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Maes D, Pavani KC, Nauwynck H, Van Soom A. Immunological defense mechanisms of ejaculates and the spread of viral infectious diseases through pig semen. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107535. [PMID: 38880667 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107535] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
This review focuses on the mechanisms of immune tolerance and antimicrobial defense in the male genital tract of the pig. Sperm cells are foreign to the immune system and, therefore, they must be protected from the immune system. The blood-testis-barrier is mediated by a physical barrier between adjacent Sertoli cells, several cell types within the testis, and interactions between immunomodulatory molecules. The blood-epididymal-barrier is composed of a physical barrier that is lined with principal cells having a network of junctional complexes in their apical lateral membrane and completed by specific transporters. The seminal plasma (SP) contains many signaling agents involved in establishing a state of immune tolerance in the female genital tract, which is essential for successful fertilization. Specific SP-proteins, however, also have pro-inflammatory capacities contributing to transient uterine inflammation, supporting the removal of foreign cells, possible pathogens, and excessive spermatozoa. While many different proteins and other substances present in semen can damage sperm cells, they may also protect them against viral infections. A delicate balance of these substances, therefore, needs to be maintained. Related to this, recent studies have shown the importance of extracellular vesicles (EVs), as they contain these substances and convey immune signals. Yet, viruses may use EVs to interact with the male genital tract and circumvent immune responses. For this reason, further research needs to explore the role of EVs in the male reproductive tract, as it might contribute to elucidating the pathogenesis of viral infections that might be transmitted via semen and to developing better vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominiek Maes
- Unit of Porcine Health Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium.
| | - Krishna C Pavani
- Reproductive Biology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium
| | - Hans Nauwynck
- Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium
| | - Ann Van Soom
- Reproductive Biology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820, Belgium
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Barranco I, Spinaci M, Nesci S, Mateo-Otero Y, Baldassarro VA, Algieri C, Bucci D, Roca J. Seminal extracellular vesicles alter porcine in vitro fertilization outcome by modulating sperm metabolism. Theriogenology 2024; 219:167-179. [PMID: 38437767 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.024] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Porcine seminal plasma (SP) is loaded with a heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles (sEVs) that modulate several reproductive-related processes. This study investigated the effect of two sEV subsets, small (S-sEVs) and large (L-sEVs), on porcine in vitro fertilization (IVF). The sEVs were isolated from nine SP pools (five ejaculates/pool) using a size-exclusion chromatography-based procedure and characterized for quantity (total protein), morphology (cryogenic electron microscopy), size distribution (dynamic light scattering), purity and EV-protein markers (flow cytometry; albumin, CD81, HSP90β). The characterization confirmed the existence of two subsets of high purity (low albumin content) sEVs that differed in size (S- and L-sEVs). In vitro fertilization was performed with in vitro matured oocytes and frozen-thawed spermatozoa and the IVF medium was supplemented during gamete coincubation (1 h at 38.5 °C, 5 % CO2 in a humidified atmosphere) with three different concentrations of each sEV subset: 0 (control, without sEVs), 0.1, and 0.2 mg/mL. The first experiment showed that sEVs, regardless of subset and concentration, decreased penetration rates and total IVF efficiency (P < 0.0001). In a subsequent experiment, it was shown that sEVs, regardless of subset and concentration, impaired the ability of spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida of oocytes (P < 0.0001). The following experiment showed that sEVs, regardless of the subset, bound to frozen-thawed sperm but not to in vitro matured oocytes, indicating that sEVs would affect sperm functionality but not oocyte functionality. The lack of effect on oocytes was confirmed by incubating sEVs with oocytes prior to IVF, achieving sperm-zona pellucida binding results similar to those of control. In the last experiment, conducted under IVF conditions, sperm functionality was analyzed in terms of tyrosine phosphorylation, acrosome integrity and metabolism. The sEVs, regardless of the subset, did not affect sperm tyrosine phosphorylation or acrosome integrity, but did influence sperm metabolism by decreasing sperm ATP production under capacitating conditions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the presence of sEVs on IVF medium impairs IVF outcomes, most likely by altering sperm metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barranco
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy; Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Spain
| | - Marcella Spinaci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Salvatore Nesci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Vito Antonio Baldassarro
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Algieri
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Diego Bucci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Spain
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Wang H, Lin Y, Chen R, Zhu Y, Wang H, Li S, Yu L, Zhang K, Liu Y, Jing T, Sun F. Human Seminal Extracellular Vesicles Enhance Endometrial Receptivity Through Leukemia Inhibitory Factor. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae035. [PMID: 38518755 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Seminal extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain different subgroups that have diverse effects on sperm function. However, the effect of seminal EVs-especially their subgroups-on endometrial receptivity is largely unknown. Here, we found that seminal EVs could be divided into high-density EVs (EV-H), medium density EVs, and low-density EVs after purification using iodixanol. We demonstrated that EV-H could promote the expression and secretion of leukemia inhibitor factor (LIF) in human endometrial cells. In EV-H-treated endometrial cells, we identified 1274 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs were enriched in cell adhesion and AKT and STAT3 pathways. Therefore, we illustrated that EV-H enhanced the adhesion of human choriocarcinoma JAr cell spheroids to endometrial cells through the LIF-STAT3 pathway. Collectively, our findings indicated that seminal EV-H could regulate endometrial receptivity through the LIF pathway, which could provide novel insights into male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanshu Wang
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yu Lin
- International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty, Institute of Embryo-Fetal Original Adult Disease, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Rongrong Chen
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Hongqiang Wang
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shengxian Li
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lei Yu
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Kaishu Zhang
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tao Jing
- Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310020, Zhejiang, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
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Barranco I, Alvarez-Barrientos A, Parra A, Martínez-Díaz P, Lucas X, Roca J. Immunophenotype profile by flow cytometry reveals different subtypes of extracellular vesicles in porcine seminal plasma. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:63. [PMID: 38263049 PMCID: PMC10807091 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01485-1] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Porcine seminal plasma (SP) is endowed with a heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles (sEVs). This study evaluated the immunophenotypic profile by high-sensitivity flow cytometry of eight sEV subpopulations isolated according to their size (small [S-sEVs] and large [L-sEVs]) from four different SP sources, namely three ejaculate fractions (the first 10 mL of the sperm rich fraction [SRF-P1], the remaining SRF [SRF-P2], and the post-SRF [PSRF]) and entire ejaculate (EE). METHODS Seminal EVs were isolated using a size exclusion chromatography-based protocol from six SP pools (five ejaculates/pool) of each SP source and characterized using complementary approaches including total protein (BCA™assay), particle size distribution (dynamic light scattering), morphology (transmission electron microscopy), and purity (albumin by Western blot). Expression of CD9, CD63, CD81, CD44 and HSP90β was analyzed in all sEV subpopulations by high-sensitivity flow cytometry according to MIFlowCyt-EV guidelines, including an accurate calibration, controls, and discrimination by CFSE-labelling. RESULTS Each sEV subpopulation exhibited a specific immunophenotypic profile. The percentage of sEVs positive for CD9, CD63, CD81 and HSP90β differed between S- and L-sEVs (P < 0.0001). Specifically, the percentage of sEVs positive for CD9 and CD63 was higher and that for CD81 was lower in S- than L-sEVs in the four SP sources. However, the percentage of HSP90β-positive sEVs was lower in S-sEVs than L-sEVs in the SRF-P1 and EE samples. The percentage of sEVs positive for CD9, CD63, and CD44 also differed among the four SP sources (P < 0.0001), being highest in PSRF samples. Notably, virtually all sEV subpopulations expressed CD44 (range: 88.04-98.50%). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the utility of high-sensitivity flow cytometry for sEV immunophenotyping, allowing the identification of distinct sEV subpopulations that may have different cellular origin, cargo, functions, and target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barranco
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
| | | | - Ana Parra
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pablo Martínez-Díaz
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Xiomara Lucas
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Xu Z, Xie Y, Wu C, Gu T, Zhang X, Yang J, Yang H, Zheng E, Huang S, Xu Z, Li Z, Cai G, Liu D, Hong L, Wu Z. The effects of boar seminal plasma extracellular vesicles on sperm fertility. Theriogenology 2024; 213:79-89. [PMID: 37816296 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.09.026] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are abundant in body fluid and are critical in cell interaction. Seminal plasma contains numerous EVs which affecting sperm function via transferring regulatory cargoes to the sperm. However, the mechanism of seminal plasma extracellular vesicles (SP-EVs) is still not clear. The present study aimed to isolate the boar SP-EVs and explore its potential function, then identify the key protein involved in SP-EVs and sperms interaction, and elucidate mechanism of SP-EVs protein on sperms. Here, we successfully isolated and concentrated boar SP-EVs, the SP-EVs showed a typical vesicle structure under transmission electron microscopy, most of their diameters range between 50 and 200 nm and express EVs biomarkers CD9 and CD63. We proved that SP-EVs could inhibit sperm acrosome reaction and in vitro fertility. Through a data-independent acquisition analysis of protein profiles of noncapacitated sperms, normal capacitated sperms and SP-EVs treated capacitated sperms, we identified that EZRIN was one of the active proteins that participated in SP-EVs and sperms interaction. Furthermore, we tested that the inhibition of EZRIN could promote boar sperm fertility, which is in consistence with the function of SP-EVs. The results may facilitate future research of SP-EVs on sperm function and male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Xu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, Henan, China
| | - Yanshe Xie
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Changhua Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Ting Gu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianwei Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, 527400, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Huaqiang Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Enqin Zheng
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Sixiu Huang
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Zicong Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Gengyuan Cai
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Dewu Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China
| | - Linjun Hong
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong, China; Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd., Yunfu, 527400, Guangdong, China.
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Han X, Li Y, Zong Y, Li D, Yuan J, Yang H, Ma H, Ni A, Wang Y, Zhao J, Chen J, Ma T, Sun Y. Extracellular vesicle-coupled miRNA profiles of chicken seminal plasma and their potential interaction with recipient cells. Poult Sci 2023; 102:103099. [PMID: 37812871 PMCID: PMC10563059 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103099] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of EVs in seminal plasma (SPEVs) suggests their involvement on fertility via transmitting information between the original cells and recipient cells. SPEVs-coupled miRNAs have been shown to affect sperm motility, maturation, and capacitation in mammals, but rarely in poultry species. The present study aims to reveal the profile of SPEVs miRNAs and their potential effect on sperm storage and function in poultry. The SPEVs was successfully isolated from 4 different chicken breeds by ultracentrifugation and verified. Deep sequencing of SPEVs small RNA library of each breed identified 1077 miRNAs in total and 563 shared ones. The top 10 abundant miRNAs (such as miR-10-5p, miR-100-5p, and miR-10a-5p etc.) accounted for around 60% of total SPEVs miRNA reads and are highly conserved across species, predisposing their functional significance. Target genes prediction and functional enrichment analysis indicated that the most abundantly expressed miRNAs may regulate pathways like ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, endocytosis, mitophagy, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and fatty acid elongation. The high abundant SPEVs-coupled miRNAs were found to target 107 and 64 functionally important mRNAs in the potential recipient cells, sperm and sperm storage tubules (SST) cells, respectively. The pathways that enriched by target mRNAs revealed that the SPEVs-coupled miRNA may rule the fertility by affecting the sperm maturation and regulating the female's immune response and lipid metabolism. In summary, this study presents the distinctive repertoire of SPEVs-coupled miRNAs, and extends our understanding about their potential roles in sperm maturation, capacitation, storage, and fertility, and may help to develop new therapeutic strategies for male infertility and sperm storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China; College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056038, Hebei, China
| | - Yunlei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yunhe Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dongli Li
- Beijing Huadu Yukou Poultry Industry Co. Ltd., Beijing, 101206, China
| | - Jingwei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hanhan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Aixin Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuanmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinmeng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jilan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Tenghe Ma
- College of medicine, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, 056000, Hebei, China
| | - Yanyan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Toledo-Guardiola SM, Luongo C, Abril-Parreño L, Soriano-Úbeda C, Matás C. Different seminal ejaculated fractions in artificial insemination condition the protein cargo of oviductal and uterine extracellular vesicles in pig. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1231755. [PMID: 37868907 PMCID: PMC10587466 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1231755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The seminal plasma (SP) is the liquid component of semen that facilitates sperm transport through the female genital tract. SP modulates the activity of the ovary, oviductal environment and uterine function during the periovulatory and early pregnancy period. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted in the oviduct (oEVs) and uterus (uEVs) have been shown to influence the expression of endometrial genes that regulate fertilization and early embryo development. In some species, semen is composed of well-separated fractions that vary in concentration of spermatozoa and SP composition and volume. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different accumulative fractions of the porcine ejaculate (F1, composed of the sperm-rich fraction, SRF; F2, composed of F1 plus the intermediate fraction; F3, composed of F2 plus the post-SRF) on oEVs and uEVs protein cargo. Six days after the onset of estrus, we determined the oEVs and uEVs size and protein concentration in pregnant sows by artificial insemination (AI-sows) and in non-inseminated sows as control (C-sows). We also identified the main proteins in oEVs and uEVs, in AI-F1, AI-F2, AI-F3, and C-sows. Our results indicated that although the size of EVs is similar between AI- and C-sows, the protein concentration of both oEVs and uEVs was significantly lower in AI-sows (p < 0.05). Proteomic analysis identified 38 unique proteins in oEVs from AI-sows, mainly involved in protein stabilization, glycolytic and carbohydrate processes. The uEVs from AI-sows showed the presence of 43 unique proteins, including already-known fertility-related proteins (EZR, HSPAA901, PDS). We also demonstrated that the protein composition of oEVs and uEVs differed depending on the seminal fraction(s) inseminated (F1, F2, or F3). In conclusion, we found specific protein cargo in oEVs and uEVs according to the type of semen fraction the sow was inseminated with and whose functions these specific EVs proteins are closely associated with reproductive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. M. Toledo-Guardiola
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Mare Nostrum Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - C. Luongo
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Mare Nostrum Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - L. Abril-Parreño
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Mare Nostrum Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - C. Soriano-Úbeda
- Departamento de Medicina, Cirugía y Anatomía Veterinaria, Universidad de Léon, León, Spain
| | - C. Matás
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Campus de Excelencia Mare Nostrum Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
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8
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Shen Q, Wu X, Chen J, He C, Wang Z, Zhou B, Zhang H. Immune Regulation of Seminal Plasma on the Endometrial Microenvironment: Physiological and Pathological Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14639. [PMID: 37834087 PMCID: PMC10572377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914639] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP) accounts for more than 90% of semen volume. It induces inflammation, regulates immune tolerance, and facilitates embryonic development and implantation in the female reproductive tract. In the physiological state, SP promotes endometrial decidualization and causes changes in immune cells such as macrophages, natural killer cells, regulatory T cells, and dendritic cells. This leads to the secretion of cytokines and chemokines and also results in the alteration of miRNA profiles and the expression of genes related to endometrial tolerance and angiogenesis. Together, these changes modulate the endometrial immune microenvironment and contribute to implantation and pregnancy. However, in pathological situations, abnormal alterations in SP due to advanced age or poor diet in men can interfere with a woman's immune adaptation to pregnancy, negatively affecting embryo implantation and even the health of the offspring. Uterine pathologies such as endometriosis and endometritis can cause the endometrium to respond negatively to SP, which can further contribute to pathological progress and interfere with conception. The research on the mechanism of SP in the endometrium is conducive to the development of new targets for intervention to improve reproductive outcomes and may also provide new ideas for semen-assisted treatment of clinical infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuzi Shen
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
| | - Xiaoyu Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
| | - Jin Chen
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
| | - Chao He
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
| | - Zehao Wang
- School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Boyan Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
| | - Huiping Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; (Q.S.); (X.W.); (J.C.); (C.H.)
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9
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Ali W, Deng K, Bian Y, Liu Z, Zou H. Spectacular role of epididymis and bio-active cargo of nano-scale exosome in sperm maturation: A review. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114889. [PMID: 37209627 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114889] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The epididymis is responsible for post-testicular sperm maturation as it provides a favorable environment for spermatozoa to gain the ability for movement and fertilization. The recent evidence has shown that, the spermatozoa are vulnerable to dynamic variations driven by various cellular exposure mechanisms mediated by epididymosomes. Exosomes provide new insight into a mechanism of intercellular communication because they provide direct evidence for the transfer of several important bio-active cargo elements (proteins, lipid, DNA, mRNA, microRNA, circular RNA, long noncoding RNA) between epididymis and spermatozoa. In broad sense, proteomic analysis of exosomes from epididymis indicates number of proteins that are involved in sperm motility, acrosomal reaction, prevent pre-mature sperm capacitation and male infertility. Pinpointing, how reproductive disorders are associated with bio-active cargo elements of nano-scale exosome in the male reproductive tract. Therefore, the current review presents evidence regarding the distinctive characteristics and functions of nano-scale exosome in the male reproductive tract in both pathological and physiological developments, and argue that these vesicles serve as an important regulator of male reproduction, fertility, and disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waseem Ali
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China
| | - Kai Deng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China
| | - Yusheng Bian
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China
| | - Zongping Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China
| | - Hui Zou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China.
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10
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Mohammadi AH, Ghazvinian Z, Bagheri F, Harada M, Baghaei K. Modification of Extracellular Vesicle Surfaces: An Approach for Targeted Drug Delivery. BioDrugs 2023; 37:353-374. [PMID: 37093521 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-023-00595-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a promising drug delivery vehicle candidate because of their natural origin and intrinsic function of transporting various molecules between different cells. Several advantages of the EV delivery platform include enhanced permeability and retention effect, efficient interaction with recipient cells, the ability to traverse biological barriers, high biocompatibility, high biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. Furthermore, EV membranes share approximately similar structures and contents to the cell membrane, which allows surface modification of EVs, an approach to enable specific targeting. Enhanced drug accumulation in intended sites and reduced adverse effects of chemotherapeutic drugs are the most prominent effects of targeted drug delivery. In order to improve the targeting ability of EVs, chemical modification and genetic engineering are the most adopted methods to date. Diverse chemical methods are employed to decorate EV surfaces with various ligands such as aptamers, carbohydrates, peptides, vitamins, and antibodies. In this review, we introduce the biogenesis, content, and cellular pathway of natural EVs and further discuss the genetic modification of EVs, and its challenges. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive deliberation on the various chemical modification methods for improved drug delivery, which are directly related to increasing the therapeutic index.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Mohammadi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Ghazvinian
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Bagheri
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Masako Harada
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Kaveh Baghaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Ma Y, Ma QW, Sun Y, Chen XF. The emerging role of extracellular vesicles in the testis. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:334-351. [PMID: 36728671 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized membrane-bounded particles, released by all cells and capable of transporting bioactive cargoes, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, to regulate a variety of biological functions. Seminal plasma is enriched in EVs, and extensive evidence has revealed the role of EVs (e.g. prostasomes and epididymosomes) in the male genital tract. Recently, EVs released from testicular cells have been isolated and identified, and some new insights have been generated on their role in maintaining normal spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis in the testis. In the seminiferous tubules, Sertoli cell-derived EVs can promote the differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), and EVs secreted from undifferentiated A spermatogonia can inhibit the proliferation of SSCs. In the testicular interstitium, EVs have been identified in endothelial cells, macrophages, telocytes, and Leydig cells, although their roles are still elusive. Testicular EVs can also pass through the blood-testis barrier and mediate inter-compartment communication between the seminiferous tubules and the interstitium. Immature Sertoli cell-derived EVs can promote survival and suppress the steroidogenesis of Leydig cells. Exosomes isolated from macrophages can protect spermatogonia from radiation-induced injury. In addition to their role in intercellular communication, testicular EVs may also participate in the removal of aberrant proteins and the delivery of antigens for immune tolerance. EVs released from testicular cells can be detected in seminal plasma, which makes them potential biomarkers reflecting testicular function and disease status. The testicular EVs in seminal plasma may also affect the female reproductive tract to facilitate conception and may even affect early embryogenesis through modulating sperm RNA. EVs represent a new type of intercellular messenger in the testis. A detailed understanding of the role of testicular EV may contribute to the discovery of new mechanisms causing male infertility and enable the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of infertile men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin-Wen Ma
- Shanghai Xinzhu Middle School, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Feng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai, China
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12
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Chen C, Zhang Z, Gu X, Sheng X, Xiao L, Wang X. Exosomes: New regulators of reproductive development. Mater Today Bio 2023; 19:100608. [PMID: 36969697 PMCID: PMC10034510 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are a subtype of extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a size range between 30 and 150 nm, which can be released by the majority of cell types and circulate in body fluid. They function as a long-distance cell-to-cell communication mechanism that modulates the gene expression profile and fate of target cells. Increasing evidence has indicated exosomes' central role in regulating various complex reproductive processes. However, to our knowledge, a review that focally and vividly describes the role of exosomes in reproductive development is still lacking. This review highlights our knowledge about the contribution of exosomes to early mammalian reproduction, such as gametogenesis, fertilization, early embryonic development, implantation, placentation and pregnancy. The discussion is primarily drawn from literature pertaining to the mammalian lineage with emphasis on the roles of exosomes in human reproduction and laboratory and livestock models.
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13
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Barranco I, Sanchez-López CM, Bucci D, Alvarez-Barrientos A, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Marcilla A, Roca J. The Proteome of Large or Small Extracellular Vesicles in Pig Seminal Plasma Differs, Defining Sources and Biological Functions. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100514. [PMID: 36796643 PMCID: PMC10017305 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma contains many morphologically heterogeneous extracellular vesicles (sEVs). These are sequentially released by cells of the testis, epididymis, and accessory sex glands and involved in male and female reproductive processes. This study aimed to define in depth sEV subsets isolated by ultrafiltration and size exclusion chromatography, decode their proteomic profiles using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and quantify identified proteins using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra. The sEV subsets were defined as large (L-EVs) or small (S-EVs) by their protein concentration, morphology, size distribution, and EV-specific protein markers and purity. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified a total of 1034 proteins, 737 of them quantified by SWATH in S-EVs, L-EVs, and non-EVs-enriched samples (18-20 size exclusion chromatography-eluted fractions). The differential expression analysis revealed 197 differentially abundant proteins between both EV subsets, S-EVs and L-EVs, and 37 and 199 between S-EVs and L-EVs versus non-EVs-enriched samples, respectively. The gene ontology enrichment analysis of differentially abundant proteins suggested, based on the type of protein detected, that S-EVs could be mainly released through an apocrine blebbing pathway and be involved in modulating the immune environment of the female reproductive tract as well as during sperm-oocyte interaction. In contrast, L-EVs could be released by fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane becoming involved in sperm physiological processes, such as capacitation and avoidance of oxidative stress. In conclusion, this study provides a procedure capable of isolating subsets of EVs from pig seminal plasma with a high degree of purity and shows differences in the proteomic profile between EV subsets, indicating different sources and biological functions for the sEVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barranco
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Christian M Sanchez-López
- Àrea de Parasitologia, Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Health Research Institute La Fe-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Bucci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonio Marcilla
- Àrea de Parasitologia, Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Health Research Institute La Fe-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
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14
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Goss DM, Vasilescu SA, Sacks G, Gardner DK, Warkiani ME. Microfluidics facilitating the use of small extracellular vesicles in innovative approaches to male infertility. Nat Rev Urol 2023; 20:66-95. [PMID: 36348030 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-022-00660-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Sperm are transcriptionally and translationally quiescent and, therefore, rely on the seminal plasma microenvironment for function, survival and fertilization of the oocyte in the oviduct. The male reproductive system influences sperm function via the binding and fusion of secreted epididymal (epididymosomes) and prostatic (prostasomes) small extracellular vesicles (S-EVs) that facilitate the transfer of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids to sperm. Seminal plasma S-EVs have important roles in sperm maturation, immune and oxidative stress protection, capacitation, fertilization and endometrial implantation and receptivity. Supplementing asthenozoospermic samples with normospermic-derived S-EVs can improve sperm motility and S-EV microRNAs can be used to predict non-obstructive azoospermia. Thus, S-EV influence on sperm physiology might have both therapeutic and diagnostic potential; however, the isolation of pure populations of S-EVs from bodily fluids with current conventional methods presents a substantial hurdle. Many conventional techniques lack accuracy, effectiveness, and practicality; yet microfluidic technology has the potential to simplify and improve S-EV isolation and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale M Goss
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- IVF Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Steven A Vasilescu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- NeoGenix Biosciences pty ltd, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gavin Sacks
- IVF Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David K Gardner
- Melbourne IVF, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Majid E Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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15
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Extracellular vesicles-encapsulated microRNA in mammalian reproduction: A review. Theriogenology 2023; 196:174-185. [PMID: 36423512 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.11.022] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale cell-derived lipid vesicles that participate in cell-cell communication by delivering cargo, including mRNAs, proteins and non-coding RNAs, to recipient cells. MicroRNA (miRNA), a non-coding RNA typically 22 nucleotides long, is crucial for nearly all developmental and pathophysiological processes in mammals by regulating recipient cells gene expression. Infertility is a worldwide health issue that affects 10-15% of couples during their reproductive years. Although assisted reproductive technology (ART) gives infertility couples hope, the failure of ART is mainly unknown. It is well accepted that EVs-encapsulated miRNAs have a role in different reproductive processes, implying that these EVs-encapsulated miRNAs could optimize ART, improve reproductive rate, and treat infertility. As a result, in this review, we describe the present understanding of EVs-encapsulated miRNAs in reproduction regulation.
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16
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Fan W, Qi Y, Wang Y, Yan H, Li X, Zhang Y. Messenger roles of extracellular vesicles during fertilization of gametes, development and implantation: Recent advances. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1079387. [PMID: 36684431 PMCID: PMC9849778 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1079387] [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: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become a research hotspot in recent years because they act as messengers between cells in the physiological and pathological processes of the human body. It can be produced by the follicle, prostate, embryo, uterus, and oviduct in the reproductive field and exists in the extracellular environment as follicular fluid, semen, uterine cavity fluid, and oviduct fluid. Because extracellular vesicles are more stable at transmitting information, it allows all cells involved in the physiological processes of embryo formation, development, and implantation to communicate with one another. Extracellular vesicles carried miRNAs and proteins as mail, and when the messenger delivers the mail to the recipient cell, the recipient cell undergoes a series of changes. Current research begins with intercepting and decoding the information carried by extracellular vesicles. This information may help us gain a better understanding of the secrets of reproduction, as well as assist reproductive technology as an emerging marker and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weisen Fan
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yinghua Qi
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yaqian Wang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Huiting Yan
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xuan Li
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yingjie Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Yingjie Zhang,
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17
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Seminal extracellular vesicles subsets modulate gene expression in cumulus cells of porcine in vitro matured oocytes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19096. [PMID: 36351965 PMCID: PMC9646759 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP), a fluid composed mainly by secretions from accessory sex glands, contains a heterogenous population of extracellular vesicles (EVs), involved in several reproductive physiological processes. Seminal plasma has been found to modulate ovary function, in terms of hormone secretion and immune regulation. This study evaluated the potential effect of SP-EV-subsets on the modulation of cumulus-oocyte-complex (COCs) physiology during in vitro maturation (IVM). Two SP-EV-subsets, small-EVs (S-EVs) and large-EVs (L-EVs), were isolated from pig SP by size-exclusion-chromatography. Next, COCs were IVM in the absence (control) or presence of each SP-EV-subset to evaluate their uptake by COCs (PKH67-EVs labelling) and their effect on oocyte and cumulus cells (CCs) (gene expression, and progesterone and estradiol-17β levels). S-EVs and L-EVs were able to bind CCs but not oocytes. Supplementation with L-EVs induced changes (P ≤ 0.05) in the transcript levels of oocyte maturation- (HAS2) and steroidogenesis-related genes (CYP11A1 and HSD3B1) in CCs. No effect on nuclear oocyte maturation and progesterone and estradiol-17β levels was observed when COCs were IVM with any of the two SP-EV-subsets. In conclusion, while SP-EV-subsets can be integrated by CCs during IVM, they do not affect oocyte maturation and only L-EVs are able to modulate CCs function, mainly modifying the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes.
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18
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Lange-Consiglio A, Capra E, Monferini N, Canesi S, Bosi G, Cretich M, Frigerio R, Galbiati V, Bertuzzo F, Cobalchini F, Cremonesi F, Gasparrini B. Extracellular vesicles from seminal plasma to improve fertilizing capacity of bulls. REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY 2022; 3:RAF-22-0037. [PMID: 36374278 PMCID: PMC9782411 DOI: 10.1530/raf-22-0037] [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: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) that vehicle RNA, proteins, and other molecules able to influence the biological function of sperm. The aim of this study was to improve the fertilizing capacity of male gametes of low-fertility bulls using EVs isolated by ultracentrifugation from the seminal plasma of a bull of proven fertility. After dose-response curve, 10×106 sperm of low-fertility bulls were co-incubated for an hour with 400×106 EVs/ml. In addition, it has been verified that the incorporation of EVs, which takes place in the sperm midpiece, is maintained for 5 hours and even after cryopreservation. Subsequently, the spermatozoa of low-fertility bulls, with EVs incorporated, were used for the in vitro production of embryos. The rate of blastocyst at seventh day yield in vitro, with the use of sperm with EVs incorporated, increased by about twice the yield obtained with the same sperm in the absence of EVs: bulls having an average embryonic yield of 6.41±1.48%, 10.32±4.34% and 10.92±0.95% improved their yield to 21.21±1.99%, 22.17±6.09% and 19.99±5.78%, respectively (P<0.05). These encouraging results suggest that it might be possible to keep breeding bulls with poor fertility. Further studies will be needed to evaluate the in vivo fertility of sperm treated with EVs and understand how the content of EVs is involve in the sperm-vesicle interaction and in the improved sperm performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lange-Consiglio
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy
| | - Emanuele Capra
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Lodi, Italy
| | - Noemi Monferini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy
| | - Simone Canesi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Bosi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy
| | - Marina Cretich
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche ‘Giulio Natta’, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche SCITEC-CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Frigerio
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche ‘Giulio Natta’, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche SCITEC-CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Galbiati
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Laboratory of Toxicology (DiSFeB), Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Bertuzzo
- Intermizoo National Bull Centre of Vallevecchia, Caorle, Venezia, Italy
| | | | - Fausto Cremonesi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy
| | - Bianca Gasparrini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali (DMVPA), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
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19
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Roca J, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Padilla L, Lucas X, Barranco I. Extracellular vesicles in seminal fluid and effects on male reproduction. An overview in farm animals and pets. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106853. [PMID: 34556398 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer nanovesicles released by most functional cells to body fluids, containing bioactive molecules, mainly proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids having actions at target cells. The EVs have essential functions in cell-to-cell communication by regulating different biological processes in target cells. Fluids from the male reproductive tract, including seminal plasma, contain many extracellular vesicles (sEVs), which have been evaluated to a lesser extent than those of other body fluids, particularly in farm animals and pets. Results from the few studies that have been conducted indicated epithelial cells of the testis, epididymis, ampulla of ductus deferens and many accessory sex glands release sEVs mainly via apocrine mechanisms. The sEVs are morphologically heterogeneous and bind to functional cells of the male reproductive tract, spermatozoa, and cells of the functional tissues of the female reproductive tract after mating or insemination. The sEVs encapsulate proteins and miRNAs that modulate sperm functions and male fertility. The sEVs, therefore, could be important as reproductive biomarkers in breeding sires. Many of the current findings regarding sEV functions, however, need experimental confirmation. Further studies are particularly needed to characterize both membranes and contents of sEVs, as well as the interaction between sEVs and target cells (spermatozoa and functional cells of the internal female reproductive tract). A priority for conducting these studies is development of methods that can be standardized and that are scalable, cost-effective and time-saving for isolation of different subtypes of EVs present in the entire population of sEVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lorena Padilla
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Xiomara Lucas
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Isabel Barranco
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, IT-40064 Bologna, Italy
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Rodriguez-Martinez H, Roca J, Alvarez-Rodriguez M, Martinez-Serrano CA. How does the boar epididymis regulate the emission of fertile spermatozoa? Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106829. [PMID: 34452796 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The epididymis is responsible for peripheral immune tolerance of maturing spermatozoa even though these have xeno-antigens foreign to the male and female immune system. The epididymis also produces factors required for fertilization and serves as a sperm repository until the time of ejaculation. These reproduction-relevant epididymal functions occur in the mesonephros-derived duct-system that is composed of absorptive and secretory epithelial cells with the capacity for merocrine and apocrine secretion of proteins, antioxidative- and electrolyte/pH-regulating enzymes and small, non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), many stored in epididymosomes for sperm adhesion and long-lasting modifications of sperm functions. This paper provides a review summary of current and new knowledge of how the boar epididymis affects the quality of spermatozoa in the ejaculate of breeding boars. There is a particular focus on sperm maturation, survival, function and the role of signaling to the female immune system in fertility modulation. Furthermore, aspects related to the ductus epithelial contributions regarding electrolyte control, protein production, release of epididymosomes that contain sncRNAs are emphasized as are novel associations with fertility of the male, sperm quiescence during storage in the cauda epididymis, and on changes occurring in sperm subsequent to ejaculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Manuel Alvarez-Rodriguez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Cristina A Martinez-Serrano
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
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21
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Extracellular Vesicles in Veterinary Medicine. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192716. [PMID: 36230457 PMCID: PMC9559303 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived membrane-bound vesicles involved in many physiological and pathological processes not only in humans but also in all the organisms of the eukaryotic and prokaryotic kingdoms. EV shedding constitutes a fundamental universal mechanism of intra-kingdom and inter-kingdom intercellular communication. A tremendous increase of interest in EVs has therefore grown in the last decades, mainly in humans, but progressively also in animals, parasites, and bacteria. With the present review, we aim to summarize the current status of the EV research on domestic and wild animals, analyzing the content of scientific literature, including approximately 220 papers published between 1984 and 2021. Critical aspects evidenced through the veterinarian EV literature are discussed. Then, specific subsections describe details regarding EVs in physiology and pathophysiology, as biomarkers, and in therapy and vaccines. Further, the wide area of research related to animal milk-derived EVs is also presented in brief. The numerous studies on EVs related to parasites and parasitic diseases are excluded, deserving further specific attention. The literature shows that EVs are becoming increasingly addressed in veterinary studies and standardization in protocols and procedures is mandatory, as in human research, to maximize the knowledge and the possibility to exploit these naturally produced nanoparticles.
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22
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Investigation of Sperm and Seminal Plasma Candidate MicroRNAs of Bulls with Differing Fertility and In Silico Prediction of miRNA-mRNA Interaction Network of Reproductive Function. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182360. [PMID: 36139221 PMCID: PMC9495167 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) sperm and seminal plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) in high- and low-fertile Holstein bulls (four bulls per group), integrate miRNAs to their target genes, and categorize target genes based on predicted biological processes. Out of 84 bovine-specific, prioritized miRNAs analyzed by RT-PCR, 30 were differentially expressed in high-fertile sperm and seminal plasma compared to low-fertile sperm and seminal plasma, respectively (p ≤ 0.05, fold regulation ≥5 magnitudes). Interestingly, expression levels of DE-miRNAs in sperm and seminal plasma followed a similar pattern. Highly scored integrated genes of DE-miRNAs predicted various biological and molecular functions, cellular process, and pathways. Further in silico analysis revealed categorized genes may have a plausible association with pathways regulating sperm structure and function, fertilization, and embryo and placental development. In conclusion, highly DE-miRNAs in bovine sperm and seminal plasma could be used as a tool for predicting reproductive functions. Since the identified miRNA-mRNA interactions were mostly based on predictions from public databases, the causal regulations of miRNA-mRNA and the underlying mechanisms require further functional characterization in future studies. Abstract Recent advances in high-throughput in silico techniques portray experimental data as exemplified biological networks and help us understand the role of individual proteins, interactions, and their biological functions. The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) sperm and seminal plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) in high- and low-fertile Holstein bulls (four bulls per group), integrate miRNAs to their target genes, and categorize the target genes based on biological process predictions. Out of 84 bovine-specific, prioritized miRNAs analyzed by RT-PCR, 30 were differentially expressed in high-fertile sperm and seminal plasma compared to low-fertile sperm and seminal plasma, respectively (p ≤ 0.05, fold regulation ≥ 5 magnitudes). The expression levels of DE-miRNAs in sperm and seminal plasma followed a similar pattern. Highly scored integrated genes of DE-miRNAs predicted various biological and molecular functions, cellular process, and pathways. Further, analysis of the categorized genes showed association with pathways regulating sperm structure and function, fertilization, and embryo and placental development. In conclusion, highly DE-miRNAs in bovine sperm and seminal plasma could be used as a tool for predicting reproductive functions. Since the identified miRNA-mRNA interactions were mostly based on predictions from public databases, the causal regulations of miRNA-mRNA and the underlying mechanisms require further functional characterization in future studies.
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Rodriguez-Martinez H, Roca J. Extracellular vesicles in seminal plasma: A safe and relevant tool to improve fertility in livestock? Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 244:107051. [PMID: 35933831 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP) is not a pre-requisite for pregnancy. Yet, this heterogeneous, composite SP has proven relevant for fertility, as mediator for cell-to-cell communication between producing cells, spermatozoa and the female internal genital tract, regulating complex reproductive processes. Bearing hormones, proteins, cytokines as well as nuclei acids in nano-sized lipid bilayer seminal extracellular vesicles (sEVs), the SP concerts signaling to the female. Signals influence timing of ovulation, sperm transport and, particularly, enable the female immune system to balance her cryptic choice to engage into pregnancy or reject an eventual fertilization. This essay, focusing on livestock in general and pigs in particular, discusses the intrinsic roles of sEVs with regards to reproductive homeostasis, while binding and internalizing their cargo in spermatozoa and female tract epithelia to regulate their functional activity. Since prior studies had inconclusive results using bulk SP or single SP-contained free molecules, argumentation is hereby provided to increase the current incipient research on livestock sEVs, where fragile molecules relevant for fertility are shielded from degradation during handling. Seminal EVs isolated from SP can be used for andrological diagnosis and perhaps to select breeders with optimal fertility. Moreover, sEVs can be laboratory-uploaded with specific molecules or even engineered as lipid nanodroplets used as additives for extenders to improve fertility after artificial insemination (AI) or reproductive biotechnologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185 Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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24
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Gurunathan S, Kang MH, Song H, Kim NH, Kim JH. The role of extracellular vesicles in animal reproduction and diseases. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:62. [PMID: 35681164 PMCID: PMC9185900 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00715-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized membrane-enclosed compartments that serve as messengers in cell-to-cell communication, both in normal physiology and in pathological conditions. EVs can transfer functional proteins and genetic information to alter the phenotype and function of recipient cells, which undergo different changes that positively affect their structural and functional integrity. Biological fluids are enriched with several subpopulations of EVs, including exosomes, microvesicles (MVs), and apoptotic bodies carrying several cargoes, such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. EVs associated with the reproductive system are actively involved in the regulation of different physiological events, including gamete maturation, fertilization, and embryo and fetal development. EVs can influence follicle development, oocyte maturation, embryo production, and endometrial-conceptus communication. EVs loaded with cargoes are used to diagnose various diseases, including pregnancy disorders; however, these are dependent on the type of cell of origin and pathological characteristics. EV-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) and proteins in the placenta regulate inflammatory responses and trophoblast invasion through intercellular delivery in the placental microenvironment. This review presents evidence regarding the types of extracellular vesicles, and general aspects of isolation, purification, and characterization of EVs, particularly from various types of embryos. Further, we discuss EVs as mediators and messengers in reproductive biology, the effects of EVs on placentation and pregnancy disorders, the role of EVs in animal reproduction, in the male reproductive system, and mother and embryo cross-communication. In addition, we emphasize the role of microRNAs in embryo implantation and the role of EVs in reproductive and therapeutic medicine. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives of EVs in reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangiliyandi Gurunathan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Min-Hee Kang
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Hyuk Song
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea
| | - Nam Hyung Kim
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal models for Biomedicine, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China
| | - Jin-Hoi Kim
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Korea.
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25
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Ma Y, Zhou Y, Zou SS, Sun Y, Chen XF. OUP accepted manuscript. Mol Hum Reprod 2022; 28:6516534. [PMID: 35088858 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Central Lab, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yun Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Feng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai, China
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26
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Ding Y, Ding N, Zhang Y, Xie S, Huang M, Ding X, Dong W, Zhang Q, Jiang L. MicroRNA-222 Transferred From Semen Extracellular Vesicles Inhibits Sperm Apoptosis by Targeting BCL2L11. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:736864. [PMID: 34820370 PMCID: PMC8607813 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.736864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma contains a large number of extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, the roles of these EVs and their interactions with sperm are not clear. To identify the important molecules affecting sperm motility in EVs, we analyzed RNA from seminal plasma EVs of boars with different sperm motility using whole-transcriptome sequencing and proteomic analysis. In total, 7 miRNAs, 67 lncRNAs, 126 mRNAs and 76 proteins were differentially expressed between the two groups. We observed that EV-miR-222 can obviously improve sperm motility. In addition, the results suggested that miR-222 was transferred into sperm by the EVs and that miR-222 affected sperm apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of EGFR, BCL2L11, BAX, CYCs, CASP9 and CASP3. The results of electron microscopy also showed that overexpression of miR-222 in EVs could reduce sperm apoptosis. The study of the whole transcriptomes and proteomes of EVs in boar semen revealed some miRNAs may play an important role in these EVs interactions with Duroc sperm, and the findings suggest that the release of miR-222 by semen EVs is an important mechanism by which sperm viability is maintained and sperm apoptosis is reduced. Our studies provide a new insight of miR-222 in EVs regulation for sperm motility and sperm apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqun Ding
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Ding
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shenmin Xie
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengna Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangdong Ding
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Wuzi Dong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China
| | - Li Jiang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Wang D, Jueraitetibaike K, Tang T, Wang Y, Jing J, Xue T, Ma J, Cao S, Lin Y, Li X, Ma R, Chen X, Yao B. Seminal Plasma and Seminal Plasma Exosomes of Aged Male Mice Affect Early Embryo Implantation via Immunomodulation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:723409. [PMID: 34712227 PMCID: PMC8546305 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.723409] [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: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP), particularly SP exosomes (sExos), alters with age and can affect female mouse uterine immune microenvironment. However, the relationship between fertility decline in reproductively older males, and SP and sExos age-related changes, which may compromise the uterine immune microenvironment, remains unclear. The present study demonstrated that the implantation rate of female mice treated with SP from reproductively older male mice (aged-SP group) was lower than that of those treated with SP from younger male mice (young-SP group). RNA-sequencing analysis revealed altered levels of dendritic cell (DC)-related cytokines and chemokines in the uteri of the former group compared with those of the latter group. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated a weaker inhibitory effect of aged SP on DC maturation than of young SP upon stimulation. After isolating and characterizing sExos from young and advanced-age male mice, we discovered that insemination of a subset of the aged-SP group with sExos from young male mice partially recovered the implantation rate decline. Additional in vivo and in vitro experiments revealed that sExos extracted from age male mice exerted a similar effect on DC maturation as SP of aged mice, indicating an age-related sExos inhibitory effect. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that age-related alterations of sExos may be partially responsible for lower implantation rates in the aged-SP group compared with those in the young-SP group, which were mediated by uterine immunomodulation. These findings provide new insights for clinical seminal adjuvant therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kadiliya Jueraitetibaike
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Tang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanbo Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Jing
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tongmin Xue
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinzhao Ma
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyuan Cao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Lin
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rujun Ma
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Yao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medicine School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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28
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Sun J, Zhao Y, He J, Zhou Q, El-Ashram S, Yuan S, Chi S, Qin J, Huang Z, Ye M, Huang S, Li Z. Small RNA expression patterns in seminal plasma exosomes isolated from semen containing spermatozoa with cytoplasmic droplets versus regular exosomes in boar semen. Theriogenology 2021; 176:233-243. [PMID: 34673403 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Multiple physiological pathways are controlled by exosomes. Exosomes may be found in seminal plasma where they carry functional molecules to the sperm, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Sperm cytoplasmic droplets (CDs) are remnants of cytoplasm, and their migration is a morphological characteristic of epididymal maturation. However, miRNA expression patterns in seminal plasma exosomes found in semen containing spermatozoa with CDs versus regular exosomes in boar semen have not been examined. In this study, seminal plasma exosomes were isolated from semen containing spermatozoa with CDs and miRNA expression profiles were analyzed. A total of 348 known and 206 new miRNAs were identified. Sixteen miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed. Of these, 13 miRNAs (ssc-miR-101, ssc-miR-148a-5p, ssc-miR-184, ssc-miR-202-3p, ssc-miR-221-5p, ssc-miR-2483, ssc-miR-29a-3p, ssc-miR-29c, ssc-miR-31, ssc-miR-362, ssc-miR-500-5p, ssc-miR-542-3p, and ssc-miR-769-5p) were significantly upregulated, whereas three miRNAs (ssc-miR-1249, ssc-miR-155-5p, and ssc-miR-296-5p) were significantly downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway analyses showed that these targeted genes were enriched for functions such as metabolic process, reproductive process, proteasome, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, seminal plasma exosomes are predicted to play a key role in the regulation of sperm CDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingshuai Sun
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Yunxiang Zhao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China.
| | - Jian He
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Qingbin Zhou
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Saeed El-Ashram
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China; Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt
| | - Sheng Yuan
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Shihong Chi
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Jiali Qin
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Zongyang Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Manqing Ye
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Shujian Huang
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Zhili Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, 18 Jiangwan Street, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China.
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Ribeiro JC, Braga PC, Martins AD, Silva BM, Alves MG, Oliveira PF. Antioxidants Present in Reproductive Tract Fluids and Their Relevance for Fertility. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091441. [PMID: 34573073 PMCID: PMC8466935 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, infertility is classified as a disease of the reproductive system. Although it does not compromise the life of the individual, it can have detrimental effects on the physiological and psychological health of the couple. Male fertility evaluation is mainly focused on the analysis of sperm parameters. However, the ejaculated fluid is also composed of seminal plasma, and the study of this fluid can provide crucial information to help in the assessment of male fertility status. Total antioxidant capacity of the seminal plasma has been positively correlated with the fertility of men. Moreover, evidence highlights to a similar importance as that of female reproductive tract fluid antioxidant capabilities and female fertility. Herein, we describe the functions of seminal plasma and female reproductive tract fluids, as well as their main antioxidant components and their relationships with fertility outcomes. Additionally, this review contains the most up to date information regarding the mechanisms of the interaction between the male and the female reproductive fluids and the importance of proper antioxidant capacity for fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- João C. Ribeiro
- Department of Anatomy, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.C.R.); (P.C.B.); (M.G.A.)
- QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Patrícia C. Braga
- Department of Anatomy, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.C.R.); (P.C.B.); (M.G.A.)
| | - Ana D. Martins
- QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Branca M. Silva
- CICS, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal;
| | - Marco G. Alves
- Department of Anatomy, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.C.R.); (P.C.B.); (M.G.A.)
| | - Pedro F. Oliveira
- QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-234370718
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30
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Sperm modulate uterine immune parameters relevant to embryo implantation and reproductive success in mice. Commun Biol 2021; 4:572. [PMID: 33990675 PMCID: PMC8121928 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02038-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid factors modulate the female immune response at conception to facilitate embryo implantation and reproductive success. Whether sperm affect this response has not been clear. We evaluated global gene expression by microarray in the mouse uterus after mating with intact or vasectomized males. Intact males induced greater changes in gene transcription, prominently affecting pro-inflammatory cytokine and immune regulatory genes, with TLR4 signaling identified as a top-ranked upstream driver. Recruitment of neutrophils and expansion of peripheral regulatory T cells were elevated by seminal fluid of intact males. In vitro, epididymal sperm induced IL6, CXCL2, and CSF3 in uterine epithelial cells of wild-type, but not Tlr4 null females. Collectively these experiments show that sperm assist in promoting female immune tolerance by eliciting uterine cytokine expression through TLR4-dependent signaling. The findings indicate a biological role for sperm beyond oocyte fertilization, in modulating immune mechanisms involved in female control of reproductive investment.
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31
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Rodriguez-Martinez H, Martinez EA, Calvete JJ, Peña Vega FJ, Roca J. Seminal Plasma: Relevant for Fertility? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094368. [PMID: 33922047 PMCID: PMC8122421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP), the non-cellular component of semen, is a heterogeneous composite fluid built by secretions of the testis, the epididymis and the accessory sexual glands. Its composition, despite species-specific anatomical peculiarities, consistently contains inorganic ions, specific hormones, proteins and peptides, including cytokines and enzymes, cholesterol, DNA and RNA-the latter often protected within epididymis- or prostate-derived extracellular vesicles. It is beyond question that the SP participates in diverse aspects of sperm function pre-fertilization events. The SP also interacts with the various compartments of the tubular genital tract, triggering changes in gene function that prepares for an eventual successful pregnancy; thus, it ultimately modulates fertility. Despite these concepts, it is imperative to remember that SP-free spermatozoa (epididymal or washed ejaculated) are still fertile, so this review shall focus on the differences between the in vivo roles of the SP following semen deposition in the female and those regarding additions of SP on spermatozoa handled for artificial reproduction, including cryopreservation, from artificial insemination to in vitro fertilization. This review attempts, including our own results on model animal species, to critically summarize the current knowledge of the reproductive roles played by SP components, particularly in our own species, which is increasingly affected by infertility. The ultimate goal is to reconcile the delicate balance between the SP molecular concentration and their concerted effects after temporal exposure in vivo. We aim to appraise the functions of the SP components, their relevance as diagnostic biomarkers and their value as eventual additives to refine reproductive strategies, including biotechnologies, in livestock models and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185 Linköping, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-132-869-25
| | - Emilio A. Martinez
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.A.M.); (J.R.)
| | - Juan J. Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Estructural y Funcional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, C.S.I.C., 46010 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Fernando J. Peña Vega
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 10003 Caceres, Spain;
| | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.A.M.); (J.R.)
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Ayaz A, Houle E, Pilsner JR. Extracellular vesicle cargo of the male reproductive tract and the paternal preconception environment. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2021; 67:103-111. [PMID: 33630671 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2020.1867665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The molecular composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is emerging as a novel biomarker in many areas of research including reproductive health. EVs transport biological molecules such as RNA and protein to facilitate cell-to-cell communication among cells of the male reproductive tract. Human and animal studies have shown that EVs present in seminal plasma or in the male reproductive tract contain important cargo that are important for successful reproductive outcomes. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNA) have been at the forefront of this research, and as such, they have the potential to serve as novel biomarkers of male infertility diagnosis and reproductive success. This review provides an overview of EV biosynthesis and examines the molecular payloads of seminal plasma EVs on male infertility and reproductive success as well as future research that is warranted to examine how these molecular payloads may be modified by environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Ayaz
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Emily Houle
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - J Richard Pilsner
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
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Llobat L. Extracellular vesicles and domestic animal reproduction. Res Vet Sci 2021; 136:166-173. [PMID: 33647595 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Embryo implantation is a complex process in which significant changes occur continually in both the corpora lutea and in the endometrium of females and which varies depending on the embryonic, pre-implantation, or fetal stages. However, at all stages, correct maternal-embryonic communication is essential. In the last few years, a new intercellular communication tool, mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs), has emerged. Many authors agree on the relevant role of EVs in correct communication between the mother and the embryo, as a fundamental system for the pregnancy to reach term and embryonic development to occur correctly. This review analyzes current information on known EVs, their main functions, and their role in implantation and embryonic development in domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Llobat
- Grupo de Fisiopatología de la Reproducción, Departamento Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain.
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Jiang NX, Li XL. The Complicated Effects of Extracellular Vesicles and Their Cargos on Embryo Implantation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:681266. [PMID: 34149619 PMCID: PMC8213030 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.681266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As a rate-limiting step in pregnancy, embryo implantation is highly dependent on intercellular communication. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are newly identified to be important in the course of intercellular communication. EVs have been isolated from a wide variety of biofluids and tissues, including plasma, liver, uterine, semen, embryo, etc. The present and future use of EVs not only as biomarkers, but also as targeting drug delivery system, is promisingly pave the way for advanced comprehension of implantation failure in reproductive diseases. However, as the precise mechanisms of EVs in embryo implantation has not been elucidated yet. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge on the diverse effects of EVs from various sources and their cargos such as microRNA, long non-coding RNA, protein, etc. on embryo implantation, and the potential mechanisms of EVs in reproductive diseases such as recurrent implantation failure, polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis. It is essential to note that many of the biologically plausible functions of EVs in embryo implantation discussed in present literatures still need further research in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan-Xing Jiang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Lian Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xue-Lian Li,
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35
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The Biological Function of Extracellular Vesicles during Fertilization, Early Embryo-Maternal Crosstalk and Their Involvement in Reproduction: Review and Overview. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10111510. [PMID: 33158009 PMCID: PMC7693816 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Secretory extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed microparticles that mediate cell to cell communication in proximity to, or distant from, the cell of origin. Cells release a heterogeneous spectrum of EVs depending on their physiologic and metabolic state. Extracellular vesicles are generally classified as either exosomes or microvesicles depending on their size and biogenesis. Extracellular vesicles mediate temporal and spatial interaction during many events in sexual reproduction and supporting embryo-maternal dialogue. Although many omic technologies provide detailed understanding of the molecular cargo of EVs, the difficulty in obtaining populations of homogeneous EVs makes difficult to interpret the molecular profile of the molecules derived from a miscellaneous EV population. Notwithstanding, molecular characterization of EVs isolated in physiological and pathological conditions may increase our understanding of reproductive and obstetric diseases and assist the search for potential non-invasive biomarkers. Moreover, a more precise vision of the cocktail of biomolecules inside the EVs mediating communication between the embryo and mother could provide new insights to optimize the therapeutic action and safety of EV use.
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Zhou W, Dimitriadis E. Secreted MicroRNA to Predict Embryo Implantation Outcome: From Research to Clinical Diagnostic Application. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:586510. [PMID: 33072767 PMCID: PMC7537741 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.586510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryo implantation failure is considered a leading cause of infertility and a significant bottleneck for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Confirmed factors that lead to implantation failure involve unhealthy embryos, unreceptive endometrium, and asynchronous development and communication between the two. The quality of embryos is further dependent on sperm parameters, oocyte quality, and early embryo development after fertilization. The extensive involvement of such different factors contributes to the variability of implantation potential across different menstrual cycles. An ideal approach to predict the implantation outcome should not compromise embryo implantation. The use of clinical material, including follicular fluid, cumulus cells, sperm, seminal exosomes, spent blastocyst culture medium, blood, and uterine fluid, that can be collected relatively non-invasively without compromising embryo implantation in a transfer cycle opens new perspectives for the diagnosis of embryo implantation potential. Compositional comparison of these samples between fertile women and women or couples with implantation failure has identified both quantitative and qualitative differences in the expression of microRNAs (miRs) that hold diagnostic potential for implantation failure. Here, we review current findings of secreted miRs that have been identified to potentially be useful in predicting implantation outcome using material that can be collected relatively non-invasively. Developing non-invasive biomarkers of implantation potential would have a major impact on implantation failure and infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Gynaecology Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Evdokia Dimitriadis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Gynaecology Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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37
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Saint-Dizier M, Mahé C, Reynaud K, Tsikis G, Mermillod P, Druart X. Sperm interactions with the female reproductive tract: A key for successful fertilization in mammals. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 516:110956. [PMID: 32712384 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sperm migration through the female genital tract is not a quiet journey. Uterine contractions quickly operate a drastic selection, leading to a very restrictive number of sperm reaching the top of uterine horns and finally, provided the presence of key molecules on sperm, the oviduct, where fertilization takes place. During hours and sometimes days before fertilization, subpopulations of spermatozoa interact with dynamic and region-specific maternal components, including soluble proteins, extracellular vesicles and epithelial cells lining the lumen of the female tract. Interactions with uterine and oviductal cells play important roles for sperm survival as they modulate the maternal immune response and allow a transient storage before ovulation. The body of work reported here highlights the importance of sperm interactions with proteins originated from both the uterine and oviductal fluids, as well as hormonal signals around the time of ovulation for sperm acquisition of fertilizing competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Saint-Dizier
- INRAE, UMR PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France; University of Tours, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, 37000, Tours, France.
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38
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Tamessar CT, Trigg NA, Nixon B, Skerrett-Byrne DA, Sharkey DJ, Robertson SA, Bromfield EG, Schjenken JE. Roles of male reproductive tract extracellular vesicles in reproduction. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 85:e13338. [PMID: 32885533 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted cell-derived membrane structures present in all organisms across animal, bacterial, and plant phyla. These vesicles play important roles in cell-cell communication in many processes integral to health and disease. Recent studies demonstrate that EVs and their cargo have influential and conserved roles in male reproduction. While EVs have been isolated from virtually all specialized tissues comprising the male reproductive tract, they are best characterized in the epididymis (epididymosomes) and seminal fluid (seminal fluid extracellular vesicles or prostasomes). Broadly speaking, EVs promote reproductive success through supporting sperm development and function, as well as influencing the physiology of female reproductive tract cells after mating. In this review, we present current knowledge on the composition and function of male reproductive tract EV populations in both normal physiology and pathology, and argue that their functions identify them as critical regulators of fertility and fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cottrell T Tamessar
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Natalie A Trigg
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - David A Skerrett-Byrne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Sharkey
- The Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sarah A Robertson
- The Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John E Schjenken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.,Hunter Medical Research Institute, Pregnancy and Reproduction Program, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.,The Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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39
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Barraza DE, Zampini R, Apichela SA, Pacheco JI, Argañaraz ME. Modifications of extracellular matrix features in the left and right uterine horns during the embryo pre-implantation period in Vicugna pacos. Theriogenology 2020; 157:440-448. [PMID: 32877844 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.07.001] [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: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
More than 98% of the pregnancies in South American camelids is carried out in the left uterine horn (LUH). Hence, embryos originated from right-ovary ovulations have to migrate to the contralateral or left uterine horn (LUH) to implant and survive. A reason for this unique pattern of embryo implantation has not been elucidated yet. In general, embryo implantation involves an extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling within the endometrium, in which collagen and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an essential role. Deregulation of collagen and MMPs has been related to embryo implantation failure, miscarriage, and infertility. Therefore, we hypothesized that ECM components in camelids could be involved in differential embryo implantation and consequently the high incidence of left horn gestations. The aim of this study was to describe and compare changes in ECM components in the left and right uterine horn of non-pregnant and 15 days pregnant alpacas. To test this hypothesis, the collagen content was evaluated by specific staining with Picrosirius Red and using ImageJ 1.42q software. Subsequently, gene expression of the following components of the MMP pathway was determined: MMP-2, -3, -7, -9, and -14, MMP substrates (COL1A2 and COL3A1), MMP inhibitors (TIMP1 and TIMP2), LGMN, an MMP activator, and EMMPRIN, an extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer. Uterine horns of pregnant alpacas exhibited a marked decrease in collagen content. In contrast, transcript expression of COL1A2 and COL3A1 was higher in the LUH of pregnant alpacas. Gene expression of MMP-3, -7, -9, -14, LGMN, and EMMPRIN were also higher in the LUH of pregnant animals, whereas MMP-2 gene expression was higher in the LUH of both pregnant and non-pregnant alpacas. Expression of TIMP1 and TIMP2 increased during pregnancy, with higher values in the LUH. In conclusion, expression of ECM components displayed a specific pattern depending on the uterine side and the physiological status (pregnant vs non-pregnant) of the animal. The increased expression of ECM transcripts in the left uterine horn during early pregnancy in alpacas suggests the involvement of these molecules in a highly regulated process leading to the implantation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela E Barraza
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco, 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Renato Zampini
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco, 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina; Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco, 461, San Miguel de Tucumán, T4000ILI, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Silvana A Apichela
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco, 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina; Cátedra de Zootecnia General I, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Florentino Ameghino s/n, El Manantial, 4105, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Joel I Pacheco
- Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos - UNMSM, Sede Marangani, Cuzco, Perú
| | - Martin E Argañaraz
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco, 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina; Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco, 461, San Miguel de Tucumán, T4000ILI, Tucumán, Argentina.
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Shomali N, Hemmatzadeh M, Yousefzadeh Y, Soltani-Zangbar MS, Hamdi K, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M. Exosomes: Emerging biomarkers and targets in folliculogenesis and endometriosis. J Reprod Immunol 2020; 142:103181. [PMID: 32717674 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2020.103181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
An appropriate connection of the cells in the ovary follicles is vital for a healthy ovule maturation and fertilization, and also for endometrium preparation for implantation that can cause endometriosis. Cellular communication within the follicle and endometrial epithelium involve many signaling molecules. Recent studies indicate that cellular communication can be enclosed by secretion and absorption of small membrane carriers which are named extracellular vesicles including exosomes and microvesicles. Understanding and defining these EVs (Extracellular vesicles) population are important for future studies and clinical translation. Here, we describe the various important cargos which are carried by exosomes during folliculogenesis and endometriosis. Additionally, the current knowledge of exosomes and their cargo within the FF (Follicular fluid) during the folliculogenesis and also in the intrauterine cavity which are involved in endometriosis lesions have also been summarized. Considering the potential importance of this form of the cell to cell communication in the reproductive system, the vital issues under discussion lead to a new insight in this rapidly expanding field and it may be an interesting approach for diagnostic, prognostic and especially therapeutic strategies in the field of infertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART).
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Shomali
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Hemmatzadeh
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yousef Yousefzadeh
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Kobra Hamdi
- Reproductive Biology Department, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Mehdizadeh
- Endocrine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Yousefi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Endocrine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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The Presence of Seminal Plasma during Liquid Storage of Pig Spermatozoa at 17 °C Modulates Their Ability to Elicit In Vitro Capacitation and Trigger Acrosomal Exocytosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124520. [PMID: 32630462 PMCID: PMC7350249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although seminal plasma is essential to maintain sperm integrity and function, it is diluted/removed prior to liquid storage and cryopreservation in most mammalian species. This study sought to evaluate, using the pig as a model, whether storing semen in the presence of seminal plasma affects the sperm ability to elicit in vitro capacitation and acrosomal exocytosis. Upon collection, seminal plasma was separated from sperm samples, which were diluted in a commercial extender, added with seminal plasma (15% or 30%), and stored at 17 °C for 48 or 72 h. Sperm cells were subsequently exposed to capacitating medium for 4 h, and then added with progesterone to induce acrosomal exocytosis. Sperm motility, acrosome integrity, membrane lipid disorder, intracellular Ca2+ levels, mitochondrial activity, and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3)α/β were determined after 0, 2, and 4 h of incubation, and after 5, 30, and 60 min of progesterone addition. Results showed that storing sperm at 17 °C with 15% or 30% seminal plasma led to reduced percentages of viable spermatozoa exhibiting an exocytosed acrosome, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular Ca2+ levels stained by Fluo3, and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of GSK3α/β after in vitro capacitation and progesterone-induced acrosomal exocytosis. Therefore, the direct contact between spermatozoa and seminal plasma during liquid storage at 17 °C modulated their ability to elicit in vitro capacitation and undergo acrosomal exocytosis, via signal transduction pathways involving Ca2+ and Tyr phosphorylation of GSK3α/β. Further research is required to address whether such a modulating effect has any impact upon sperm fertilizing ability.
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Exosomes from dairy cows of divergent fertility; Action on endometrial cells. J Reprod Immunol 2020; 137:102624. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2019.102624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Abstract
Seminal fluid is often assumed to have just one function in mammalian reproduction, delivering sperm to fertilize oocytes. But seminal fluid also transmits signaling agents that interact with female reproductive tissues to facilitate conception and .pregnancy. Upon seminal fluid contact, female tissues initiate a controlled inflammatory response that affects several aspects of reproductive function to ultimately maximize the chances of a male producing healthy offspring. This effect is best characterized in mice, where the female response involves several steps. Initially, seminal fluid factors cause leukocytes to infiltrate the female reproductive tract, and to selectively target and eliminate excess sperm. Other signals stimulate ovulation, induce an altered transcriptional program in female tract tissues that modulates embryo developmental programming, and initiate immune adaptations to promote receptivity to implantation and placental development. A key result is expansion of the pool of regulatory T cells that assist implantation by suppressing inflammation, mediating tolerance to male transplantation antigens, and promoting uterine vascular adaptation and placental development. Principal signaling agents in seminal fluid include prostaglandins and transforming growth factor-β. The balance of male signals affects the nature of the female response, providing a mechanism of ‟cryptic female choiceˮ that influences female reproductive investment. Male-female seminal fluid signaling is evident in all mammalian species investigated including human, and effects of seminal fluid in invertebrates indicate evolutionarily conserved mechanisms. Understanding the female response to seminal fluid will shed new light on infertility and pregnancy disorders and is critical to defining how events at conception influence offspring health.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Schjenken
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sarah A Robertson
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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44
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Alvarez-Rodriguez M, Ntzouni M, Wright D, Khan KI, López-Béjar M, Martinez CA, Rodriguez-Martinez H. Chicken seminal fluid lacks CD9- and CD44-bearing extracellular vesicles. Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 55:293-300. [PMID: 31894881 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The avian seminal fluid (SF) is a protein-rich fluid, derived from the testis, the rudimentary epididymis and, finally, from the cloacal gland. The SF interacts with spermatozoa and the inner cell lining of the female genital tract, to modulate sperm functions and female immune responsiveness. Its complex proteome might either be free or linked to extracellular vesicles (EVs) as it is the case in mammals, where EVs depict the tetraspanin CD9; and where those EVs derived from the epididymis (epididymosomes) also present the receptor CD44. In the present study, sperm-free SF from Red Jungle Fowl, White Leghorn and an advanced intercross (AIL, 12th generation) were studied using flow cytometry of the membrane marker tetraspanin CD9, Western blotting of the membrane receptor CD44 and electron microscopy in non-enriched (whole SF) or enriched fractions obtained by precipitation using a commercial kit (Total Exosome Precipitation Solution). Neither CD9- nor CD44 could be detected, and the ultrastructure confirmed the relative absence of EVs, raising the possibility that avian SF interacts differently with the female genitalia as compared to the seminal plasma of mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Alvarez-Rodriguez
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Services (BKV), BHK/O&G Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria Ntzouni
- Microscopy Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MEDFAK), Core Facility (COREF) Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Dominic Wright
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Kabirul Islam Khan
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Manel López-Béjar
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary, Universitat Autòmoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina A Martinez
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Services (BKV), BHK/O&G Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Effects of miR-98 in intrauterine extracellular vesicles on maternal immune regulation during the peri-implantation period in cattle. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20330. [PMID: 31889113 PMCID: PMC6937239 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56879-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence accumulated suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) present in uterine lumen play a role in conceptus-endometrial cell interactions during peri-implantation periods. However, how intrauterine EVs function on endometrium have not been well characterized. To study how intrauterine EVs affect endometrial milieu in cattle, bovine endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) were treated with EVs isolated from uterine flushing fluids (UFs) on day 17 or 20 pregnancy (P17, P20, respectively; conceptus implantation to endometrium begins on days 19–19.5). RNA extracted from EECs were then subjected to RNA sequence analysis. The analysis revealed that transcripts related to immune system were down-regulated in EECs treated with EVs on P20 compared with those on P17. To investigate whether microRNAs (miRNAs) in EVs regulate maternal immune system in the endometrium during the peri-implantation, microRNA sequence and in silico analyses were performed, identifying bta-miR-98 in EVs as a potential miRNA to regulate maternal immune system. Furthermore, the treatment of EECs with bta-miR-98 negatively regulated several immune system-related genes, CTSC, IL6, CASP4 and IKBKE, in EECs. These results suggest that EVs containing bta-miR-98 is a regulator of maternal immune system, possibly allowing the conceptus attachment to the endometrial epithelium during the peri-implantation period.
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Alvarez-Rodriguez M, Ljunggren SA, Karlsson H, Rodriguez-Martinez H. Exosomes in specific fractions of the boar ejaculate contain CD44: A marker for epididymosomes? Theriogenology 2019; 140:143-152. [PMID: 31473497 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Seminal plasma (SP) is a complex fluid containing proteins, peptides, enzymes, hormones as well as extracellular vesicles (EVs). The SP interacts with spermatozoa and the inner cell lining of the female genital tract, adsorbing proteins and exosomes that modulate sperm functions and female immune responsiveness. In the present study, boar sperm-free SP was studied using flow cytometry (FC) after membrane tetraspanins (CD9, CD63 and CD81) and membrane receptor CD44 marking of non-enriched (whole SP) or gradient fractions enriched through two-step discontinuous KBr-density-gradient ultracentrifugation, in whole ejaculate or in selected ejaculate fractions. The results, evaluated by transmission electron microscopy, confirmed the presence of exosomes in all fractions of the pig SP. Noteworthy, these pig SP-exosomes were CD44-bearing when analysed by FC, with bands detected by western blotting (WB) at the expected 85 kD size. The two-step discontinuous KBr-density-gradient ultracentrifugation enriched the population of exosomes in two specific gradient fractions, indicating exosomes (either prostasomes or epididymosomes) could be separated from low-density lipoprotein (LDL) but they co-sediment with the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-bearing fraction. The findings pave for the selective isolation of exosomes in functional studies of their function when interacting with spermatozoa, the oocyte and/or the female genitalia, including hyaluronan-CD44 interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Alvarez-Rodriguez
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine (IKE), BHK/O&G Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Stefan A Ljunggren
- Occupational & Environmental Medicine Centre, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Helen Karlsson
- Occupational & Environmental Medicine Centre, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
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Barranco I, Padilla L, Parrilla I, Álvarez-Barrientos A, Pérez-Patiño C, Peña FJ, Martínez EA, Rodriguez-Martínez H, Roca J. Extracellular vesicles isolated from porcine seminal plasma exhibit different tetraspanin expression profiles. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11584. [PMID: 31399634 PMCID: PMC6689046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48095-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal extracellular vesicles (EVs) include exosomes (ø 40–120 nm) and microvesicles (MVs, ø 120–1000 nm), which would be involved in multiple functional reproductive roles. The study aimed to establish which EV subtypes are present in pig semen, using a high-resolution flow cytometer to explore differences in their tetraspanin expression profile. The EVs were isolated from 12 pig ejaculates using serial ultracentrifugation and characterized by dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy for size and morphology as well as for tetraspanin expression using flow cytometry with Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and antibodies against CD9, CD63 and CD81. Pig semen contained a heterogeneous EV-population regarding size and morphology. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the proportion of EVs expressing CD63 and CD9 was higher in MVs (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) than in exosomes, while the opposite was true for CD81; higher (P < 0.001) in exosomes than in MVs. In conclusion, (1) the new generation of flow cytometers are able to accurately identify EVs and to gate them in two size-different populations named exosomes and MVs. (2) Tetraspanins CD9, CD63 and CD81 are present in both seminal EVs, albeit with exosomes and MVs differing in expression profiles, suggesting dissimilar cargo and binding affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barranco
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Lorena Padilla
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Parrilla
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | | | - Cristina Pérez-Patiño
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Fernando J Peña
- Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, University of Extremadura, Caceres, 10003, Spain
| | - Emilio A Martínez
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | | | - Jordi Roca
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30100, Spain.
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Genome-Wide Scan for Runs of Homozygosity Identifies Candidate Genes in Three Pig Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9080518. [PMID: 31374971 PMCID: PMC6720638 DOI: 10.3390/ani9080518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous homozygous genotype segments in the genome that are present in an individual since the identical haplotypes are inherited from each parent. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and distribution of ROH in the genomes of Landrace, Songliao black and Yorkshire pigs. We calculated two types of genome inbreeding coefficients and their correlation, including the inbreeding coefficient based on ROH (FROH) and the inbreeding coefficient based on the difference between the observed and expected number of homozygous genotypes (FHOM). Furthermore, we identified candidate genes in the genomic region most associated with ROH. We identified 21,312 ROH in total. The average number of ROH per individual was 32.99 ± 0.38 and the average length of ROH was 6.40 ± 0.070 Mb in the three breeds. The FROH results showed that Yorkshire pigs exhibited the highest level of inbreeding (0.092 ± 0.0015) and that Landrace pigs exhibited the lowest level of inbreeding (0.073 ± 0.0047). The average correlation between FROH and FHOM was high (0.94) within three breeds. The length of ROH provides insight into the inbreeding history of these three pig breeds. In this study, Songliao black pigs presented a higher frequency and average length of long ROH (>40 Mb) compared with those of Landrace and Yorkshire pigs, which indicated greater inbreeding in recent times. Genes related to reproductive traits (GATM, SPATA46, HSD17B7, VANGL2, DAXX, CPEB1), meat quality traits (NR1I3, APOA2, USF1) and energy conversion (NDUFS2) were identified within genomic regions with a high frequency of ROH. These genes could be used as target genes for further marker-assisted selection and genome selection.
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Ranjbaran A, Latifi Z, Nejabati HR, Abroon S, Mihanfar A, Sadigh AR, Fattahi A, Nouri M, Raffel N. Exosome‐based intercellular communication in female reproductive microenvironments. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:19212-19222. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ranjbaran
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Zeinab Latifi
- Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Hamid Reza Nejabati
- Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Sina Abroon
- Stem Cell Research Center Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Aynaz Mihanfar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Urmia University of Medical Sciences Urmia Iran
| | - Aydin Raei Sadigh
- Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Amir Fattahi
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
- Student Research Committee Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Mohammad Nouri
- Stem Cell Research Center Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz Iran
| | - Nathalie Raffel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg Erlangen Germany
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50
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Paktinat S, Hashemi SM, Ghaffari Novin M, Mohammadi-Yeganeh S, Salehpour S, Karamian A, Nazarian H. Seminal exosomes induce interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 secretion by human endometrial stromal cells. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2019; 235:71-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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