domain and then tried to fix it. Thats essentially what were doing, said Dr. Kassis. The only difference between the transgene and the endogenous locus is that the endogenous locus has boundaries that stop the spread of epigenetic marks and enhancer activity. These boundaries make it so that everything is concentrated inward in the gene, she explained. The lab recently found that adding these boundaries to their transgene also influenced the genes on and off transcriptional states, which fits into Dr. Kassis hypothesis. Dr. Kassis aims to wrap up this project and finish writing six papers by next year.

What Ive learned is how redundant and resilient development is, said Dr. Kassis. When you have a developmental disorder, the range of phenotype is wide because theres backup in the system. Im fascinated that even though you can make so many mutations in a gene, there are just as many redundant enhancers that enable the fly to live. But how many subtle defects do they have? Its all very interesting.

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Spotlight: Women in Science: Dr. Judith Kassis on Pursuing the Unexpected - National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

A fundamental discovery about a driver of healthy development in embryos could rewrite our understanding of what can be inherited from our parents and how their life experiences may shape us.

The new research suggests that epigenetic information, which sits on top of DNA and is normally reset between generations, is more frequently carried from mother to offspring than previously thought.

The study, led by researchers from WEHI (Melbourne, Australia),significantly broadens our understanding of which genes have epigenetic information passed from mother to child and which proteins are important for controlling this unusual process.

Epigenetics is a rapidly growing field of science that investigates how our genes are switched on and off to allow one set of genetic instructions to create hundreds of different cell types in our body.

Epigenetic changes can be influenced by environmental variations such as our diet, but these changes do not alter DNA and are normally not passed from parent to offspring.

While a tiny group of imprinted genes can carry epigenetic information across generations, until now, very few other genes have been shown to be influenced by the mothers epigenetic state.

The new research reveals that the supply of a specific protein in the mothers egg can affect the genes that drive skeletal patterning of offspring.

Chief investigator Professor Marnie Blewitt said the findings initially left the team surprised.

It took us a while to process because our discovery was unexpected, Professor Blewitt, Joint Head of the Epigenetics andDevelopment Division at WEHI, said.

Knowing that epigenetic information from the mother can have effects with life-long consequences for body patterning is exciting, as it suggests this is happening far more than we ever thought.

It could open a Pandoras box as to what other epigenetic information is being inherited.

The study, led by WEHI in collaboration with Associate Professor Edwina McGlinn from Monash University and The Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, is published inNature Communications.

The new research focused on the protein SMCHD1, an epigenetic regulator discovered by Professor Blewitt in 2008, andHoxgenes, which are critical for normal skeletal development.

Hoxgenes control the identity of each vertebra during embryonic development in mammals, while the epigenetic regulator prevents these genes from being activated too soon.

In this study, the researchers discovered that the amount of SMCHD1 in the mothers egg affects the activity ofHoxgenes and influences the patterning of the embryo. Without maternal SMCHD1 in the egg, offspring were born with altered skeletal structures.

First author and PhD researcher Natalia Benetti said this was clear evidence that epigenetic information had been inherited from the mother, rather than just blueprint genetic information.

While we have more than 20,000 genes in our genome, only that rare subset of about 150 imprinted genes and very few others have been shown to carry epigenetic information from one generation to another, Benetti said.

Knowing this is also happening to a set of essential genes that have been evolutionarily conserved from flies through to humans is fascinating.

The research showed that SMCHD1 in the egg, which only persists for two days after conception, has a life-long impact.

Variants in SMCHD1 are linked to developmental disorder Bosma arhinia microphthalmia syndrome (BAMS) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a form of muscular dystrophy. The researchers say their findings could have implications for women with SMCHD1 variants and their children in the future.

A drug discovery effort at WEHI is currently leveraging the SMCHD1 knowledge established by the team to design novel therapies to treat developmental disorders, such as Prader Willi Syndrome and the degenerative disorder FSHD.

Reference: Benetti N, Gouil Q, Tapia del Fierro A, et al. Maternal SMCHD1 regulates Hox gene expression and patterning in the mouse embryo. Nat Comms. 2022;13(1):4295. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32057-x.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Epigenetic Information Passed On to Offspring More Frequently Than Once Thought - Technology Networks