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Almiñana C, Bauersachs S. Extracellular Vesicles in the Oviduct: Progress, Challenges and Implications for the Reproductive Success. Bioengineering (Basel) 2019; 6:bioengineering6020032. [PMID: 31013857 PMCID: PMC6632016 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering6020032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The oviduct is the anatomical part of the female reproductive tract where the early reproductive events take place, from gamete transport, fertilization and early embryo development to the delivery of a competent embryo to the uterus, which can implant and develop to term. The success of all these events rely upon a two-way dialogue between the oviduct (lining epithelium and secretions) and the gametes/embryo(s). Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been identified as major components of oviductal secretions and pointed to as mediators of the gamete/embryo-maternal interactions. EVs, comprising exosomes and microvesicles, have emerged as important agents of cell-to-cell communication by the transfer of biomolecules (i.e., mRNAs, miRNAs, proteins) that can modulate the activities of recipient cells. Here, we provide the current knowledge of EVs in the oviductal environment, from isolation to characterization, and a description of the EVs molecular content and associated functional aspects in different species. The potential role of oviductal EVs (oEVs) as modulators of gamete/embryo-oviduct interactions and their implications in the success of early reproductive events is addressed. Lastly, we discuss current challenges and future directions towards the potential application of oEVs as therapeutic vectors to improve pregnancy disorders, infertility problems and increase the success of assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Almiñana
- Genetics and Functional Genomics Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- UMR85 PRC, INRA, CNRS 7247, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
| | - Stefan Bauersachs
- Genetics and Functional Genomics Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Simintiras CA, Sánchez JM, McDonald M, Lonergan P. Progesterone alters the bovine uterine fluid lipidome during the period of elongation. Reproduction 2019; 157:399-411. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Successful bovine pregnancy establishment hinges on conceptus elongation, a key reproductive phenomenon coinciding with the period during which most pregnancies fail. Elongation is yet to be recapitulated in vitro, whereas in vivo it is directly driven by uterine secretions and indirectly influenced by prior circulating progesterone levels. To better understand the microenvironment evolved to facilitate this fundamental developmental event, uterine fluid was recovered on Days 12–14 of the oestrous cycle – the window of conceptus elongation initiation – from cycling heifers supplemented, or not, with progesterone. Subsequent lipidomic profiling of uterine luminal fluid by advanced high-throughput metabolomics revealed the consistent presence of 75 metabolites, of which 47% were intricately linked to membrane biogenesis, and with seven displaying a day by progesterone interaction (P ≤ 0.05). Four metabolic pathways were correspondingly enriched according to day and P4 – i.e. comprised metabolites whose concentrations differed between groups (normal vs high P4) at different times (Days 12 vs 13 vs 14). These were inositol, phospholipid, glycerolipid and primary bile acid metabolism. Moreover, P4 elevated total uterine luminal fluid lipid content on Day 14 (P < 0.0001) relative to all other comparisons. The data combined suggest that maternal lipid supply during the elongation-initiation window is primarily geared towards conceptus membrane biogenesis. In summary, progesterone supplementation alters the lipidomic profile of bovine uterine fluid during the period of conceptus elongation initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José M Sánchez
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Michael McDonald
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Pat Lonergan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Szekeres-Bartho J, Šućurović S, Mulac-Jeričević B. The Role of Extracellular Vesicles and PIBF in Embryo-Maternal Immune-Interactions. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2890. [PMID: 30619262 PMCID: PMC6300489 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy represents a unique immunological situation. Though paternal antigens expressed by the conceptus are recognized by the immune system of the mother, the immune response does not harm the fetus. Progesterone and a progesterone induced protein; PIBF are important players in re-adjusting the functioning of the maternal immune system during pregnancy. PIBF expressed by peripheral pregnancy lymphocytes, and other cell types, participates in the feto-maternal communication, partly, by mediating the immunological actions of progesterone. Several splice variants of PIBF were identified with different physiological activity. The full length 90 kD PIBF protein plays a role in cell cycle regulation, while shorter splice variants are secreted and act as cytokines. Aberrant production of PIBF isoforms lead to the loss of immune-regulatory functions, resulting in and pregnancy failure. By up regulating Th2 type cytokine production and by down-regulating NK activity, PIBF contributes to the altered attitude of the maternal immune system. Normal pregnancy is characterized by a Th2-dominant cytokine balance, which is partly due to the action of the smaller PIBF isoforms. These bind to a novel form of the IL-4 receptor, and induce increased production of IL-3, IL-4, and IL-10. The communication between the conceptus and the mother is established via extracellular vesicles (EVs). Pre-implantation embryos produce EVs both in vitro, and in vivo. PIBF transported by the EVs from the embryo to maternal lymphocytes induces increased IL-10 production by the latter, this way contributing to the Th2 dominant immune responses described during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Szekeres-Bartho
- Department of Medical Biology and Central Electron Microscope Laboratory, Medical School, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary.,János Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary.,Endocrine Studies, Centre of Excellence, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary.,MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Research Group, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Sandra Šućurović
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Biserka Mulac-Jeričević
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
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Almiñana C, Tsikis G, Labas V, Uzbekov R, da Silveira JC, Bauersachs S, Mermillod P. Deciphering the oviductal extracellular vesicles content across the estrous cycle: implications for the gametes-oviduct interactions and the environment of the potential embryo. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:622. [PMID: 30134841 PMCID: PMC6103977 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4982-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The success of early reproductive events depends on an appropriate communication between gametes/embryos and the oviduct. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contained in oviductal secretions have been suggested as new players in mediating this crucial cross-talk by transferring their cargo (proteins, mRNA and small ncRNA) from cell to cell. However, little is known about the oviductal EVs (oEVS) composition and their implications in the reproductive success. The aim of the study was to determine the oEVs content at protein, mRNA and small RNA level and to examine whether the oEVs content is under the hormonal influence of the estrous cycle. Results We identified the presence of oEVs, exosomes and microvesicles, in the bovine oviductal fluid at different stages of the estrous cycle (postovulatory-stage, early luteal phase, late luteal phase and pre-ovulatory stage) and demonstrated that their composition is under hormonal regulation. RNA-sequencing identified 903 differentially expressed transcripts (FDR < 0.001) in oEVs across the estrous cycle. Moreover, small RNA-Seq identified the presence of different types of ncRNAs (miRNAs, rRNA fragments, tRNA fragments, snRNA, snoRNA, and other ncRNAs), which were partially also under hormonal influence. Major differences were found between post-ovulatory and the rest of the stages analyzed for mRNAs. Interesting miRNAs identified in oEVs and showing differential abundance among stages, miR-34c and miR-449a, have been associated with defective cilia in the oviduct and infertility. Furthermore, functional annotation of the differentially abundant mRNAs identified functions related to exosome/vesicles, cilia expression, embryo development and many transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins. Moreover, the analysis of oEVs protein content also revealed changes across the estrous cycle. Mass spectrometry identified 336 clusters of proteins in oEVs, of which 170 were differentially abundant across the estrous cycle (p-value< 0.05, ratio < 0.5 or ratio > 2). Our data revealed proteins related to early embryo development and gamete-oviduct interactions as well as numerous ribosomal proteins. Conclusions Our study provides with the first molecular signature of oEVs across the bovine estrous cycle, revealing marked differences between post- and pre-ovulatory stages. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the potential role of oEVs as modulators of gamete/embryo-maternal interactions and their implications for the reproductive success. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4982-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Almiñana
- Department for Farm Animals, University of Zurich, Genetics and Functional Genomics, Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, VetSuisse Faculty Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,UMR85 PRC, INRA, CNRS 7247, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
| | - G Tsikis
- UMR85 PRC, INRA, CNRS 7247, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - V Labas
- UMR85 PRC, INRA, CNRS 7247, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France.,Plate-forme CIRE, Pôle d'Analyse et d'Imagerie des Biomolécules, INRA, CHRU de Tours, Université de Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - R Uzbekov
- Laboratoire Biologie Cellulaire et Microscopie Electronique, Faculté de Médecine, Université François Rabelais, 10 boulevard Tonnellé, 37032, Tours, France.,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia
| | - J C da Silveira
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - S Bauersachs
- Department for Farm Animals, University of Zurich, Genetics and Functional Genomics, Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, VetSuisse Faculty Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - P Mermillod
- UMR85 PRC, INRA, CNRS 7247, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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