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Muthusamy P, Wankhar D, Paul J, Ravishankar N, Rajan R. Assessment of Cinnamaldehyde's Potency on Heat Stress-induced Testicular Impairments in Wistar Rats. J Hum Reprod Sci 2024; 17:102-111. [PMID: 39091438 PMCID: PMC11290720 DOI: 10.4103/jhrs.jhrs_27_24] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Male sterility results from high testicular temperatures, which affect mammalian spermatogenesis. High testicular temperatures affect sperm motility, morphology and fertility according to their magnitude and duration. Aim The aim of the current study is to examine the effects of heat-induced oxidative stress and cinnamaldehyde on Wistar rat testicular structure and function. Settings and Design The rats used in this experiment were Wistar albino rats. Materials and Methods This research has six animals per group. Male Wistar albino rats of 2.5-3 months old and 275-300 g. (I) control, (II) heat stress (HS) in a closed chamber at 41°C for 14 days and (III) HS with cinnamaldehyde (CA) 50 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. (IV) CA alone. After the study, the animals were euthanised, and test samples were taken for sperm count, morphology, haematoxylin and eosin stain for normal cellular morphology, antioxidants and DNA integrity assessments. Statistical Analysis Used The data were analysed statistically using one- and two-way ANOVA tests for comparisons between groups. Results The stress group had significantly lower sperm counts and poor sperm morphology. The stress group's antioxidant capacity is much lower than that of the control group. Animals under stress have fragmented DNA. Treatment with cinnamaldehyde increased overall antioxidant capacity and seminal parameters, and rats behaved most like controls. Conclusion CA restores malondialdehyde levels, total antioxidant capacity, sperm characteristics and mitigates testicular damage in rats exposed to experimental HS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dapkupar Wankhar
- Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Assam Down Town University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Jeyakumari Paul
- Department of Physiology, Dr. ALM PG IBMS, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Nivetha Ravishankar
- Department of Physiology, Dr. ALM PG IBMS, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ravindran Rajan
- Department of Physiology, Dr. ALM PG IBMS, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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Menzies BR, Tarulli GA, Frankenberg SR, Pask AJ. Therian origin of INSL3/RXFP2-driven testicular descent in mammals. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1353598. [PMID: 38380341 PMCID: PMC10877632 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1353598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: During early development in most male mammals the testes move from a position near the kidneys through the abdomen to eventually reside in the scrotum. The transabdominal phase of this migration is driven by insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) which stimulates growth of the gubernaculum, a key ligament connecting the testes with the abdominal wall. While all marsupials, except the marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops), have a scrotum and fully descended testes, it is unclear if INSL3 drives this process in marsupials especially given that marsupials have a different mechanism of scrotum determination and position relative to the phallus compared to eutherian mammals. Methods: To understand if INSL3 plays a role in marsupial testicular descent we have sequenced and curated the INSL3 gene and its receptor (RXFP2) in a range of marsupials representing every order. Furthermore, we looked at single cell RNA-seq and qPCR analysis of INSL3 in the fat-tailed dunnart testis (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) to understand the location and timing of expression during development. Results: These data show a strong phylogenetic similarity between marsupial and eutherian orthologues, but not with monotreme INSL3s which were more similar to the ancestral RLN3 gene. We have also shown the genomic location of INSL3, and surrounding genes is conserved in a range of marsupials and eutherians. Single cell RNA-seq and qPCR data show that INSL3 mRNA is expressed specifically in Leydig cells and expressed at higher levels during the testicular descent phase in developing marsupials. Discussion: Together, these data argue strongly for a therian origin of INSL3 mediated testicular descent in mammals and suggests that a coordinated movement of the testes to the abdominal wall may have preceded externalization in marsupials and therian mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon R. Menzies
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Zheng ZH, Tian Q, He JP, Yuan JL, Yang SH, Liu JL. Comparative transcriptome analysis of experimental cryptorchidism: Of mice and cynomolgus monkeys. Physiol Genomics 2022; 54:187-195. [PMID: 35468005 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00010.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In most mammalian species, the testis descends from the abdomen into the scrotum during fetal or neonatal life. The failure of testicular descent, a pathological condition known as cryptorchidism, has long been the subject of scientific interest in a wide range of fields, including medicine, developmental biology and evolutionary biology. In this study, we analyzed global gene expression changes associated with experimental cryptorchidism in mice by using RNA-seq. A total of 453 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 236 genes were up-regulated and 217 genes were down-regulated. Gene ontology, pathway and gene network analysis highlighted the activation of inflammatory response in experimental cryptorchidism. By examining the promoter regions of differentially expressed genes, we identified 12 causal transcription factors. In addition, we also induced experimental cryptorchidism in two cynomolgus monkeys and performed RNA-seq. A cross-species comparison was performed at the gene expression level. Our study provides a valuable resource for further understanding molecular mechanisms of cryptorchidism in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan-Hong Zheng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Tian
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Peng He
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing-Li Yuan
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Hua Yang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Long Liu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Chai S, Tian R, Xu S, Ren W, Yang G. Evolution of Fertilization-Related Genes Provides Insights Into Reproductive Health in Natural Ascrotal Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.828325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptorchidism is the failure of one or both testes to descend into the bottom of the scrotum. This common congenital malformation in humans and domestic animals is the best characterized risk factor for abnormal sperm functions and infertility. However, current treatment approaches for cryptorchidism do not ensure paternity in all cases. Some lineages of mammals (such as elephants and cetaceans) have natural ascrotal testes (i.e., undescended or incompletely descended testes) and normal sperm motility and fertility, providing an opportunity to understand the genetic basis of cryptorchidism. In this study, we showed that genes associated with sperm motility and competition/fertility in ascrotal mammals experienced frequent, strong selective pressure. The fixation of specific amino acids and positive selection in ascrotal mammals could affect the physicochemical properties and functions of fertilization-related proteins. In a comparison between mammals with undescended testes and incompletely descended testes, discrepancies in genes showing evidence for adaptive evolution and in functional enrichment suggested that multiple molecular mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of fertility in the challenging testicular environment. Our findings revealed substantial heterogeneity in the divergence of fertilization-related genes between natural scrotal and ascrotal mammals and provide insight into molecular mechanisms underlying normal sperm motility and competition in natural ascrotal mammals. We provide a detailed theoretical basis for understanding the pathology of cryptorchidism from a molecular evolutionary perspective. This study may contribute to the establishment of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for sperm motility and fertility disorders due to congenital cryptorchidism in humans and domestic animals.
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Insights into the Evolution of Spermatogenesis-Related Ubiquitin-Proteasome System Genes in Abdominal Testicular Laurasiatherians. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111780. [PMID: 34828386 PMCID: PMC8620446 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development in mammals, the testicles generally descend into the scrotum, making the testicular temperature 2–4 °C lower than the core temperature via heat exchange and clearance, and thus more beneficial for normal spermatogenesis. Failure to descend, known as cryptorchidism, carries a series of risks such as infertility and testicular cancer. However, some mammals have evolved abdominal testes while maintaining healthy reproduction. To explore the underlying molecular mechanism, we conducted comparative genomic analyses and functional assays on the spermatogenesis-related ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) genes essential to sperm formation in representative laurasiatherians. Here, positive selection and rapid evolution of spermatogenesis-related UPS genes were identified in the abdominal testicular laurasiatherians. Moreover, potential convergent amino acids were found between distantly related species with similar abdominal testicles and functional analyses showed RNF8 (V437I) in abdominal testicular species (437I) has a stronger ubiquitination ability, which suggests that the mammals with abdominal testes might exhibit enhanced sperm cell histone clearance to maintain sperm formation. This evidence implies that, in response to “cryptorchidism injury”, spermatogenesis-related UPS genes in the abdominal testicular species might have undergone adaptive evolution to stabilize sperm formation. Thus, our study could provide some novel insights into the reproductive adaptation in abdominal testicular mammals.
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Chai S, Huang X, Wu T, Xu S, Ren W, Yang G. Comparative genomics reveals molecular mechanisms underlying health and reproduction in cryptorchid mammals. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:763. [PMID: 34702182 PMCID: PMC8547080 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08084-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammals have wide variations in testicular position, with scrotal testes in some species and ascrotal testes in others. Although cryptorchidism is hazardous to human health, some mammalian taxa are natural cryptorchids. However, the evolution of testicular position and the molecular mechanisms underlying the maintenance of health, including reproductive health, in ascrotal mammals are not clear. RESULTS In the present study, comparative genomics and evolutionary analyses revealed that genes associated with the extracellular matrix and muscle, contributing to the development of the gubernaculum, were involved in the evolution of testicular position in mammals. Moreover, genes related to testicular position were significantly associated with spermatogenesis and sperm fertility. These genes showed rapid evolution and the signature of positive selection, with specific substitutions in ascrotal mammals. Genes associated with testicular position were significantly enriched in functions and pathways related to cancer, DNA repair, DNA replication, and autophagy. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed that alterations in gubernaculum development contributed to the evolution of testicular position in mammals and provided the first support for two hypotheses for variation in testicular position in mammals, the "cooling hypothesis", which proposes that the scrotum provides a cool environment for acutely heat-sensitive sperm and the "training hypothesis", which proposes that the scrotum develops the sperm by exposing them to an exterior environment. Further, we identified cancer resistance and DNA repair as potential protective mechanisms in natural cryptorchids. These findings provide general insights into cryptorchidism and have implications for health and infertility both in humans and domestic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Chai
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianzhen Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shixia Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhua Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
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Fromme L, Yogui DR, Alves MH, Desbiez AL, Langeheine M, Quagliatto A, Siebert U, Brehm R. Morphology of the genital organs of male and female giant anteaters ( Myrmecophaga tridactyla). PeerJ 2021; 9:e11945. [PMID: 34447632 PMCID: PMC8364315 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11945] [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: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The giant anteater belongs to the supraorder Xenarthra which occupies a systematically isolated position among placental mammals. The species is categorized as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and understanding its reproductive characteristics is critical for future conservation efforts. METHODS Gross and microscopic anatomy of the genital organs of 23 male and 21 female adult and young roadkill giant anteaters in Brazil were studied. RESULTS Male giant anteaters presented a short conical penis, intraabdominal testes, and prostate, vesicular and bulbourethral glands. A tubular remnant of the partially fused Müllerian ducts extended from the seminal colliculus through the prostate gland, continued cranially in the genital fold, bifurcated, and attached with one elongation each to the left and right epididymal corpus. The structure presented a total length of up to 10 cm and contained a yellowish liquid in its lumen. Histologically, the caudal section of this structure resembled the female vagina, the middle portion corresponded to the uterus, and the extensions showed characteristics of uterine tubes. In adult female giant anteaters, ovoid ovaries with occasional seminiferous cord-like structures were observed. The animals possessed a simple uterus, which was directly continuous with the vaginal canal. The caudal portion of the vagina had two lumina, separated by a longitudinal septum and opening into two apertures into the vaginal vestibule, cranial to the urethral opening. In the urethral and the lateral vestibular wall, glandular structures with characteristics of male prostate and bulbourethral glands, respectively, were found. The vestibule opened through a vertical vulvar cleft to the exterior. A pair of well-differentiated Wolffian ducts with a central lumen originated ventrally at the vaginal opening into the vestibule and passed in a cranial direction through the ventral vaginal and uterine wall. Each duct extended highly coiled along the ipsilateral uterine tube until the lateral pole of the ovaries where it merged with the rete ovarii. DISCUSSION The reproductive morphology of giant anteaters reveals characteristics shared with other Xenarthrans: intraabdominal testes, a simple uterus, and a double caudal vagina. The persistence of well-differentiated genital ducts of the opposite sex in both males and females, however, singles them out among other species. These structures are the results of an aberration during fetal sexual differentiation and possess secretory functions. The possibility of a pathological degeneration of these organs should be considered in reproductive medicine of the species. CONCLUSION Knowledge of the unique reproductive characteristics of the giant anteater is essential for future reproductive management of the species. Additionally, further research on the peculiarities of the persisting genital duct structures might help to understand sexual differentiation in placental mammals in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilja Fromme
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Débora R. Yogui
- Project Anteaters and Highways, Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS), Campo Grande, Brazil
- Nashville Zoo, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Mario Henrique Alves
- Project Anteaters and Highways, Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS), Campo Grande, Brazil
- Fundación Zoológica de Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | - Arnaud L.J. Desbiez
- Project Anteaters and Highways, Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS), Campo Grande, Brazil
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marion Langeheine
- Institute for Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - André Quagliatto
- Laboratório de Ensino e Pesquisa em Animais Silvestres (LAPAS), Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralph Brehm
- Institute for Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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8
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Ding X, Wei H, Zhou X, Gu L, Yu F, Zheng Y, Ren W, Xu S, Yang G. Molecular evolution of spermatogenesis-related genes in abdominal testicular mammals supports the cooling hypothesis. J Genet Genomics 2021; 48:1139-1141. [PMID: 34801404 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Ding
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Huiyuan Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Long Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Fangfang Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yu Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wenhua Ren
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Shixia Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Enhanced Negative Regulation of the DHH Signaling Pathway as a Potential Mechanism of Ascrotal Testes in Laurasiatherians. Evol Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-021-09542-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Dantas MRT, Souza-Junior JBF, Castelo TDS, Lago AEDA, Silva AR. Understanding how environmental factors influence reproductive aspects of wild myomorphic and hystricomorphic rodents. Anim Reprod 2021; 18:e20200213. [PMID: 33936293 PMCID: PMC8078862 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2020-0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Myomorphic and hystricomorphic rodents are vital for maintaining various ecosystems around the planet. This review enables a better understanding of how these rodents respond to environmental factors and adapt to climate adversities. Innumerable factors, such as photoperiod, rainfall, and temperature, can impair or contribute to the quality of rodent reproductive parameters. Prolonged animal exposure to high ambient temperatures alters thermoregulation mechanisms and causes testicular and ovarian tissue degeneration and hormonal deregulation. Photoperiod influences the biological circannual rhythm and reproductive cycles of rodents because it strongly regulates melatonin secretion by the pineal gland, which modulates gonadotropic hormone secretion. Rainfall quantity directly regulates the abundance of fruits in an ecosystem, which modulates the reproductive seasonality of species which are most dependent on a seasonal fruit-based diet. Species with a more diversified fruit diet have smaller reproductive seasonality. As such, habitats are chosen by animals for various reasons, including the availability of food, sexual partners, intra-and inter-specific competition, and predation. This knowledge allows us to monitor and establish management plans to aid in conservation strategies for wild rodent species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko Roberto Tavares Dantas
- Laboratório de Conservação de Germoplasma Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido - UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
| | | | - Thibério de Souza Castelo
- Laboratório de Biometeorologia e Biofísica Ambiental, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido - UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
| | - Arthur Emannuel de Araújo Lago
- Laboratório de Conservação de Germoplasma Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido - UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Rodrigues Silva
- Laboratório de Conservação de Germoplasma Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido - UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
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Chai S, Tian R, Bi J, Xu S, Yang G, Ren W. Rapid evolution and molecular convergence in cryptorchidism-related genes associated with inherently undescended testes in mammals. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:22. [PMID: 33568072 PMCID: PMC7877101 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01753-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian testis is an important male exocrine gland and spermatozoa-producing organ that usually lies in extra-abdominal scrotums to provide a cooler environment for spermatogenesis and sperm storage. Testicles sometimes fail to descend, leading to cryptorchidism. However, certain groups of mammals possess inherently ascrotal testes (i.e. testes that do not descend completely or at all) that have the same physiological functions as completely descended scrotal testes. Although several anatomical and hormonal factors involved in testicular descent have been studied, there is still a paucity of comprehensive research on the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of testicular descent in mammals and how mammals with ascrotal testes maintain their reproductive health. RESULTS We performed integrative phenotypic and comparative genomic analyses of 380 cryptorchidism-related genes and found that the mammalian ascrotal testes trait is derived from an ancestral scrotal state. Rapidly evolving genes in ascrotal mammals were enriched in the Hedgehog pathway-which regulates Leydig cell differentiation and testosterone secretion-and muscle development. Moreover, some cryptorchidism-related genes in ascrotal mammals had undergone positive selection and contained specific mutations and indels. Genes harboring convergent/parallel amino acid substitutions between ascrotal mammals were enriched in GTPase functions. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the scrotal testis is an ancestral state in mammals, and the ascrotal phenotype was derived multiple times in independent lineages. In addition, the adaptive evolution of genes involved in testicular descent and the development of the gubernaculum contributed to the evolution of ascrotal testes. Accurate DNA replication, the proper segregation of genetic material, and appropriate autophagy are the potential mechanisms for maintaining physiological normality during spermatogenesis in ascrotal mammals. Furthermore, the molecular convergence of GTPases is probably a mechanism in the ascrotal testes of different mammals. This study provides novel insights into the evolution of the testis and scrotum in mammals and contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of cryptorchidism in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Chai
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ran Tian
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juanjuan Bi
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shixia Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guang Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Wenhua Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
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Ivell R, Alhujaili W, Kohsaka T, Anand-Ivell R. Physiology and evolution of the INSL3/RXFP2 hormone/receptor system in higher vertebrates. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 299:113583. [PMID: 32800774 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although the insulin-like peptide hormone INSL3 and its cognate receptor RXFP2 (relaxin-family peptide receptor 2) have existed throughout chordate evolution, their physiological diversification appears to be linked closely with mammalian emergence and radiation. In contrast, they have been lost in birds and reptiles. Both hormone and receptor are expressed from autosomal genes which have maintained their synteny across vertebrate evolution. Whereas the INSL3 gene comprises only two exons closely linked to the JAK3 gene, RXFP2 is normally encoded by 18 exons. Both genes, however, are subject to alternative splicing to yield a variety of possibly inactive or antagonistic molecules. In mammals, the INSL3-RXFP2 dyad has maintained a probably primitive association with gametogenesis, seen also in fish, whereby INSL3 promotes the survival, growth and differentiation of male germ cells in the testis and follicle development in the ovary. In addition, however, the INSL3/RXFP2 system has adopted a typical 'neohormone' profile, essential for the promotion of internal fertilisation and viviparity; fetal INSL3 is essential for the first phase of testicular descent into a scrotum, and also appears to be associated with male phenotype, in particular horn and skeletal growth. Circulating INSL3 is produced exclusively by the mature testicular Leydig cells in male mammals and acts as a potent biomarker for testis development during fetal and pubertal development as well as in ageing. As such it can be used also to monitor seasonally breeding animals as well as to investigate environmental or lifestyle conditions affecting development. Nevertheless, most information about INSL3 and RXFP2 comes from a very limited selection of species; it will be especially useful to gain further information from a more diverse range of animals, especially those whose evolution has led them to express unusual reproductive phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Ivell
- School of Bioscience, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE2 5RD, UK; School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE2 5RD, UK.
| | - Waleed Alhujaili
- School of Bioscience, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE2 5RD, UK
| | - Tetsuya Kohsaka
- Dept. of Applied Life Science, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
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Zhou Y, Meng T, Wu L, Duan Y, Li G, Shi C, Zhang H, Peng Z, Fan C, Ma J, Xiong C, Bao W, Liu Y. Association between ambient temperature and semen quality: A longitudinal study of 10 802 men in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105364. [PMID: 31841801 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Semen quality is a vital determinant for male fertility. The process of spermatogenesis is highly sensitive to fluctuations in temperature. However, the impact of ambient temperature on semen quality remains unclear. We aimed to quantitatively assess the association between ambient temperature and semen quality. Using data from Hubei provincial human sperm bank in Wuhan, China, we conducted a longitudinal study including 10 802 volunteers who lived in Wuhan and passed the initial physical examination for sperm donation between Mar 27, 2013 and April 9, 2018. Semen quality parameters including sperm concentration, total sperm number, total motility, progressive motility, total motile sperm count and progressively motile sperm count were determined in the sperm bank. We used linear mixed models to identify estimate changes of outcomes in relation to ambient temperature (i.e., air temperature and apparent temperature) exposure measured as the mean daily temperature during the 0-90 days before semen collection. Among 10 802 subjects who underwent 41 689 semen examinations, we observed inverted U-shaped exposure-response associations between air temperature exposure and all semen quality parameters, with an identical threshold exposure of 13 °C. For air temperature exposure <13 °C, each 5 °C lower temperature was significantly associated with 1.94 × 106/ml, 7.12 × 106, 0.77%, 0.81%, 6.48 × 106, and 5.87 × 106 decrease in sperm concentration, total sperm count, total motility, progressive motility, total motile sperm count and progressively motile sperm count, respectively. When air temperature exposure was ≥13 °C, each 5 °C higher temperature was significantly associated with 0.70 × 106/ml, 4.09 × 106, 1.01%, 1.06%, 4.31 × 106, and 4.20 × 106 decrease in sperm concentration, total sperm count, total motility, progressive motility, total motile sperm count and progressively motile sperm count, respectively. Age, BMI and smoking did not significantly modify these associations. Similar results were observed for apparent temperature. This study provides a comprehensive picture of nonlinear association between ambient temperature and semen quality, as well as an optimal temperature for the benefit of semen quality. Both lower and higher ambient temperature exposures compared with the optimal temperature were significantly associated with decreased semen quality. The findings highlight the needs and importance to reduce extreme ambient temperature exposures in maintaining optimal semen quality for men. Further investigation is warranted to determine the causality of the association and the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhou
- School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, China
| | - Tianqing Meng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Li Wu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Yonggang Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518053, China
| | - Guo Li
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Chunxiang Shi
- National Meteorological Information Center, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Hai Zhang
- Institute of Health Surveillance, Analysis and Protection, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Zhe Peng
- Institute of Health Surveillance, Analysis and Protection, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Chuangang Fan
- Institute of Health Surveillance, Analysis and Protection, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Jixuan Ma
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Chengliang Xiong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Wei Bao
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
| | - Yuewei Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
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Lovegrove BG. Obligatory Nocturnalism in Triassic Archaic Mammals: Preservation of Sperm Quality? Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:544-553. [DOI: 10.1086/705440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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15
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ANATOMY, HISTOLOGY, AND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING OF THE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT OF MALE AARDVARK ( ORYCTEROPUS AFER). J Zoo Wildl Med 2019; 49:648-655. [PMID: 30212348 DOI: 10.1638/2017-0213.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive tracts of three captive male aardvark ( Orycteropus afer) were evaluated to characterize the gross and histological anatomy, with correlations to ultrasonographic and computed tomographic imaging. Observations were made from a reproductive tract examined at necropsy, with subsequent evaluation of tissues histologically. Two living specimens were evaluated via ultrasonography with a 10-MHz linear transducer. One living animal was also evaluated via computed tomography. Prominent external scent glands were present at the base of the prepuce. Testicles were present internally at the level of the inguinal canal and capable of sliding into a subcutaneous position. Accessory sex glands consisted of seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands, with histological characteristics similar to other species. Ultrasonography was an effective tool for evaluation of internal and external reproductive structures, while the usefulness of computed tomography was limited in the evaluation of pelvic organs due to artifact from nearby bony structures. While a larger study population is desirable, this report provides an important comparative anatomical reference and will help improve the clinical management and care of this species.
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Zhou CF, Bhullar BAS, Neander AI, Martin T, Luo ZX. New Jurassic mammaliaform sheds light on early evolution of mammal-like hyoid bones. Science 2019; 365:276-279. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aau9345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Fu Zhou
- Paleontological Museum of Liaoning, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang Liaoning 110034, China
- College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266590, China
| | - Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar
- Department of Geology and Geophysics and Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - April I. Neander
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Thomas Martin
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Zhe-Xi Luo
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Berger MJ, Wenger AM, Guturu H, Bejerano G. Independent erosion of conserved transcription factor binding sites points to shared hindlimb, vision and external testes loss in different mammals. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:9299-9308. [PMID: 30137416 PMCID: PMC6182171 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in cis-regulatory elements is thought to be a major driving force in morphological and physiological changes. However, identifying transcription factor binding events that code for complex traits remains a challenge, motivating novel means of detecting putatively important binding events. Using a curated set of 1154 high-quality transcription factor motifs, we demonstrate that independently eroded binding sites are enriched for independently lost traits in three distinct pairs of placental mammals. We show that these independently eroded events pinpoint the loss of hindlimbs in dolphin and manatee, degradation of vision in naked mole-rat and star-nosed mole, and the loss of external testes in white rhinoceros and Weddell seal. We additionally show that our method may also be utilized with more than two species. Our study exhibits a novel methodology to detect cis-regulatory mutations which help explain a portion of the molecular mechanism underlying complex trait formation and loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Berger
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA
| | - Aaron M Wenger
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA
| | - Harendra Guturu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5008, USA
| | - Gill Bejerano
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA.,Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5208, USA.,Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5464, USA
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18
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Liu ZH, Xia XJ, Zhang Y, Zhong Y, Sang B, Li QP, Wang M, Lv WW, Zhi HL, Wang XD, Guan CP, Shen H. Favus of Scrotum Due to Trichophyton rubrum in Immunocompetent Patients: A Clinical, Mycological and Ultrastructural Study. Mycopathologia 2019; 184:433-439. [PMID: 30976954 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-019-00337-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize the clinical and mycological features of favus of scrotum due to Trichophyton rubrum. METHODS A single-site prospective study was carried out in an outpatient dermatology clinic. Microscopic examination and fungal culture were done using skin scrapings. Scales on the scrotum were stained with PAS and visualized by microscopy, including in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Two strains were analyzed by RAPD typing. Scutular lesions were fixed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS Cultures of the scale from the scrotum and/or groin in all patients showed a growth of T. rubrum. T. rubrum strains from scrotum and groins in one patient were demonstrated as the same strain by RAPD typing. The average age of patients was 34.1 ± 12.78 years. The mean course was 8.2 ± 5.07 days. All the patients received only topical treatment for 2 weeks without recurrence. Direct smear, calcofluor-white staining and in vivo RCM study of the scrotal favus in patients showed a massive number of septate branching hyphae, while fewer septate hyphae in scales in the groin. Abundant hyphae were found only in the outer layer of the stratum corneum of the scrotum under SEM and TEM with intact bilateral cell walls, and normal nucleus, liposomes and reticulum. Few distorted hyphae structures, cell wall degeneration, degenerated cytoplasm and the autophagy phenomenon could be seen in scales from groin under TEM. CONCLUSIONS Scrotal favus due to T. rubrum is still a true infection, which most often occurred in immunocompetent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Hu Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiu-Jiao Xia
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Zhong
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Sang
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiu-Ping Li
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Wen Lv
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui-Lin Zhi
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Dong Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Cui-Ping Guan
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, West Lake Rd 38, Hanghzou, 310009, People's Republic of China
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19
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Carter AM. Hans Bluntschli in Berne: Researching reproduction in hedgehog tenrecs (Afrosoricida, Tenrecidae). J Morphol 2019; 280:841-848. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M. Carter
- Cardiovascular and Renal ResearchInstitute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
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20
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Miller, Jr WB, Torday JS. Reappraising the exteriorization of the mammalian testes through evolutionary physiology. Commun Integr Biol 2019; 12:38-54. [PMID: 31143362 PMCID: PMC6527184 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2019.1586047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of theories have been proposed to explain the exteriorization of the testicles in most mammalian species. None of these provide a consistent account for the wide variety of testicular locations found across the animal kingdom. It is proposed that testicular location is the result of coordinate action of testicular tissue ecologies to sustain preferential states of homeostatic equipoise throughout evolutionary development in response to the advent of endothermy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John S. Torday
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
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21
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Sharma V, Lehmann T, Stuckas H, Funke L, Hiller M. Loss of RXFP2 and INSL3 genes in Afrotheria shows that testicular descent is the ancestral condition in placental mammals. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2005293. [PMID: 29953435 PMCID: PMC6023123 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Descent of testes from a position near the kidneys into the lower abdomen or into the scrotum is an important developmental process that occurs in all placental mammals, with the exception of five afrotherian lineages. Since soft-tissue structures like testes are not preserved in the fossil record and since key parts of the placental mammal phylogeny remain controversial, it has been debated whether testicular descent is the ancestral or derived condition in placental mammals. To resolve this debate, we used genomic data of 71 mammalian species and analyzed the evolution of two key genes (relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 2 [RXFP2] and insulin-like 3 [INSL3]) that induce the development of the gubernaculum, the ligament that is crucial for testicular descent. We show that both RXFP2 and INSL3 are lost or nonfunctional exclusively in four afrotherians (tenrec, cape elephant shrew, cape golden mole, and manatee) that completely lack testicular descent. The presence of remnants of once functional orthologs of both genes in these afrotherian species shows that these gene losses happened after the split from the placental mammal ancestor. These “molecular vestiges” provide strong evidence that testicular descent is the ancestral condition, irrespective of persisting phylogenetic discrepancies. Furthermore, the absence of shared gene-inactivating mutations and our estimates that the loss of RXFP2 happened at different time points strongly suggest that testicular descent was lost independently in Afrotheria. Our results provide a molecular mechanism that explains the loss of testicular descent in afrotherians and, more generally, highlight how molecular vestiges can provide insights into the evolution of soft-tissue characters. While fossils of whales with legs demonstrate that these species evolved from legged ancestors, the ancestral state of nonfossilizing soft-tissue structures can only be indirectly inferred. This difficulty is also confounded by uncertainties in the phylogenetic relationships between the animals concerned. A prime example is the case of testicular descent, a developmental process that determines the final position of testes, which occurs in most placental mammals but is absent from several afrotherian lineages. Here, we discovered that afrotherians possess remnants of genes known to be required for testicular descent. These “molecular vestiges” show that testicular descent was already present in the placental ancestor and was subsequently lost in Afrotheria. Our study highlights the potential of molecular vestiges in resolving contradictory ancestral states of soft-tissue characters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virag Sharma
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Lehmann
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Liane Funke
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Abstract
Evolution acts through a combination of four different drivers: (1) mutation, (2) selection, (3) genetic drift, and (4) developmental constraints. There is a tendency among some biologists to frame evolution as the sole result of natural selection, and this tendency is reinforced by many popular texts. “The Naked Ape” by Desmond Morris, published 50 years ago, is no exception. In this paper I argue that evolutionary biology is much richer than natural selection alone. I illustrate this by reconstructing the evolutionary history of five different organs of the human body: foot, pelvis, scrotum, hand and brain. Factors like developmental tinkering, by-product evolution, exaptation and heterochrony are powerful forces for body-plan innovations and the appearance of such innovations in human ancestors does not always require an adaptive explanation. While Morris explained the lack of body hair in the human species by sexual selection, I argue that molecular tinkering of regulatory genes expressed in the brain, followed by positive selection for neotenic features, may have been the driving factor, with loss of body hair as a secondary consequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico M. van Straalen
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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23
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Halder S, Sarkar M, Dey S, Kumar Bhunia S, Ranjan Koley A, Giri B. Protective effects of red grape (Vitis vinifera) juice through restoration of antioxidant defense, endocrine swing and Hsf1, Hsp72 levels in heat stress induced testicular dysregulation of Wister rat. J Therm Biol 2017; 71:32-40. [PMID: 29301698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ability of red grape juice (RGJ), a known antioxidant, on testis of adult Wister rat to protect from oxidative stress induced damages by heat stress has been investigated in this study. Heat stress was induced maintaining body and testicular temperature at 43°C for 30min/day for 15 days using a hyperthermia induction chamber. Four groups of rats (n=6 per group) comprising of Group-I (control) -kept at 32°C, Group-II -exposed to heat stress alone, Group-III received RGJ (0.8ml/rat/day) alone and Group-IV -exposed to heat stress and received RGJ at same dose. Analysis of blood and testicular tissue exhibited significant reduction in serum testosterone, testicular superoxide dismutase, testicular catalase and testicular glutathione (all p < 0.001); whereas, significant rise in the level of serum corticosteroid, testicular lipid peroxidase and the apoptotic enzyme caspase-3 of testis (all p < 0.001) were observed along with substantial increase in testicular Hsp72 and Hsf-1, and decrease in 17β-HSD3 were noted in heat stressed rats compared to controls. In Group-IV rats, RGJ administration could restore these parameters to normal levels. The signs of retention were clear in Group-IV rats and found to be significantly different as compared to that of the Group-II rats. In testicular histology of rats exposed to heat stress alone revealed remarkable germ cell degeneration and tubular deformations which were prevented by RGJ treatment (Group-IV). The reduced number of sperm level in Group-II also restored in RGJ treatment (Group-IV). The above results indicate that consumption of RGJ may substantially protect testis from heat stress induce dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Halder
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India
| | - Mrinmoy Sarkar
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India
| | - Sananda Dey
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India; Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Mokdumpur, Malda 732103, India
| | - Sujay Kumar Bhunia
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India
| | - Alok Ranjan Koley
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India
| | - Biplab Giri
- Experimental Medicine & Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, West Bengal State University, Barasat, Kolkata 700126, India; Department of Physiology, University of Gour Banga, Mokdumpur, Malda 732103, India.
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Recovery of normal testicular temperature after scrotal heat stress in rams assessed by infrared thermography and its effects on seminal characteristics and testosterone blood serum concentration. Theriogenology 2016; 86:795-805.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Testis-enriched heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2): Adaptive advantages of the birds with internal testes over the mammals with testicular descent. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18770. [PMID: 26733092 PMCID: PMC4702119 DOI: 10.1038/srep18770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular chaperone heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2), a member of the 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) family, plays an important role in spermatogenesis and male fertility. Although HSPA2 is evolutionarily highly conserved across the metazoan lineages, the observation of striking differences in temperature-sensitive expressions, testicular physiology, spermatogenesis, as well as its role in male fertility indicates that avian and mammalian HSPA2 may exhibit distinct evolutionary trajectory. The present study reports that while mammalian HSPA2 is constrained by intense purifying selection, avian HSPA2 has been subjected to positive selection. The majority of the positively selected amino acid residues fall on the α-helix and β-sheets of the peptide-binding domain located at the carboxyl-terminal region of the avian HSPA2. The detection of positively selected sites at the helix and β-sheets, which are less tolerant to molecular adaptation, indicates an important functional consequence and contribution to the structural and functional diversification of the avian HSPA2. Collectively, avian HSPA2 may have an adaptive advantage over the mammals in response to heat stress, and therefore, mammals with testicular descent may be at a greater risk in the event of scrotal temperature rise.
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26
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Sharma B, Sharma S. Bilateral cryptorchidism associated with micropenis – Case report with MRI appearance. INDIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SPECIALITIES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.injms.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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27
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Garolla A, Torino M, Miola P, Caretta N, Pizzol D, Menegazzo M, Bertoldo A, Foresta C. Twenty-four-hour monitoring of scrotal temperature in obese men and men with a varicocele as a mirror of spermatogenic function. Hum Reprod 2015; 30:1006-13. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Effects of reproductive status and high ambient temperatures on the body temperature of a free-ranging basoendotherm. J Comp Physiol B 2014; 184:1041-53. [PMID: 25155185 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-014-0858-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Tenrecs (Order Afrosoricida) exhibit some of the lowest body temperatures (T b) of any eutherian mammal. They also have a high level of variability in both active and resting T bs and, at least in cool temperatures in captivity, frequently employ both short- and long-term torpor. The use of heterothermy by captive animals is, however, generally reduced during gestation and lactation. We present data long-term T b recordings collected from free-ranging S. setosus over the course of two reproductive seasons. In general, reproductive females had slightly higher (~32 °C) and less variable T b, whereas non-reproductive females and males showed both a higher propensity for torpor as well as lower (~30.5 °C) and more variable rest-phase T bs. Torpor expression defined using traditional means (using a threshold or cut-off T b) was much lower than predicted based on the high degree of heterothermy in captive tenrecs. However, torpor defined in this manner is likely to be underestimated in habitats where ambient temperature is close to T b. Our results caution against inferring metabolic states from T b alone and lend support to the recent call to define torpor in free-ranging animals based on mechanistic and not descriptive variables. In addition, lower variability in T b observed during gestation and lactation confirms that homeothermy is essential for reproduction in this species and probably for basoendothermic mammals in general. The relatively low costs of maintaining homeothermy in a sub-tropical environment might help shed light on how homeothermy could have evolved incrementally from an ancestral heterothermic condition.
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Prontera P, Donti E. Hypothesis: gonadal temperature influences sex-specific imprinting. Front Genet 2014; 5:294. [PMID: 25202325 PMCID: PMC4142806 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Various explanations have been advanced for the evolution of genomic imprinting, the most popular of these being the parental conflict hypothesis. However, while this theory may explain why there has been selection for imprinting certain genes, it does not explain how the maternal and paternal genomes can be distinguished from each other. Here, we hypothesize that the temperature at which male and female gonads are physiologically exposed could be, at least for some loci, the primary factor leading to the different imprinting between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Prontera
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Perugia Perugia, Italy
| | - Emilio Donti
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Perugia Perugia, Italy
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30
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Lovegrove BG. Cool sperm: why some placental mammals have a scrotum. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:801-14. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. G. Lovegrove
- School of Life Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal; Scottsville South Africa
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Hautier L, Bennett NC, Viljoen H, Howard L, Milinkovitch MC, Tzika AC, Goswami A, Asher RJ. PATTERNS OF OSSIFICATION IN SOUTHERN VERSUS NORTHERN PLACENTAL MAMMALS. Evolution 2013; 67:1994-2010. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 01/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Hautier
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing St. Cambridge CB2 3EJ United Kingdom
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Hermien Viljoen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Lauren Howard
- Science Facilities Department; British Museum of Natural History; Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Michel C. Milinkovitch
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; Sciences III Building; 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Athanasia C. Tzika
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; Sciences III Building; 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment and Department of Earth Sciences; University College London; Wolfson House to Darwin Building; Gower Street London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Robert J. Asher
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Downing St. Cambridge CB2 3EJ United Kingdom
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Rezende LC, Ferreira JR. Pelvic Peritoneum in Male Armadillo and Anteater (Xenarthra, Mammalia): A Comparative Survey. Zoolog Sci 2013; 30:60-4. [DOI: 10.2108/zsj.30.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Adkins-Regan E. Hormonal organization and activation: evolutionary implications and questions. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 176:279-85. [PMID: 22248442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Revised: 12/30/2011] [Accepted: 12/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Comparative endocrinology is a fascinating field of science in part because it addresses both ultimate and proximate causation. Research on sexual dimorphism and sexual differentiation has excellent potential for this kind of integration. Vertebrate comparative endocrinologists have made many important discoveries about the role of genes and sex steroid hormones in the organization and activation of sexually differentiated behavior, brain function, anatomy and physiology. In addition to taxonomically general principles and conserved features, there is also striking diversity in sexual differentiation processes. Much of the evolutionary basis of this diversity (its phylogenetic history and adaptive functions) is not well understood. A set of questions is raised to illustrate this point, with an emphasis on mechanisms of sexual dimorphism in body size and ornamentation, sexual differentiation of avian behavior, particularly in Japanese quail and zebra finches, and the puzzle of the phylogenetic distribution of vertebrate sex determining mechanisms. Applying a comparative approach grounded in established phylogenies and concepts from evolutionary developmental biology such as developmental modules holds promise for generating and testing new hypotheses and eventually answering some of these questions.
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Jung YJ, Chung JM. Testicular torsion in the inguinal region in an extremely low birth weight infant. KOREAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS 2010; 53:852-4. [PMID: 21189971 PMCID: PMC3005217 DOI: 10.3345/kjp.2010.53.9.852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2010] [Revised: 07/16/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Testicular torsion is rare in newborn infants. However, its frequency has increased, most of which are reported in full-term infants. We diagnosed and treated testicular torsion in an extremely low birth weight infant (ELBWI). A 2×2 cm red mass was palpable in the left groin of a 24-week-old, 745 g, male newborn at 23 days of age. Left testicular torsion was diagnosed, and emergent orchiopexy was performed. Careful physical examination is needed in cases suspicious of testicular torsion in ELBWIs with cryptorchidism. Moreover, early diagnosis and emergent exploration are necessary to prevent complications such as the risk of anorchia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jin Jung
- Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Korea
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