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Marquardt RM, Nafiujjaman M, Kim TH, Chung SJ, Hadrick K, Kim T, Jeong JW. A Mouse Model of Endometriosis with Nanoparticle Labeling for In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:2947-2959. [PMID: 35641854 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00980-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a condition of the female reproductive tract characterized by endometrium-like tissue growing outside the uterus. Though it is a common cause of pelvic pain and infertility, there is currently no reliable noninvasive method to diagnose the presence of endometriosis without surgery, and the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to the occurrence of symptoms require further inquiry. Due to patient heterogeneity and delayed diagnosis, animal models are commonly used to study the development of endometriosis, but these are costly due to the large number of animals needed to test various treatments and experimental conditions at multiple endpoints. Here, we describe a method for synthesis of multimodal imaging gold-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) nanoparticles with preclinical application via induction of nanoparticle-labeled endometriosis-like lesions in mice. Labeling donor endometrial tissue fragments with gold-FITC nanoparticles prior to induction of endometriosis in recipients enables in vivo detection of the gold-labeled lesions with photoacoustic imaging. The same imaging method can be used to visualize embryos noninvasively in pregnant mice. Furthermore, the conjugated FITC dye on the gold nanoparticles allows easy isolation of labeled lesion tissue under a fluorescence dissection microscope. After dissection, the presence of gold-FITC nanoparticles and endometrium-like histology of lesions can be verified through fluorescence imaging, gold enhancement, and immunostaining. This method for in vivo imaging of endometriosis-like lesions and fluorescence-guided dissection will permit new experimental possibilities for the longitudinal study of endometriosis development and progression as well as endometriosis-related infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Marquardt
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Michigan State University, College of Natural Science, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Md Nafiujjaman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Tae Hoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Seock-Jin Chung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kay Hadrick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Taeho Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Jae-Wook Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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Kuan KKW, Saunders PTK. Female Reproductive Systems: Hormone Dependence and Receptor Expression. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1390:21-39. [PMID: 36107311 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11836-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The female reproductive system which consists of the ovaries, uterus (myometrium, endometrium), Fallopian tubes, cervix and vagina is exquisitely sensitive to the actions of steroid hormones. The ovaries play a key role in the synthesis of bioactive steroids (oestrogens, androgens, progestins) that act both within the tissue (intracrine/paracrine) as well as on other reproductive organs following release into the blood stream (endocrine action). Sex steroid receptors encoded by the oestrogen (ESR1, ESR2), progesterone (PR) and androgen (AR) receptor genes, which are members of the superfamily of ligand activated transcription factors are widely expressed within these tissues. These receptors play critical role(s) in regulation of cell proliferation, ovulation, endometrial receptivity, myometrial cell function and inflammatory cell infiltration. Our understanding of their importance has been informed by studies on human tissues and cells, which have employed immunohistochemistry as well as a wide range of molecular and genetic methods to identify which processes are dependent steroid ligand activation. The development of mice with targeted deletions of each of these receptors has provided complementary data that has extended our appreciation of cell-cell interactions in the fine tuning of reproductive tissue function. This large body of work has formed the basis of new and improved therapeutics to treat conditions such as infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin K W Kuan
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Saunders PT, Horne AW. Endometriosis: Etiology, pathobiology, and therapeutic prospects. Cell 2021; 184:2807-2824. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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