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Brieño-Enríquez MA, Faykoo-Martinez M, Goben M, Grenier JK, McGrath A, Prado AM, Sinopoli J, Wagner K, Walsh PT, Lopa SH, Laird DJ, Cohen PE, Wilson MD, Holmes MM, Place NJ. Postnatal oogenesis leads to an exceptionally large ovarian reserve in naked mole-rats. Nat Commun 2023; 14:670. [PMID: 36810851 PMCID: PMC9944903 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36284-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In the long-lived naked mole-rat (NMR), the entire process of oogenesis occurs postnatally. Germ cell numbers increase significantly in NMRs between postnatal days 5 (P5) and P8, and germs cells positive for proliferation markers (Ki-67, pHH3) are present at least until P90. Using pluripotency markers (SOX2 and OCT4) and the primordial germ cell (PGC) marker BLIMP1, we show that PGCs persist up to P90 alongside germ cells in all stages of female differentiation and undergo mitosis both in vivo and in vitro. We identified VASA+ SOX2+ cells at 6 months and at 3-years in subordinate and reproductively activated females. Reproductive activation was associated with proliferation of VASA+ SOX2+ cells. Collectively, our results suggest that highly desynchronized germ cell development and the maintenance of a small population of PGCs that can expand upon reproductive activation are unique strategies that could help to maintain the NMR's ovarian reserve for its 30-year reproductive lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angel Brieño-Enríquez
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Aging Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Mariela Faykoo-Martinez
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meagan Goben
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer K Grenier
- RNA sequencing core and Center for Reproductive Genomics, College of Veterinary, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Ashley McGrath
- Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra M Prado
- Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jacob Sinopoli
- Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Kate Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Patrick T Walsh
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samia H Lopa
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Diana J Laird
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paula E Cohen
- Center for Reproductive Genomics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa M Holmes
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Ned J Place
- Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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Ziller N, Kotolloshi R, Esmaeili M, Liebisch M, Mrowka R, Baniahmad A, Liehr T, Wolf G, Loeffler I. Sex Differences in Diabetes- and TGF-β1-Induced Renal Damage. Cells 2020; 9:E2236. [PMID: 33023010 PMCID: PMC7600610 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While females are less affected by non-diabetic kidney diseases compared to males, available data on sex differences in diabetic nephropathy (DN) are controversial. Although there is evidence for an imbalance of sex hormones in diabetes and hormone-dependent mechanisms in transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) signaling, causes and consequences are still incompletely understood. Here we investigated the influence of sex hormones and sex-specific gene signatures in diabetes- and TGF-β1-induced renal damage using various complementary approaches (a db/db diabetes mouse model, ex vivo experiments on murine renal tissue, and experiments with a proximal tubular cell line TKPTS). Our results show that: (i) diabetes affects sex hormone concentrations and renal expression of their receptors in a sex-specific manner; (ii) sex, sex hormones and diabetic conditions influence differences in expression of TGF-β1, its receptor and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7); (iii) the sex and sex hormones, in combination with variable TGF-β1 doses, determine the net outcome in TGF-β1-induced expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a profibrotic cytokine. Altogether, these results suggest complex crosstalk between sex hormones, sex-dependent expression pattern and profibrotic signals for the precise course of DN development. Our data may help to better understand previous contradictory findings regarding sex differences in DN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Ziller
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (N.Z.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
| | - Roland Kotolloshi
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (R.K.); (M.E.); (A.B.); (T.L.)
| | - Mohsen Esmaeili
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (R.K.); (M.E.); (A.B.); (T.L.)
| | - Marita Liebisch
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (N.Z.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
| | - Ralf Mrowka
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (N.Z.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
| | - Aria Baniahmad
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (R.K.); (M.E.); (A.B.); (T.L.)
| | - Thomas Liehr
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (R.K.); (M.E.); (A.B.); (T.L.)
| | - Gunter Wolf
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (N.Z.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
| | - Ivonne Loeffler
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany; (N.Z.); (M.L.); (R.M.)
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3
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Koth ML, Garcia-Moreno SA, Novak A, Holthusen KA, Kothandapani A, Jiang K, Taketo MM, Nicol B, Yao HHC, Futtner CR, Maatouk DM, Jorgensen JS. Canonical Wnt/β-catenin activity and differential epigenetic marks direct sexually dimorphic regulation of Irx3 and Irx5 in developing mouse gonads. Development 2020; 147:dev183814. [PMID: 32108023 PMCID: PMC7132837 DOI: 10.1242/dev.183814] [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: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Iroquois B (IrxB) homeodomain cluster genes, specifically Irx3 and Irx5, are crucial for heart, limb and bone development. Recently, we reported their importance for oocyte and follicle survival within the developing ovary. Irx3 and Irx5 expression begins after sex determination in the ovary but remains absent in the fetal testis. Mutually antagonistic molecular signals ensure ovary versus testis differentiation with canonical Wnt/β-catenin signals paramount for promoting the ovary pathway. Notably, few direct downstream targets have been identified. We report that Wnt/β-catenin signaling directly stimulates Irx3 and Irx5 transcription in the developing ovary. Using in silico analysis of ATAC- and ChIP-Seq databases in conjunction with mouse gonad explant transfection assays, we identified TCF/LEF-binding sequences within two distal enhancers of the IrxB locus that promote β-catenin-responsive ovary expression. Meanwhile, Irx3 and Irx5 transcription is suppressed within the developing testis by the presence of H3K27me3 on these same sites. Thus, we resolved sexually dimorphic regulation of Irx3 and Irx5 via epigenetic and β-catenin transcriptional control where their ovarian presence promotes oocyte and follicle survival vital for future ovarian health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Koth
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Annie Novak
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kirsten A Holthusen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Anbarasi Kothandapani
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Keer Jiang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Makoto Mark Taketo
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Barbara Nicol
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Christopher R Futtner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Danielle M Maatouk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Joan S Jorgensen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Vizziano-Cantonnet D, Lasalle A, Di Landro S, Klopp C, Genthon C. De novo transcriptome analysis to search for sex-differentiation genes in the Siberian sturgeon. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 268:96-109. [PMID: 30081002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The sturgeon family includes many species that are lucrative for commercial caviar production, some of which face critical conservation problems. The purpose of this study was to identify genes involved in gonadal sex differentiation in sturgeons, contributing to our understanding of the biological cycle of this valuable species. A high-quality de novo Siberian sturgeon gonadal transcriptome was built for this study using gonadal samples from undifferentiated fish at 3, 5, and 6 months of age; recently sex-differentiated fish at 9 months of age; and immature males and females at 14-17 months of age. Undifferentiated fish were sexed after validation of forkhead box L2 (foxl2) and cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, and polypeptide 1a (cyp19a1a) as sex markers, and the transcriptomes of the 3-month-old undifferentiated fish, 5-6-month-old future females, and 5-6-month-old putative males were compared. The ovarian program was associated with strong activation of genes involved in estrogen synthesis (cyp19a1, foxl2, and estradiol 17-beta-dehydrogenase 1), stem-cell niche building and regulation, and sex-specific nerve cell development. The genes related to the stem-cell niche were: (1) the family of iroquois-class homeodomain proteins 3, 4, and 5 (irx3, irx4, irx5-1, irx5-2, and irx5-3), which are essential for somatic-germ cell interaction; (2) extracellular matrix remodeling genes, such as collagen type XXVIII alpha 1 chain and collagen type II alpha 1 chain, matrix metalloproteinases 24-1 and 24-2, and NADPH oxidase organizer 1, which, along with the somatic cells, provide architectural support for the stem-cell niche; and (3) mitogenic factors, such as lim homeobox 2, amphiregulin, G2/M phase-specific E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, and connector enhancer of kinase suppressor of ras 2, which are up regulated in conjunction with the anti-apoptotic gene G2/M phase-specific E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase suggesting a potential involvement in regulating the number of germ cells. Genes related to sex-specific nerve cell developments were: the neurofilament medium polypeptides, the gene coding for serotonin receptor 7, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 7; neurotensin, isoform CRA-a, the neuron-specific transmembrane protein Delta/Notch-like epidermal growth factor-related receptor; and insulinoma-associated protein 1. The putative testicular program was poorly characterized by elements of the immune response. The classic markers of maleness were not specifically activated, indicating that testicular differentiation occurs at a later stage. In sum, the ovarian program, but not the testicular program, is in place by 5-6 months of age in the Siberian sturgeon. The female program is characterized by estrogen-related genes with well-established roles in gonadal differentiation, but also by several genes with no previously-described function in the ovarian development of fish. These newly-reported genes are involved in stem-cell niche building and regulation as well as sex-specific nerve development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Vizziano-Cantonnet
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
| | - André Lasalle
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Santiago Di Landro
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Christophe Klopp
- INRA, SIGENAE, MIAT UR875, Chemin de Borde-Rouge - Auzeville, BP 52627, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France
| | - Clémence Genthon
- Plateforme Génomique, INRA Auzeville, Chemin de Borde Rouge-CS 52627, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cédex, France
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5
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Fu A, Oberholtzer SM, Bagheri-Fam S, Rastetter RH, Holdreith C, Caceres VL, John SV, Shaw SA, Krentz KJ, Zhang X, Hui CC, Wilhelm D, Jorgensen JS. Dynamic expression patterns of Irx3 and Irx5 during germline nest breakdown and primordial follicle formation promote follicle survival in mouse ovaries. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007488. [PMID: 30071018 PMCID: PMC6071956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Women and other mammalian females are born with a finite supply of oocytes that determine their reproductive lifespan. During fetal development, individual oocytes are enclosed by a protective layer of granulosa cells to form primordial follicles that will grow, mature, and eventually release the oocyte for potential fertilization. Despite the knowledge that follicles are dysfunctional and will die without granulosa cell-oocyte interactions, the mechanisms by which these cells establish communication is unknown. We previously identified that two members of the Iroquois homeobox transcription factor gene family, Irx3 and Irx5, are expressed within developing ovaries but not testes. Deletion of both factors (Irx3-Irx5EGFP/Irx3-Irx5EGFP) disrupted granulosa cell-oocyte contact during early follicle development leading to oocyte death. Thus, we hypothesized that Irx3 and Irx5 are required to develop cell-cell communication networks to maintain follicle integrity and female fertility. A series of Irx3 and Irx5 mutant mouse models were generated to assess roles for each factor. While both Irx3 and Irx5 single mutant females were subfertile, their breeding outcomes and ovary histology indicated distinct causes. Careful analysis of Irx3- and Irx5-reporter mice linked the cause of this disparity to dynamic spatio-temporal changes in their expression patterns. Both factors marked the progenitor pre-granulosa cell population in fetal ovaries. At the critical phase of germline nest breakdown and primordial follicle formation however, Irx3 and Irx5 transitioned to oocyte- and granulosa cell-specific expression respectively. Further investigation into the cause of follicle death in Irx3-Irx5EGFP/Irx3-Irx5EGFP ovaries uncovered specific defects in both granulosa cells and oocytes. Granulosa cell defects included poor contributions to basement membrane deposition and mis-localization of gap junction proteins. Granulosa cells and oocytes both presented fewer cell projections resulting in compromised cell-cell communication. Altogether, we conclude that Irx3 and Irx5 first work together to define the pregranulosa cell population of germline nests. During primordial follicle formation, they transition to oocyte- and granulosa cell-specific expression patterns where they cooperate in neighboring cells to build the foundation for follicle integrity. This foundation is left as their legacy of the essential oocyte-granulosa cell communication network that ensures and ultimately optimizes the integrity of the ovarian reserve and therefore, the female reproductive lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Fu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Sydney M. Oberholtzer
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raphael H. Rastetter
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire Holdreith
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Valeria L. Caceres
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Steven V. John
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Sarah A. Shaw
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Kathleen J. Krentz
- Genome Editing and Animal Models Core, Biotechnology Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Xiaoyun Zhang
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chi-chung Hui
- Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joan S. Jorgensen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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6
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Luo Y, Schimenti JC. MCM9 deficiency delays primordial germ cell proliferation independent of the ATM pathway. Genesis 2015; 53:678-84. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yunhai Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cornell University; Ithaca New York
| | - John C. Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cornell University; Ithaca New York
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7
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Luo Y, Hartford SA, Zeng R, Southard TL, Shima N, Schimenti JC. Hypersensitivity of primordial germ cells to compromised replication-associated DNA repair involves ATM-p53-p21 signaling. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004471. [PMID: 25010009 PMCID: PMC4091704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome maintenance in germ cells is critical for fertility and the stable propagation of species. While mechanisms of meiotic DNA repair and chromosome behavior are well-characterized, the same is not true for primordial germ cells (PGCs), which arise and propagate during very early stages of mammalian development. Fanconi anemia (FA), a genomic instability syndrome that includes hypogonadism and testicular failure phenotypes, is caused by mutations in genes encoding a complex of proteins involved in repair of DNA lesions associated with DNA replication. The signaling mechanisms underlying hypogonadism and testicular failure in FA patients or mouse models are unknown. We conducted genetic studies to show that hypogonadism of Fancm mutant mice is a result of reduced proliferation, but not apoptosis, of PGCs, resulting in reduced germ cells in neonates of both sexes. Progressive loss of germ cells in adult males also occurs, overlaid with an elevated level of meiotic DNA damage. Genetic studies indicated that ATM-p53-p21 signaling is partially responsible for the germ cell deficiency. The precursors to sperm and eggs begin are a group of <100 cells in the embryo, called primordial germ cells (PGCs). They migrate in the primitive embryo to the location of the future gonads, then undergo a rapid proliferation over the next few days to a population of many thousands. Because these cells contain the precious genetic information for our offspring, and the DNA replication associated with rapid PGC proliferation is subject to spontaneous errors, mechanisms exist to avoid propagation of mutations. A manifestation of this is the high sensitivity of PGCs to genetic perturbations affecting DNA repair. We studied mice defective for a gene called Fanconi anemia M (Fancm) that is important for repair of DNA damage that occurs during replication. Although it is expressed in all tissues, only the PGCs are affected in mutants, and are reduced in number. We find that PGCs lacking Fancm respond by slowing cell division, and identified the genetic pathway responsible for this protective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhai Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Suzanne A Hartford
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ruizhu Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Teresa L Southard
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Naoko Shima
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - John C Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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8
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Jorgensen JS. Defining the neighborhoods that escort the oocyte through its early life events and into a functional follicle. Mol Reprod Dev 2013; 80:960-76. [PMID: 24105719 PMCID: PMC3980676 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The ovary functions to chaperone the most precious cargo for female individuals, the oocyte, thereby allowing the passage of genetic material to subsequent generations. Within the ovary, single oocytes are surrounded by a legion of granulosa cells inside each follicle. These two cell types depend upon one another to support follicle formation and oocyte survival. The infrastructure and events that work together to ultimately form these functional follicles within the ovary are unprecedented, given that the oocyte originates as a cell like all other neighboring cells within the embryo prior to gastrulation. This review discusses the journey of the germ cell in the context of the developing female mouse embryo, with a focus on specific signaling events and cell-cell interactions that escort the primordial germ cell as it is specified into the germ cell fate, migrates through the hindgut into the gonad, differentiates into an oocyte, and culminates upon formation of the primordial and then primary follicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan S Jorgensen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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9
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Matzkin ME, Yamashita S, Ascoli M. The ERK1/2 pathway regulates testosterone synthesis by coordinately regulating the expression of steroidogenic genes in Leydig cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2013; 370:130-7. [PMID: 23480967 PMCID: PMC3631444 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2012] [Revised: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Adult mice with a Leydig cell specific deletion of MAPK kinase (MEK) 1 and 2 (Mek1(f)(/)(f);Mek2(-/-);Cre(+)) mice display Leydig cell hypoplasia and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. We used radioimmunoassays and quantitative PCR to evaluate the function and expression of the Leydig cell genes involved in the conversion of cholesterol to testosterone (Star, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b6, Cyp17a1 and Hsd17b3), androgen metabolism (Srda1 and Dhrs9), and four transcription factors (Creb1, Nr5a1, Nr4a1 and Nr0b1) that regulate the expression of steroidogenic genes. We show that Star, Hsd3b6, Cyp17a1 and Hsd17b3 are downregulated in Ledyig cells of adult Mek1(f)(/)(f);Mek2(-/-);Cre(+) mice whereas Srda1 and Dhrs9 are upregulated and Creb1, Nr5a1, Nr4a1 and Nr0b1 are unchanged or upregulated. Functionally, all the downregulated genes but none of the upregulated genes contribute to the decrease in testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells of adult Mek1(f)(/)(f);Mek2(-/-);Cre(+) mice because they produce low testosterone and dihydrotestosterone when stimulated with hCG or when incubated with testosterone precursors such as progesterone or androstenedione.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Matzkin
- Department of Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Soichi Yamashita
- Department of Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Mario Ascoli
- Department of Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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10
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Chen SR, Zheng QS, Zhang Y, Gao F, Liu YX. Disruption of genital ridge development causes aberrant primordial germ cell proliferation but does not affect their directional migration. BMC Biol 2013; 11:22. [PMID: 23497137 PMCID: PMC3652777 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The directional migration and the following development of primordial germ cells (PGCs) during gonad formation are key steps for germline development. It has been proposed that the interaction between germ cells and genital ridge (GR) somatic cells plays essential roles in this process. However, the in vivo functional requirements of GR somatic cells in germ cell development are largely unknown. Results Wt1 mutation (Wt1R394W/R394W) results in GR agenesis through mitotic arrest of coelomic epitheliums. In this study, we employed the GR-deficient mouse model, Wt1R394W/R394W, to investigate the roles of GR somatic cells in PGC migration and proliferation. We found that the number of PGCs was dramatically reduced in GR-deficient embryos at embryonic day (E) 11.5 and E12.5 due to decreased proliferation of PGCs, involving low levels of BMP signaling. In contrast, the germ cells in Wt1R394W/R394W embryos were still mitotically active at E13.5, while all the germ cells in control embryos underwent mitotic arrest at this stage. Strikingly, the directional migration of PGCs was not affected by the absence of GR somatic cells. Most of the PGCs reached the mesenchyme under the coelomic epithelium at E10.5 and no ectopic PGCs were noted in GR-deficient embryos. However, the precise positioning of PGCs was disrupted. Conclusions Our work provides in vivo evidence that the proliferation of germ cells is precisely regulated by GR somatic cells during different stages of gonad development. GR somatic cells are probably dispensable for the directional migration of PGCs, but they are required for precise positioning of PGCs at the final step of migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Ren Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
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Abstract
Germ cell development creates totipotency through genetic as well as epigenetic regulation of the genome function. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the first germ cell population established during development and are immediate precursors for both the oocytes and spermatogonia. We here summarize recent findings regarding the mechanism of PGC development in mice. We focus on the transcriptional and signaling mechanism for PGC specification, potential pluripotency, and epigenetic reprogramming in PGCs and strategies for the reconstitution of germ cell development using pluripotent stem cells in culture. Continued studies on germ cell development may lead to the generation of totipotency in vitro, which should have a profound influence on biological science as well as on medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitinori Saitou
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Japan.
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Chassot AA, Gregoire EP, Lavery R, Taketo MM, de Rooij DG, Adams IR, Chaboissier MC. RSPO1/β-catenin signaling pathway regulates oogonia differentiation and entry into meiosis in the mouse fetal ovary. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25641. [PMID: 21991325 PMCID: PMC3185015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2011] [Accepted: 09/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of germ cells into male gonocytes or female oocytes is a central event in sexual reproduction. Proliferation and differentiation of fetal germ cells depend on the sex of the embryo. In male mouse embryos, germ cell proliferation is regulated by the RNA helicase Mouse Vasa homolog gene and factors synthesized by the somatic Sertoli cells promote gonocyte differentiation. In the female, ovarian differentiation requires activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in the somatic cells by the secreted protein RSPO1. Using mouse models, we now show that Rspo1 also activates the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway in germ cells. In XX Rspo1−/− gonads, germ cell proliferation, expression of the early meiotic marker Stra8, and entry into meiosis are all impaired. In these gonads, impaired entry into meiosis and germ cell sex reversal occur prior to detectable Sertoli cell differentiation, suggesting that β-catenin signaling acts within the germ cells to promote oogonial differentiation and entry into meiosis. Our results demonstrate that RSPO1/β-catenin signaling is involved in meiosis in fetal germ cells and contributes to the cellular decision of germ cells to differentiate into oocyte or sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Amandine Chassot
- INSERM, U636, Nice, France
- Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement Normal et Pathologique, Nice, France
| | - Elodie P. Gregoire
- INSERM, U636, Nice, France
- Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement Normal et Pathologique, Nice, France
| | - Rowena Lavery
- INSERM, U636, Nice, France
- Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement Normal et Pathologique, Nice, France
| | - Makoto M. Taketo
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Yoshida-Konoé-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Dirk G. de Rooij
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ian R. Adams
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Marie-Christine Chaboissier
- INSERM, U636, Nice, France
- Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement Normal et Pathologique, Nice, France
- * E-mail:
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Kim B, Kim Y, Cooke PS, Rüther U, Jorgensen JS. The fused toes locus is essential for somatic-germ cell interactions that foster germ cell maturation in developing gonads in mice. Biol Reprod 2011; 84:1024-32. [PMID: 21293032 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.110.088559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian development absolutely depends on communication between somatic and germ cell components. In contrast, it is not until after birth that interactions between somatic and germ cells play an important role in testicular maturation and spermatogenesis. Previously, we discovered that Irx3 expression was localized specifically to female gonads during embryonic development; therefore, we sought to determine the function of this genetic locus in developing gonads of both sexes. The fused toes (Ft) mutant mouse is missing 1.6 Mb of chromosome 8, which includes the entire IrxB cluster (Irx3, Irx5, Irx6), Ftm, Fts, and Fto genes. Homozygote Ft mutant embryos die around embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5); therefore, to assess later development, we harvested gonads at E11.5 and transplanted them into nude mouse hosts. Our results show defects in somatic and germ cell maturation in developing gonads of both sexes. Testis development was normal initially; however, by 3-wk posttransplantation, expression of Sertoli and peritubular myoid cell markers were decreased. In many cases, gonocytes failed to migrate to structurally impaired basement membranes of seminiferous cords. Developmental abnormalities of the ovary appeared earlier and were more severe. Over time, the Ft mutant ovary formed very few primordial or primary follicles, which contained oocytes that failed to grow and were surrounded by scarce granulosa cells that expressed low levels of FOXL2. By 3 wk after transplantation, it was difficult to identify ovarian tissue in Ft mutant ovary transplants. In summary, we conclude that the Ft locus contains genes essential for somatic-germ cell interactions, without which the germ cell niche fails to mature in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bongki Kim
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
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