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Abou Nader N, Charrier L, Meisnsohn MC, Banville L, Deffrennes B, St-Jean G, Boerboom D, Zamberlam G, Brind'Amour J, Pépin D, Boyer A. Lats1 and Lats2 regulate YAP and TAZ activity to control the development of mouse Sertoli cells. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23633. [PMID: 38690712 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400346r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Recent reports suggest that the Hippo signaling pathway regulates testis development, though its exact roles in Sertoli cell differentiation remain unknown. Here, we examined the functions of the main Hippo pathway kinases, large tumor suppressor homolog kinases 1 and 2 (Lats1 and Lats2) in developing mouse Sertoli cells. Conditional inactivation of Lats1/2 in Sertoli cells resulted in the disorganization and overgrowth of the testis cords, the induction of a testicular inflammatory response and germ cell apoptosis. Stimulated by retinoic acid 8 (STRA8) expression in germ cells additionally suggested that germ cells may have been preparing to enter meiosis prior to their loss. Gene expression analyses of the developing testes of conditional knockout animals further suggested impaired Sertoli cell differentiation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and the induction of a specific set of genes associated with Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ)-mediated integrin signaling. Finally, the involvement of YAP/TAZ in Sertoli cell differentiation was confirmed by concomitantly inactivating Yap/Taz in Lats1/2 conditional knockout model, which resulted in a partial rescue of the testicular phenotypic changes. Taken together, these results identify Hippo signaling as a crucial pathway for Sertoli cell development and provide novel insight into Sertoli cell fate maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Abou Nader
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laureline Charrier
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meisnsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laurence Banville
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bérengère Deffrennes
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Guillaume St-Jean
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Derek Boerboom
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Zamberlam
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julie Brind'Amour
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexandre Boyer
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Migale R, Neumann M, Mitter R, Rafiee MR, Wood S, Olsen J, Lovell-Badge R. FOXL2 interaction with different binding partners regulates the dynamics of ovarian development. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl0788. [PMID: 38517962 PMCID: PMC10959415 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXL2 is required in ovarian somatic cells for female fertility. Differential timing of Foxl2 deletion, in embryonic versus adult mouse ovary, leads to distinctive outcomes, suggesting different roles across development. Here, we comprehensively investigated FOXL2's role through a multi-omics approach to characterize gene expression dynamics and chromatin accessibility changes, coupled with genome-wide identification of FOXL2 targets and on-chromatin interacting partners in somatic cells across ovarian development. We found that FOXL2 regulates more targets postnatally, through interaction with factors regulating primordial follicle formation and steroidogenesis. Deletion of one interactor, ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (Usp7), results in impairment of somatic cell differentiation, germ cell nest breakdown, and ovarian development, leading to sterility. Our datasets constitute a comprehensive resource for exploration of the molecular mechanisms of ovarian development and causes of female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Migale
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Michelle Neumann
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Richard Mitter
- Bioinformatics core, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Mahmoud-Reza Rafiee
- RNA Networks Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Sophie Wood
- Genetic Modification Service, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jessica Olsen
- Genetic Modification Service, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Robin Lovell-Badge
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
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3
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Gregoire EP, De Cian MC, Migale R, Perea-Gomez A, Schaub S, Bellido-Carreras N, Stévant I, Mayère C, Neirijnck Y, Loubat A, Rivaud P, Sopena ML, Lachambre S, Linssen MM, Hohenstein P, Lovell-Badge R, Nef S, Chalmel F, Schedl A, Chaboissier MC. The -KTS splice variant of WT1 is essential for ovarian determination in mice. Science 2023; 382:600-606. [PMID: 37917714 PMCID: PMC7615308 DOI: 10.1126/science.add8831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Sex determination in mammals depends on the differentiation of the supporting lineage of the gonads into Sertoli or pregranulosa cells that govern testis and ovary development, respectively. Although the Y-linked testis-determining gene Sry has been identified, the ovarian-determining factor remains unknown. In this study, we identified -KTS, a major, alternatively spliced isoform of the Wilms tumor suppressor WT1, as a key determinant of female sex determination. Loss of -KTS variants blocked gonadal differentiation in mice, whereas increased expression, as found in Frasier syndrome, induced precocious differentiation of ovaries independently of their genetic sex. In XY embryos, this antagonized Sry expression, resulting in male-to-female sex reversal. Our results identify -KTS as an ovarian-determining factor and demonstrate that its time of activation is critical in gonadal sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie P Gregoire
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
| | - Marie-Cécile De Cian
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
| | - Roberta Migale
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Aitana Perea-Gomez
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
| | - Sébastien Schaub
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Development Biology Laboratory (LBDV), 06234 Villefranche sur Mer, France
| | | | - Isabelle Stévant
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Yasmine Neirijnck
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
| | - Agnès Loubat
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
| | - Paul Rivaud
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)-UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, France
| | | | - Simon Lachambre
- Infinity, Inserm, CNRS, University Toulouse III, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Margot M. Linssen
- Central Animal and Transgenic Facility and Dept. Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Hohenstein
- Central Animal and Transgenic Facility and Dept. Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)-UMR_S 1085, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Andreas Schedl
- Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), 06108 Nice, France
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Yao HHC, Rodriguez KF. From Enrico Sertoli to freemartinism: the many phases of the master testis-determining cell†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:866-870. [PMID: 36951956 PMCID: PMC10266947 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sertoli cells, first identified in the adult testis by Enrico Sertoli in the mid-nineteenth century, are known for their role in fostering male germ cell differentiation and production of mature sperm. It was not until the late twentieth century with the discovery of the testis-determining gene SRY that Sertoli cells' new function as the master regulator of testis formation and maleness was unveiled. Fetal Sertoli cells facilitate the establishment of seminiferous cords, induce appearance of androgen-producing Leydig cells, and cause regression of the female reproductive tracts. Originally thought be a terminally differentiated cell type, adult Sertoli cells, at least in the mouse, retain their plasticity and ability to transdifferentiate into the ovarian counterpart, granulosa cells. In this review, we capture the many phases of Sertoli cell differentiation from their fate specification in fetal life to fate maintenance in adulthood. We also introduce the discovery of a new phase of fetal Sertoli cell differentiation via autocrine/paracrine factors with the freemartin characteristics. There remains much to learn about this intriguing cell type that lay the foundation for the maleness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Humphrey Hung-Chang Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Karina F Rodriguez
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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5
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Bunce C, Barske L, Zhang G, Capel B. Biased precursor ingression underlies the center-to-pole pattern of male sex determination in mouse. Development 2023; 150:297121. [PMID: 36912416 PMCID: PMC10112898 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
During mammalian development, gonadal sex determination results from the commitment of bipotential supporting cells to Sertoli or granulosa cell fates. Typically, this decision is coordinated across the gonad to ensure commitment to a single organ fate. When unified commitment fails in an XY mouse, an ovotestis forms in which supporting cells in the center of the gonad typically develop as Sertoli cells, while supporting cells in the poles develop as granulosa cells. This central bias for Sertoli cell fate was thought to result from the initial expression of the drivers of Sertoli cell fate, SRY and/or SOX9, in the central domain, followed by paracrine expansion to the poles. However, we show here that the earliest cells expressing SRY and SOX9 are widely distributed across the gonad. In addition, Sertoli cell fate does not spread among supporting cells through paracrine relay. Instead, we uncover a center-biased pattern of supporting cell precursor ingression that occurs in both sexes and results in increased supporting cell density in the central domain. Our findings prompt a new model of gonad patterning in which a density-dependent organizing principle dominates Sertoli cell fate stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Bunce
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lindsey Barske
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Gloria Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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6
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Neirijnck Y, Sararols P, Kühne F, Mayère C, Weerasinghe Arachchige LC, Regard V, Nef S, Schedl A. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling redefines the origin and specification of early adrenogonadal progenitors. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112191. [PMID: 36862551 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Adrenal cortex and gonads represent the two major steroidogenic organs in mammals. Both tissues are considered to share a common developmental origin characterized by the expression of Nr5a1/Sf1. The precise origin of adrenogonadal progenitors and the processes driving differentiation toward the adrenal or gonadal fate remain, however, elusive. Here, we provide a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas of early mouse adrenogonadal development including 52 cell types belonging to twelve major cell lineages. Trajectory reconstruction reveals that adrenogonadal cells emerge from the lateral plate rather than the intermediate mesoderm. Surprisingly, we find that gonadal and adrenal fates have already diverged prior to Nr5a1 expression. Finally, lineage separation into gonadal and adrenal fates involves canonical versus non-canonical Wnt signaling and differential expression of Hox patterning genes. Thus, our study provides important insights into the molecular programs of adrenal and gonadal fate choice and will be a valuable resource for further research into adrenogonadal ontogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Neirijnck
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IBV, 06108 Nice, France.
| | - Pauline Sararols
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise Kühne
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Violaine Regard
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Andreas Schedl
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IBV, 06108 Nice, France.
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7
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Himelreich Perić M, Takahashi M, Ježek D, Cunha GR. Early development of the human embryonic testis. Differentiation 2023; 129:4-16. [PMID: 35961887 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Human gonadal development culminating in testicular differentiation is described through analysis of histologic sections derived from 33-day to 20-week human embryos/fetuses, focusing on early development (4-8 weeks of gestation). Our study updates the comprehensive studies of Felix (1912), van Wagenen and Simpson (1965), and Juric-Lekic et al. (2013), which were published in books and thus are unsearchable via PubMed. Human gonads develop from the germinal ridge, a thickening of coelomic epithelium on the medial side of the urogenital ridge. The bilateral urogenital ridges contain elements of the mesonephric kidney, namely the mesonephric duct, mesonephric tubules, and mesonephric glomeruli. The germinal ridge, into which primordial germ cells migrate, is initially recognized as a thickening of coelomic epithelium on the urogenital ridge late in the 4th week of gestation. Subsequently, in the 5th week of gestation, a dense mesenchyme develops sub-adjacent to the epithelium of the germinal ridge, and together these elements bulge into the coelomic cavity forming bilateral longitudinal ridges attached to the urogenital ridges. During development, primordial cells migrate into the germinal ridge and subsequently into testicular cords that form within the featureless dense mesenchyme of the germinal ridge at 6-8 weeks of gestation. The initial low density of testicular cords seen at 8 weeks remodels into a dense array of testicular cords surrounded by α-actin-positive myoid cells during the second trimester. Human testicular development shares many features with that of mice being derived from 4 elements: coelomic epithelium, sub-adjacent mesenchyme, primordial germ cells, and the mesonephros.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Himelreich Perić
- Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Marta Takahashi
- Department of Communication Sciences, Catholic University of Croatia, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Davor Ježek
- Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia; Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gerald R Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Role of mesonephric contribution to mouse testicular development revisited. Differentiation 2023; 129:109-119. [PMID: 35000816 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The role of the mesonephros in testicular development was re-evaluated by growing embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) mouse testes devoid of mesonephros for 8-21 days in vivo under the renal capsule of castrated male athymic nude mice. This method provides improved growth conditions relative to previous studies based upon short-term (4-7 days) organ culture. Meticulous controls involved wholemount examination of dissected E11.5 mouse testes as well as serial sections of dissected E11.5 mouse testes which were indeed shown to be devoid of mesonephros. As expected, grafts of E11.5 mouse testes with mesonephros attached formed seminiferous tubules and also contained mesonephric derivatives. Grafts of E11.5 mouse testes without associated mesonephros also formed seminiferous tubules and never contained mesonephric derivatives. The consistent absence of mesonephric derivatives in grafts of E11.5 mouse testes grafted alone is further proof of the complete removal of the mesonephros from the E11.5 mouse testes. The testicular tissues that developed in grafts of E11.5 mouse testes alone contained canalized seminiferous tubules composed of Sox9-positive Sertoli cells as well as GENA-positive germ cells. The seminiferous tubules were surrounded by α-actin-positive myoid cells, and the interstitial space contained 3βHSD-1-positive Leydig cells. Grafts of E11.5 GFP mouse testes into wild-type hosts developed GFP-positive vasculature indicating that E11.5 mouse testes contain vascular precursors. These results indicate that the E11.5 mouse testis contains precursor cells for Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, myoid cells and vasculature whose development and differentiation are independent of cells migrating from the E11.5 mesonephros.
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9
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Aksel S, Cao M, Derpinghaus A, Baskin LS, Cunha GR. Ontogeny of mouse Sertoli, Leydig and peritubular myoid cells from embryonic day 10 to adulthood. Differentiation 2023; 129:96-108. [PMID: 35317954 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
We present a comprehensive description of the differentiating somatic cell types (Sertoli, Leydig, and peritubular myoid cells) of the mouse testis from embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5) to adulthood, postnatal day 60 (P60). Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze expression of: Sox9 (a Sertoli cell marker), 3βHSD-1 (a fetal Leydig cell marker), 3βHSD-6 (an adult Leydig cell marker), α-actin (a peritubular myoid cell marker), and androgen receptor (a marker of all three somatic cell types). The temporal-spatial expression of these markers was used to interrogate findings of earlier experimental studies on the origin of Sertoli, Leydig and peritubular myoid cells, as well as extend previous descriptive studies across a broader developmental period (E10.5-P60). Such comparisons demonstrate inconsistencies that require further examination and raise questions regarding conservation of developmental mechanisms across higher vertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena Aksel
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Mei Cao
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Amber Derpinghaus
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Laurence S Baskin
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Gerald R Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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10
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Imaimatsu K, Uchida A, Hiramatsu R, Kanai Y. Gonadal Sex Differentiation and Ovarian Organogenesis along the Cortical-Medullary Axis in Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13373. [PMID: 36362161 PMCID: PMC9655463 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In most mammals, the sex of the gonads is based on the fate of the supporting cell lineages, which arises from the proliferation of coelomic epithelium (CE) that surfaces on the bipotential genital ridge in both XY and XX embryos. Recent genetic studies and single-cell transcriptome analyses in mice have revealed the cellular and molecular events in the two-wave proliferation of the CE that produce the supporting cells. This proliferation contributes to the formation of the primary sex cords in the medullary region of both the testis and the ovary at the early phase of gonadal sex differentiation, as well as to that of the secondary sex cords in the cortical region of the ovary at the perinatal stage. To support gametogenesis, the testis forms seminiferous tubules in the medullary region, whereas the ovary forms follicles mainly in the cortical region. The medullary region in the ovary exhibits morphological and functional diversity among mammalian species that ranges from ovary-like to testis-like characteristics. This review focuses on the mechanism of gonadal sex differentiation along the cortical-medullary axis and compares the features of the cortical and medullary regions of the ovary in mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Imaimatsu
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Aya Uchida
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
- RIKEN BioResouce Research Center, Tsukuba 305-0074, Japan
| | - Ryuji Hiramatsu
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Yoshiakira Kanai
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
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11
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Xie Y, Wu C, Li Z, Wu Z, Hong L. Early Gonadal Development and Sex Determination in Mammal. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147500. [PMID: 35886859 PMCID: PMC9323860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex determination is crucial for the transmission of genetic information through generations. In mammal, this process is primarily regulated by an antagonistic network of sex-related genes beginning in embryonic development and continuing throughout life. Nonetheless, abnormal expression of these sex-related genes will lead to reproductive organ and germline abnormalities, resulting in disorders of sex development (DSD) and infertility. On the other hand, it is possible to predetermine the sex of animal offspring by artificially regulating sex-related gene expression, a recent research hotspot. In this paper, we reviewed recent research that has improved our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of the gonad and primordial germ cells (PGCs), progenitors of the germline, to provide new directions for the treatment of DSD and infertility, both of which involve manipulating the sex ratio of livestock offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanshe Xie
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.); (Z.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Changhua Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.); (Z.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zicong Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.); (Z.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.); (Z.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China
- Correspondence: (Z.W.); (L.H.)
| | - Linjun Hong
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China; (Y.X.); (C.W.); (Z.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510630, China
- Correspondence: (Z.W.); (L.H.)
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12
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Lundgaard Riis M, Jørgensen A. Deciphering Sex-Specific Differentiation of Human Fetal Gonads: Insight From Experimental Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:902082. [PMID: 35721511 PMCID: PMC9201387 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.902082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific gonadal differentiation is initiated by the expression of SRY in male foetuses. This promotes a signalling pathway directing testicular development, while in female foetuses the absence of SRY and expression of pro-ovarian factors promote ovarian development. Importantly, in addition to the initiation of a sex-specific signalling cascade the opposite pathway is simultaneously inhibited. The somatic cell populations within the gonads dictates this differentiation as well as the development of secondary sex characteristics via secretion of endocrine factors and steroid hormones. Opposing pathways SOX9/FGF9 (testis) and WNT4/RSPO1 (ovary) controls the development and differentiation of the bipotential mouse gonad and even though sex-specific gonadal differentiation is largely considered to be conserved between mice and humans, recent studies have identified several differences. Hence, the signalling pathways promoting early mouse gonad differentiation cannot be directly transferred to human development thus highlighting the importance of also examining this signalling in human fetal gonads. This review focus on the current understanding of regulatory mechanisms governing human gonadal sex differentiation by combining knowledge of these processes from studies in mice, information from patients with differences of sex development and insight from manipulation of selected signalling pathways in ex vivo culture models of human fetal gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malene Lundgaard Riis
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Anne Jørgensen,
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13
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Xie M, Hu X, Li L, Xiong Z, Zhang H, Zhuang Y, Huang Z, Liu J, Lian J, Huang C, Xie Q, Kang X, Fan Y, Bai X, Chen Z. Loss of Raptor induces Sertoli cells into an undifferentiated state in mice. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:1125-1138. [PMID: 35594452 PMCID: PMC9562113 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, testis development is triggered by the expression of the sex-determining Y-chromosome gene SRY to commit the Sertoli cell (SC) fate at gonadal sex determination in the fetus. Several genes have been identified to be required to promote the testis pathway following SRY activation (i.e., SRY box 9 (SOX9)) in an embryo; however, it largely remains unknown about the genes and the mechanisms involved in stabilizing the testis pathway after birth and throughout adulthood. Herein, we report postnatal males with SC-specific deletion of Raptor demonstrated the absence of SC unique identity and adversely acquired granulosa cell-like characteristics, along with loss of tubular architecture and scattered distribution of SCs and germ cells. Subsequent genome-wide analysis by RNA sequencing revealed a profound decrease in the transcripts of testis genes (i.e., Sox9, Sox8, and anti-Mullerian hormone (Amh)) and, conversely, an increase in ovary genes (i.e., LIM/Homeobox gene 9 (Lhx9), Forkhead box L2 (Foxl2) and Follistatin (Fst)); these changes were further confirmed by immunofluorescence and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Importantly, co-immunofluorescence demonstrated that Raptor deficiency induced SCs dedifferentiation into a progenitor state; the Raptor-mutant gonads showed some ovarian somatic cell features, accompanied by enhanced female steroidogenesis and elevated estrogen levels, yet the zona pellucida 3 (ZP3)-positive terminally feminized oocytes were not observed. In vitro experiments with primary SCs suggested that Raptor is likely involved in the fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9)-induced formation of cell junctions among SCs. Our results established that Raptor is required to maintain SC identity, stabilize the male pathway, and promote testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhi Xiong
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hanbin Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuge Zhuang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zicong Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinsheng Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingyao Lian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chuyu Huang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Xie
- Center for Reproduction, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People’s Hospital), Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiangjin Kang
- Correspondence: Xiangjin Kang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Yong Fan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Xiaochun Bai, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Zhenguo Chen, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: (Lead Contact)
| | - Yong Fan
- Correspondence: Xiangjin Kang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Yong Fan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Xiaochun Bai, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Zhenguo Chen, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: (Lead Contact)
| | - Xiaochun Bai
- Correspondence: Xiangjin Kang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Yong Fan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Xiaochun Bai, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Zhenguo Chen, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: (Lead Contact)
| | - Zhenguo Chen
- Correspondence: Xiangjin Kang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Yong Fan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Xiaochun Bai, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: ; Zhenguo Chen, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. E-mail: (Lead Contact)
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14
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Windley SP, Mayère C, McGovern AE, Harvey NL, Nef S, Schwarz Q, Kumar S, Wilhelm D. Loss of NEDD4 causes complete XY gonadal sex reversal in mice. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:75. [PMID: 35075134 PMCID: PMC8786929 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Gonadogenesis is the process wherein two morphologically distinct organs, the testis and the ovary, arise from a common precursor. In mammals, maleness is driven by the expression of Sry. SRY subsequently upregulates the related family member Sox9 which is responsible for initiating testis differentiation while repressing factors critical to ovarian development such as FOXL2 and β-catenin. Here, we report a hitherto uncharacterised role for the ubiquitin-protein ligase NEDD4 in this process. XY Nedd4-deficient mice exhibit complete male-to-female gonadal sex reversal shown by the ectopic upregulation of Foxl2 expression at the time of gonadal sex determination as well as insufficient upregulation of Sox9. This sex reversal extends to germ cells with ectopic expression of SYCP3 in XY Nedd4-/- germ cells and significantly higher Sycp3 transcripts in XY and XX Nedd4-deficient mice when compared to both XY and XX controls. Further, Nedd4-/- mice exhibit reduced gonadal precursor cell formation and gonadal size as a result of reduced proliferation within the developing gonad as well as reduced Nr5a1 expression. Together, these results establish an essential role for NEDD4 in XY gonadal sex determination and development and suggest a potential role for NEDD4 in orchestrating these cell fate decisions through the suppression of the female pathway to ensure proper testis differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P Windley
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alice E McGovern
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Natasha L Harvey
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Sharad Kumar
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
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15
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Zhan J, Cui P, Yu Z, Qu W, Luo M. SDX on the X chromosome is required for male sex determination. Cell Res 2022; 32:99-102. [PMID: 34341487 PMCID: PMC8724300 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-021-00539-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Zhan
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China ,grid.413247.70000 0004 1808 0969Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Cui
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziqi Yu
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Qu
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengcheng Luo
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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16
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Migale R, Neumann M, Lovell-Badge R. Long-Range Regulation of Key Sex Determination Genes. Sex Dev 2021; 15:360-380. [PMID: 34753143 DOI: 10.1159/000519891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of sexually dimorphic gonads is a unique process that starts with the specification of the bipotential genital ridges and culminates with the development of fully differentiated ovaries and testes in females and males, respectively. Research on sex determination has been mostly focused on the identification of sex determination genes, the majority of which encode for proteins and specifically transcription factors such as SOX9 in the testes and FOXL2 in the ovaries. Our understanding of which factors may be critical for sex determination have benefited from the study of human disorders of sex development (DSD) and animal models, such as the mouse and the goat, as these often replicate the same phenotypes observed in humans when mutations or chromosomic rearrangements arise in protein-coding genes. Despite the advances made so far in explaining the role of key factors such as SRY, SOX9, and FOXL2 and the genes they control, what may regulate these factors upstream is not entirely understood, often resulting in the inability to correctly diagnose DSD patients. The role of non-coding DNA, which represents 98% of the human genome, in sex determination has only recently begun to be fully appreciated. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the long-range regulation of 2 important sex determination genes, SOX9 and FOXL2, and discuss the challenges that lie ahead and the many avenues of research yet to be explored in the sex determination field.
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17
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Okashita N, Tachibana M. Transcriptional Regulation of the Y-Linked Mammalian Testis-Determining Gene SRY. Sex Dev 2021; 15:351-359. [PMID: 34583357 DOI: 10.1159/000519217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian male sex differentiation is triggered during embryogenesis by the activation of the Y-linked testis-determining gene SRY. Since insufficient or delayed expression of SRY results in XY gonadal sex reversal, accurate regulation of SRY is critical for male development in XY animals. In humans, dysregulation of SRY may cause disorders of sex development. Mouse Sry is the most intensively studied mammalian model of sex determination. Sry expression is controlled in a spatially and temporally stringent manner. Several transcription factors play a key role in sex determination as trans-acting factors for Sry expression. In addition, recent studies have shown that several epigenetic modifications of Sry are involved in sex determination as cis-acting factors for Sry expression. Herein, we review the current understanding of transcription factor- and epigenetic modifier-mediated regulation of SRY/Sry expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Okashita
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makoto Tachibana
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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18
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Figueiredo AFA, Hess RA, Batlouni SR, Wnuk NT, Tavares AO, Abarikwu SO, Costa GMJ, França LR. Insights into differentiation and function of the transition region between the seminiferous tubule and rete testis. Differentiation 2021; 120:36-47. [PMID: 34229995 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Seminiferous tubules physically connect to the rete testis through short segments called the transition region (TR). During fetal development, this specialized junction is considered the initial site where testis cords begin to form and to grow in length well beyond birth and into adulthood and form convoluted tubular cores. Mitotic activity of the Sertoli cell, the somatic cell of the epithelium, ceases before puberty, but modified Sertoli cells in the TR remain immature and capable of proliferation. This review presents what is known about this specialized region of the testis, with an emphasis on the morphological, molecular and physiological features, which support the hypothesis that this short region of epithelial transition serves as a specialized niche for undifferentiated Sertoli cells and spermatogonial stem cells. Also, the region is populated by an elevated number of immune cells, suggesting an important activity in monitoring and responding to any leakage of autoantigens, as sperm enter the rete testis. Several structure/function characteristics of the transition region are discussed and compared across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A F A Figueiredo
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Rex A Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - S R Batlouni
- Aquaculture Center (CAUNESP), São Paulo State University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - N T Wnuk
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - A O Tavares
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - S O Abarikwu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - G M J Costa
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - L R França
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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19
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Bagheri-Fam S, Combes AN, Ling CK, Wilhelm D. Heterozygous deletion of Sox9 in mouse mimics the gonadal sex reversal phenotype associated with campomelic dysplasia in humans. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3781-3792. [PMID: 33305798 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous mutations in the human SOX9 gene cause the skeletal malformation syndrome campomelic dysplasia which in 75% of 46, XY individuals is associated with male-to-female sex reversal. Although studies in homozygous Sox9 knockout mouse models confirmed that SOX9 is critical for testis development, mice heterozygous for the Sox9-null allele were reported to develop normal testes. This led to the belief that the SOX9 dosage requirement for testis differentiation is different between humans, which often require both alleles, and mice, in which one allele is sufficient. However, in prior studies, gonadal phenotypes in heterozygous Sox9 XY mice were assessed only by either gross morphology, histological staining or analyzed on a mixed genetic background. In this study, we conditionally inactivated Sox9 in somatic cells of developing gonads using the Nr5a1-Cre mouse line on a pure C57BL/6 genetic background. Section and whole-mount immunofluorescence for testicular and ovarian markers showed that XY Sox9 heterozygous gonads developed as ovotestes. Quantitative droplet digital PCR confirmed a 50% reduction of Sox9 mRNA as well as partial sex reversal shown by an upregulation of ovarian genes. Our data show that haploinsufficiency of Sox9 can perturb testis development in mice, suggesting that mice may provide a more accurate model of human disorders/differences of sex development than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Alexander N Combes
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Cheuk K Ling
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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20
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Tang F, Richardson N, Albina A, Chaboissier MC, Perea-Gomez A. Mouse Gonad Development in the Absence of the Pro-Ovary Factor WNT4 and the Pro-Testis Factor SOX9. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051103. [PMID: 32365547 PMCID: PMC7291083 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factors SRY and SOX9 and RSPO1/WNT4/β-Catenin signaling act as antagonistic pathways to drive testis and ovary development respectively, from a common gonadal primordium in mouse embryos. In this work, we took advantage of a double knockout mouse model to study gonadal development when Sox9 and Wnt4 are both mutated. We show that the XX gonad mutant for Wnt4 or for both Wnt4 and Sox9 develop as ovotestes, demonstrating that ectopic SOX9 function is not required for the partial female-to-male sex reversal caused by a Wnt4 mutation. Sox9 deletion in XY gonads leads to ovarian development accompanied by ectopic WNT/β-catenin signaling. In XY Sox9 mutant gonads, SRY-positive supporting precursors adopt a female-like identity and develop as pre-granulosa-like cells. This phenotype cannot be fully prevented by the deletion of Wnt4 or Rspo1, indicating that SOX9 is required for the early determination of the male supporting cell identity independently of repressing RSPO1/WNT4/β-Catenin signaling. However, in XY Sox9 Wnt4 double mutant gonads, pre-granulosa cells are not maintained, as they prematurely differentiate as mature granulosa cells and then trans-differentiate into Sertoli-like cells. Together, our results reveal the dynamics of the specific and independent actions of SOX9 and WNT4 during gonadal differentiation: SOX9 is essential in the testis for early specification of male-supporting cells whereas WNT4 functions in the ovary to maintain female-supporting cell identity and inhibit male-specific vascular and steroidogenic cell differentiation.
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21
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Stévant I, Kühne F, Greenfield A, Chaboissier MC, Dermitzakis ET, Nef S. Dissecting Cell Lineage Specification and Sex Fate Determination in Gonadal Somatic Cells Using Single-Cell Transcriptomics. Cell Rep 2020; 26:3272-3283.e3. [PMID: 30893600 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex determination is a unique process that allows the study of multipotent progenitors and their acquisition of sex-specific fates during differentiation of the gonad into a testis or an ovary. Using time series single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on ovarian Nr5a1-GFP+ somatic cells during sex determination, we identified a single population of early progenitors giving rise to both pre-granulosa cells and potential steroidogenic precursor cells. By comparing time series single-cell RNA sequencing of XX and XY somatic cells, we provide evidence that gonadal supporting cells are specified from these early progenitors by a non-sex-specific transcriptomic program before pre-granulosa and Sertoli cells acquire their sex-specific identity. In XX and XY steroidogenic precursors, similar transcriptomic profiles underlie the acquisition of cell fate but with XX cells exhibiting a relative delay. Our data provide an important resource, at single-cell resolution, for further interrogation of the molecular and cellular basis of mammalian sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Stévant
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; SIB, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise Kühne
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andy Greenfield
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell Institute, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | | | - Emmanouil T Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; SIB, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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22
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Xu C, Dai Y, Mohsin A, Hang H, Zhuang Y, Guo M. Mapping molecular pathways for embryonic Sertoli cells derivation based on differentiation model of mouse embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2020; 11:85. [PMID: 32102677 PMCID: PMC7045406 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-020-01600-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Embryonic Sertoli cells (eSCs) have been known for playing important roles in male reproductive development system. In current studies, eSCs were mainly generated from induced intermediate mesoderm. The deriving mechanism of eSCs has been unclear so far. Therefore, this work was aimed to reveal the molecular pathways during derivation of eSCs. Methods In this scenario, a differentiation model from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) to eSCs was established through spatiotemporal control of 5 key factors, Wilms tumor 1 homolog (Wt1), GATA binding protein 4 (Gata4), nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 1 (Nr5a1, i.e., Sf1), SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 9 (Sox9), doublesex, and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1). To investigate the molecular mechanism, these key factors were respectively manipulated through a light-switchable (light-on) system, tetracycline-switchable (Tet-on) system, and CRISPR/Cas9 knock out (KO) system. Results Via the established approach, some embryonic Sertoli-like cells (eSLCs) were induced from mESCs and formed ring-like or tubular-like structures. The key factors were respectively manipulated and revealed their roles in the derivation of these eSLCs. Based on these results, some molecular pathways were mapped during the development of coelomic epithelial somatic cells to eSCs. Conclusions This differentiation model provided a high controllability of some key factors and brought a novel insight into the deriving mechanism of Sertoli cells. Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s13287-020-01600-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenze Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Yichen Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Ali Mohsin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Haifeng Hang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Centre of Processes System, Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd., Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yingping Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Centre of Processes System, Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd., Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Meijin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China. .,Engineering Research Centre of Processes System, Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd., Shanghai, 200237, China. .,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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23
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Hasegawa C, Yokoyama T, Umemura Y, Kawanishi K, Miura Y, Takada N, Ohno S, Onaru K, Omotehara T, Hirano T, Mantani Y, Miki T, Hoshi N. Establishment of an organ culture system to induce Sertoli cell differentiation from undifferentiated mouse gonads. J Vet Med Sci 2020; 82:414-421. [PMID: 32092744 PMCID: PMC7192728 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.20-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Organ culture systems are useful for elucidating the process of testicular differentiation from mammalian undifferentiated genetically male gonads, as they permit various experiments, including experiments involving the control of gene expression. However, without addition of testicular differentiation-related factors, it is difficult to induce the formation of testis cord from immature gonads by a time point earlier 12 tail somites (ts) that corresponding to 11.0 days post coitum (dpc). In this study, we attempted to establish an organ culture system that induces testis formation from immature gonads (around 8 ts: 10.5 dpc) just before Sry (sex-determining region of the Y chromosome) expression. A paired gonad-mesonephros complex of around 8 ts was placed in the groove of an agarose gel block and put the semi-cylindrical piece of agarose gel to maintain the gonad morphology. The gonads were cultured in the gas phase for 96 hr. As a result, testis cord-like structures appeared in many genetically male gonads. Cells expressing the Sertoli cell markers Sox9 (SRY-box 9) and Amh (anti-Müllerian hormone) were observed, while granulosa cell marker Foxl2 (forkhead box L2) was not detected. In addition, Sox9- and Amh-expressing cells were observed throughout the entire gonad in many individuals. Amh mRNA expression was also upregulated. Surprisingly, formation of a partial testicular structure was observed from more immature gonads (6 ts). These results show that our gonadal organ culture system is useful for elucidating the regulation mechanism of Sry expression in undifferentiated bipotential gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinatsu Hasegawa
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Yokoyama
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yuria Umemura
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kohei Kawanishi
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yuuka Miura
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Nanako Takada
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Shuji Ohno
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kanoko Onaru
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Omotehara
- Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Hirano
- Division of Drug and Structural Research, Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Yohei Mantani
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Takanori Miki
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Hoshi
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
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24
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Bagheri-Fam S, Chen H, Wilson S, Ayers K, Hughes J, Sloan-Bena F, Calvel P, Robevska G, Puisac B, Kusz-Zamelczyk K, Gimelli S, Spik A, Jaruzelska J, Warenik-Szymankiewicz A, Faradz S, Nef S, Pié J, Thomas P, Sinclair A, Wilhelm D. The gene encoding the ketogenic enzyme HMGCS2 displays a unique expression during gonad development in mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227411. [PMID: 31910233 PMCID: PMC6946174 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Disorders/differences of sex development (DSD) cause profound psychological and reproductive consequences for the affected individuals, however, most are still unexplained at the molecular level. Here, we present a novel gene, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase 2 (HMGCS2), encoding a metabolic enzyme in the liver important for energy production from fatty acids, that shows an unusual expression pattern in developing fetal mouse gonads. Shortly after gonadal sex determination it is up-regulated in the developing testes following a very similar spatial and temporal pattern as the male-determining gene Sry in Sertoli cells before switching to ovarian enriched expression. To test if Hmgcs2 is important for gonad development in mammals, we pursued two lines of investigations. Firstly, we generated Hmgcs2-null mice using CRISPR/Cas9 and found that these mice had gonads that developed normally even on a sensitized background. Secondly, we screened 46,XY DSD patients with gonadal dysgenesis and identified two unrelated patients with a deletion and a deleterious missense variant in HMGCS2 respectively. However, both variants were heterozygous, suggesting that HMGCS2 might not be the causative gene. Analysis of a larger number of patients in the future might shed more light into the possible association of HMGCS2 with human gonadal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Huijun Chen
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sean Wilson
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katie Ayers
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Pierre Calvel
- Department of Genetics, Medicine & Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gorjana Robevska
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Beatriz Puisac
- Unit of Clinical Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, CIBERER-GCV02 and ISS-Aragon, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Stefania Gimelli
- Service of Genetic Medicine, University Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anna Spik
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | | | | | - Sultana Faradz
- Center for Biomedical Research Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University (FMDU), Semarang, Indonesia
| | - Serge Nef
- Service of Genetic Medicine, University Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Juan Pié
- Unit of Clinical Genetics and Functional Genomics, Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, CIBERER-GCV02 and ISS-Aragon, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Paul Thomas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Andrew Sinclair
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- * E-mail:
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25
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Grinspon RP, Rey RA. Molecular Characterization of XX Maleness. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236089. [PMID: 31816857 PMCID: PMC6928850 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgens and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), secreted by the foetal testis, are responsible for the development of male reproductive organs and the regression of female anlagen. Virilization of the reproductive tract in association with the absence of Müllerian derivatives in the XX foetus implies the existence of testicular tissue, which can occur in the presence or absence of SRY. Recent advancement in the knowledge of the opposing gene cascades driving to the differentiation of the gonadal ridge into testes or ovaries during early foetal development has provided insight into the molecular explanation of XX maleness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina P. Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (R.P.G.); (R.A.R.); Tel.: +54-11-49635931 (R.P.G.)
| | - Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (R.P.G.); (R.A.R.); Tel.: +54-11-49635931 (R.P.G.)
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26
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Okashita N, Kuroki S, Maeda R, Tachibana M. TET2 catalyzes active DNA demethylation of the Sry promoter and enhances its expression. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13462. [PMID: 31530896 PMCID: PMC6748950 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50058-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
SRY is the master regulator of male sex determination in eutherian mammals. In mice, Sry expression is transcriptionally and epigenetically controlled in a developmental stage-specific manner. The Sry promoter undergoes demethylation in embryonic gonadal somatic cells at the sex-determining period. However, its molecular mechanism and in vivo significance remain unclear. Here, we report that the Sry promoter is actively demethylated during gonadal development, and TET2 plays a fundamental role in Sry demethylation. Tet2-deficient mice showed absence of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the Sry promoter. Furthermore, Tet2 deficiency diminished Sry expression, indicating that TET2-mediated DNA demethylation regulates Sry expression positively. We previously showed that the deficiency of the H3K9 demethylase Jmjd1a compromises Sry expression and induces male-to-female sex reversal. Tet2 deficiency enhanced the sex reversal phenotype of Jmjd1a-deficient mice. Thus, TET2-mediated active DNA demethylation and JMJD1A-mediated H3K9 demethylation contribute synergistically to sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Okashita
- Division of Epigenome Dynamics, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-Cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.,Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Kuroki
- Division of Epigenome Dynamics, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-Cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.,Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ryo Maeda
- Division of Epigenome Dynamics, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-Cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.,Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Makoto Tachibana
- Division of Epigenome Dynamics, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-Cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan. .,Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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27
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Mäkelä JA, Koskenniemi JJ, Virtanen HE, Toppari J. Testis Development. Endocr Rev 2019; 40:857-905. [PMID: 30590466 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Production of sperm and androgens is the main function of the testis. This depends on normal development of both testicular somatic cells and germ cells. A genetic program initiated from the Y chromosome gene sex-determining region Y (SRY) directs somatic cell specification to Sertoli cells that orchestrate further development. They first guide fetal germ cell differentiation toward spermatogenic destiny and then take care of the full service to spermatogenic cells during spermatogenesis. The number of Sertoli cells sets the limits of sperm production. Leydig cells secrete androgens that determine masculine development. Testis development does not depend on germ cells; that is, testicular somatic cells also develop in the absence of germ cells, and the testis can produce testosterone normally to induce full masculinization in these men. In contrast, spermatogenic cell development is totally dependent on somatic cells. We herein review germ cell differentiation from primordial germ cells to spermatogonia and development of the supporting somatic cells. Testicular descent to scrota is necessary for normal spermatogenesis, and cryptorchidism is the most common male birth defect. This is a mild form of a disorder of sex differentiation. Multiple genetic reasons for more severe forms of disorders of sex differentiation have been revealed during the last decades, and these are described along with the description of molecular regulation of testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juho-Antti Mäkelä
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jaakko J Koskenniemi
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Helena E Virtanen
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jorma Toppari
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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28
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Ogata Y, Nishikata M, Kitada K, Mizushima S, Jogahara T, Kuroiwa A. Spiny rat SRY lacks a long Q-rich domain and is not stable in transgenic mice. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:784-794. [PMID: 31219647 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although Tokudaia muenninki has multiple extra copies of the Sry gene on the Y chromosome, loss of function of these sequences is indicated. To examine the Sry gene function for sex determining in T. muenninki, we screened a BAC library and identified a clone (SRY26) containing complete SRY coding and promoter sequences. RESULTS SRY26 showed high identity to mouse and rat SRY. In an in vitro reporter gene assay, SRY26 was unable to activate testis-specific enhancer of Sox9. Four lines of BAC transgenic mice carrying SRY26 were generated. Although the embryonic gonads of XX transgenic mice displayed sufficient expression levels of SRY26 mRNA, these mice exhibited normal female phenotypes in the external and internal genitalia, and up-regulation of Sox9 was not observed. Expression of the SRY26 protein was confirmed in primate-derived COS7 cells transfected with a SRY26 expression vector. However, the SRY26 protein was not expressed in the gonads of BAC transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these results support a previous study demonstrated a long Q-rich domain plays essential roles in protein stabilization in mice. Therefore, the original aim of this study, to examine the function of the Sry gene of this species, was not achieved by creating TG mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Ogata
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mana Nishikata
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Kitada
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.,Division of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Shusei Mizushima
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.,Division of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Takamichi Jogahara
- Division of Bio-Resources, Frontier Science Research Center, Kiyotake Campus, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.,Department of Law and Economics, Okinawa University, Naha, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Asato Kuroiwa
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.,Division of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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29
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Garcia-Moreno SA, Lin YT, Futtner CR, Salamone IM, Capel B, Maatouk DM. CBX2 is required to stabilize the testis pathway by repressing Wnt signaling. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007895. [PMID: 31116734 PMCID: PMC6548405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
XX and XY fetal gonads are initially bipotential, poised between the ovary and testis fate. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that commitment to testis fate requires the repression of genes associated with ovary fate. It was previously shown that loss of CBX2, the subunit of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) that binds H3K27me3 and mediates silencing, leads to ovary development in XY mice and humans. While it had been proposed that CBX2 is an activator of the testis-determining gene Sry, we investigated the alternative possibility that CBX2 has a direct role as a repressor of the antagonistic ovary-promoting pathway. To investigate this possibility, we developed a quantitative genome-wide profile of the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 and its active counterpart H3K4me3 in isolated XY and XX gonadal supporting cells before and after sex determination. We show that testis and ovary sex-determining (SD) genes are bivalent before sex determination, providing insight into how the bipotential state of the gonad is established at the epigenetic level. After sex determination, many SD genes of the alternate pathway remain bivalent, possibly contributing to the ability of these cells to transdifferentiate even in adults. The finding that many genes in the Wnt signaling pathway were targeted for H3K27me3-mediated repression in Sertoli cells led us to test whether deletion of Wnt4 could rescue testis development in Cbx2 mutants. We show that Sry expression and testis development were rescued in XY Cbx2-/-;Wnt4-/- mice. Furthermore, we show that CBX2 directly binds the downstream Wnt signaler Lef1, an ovary-promoting gene that remains bivalent in Sertoli cells. Our results suggest that stabilization of the testis fate requires CBX2-mediated repression of bivalent ovary-determining genes, which would otherwise block testis development. During development, the bipotential fetal gonad can commit to the testis fate or to the ovary fate. Mutation of the epigenetic regulator CBX2 leads to ovary development in XY embryos, suggesting a critical role for chromatin remodeling during sex determination. However, the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the testis vs. ovary cell-fate decision in the mammalian bipotential gonad are poorly understood. In this study, we developed a genome-wide profile of two histone modifications that play critical roles during development: H3K27me3 (repressive) and H3K4me3 (active). We find that sex-determining genes that are initially co-expressed in XX and XY bipotential gonads are bivalent (marked by both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) prior to sex determination, poised to engage either the testis or ovary fate. Remarkably, after sex determination, repressed genes that promote the alternate fate remain bivalent. We show that stabilization of the testis fate requires CBX2-mediated repression of bivalent ovary-determining genes, which would otherwise block testis development. Our study provides insight into how the bipotential state of the gonad is established at the epigenetic level, and how the testis fate is stabilized by repression of the ovary fate during sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Alexandra Garcia-Moreno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Yi-Tzu Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christopher R. Futtner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Isabella M. Salamone
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Danielle M. Maatouk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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30
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Nicol B, Grimm SA, Gruzdev A, Scott GJ, Ray MK, Yao HHC. Genome-wide identification of FOXL2 binding and characterization of FOXL2 feminizing action in the fetal gonads. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:4273-4287. [PMID: 30212841 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The identity of the gonads is determined by which fate, ovarian granulosa cell or testicular Sertoli cell, the bipotential somatic cell precursors choose to follow. In most vertebrates, the conserved transcription factor FOXL2 contributes to the fate of granulosa cells. To understand FOXL2 functions during gonad differentiation, we performed genome-wide analysis of FOXL2 chromatin occupancy in fetal ovaries and established a genetic mouse model that forces Foxl2 expression in the fetal testis. When FOXL2 was ectopically expressed in the somatic cell precursors in the fetal testis, FOXL2 was sufficient to repress Sertoli cell differentiation, ultimately resulting in partial testis-to-ovary sex-reversal. Combining genome-wide analysis of FOXL2 binding in the fetal ovary with transcriptomic analyses of our Foxl2 gain-of-function and previously published Foxl2 loss-of-function models, we identified potential pathways responsible for the feminizing action of FOXL2. Finally, comparison of FOXL2 genome-wide occupancy in the fetal ovary with testis-determining factor SOX9 genome-wide occupancy in the fetal testis revealed extensive overlaps, implying that antagonistic signals between FOXL2 and SOX9 occur at the chromatin level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Nicol
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Sara A Grimm
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Artiom Gruzdev
- Knockout Mouse Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Greg J Scott
- Knockout Mouse Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Manas K Ray
- Knockout Mouse Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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31
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Piprek RP, Kloc M, Kubiak JZ. Matrix metalloproteinase-dependent regulation of extracellular matrix shapes the structure of sexually differentiating mouse gonads. Differentiation 2019; 106:23-34. [PMID: 30852470 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins play an important role in the establishment of the sex-dependent structure of developing gonads. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the major players in the regulation of ECM. Our hypothesis was that the MMPs-dependent regulation of EMC is crucial for the establishment of the correct, either testis or ovary, structure of developing gonad. We cultured developing mouse gonads in vitro in the presence of the MMPs inhibitors (α-2-macroglobulin, leupeptin, phosphoramidon) or the MMPs activator, APMA (4-aminophenylmercuric acetate). These inhibitors and activator inhibit/activate, to a different degree, matrix metalloproteinases, but the exact mechanism of inhibition/activation remains unknown. We found that the MMP inhibitors increased accumulation of ECM in the developing gonads. The α-2-macroglobulin had the weakest, and the phosphoramidon the strongest effect on the ECM and the structure of the gonads. The α-2-macroglobulin caused a slight increase of ECM and did not disrupt the gonad structure. Leupeptin led to the strong accumulation of ECM, resulted in the formation of the structures resembling testis cords in both testes and ovaries, and caused increase of apoptosis and complete loss of germ cells. Phosphoramidon caused the strongest accumulation of ECM, which separated individual cells and completely prevented intercellular adhesion both in the testes and in the ovaries. As a result of aberrant morphology, the sex of the phosphoramidon-treated gonads was morphologically unrecognizable. The APMA - the activator of MMP caused ECM loss, which led to the loss of cell adhesion, cell dispersion and an aberrant morphology of the gonads. These results indicate that the ECM accumulation is MMPs-dependent and that the correct amount and distribution of ECM during gonad development plays a key role in the formation of the gonad structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafal P Piprek
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Malgorzata Kloc
- The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Surgery, The Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jacek Z Kubiak
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, UMR 6290, Cell Cycle Group, Faculty of Medicine, F-35000, Rennes, France; Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (WIHE), Warsaw, Poland
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32
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Nef S, Stévant I, Greenfield A. Characterizing the bipotential mammalian gonad. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 134:167-194. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Garcia-Moreno SA, Futtner CR, Salamone IM, Gonen N, Lovell-Badge R, Maatouk DM. Gonadal supporting cells acquire sex-specific chromatin landscapes during mammalian sex determination. Dev Biol 2018; 446:168-179. [PMID: 30594505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements are critical for the precise spatiotemporal regulation of genes during development. However, identifying functional regulatory sites that drive cell differentiation in vivo has been complicated by the high numbers of cells required for whole-genome epigenetic assays. Here, we identified putative regulatory elements during sex determination by performing ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq for H3K27ac in purified XX and XY gonadal supporting cells before and after sex determination in mice. We show that XX and XY supporting cells initiate sex determination with similar chromatin landscapes and acquire sex-specific regulatory elements as they commit to the male or female fate. To validate our approach, we identified a functional gonad-specific enhancer downstream of Bmp2, an ovary-promoting gene. This work increases our understanding of the complex regulatory network underlying mammalian sex determination and provides a powerful resource for identifying non-coding regulatory elements that could harbor mutations that lead to Disorders of Sexual Development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher R Futtner
- Department of Endocrinology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
| | - Isabella M Salamone
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Nitzan Gonen
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Danielle M Maatouk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
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Zhao L, Wang C, Lehman ML, He M, An J, Svingen T, Spiller CM, Ng ET, Nelson CC, Koopman P. Transcriptomic analysis of mRNA expression and alternative splicing during mouse sex determination. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 478:84-96. [PMID: 30053582 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian sex determination hinges on sexually dimorphic transcriptional programs in developing fetal gonads. A comprehensive view of these programs is crucial for understanding the normal development of fetal testes and ovaries and the etiology of human disorders of sex development (DSDs), many of which remain unexplained. Using strand-specific RNA-sequencing, we characterized the mouse fetal gonadal transcriptome from 10.5 to 13.5 days post coitum, a key time window in sex determination and gonad development. Our dataset benefits from a greater sensitivity, accuracy and dynamic range compared to microarray studies, allows global dynamics and sex-specificity of gene expression to be assessed, and provides a window to non-transcriptional events such as alternative splicing. Spliceomic analysis uncovered female-specific regulation of Lef1 splicing, which may contribute to the enhanced WNT signaling activity in XX gonads. We provide a user-friendly visualization tool for the complete transcriptomic and spliceomic dataset as a resource for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Chenwei Wang
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Melanie L Lehman
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Mingyu He
- Longsoft, Brisbane, Queensland, 4109, Australia
| | - Jiyuan An
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Terje Svingen
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Cassy M Spiller
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Ee Ting Ng
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Colleen C Nelson
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 4102, Australia
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
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Rotgers E, Jørgensen A, Yao HHC. At the Crossroads of Fate-Somatic Cell Lineage Specification in the Fetal Gonad. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:739-759. [PMID: 29771299 PMCID: PMC6173476 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The reproductive endocrine systems are vastly different between males and females. This sexual dimorphism of the endocrine milieu originates from sex-specific differentiation of the somatic cells in the gonads during fetal life. Most gonadal somatic cells arise from the adrenogonadal primordium. After separation of the adrenal and gonadal primordia, the gonadal somatic cells initiate sex-specific differentiation during gonadal sex determination with the specification of the supporting cell lineages: Sertoli cells in the testis vs granulosa cells in the ovary. The supporting cell lineages then facilitate the differentiation of the steroidogenic cell lineages, Leydig cells in the testis and theca cells in the ovary. Proper differentiation of these cell types defines the somatic cell environment that is essential for germ cell development, hormone production, and establishment of the reproductive tracts. Impairment of lineage specification and function of gonadal somatic cells can lead to disorders of sexual development (DSDs) in humans. Human DSDs and processes for gonadal development have been successfully modeled using genetically modified mouse models. In this review, we focus on the fate decision processes from the initial stage of formation of the adrenogonadal primordium in the embryo to the maintenance of the somatic cell identities in the gonads when they become fully differentiated in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Rotgers
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Anne Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Research and Research Training Center in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Humphrey Hung-Chang Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina
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Barseghyan H, Délot EC, Vilain E. New technologies to uncover the molecular basis of disorders of sex development. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 468:60-69. [PMID: 29655603 PMCID: PMC7249677 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The elegant developmental biology experiments conducted in the 1940s by French physiologist Alfred Jost demonstrated that the sexual phenotype of a mammalian embryo depended whether the embryonic gonad develops into a testis or not. In humans, anomalies in the processes that regulate development of chromosomal, gonadal or anatomic sex result in a spectrum of conditions termed Disorders/Differences of Sex Development (DSD). Each of these conditions is rare, and understanding of their genetic etiology is still incomplete. Historically, DSD diagnoses have been difficult to establish due to the lack of standardization of anatomical and endocrine phenotyping procedures as well as genetic testing. Yet, a definitive diagnosis is critical for optimal management of the medical and psychosocial challenges associated with DSD conditions. The advent in the clinical realm of next-generation sequencing methods, with constantly decreasing price and turnaround time, has revolutionized the diagnostic process. Here we review the successes and limitations of the genetic methods currently available for DSD diagnosis, including Sanger sequencing, karyotyping, exome sequencing and chromosomal microarrays. While exome sequencing provides higher diagnostic rates, many patients still remain undiagnosed. Newer approaches, such as whole-genome sequencing and whole-genome mapping, along with gene expression studies, have the potential to identify novel DSD-causing genes and significantly increase total diagnostic yield, hopefully shortening the patient's journey to an accurate diagnosis and enhancing health-related quality-of-life outcomes for patients and families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayk Barseghyan
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Health System, Children's Research Institute, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
| | - Emmanuèle C Délot
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Health System, Children's Research Institute, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
| | - Eric Vilain
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Health System, Children's Research Institute, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
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Yamamoto A, Omotehara T, Miura Y, Takada T, Yoneda N, Hirano T, Mantani Y, Kitagawa H, Yokoyama T, Hoshi N. The mechanisms underlying the effects of AMH on Müllerian duct regression in male mice. J Vet Med Sci 2018. [PMID: 29526868 PMCID: PMC5938179 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.18-0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) produced in the developing testis induces the regression of the Müllerian duct, which develops into the oviducts, uterus and upper vagina. In our true hermaphrodite mouse with an ovary on one side and a testis on the other (O/T), the oviduct and uterus are present only on the ovary side, and nothing derived from the Müllerian duct is present on the testis side. Here, we investigate the mechanism underlying the unilateral Müllerian duct regression and the mode of AMH signaling, by performing immunohistology, Western blotting, and organ culture analyses. The histological analysis revealed that during the start of the Müllerian duct regression, the duct in the O/T mice was clearly regressed on the AMH-positive testis side compared to the AMH-negative ovary side. The immunohistochemistry showed a diffuse immunoreaction of AMH in the interstitium surrounding the testis cord and boundary region between the testis and mesonephros, especially in the cranial portion. Western blotting revealed that the amount of AMH in the cranial half of the mesonephros was larger than that in the caudal half. AMH injected into the gonads in organ culture induced the regression of the Müllerian duct via the interstitium of the organ. These results suggest that AMH acts on the Müllerian duct in male mice by exuding into the interstitium surrounding the testis cord and infiltrating through the cranial region from the testis to the mesonephros.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anzu Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Omotehara
- Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Yuuka Miura
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Tadashi Takada
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Naoki Yoneda
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Hirano
- Division of Drug and Structural Research, Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Youhei Mantani
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kitagawa
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Yokoyama
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Hoshi
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
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Barseghyan H, Symon A, Zadikyan M, Almalvez M, Segura EE, Eskin A, Bramble MS, Arboleda VA, Baxter R, Nelson SF, Délot EC, Harley V, Vilain E. Identification of novel candidate genes for 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD) using a C57BL/6J-Y POS mouse model. Biol Sex Differ 2018; 9:8. [PMID: 29378665 PMCID: PMC5789682 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-018-0167-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disorders of sex development (DSD) have an estimated frequency of 0.5% of live births encompassing a variety of urogenital anomalies ranging from mild hypospadias to a discrepancy between sex chromosomes and external genitalia. In order to identify the underlying genetic etiology, we had performed exome sequencing in a subset of DSD cases with 46,XY karyotype and were able to identify the causative genetic variant in 35% of cases. While the genetic etiology was not ascertained in more than half of the cases, a large number of variants of unknown clinical significance (VUS) were identified in those exomes. METHODS To investigate the relevance of these VUS in regards to the patient's phenotype, we utilized a mouse model in which the presence of a Y chromosome from the poschiavinus strain (Y POS ) on a C57BL/6J (B6) background results in XY undervirilization and sex reversal, a phenotype characteristic to a large subset of human 46,XY DSD cases. We assessed gene expression differences between B6-Y B6 and undervirilized B6-Y POS gonads at E11.5 and identified 515 differentially expressed genes (308 underexpressed and 207 overexpressed in B6-Y POS males). RESULTS We identified 15 novel candidate genes potentially involved in 46,XY DSD pathogenesis by filtering the list of human VUS-carrying genes provided by exome sequencing with the list of differentially expressed genes from B6-Y POS mouse model. Additionally, we identified that 7 of the 15 candidate genes were significantly underexpressed in the XY gonads of mice with suppressed Sox9 expression in Sertoli cells suggesting that some of the candidate genes may be downstream of a well-known sex determining gene, Sox9. CONCLUSION The use of a DSD-specific animal model improves variant interpretation by correlating human sequence variants with transcriptome variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayk Barseghyan
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, 20010 USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Aleisha Symon
- Department of Brain and Gender, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168 Australia
| | - Mariam Zadikyan
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Miguel Almalvez
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, 20010 USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Eva E. Segura
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Ascia Eskin
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Matthew S. Bramble
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, 20010 USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Valerie A. Arboleda
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Ruth Baxter
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Stanley F. Nelson
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Emmanuèle C. Délot
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, 20010 USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Vincent Harley
- Department of Brain and Gender, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168 Australia
| | - Eric Vilain
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, 20010 USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
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Kirschner KM, Sciesielski LK, Krueger K, Scholz H. Wilms tumor protein-dependent transcription of VEGF receptor 2 and hypoxia regulate expression of the testis-promoting gene Sox9 in murine embryonic gonads. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:20281-20291. [PMID: 29042436 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.816751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Wilms tumor protein 1 (WT1) has been implicated in the control of several genes in sexual development, but its function in gonad formation is still unclear. Here, we report that WT1 stimulates expression of Kdr, the gene encoding VEGF receptor 2, in murine embryonic gonads. We found that WT1 and KDR are co-expressed in Sertoli cells of the testes and somatic cells of embryonic ovaries. Vivo-morpholino-mediated WT1 knockdown decreased Kdr transcripts in cultured embryonic gonads at multiple developmental stages. Furthermore, WT1 bound to the Kdr promoter in the chromatin of embryonic testes and ovaries. Forced expression of the WT1(-KTS) isoform, which functions as a transcription factor, increased KDR mRNA levels, whereas the WT1(+KTS) isoform, which acts presumably on the post-transcriptional level, did not. ChIP indicated that WT1(-KTS), but not WT1(+KTS), binds to the KDR promoter. Treatment with the KDR tyrosine kinase inhibitor SU1498 or the KDR ligand VEGFA revealed that KDR signaling represses the testis-promoting gene Sox9 in embryonic XX gonads. WT1 knockdown abrogated the stimulatory effect of SU1498-mediated KDR inhibition on Sox9 expression. Exposure to 1% O2 to mimic the low-oxygen conditions in the embryo increased Vegfa expression but did not affect Sox9 mRNA levels in gonadal explants. However, incubation in 1% O2 in the presence of SU1498 significantly reduced Sox9 transcripts in cultured testes and increased Sox9 levels in ovaries. These findings demonstrate that both the local oxygen environment and WT1, which enhances KDR expression, contribute to sex-specific Sox9 expression in developing murine gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lina K Sciesielski
- Klinik für Neonatologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Holger Scholz
- Institut für Vegetative Physiologie, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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Lin YT, Barske L, DeFalco T, Capel B. Numb regulates somatic cell lineage commitment during early gonadogenesis in mice. Development 2017; 144:1607-1618. [PMID: 28360133 DOI: 10.1242/dev.149203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During early gonadogenesis, proliferating cells in the coelomic epithelium (CE) give rise to most of the somatic cells in both XX and XY gonads. Previous dye-labeling experiments showed that a single CE cell could give rise to additional CE cells and to both supporting and interstitial cell lineages, implying that cells in the CE domain are multipotent progenitors, and suggesting that an asymmetric division is involved in the acquisition of gonadal cell fates. We found that NUMB is asymmetrically localized in CE cells, suggesting that it might be involved. To test this hypothesis, we conditionally deleted Numb on a Numbl mutant background just prior to gonadogenesis. Mutant gonads showed a loss of cell polarity in the surface epithelial layers, large interior cell patches expressing the undifferentiated cell marker LHX9, and a loss of differentiated cells in somatic cell lineages. These results indicate that NUMB is necessary for establishing polarity in CE cells, and that asymmetric divisions resulting from CE polarity are required for commitment to differentiated somatic cell fates. Surprisingly, germ cells, which do not arise from the CE, were also affected in mutants, which may be a direct or indirect effect of loss of Numb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tzu Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lindsey Barske
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Tony DeFalco
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Zhao L, Arsenault M, Ng ET, Longmuss E, Chau TCY, Hartwig S, Koopman P. SOX4 regulates gonad morphogenesis and promotes male germ cell differentiation in mice. Dev Biol 2017; 423:46-56. [PMID: 28118982 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The group C SOX transcription factors SOX4, -11 and -12 play important and mutually overlapping roles in development of a number of organs. Here, we examined the role of SoxC genes during gonadal development in mice. All three genes were expressed in developing gonads of both sexes, predominantly in somatic cells, with Sox4 being most strongly expressed. Sox4 deficiency resulted in elongation of both ovaries and testes, and an increased number of testis cords. While female germ cells entered meiosis normally, male germ cells showed reduced levels of differentiation markers Nanos2 and Dnmt3l and increased levels of pluripotency genes Cripto and Nanog, suggesting that SOX4 may normally act to restrict the pluripotency period of male germ cells and ensure their proper differentiation. Finally, our data reveal that SOX4 (and, to a lesser extent, SOX11 and -12) repressed transcription of the sex-determining gene Sox9 via an upstream testis-specific enhancer core (TESCO) element in fetal gonads, raising the possibility that SOXC proteins may function as transcriptional repressors in a context-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Michel Arsenault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Ee Ting Ng
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Enya Longmuss
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tevin Chui-Ying Chau
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sunny Hartwig
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island,550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Gonen N, Quinn A, O’Neill HC, Koopman P, Lovell-Badge R. Normal Levels of Sox9 Expression in the Developing Mouse Testis Depend on the TES/TESCO Enhancer, but This Does Not Act Alone. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006520. [PMID: 28045957 PMCID: PMC5207396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
During mouse sex determination, transient expression of the Y-linked gene Sry up-regulates its direct target gene Sox9, via a 3.2 kb testis specific enhancer of Sox9 (TES), which includes a core 1.4 kb element, TESCO. SOX9 activity leads to differentiation of Sertoli cells, rather than granulosa cells from the bipotential supporting cell precursor lineage. Here, we present functional analysis of TES/TESCO, using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in mice. Deletion of TESCO or TES reduced Sox9 expression levels in XY fetal gonads to 60 or 45% respectively relative to wild type gonads, and reduced expression of the SOX9 target Amh. Although human patients heterozygous for null mutations in SOX9, which are assumed to have 50% of normal expression, often show XY female sex reversal, mice deleted for one copy of Sox9 do not. Consistent with this, we did not observe sex reversal in either TESCO-/- or TES-/- XY embryos or adult mice. However, embryos carrying both a conditional Sox9 null allele and the TES deletion developed ovotestes. Quantitative analysis of these revealed levels of 23% expression of Sox9 compared to wild type, and a significant increase in the expression of the granulosa cell marker Foxl2. This indicates that the threshold in mice where sex reversal begins to be seen is about half that of the ~50% levels predicted in humans. Our results demonstrate that TES/TESCO is a crucial enhancer regulating Sox9 expression in the gonad, but point to the existence of additional enhancers that act redundantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitzan Gonen
- The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Quinn
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Helen C. O’Neill
- The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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She ZY, Yang WX. Sry and SoxE genes: How they participate in mammalian sex determination and gonadal development? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 63:13-22. [PMID: 27481580 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, sex determination defines the differentiation of the bipotential genital ridge into either testes or ovaries. Sry, the mammalian Y-chromosomal testis-determining gene, is a master regulator of male sex determination. It acts to switch the undifferentiated genital ridge towards testis development, triggering the adoption of a male fate. Sry initiates a cascade of gene networks through the direct regulation of Sox9 expression and promotes supporting cell differentiation, Leydig cell specification, vasculature formation and testis cord development. In the absence of Sry, alternative genetic cascades, including female sex-determining genes RSPO1, Wnt4/β-catenin and Foxl2, are involved in the formation of female genitalia and the maintenance of female ovarian development. The mutual antagonisms between male and female sex-determining pathways are crucial in not just the initiation but also the maintenance of the somatic sex of the gonad throughout the organism's lifetime. Any imbalances in above sex-determining genes can cause disorders of sex development in humans and mice. In this review, we provide a detailed summary of the expression profiles, biochemical properties and developmental functions of Sry and SoxE genes in embryonic testis development and adult gonadal development. We also briefly summarize the dedicate balances between male and female sex-determining genes in mammalian sex development, with particular highlights on the molecular actions of Sry and Sox9 transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Yu She
- The Sperm Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Wan-Xi Yang
- The Sperm Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.
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Grinspon RP, Rey RA. Disorders of Sex Development with Testicular Differentiation in SRY-Negative 46,XX Individuals: Clinical and Genetic Aspects. Sex Dev 2016; 10:1-11. [PMID: 27055195 DOI: 10.1159/000445088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Virilisation of the XX foetus is the result of androgen excess, resulting most frequently from congenital adrenal hyperplasia in individuals with typical ovarian differentiation. In rare cases, 46,XX gonads may differentiate into testes, a condition known as 46,XX testicular disorders of sex development (DSD), or give rise to the coexistence of ovarian and testicular tissue, a condition known as 46,XX ovotesticular DSD. Testicular tissue differentiation may be due to the translocation of SRY to the X chromosome or an autosome. In the absence of SRY, overexpression of other pro-testis genes, e.g. SOX family genes, or failure of pro-ovarian/anti-testis genes, such as WNT4 and RSPO1, may underlie the development of testicular tissue. Recent experimental and clinical evidence giving insight into SRY-negative 46,XX testicular or ovotesticular DSD is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina P Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinolx00F3;gicas x2018;Dr. Cx00E9;sar Bergadx00E1;' (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-Divisix00F3;n de Endocrinologx00ED;a, Hospital de Nix00F1;os Ricardo Gutix00E9;rrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Warr N, Siggers P, Carré GA, Wells S, Greenfield A. Genetic Analyses Reveal Functions for MAP2K3 and MAP2K6 in Mouse Testis Determination. Biol Reprod 2016; 94:103. [PMID: 27009039 PMCID: PMC5842889 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.138057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Testis determination in mammals is initiated by expression of SRY in somatic cells of the embryonic gonad. Genetic analyses in the mouse have revealed a requirement for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in testis determination: targeted loss of the kinases MAP3K4 and p38 MAPK causes complete XY embryonic gonadal sex reversal. These kinases occupy positions at the top and bottom level, respectively, in the canonical threetier MAPK-signaling cascade: MAP3K, MAP2K, MAPK. To date, no role in sex determination has been attributed to a MAP2K, although such a function is predicted to exist. Here, we report roles for the kinases MAP2K3 and MAP2K6 in testis determination. C57BL/6J (B6) embryos lacking MAP2K3 exhibited no significant abnormalities of testis development, whilst those lacking MAP2K6 exhibited a minor delay in testis determination. Compound mutants lacking three out of four functional alleles at the two loci also exhibited delayed testis determination and transient ovotestis formation as a consequence, suggestive of partially redundant roles for these kinases in testis determination. Early lethality of double-knockout embryos precludes analysis of sexual development. To reveal their roles in testis determination more clearly, we generated Map2k mutant B6 embryos using a weaker Sry allele (SryAKR). Loss of Map2k3 on this highly sensitized background exacerbates ovotestis development, whilst loss of Map2k6 results in complete XY gonadal sex reversal associated with reduction of Sry expression at 11.25 days postcoitum. Our data suggest that MAP2K6 functions in mouse testis determination, via positive effects on Sry, and also indicate a minor role for MAP2K3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Warr
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Pam Siggers
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Gwenn-Aël Carré
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Wells
- The Mary Lyon Centre, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Greenfield
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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Carré GA, Greenfield A. The Gonadal Supporting Cell Lineage and Mammalian Sex Determination: The Differentiation of Sertoli and Granulosa Cells. Results Probl Cell Differ 2016; 58:47-66. [PMID: 27300175 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31973-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The supporting cell lineage plays a crucial role in nurturing the development of germ cells in the adult gonad. Sertoli cells in the testis support the progression of spermatogonial stem cells through meiosis to the production of motile spermatozoa. Granulosa cells, meanwhile, are a critical component of the ovarian follicle that produces the mature oocyte. It is a distinctive feature of the embryonic gonad that at least some of the supporting cells are derived from a single sexually bipotential precursor lineage. It is the commitment of this somatic lineage to either the Sertoli or granulosa cell fate that defines sex determination. In this chapter we review what is known about the key molecules responsible for this lineage decision in the developing mammalian gonads, relying primarily on data from studies of mice and humans. We focus on recent advances in our understanding of the mutually antagonistic interactions of testis- and ovary-determining pathways and their complexity as revealed by genetic analyses. For the sake of simplicity, we will deal with supporting cells in testis and ovary development in separate sections, but numerous points of contact exist between these accounts of gonadogenesis in male and female embryos, primarily due to the aforementioned mutual antagonisms. The final section will offer a brief synthesis of these organ-specific overviews and a summary of the key themes that emerge in this review of supporting cell differentiation in mammalian sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenn-Aël Carré
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Andy Greenfield
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK.
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Sanchez A, Amatruda JF. Zebrafish Germ Cell Tumors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 916:479-94. [PMID: 27165367 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30654-4_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are malignant cancers that arise from embryonic precursors known as Primordial Germ Cells. GCTs occur in neonates, children, adolescents and young adults and can occur in the testis, the ovary or extragonadal sites. Because GCTs arise from pluripotent cells, the tumors can exhibit a wide range of different histologies. Current cisplatin-based combination therapies cures most patients, however at the cost of significant toxicity to normal tissues. While GWAS studies and genomic analysis of human GCTs have uncovered somatic mutations and loci that might confer tumor susceptibility, little is still known about the exact mechanisms that drive tumor development, and animal models that faithfully recapitulate all the different GCT subtypes are lacking. Here, we summarize current understanding of germline development in humans and zebrafish, describe the biology of human germ cell tumors, and discuss progress and prospects for zebrafish GCT models that may contribute to better understanding of human GCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Sanchez
- Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - James F Amatruda
- Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Biology and Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Romereim SM, Cupp AS. Mesonephric Cell Migration into the Gonads and Vascularization Are Processes Crucial for Testis Development. Results Probl Cell Differ 2016; 58:67-100. [PMID: 27300176 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31973-5_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Testis morphogenesis requires the integration and reorganization of multiple cell types from several sources, one of the more notable being the mesonephric-derived cell population. One of the earliest sex-specific morphogenetic events in the gonad is a wave of endothelial cell migration from the mesonephros that is crucial for (1) partitioning the gonad into domains for testis cords, (2) providing the vasculature of the testis, and (3) signaling to cells both within the gonad and beyond it to coordinately regulate testis development. In addition to endothelial cell migration, there is evidence that precursors of peritubular myoid cells migrate from the mesonephros, an event which is also important for testis cord architecture. Investigation of the mesonephric cell migration event has utilized histology, lineage tracing with mouse genetic markers, and many studies of the signaling molecules/pathways involved. Some of the more well-studied signaling molecules involved include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and neurotrophins. In this chapter, the morphogenetic events, relevant signaling pathways, mechanisms underlying the migration, and the role of the migratory cells within the testis will be discussed. Overall, the migration of mesonephric cells into the early testis is indispensable for its development and future functionality.
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Understanding sex determination in the mouse: genetics, epigenetics and the story of mutual antagonisms. J Genet 2015; 94:585-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-015-0565-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Larney C, Bailey TL, Koopman P. Conservation analysis of sequences flanking the testis-determining gene Sry in 17 mammalian species. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 15:34. [PMID: 26444262 PMCID: PMC4595323 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-015-0085-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex determination in mammals requires expression of the Y-linked gene Sry in the bipotential genital ridges of the XY embryo. Even minor delay of the onset of Sry expression can result in XY sex reversal, highlighting the need for accurate gene regulation during sex determination. However, the location of critical regulatory elements remains unknown. Here, we analysed Sry flanking sequences across many species, using newly available genome sequences and computational tools, to better understand Sry's genomic context and to identify conserved regions predictive of functional roles. METHODS Flanking sequences from 17 species were analysed using both global and local sequence alignment methods. Multiple motif searches were employed to characterise common motifs in otherwise unconserved sequence. RESULTS We identified position-specific conservation of binding motifs for multiple transcription factor families, including GATA binding factors and Oct/Sox dimers. In contrast with the landscape of extremely low sequence conservation around the Sry coding region, our analysis highlighted a strongly conserved interval of ~106 bp within the Sry promoter (which we term the Sry Proximal Conserved Interval, SPCI). We further report that inverted repeats flanking murine Sry are much larger than previously recognised. CONCLUSIONS The unusually fast pace of sequence drift on the Y chromosome sharpens the likely functional significance of both the SPCI and the identified binding motifs, providing a basis for future studies of the role(s) of these elements in Sry regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Larney
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Timothy L Bailey
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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