1
|
Gu R, Wu T, Fu J, Sun YJ, Sun XX. Advances in the genetic etiology of female infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024:10.1007/s10815-024-03248-w. [PMID: 39320554 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03248-w] [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: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Human reproduction is a complex process involving gamete maturation, fertilization, embryo cleavage and development, blastocyst formation, implantation, and live birth. If any of these processes are abnormal or arrest, reproductive failure will occur. Infertility is a state of reproductive dysfunction caused by various factors. Advances in molecular genetics, including cell and molecular genetics, and high-throughput sequencing technologies, have found that genetic factors are important causes of infertility. Genetic variants have been identified in infertile women or men and can cause gamete maturation arrest, poor quality gametes, fertilization failure, and embryonic developmental arrest during assisted reproduction technology (ART), and thus reduce the clinical success rates of ART. This article reviews clinical studies on repeated in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) failures caused by ovarian dysfunction, oocyte maturation defects, oocyte abnormalities, fertilization disorders, and preimplantation embryonic development arrest due to female genetic etiology, the accumulation of pathogenic genes and gene pathogenic loci, and the functional mechanism and clinical significance of pathogenic genes in gametogenesis and early embryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruihuan Gu
- Department of Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 352 Dalin Road, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Tianyu Wu
- Institute of Pediatrics, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institutes of BiomedicalSciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jing Fu
- Department of Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 352 Dalin Road, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yi-Juan Sun
- Department of Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 352 Dalin Road, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Xiao-Xi Sun
- Department of Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 352 Dalin Road, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Anvar Z, Jochum MD, Chakchouk I, Sharif M, Demond H, To AK, Kraushaar DC, Wan YW, Andrews S, Kelsey G, Veyver IB. Maternal loss-of-function of Nlrp2 results in failure of epigenetic reprogramming in mouse oocytes. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4457414. [PMID: 38883732 PMCID: PMC11177987 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4457414/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Background NLRP2 belongs to the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) of mammalian oocytes and preimplantation embryos. This multiprotein complex, encoded by maternal-effect genes, plays a pivotal role in the zygote-to-embryo transition, early embryogenesis, and epigenetic (re)programming. The maternal inactivation of genes encoding SCMC proteins has been linked to infertility and subfertility in mice and humans. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms for the diverse functions of the SCMC, particularly how this cytoplasmic structure influences DNA methylation, which is a nuclear process, are not fully understood. Results We undertook joint transcriptome and DNA methylome profiling of pre-ovulatory germinal-vesicle oocytes from Nlrp2-null, heterozygous (Het), and wild-type (WT) female mice. We identified numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Het and Nlrp2-null when compared to WT oocytes. The genes for several crucial factors involved in oocyte transcriptome modulation and epigenetic reprogramming, such as DNMT1, UHRF1, KDM1B and ZFP57 were overexpressed in Het and Nlrp2-null oocytes. Absence or reduction of Nlrp2, did not alter the distinctive global DNA methylation landscape of oocytes, including the bimodal pattern of the oocyte methylome. Additionally, although the methylation profile of germline differentially methylated regions (gDMRs) of imprinted genes was preserved in oocytes of Het and Nlrp2-null mice, we found altered methylation in oocytes of both genotypes at a small percentage of the oocyte-characteristic hyper- and hypomethylated domains. Through a tiling approach, we identified specific DNA methylation differences between the genotypes, with approximately 1.3% of examined tiles exhibiting differential methylation in Het and Nlrp2-null compared to WT oocytes. Conclusions Surprisingly, considering the well-known correlation between transcription and DNA methylation in developing oocytes, we observed no correlation between gene expression differences and gene-body DNA methylation differences in Nlrp2-null versus WT oocytes or Het versus WT oocytes. We therefore conclude that post-transcriptional changes in the stability of transcripts rather than altered transcription is primarily responsible for transcriptome differences in Nlrp2-null and Het oocytes.
Collapse
|
3
|
Veraguas-Dávila D, Zapata-Rojas C, Aguilera C, Saéz-Ruiz D, Saravia F, Castro FO, Rodriguez-Alvarez L. Proteomic Analysis of Domestic Cat Blastocysts and Their Secretome Produced in an In Vitro Culture System without the Presence of the Zona Pellucida. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4343. [PMID: 38673927 PMCID: PMC11050229 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084343] [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: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Domestic cat blastocysts cultured without the zona pellucida exhibit reduced implantation capacity. However, the protein expression profile has not been evaluated in these embryos. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protein expression profile of domestic cat blastocysts cultured without the zona pellucida. Two experimental groups were generated: (1) domestic cat embryos generated by IVF and cultured in vitro (zona intact, (ZI)) and (2) domestic cat embryos cultured in vitro without the zona pellucida (zona-free (ZF group)). The cleavage, morula, and blastocyst rates were estimated at days 2, 5 and 7, respectively. Day 7 blastocysts and their culture media were subjected to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The UniProt Felis catus database was used to identify the standard proteome. No significant differences were found in the cleavage, morula, or blastocyst rates between the ZI and ZF groups (p > 0.05). Proteomic analysis revealed 22 upregulated and 20 downregulated proteins in the ZF blastocysts. Furthermore, 14 proteins involved in embryo development and implantation were present exclusively in the culture medium of the ZI blastocysts. In conclusion, embryo culture without the zona pellucida did not affect in vitro development, but altered the protein expression profile and release of domestic cat blastocysts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Veraguas-Dávila
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Km 6 Los Niches, Curicó 3340000, Chile
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| | - Camila Zapata-Rojas
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| | - Constanza Aguilera
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences, San Sebastián University, Concepción 4081339, Chile;
| | - Darling Saéz-Ruiz
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| | - Fernando Saravia
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| | - Fidel Ovidio Castro
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| | - Lleretny Rodriguez-Alvarez
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillan 3780000, Chile; (C.Z.-R.); (D.S.-R.); (F.S.); (F.O.C.); (L.R.-A.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Latorraca LB, Galvão A, Rabaglino MB, D'Augero JM, Kelsey G, Fair T. Single-cell profiling reveals transcriptome dynamics during bovine oocyte growth. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:335. [PMID: 38580918 PMCID: PMC10998374 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10234-0] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammalian follicle development is characterized by extensive changes in morphology, endocrine responsiveness, and function, providing the optimum environment for oocyte growth, development, and resumption of meiosis. In cattle, the first signs of transcription activation in the oocyte are observed in the secondary follicle, later than during mouse and human oogenesis. While many studies have generated extensive datasets characterizing gene expression in bovine oocytes, they are mostly limited to the analysis of fully grown and matured oocytes. The aim of the present study was to apply single-cell RNA sequencing to interrogate the transcriptome of the growing bovine oocyte from the secondary follicle stage through to the mid-antral follicle stage. RESULTS Single-cell RNA-seq libraries were generated from oocytes of known diameters (< 60 to > 120 μm), and datasets were binned into non-overlapping size groups for downstream analysis. Combining the results of weighted gene co-expression network and Trendy analyses, and differently expressed genes (DEGs) between size groups, we identified a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation and an increase in maternal -genes and transcription regulators across the bovine oocyte growth phase. In addition, around 5,000 genes did not change in expression, revealing a cohort of stable genes. An interesting switch in gene expression profile was noted in oocytes greater than 100 μm in diameter, when the expression of genes related to cytoplasmic activities was replaced by genes related to nuclear activities (e.g., chromosome segregation). The highest number of DEGs were detected in the comparison of oocytes 100-109 versus 110-119 μm in diameter, revealing a profound change in the molecular profile of oocytes at the end of their growth phase. CONCLUSIONS The current study provides a unique dataset of the key genes and pathways characteristic of each stage of oocyte development, contributing an important resource for a greater understanding of bovine oogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - António Galvão
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Maria Belen Rabaglino
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gavin Kelsey
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, Cambridge, UK
| | - Trudee Fair
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Senaldi L, Hassan N, Cullen S, Balaji U, Trigg N, Gu J, Finkelstein H, Phillips K, Conine C, Smith-Raska M. Khdc3 Regulates Metabolism Across Generations in a DNA-Independent Manner. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.27.582278. [PMID: 38464133 PMCID: PMC10925209 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.27.582278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Genetic variants can alter the profile of heritable molecules such as small RNAs in sperm and oocytes, and in this manner ancestral genetic variants can have a significant effect on offspring phenotypes even if they are not themselves inherited. Here we show that wild type female mice descended from ancestors with a mutation in the mammalian germ cell gene Khdc3 have hepatic metabolic defects that persist over multiple generations. We find that genetically wild type females descended from Khdc3 mutants have transcriptional dysregulation of critical hepatic metabolic genes, which persist over multiple generations and pass through both female and male lineages. This was associated with dysregulation of hepatically-metabolized molecules in the blood of these wild type mice with mutational ancestry. The oocytes of Khdc3-null females, as well as their wild type descendants, had dysregulation of multiple small RNAs, suggesting that these epigenetic changes in the gametes transmit the phenotype between generations. Our results demonstrate that ancestral mutation in Khdc3 can produce transgenerational inherited phenotypes, potentially indefinitely.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liana Senaldi
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nora Hassan
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sean Cullen
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Uthra Balaji
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie Trigg
- Departments of Genetics and Paediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jinghua Gu
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hailey Finkelstein
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn Phillips
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Colin Conine
- Departments of Genetics and Paediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Smith-Raska
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang T, Xing F, Qu M, Yang Z, Liu Y, Yao Y, Xing N. NLRP2 in health and disease. Immunology 2024; 171:170-180. [PMID: 37735978 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13699] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
NLR family pyrin domain containing 2 (NLRP2) is a novel member of the Nod-like receptor (NLR) family. However, our understanding of NLRP2 has long been ambiguous. NLRP2 may have a role in the innate immune response, but its 'specific' functions remain controversial. Although NLRP2 can initiate inflammasome and promote inflammation, it can also downregulate inflammatory signals. Additionally, NLRP2 has been reported to function in the reproductive system and shows high expression in the placenta. However, the exact role of NLRP2 in the reproductive system is unclear. Here, we highlight the most current progress on NLRP2 in inflammasome activation, effector function and regulation of nuclear factor-κB. And we discuss functions of NLRP2 in inflammatory diseases, reproductive disorders and the potential implication of NLRP2 in human diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Fei Xing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Province International Joint Laboratory of Pain, Cognition and Emotion, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Mingcui Qu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhihu Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yafei Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yongchao Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Na Xing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Province International Joint Laboratory of Pain, Cognition and Emotion, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wei Y, Wang J, Qu R, Zhang W, Tan Y, Sha Y, Li L, Yin T. Genetic mechanisms of fertilization failure and early embryonic arrest: a comprehensive review. Hum Reprod Update 2024; 30:48-80. [PMID: 37758324 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmad026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility and pregnancy loss are longstanding problems. Successful fertilization and high-quality embryos are prerequisites for an ongoing pregnancy. Studies have proven that every stage in the human reproductive process is regulated by multiple genes and any problem, at any step, may lead to fertilization failure (FF) or early embryonic arrest (EEA). Doctors can diagnose the pathogenic factors involved in FF and EEA by using genetic methods. With the progress in the development of new genetic technologies, such as single-cell RNA analysis and whole-exome sequencing, a new approach has opened up for us to directly study human germ cells and reproductive development. These findings will help us to identify the unique mechanism(s) that leads to FF and EEA in order to find potential treatments. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The goal of this review is to compile current genetic knowledge related to FF and EEA, clarifying the mechanisms involved and providing clues for clinical diagnosis and treatment. SEARCH METHODS PubMed was used to search for relevant research articles and reviews, primarily focusing on English-language publications from January 1978 to June 2023. The search terms included fertilization failure, early embryonic arrest, genetic, epigenetic, whole-exome sequencing, DNA methylation, chromosome, non-coding RNA, and other related keywords. Additional studies were identified by searching reference lists. This review primarily focuses on research conducted in humans. However, it also incorporates relevant data from animal models when applicable. The results were presented descriptively, and individual study quality was not assessed. OUTCOMES A total of 233 relevant articles were included in the final review, from 3925 records identified initially. The review provides an overview of genetic factors and mechanisms involved in the human reproductive process. The genetic mutations and other genetic mechanisms of FF and EEA were systematically reviewed, for example, globozoospermia, oocyte activation failure, maternal effect gene mutations, zygotic genome activation abnormalities, chromosome abnormalities, and epigenetic abnormalities. Additionally, the review summarizes progress in treatments for different gene defects, offering new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The information provided in this review will facilitate the development of more accurate molecular screening tools for diagnosing infertility using genetic markers and networks in human reproductive development. The findings will also help guide clinical practice by identifying appropriate interventions based on specific gene mutations. For example, when an individual has obvious gene mutations related to FF, ICSI is recommended instead of IVF. However, in the case of genetic defects such as phospholipase C zeta1 (PLCZ1), actin-like7A (ACTL7A), actin-like 9 (ACTL9), and IQ motif-containing N (IQCN), ICSI may also fail to fertilize. We can consider artificial oocyte activation technology with ICSI to improve fertilization rate and reduce monetary and time costs. In the future, fertility is expected to be improved or restored by interfering with or supplementing the relevant genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiu Wei
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingxuan Wang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Qu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weiqian Zhang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiling Tan
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanwei Sha
- Department of Andrology, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Research, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lin Li
- Central Laboratory, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tailang Yin
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Williams JPC, Walport LJ. PADI6: What we know about the elusive fifth member of the peptidyl arginine deiminase family. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220242. [PMID: 37778376 PMCID: PMC10542454 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptidyl arginine deiminase 6 (PADI6) is a maternal factor that is vital for early embryonic development. Deletion and mutations of its encoding gene in female mice or women lead to early embryonic developmental arrest, female infertility, maternal imprinting defects and hyperproliferation of the trophoblast. PADI6 is the fifth and least well-characterized member of the peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADIs), which catalyse the post-translational conversion of arginine to citrulline. It is less conserved than the other PADIs, and currently has no reported catalytic activity. While there are many suggested functions of PADI6 in the early mouse embryo, including in embryonic genome activation, cytoplasmic lattice formation, maternal mRNA and ribosome regulation, and organelle distribution, the molecular mechanisms of its function remain unknown. In this review, we discuss what is known about the function of PADI6 and highlight key outstanding questions that must be answered if we are to understand the crucial role it plays in early embryo development and female fertility. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'The virtues and vices of protein citrullination'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Louise J. Walport
- Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ozturk S. Genetic variants underlying developmental arrests in human preimplantation embryos. Mol Hum Reprod 2023; 29:gaad024. [PMID: 37335858 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental arrest in preimplantation embryos is one of the major causes of assisted reproduction failure. It is briefly defined as a delay or a failure of embryonic development in producing viable embryos during ART cycles. Permanent or partial developmental arrest can be observed in the human embryos from one-cell to blastocyst stages. These arrests mainly arise from different molecular biological defects, including epigenetic disturbances, ART processes, and genetic variants. Embryonic arrests were found to be associated with a number of variants in the genes playing key roles in embryonic genome activation, mitotic divisions, subcortical maternal complex formation, maternal mRNA clearance, repairing DNA damage, transcriptional, and translational controls. In this review, the biological impacts of these variants are comprehensively evaluated in the light of existing studies. The creation of diagnostic gene panels and potential ways of preventing developmental arrests to obtain competent embryos are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saffet Ozturk
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Trapphoff T, Dieterle S. Cryopreservation of Ovarian and Testicular Tissue and the Influence on Epigenetic Pattern. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11061. [PMID: 37446239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) or testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC) are effective and often the only options for fertility preservation in female or male patients due to oncological, medical, or social aspects. While TTC and resumption of spermatogenesis, either in vivo or in vitro, has still be considered an experimental approach in humans, OTC and autotransplantation has been applied increasingly to preserve fertility, with more than 200 live births worldwide. However, the cryopreservation of reproductive cells followed by the resumption of gametogenesis, either in vivo or in vitro, may interfere with sensitive and highly regulated cellular processes. In particular, the epigenetic profile, which includes not just reversible modifications of the DNA itself but also post-translational histone modifications, small non-coding RNAs, gene expression and availability, and storage of related proteins or transcripts, have to be considered in this context. Due to complex reprogramming and maintenance mechanisms of the epigenome in germ cells, growing embryos, and offspring, OTC and TTC are carried out at very critical moments early in the life cycle. Given this background, the safety of OTC and TTC, taking into account the epigenetic profile, has to be clarified. Cryopreservation of mature germ cells (including metaphase II oocytes and mature spermatozoa collected via ejaculation or more invasively after testicular biopsy) or embryos has been used successfully for many years in medically assisted reproduction (MAR). However, tissue freezing followed by in vitro or in vivo gametogenesis has become more attractive in the past, while few human studies have analysed the epigenetic effects, with most data deriving from animal studies. In this review, we highlight the potential influence of the cryopreservation of immature germ cells and subsequent in vivo or in vitro growth and differentiation on the epigenetic profile (including DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and the abundance and availability of relevant transcripts and proteins) in humans and animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Dieterle
- Dortmund Fertility Centre, 44135 Dortmund, Germany
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Witten/Herdecke University, 44135 Dortmund, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lledo B, Marco A, Morales R, Ortiz JA, García-Hernández E, Lozano FM, Cascales A, Guerrero J, Bernabeu A, Bernabeu R. Identification of novel candidate genes associated with meiotic aneuploidy in human embryos by whole-exome sequencing. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:1755-1763. [PMID: 37171739 PMCID: PMC10352178 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02825-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify novel genetic variants responsible for meiotic embryonic aneuploidy. METHODS A prospective observational cohort study that included 29 couples who underwent trophectoderm biopsies from 127 embryos and performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) between November 2019 and March 2022. Patients were divided into two groups according to the expected embryo aneuploidy rate based on maternal age. RESULTS After variant filtering in the WES analysis of 58 patients/donors, five heterozygous variants were identified in female partners from the study group that had an impact on embryo aneuploidy. Additionally, a slowdown in embryo development and a decrease in the number of blastocysts available for biopsy were observed in the study group embryos. CONCLUSION This study has identified new candidate genes and variants not previously associated with meiotic embryo aneuploidy, but which are involved in important biological processes related to cell division and chromosome segregation. WES may be an efficient tool to identify patients with a higher-than-expected risk of embryo aneuploidy based on maternal age and allow for individualized genetic counselling prior to treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Lledo
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain.
| | - A Marco
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | - R Morales
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | - J A Ortiz
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | | | - F M Lozano
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | - A Cascales
- Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | - J Guerrero
- Instituto Bernabeu of Fertility and Gynaecology, 03016, Alicante, Spain
| | - A Bernabeu
- Instituto Bernabeu of Fertility and Gynaecology, 03016, Alicante, Spain
- Cátedra de Medicina Comunitaria y Salud Reproductiva, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain
| | - R Bernabeu
- Instituto Bernabeu of Fertility and Gynaecology, 03016, Alicante, Spain
- Cátedra de Medicina Comunitaria y Salud Reproductiva, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ducreux B, Barberet J, Guilleman M, Pérez-Palacios R, Teissandier A, Bourc’his D, Fauque P. Assessing the influence of distinct culture media on human pre-implantation development using single-embryo transcriptomics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1155634. [PMID: 37435029 PMCID: PMC10330962 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1155634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of assisted reproductive technologies is consistently rising across the world. However, making an informed choice on which embryo culture medium should be preferred to ensure satisfactory pregnancy rates and the health of future children critically lacks scientific background. In particular, embryos within their first days of development are highly sensitive to their micro-environment, and it is unknown how their transcriptome adapts to different embryo culture compositions. Here, we determined the impact of culture media composition on gene expression in human pre-implantation embryos. By employing single-embryo RNA-sequencing after 2 or 5 days of the post-fertilization culture in different commercially available media (Ferticult, Global, and SSM), we revealed medium-specific differences in gene expression changes. Embryos cultured pre-compaction until day 2 in Ferticult or Global media notably displayed 266 differentially expressed genes, which were related to essential developmental pathways. Herein, 19 of them could have a key role in early development, based on their previously described dynamic expression changes across development. When embryos were cultured after day 2 in the same media considered more suitable because of its amino acid enrichment, 18 differentially expressed genes thought to be involved in the transition from early to later embryonic stages were identified. Overall, the differences were reduced at the blastocyst stage, highlighting the ability of embryos conceived in a suboptimal in vitro culture medium to mitigate the transcriptomic profile acquired under different pre-compaction environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bastien Ducreux
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
| | - Julie Barberet
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
| | - Magali Guilleman
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
| | - Raquel Pérez-Palacios
- Departamento de Anatomía, Embriología y Genética Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | | | - Patricia Fauque
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sahin GN, Yildirim RM, Seli E. Embryonic arrest: causes and implications. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2023; 35:184-192. [PMID: 37039141 DOI: 10.1097/gco.0000000000000871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Embryonic arrest is a key determinant of the number of euploid blastocysts obtained after IVF. Here, we review factors that are implicated in the developmental arrest of preimplantation embryos and their relevance for assisted reproduction outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Among the treatment options available to infertile women, IVF is the one associated with most favorable outcomes. The cumulative pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF are determined by aneuploidy rate (age), ovarian response to stimulation (ovarian reserve), and the rate of embryo developmental arrest. Mutations in maternal effect genes, especially those encoding for subcortical maternal complex, have been implicated in human embryo developmental arrest. In addition, perturbation of biological processes, such as mitochondrial unfolded protein response and long noncoding RNA regulatory pathways, may play a role. However, how each of these factors contributes to embryos' arrest in different cohorts and age groups has not been determined. SUMMARY Arrest of human embryos during preimplantation development is a common occurrence and is partly responsible for the limited number of euploid blastocysts obtained in assisted reproduction cycles. Although genetic and metabolic causes have been implicated, the mechanisms responsible for human embryo developmental arrest remain poorly characterized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gizem N Sahin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Raziye M Yildirim
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Emre Seli
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- IVIRMA New Jersey, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Latham KE. Preimplantation embryo gene expression: 56 years of discovery, and counting. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:169-200. [PMID: 36812478 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23676] [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: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The biology of preimplantation embryo gene expression began 56 years ago with studies of the effects of protein synthesis inhibition and discovery of changes in embryo metabolism and related enzyme activities. The field accelerated rapidly with the emergence of embryo culture systems and progressively evolving methodologies that have allowed early questions to be re-addressed in new ways and in greater detail, leading to deeper understanding and progressively more targeted studies to discover ever more fine details. The advent of technologies for assisted reproduction, preimplantation genetic testing, stem cell manipulations, artificial gametes, and genetic manipulation, particularly in experimental animal models and livestock species, has further elevated the desire to understand preimplantation development in greater detail. The questions that drove enquiry from the earliest years of the field remain drivers of enquiry today. Our understanding of the crucial roles of oocyte-expressed RNA and proteins in early embryos, temporal patterns of embryonic gene expression, and mechanisms controlling embryonic gene expression has increased exponentially over the past five and a half decades as new analytical methods emerged. This review combines early and recent discoveries on gene regulation and expression in mature oocytes and preimplantation stage embryos to provide a comprehensive understanding of preimplantation embryo biology and to anticipate exciting future advances that will build upon and extend what has been discovered so far.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keith E Latham
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.,Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mu J, Zhou Z, Sang Q, Wang L. The physiological and pathological mechanisms of early embryonic development. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 2:859-872. [PMID: 38933386 PMCID: PMC11197659 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.08.011] [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: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early embryonic development is a complex process. The zygote undergoes several rounds of division to form a blastocyst, and during this process, the zygote undergoes the maternal-to-zygotic transition to gain control of embryonic development and makes two cell fate decisions to differentiate into an embryonic and two extra-embryonic lineages. With the use of new molecular biotechnologies and animal models, we can now further study the molecular mechanisms of early embryonic development and the pathological causes of early embryonic arrest. Here, we first summarize the known molecular regulatory mechanisms of early embryonic development in mice. Then we discuss the pathological factors leading to the early embryonic arrest. We hope that this review will give researchers a relatively complete view of the physiology and pathology of early embryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Mu
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qing Sang
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lei Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chen F, Ma B, Lin Y, Luo X, Xu T, Zhang Y, Chen F, Li Y, Zhang Y, Luo B, Zhang Q, Xie X. Comparative maternal protein profiling of mouse biparental and uniparental embryos. Gigascience 2022; 11:6691138. [PMID: 36056732 PMCID: PMC9440387 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal proteins have important roles during early embryonic development. However, our understanding of maternal proteins is still very limited. The integrated analysis of mouse uniparental (parthenogenetic) and biparental (fertilized) embryos at the protein level creates a protein expression landscape that can be used to explore preimplantation mouse development. Results Using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, we report on the maternal proteome of mouse parthenogenetic embryos at pronucleus, 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages and highlight dynamic changes in protein expression. In addition, comparison of proteomic profiles of parthenogenotes and fertilized embryos highlights the different fates of maternal proteins. Enrichment analysis uncovered a set of maternal proteins that are strongly correlated with the subcortical maternal complex, and we report that in parthenogenotes, some of these maternal proteins escape the fate of protein degradation. Moreover, we identified a new maternal factor-Fbxw24, and highlight its importance in early embryonic development. We report that Fbxw24 interacts with Ddb1-Cul4b and may regulate maternal protein degradation in mouse. Conclusions Our study provides an invaluable resource for mechanistic analysis of maternal proteins and highlights the role of the novel maternal factor Fbw24 in regulating maternal protein degradation during preimplantation embryo development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumei Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Buguo Ma
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Yongda Lin
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Xin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Fang Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Yanfei Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Yaoyao Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Qingmei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxun Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China.,Central Laboratory, School of Pre-Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Alves AAC, da Costa RM, Fonseca LFS, Carvalheiro R, Ventura RV, Rosa GJDM, Albuquerque LG. A Random Forest-Based Genome-Wide Scan Reveals Fertility-Related Candidate Genes and Potential Inter-Chromosomal Epistatic Regions Associated With Age at First Calving in Nellore Cattle. Front Genet 2022; 13:834724. [PMID: 35692843 PMCID: PMC9178659 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.834724] [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: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to perform a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) using the Random Forest (RF) approach for scanning candidate genes for age at first calving (AFC) in Nellore cattle. Additionally, potential epistatic effects were investigated using linear mixed models with pairwise interactions between all markers with high importance scores within the tree ensemble non-linear structure. Data from Nellore cattle were used, including records of animals born between 1984 and 2015 and raised in commercial herds located in different regions of Brazil. The estimated breeding values (EBV) were computed and used as the response variable in the genomic analyses. After quality control, the remaining number of animals and SNPs considered were 3,174 and 360,130, respectively. Five independent RF analyses were carried out, considering different initialization seeds. The importance score of each SNP was averaged across the independent RF analyses to rank the markers according to their predictive relevance. A total of 117 SNPs associated with AFC were identified, which spanned 10 autosomes (2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 24, and 25). In total, 23 non-overlapping genomic regions embedded 262 candidate genes for AFC. Enrichment analysis and previous evidence in the literature revealed that many candidate genes annotated close to the lead SNPs have key roles in fertility, including embryo pre-implantation and development, embryonic viability, male germinal cell maturation, and pheromone recognition. Furthermore, some genomic regions previously associated with fertility and growth traits in Nellore cattle were also detected in the present study, reinforcing the effectiveness of RF for pre-screening candidate regions associated with complex traits. Complementary analyses revealed that many SNPs top-ranked in the RF-based GWAS did not present a strong marginal linear effect but are potentially involved in epistatic hotspots between genomic regions in different autosomes, remarkably in the BTAs 3, 5, 11, and 21. The reported results are expected to enhance the understanding of genetic mechanisms involved in the biological regulation of AFC in this cattle breed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Antonio Carvalho Alves
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Rebeka Magalhães da Costa
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Larissa Fernanda Simielli Fonseca
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Roberto Carvalheiro
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil.,National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Vieira Ventura
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | | | - Lucia Galvão Albuquerque
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil.,National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Capalbo A, Buonaiuto S, Figliuzzi M, Damaggio G, Girardi L, Caroselli S, Poli M, Patassini C, Cetinkaya M, Yuksel B, Azad A, Grøndahl M, Hoffmann E, Simón C, Colonna V, Kahraman S. A standardized approach for case selection and genomic data analysis of maternal exomes for the diagnosis of oocyte maturation and early embryonic developmental arrest in IVF. Reprod Biomed Online 2022; 45:508-518. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
19
|
Bebbere D, Coticchio G, Borini A, Ledda S. Oocyte aging: looking beyond chromosome segregation errors. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:793-800. [PMID: 35212880 PMCID: PMC9051005 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02441-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The age-associated decline in female fertility is largely ascribable to a decrease in oocyte quality. This phenomenon is multifaceted and influenced by numerous interconnected maternal and environmental factors. An increase in the rate of meiotic errors is the major cause of the decline in oocyte developmental competence. However, abnormalities in the ooplasm accumulating with age - including altered metabolism, organelle dysfunction, and aberrant gene regulation - progressively undermine oocyte quality. Stockpiling of maternal macromolecules during folliculogenesis is crucial, as oocyte competence to achieve maturation, fertilization, and the earliest phases of embryo development occur in absence of transcription. At the same time, crucial remodeling of oocyte epigenetics during oogenesis is potentially exposed to interfering factors, such as assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) or environmental changes, whose impact may be enhanced by reproductive aging. As the effects of maternal aging on molecular mechanisms governing the function of the human oocyte remain poorly understood, studies in animal models are essential to deepen current understanding, with translational implications for human ARTs. The present mini review aims at offering an updated and consistent view of cytoplasmic alterations occurring in oocytes during aging, focusing particularly on gene and epigenetic regulation. Appreciation of these mechanisms could inspire solutions to mitigate/control the phenomenon, and thus benefit modern ARTs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Bebbere
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
| | | | | | - Sergio Ledda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Innocenti F, Fiorentino G, Cimadomo D, Soscia D, Garagna S, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Zuccotti M. Maternal effect factors that contribute to oocytes developmental competence: an update. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:861-871. [PMID: 35165782 PMCID: PMC9051001 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02434-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte developmental competence is defined as the capacity of the female gamete to be fertilized and sustain development to the blastocyst stage. Epigenetic reprogramming, a correct cell division pattern, and an efficient DNA damage response are all critical events that, before embryonic genome activation, are governed by maternally inherited factors such as maternal-effect gene (MEG) products. Although these molecules are stored inside the oocyte until ovulation and exert their main role during fertilization and preimplantation development, some of them are already functioning during folliculogenesis and oocyte meiosis resumption. This mini review summarizes the crucial roles played by MEGs during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and preimplantation development with a direct/indirect effect on the acquisition or maintenance of oocyte competence. Our aim is to inspire future research on a topic with potential clinical perspectives for the prediction and treatment of female infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Innocenti
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Fiorentino
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
| | - Daria Soscia
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Garagna
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura Rienzi
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Zuccotti
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Huang X, Sun Q, Chen D, Yang W, Zhang J, Liu R, Zhang P, Huang L, Zhang M, Fu Q. Nlrp5 and Tle6 expression patterns in buffalo oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Reprod Domest Anim 2022; 57:481-488. [PMID: 35044003 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14084] [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: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Maternal-effect genes (MEGs) accumulate in oocytes during oogenesis and mediate the preimplantation embryo developmental program until activation of the zygote genome. Nlrp5 and Tle6 are required for normal preimplantation and embryonic development. However, the precise function of these MEGs in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to characterize Nlrp5 and Tle6 sequences, and analyze their mRNA and protein expression patterns in somatic tissues, oocytes, and preimplantation embryos of buffalo. The coding sequences of each gene were successfully cloned and characterized. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR results revealed an absence of Nlrp5 or Tle6 transcripts in somatic tissues, with the exception of ovary. Expression levels of Nlrp5 and Tle6 in oocytes increased from the germinal vesicle stage to metaphase II stage, and then gradually decreased during morula and blastocyst stages. Protein expression patterns were confirmed by immunofluorescence analysis. This study lays a foundation for further validation of the function of MEGs in buffalo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Qinqiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Dongrong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Weihan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Junjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Runfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Liangfeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| | - Qiang Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Agro-Bioresource Conservation and Utilization, Nanning, Guangxi Province, P. R. China, 530004
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sazhenova EA, Nikitina TV, Vasilyev SA, Tolmacheva EN, Vasilyeva OY, Markov AV, Yuryev SY, Skryabin NA, Zarubin AA, Kolesnikov NA, Stepanov VA, Lebedev IN. NLRP7 variants in spontaneous abortions with multilocus imprinting disturbances from women with recurrent pregnancy loss. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:2893-2908. [PMID: 34554362 PMCID: PMC8608992 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02312-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Comparative analysis of multilocus imprinting disturbances (MLIDs) in miscarriages from women with sporadic (SPL) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and identification of variants in the imprinting control gene NLRP7 that may lead to MLIDs. METHODS Chorionic cytotrophoblast and extraembryonic mesoderm samples from first-trimester miscarriages were evaluated in 120 women with RPL and 134 women with SPL; 100 induced abortions were analyzed as a control group. All miscarriages had a normal karyotype. Epimutations in 7 imprinted genes were detected using methyl-specific PCR and confirmed with DNA pyrosequencing. Sequencing of all 13 exons and adjusted intron regions of the NLRP7 gene was performed. RESULTS Epimutations in imprinted genes were more frequently detected (p < 0.01) in the placental tissues of miscarriages from women with RPL (7.1%) than in those of women with SPL (2.7%). The predominant epimutation was postzygotic hypomethylation of maternal alleles of imprinted genes (RPL, 5.0%; SPL, 2.1%; p < 0.01). The frequency of MLID was higher among miscarriages from women with RPL than among miscarriages from women with SPL (1.7% and 0.4%, respectively, p < 0.01). Variants in NLRP7 were detected only in miscarriages from women with RPL. An analysis of the parental origin of NLRP7 variants revealed heterozygous carriers in families with RPL who exhibited spontaneous abortions with MLIDs and compound heterozygosity for NLRP7 variants. CONCLUSION RPL is associated with NLRP7 variants that lead to germinal and postzygotic MLIDs that are incompatible with normal embryo development. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena A Sazhenova
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia.
| | - Tatyana V Nikitina
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Stanislav A Vasilyev
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina N Tolmacheva
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Oksana Yu Vasilyeva
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Anton V Markov
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | | | - Nikolay A Skryabin
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Alexey A Zarubin
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Nikita A Kolesnikov
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Vadim A Stepanov
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Igor N Lebedev
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ushaika str., 10, Tomsk, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
3D Liquid Marble Microbioreactors Support In Vitro Maturation of Prepubertal Ovine Oocytes and Affect Expression of Oocyte-Specific Factors. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10111101. [PMID: 34827093 PMCID: PMC8614943 DOI: 10.3390/biology10111101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Oocyte in vitro maturation has broad potential for generating embryos for research and for application of assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro embryo production. In human, the possibility to efficiently mature oocytes in vitro would solve the reproductive problems of patients with special diseases. Nevertheless, the developmental ability of in vitro matured oocytes is currently lower than those matured in vivo. Here, we used young sheep oocytes as model of low-quality gametes to show that a novel liquid marble 3D culture system is suitable to mature in vitro oocytes with reduced potential, improving the rates of in vitro embryo production. The present findings are useful for the optimization of in vitro maturation systems, and to improve the developmental potential of in vitro matured oocytes. Further applications should be considered also in other species, including human, to mature oocytes with intrinsic low quality. Abstract In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) is a well-established technique. Despite the high IVM rates obtained in most mammalian species, the developmental competence of IVM oocytes is suboptimal. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of a liquid marble microbioreactor (LM) as a 3D culture system to mature in vitro prepubertal ovine oocytes, as models of oocytes with intrinsic low competence. Cumulus–oocyte complexes of prepubertal sheep ovaries were in vitro matured in a LM system with hydrophobic fumed-silica-nanoparticles (LM group) or in standard conditions (4W control group). We evaluated: (a) maturation and (b) developmental rates following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo culture; (c) expression of a panel of genes. LM and 4W groups showed similar IVM and IVF rates, while in vitro development to blastocyst stage approached significance (4W: 14.1% vs. LM: 28.3%; p = 0.066). The expression of GDF9, of enzymes involved in DNA methylation reprogramming and of the subcortical maternal complex was affected by the IVM system, while no difference was observed in terms of cell-stress-response. LM microbioreactors provide a suitable microenvironment to induce prepubertal sheep oocyte IVM and should be considered to enhance the developmental competence of oocytes with reduced potential also in other species, including humans.
Collapse
|
24
|
Dong J, Zhang H, Mao X, Zhu J, Li D, Fu J, Hu J, Wu L, Chen B, Sun Y, Mu J, Zhang Z, Sun X, Zhao L, Wang W, Wang W, Zhou Z, Zeng Y, Du J, Li Q, He L, Jin L, Kuang Y, Wang L, Sang Q. Novel biallelic mutations in MEI1: expanding the phenotypic spectrum to human embryonic arrest and recurrent implantation failure. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:2371-2381. [PMID: 34037756 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are any novel mutations and corresponding new phenotypes, other than recurrent hydatidiform moles, seen in patients with MEI1 mutations? SUMMARY ANSWER We identified several novel mutations in MEI1 causing new phenotypes of early embryonic arrest and recurrent implantation failure. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY It has been reported that biallelic mutations in MEI1, encoding meiotic double-stranded break formation protein 1, cause azoospermia in men and recurrent hydatidiform moles in women. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We first focused on a pedigree in which two sisters were diagnosed with recurrent hydatidiform moles in December 2018. After genetic analysis, two novel mutations in MEI1 were identified. We then expanded the mutational screening to patients with the phenotype of embryonic arrest, recurrent implantation failure, and recurrent pregnancy loss, and found another three novel MEI1 mutations in seven new patients from six families recruited from December 2018 to May 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Nine primary infertility patients were recruited from the reproduction centers in local hospitals. Genomic DNA from the affected individuals, their family members, and healthy controls was extracted from peripheral blood. The MEI1 mutations were screened using whole-exome sequencing and were confirmed by the Sanger sequencing. In silico analysis of mutations was performed with Sorting Intolerant From Tolerant (SIFT) and Protein Variation Effect Analyzer (PROVEAN). The influence of the MEI1 mutations was determined by western blotting and minigene analysis in vitro. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In this study, we identified five novel mutations in MEI1 in nine patients from seven independent families. Apart from recurrent hydatidiform moles, biallelic mutations in MEI1 were also associated with early embryonic arrest and recurrent implantation failure. In addition, we demonstrated that protein-truncating and missense mutations reduced the protein level of MEI1, while the splicing mutations caused abnormal alternative splicing of MEI1. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Owing to the lack of in vivo data from the oocytes of the patients, the exact molecular mechanism(s) involved in the phenotypes remains unknown and should be further investigated using knock-out or knock-in mice. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our results not only reveal the important role of MEI1 in human oocyte meiosis and early embryonic development, but also extend the phenotypic and mutational spectrum of MEI1 and provide new diagnostic markers for genetic counseling of clinical patients. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1003800, 2017YFC1001500, and 2016YFC1000600), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81725006, 81822019, 81771581, 81971450, and 81971382), the project supported by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (2017SHZDZX01), the Project of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (19JC1411001), the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (19ZR1444500), the Shuguang Program of the Shanghai Education Development Foundation and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (18SG03), the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission Foundation (20154Y0162), the Strategic Collaborative Research Program of the Ferring Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (FIRMC200507) and the Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering (2020KFKT008). No competing interests are declared. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Dong
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyan Mao
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junhua Zhu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Hospital of YuLin, Shaanxi, China
| | - Da Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jing Fu
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jijun Hu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ling Wu
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Biaobang Chen
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Sun
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Mu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihua Zhang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxi Sun
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weijie Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Zeng
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Du
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiaoli Li
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin He
- Bio-X Center, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Kuang
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Sang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Israel S, Drexler HCA, Fuellen G, Boiani M. The COP9 signalosome subunit 3 is necessary for early embryo survival by way of a stable protein deposit in mouse oocytes. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:gaab048. [PMID: 34264319 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigations of genes required in early mammalian development are complicated by protein deposits of maternal products, which continue to operate after the gene locus has been disrupted. This leads to delayed phenotypic manifestations and underestimation of the number of genes known to be needed during the embryonic phase of cellular totipotency. Here we expose a critical role of the gene Cops3 by showing that it protects genome integrity during the 2-cell stage of mouse development, in contrast to the previous functional assignment at postimplantation. This new role is mediated by a substantial deposit of protein (94th percentile of the proteome), divided between an exceptionally stable cortical rim, which is prevalent in oocytes, and an ancillary deposit in the embryonic nuclei. Since protein abundance and stability defeat prospects of DNA- or RNA-based gene inactivation in oocytes, we harnessed a classical method next to an emerging method for protein inactivation: antigen masking (for functional inhibition) versus TRIM21-mediated proteasomal degradation, also known as 'Trim away' (for physical removal). Both resulted in 2-cell embryo lethality, unlike the embryos receiving anti-green fluorescent protein. Comparisons between COPS3 protein-targeted and non-targeted embryos revealed large-scale transcriptome differences, which were most evident for genes associated with biological functions critical for RNA metabolism and for the preservation of genome integrity. The gene expression abnormalities associated with COPS3 inactivation were confirmed in situ by the occurrence of DNA endoreduplication and DNA strand breaks in 2-cell embryos. These results recruit Cops3 to the small family of genes that are necessary for early embryo survival. Overall, assigning genes with roles in embryogenesis may be less safe than assumed, if the protein products of these genes accumulate in oocytes: the inactivation of a gene at the protein level can expose an earlier phenotype than that identified by genetic techniques such as conventional gene silencing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Israel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| | - Hannes C A Drexler
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| | - Georg Fuellen
- Rostock University Medical Center, Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Aging Research (IBIMA), Rostock, Germany
| | - Michele Boiani
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Anvar Z, Chakchouk I, Demond H, Sharif M, Kelsey G, Van den Veyver IB. DNA Methylation Dynamics in the Female Germline and Maternal-Effect Mutations That Disrupt Genomic Imprinting. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081214. [PMID: 34440388 PMCID: PMC8394515 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic marking process that results in the monoallelic expression of a subset of genes. Many of these ‘imprinted’ genes in mice and humans are involved in embryonic and extraembryonic growth and development, and some have life-long impacts on metabolism. During mammalian development, the genome undergoes waves of (re)programming of DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks. Disturbances in these events can cause imprinting disorders and compromise development. Multi-locus imprinting disturbance (MLID) is a condition by which imprinting defects touch more than one locus. Although most cases with MLID present with clinical features characteristic of one imprinting disorder. Imprinting defects also occur in ‘molar’ pregnancies-which are characterized by highly compromised embryonic development-and in other forms of reproductive compromise presenting clinically as infertility or early pregnancy loss. Pathogenic variants in some of the genes encoding proteins of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC), a multi-protein complex in the mammalian oocyte, are responsible for a rare subgroup of moles, biparental complete hydatidiform mole (BiCHM), and other adverse reproductive outcomes which have been associated with altered imprinting status of the oocyte, embryo and/or placenta. The finding that defects in a cytoplasmic protein complex could have severe impacts on genomic methylation at critical times in gamete or early embryo development has wider implications beyond these relatively rare disorders. It signifies a potential for adverse maternal physiology, nutrition, or assisted reproduction to cause epigenetic defects at imprinted or other genes. Here, we review key milestones in DNA methylation patterning in the female germline and the embryo focusing on humans. We provide an overview of recent findings regarding DNA methylation deficits causing BiCHM, MLID, and early embryonic arrest. We also summarize identified SCMC mutations with regard to early embryonic arrest, BiCHM, and MLID.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Anvar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.A.); (I.C.); (M.S.)
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Imen Chakchouk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.A.); (I.C.); (M.S.)
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hannah Demond
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK;
| | - Momal Sharif
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.A.); (I.C.); (M.S.)
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gavin Kelsey
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK;
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
- Correspondence: (G.K.); (I.B.V.d.V.); Tel.: +44-1223-496332 (G.K.); +832-824-8125 (I.B.V.d.V.)
| | - Ignatia B. Van den Veyver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.A.); (I.C.); (M.S.)
- Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: (G.K.); (I.B.V.d.V.); Tel.: +44-1223-496332 (G.K.); +832-824-8125 (I.B.V.d.V.)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Molecular Drivers of Developmental Arrest in the Human Preimplantation Embryo: A Systematic Review and Critical Analysis Leading to Mapping Future Research. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158353. [PMID: 34361119 PMCID: PMC8347543 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental arrest of the preimplantation embryo is a multifactorial condition, characterized by lack of cellular division for at least 24 hours, hindering the in vitro fertilization cycle outcome. This systematic review aims to present the molecular drivers of developmental arrest, focusing on embryonic and parental factors. A systematic search in PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane-Central-Database was performed in January 2021. A total of 76 studies were included. The identified embryonic factors associated with arrest included gene variations, mitochondrial DNA copy number, methylation patterns, chromosomal abnormalities, metabolic profile and morphological features. Parental factors included, gene variation, protein expression levels and infertility etiology. A valuable conclusion emerging through critical analysis indicated that genetic origins of developmental arrest analyzed from the perspective of parental infertility etiology and the embryo itself, share common ground. This is a unique and long-overdue contribution to literature that for the first time presents an all-inclusive methodological report on the molecular drivers leading to preimplantation embryos’ arrested development. The variety and heterogeneity of developmental arrest drivers, along with their inevitable intertwining relationships does not allow for prioritization on the factors playing a more definitive role in arrested development. This systematic review provides the basis for further research in the field.
Collapse
|
28
|
Huang B, Zhao Y, Zhou L, Gong T, Feng J, Han P, Qian J. PADI6 Regulates Trophoblast Cell Migration-Invasion Through the Hippo/YAP1 Pathway in Hydatidiform Moles. J Inflamm Res 2021; 14:3489-3500. [PMID: 34326657 PMCID: PMC8314932 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s313422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Peptidyl arginine deiminase, type VI (PADI6), a member of the subcortical maternal complex, plays an important role in oocyte growth and the development of fertilized oocytes. Human patients with PADI6 mutations can suffer from multiple reproductive deficiencies including hydatidiform moles and miscarriages. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Hippo signaling pathway plays a central role in the specification of the first cell fates and the maintenance of the human placental trophoblast epithelium. The present study aimed to verify the hypothesis that PADI6 regulates the biological functions of trophoblast cells by targeting YAP1 and to explore the mechanism by which PADI6 accomplishes this in trophoblast cells. Methods Villi from HMs and human trophoblast cell lines were used to identify the localization of PADI6 and YAP1 by immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry. PADI6 overexpression and knockdown were induced in human trophoblast cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to explore the interaction between PADI6 and YAP1. Wound healing, Transwell and EdU staining assays were used to detect migration, invasion and proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis was used to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis. β-Tubulin and F-actin levels were determined by Western blot, quantitative real-time PCR and phalloidin staining. Results The results showed that PADI6 and YAP1 had the same expression pattern in villi and colocalized in the cytotrophoblast. An interaction between PADI6 and YAP1 was also confirmed in human trophoblast cell lines. We found that PADI6 positively regulated the expression of YAP1. Functionally, overexpression of PADI6 promoted cell cycle progression and enhanced migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis, whereas downregulation of PADI6 showed the opposite effects. Conclusion This study demonstrates that YAP1 is a novel target of PADI6 that serves as an important regulator of trophoblast dysfunction. The crosstalk between the Hippo/YAP1 pathway and the SCMC might be a new topic to explore to uncover the pathological mechanisms of HMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Huang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yating Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingyu Gong
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawen Feng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Peilin Han
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Qian
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Eggermann T. Maternal Effect Mutations: A Novel Cause for Human Reproductive Failure. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2021; 81:780-788. [PMID: 34294945 PMCID: PMC8288500 DOI: 10.1055/a-1396-4390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic alterations significantly contribute to the aetiology of reproductive failure and comprise monogenic, chromosomal and epigenetic disturbances. The implementation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) based approaches in research and diagnostics allows the comprehensive analysis of these genetic causes, and the increasing detection rates of genetic mutations causing reproductive complications confirm the potential of the new techniques. Whereas mutations affecting the fetal genome are well known to affect pregnancies and their outcome, the contribution of alterations of the maternal genome was widely unclear. With the recent mainly NGS-based identification of maternal effect variants, a new cause of human reproductive failure has been identified. Maternal effect mutations affect the expression of subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) proteins from the maternal genome, and thereby disturb oocyte maturation and progression of the early embryo. They cause a broad range of reproductive failures and pregnancy complications, including infertility, miscarriages, hydatidiform moles, aneuploidies and imprinting disturbances in the fetus. The identification of women carrying these molecular alterations in SCMC encoding genes is therefore essential for a personalised reproductive and genetic counselling. The diagnostic application of new NGS-based assays allows the comprehensive analysis of these factors, and helps to further decipher these functional links between the factors and their disturbances. A close interdisciplinary collaboration between different disciplines is definitely required to further decipher the complex regulation of early embryo development, and to translate the basic research results into clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Eggermann
- Institute of Human Genetics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Arian S, Rubin J, Chakchouk I, Sharif M, Mahadevan SK, Erfani H, Shelly K, Liao L, Lorenzo I, Ramakrishnan R, Van den Veyver IB. Reproductive Outcomes from Maternal Loss of Nlrp2 Are Not Improved by IVF or Embryo Transfer Consistent with Oocyte-Specific Defect. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:1850-1865. [PMID: 33090377 PMCID: PMC8060370 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00360-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nlrp2 encodes a protein of the oocyte subcortical maternal complex (SCMC), required for embryo development. We previously showed that loss of maternal Nlrp2 in mice causes subfertility, smaller litters with birth defects, and growth abnormalities in offspring, indicating that Nlrp2 is a maternal effect gene and that all embryos from Nlrp2-deficient females that were cultured in vitro arrested before the blastocysts stage. Here, we used time-lapse microscopy to examine the development of cultured embryos from superovulated Nlrp2-deficient and wild-type mice after in vivo and in vitro fertilization. Embryos from Nlrp2-deficient females had similar abnormal cleavage and fragmentation and arrested by blastocyst stage, irrespective of fertilization mode. This indicates that in vitro fertilization does not further perturb or improve the development of cultured embryos. We also transferred embryos from superovulated Nlrp2-deficient and wild-type females to wild-type recipients to investigate if the abnormal reproductive outcomes of Nlrp2-deficient females are primarily driven by oocyte dysfunction or if a suboptimal intra-uterine milieu is a necessary factor. Pregnancies with transferred embryos from Nlrp2-deficient females produced smaller litters, stillbirths, and offspring with birth defects and growth abnormalities. This indicates that the reproductive phenotype is oocyte-specific and is not rescued by development in a wild-type uterus. We further found abnormal DNA methylation at two maternally imprinted loci in the kidney of surviving young adult offspring, confirming persistent DNA methylation disturbances in surviving offspring. These findings have implications for fertility treatments for women with mutations in NLRP2 and other genes encoding SCMC proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Arian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Jessica Rubin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
- Reproductive Biology Associates, 1100 Johnson Ferry Road NE, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30342, USA
| | - Imen Chakchouk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Momal Sharif
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | | | - Hadi Erfani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Katharine Shelly
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Lan Liao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Isabel Lorenzo
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Rajesh Ramakrishnan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
- The Carol and Odis Peavy School of Nursing, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX, 77006, USA
| | - Ignatia B Van den Veyver
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, room 1025.14, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Bebbere D, Albertini DF, Coticchio G, Borini A, Ledda S. The subcortical maternal complex: emerging roles and novel perspectives. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:6311673. [PMID: 34191027 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its recent discovery, the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) is emerging as a maternally inherited and crucial biological structure for the initial stages of embryogenesis in mammals. Uniquely expressed in oocytes and preimplantation embryos, where it localizes to the cell subcortex, this multiprotein complex is essential for early embryo development in the mouse and is functionally conserved across mammalian species, including humans. The complex has been linked to key processes leading the transition from oocyte to embryo, including meiotic spindle formation and positioning, regulation of translation, organelle redistribution, and epigenetic reprogramming. Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms for these diverse functions are just beginning to be understood, hindered by unresolved interplay of SCMC components and variations in early lethal phenotypes. Here we review recent advances confirming involvement of the SCMC in human infertility, revealing an unexpected relationship with offspring health. Moreover, SCMC organization is being further revealed in terms of novel components and interactions with additional cell constituents. Collectively, this evidence prompts new avenues of investigation into possible roles during the process of oogenesis and the regulation of maternal transcript turnover during the oocyte to embryo transition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Bebbere
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Sergio Ledda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhang M, Liu C, Chen B, Lv M, Zou H, Liu Y, Gao Y, Wang T, Xing Q, Zhu Y, Wu H, Zhang Z, Zhou P, Wei Z, He X, Xu Y, Cao Y. Identification of Novel Biallelic TLE6 Variants in Female Infertility With Preimplantation Embryonic Lethality. Front Genet 2021; 12:666136. [PMID: 34178031 PMCID: PMC8226231 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.666136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Preimplantation embryonic lethality is a rare cause of primary female infertility. It has been reported that variants in the transducin-like enhancer of split 6 (TLE6) gene can lead to preimplantation embryonic lethality. However, the incidence of TLE6 variants in patients with preimplantation embryonic lethality is not fully understood. In this study, we identified four patients carrying novel biallelic TLE6 variants in a cohort of 28 patients with preimplantation embryonic lethality by whole-exome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, accounting for 14.29% (4/28) of the cohort. Immunofluorescence showed that the TLE6 levels in oocytes from patients were much lower than in normal control oocytes, suggesting that the variants result in the lower expression of the TLE6 protein in oocytes. In addition, a retrospective analysis showed that the four patients underwent a total of nine failures of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection attempts, and one of them became pregnant on the first attempt using donated oocytes. Our study extends the genetic spectrum of female infertility caused by variants in TLE6 and further confirms previously reported findings that TLE6 plays an essential role in early embryonic development. In such case, oocyte donation may be the preferred treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manyu Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Beili Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Mingrong Lv
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Huijuan Zou
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yajing Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tianjuan Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiong Xing
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Huan Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhaolian Wei
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, China.,Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaojin He
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yuping Xu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yunxia Cao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Pool TB. Can patterns of oocyte granulation telegraph the acquisition of developmental competence? Fertil Steril 2021; 116:348-349. [PMID: 34119323 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.05.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
34
|
Climate change and the morphing of human ARTs. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 37:2051-2052. [PMID: 32910328 PMCID: PMC7481345 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01939-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
|
35
|
Two novel mutations in PADI6 and TLE6 genes cause female infertility due to arrest in embryonic development. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:1551-1559. [PMID: 34036456 PMCID: PMC8266952 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02194-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to identify genetic causes of female infertility associated with recurrent failure of assisted reproductive technology (ART) characterized by embryonic developmental arrest. Methods We recruited infertile patients from two consanguineous families from the Reproductive Medicine Center of Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital. Peripheral blood was collected for genomic DNA extraction. Two affected individuals and their family members were performed with whole-exome sequencing and Sanger validation in order to identify possible causative genes. For further analyzing the effect of splicing mutation on mRNA integrity in vivo, TLE6 cDNA from the peripheral blood lymphocyte of the affected individual was sequenced. In addition, the possible impact of the pathogenic mutation on the structure and function of the protein were also assessed. Results Two novel homozygous mutations in the peptidylarginine deiminase type VI (PADI6) and the transducin-like enhancer of split 6 (TLE6) genes were identified in the two families. One patient carried the frameshift deletion mutation c.831_832del:p.S278Pfs*59 of the PADI6 gene and the other patient carried the splicing mutation c.1245-2 A>G of the TLE6 gene. The analysis of the mRNA from the proband’s peripheral blood leukocytes confirmed aberrant splicing. Conclusions Our findings expand the mutational spectrum of PADI6 and TLE6 associated with embryonic developmental arrest and deepen our understanding of the genetic causes of infertility with recurrent ART failure.
Collapse
|
36
|
Paonessa M, Borini A, Coticchio G. Genetic causes of preimplantation embryo developmental failure. Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 88:338-348. [PMID: 33843124 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Embryo development requires orchestrated events, finely regulated at the molecular and cellular level by mechanisms which are progressively emerging from animal studies. With progress in genetic technologies-such as genome editing and single-cell RNA analysis-we can now assess embryo gene expression with increased precision and gain new insights into complex processes until recently difficult to explore. Multiple genes and regulative pathways have been identified for each developmental stage. We have learned that embryos with undisturbed and timely gene expression have higher chances of successful development. For example, selected genes are highly expressed during the first stages, being involved in cell adhesion, cell cycle, and regulation of transcription; other genes are instead crucial for lineage specification and therefore expressed at later stages. Due to ethical constraints, studies on human embryos remain scarce, mainly descriptive, and unable to provide functional evidence. This highlights the importance of animal studies as basic knowledge to test and appraise in a clinical context. In this review, we report on preimplantation development with a focus on genes whose impairment leads to developmental arrest. Preconceptional genetic screening could identify loss-of-function mutations of these genes; thereby, novel biomarkers of embryo quality could be adopted to improve diagnosis and treatment of infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariagrazia Paonessa
- 9.Baby, Family and Fertility Center, Bologna, Italy.,Casa di Cura Candela Spa, Palermo, Italy
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Christodoulaki A, Boel A, Tang M, De Roo C, Stoop D, Heindryckx B. Prospects of Germline Nuclear Transfer in Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:635370. [PMID: 33692760 PMCID: PMC7937897 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.635370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is associated with a reduced quantity and quality of the retrieved oocytes, usually leading to poor reproductive outcomes which remain a great challenge for assisted reproduction technology (ART). Women with DOR often have to seek for oocyte donation, precluding genetically related offspring. Germline nuclear transfer (NT) is a novel technology in ART that involves the transfer of the nuclear genome from an affected oocyte/zygote of the patient to the cytoplast of an enucleated donor oocyte/zygote. Therefore, it offers opportunities for the generation of genetically related embryos. Currently, although NT is clinically applied only in women with serious mitochondrial DNA disorders, this technology has also been proposed to overcome certain forms of female infertility, such as advanced maternal age and embryo developmental arrest. In this review, we are proposing the NT technology as a future treatment option for DOR patients. Strikingly, the application of different NT strategies will result in an increase of the total number of available reconstituted embryos for DOR patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Christodoulaki
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annekatrien Boel
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maoxing Tang
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chloë De Roo
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominic Stoop
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Björn Heindryckx
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Lebovitz O, Michaeli M, Aslih N, Poltov D, Estrada D, Atzmon Y, Shalom-Paz E. Embryonic Development in Relation to Maternal Age and Conception Probability. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:2292-2300. [PMID: 33591563 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Data regarding association between early embryo development and maternal age is limited and inconclusive. This study has two aims: to evaluate differences in the cleavage stage of embryos in young versus advanced maternal age (AMA) women. To compare the early embryonic development of embryos that result in pregnancy versus no pregnancy. A retrospective study of early embryonic development which was recorded and analyzed using time-lapse imaging was conducted. The kinetic markers of time to pronuclei fading (tPNf) and appearance of two to eight cells (t2-t8) were assessed. For embryos cultured to blastocyst, times to morula (tM), start of blastulation (tSB) cavitated, and expanded blastocyst (tB, tEB) were also recorded. A total of 2021 oocytes from 364 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were evaluated, of which 1223 (60.5%) were derived from young patients and 798 (39.5%) from those of AMA. The mean time points to t3, t4, t5, t6, tSB, tB, and tEB were significantly shorter for embryos derived from younger women, as compared to older women (p < 0.05). Overall, women who conceived presented a faster embryonic development, for both age groups. The mean time points of t2 and t8 were significantly shorter in patients who conceived versus not conceived (p < 0.05). We concluded that older women's age is associated with delayed embryonic development. Embryos that yielded pregnancy cleaved faster compared to those which did not, in both age groups. Thus, when considering which embryo to transfer to women of AMA, selecting the faster-developing embryos may improve the chances of conception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oshrit Lebovitz
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel. .,Ruth and Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel. .,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Mediea Michaeli
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel
| | - Nardin Aslih
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel.,Ruth and Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Diana Poltov
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel
| | - Daniela Estrada
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel.,Ruth and Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yuval Atzmon
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel.,Ruth and Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Einat Shalom-Paz
- IVF and Infertility Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel.,Ruth and Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Cimadomo D, Capalbo A, Scarica C, Sosa Fernandez L, Rienzi L, Ciriminna R, Minasi MG, Novelli A, De Santis L, Zuccarello D. When embryology meets genetics: the definition of developmentally incompetent preimplantation embryos (DIPE)-the consensus of two Italian scientific societies. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:319-331. [PMID: 33236289 PMCID: PMC7884494 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-02015-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A clear definition of developmentally incompetent preimplantation embryo (DIPE) in literature is still missing, while several scientific societies are discussing this challenging topic. From both a clinical and scientific perspective, the identification of embryos unfit for reproductive purpose is crucial. This aim should be pursued in light of all diagnostic technologies for embryo evaluation, encompassing also genetic analyses, of recent implementation in IVF. The Italian context is characterized by an unusual scenario: embryos can be discarded only if not viable and cannot be used for research purposes either. Therefore, thousands of embryos, diagnosed as affected and/or aneuploid as resulting from preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and clinically not utilizable, are cryopreserved and stored indefinitely, with important psychological, legal, and financial implications. With the aim of updating the definition of DIPE, also on the basis of the embryo genetic status, the Italian Society of Embryology, Reproduction and Research (SIERR) and the Italian Society of Human Genetic (SIGU) reviewed the literature on this topic, found a consensus, and produced a list of relevant criteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Cimadomo
- GeneraLife IVF centers, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Catello Scarica
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Villa Salaria in Partnership with Institut Marques, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Laura Rienzi
- GeneraLife IVF centers, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonio Novelli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, IRCCS-Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia De Santis
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, IVF Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Amoushahi M, Sunde L, Lykke-Hartmann K. The pivotal roles of the NOD-like receptors with a PYD domain, NLRPs, in oocytes and early embryo development†. Biol Reprod 2020; 101:284-296. [PMID: 31201414 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors with a pyrin domain (PYD), NLRPs, are pattern recognition receptors, well recognized for their important roles in innate immunity and apoptosis. However, several NLRPs have received attention for their new, specialized roles as maternally contributed genes important in reproduction and embryo development. Several NLRPs have been shown to be specifically expressed in oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Interestingly, and in line with divergent functions, NLRP genes reveal a complex evolutionary divergence. The most pronounced difference is the human-specific NLRP7 gene, not identified in rodents. However, mouse models have been extensively used to study maternally contributed NLRPs. The NLRP2 and NLRP5 proteins are components of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC), which was recently identified as essential for mouse preimplantation development. The SCMC integrates multiple proteins, including KHDC3L, NLRP5, TLE6, OOEP, NLRP2, and PADI6. The NLRP5 (also known as MATER) has been extensively studied. In humans, inactivating variants in specific NLRP genes in the mother are associated with distinct phenotypes in the offspring, such as biparental hydatidiform moles (BiHMs) and preterm birth. Maternal-effect recessive mutations in KHDC3L and NLRP5 (and NLRP7) are associated with reduced reproductive outcomes, BiHM, and broad multilocus imprinting perturbations. The precise mechanisms of NLRPs are unknown, but research strongly indicates their pivotal roles in the establishment of genomic imprints and post-zygotic methylation maintenance, among other processes. Challenges for the future include translations of findings from the mouse model into human contexts and implementation in therapies and clinical fertility management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lone Sunde
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karin Lykke-Hartmann
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mastrorocco A, Cacopardo L, Martino NA, Fanelli D, Camillo F, Ciani E, Roelen BAJ, Ahluwalia A, Dell’Aquila ME. One-step automated bioprinting-based method for cumulus-oocyte complex microencapsulation for 3D in vitro maturation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238812. [PMID: 32915922 PMCID: PMC7485809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional in vitro maturation (3D IVM) is a promising approach to improve IVM efficiency as it could prevent cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) flattening and preserve its structural and functional integrity. Methods reported to date have low reproducibility and validation studies are limited. In this study, a bioprinting based production process for generating microbeads containing a COC (COC-microbeads) was optimized and its validity tested in a large animal model (sheep). Alginate microbeads were produced and characterized for size, shape and stability under culture conditions. COC encapsulation had high efficiency and reproducibility and cumulus integrity was preserved. COC-microbeads underwent IVM, with COCs cultured in standard 2D IVM as controls. After IVM, oocytes were analyzed for nuclear chromatin configuration, bioenergetic/oxidative status and transcriptional activity of genes biomarker of mitochondrial activity (TFAM, ATP6, ATP8) and oocyte developmental competence (KHDC3, NLRP5, OOEP and TLE6). The 3D system supported oocyte nuclear maturation more efficiently than the 2D control (P<0.05). Ooplasmic mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation ability were increased (P<0.05). Up-regulation of TFAM, ATP6 and ATP8 and down-regulation of KHDC3, NLRP5 expression were observed in 3D IVM. In conclusion, the new bioprinting method for producing COC-microbeads has high reproducibility and efficiency. Moreover, 3D IVM improves oocyte nuclear maturation and relevant parameters of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and could be used for clinical and toxicological applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Mastrorocco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Nicola Antonio Martino
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Diana Fanelli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Elena Ciani
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Bernard A. J. Roelen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Embryology, Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arti Ahluwalia
- Research Centre E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Dell’Aquila
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Toralova T, Kinterova V, Chmelikova E, Kanka J. The neglected part of early embryonic development: maternal protein degradation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:3177-3194. [PMID: 32095869 PMCID: PMC11104927 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The degradation of maternally provided molecules is a very important process during early embryogenesis. However, the vast majority of studies deals with mRNA degradation and protein degradation is only a very little explored process yet. The aim of this article was to summarize current knowledge about the protein degradation during embryogenesis of mammals. In addition to resuming of known data concerning mammalian embryogenesis, we tried to fill the gaps in knowledge by comparison with facts known about protein degradation in early embryos of non-mammalian species. Maternal protein degradation seems to be driven by very strict rules in terms of specificity and timing. The degradation of some maternal proteins is certainly necessary for the normal course of embryonic genome activation (EGA) and several concrete proteins that need to be degraded before major EGA have been already found. Nevertheless, the most important period seems to take place even before preimplantation development-during oocyte maturation. The defects arisen during this period seems to be later irreparable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Toralova
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Kinterova
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Eva Chmelikova
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Kanka
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Libechov, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) expression during folliculogenesis is affected by oocyte donor age in sheep. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:2259-2271. [PMID: 32613414 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01871-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The age-associated decline in female fertility is largely ascribable to the decrease in oocyte quality. The subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) is a multiprotein complex essential for early embryogenesis and female fertility and functionally conserved across mammals. The present work evaluated expression dynamics of its components during folliculogenesis in relation to maternal age in sheep. METHODS The expression of the SCMC components (KHDC3/FILIA, NLRP2, NLRP5/MATER, OOEP/FLOPED, PADI6, TLE6 and ZBED3) was analyzed by real-time PCR in pools of growing oocytes (GO) of different diameters (70-90 μm (S), 90-110 μm (M), or 110-130 μm (L)) derived from non-hormonally treated adult (Ad; age < 4 years), prepubertal (Pr; age 40 days), or aged ewes (age > 6 years). RESULTS Specific expression patterns associated with donor age were observed during folliculogenesis for all genes, except ZBED3. In oocytes of adult donors, the synthesis of NLRP2, NLRP5, PADI6, and ZBED3 mRNAs was complete in S GO, while FILIA, TLE6, and OOEP were actively transcribed at this stage. Conversely, Pr GO showed active transcription of all mRNAs, except for ZBED3, during the entire window of oocyte growth. Notably, aged GO showed a completely inverse pattern, with a decrease of NLRP2, TLE6, FILIA, and PADI6 mRNA abundance during the latest stage of oocyte growth (L GO). Interestingly, MATER showed high expression variability, suggesting large inter-oocyte differences. CONCLUSION Our study describes the SCMC expression dynamics during sheep oogenesis and reports age-specific patterns that are likely involved in the age-related decline of oocyte quality.
Collapse
|
44
|
Vazquez SE, Ferré EMN, Scheel DW, Sunshine S, Miao B, Mandel-Brehm C, Quandt Z, Chan AY, Cheng M, German M, Lionakis M, DeRisi JL, Anderson MS. Identification of novel, clinically correlated autoantigens in the monogenic autoimmune syndrome APS1 by proteome-wide PhIP-Seq. eLife 2020; 9:e55053. [PMID: 32410729 PMCID: PMC7228772 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of autoantigens remains a critical challenge for understanding and treating autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1), a rare monogenic form of autoimmunity, presents as widespread autoimmunity with T and B cell responses to multiple organs. Importantly, autoantibody discovery in APS1 can illuminate fundamental disease pathogenesis, and many of the antigens found in APS1 extend to more common autoimmune diseases. Here, we performed proteome-wide programmable phage-display (PhIP-Seq) on sera from a cohort of people with APS1 and discovered multiple common antibody targets. These novel APS1 autoantigens exhibit tissue-restricted expression, including expression in enteroendocrine cells, pineal gland, and dental enamel. Using detailed clinical phenotyping, we find novel associations between autoantibodies and organ-restricted autoimmunity, including a link between anti-KHDC3L autoantibodies and premature ovarian insufficiency, and between anti-RFX6 autoantibodies and diarrheal-type intestinal dysfunction. Our study highlights the utility of PhIP-Seq for extensively interrogating antigenic repertoires in human autoimmunity and the importance of antigen discovery for improved understanding of disease mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Vazquez
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Elise MN Ferré
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - David W Scheel
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Sara Sunshine
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Brenda Miao
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Caleigh Mandel-Brehm
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Zoe Quandt
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Alice Y Chan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Mickie Cheng
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michael German
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michail Lionakis
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Joseph L DeRisi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Mark S Anderson
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Ruebel ML, Latham KE. Listening to mother: Long-term maternal effects in mammalian development. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:399-408. [PMID: 32202026 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The oocyte is a complex cell that executes many crucial and unique functions at the start of each life. These functions are fulfilled by a unique collection of macromolecules and other factors, all of which collectively support meiosis, oocyte activation, and embryo development. This review focuses on the effects of oocyte components on developmental processes that occur after the initial stages of embryogenesis. These include long-term effects on genome function, metabolism, lineage allocation, postnatal progeny health, and even subsequent generations. Factors that regulate chromatin structure, genome programming, and mitochondrial function are elements that contribute to these oocyte functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan L Ruebel
- Department of Animal Science, and Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Keith E Latham
- Department of Animal Science, and Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Elbracht M, Mackay D, Begemann M, Kagan KO, Eggermann T. Disturbed genomic imprinting and its relevance for human reproduction: causes and clinical consequences. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 26:197-213. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Human reproductive issues affecting fetal and maternal health are caused by numerous exogenous and endogenous factors, of which the latter undoubtedly include genetic changes. Pathogenic variants in either maternal or offspring DNA are associated with effects on the offspring including clinical disorders and nonviable outcomes. Conversely, both fetal and maternal factors can affect maternal health during pregnancy. Recently, it has become evident that mammalian reproduction is influenced by genomic imprinting, an epigenetic phenomenon that regulates the expression of genes according to their parent from whom they are inherited. About 1% of human genes are normally expressed from only the maternally or paternally inherited gene copy. Since numerous imprinted genes are involved in (embryonic) growth and development, disturbance of their balanced expression can adversely affect these processes.
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE
This review summarises current our understanding of genomic imprinting in relation to human ontogenesis and pregnancy and its relevance for reproductive medicine.
SEARCH METHODS
Literature databases (Pubmed, Medline) were thoroughly searched for the role of imprinting in human reproductive failure. In particular, the terms ‘multilocus imprinting disturbances, SCMC, NLRP/NALP, imprinting and reproduction’ were used in various combinations.
OUTCOMES
A range of molecular changes to specific groups of imprinted genes are associated with imprinting disorders, i.e. syndromes with recognisable clinical features including distinctive prenatal features. Whereas the majority of affected individuals exhibit alterations at single imprinted loci, some have multi-locus imprinting disturbances (MLID) with less predictable clinical features. Imprinting disturbances are also seen in some nonviable pregnancy outcomes, such as (recurrent) hydatidiform moles, which can therefore be regarded as a severe form of imprinting disorders. There is growing evidence that MLID can be caused by variants in the maternal genome altering the imprinting status of the oocyte and the embryo, i.e. maternal effect mutations. Pregnancies of women carrying maternal affect mutations can have different courses, ranging from miscarriages to birth of children with clinical features of various imprinting disorders.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS
Increasing understanding of imprinting disturbances and their clinical consequences have significant impacts on diagnostics, counselling and management in the context of human reproduction. Defining criteria for identifying pregnancies complicated by imprinting disorders facilitates early diagnosis and personalised management of both the mother and offspring. Identifying the molecular lesions underlying imprinting disturbances (e.g. maternal effect mutations) allows targeted counselling of the family and focused medical care in further pregnancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Elbracht
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Deborah Mackay
- Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Matthias Begemann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Karl Oliver Kagan
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Eggermann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Moreno-Brito V, Morales-Adame D, Soto-Orduño E, González-Chávez SA, Pacheco-Tena C, Espino-Solis GP, Leal-Berumen I, González-Rodríguez E. Ashwin Gene Expression Profiles in Oocytes, Preimplantation Embryos, and Fetal and Adult Bovine Tissues. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020276. [PMID: 32054057 PMCID: PMC7070630 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020276] [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: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ashwin is a gene involved in the morphogenesis of the central nervous system and the early embryonic development of Xenopus laevis. The analysis of its phylogeny in silico has shown that its functions are restricted to vertebrates, but we lack additional information regarding its biological importance in higher vertebrates, such as mammals. The present study reveals the wide and variable expression of this gene in different bovine organs and confirms its significant expression during early embryonic development, with a pattern similar to that reported for maternal genes. In addition, specific expression of this gene throughout follicular development and during bovine spermatogenesis is revealed, leading to the proposal of ashwin as a new gene with important biological implications in bovine development and reproduction. Abstract The ashwin gene, originally identified in Xenopus laevis, was found to be expressed first in the neural plate and later in the embryonic brain, eyes, and spinal cord. Functional studies of ashwin suggest that it participates in cell survival and anteroposterior patterning. Furthermore, ashwin is expressed zygotically in this species, which suggests that it participates in embryonic development. Nevertheless, the expression of this gene has not been studied in mammals. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the ashwin expression pattern in bovine fetal and adult tissues, as well as in three independent samples of immature and mature oocytes, and in two- to four-, and eight-cell embryos, morula, and blastocysts. Spatiotemporal expression was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR); ashwin mRNA was detected in all tissues analyzed, immature and mature oocytes, and two- to eight-cell embryos. It was down-regulated in morula and blastocysts, suggesting that this expression profile is similar to that of maternal genes. Immunohistochemical localization of the ashwin protein in fetal and adult ovaries and testes reveals that this protein is consistently present during all stages of follicular development and during bovine spermatogenesis. These observations lead us to propose ashwin as an important gene involved in mammalian reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Moreno-Brito
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
| | - Daniel Morales-Adame
- Faculty of Zootechnics and Ecology, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Francisco R. Almada Km 1, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, Chih., Mexico;
| | - Elier Soto-Orduño
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico;
| | - Susana Aideé González-Chávez
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
| | - César Pacheco-Tena
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
| | - Gerardo Pavel Espino-Solis
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
- Translational Research Laboratory, National Laboratory of Flow Cytometry, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico
| | - Irene Leal-Berumen
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
| | - Everardo González-Rodríguez
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario, Campus II, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Chih., Mexico; (V.M.-B.); (S.A.G.-C.); (C.P.-T.); (G.P.E.-S.); (I.L.-B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-614-439-1500 (ext. 5166); Fax: +1-614-434-1448
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Lin J, Xu H, Chen B, Wang W, Wang L, Sun X, Sang Q. Expanding the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of female infertility caused by TLE6 mutations. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:437-442. [PMID: 31897846 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-019-01653-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study was intended to identify genetic causes of infertile patients with recurrent failure of in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) attempts. METHODS Infertile patients with recurrent IVF/ICSI failure from Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics & IVF Institute and the Ninth Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University were recruited. Genomic DNA samples were extracted from their peripheral blood. Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger validation were performed to identify candidate variants. RESULTS We identified novel transducin-like enhancer of split 6 (TLE6) gene mutations in three patients with recurrent IVF/ICSI failure. One patient carried a homozygous missense mutation (c.1226G>A; p.Arg409Gln) with subsequent fertilization failure, while the other two patients carried either a homozygous missense mutation (c.1621G>A; p.Glu541Lys) or a compound heterozygous missense mutation (c.388G>A/c.1507G>A; p.Asp130Asn/p.Val503Ile) and had viable but low-quality embryos. CONCLUSIONS Our study expands the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of TLE6 and suggests the important role of TLE6 during embryonic development. Our findings have implications for the genetic diagnosis of female infertility with recurrent IVF/ICSI failure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Lin
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hua Xu
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Biaobang Chen
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoxi Sun
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Qing Sang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
|
50
|
Abstract
Mammalian embryogenesis depends on maternal factors accumulated in eggs prior to fertilization and on placental transfers later in gestation. In this review, we focus on initial events when the organism has insufficient newly synthesized embryonic factors to sustain development. These maternal factors regulate preimplantation embryogenesis both uniquely in pronuclear formation, genome reprogramming and cell fate determination and more universally in regulating cell division, transcription and RNA metabolism. Depletion, disruption or inappropriate persistence of maternal factors can result in developmental defects in early embryos. To better understand the origins of these maternal effects, we include oocyte maturation processes that are responsible for their production. We focus on recent publications and reference comprehensive reviews that include earlier scientific literature of early mouse development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Jurrien Dean
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| |
Collapse
|