Perinatal testosterone exposure potentiates vascular dysfunction by ERβ suppression in endothelial progenitor cells

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 15;12(8):e0182945. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182945. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Recent clinical cohort study shows that testosterone therapy increases cardiovascular diseases in men with low testosterone levels, excessive circulating androgen levels may play a detrimental role in the vascular system, while the potential mechanism and effect of testosterone exposure on the vascular function in offspring is still unknown. Our preliminary results showed that perinatal testosterone exposure in mice induces estrogen receptor β (ERβ) suppression in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in offspring but not mothers, while estradiol (E2) had no effect. Further investigation showed that ERβ suppression is due to perinatal testosterone exposure-induced epigenetic changes with altered DNA methylation on the ERβ promoter. During aging, EPCs with ERβ suppression mobilize to the vascular wall, differentiate into ERβ-suppressed mouse endothelial cells (MECs) with downregulated expression of SOD2 (mitochondrial superoxide dismutase) and ERRα (estrogen-related receptor α). This results in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and DNA damage, and the dysfunction of mitochondria and fatty acid metabolism, subsequently potentiating vascular dysfunction. Bone marrow transplantation of EPCs that overexpressed with either ERβ or a SIRT1 single mutant SIRT1-C152(D) that could modulate SIRT1 phosphorylation significantly ameliorated vascular dysfunction, while ERβ knockdown worsened the problem. We conclude that perinatal testosterone exposure potentiates vascular dysfunction through ERβ suppression in EPCs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • DNA Damage
  • DNA Methylation
  • ERRalpha Estrogen-Related Receptor
  • Endothelial Progenitor Cells / drug effects*
  • Endothelial Progenitor Cells / metabolism*
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / genetics
  • Estrogen Receptor beta / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / pharmacology
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Testosterone / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Estrogen Receptor beta
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Testosterone
  • Estradiol
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • superoxide dismutase 2

Grants and funding

This work was supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, Project #: 81501667, W.X. Q.R. and Z.C.; The Wuhan Science and Technology Innovation Project #: 2015070404010214 and 2013061402010510; The Hubei Science & Technology Development Project #: 2016CFB589 & 2016CFB473 & 2013BCB018; T.W. M.R. Z.H. Guangdong Province Medical Technology Research Project #: A2016145; Shenzhen Municipal Health Bureau Research Project #: 201501023; Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Project #: JCYJ20150403091443327.