Figure 9

Effect of rosiglitazone (RGZ) in perinatal nicotine exposure-induced changes in global DNA methylation and histone (H) 3 and 4 acetylation in the lungs and gonads of F1 rats. Compared to the control group, with nicotine administration the level of global DNA methylation increased in the testes, decreased in the ovaries, but did not change in the lungs (A); H3 acetylation increased in the lungs and testes, but did not change in the ovaries (B); H4 acetylation decreased in the lungs, while it increased in the testes and ovaries (C). Most of these changes were blocked by concomitant RGZ administration. For example, in the lungs the nicotine-induced increase in lung H3 acetylation was blocked by RGZ, whereas there was no effect on global DNA methylation or on the nicotine-induced decrease in H4 acetylation; in the testes, the nicotine-induced increase in DNA methylation and H4 acetylation were blocked, without any effect on H3 acetylation; and in the ovaries, the nicotine-induced decrease in DNA methylation and increase in H4 acetylation were blocked without any effect on H3 acetylation. Values are means ± SE with variable numbers for each group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, versus control; n = 4 to 6.