1
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Aloway JA, Ruteshouser EC, Huff V, Behringer RR. Generation of a Wt1 conditional deletion, nuclear red fluorescent protein reporter allele in the mouse. Differentiation 2024; 138:100791. [PMID: 38941819 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2024.100791] [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: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
A Wt1 conditional deletion, nuclear red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter allele was generated in the mouse by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Upon Cre-mediated recombination, a deletion allele is generated that expresses RFP in a Wt1-specific pattern. RFP expression was detected in embryonic and adult tissues known to express Wt1, including the kidney, mesonephros, and testis. In addition, RFP expression and WT1 co-localization was detected in the adult uterine stroma and myometrium, suggesting a role in uterine function. Crosses with Wnt7a-Cre transgenic mice that express Cre in the Müllerian duct epithelium activate Wt1-directed RFP expression in the epithelium of the oviduct but not the stroma and myometrium of the uterus. This new mouse strain should be a useful resource for studies of Wt1 function and marking Wt1-expressing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jace A Aloway
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Genetics and Epigenetics Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - E Cristy Ruteshouser
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Vicki Huff
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Genetics and Epigenetics Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Genetics and Epigenetics Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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2
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Ridnik M, Abberbock E, Alipov V, Lhermann SZ, Kaufman S, Lubman M, Poulat F, Gonen N. Two redundant transcription factor binding sites in a single enhancer are essential for mammalian sex determination. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5514-5528. [PMID: 38499491 PMCID: PMC11162780 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Male development in mammals depends on the activity of the two SOX gene: Sry and Sox9, in the embryonic testis. As deletion of Enhancer 13 (Enh13) of the Sox9 gene results in XY male-to-female sex reversal, we explored the critical elements necessary for its function and hence, for testis and male development. Here, we demonstrate that while microdeletions of individual transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) in Enh13 lead to normal testicular development, combined microdeletions of just two SRY/SOX binding motifs can alone fully abolish Enh13 activity leading to XY male-to-female sex reversal. This suggests that for proper male development to occur, these few nucleotides of non-coding DNA must be intact. Interestingly, we show that depending on the nature of these TFBS mutations, dramatically different phenotypic outcomes can occur, providing a molecular explanation for the distinct clinical outcomes observed in patients harboring different variants in the same enhancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meshi Ridnik
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Elisheva Abberbock
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Veronica Alipov
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Shelly Ziv Lhermann
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Shoham Kaufman
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Maor Lubman
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Francis Poulat
- Group “Development and Pathology of the Gonad”. Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS-University of Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France
| | - Nitzan Gonen
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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3
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Rey RA, Grinspon RP. Anti-Müllerian hormone, testicular descent and cryptorchidism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1361032. [PMID: 38501100 PMCID: PMC10944898 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1361032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a Sertoli cell-secreted glycoprotein involved in male fetal sex differentiation: it provokes the regression of Müllerian ducts, which otherwise give rise to the Fallopian tubes, the uterus and the upper part of the vagina. In the first trimester of fetal life, AMH is expressed independently of gonadotropins, whereas from the second trimester onwards AMH testicular production is stimulated by FSH and oestrogens; at puberty, AMH expression is inhibited by androgens. AMH has also been suggested to participate in testicular descent during fetal life, but its role remains unclear. Serum AMH is a well-recognized biomarker of testicular function from birth to the first stages of puberty. Especially in boys with nonpalpable gonads, serum AMH is the most useful marker of the existence of testicular tissue. In boys with cryptorchidism, serum AMH levels reflect the mass of functional Sertoli cells: they are lower in patients with bilateral than in those with unilateral cryptorchidism. Interestingly, serum AMH increases after testis relocation to the scrotum, suggesting that the ectopic position result in testicular dysfunction, which may be at least partially reversible. In boys with cryptorchidism associated with micropenis, low AMH and FSH are indicative of central hypogonadism, and serum AMH is a good marker of effective FSH treatment. In patients with cryptorchidism in the context of disorders of sex development, low serum AMH is suggestive of gonadal dysgenesis, whereas normal or high AMH is found in patients with isolated androgen synthesis defects or with androgen insensitivity. In syndromic disorders, assessment of serum AMH has shown that Sertoli cell function is preserved in boys with Klinefelter syndrome until mid-puberty, while it is affected in patients with Noonan, Prader-Willi or Down syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Biología Celular, Histología, Embriología y Genética, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Romina P. Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Yildiz S, Moolhuijsen LME, Visser JA. The Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in Ovarian Function. Semin Reprod Med 2024; 42:15-24. [PMID: 38781987 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1786732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily, whose actions are restricted to the endocrine-reproductive system. Initially known for its role in male sex differentiation, AMH plays a role in the ovary, acting as a gatekeeper in folliculogenesis by regulating the rate of recruitment and growth of follicles. In the ovary, AMH is predominantly expressed by granulosa cells of preantral and antral follicles (i.e., post primordial follicle recruitment and prior to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) selection). AMH signals through a BMP-like signaling pathway in a manner distinct from other TGFβ family members. In this review, the latest insights in AMH processing, signaling, its regulation of spatial and temporal expression pattern, and functioning in folliculogenesis are summarized. In addition, effects of AMH variants on ovarian function are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena Yildiz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Loes M E Moolhuijsen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny A Visser
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Ming Z, Bagheri-Fam S, Frost ER, Ryan JM, Harley VR. A role for TRPC3 in mammalian testis development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1337714. [PMID: 38425503 PMCID: PMC10902130 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1337714] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SOX9 is a key transcription factor for testis determination and development. Mutations in and around the SOX9 gene contribute to Differences/Disorders of Sex Development (DSD). However, a substantial proportion of DSD patients lack a definitive genetic diagnosis. SOX9 target genes are potentially DSD-causative genes, yet only a limited subset of these genes has been investigated during testis development. We hypothesize that SOX9 target genes play an integral role in testis development and could potentially be causative genes in DSD. In this study, we describe a novel testicular target gene of SOX9, Trpc3. Trpc3 exhibits high expression levels in the SOX9-expressing male Sertoli cells compared to female granulosa cells in mouse fetal gonads between embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) and E13.5. In XY Sox9 knockout gonads, Trpc3 expression is markedly downregulated. Moreover, culture of E11.5 XY mouse gonads with TRPC3 inhibitor Pyr3 resulted in decreased germ cell numbers caused by reduced germ cell proliferation. Trpc3 is also expressed in endothelial cells and Pyr3-treated E11.5 XY mouse gonads showed a loss of the coelomic blood vessel due to increased apoptosis of endothelial cells. In the human testicular cell line NT2/D1, TRPC3 promotes cell proliferation and controls cell morphology, as observed by xCELLigence and HoloMonitor real-time analysis. In summary, our study suggests that SOX9 positively regulates Trpc3 in mouse testes and TRPC3 may mediate SOX9 function during Sertoli, germ and endothelial cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Ming
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Emily R. Frost
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Janelle M. Ryan
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vincent R. Harley
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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6
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Papaioannou VE, Behringer RR. Strategies for Maintaining Mouse Mutations. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:107960. [PMID: 37932086 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.over107960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Rules for naming a new mutation are provided. The majority of new mutations are recessive and thus easily maintained in a mouse strain. Considerations on the choice of genetic background are given, depending on how the mutant was produced and how you intend to analyze it. General information on maintaining a mutant colony to perpetuate the mutation and to efficiently produce homozygous mutant mice for analysis is provided. Also discussed are special breeding techniques to delete a selection cassette in vivo, if you produced the mutation in embryonic stem (ES) cells, and to maintain a mutant with a balancer chromosome. In the event of either male or female infertility in the heterozygotes, assisted reproductive techniques may be necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia E Papaioannou
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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7
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Papaioannou VE, Behringer RR. Mouse Gene-Targeting Strategies for Maximum Ease and Versatility. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:107957. [PMID: 37932102 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.over107957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Well-planned strategies are an essential prerequisite for any mutational analysis involving gene targeting. Consideration of the advantages or disadvantages of different methods will aid in the production of a final product that is both technically feasible and versatile. Strategies for gene-targeting experiments in the mouse are discussed, including the rationale behind some of the common elements of gene-targeting vectors, such as homologous DNA and the use of different site-specific recombinases. We detail positive and negative selection as well as screening strategies for homologous recombination events in embryonic stem (ES) cells. For the planning stages of making different types of alleles, we first consider general strategies and then provide details specific to either homologous recombination in ES cells or making alleles by gene editing with CRISPR-Cas in preimplantation embryos. The types of alleles considered are null or knockout alleles, reporter gene knock-in alleles, point mutations, and conditional null alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia E Papaioannou
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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8
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Dube R, Kar SS, Jhancy M, George BT. Molecular Basis of Müllerian Agenesis Causing Congenital Uterine Factor Infertility-A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:120. [PMID: 38203291 PMCID: PMC10778982 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010120] [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] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Infertility affects around 1 in 5 couples in the world. Congenital absence of the uterus results in absolute infertility in females. Müllerian agenesis is the nondevelopment of the uterus. Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a condition of uterovaginal agenesis in the presence of normal ovaries and the 46 XX Karyotype. With advancements in reproductive techniques, women with MA having biological offspring is possible. The exact etiology of MA is unknown, although several genes and mechanisms affect the development of Müllerian ducts. Through this systematic review of the available literature, we searched for the genetic basis of MA. The aims included identification of the genes, chromosomal locations, changes responsible for MA, and fertility options, in order to offer proper management and counseling to these women with MA. A total of 85 studies were identified through searches. Most of the studies identified multiple genes at various locations, although the commonest involved chromosomes 1, 17, and 22. There is also conflicting evidence of the involvement of various candidate genes in the studies. The etiology of MA seems to be multifactorial and complex, involving multiple genes and mechanisms including various mutations and mosaicism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani Dube
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Ras al Khaimah P.O. Box 11172, United Arab Emirates
| | - Subhranshu Sekhar Kar
- Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Ras al Khaimah P.O. Box 11172, United Arab Emirates; (S.S.K.); (M.J.)
| | - Malay Jhancy
- Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Ras al Khaimah P.O. Box 11172, United Arab Emirates; (S.S.K.); (M.J.)
| | - Biji Thomas George
- Department of General Surgery, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Ras al Khaimah P.O. Box 11172, United Arab Emirates;
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9
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Souali-Crespo S, Condrea D, Vernet N, Féret B, Klopfenstein M, Grandgirard E, Alunni V, Cerciat M, Jung M, Mayere C, Nef S, Mark M, Chalmel F, Ghyselinck NB. Loss of NR5A1 in mouse Sertoli cells after sex determination changes cellular identity and induces cell death by anoikis. Development 2023; 150:dev201710. [PMID: 38078651 PMCID: PMC10753587 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201710] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the role of the nuclear receptor NR5A1 in the testis after sex determination, we analyzed mice lacking NR5A1 in Sertoli cells (SCs) from embryonic day (E) 13.5 onwards. Ablation of Nr5a1 impaired the expression of genes characteristic of SC identity (e.g. Sox9 and Amh), caused SC death from E14.5 onwards through a Trp53-independent mechanism related to anoikis, and induced disorganization of the testis cords. Together, these effects caused germ cells to enter meiosis and die. Single-cell RNA-sequencing experiments revealed that NR5A1-deficient SCs changed their molecular identity: some acquired a 'pre-granulosa-like' cell identity, whereas other reverted to a 'supporting progenitor-like' cell identity, most of them being 'intersex' because they expressed both testicular and ovarian genes. Fetal Leydig cells (LCs) did not display significant changes, indicating that SCs are not required beyond E14.5 for their emergence or maintenance. In contrast, adult LCs were absent from postnatal testes. In addition, adult mutant males displayed persistence of Müllerian duct derivatives, decreased anogenital distance and reduced penis length, which could be explained by the loss of AMH and testosterone synthesis due to SC failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirine Souali-Crespo
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Diana Condrea
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Nadège Vernet
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Betty Féret
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Muriel Klopfenstein
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Erwan Grandgirard
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
- Imaging Center, IGBMC, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Violaine Alunni
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
- GenomEast Platform, France Génomique consortium, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Marie Cerciat
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
- GenomEast Platform, France Génomique consortium, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Matthieu Jung
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
- GenomEast Platform, France Génomique consortium, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Chloé Mayere
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Mark
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS), F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Norbert B. Ghyselinck
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP-10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
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10
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An K, Yao B, Tan Y, Kang Y, Su J. Potential Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in Regulating Seasonal Reproduction in Animals: The Example of Males. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5874. [PMID: 36982948 PMCID: PMC10054328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065874] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction is a survival strategy by which animals adapt to environmental changes to improve their fitness. Males are often characterized by a significantly reduced testicular volume, indicating that they are in an immature state. Although many hormones, including gonadotropins, have played a role in testicular development and spermatogenesis, research on other hormones is insufficient. The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which is a hormone responsible for inducing the regression of Müllerian ducts involved in male sex differentiation, was discovered in 1953. Disorders in AMH secretion are the main biomarkers of gonadal dysplasia, indicating that it may play a crucial role in reproduction regulation. A recent study has found that the AMH protein is expressed at a high level during the non-breeding period of seasonal reproduction in animals, implying that it may play a role in restricting breeding activities. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the AMH gene expression, regulatory factors of the gene's expression, and its role in reproductive regulation. Using males as an example, we combined testicular regression and the regulatory pathway of seasonal reproduction and attempted to identify the potential relationship between AMH and seasonal reproduction, to broaden the physiological function of AMH in reproductive suppression, and to provide new ideas for understanding the regulatory pathway of seasonal reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang An
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Baohui Yao
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yuchen Tan
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yukun Kang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Junhu Su
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
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11
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Bunce C, Barske L, Zhang G, Capel B. Biased precursor ingression underlies the center-to-pole pattern of male sex determination in mouse. Development 2023; 150:297121. [PMID: 36912416 PMCID: PMC10112898 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201060] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
During mammalian development, gonadal sex determination results from the commitment of bipotential supporting cells to Sertoli or granulosa cell fates. Typically, this decision is coordinated across the gonad to ensure commitment to a single organ fate. When unified commitment fails in an XY mouse, an ovotestis forms in which supporting cells in the center of the gonad typically develop as Sertoli cells, while supporting cells in the poles develop as granulosa cells. This central bias for Sertoli cell fate was thought to result from the initial expression of the drivers of Sertoli cell fate, SRY and/or SOX9, in the central domain, followed by paracrine expansion to the poles. However, we show here that the earliest cells expressing SRY and SOX9 are widely distributed across the gonad. In addition, Sertoli cell fate does not spread among supporting cells through paracrine relay. Instead, we uncover a center-biased pattern of supporting cell precursor ingression that occurs in both sexes and results in increased supporting cell density in the central domain. Our findings prompt a new model of gonad patterning in which a density-dependent organizing principle dominates Sertoli cell fate stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Bunce
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lindsey Barske
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Gloria Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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12
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Wang L, Wang Y, Li B, Zhang Y, Song S, Ding W, Xu D, Zhao Z. BMP6 regulates AMH expression via SMAD1/5/8 in goat ovarian granulosa cells. Theriogenology 2023; 197:167-176. [PMID: 36525856 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.11.045] [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: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced by ovarian granulosa cells (GCs)and plays a major role in inhibiting the recruitment of primordial follicles and reducing the sensitivity of growing follicles to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) has similar spatiotemporal expression to AMH during follicular development, suggesting that BMP6 may regulate AMH expression. However, the specific mechanism by which BMP6 regulates AMH expression remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to examine the molecular pathway by which BMP6 regulates AMH expression. The results showed that BMP6 promoted the secretion and expression of AMH in goat ovarian GCs. Mechanistically, BMP6 upregulated the expression of sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9) and GATA-binding factor 4 (GATA4), which was associated with the transcriptional initiation of AMH. AMH expression was significantly decreased by GATA4 knockdown. Moreover, BMP6 treatment promoted the phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/8, whereas inhibiting the SMAD1/5/8 signaling pathway significantly abolished BMP6-induced upregulation of AMH and GATA4 expression. Interestingly, the activation of SMAD1/5/8 alone did not affect the expression of AMH or GATA4. The results suggested that BMP6 upregulated GATA4 through the SMAD1/5/8 signaling pathway, which in turn promoted AMH expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Yukun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Bijun Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Yiyu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Shuaifei Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Wenfei Ding
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Dejun Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China.
| | - Zhongquan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University,Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, PR China.
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13
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Yang Y, Li X, Ye S, Chen X, Wang L, Qian Y, Xin Q, Li L, Gong P. Identification of genes related to sexual differentiation and sterility in embryonic gonads of Mule ducks by transcriptome analysis. Front Genet 2022; 13:1037810. [PMID: 36386800 PMCID: PMC9643717 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1037810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The key genes of avian gonadal development are of great significance for sex determination. Transcriptome sequencing analysis of Mule duck gonad as potential sterile model is expected to screen candidate genes related to avian gonad development. In this study, the embryonic gonadal tissues of Mule ducks, Jinding ducks, and Muscovy ducks were collected and identified. Six sample groups including female Mule duck (A), male Mule duck (B), female Jinding duck (C), male Jinding duck (D), female Muscovy duck (E), and male Muscovy duck (F) were subjected to RNA sequencing analysis. A total of 9,471 differential genes (DEGs) and 691 protein-protein interaction pairs were obtained. Totally, 12 genes (Dmrt1, Amh, Sox9, Tex14, Trim71, Slc26a8, Spam1, Tdrp, Tsga10, Boc, Cxcl14, and Hsd17b3) were identified to be specifically related to duck testicular development, and 11 genes (Hsd17b1, Cyp19a1, Cyp17a1, Hhipl2, Tdrp, Uts2r, Cdon, Axin2, Nxph1, Brinp2, and Brinp3) were specifically related to duck ovarian development. Seven genes (Stra8, Dmc1, Terb1, Tex14, Tsga10, Spam1, and Plcd4) were screened to be specifically involved in the female sterility of Mule ducks; eight genes (Gtsf1, Nalcn, Tat, Slc26a8, Kmo, Plcd4, Aldh4a1, and Hgd) were specifically involved in male sterility; and five genes (Terb1, Stra8, Tex14 Tsga10 and Spam1) were involved in both female and male sterility. This study provides an insight into the differential development between male and female gonads of ducks and the sterility mechanism of Mule ducks through function, pathway, and protein interaction analyses. Our findings provide theoretical basis for the further research on sex determination and differentiation of birds and the sterility of Mule ducks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuelian Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengqiang Ye
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Lixia Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunguo Qian
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
| | - Qingwu Xin
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ping Gong
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Science, Wuhan, China
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14
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Moses MM, Mullen RD, Idowu DI, Maye P, Jamin SP, Behringer RR. A transgenic bacterial artificial chromosome approach to identify regulatory regions that direct Amhr2 and Osterix expression in Müllerian duct mesenchyme. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1006087. [PMID: 36313563 PMCID: PMC9597298 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1006087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A transgenic mouse approach using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) was used to identify regulatory regions that direct Müllerian duct expression for Amhr2 and Osterix (Osx, also known as Sp7). Amhr2 encodes the receptor that mediates anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) signaling for Müllerian duct regression in male embryos. Amhr2 is expressed in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme of both male and female embryos. A ∼147-kb BAC clone containing the Amhr2 locus was used to generate transgenic mice. The transgene was able to rescue the block in Müllerian duct regression of Amhr2-null males, suggesting that the BAC clone contains regulatory sequences active in male embryos. Osx is expressed in the developing skeleton of male and female embryos but is also an AMH-induced gene that is expressed in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme exclusively in male embryos. Osx-Cre transgenic mice were previously generated using a ∼204-kb BAC clone. Crosses of Osx-Cre mice to Cre-dependent lacZ reporter mice resulted in reporter expression in the developing skeleton and in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme of male but not female embryos. Osx-Cherry transgenic mice were previously generated using a 39-kb genomic region surrounding the Osx locus. Osx-Cherry embryos expressed red fluorescence in the developing skeleton and Müllerian duct mesenchyme of male but not female embryos. In addition, female Osx-Cherry embryos ectopically expressing human AMH from an Mt1-AMH transgene activated red fluorescence in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme. These results suggest that the 39-kb region used to generate Osx-Cherry contains male-specific Müllerian duct mesenchyme regulatory sequences that are responsive to AMH signaling. These BAC transgenic mouse approaches identify two distinct regions that direct Müllerian duct mesenchyme expression and contribute fundamental knowledge to define a gene regulatory network for sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm M. Moses
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rachel D. Mullen
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Daniel I. Idowu
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Peter Maye
- Department of Reconstructive Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Soazik P. Jamin
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Université de Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), Rennes, France
| | - Richard R. Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
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15
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van As C, Koedam M, McLuskey A, Kramer P, Lahlou N, van der Eerden BCJ, Visser JA. Loss of Anti-Müllerian Hormone Signaling in Mice Affects Trabecular Bone Mass in a Sex- and Age-Dependent Manner. Endocrinology 2022; 163:6717957. [PMID: 36155779 PMCID: PMC9576916 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in mice results from an abrupt loss of ovarian sex steroids. Anti-Müllerian hormone knockout (AMHKO) mice show a gradual but accelerated ovarian aging, and therefore may better resemble osteoporosis following natural menopause. To study the impact of AMH signaling deficiency on bone, we compared trabecular and cortical bone parameters in 2-, 4-, 10-, and 16-month-old male and female wild-type (WT), AMHKO, and AMH type II receptor knockout (MRKI) mice using micro computed tomography (microCT). Goldner's staining was performed to confirm the observed bone phenotype. Both male and female AMHKO and MRKI mice showed age-dependent loss of trabecular bone (P < 0.001). However, reproductive-aged female AMHKO and MRKI mice had higher BV/TV compared with WT (P < 0.001), coinciding with increased growing follicle numbers (P < 0.05) and increased estrus inhibin B levels (AMHKO: P < 0.001; MRKI: P < 0.05) but normal inhibin A, estrogen, and progesterone levels. In aged female AMHKO and MRKI mice BV/TV did not differ from WT mice due to greater trabecular bone loss between 10 and 16 months compared with WT mice. At these ages, AMHKO and MRKI mice had reduced growing follicle numbers (P < 0.05) and reduced inhibin B levels (P < 0.001). At age 10 months, female MRKI mice had increased cortical bone parameters compared with WT mice (P < 0.01). Bone parameters of male AMHKO and MRKI mice did not differ from male WT mice. In conclusion, AMH signaling deficiency results in a sex- and age-dependent effect on predominantly trabecular bone. Our results further suggest that reproductive hormones beyond estrogen may contribute to bone homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane van As
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marijke Koedam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anke McLuskey
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Piet Kramer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Najiba Lahlou
- Department of Hormone Biology and Metabolic Disorders, BPR-AS, 45700 Pannes, France
| | | | - Jenny A Visser
- Correspondence: Jenny A. Visser, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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16
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Ming Z, Vining B, Bagheri-Fam S, Harley V. SOX9 in organogenesis: shared and unique transcriptional functions. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:522. [PMID: 36114905 PMCID: PMC9482574 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04543-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor SOX9 is essential for the development of multiple organs including bone, testis, heart, lung, pancreas, intestine and nervous system. Mutations in the human SOX9 gene led to campomelic dysplasia, a haploinsufficiency disorder with several skeletal malformations frequently accompanied by 46, XY sex reversal. The mechanisms underlying the diverse SOX9 functions during organ development including its post-translational modifications, the availability of binding partners, and tissue-specific accessibility to target gene chromatin. Here we summarize the expression, activities, and downstream target genes of SOX9 in molecular genetic pathways essential for organ development, maintenance, and function. We also provide an insight into understanding the mechanisms that regulate the versatile roles of SOX9 in different organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Ming
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Brittany Vining
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Vincent Harley
- Sex Development Laboratory, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 5152, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia.
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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17
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Edelsztein NY, Valeri C, Lovaisa MM, Schteingart HF, Rey RA. AMH Regulation by Steroids in the Mammalian Testis: Underlying Mechanisms and Clinical Implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:906381. [PMID: 35712256 PMCID: PMC9195137 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.906381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a distinctive biomarker of the immature Sertoli cell. AMH expression, triggered by specific transcription factors upon fetal Sertoli cells differentiation independently of gonadotropins or sex steroids, drives Müllerian duct regression in the male, preventing the development of the uterus and Fallopian tubes. AMH continues to be highly expressed by Sertoli until the onset of puberty, when it is downregulated to low adult levels. FSH increases testicular AMH output by promoting immature Sertoli cell proliferation and individual cell expression. AMH secretion also showcases a differential regulation exerted by intratesticular levels of androgens and estrogens. In the fetus and the newborn, Sertoli cells do not express the androgen receptor, and the high androgen concentrations do not affect AMH expression. Conversely, estrogens can stimulate AMH production because estrogen receptors are present in Sertoli cells and aromatase is stimulated by FSH. During childhood, sex steroids levels are very low and do not play a physiological role on AMH production. However, hyperestrogenic states upregulate AMH expression. During puberty, testosterone inhibition of AMH expression overrides stimulation by estrogens and FSH. The direct effects of sex steroids on AMH transcription are mediated by androgen receptor and estrogen receptor α action on AMH promoter sequences. A modest estrogen action is also mediated by the membrane G-coupled estrogen receptor GPER. The understanding of these complex regulatory mechanisms helps in the interpretation of serum AMH levels found in physiological or pathological conditions, which underscores the importance of serum AMH as a biomarker of intratesticular steroid concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Y. Edelsztein
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Valeri
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María M. Lovaisa
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Helena F. Schteingart
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Histología, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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18
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Viger RS, de Mattos K, Tremblay JJ. Insights Into the Roles of GATA Factors in Mammalian Testis Development and the Control of Fetal Testis Gene Expression. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:902198. [PMID: 35692407 PMCID: PMC9178088 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.902198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining how genes get turned on and off in a correct spatiotemporal manner is integral to our understanding of the development, differentiation, and function of different cell types in both health and disease. Testis development and subsequent male sex differentiation of the XY fetus are well-orchestrated processes that require an intricate network of cell-cell communication and hormonal signals that must be properly interpreted at the genomic level. Transcription factors are at the forefront for translating these signals into a coordinated genomic response. The GATA family of transcriptional regulators were first described as essential regulators of hematopoietic cell differentiation and heart morphogenesis but are now known to impact the development and function of a multitude of tissues and cell types. The mammalian testis is no exception where GATA factors play essential roles in directing the expression of genes crucial not only for testis differentiation but also testis function in the developing male fetus and later in adulthood. This minireview provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of GATA factors in the male gonad with a particular emphasis on their mechanisms of action in the control of testis development, gene expression in the fetal testis, testicular disease, and XY sex differentiation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S. Viger
- Centre de recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec—Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Karine de Mattos
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec—Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jacques J. Tremblay
- Centre de recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec—Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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19
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Windley SP, Mayère C, McGovern AE, Harvey NL, Nef S, Schwarz Q, Kumar S, Wilhelm D. Loss of NEDD4 causes complete XY gonadal sex reversal in mice. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:75. [PMID: 35075134 PMCID: PMC8786929 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Gonadogenesis is the process wherein two morphologically distinct organs, the testis and the ovary, arise from a common precursor. In mammals, maleness is driven by the expression of Sry. SRY subsequently upregulates the related family member Sox9 which is responsible for initiating testis differentiation while repressing factors critical to ovarian development such as FOXL2 and β-catenin. Here, we report a hitherto uncharacterised role for the ubiquitin-protein ligase NEDD4 in this process. XY Nedd4-deficient mice exhibit complete male-to-female gonadal sex reversal shown by the ectopic upregulation of Foxl2 expression at the time of gonadal sex determination as well as insufficient upregulation of Sox9. This sex reversal extends to germ cells with ectopic expression of SYCP3 in XY Nedd4-/- germ cells and significantly higher Sycp3 transcripts in XY and XX Nedd4-deficient mice when compared to both XY and XX controls. Further, Nedd4-/- mice exhibit reduced gonadal precursor cell formation and gonadal size as a result of reduced proliferation within the developing gonad as well as reduced Nr5a1 expression. Together, these results establish an essential role for NEDD4 in XY gonadal sex determination and development and suggest a potential role for NEDD4 in orchestrating these cell fate decisions through the suppression of the female pathway to ensure proper testis differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P Windley
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alice E McGovern
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Natasha L Harvey
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Quenten Schwarz
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Sharad Kumar
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
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20
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Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a member of the TGF-β family produced essentially by the supporting somatic cells of the testis. Initially known for its inhibiting role upon the development of female internal organs, AMH has been shown to exert many other effects namely upon germ cells. Circulating AMH reflects the ovarian reserve of young developing follicles and is used to evaluate the fertility potential in assisted reproduction. The signaling pathway of AMH is both similar and different from that of other members of the TGF-β family. Like these, it signals through two distinct serine/threonine receptors, type 1 and type 2, that phosphorylate cytoplasmic effectors, the Smads. It also shares type 1 receptors and Smads with other members of the family. However, AMH is the only family member with its own, dedicated, ligand-specific type 2 receptor, AMHR2. The monogamic relationship between AMH and AMHR2 is supported by molecular studies of the Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome, characterized by the presence of Müllerian derivatives in otherwise normally virilized males: mutations of AMH or AMHR2 are clinically indistinguishable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Josso
- Lipodystrophies, Adaptations Métaboliques et Hormonales, et Vieillissement, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherches Saint-Antoine, 27 rue de Chaligny, 75012 Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Yves Picard
- Lipodystrophies, Adaptations Métaboliques et Hormonales, et Vieillissement, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherches Saint-Antoine, 27 rue de Chaligny, 75012 Paris, France.
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21
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Dupont S, Capel B. The Chromatin State during Gonadal Sex Determination. Sex Dev 2021; 15:308-316. [PMID: 34753132 DOI: 10.1159/000520007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
At embryonic day (E) 10.5, prior to gonadal sex determination, XX and XY gonads are bipotential and able to differentiate into either a testis or an ovary. At this point, they are transcriptionally and morphologically indistinguishable. Sex determination begins around E11.5 in the mouse when the supporting cell lineage commits to either Sertoli or granulosa cell fate. Testis-specific factors such as SRY and SOX9 drive differentiation of bipotential-supporting cells into the Sertoli cell pathway, whereas ovary-specific factors like WNT4 and FOXL2 guide differentiation into granulosa cells. It is known that these 2 pathways are mutually antagonistic, and repression of the alternative fate is critical for maintenance of the testis or ovary programs. While we understand much about the transcription factor networks guiding the process of sex determination, it is only more recently that we have begun to understand how this process is epigenetically controlled. Studies in the past decade have demonstrated the importance of the chromatin state for gene expression and cell fate commitment, with histone modifications and DNA accessibility having a direct role in gene regulation. It is now clear that the chromatin state during sex determination is dynamic and likely critical for the establishment and/or maintenance of the transcriptional programs. Prior to sex determination, supporting cells have similar chromatin structure and histone modification profiles, reflecting the bipotential nature of these cells. After differentiation to Sertoli or granulosa cells, the chromatin state acquires sex-specific profiles. The proteins that regulate the deposition of histone modifications or the opening of compact chromatin likely play an important role in Sertoli and granulosa cell fate commitment and gonad development. Here, we describe studies profiling the chromatin state during gonadal sex determination and one example in which depletion of Cbx2, a member of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1), causes male-to-female sex reversal due to a failure to repress the ovarian pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Dupont
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA,
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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22
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Brunello FG, Rey RA. AMH and AMHR2 Involvement in Congenital Disorders of Sex Development. Sex Dev 2021; 16:138-146. [PMID: 34515230 DOI: 10.1159/000518273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is 1 of the 2 testicular hormones involved in male development of the genitalia during fetal life. When the testes differentiate, AMH is secreted by Sertoli cells and binds to its specific receptor type II (AMHR2) on the müllerian ducts, inducing their regression. In the female fetus, the lack of AMH allows the müllerian ducts to form the fallopian tubes, the uterus, and the upper part of the vagina. The human AMH gene maps to 19p13.3 and consists of 5 exons and 4 introns spanning 2,764 bp. The AMHR2 gene maps to 12q13.13, consists of 11 exons, and is 7,817 bp long. Defects in the AMH pathway are the underlying etiology of a subgroup of disorders of sex development (DSD) in 46,XY patients. The condition is known as the persistent müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS), characterized by the existence of a uterus and fallopian tubes in a boy with normally virilized external genitalia. Approximately 200 cases of patients with PMDS have been reported to date with clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetic characterization. An updated review is provided in this paper. With highly sensitive techniques, AMH and AMHR2 expression has also been detected in other tissues, and massive sequencing technologies have unveiled variants in AMH and AMHR2 genes in hitherto unsuspected conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco G Brunello
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Histología, Embriología, Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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23
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Gao P, Lyu Q, Ghanam AR, Lazzarotto CR, Newby GA, Zhang W, Choi M, Slivano OJ, Holden K, Walker JA, Kadina AP, Munroe RJ, Abratte CM, Schimenti JC, Liu DR, Tsai SQ, Long X, Miano JM. Prime editing in mice reveals the essentiality of a single base in driving tissue-specific gene expression. Genome Biol 2021; 22:83. [PMID: 33722289 PMCID: PMC7962346 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02304-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most single nucleotide variants (SNVs) occur in noncoding sequence where millions of transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) reside. Here, a comparative analysis of CRISPR-mediated homology-directed repair (HDR) versus the recently reported prime editing 2 (PE2) system was carried out in mice over a TFBS called a CArG box in the Tspan2 promoter. RESULTS Quantitative RT-PCR showed loss of Tspan2 mRNA in aorta and bladder, but not heart or brain, of mice homozygous for an HDR-mediated three base pair substitution in the Tspan2 CArG box. Using the same protospacer, mice homozygous for a PE2-mediated single-base substitution in the Tspan2 CArG box displayed similar cell-specific loss of Tspan2 mRNA; expression of an overlapping long noncoding RNA was also nearly abolished in aorta and bladder. Immuno-RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization validated loss of Tspan2 in vascular smooth muscle cells of HDR and PE2 CArG box mutant mice. Targeted sequencing demonstrated variable frequencies of on-target editing in all PE2 and HDR founders. However, whereas no on-target indels were detected in any of the PE2 founders, all HDR founders showed varying levels of on-target indels. Off-target analysis by targeted sequencing revealed mutations in many HDR founders, but none in PE2 founders. CONCLUSIONS PE2 directs high-fidelity editing of a single base in a TFBS leading to cell-specific loss in expression of an mRNA/long noncoding RNA gene pair. The PE2 platform expands the genome editing toolbox for modeling and correcting relevant noncoding SNVs in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Gao
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Qing Lyu
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Amr R. Ghanam
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Cicera R. Lazzarotto
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38195 USA
| | - Gregory A. Newby
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Mihyun Choi
- Department of Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208 USA
| | - Orazio J. Slivano
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Kevin Holden
- Synthego Corporation, Redwood City, CA 94025 USA
| | | | | | - Rob J. Munroe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | | | - John C. Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - David R. Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Shengdar Q. Tsai
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38195 USA
| | - Xiaochun Long
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Joseph M. Miano
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
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24
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Xu H, Zhang M, Zhang H, Alpadi K, Wang L, Li R, Qiao J. Clinical Applications of Serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone Measurements in Both Males and Females: An Update. Innovation (N Y) 2021; 2:100091. [PMID: 34557745 PMCID: PMC8454570 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility is one of the most common non-communicable diseases, affecting both men and women equally. Ovarian reserve, the number of primordial follicles in the ovaries is believed to be the most important determinants for female fertility. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) secreted from granulosa cells of growing follicles is recognized as the most important biomarker for ovarian reserve. Ovarian reserve models have been developed using AMH and other hormonal indicators, thus childbearing plans and reproductive choices could be arranged by women. In assisted reproductive technology cycles, measurement of AMH helps to predict ovarian response and guide recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone dosing in women. Serum AMH level is increasingly being recognized as a potential surrogate marker for polycystic ovarian morphology, one of the criteria for diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome. AMH is also secreted by Sertoli cells of testes in men, and AMH measurements in the prediction of surgical sperm recovery rate in men have also been investigated. AMH levels are significantly higher in boys than in girls before puberty. Therefore, serum levels of AMH in combination with testosterone is used for the differential diagnosis of disorders of sex development, anorchia, non-obstructive azoospermia, and persistent Müllerian duct syndrome. Recently, serum AMH measurements have also been used in fertility preservation programs in oncofertility, screening for granulosa cell tumors, and prediction of menopause applications. In this review, we will focus on clinical application of AMH in fertility assessments for healthy men and women, as well as for cancer patients. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) plays a key role in models assessing ovarian reserve AMH is used for the differential diagnosis of disorders of sex development AMH provides a molecular marker for related fertility and infertility disorders An international standard will aid in the development of various AMH assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Mengqian Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Hongxian Zhang
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | | | - Lina Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Rong Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
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25
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The conditional deletion of steroidogenic factor 1 (Nr5a1) in Sox9-Cre mice compromises testis differentiation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4486. [PMID: 33627800 PMCID: PMC7904858 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84095-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroidogenic factor 1 (NR5A1) is essential for gonadal development. To study the importance of NR5A1 during early gonadal sex differentiation, we generated Sox9-Cre-Nr5a1 conditional knockout (cKO) mice: Sox9-Cre;Nr5a1flox/flox and Sox9-Cre;Nr5a1flox/− mice. Double-immunostaining for NR5A1 and AMH revealed silenced NR5A1 in Sertoli cells and reduced AMH+ cells in the gonads of XY Sox9-Cre-Nr5a1 cKO mice between embryonic days 12.5 (E12.5) and E14.5. Double-immunostaining for SOX9 and FOXL2 further indicated an early block in Sertoli cells and ectopic granulosa cell differentiation. The number of cells expressing the Leydig cell marker 3βHSD obviously reduced in the gonads of XY Sox9-Cre;Nr5a1flox/− but not Sox9-Cre;Nr5a1flox/flox mice at E15.5. The presence of STRA8+ cells indicated that germ cells entered meiosis in the gonads of XY Sox9-Cre-Nr5a1 cKO mice. The results of qRT-PCR revealed remarkably reduced and elevated levels of testis and ovary markers, respectively, in the gonads of XY Sox9-Cre-Nr5a1 cKO mice at E12.5‒E13.5. These data suggested that the loss of Nr5a1 abrogates the testicular pathway and induces the ectopic ovarian pathway, resulting in postnatal partial/complete male-to-female gonadal sex reversal. Our findings provide evidence for the critical role of NR5A1 in murine gonadal sex determination in vivo.
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26
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Tani S, Okada H, Chung UI, Ohba S, Hojo H. The Progress of Stem Cell Technology for Skeletal Regeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1404. [PMID: 33573345 PMCID: PMC7866793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis and bone fractures, are among the major conditions that can compromise the quality of daily life of elderly individuals. To treat them, regenerative therapies using skeletal cells have been an attractive choice for patients with unmet clinical needs. Currently, there are two major strategies to prepare the cell sources. The first is to use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which can recapitulate the skeletal developmental process and differentiate into various skeletal cells. Skeletal tissues are derived from three distinct origins: the neural crest, paraxial mesoderm, and lateral plate mesoderm. Thus, various protocols have been proposed to recapitulate the sequential process of skeletal development. The second strategy is to extract stem cells from skeletal tissues. In addition to mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), multiple cell types have been identified as alternative cell sources. These cells have distinct multipotent properties allowing them to differentiate into skeletal cells and various potential applications for skeletal regeneration. In this review, we summarize state-of-the-art research in stem cell differentiation based on the understanding of embryogenic skeletal development and stem cells existing in skeletal tissues. We then discuss the potential applications of these cell types for regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoichiro Tani
- Sensory & Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; (S.T.); (H.O.)
- Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
| | - Hiroyuki Okada
- Sensory & Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; (S.T.); (H.O.)
- Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
| | - Ung-il Chung
- Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Ohba
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8588, Japan;
| | - Hironori Hojo
- Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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27
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Bagheri-Fam S, Combes AN, Ling CK, Wilhelm D. Heterozygous deletion of Sox9 in mouse mimics the gonadal sex reversal phenotype associated with campomelic dysplasia in humans. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3781-3792. [PMID: 33305798 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous mutations in the human SOX9 gene cause the skeletal malformation syndrome campomelic dysplasia which in 75% of 46, XY individuals is associated with male-to-female sex reversal. Although studies in homozygous Sox9 knockout mouse models confirmed that SOX9 is critical for testis development, mice heterozygous for the Sox9-null allele were reported to develop normal testes. This led to the belief that the SOX9 dosage requirement for testis differentiation is different between humans, which often require both alleles, and mice, in which one allele is sufficient. However, in prior studies, gonadal phenotypes in heterozygous Sox9 XY mice were assessed only by either gross morphology, histological staining or analyzed on a mixed genetic background. In this study, we conditionally inactivated Sox9 in somatic cells of developing gonads using the Nr5a1-Cre mouse line on a pure C57BL/6 genetic background. Section and whole-mount immunofluorescence for testicular and ovarian markers showed that XY Sox9 heterozygous gonads developed as ovotestes. Quantitative droplet digital PCR confirmed a 50% reduction of Sox9 mRNA as well as partial sex reversal shown by an upregulation of ovarian genes. Our data show that haploinsufficiency of Sox9 can perturb testis development in mice, suggesting that mice may provide a more accurate model of human disorders/differences of sex development than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Alexander N Combes
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Cheuk K Ling
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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28
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Expression profiling of sexually dimorphic genes in the Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20073. [PMID: 33257723 PMCID: PMC7705726 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77094-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on avian sex determination has focused on the chicken. In this study, we established the utility of another widely used animal model, the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), for clarifying the molecular mechanisms underlying gonadal sex differentiation. In particular, we performed comprehensive gene expression profiling of embryonic gonads at three stages (HH27, HH31 and HH38) by mRNA-seq. We classified the expression patterns of 4,815 genes into nine clusters according to the extent of change between stages. Cluster 2 (characterized by an initial increase and steady levels thereafter), including 495 and 310 genes expressed in males and females, respectively, contained five key genes involved in gonadal sex differentiation. A GO analysis showed that genes in this cluster are related to developmental processes including reproductive structure development and developmental processes involved in reproduction were significant, suggesting that expression profiling is an effective approach to identify novel candidate genes. Based on RNA-seq data and in situ hybridization, the expression patterns and localization of most key genes for gonadal sex differentiation corresponded well to those of the chicken. Our results support the effectiveness of the Japanese quail as a model for studies gonadal sex differentiation in birds.
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29
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Stewart MK, Mattiske DM, Pask AJ. Exogenous Oestrogen Impacts Cell Fate Decision in the Developing Gonads: A Potential Cause of Declining Human Reproductive Health. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8377. [PMID: 33171657 PMCID: PMC7664701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing incidence of testicular dysgenesis syndrome-related conditions and overall decline in human fertility has been linked to the prevalence of oestrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment. Ectopic activation of oestrogen signalling by EDCs in the gonad can impact testis and ovary function and development. Oestrogen is the critical driver of ovarian differentiation in non-mammalian vertebrates, and in its absence a testis will form. In contrast, oestrogen is not required for mammalian ovarian differentiation, but it is essential for its maintenance, illustrating it is necessary for reinforcing ovarian fate. Interestingly, exposure of the bi-potential gonad to exogenous oestrogen can cause XY sex reversal in marsupials and this is mediated by the cytoplasmic retention of the testis-determining factor SOX9 (sex-determining region Y box transcription factor 9). Oestrogen can similarly suppress SOX9 and activate ovarian genes in both humans and mice, demonstrating it plays an essential role in all mammals in mediating gonad somatic cell fate. Here, we review the molecular control of gonad differentiation and explore the mechanisms through which exogenous oestrogen can influence somatic cell fate to disrupt gonad development and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for defining the effects of oestrogenic EDCs on the developing gonads and ultimately their impacts on human reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie K. Stewart
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (D.M.M.); (A.J.P.)
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30
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Wu K, Li Y, Pan P, Li Z, Yu Y, Huang J, Ma F, Tian L, Fang Y, Wang Y, Lin H, Ge RS. Gestational vinclozolin exposure suppresses fetal testis development in rats. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 203:111053. [PMID: 32888615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Vinclozolin is a common dicarboximide fungicide used to protect crops from diseases. It is also an endocrine disruptor and is thought to be related to abnormalities of the reproductive tract. However, its mechanism of inducing abnormalities of the male reproductive tract is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to study the effect of gestational vinclozolin exposure on the development of rat fetal Leydig cells. Female pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to vinclozolin (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight/day) by gavage from gestational day 14-21. Vinclozolin dose-dependently reduced serum testosterone levels at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg and the anogenital distance at 100 mg/kg. RNA-seq, qPCR, and Western blotting showed that vinclozolin down-regulated the expression of Nr5a1, Sox9, Lhcgr, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1, Hsd17b3, Amh, Pdgfa, and Dhh and their encoded proteins. Vinclozolin reduced the number of NR2F2-positive stem Leydig cells at a dose of 100 mg/kg and enhanced autophagy in the testes. In conclusion, vinclozolin disrupts reproductive tract development and testis development in male fetal rats via several pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyang Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Peipei Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Zengqiang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Yige Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Jianjian Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Feifei Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Lili Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Yinghui Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Yiyan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Han Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China.
| | - Ren-Shan Ge
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 109 Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China.
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31
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Abstract
The mouse is one of the most widely used model organisms for genetic study. The tools available to alter the mouse genome have developed over the preceding decades from forward screens to gene targeting in stem cells to the recent influx of CRISPR approaches. In this review, we first consider the history of mice in genetic study, the development of classic approaches to genome modification, and how such approaches have been used and improved in recent years. We then turn to the recent surge of nuclease-mediated techniques and how they are changing the field of mouse genetics. Finally, we survey common classes of alleles used in mice and discuss how they might be engineered using different methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F Clark
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Colin J Dinsmore
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Philippe Soriano
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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32
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Valeri C, Lovaisa MM, Racine C, Edelsztein NY, Riggio M, Giulianelli S, Venara M, Bedecarrás P, Ballerini MG, di Clemente N, Lamb CA, Schteingart HF, Rey RA. Molecular mechanisms underlying AMH elevation in hyperoestrogenic states in males. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15062. [PMID: 32934281 PMCID: PMC7492256 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71675-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is secreted by Sertoli cells of the testes from early fetal life until puberty, when it is downregulated by androgens. In conditions like complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), AMH downregulation does not occur and AMH increases at puberty, due in part to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) effect. However, other conditions like Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), characterised by low FSH, also have increased AMH. Because both CAIS and PJS may present as hyperoestrogenic states, we tested the hypothesis that oestradiol (E2) upregulates AMH expression in peripubertal Sertoli cells and explored the molecular mechanisms potentially involved. The results showed that E2 is capable of inducing an upregulation of endogenous AMH and of the AMH promoter activity in the prepubertal Sertoli cell line SMAT1, signalling through ERα binding to a specific ERE sequence present on the hAMH promoter. A modest action was also mediated through the membrane oestrogen receptor GPER. Additionally, the existence of ERα expression in Sertoli cells in patients with CAIS was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The evidence presented here provides biological plausibility to the hypothesis that testicular AMH production increases in clinical conditions in response to elevated oestrogen levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Valeri
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María M Lovaisa
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Chrystèle Racine
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine (CRSA), 75012, Paris, France.,Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire ICAN, 75013, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris-Diderot Université, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Y Edelsztein
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Riggio
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sebastián Giulianelli
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT (CENPAT-CONICET), U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - Marcela Venara
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia Bedecarrás
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María G Ballerini
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nathalie di Clemente
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine (CRSA), 75012, Paris, France.,Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire ICAN, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Caroline A Lamb
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Helena F Schteingart
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Departamento de Biología Celular, Histología, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Estienne A, Jarrier P, Staub C, Venturi E, Le Vern Y, Clemente N, Monniaux D, Monget P. Anti-Müllerian hormone production in the ovary: a comparative study in bovine and porcine granulosa cells†. Biol Reprod 2020; 103:572-582. [PMID: 32432313 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to determine the origin of the difference, in terms of anti-Müllerian hormone production, existing between the bovine and porcine ovaries. We first confirmed by quantitative real-time-Polymerase-Chain Reaction, ELISA assay and immunohistochemistry that anti-Müllerian hormone mRNA and protein production are very low in porcine ovarian growing follicles compared to bovine ones. We then have transfected porcine and bovine granulosa cells with vectors containing the luciferase gene driven by the porcine or the bovine anti-Müllerian hormone promoter. These transfection experiments showed that the porcine anti-Müllerian hormone promoter is less active and less responsive to bone morphogenetic protein stimulations than the bovine promoter in both porcine and bovine cells. Moreover, bovine but not porcine granulosa cells were responsive to bone morphogenetic protein stimulation after transfection of a plasmidic construction including a strong response element to the bone morphogenetic proteins (12 repetitions of the GCCG sequence) upstream of the luciferase reporter gene. We also showed that SMAD6, an inhibitor of the SMAD1-5-8 pathway, is strongly expressed in porcine compared to the bovine granulosa cells. Overall, these results suggest that the low expression of anti-Müllerian hormone in porcine growing follicles is due to both a lack of activity/sensitivity of the porcine anti-Müllerian hormone promoter, and to the lack of responsiveness of porcine granulosa cells to bone morphogenetic protein signaling, potentially due to an overexpression of SMAD6 compared to bovine granulosa cells. We propose that the low levels of anti-Müllerian hormone in the pig would explain the poly-ovulatory phenotype in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Estienne
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Françis du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE), Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Peggy Jarrier
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Françis du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE), Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Christophe Staub
- Physiologie Animale et Systèmes d'Elevage, Unité Expérimentale de Physiologie Animale de l'Orfrasière (UEPAO), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Unité Expérimentale (UE) 1297, Nouzilly, France
| | - Eric Venturi
- Physiologie Animale et Systèmes d'Elevage, Unité Expérimentale de Physiologie Animale de l'Orfrasière (UEPAO), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Unité Expérimentale (UE) 1297, Nouzilly, France
| | - Yves Le Vern
- Infectiologie, Santé Publique (ISP), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1297, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Nathalie Clemente
- Sorbonne Université, Insitut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Danielle Monniaux
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Françis du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE), Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Philippe Monget
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l'Environnement (INRAE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Françis du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE), Université de Tours, Tours, France
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34
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Xu HY, Zhang HX, Xiao Z, Qiao J, Li R. Regulation of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in males and the associations of serum AMH with the disorders of male fertility. Asian J Androl 2020; 21:109-114. [PMID: 30381580 PMCID: PMC6413543 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_83_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a functional marker of fetal Sertoli cells. The germ cell number in adults depends on the number of Sertoli cells produced during perinatal development. Recently, AMH has received increasing attention in research of disorders related to male fertility. This paper reviews and summarizes the articles on the regulation of AMH in males and the serum levels of AMH in male fertility-related disorders. We have determined that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) promotes AMH transcription in the absence of androgen signaling. Testosterone inhibits the transcriptional activation of AMH. The undetectable levels of serum AMH and testosterone levels indicate a lack of functional testicular tissue, for example, that in patients with anorchia or severe Klinefelter syndrome suffering from impaired spermatogenesis. The normal serum testosterone level and undetectable AMH are highly suggestive of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS), combined with clinical manifestations. The levels of both AMH and testosterone are always subnormal in patients with mixed disorders of sex development (DSD). Mixed DSD is an early-onset complete type of disorder with fetal hypogonadism resulting from the dysfunction of both Leydig and Sertoli cells. Serum AMH levels are varying in patients with male fertility-related disorders, including pubertal delay, severe congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, nonobstructive azoospermia, Klinefelter syndrome, varicocele, McCune-Albright syndrome, and male senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Yu Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hong-Xian Zhang
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhen Xiao
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rong Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.,Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing 100191, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China
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35
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Grinspon RP, Rey RA. Molecular Characterization of XX Maleness. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236089. [PMID: 31816857 PMCID: PMC6928850 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgens and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), secreted by the foetal testis, are responsible for the development of male reproductive organs and the regression of female anlagen. Virilization of the reproductive tract in association with the absence of Müllerian derivatives in the XX foetus implies the existence of testicular tissue, which can occur in the presence or absence of SRY. Recent advancement in the knowledge of the opposing gene cascades driving to the differentiation of the gonadal ridge into testes or ovaries during early foetal development has provided insight into the molecular explanation of XX maleness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina P. Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (R.P.G.); (R.A.R.); Tel.: +54-11-49635931 (R.P.G.)
| | - Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: (R.P.G.); (R.A.R.); Tel.: +54-11-49635931 (R.P.G.)
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36
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Zhou Y, Sun W, Cai H, Bao H, Zhang Y, Qian G, Ge C. The Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in Testis Differentiation Reveals the Significance of the TGF-β Pathway in Reptilian Sex Determination. Genetics 2019; 213:1317-1327. [PMID: 31645361 PMCID: PMC6893390 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh, or Müllerian-inhibiting substance, Mis), a member of TGF-β superfamily, has been well documented in some vertebrates as initiator or key regulator in sexual development, and particularly in fish. However, its functional role has not yet been identified in reptiles. Here, we characterized the Amh gene in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis, a typical reptilian species exhibiting ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes. The messenger RNA of Amh was initially expressed in male embryonic gonads by stage 15, preceding gonadal sex differentiation, and exhibited a male-specific expression pattern throughout embryogenesis. Moreover, Amh was rapidly upregulated during female-to-male sex reversal induced by aromatase inhibitor letrozole. Most importantly, Amh loss of function by RNA interference led to complete feminization of genetic male (ZZ) gonads, suppression of the testicular marker Sox9, and upregulation of the ovarian regulator Cyp19a1 Conversely, overexpression of Amh in ZW embryos resulted in female-to-male sex reversal, characterized by the formation of a testis structure, ectopic activation of Sox9, and a remarkable decline in Cyp19a1 Collectively, these findings provide the first solid evidence that Amh is both necessary and sufficient to drive testicular development in a reptilian species, P. sinensis, highlighting the significance of the TGF-β pathway in reptilian sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Zhou
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Wei Sun
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Han Cai
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Haisheng Bao
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Guoying Qian
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Chutian Ge
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China
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37
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Mullen RD, Ontiveros AE, Moses MM, Behringer RR. AMH and AMHR2 mutations: A spectrum of reproductive phenotypes across vertebrate species. Dev Biol 2019; 455:1-9. [PMID: 31301298 PMCID: PMC6754765 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a member of the Transforming Growth Factor-β family of secreted signaling proteins. AMH is expressed in Sertoli cells of the fetal and adult testes and granulosa cells of the postnatal ovary. AMH is required for the regression of the Müllerian ducts in mammalian fetuses during male differentiation. AMH signals through its Type II receptor, AMHR2. AMHR2 is expressed in mesenchyme adjacent to the Müllerian ducts, and in Sertoli, Leydig, and granulosa cells. Although AMH and AMHR2 genes have been identified in numerous vertebrate species, spontaneous or engineered mutations or variants have been found or created in only a few mammals and teleost fishes. AMH or AMHR2 mutations in mammals lead to the development of Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS), a recessive condition in which affected males are fully virilized but retain Müllerian duct-derived tissues, including a uterus and oviducts, and in human and dog, undescended testes. Amh mutant female mice had accelerated ovarian primordial follicle recruitment, suggesting a role for AMH in regulating germ cells. amh and amhr2 mutations have also been experimentally generated in various teleost fishes. Depending on the fish species, loss of AMH signaling results in infertility, germ cell tumors, or male-to-female sex reversal. Here we compare the spectrum of phenotypes caused by AMH and AMHR2 mutations in a variety of vertebrate species. There are both common and unique phenotypes between species, highlighting the range of biological processes regulated by AMH signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Mullen
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Alejandra E Ontiveros
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Malcolm M Moses
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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38
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Lemcke RA, Stephens CS, Hildebrandt KA, Johnson PA. Anti-Müllerian hormone type II receptor in avian follicle development. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:1227-1234. [PMID: 29931109 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) helps maintain the ovarian reserve by regulating primordial follicle activation and follicular selection in mammals, although its role within the avian ovary is unknown. In mammals, AMH is primarily produced in granulosa cells of preantral and early antral follicles. Similarly, in the hen, the granulosa cells of smaller follicles are the predominant source of AMH. The importance of AMH in mammalian ovarian dynamics suggests the protein and its specific Type II receptor, AMHRII, may have conserved functions in the hen. AMHRII mRNA expression is highest (P < 0.01) in small follicles of the hen and decreases as follicle size increases. Similarly, expression of AMHRII and AMH is highest in granulosa cells from small follicles as compared to larger follicles. Dissection of 3-5 mm follicles into ooplasm and granulosa components shows that AMHRII mRNA levels are greater in ooplasm than granulosa cells. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry also revealed AMHRII staining in the oocyte and granulosa cells. AMH expression in mammals is elevated during periods of reproductive dormancy, possibly protecting the ovarian reserve. AMHRII and AMH mRNA were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in nonlaying ovaries of broiler hens. In molting layer hens, AMHRII mRNA was significantly greater (P < 0.05) compared to nonmolting hen ovaries. These results suggest that AMH may have a direct effect on the oocyte and, thereby, contribute to bidirectional communication between oocyte and granulosa cells. Enhanced expression of AMHRII and AMH during reproductive quiescence supports a potential role of AMH in protecting the ovarian reserve in hens.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Lemcke
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - C S Stephens
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - K A Hildebrandt
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - P A Johnson
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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Edelsztein NY, Racine C, di Clemente N, Schteingart HF, Rey RA. Androgens downregulate anti-Müllerian hormone promoter activity in the Sertoli cell through the androgen receptor and intact steroidogenic factor 1 sites. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:1303-1312. [PMID: 29985989 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production is inhibited by androgens around pubertal onset, as observed under normal physiological conditions and in patients with precocious puberty. In agreement, AMH downregulation is absent in patients with androgen insensitivity. The molecular mechanisms underlying the negative regulation of AMH by androgens remain unknown. Our aim was to elucidate the mechanisms through which androgens downregulate AMH expression in the testis. A direct negative effect of androgens on the transcriptional activity of the AMH promoter was found using luciferase reporter assays in the mouse prepubertal Sertoli cell line SMAT1. A strong inhibition of AMH promoter activity was seen in the presence of both testosterone and DHT and of the androgen receptor. By site-directed mutagenesis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we showed that androgen-mediated inhibition involved the binding sites for steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) present in the proximal promoter of the AMH gene. In this study, we describe for the first time the mechanism behind AMH inhibition by androgens, as seen in physiological and pathological conditions in males. Inhibition of AMH promoter activity by androgens could be due to protein-protein interactions between the ligand-bound androgen receptor and SF1 or by blockage of SF1 binding to its sites on the AMH promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Y Edelsztein
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Chrystèle Racine
- Sorbonne Universitté, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine (CRSA), IHU ICAN, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Nathalie di Clemente
- Sorbonne Universitté, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine (CRSA), IHU ICAN, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Helena F Schteingart
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina
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40
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Yamashita S, Kataoka K, Yamamoto H, Kato T, Hara S, Yamaguchi K, Renard-Guillet C, Katou Y, Shirahige K, Ochi H, Ogino H, Uchida T, Inui M, Takada S, Shigenobu S, Asahara H. Comparative analysis demonstrates cell type-specific conservation of SOX9 targets between mouse and chicken. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12560. [PMID: 31467356 PMCID: PMC6715657 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48979-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 9 (SOX9) is a transcription factor regulating both chondrogenesis and sex determination. Among vertebrates, SOX9's functions in chondrogenesis are well conserved, while they vary in sex determination. To investigate the conservation of SOX9's regulatory functions in chondrogenesis and gonad development among species, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) using developing limb buds and male gonads from embryos of two vertebrates, mouse and chicken. In both mouse and chicken, SOX9 bound to intronic and distal regions of genes more frequently in limb buds than in male gonads, while SOX9 bound to the proximal upstream regions of genes more frequently in male gonads than in limb buds. In both species, SOX palindromic repeats were identified more frequently in SOX9 binding regions in limb bud genes compared with those in male gonad genes. The conservation of SOX9 binding regions was significantly higher in limb bud genes. In addition, we combined RNA expression analysis (RNA sequencing) with the ChIP-seq results at the same stage in developing chondrocytes and Sertoli cells and determined SOX9 target genes in these cells of the two species and disclosed that SOX9 targets showed high similarity of targets in chondrocytes, but not in Sertoli cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Yamashita
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, National Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Kensuke Kataoka
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
- Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroto Yamamoto
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kato
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, National Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hara
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, National Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Katsushi Yamaguchi
- Functional Genomics Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38, Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Claire Renard-Guillet
- Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function Center for Epigenetic Disease, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yuki Katou
- Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function Center for Epigenetic Disease, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Shirahige
- Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function Center for Epigenetic Disease, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
| | - Haruki Ochi
- Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, 2-2-2 Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagami-yama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
| | - Tokujiro Uchida
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Masafumi Inui
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, National Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
- Laboratory of Animal Regeneration Systemology, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashi-Mita Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Shuji Takada
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, National Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- Functional Genomics Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38, Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Asahara
- Department of Systems BioMedicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, California, 92037, USA.
- AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan.
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Mäkelä JA, Koskenniemi JJ, Virtanen HE, Toppari J. Testis Development. Endocr Rev 2019; 40:857-905. [PMID: 30590466 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Production of sperm and androgens is the main function of the testis. This depends on normal development of both testicular somatic cells and germ cells. A genetic program initiated from the Y chromosome gene sex-determining region Y (SRY) directs somatic cell specification to Sertoli cells that orchestrate further development. They first guide fetal germ cell differentiation toward spermatogenic destiny and then take care of the full service to spermatogenic cells during spermatogenesis. The number of Sertoli cells sets the limits of sperm production. Leydig cells secrete androgens that determine masculine development. Testis development does not depend on germ cells; that is, testicular somatic cells also develop in the absence of germ cells, and the testis can produce testosterone normally to induce full masculinization in these men. In contrast, spermatogenic cell development is totally dependent on somatic cells. We herein review germ cell differentiation from primordial germ cells to spermatogonia and development of the supporting somatic cells. Testicular descent to scrota is necessary for normal spermatogenesis, and cryptorchidism is the most common male birth defect. This is a mild form of a disorder of sex differentiation. Multiple genetic reasons for more severe forms of disorders of sex differentiation have been revealed during the last decades, and these are described along with the description of molecular regulation of testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juho-Antti Mäkelä
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jaakko J Koskenniemi
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Helena E Virtanen
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jorma Toppari
- Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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Moses MM, Behringer RR. A gene regulatory network for Müllerian duct regression. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2019; 5:dvz017. [PMID: 31579527 PMCID: PMC6760261 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian embryos initially develop progenitor tissues for both male and female reproductive tract organs, known as the Wolffian ducts and the Müllerian ducts, respectively. Ultimately, each individual develops a single set of male or female reproductive tract organs. Therefore, an essential step for sex differentiation is the regression of one duct and growth and differentiation of the other duct. In males, this requires Müllerian duct regression and Wolffian duct growth and differentiation. Müllerian duct regression is induced by the expression of Amh, encoding anti-Müllerian hormone, from the fetal testes. Subsequently, receptor-mediated signal transduction in mesenchymal cells surrounding the Müllerian duct epithelium leads to duct elimination. The genes that induce Amh transcription and the downstream signaling that results from Amh activity form a pathway. However, the molecular details of this pathway are currently unknown. A set of essential genes for AMH pathway function has been identified. More recently, transcriptome analysis of male and female Müllerian duct mesenchyme at an initial stage of regression has identified new genes that may mediate elimination of the Müllerian system. The evidence taken together can be used to generate an initial gene regulatory network describing the Amh pathway for Müllerian duct regression. An Amh gene regulatory network will be a useful tool to study Müllerian duct regression, sex differentiation, and its relationship to environmental influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm M Moses
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence address. Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA. Tel: +713-834-6327; Fax: +713-834-6339; E-mail:
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43
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Schteingart HF, Picard JY, Valeri C, Marshall I, Treton D, di Clemente N, Rey RA, Josso N. A mutation inactivating the distal SF1 binding site on the human anti-Müllerian hormone promoter causes persistent Müllerian duct syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:3211-3218. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a 46,XY disorder of sexual development characterized by the persistence of Müllerian duct derivatives, uterus and tubes, in otherwise normally masculinized males. The condition, transmitted as a recessive autosomal trait, is usually due to mutations in either the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) gene or its main receptor. Many variants of these genes have been described, all targeting the coding sequences. We report the first case of PMDS due to a regulatory mutation. The AMH promoter contains two binding sites for steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1), one at −102 and the other at −228. Our patient carries a single base deletion at −225, significantly decreasing its capacity for binding SF1, as measured by the electrophoresis mobility shift assay. Furthermore, by linking the AMH promoter to the luciferase gene, we show that the transactivation capacity of the promoter is significantly decreased by the mutation, in contrast to the disruption of the −102 binding site. To explain the difference in impact we hypothesize that SF1 could partially overcome the lack of binding to the −102 binding site by interacting with a GATA4 molecule linked to a nearby response element. We show that disruption of both the −102 SF1 and the −84 GATA response elements significantly decreases the transactivation capacity of the promoter. In conclusion, we suggest that the distance between mutated SF1 sites and potentially rescuing GATA binding motifs might play a role in the development of PMDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena F Schteingart
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas ‘Dr. César Bergadá’ (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jean-Yves Picard
- Inserm UMR_S938, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, IHU ICAN, Paris, France
| | - Clara Valeri
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas ‘Dr. César Bergadá’ (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ian Marshall
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Child Health Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Dominique Treton
- Inserm UMR_S938, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, IHU ICAN, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie di Clemente
- Inserm UMR_S938, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, IHU ICAN, Paris, France
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas ‘Dr. César Bergadá’ (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nathalie Josso
- Inserm UMR_S938, Centre de Recherche Saint Antoine, Sorbonne Université, IHU ICAN, Paris, France
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Urrutia M, Grinspon RP, Rey RA. Comparing the role of anti-Müllerian hormone as a marker of FSH action in male and female fertility. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2019; 14:203-214. [PMID: 30880521 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2019.1590197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Originally limited to the assessment of disorders of sex development, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) measurement has more recently been extended to several conditions affecting the reproductive axis in males and females. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) regulation of gonadal function has been extensively studied, but its role on AMH production has been explored only recently. AREAS COVERED We addressed the relationship between FSH action on the gonads and the usefulness of AMH as a marker in conditions affecting the reproductive axis. EXPERT OPINION Sertoli cells are the most active cell population in the prepubertal testis. Serum AMH is an excellent marker of FSH action on Sertoli cell proliferation and function in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Low serum AMH is expected to predict low sperm production and prompts initial FSH treatment followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or luteinizing hormone (LH) addition. Gonadotropin treatment may be more effective if installed to mimic the postnatal activation stage of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. In females, AMH secretion by small antral follicles is stimulated by FSH. Elevated AMH indicates increased follicle numbers and should be considered as a potential contraindication of gonadotropin treatment in infertile patients due to an increased risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Urrutia
- a Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología , Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Romina P Grinspon
- a Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología , Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez , Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A Rey
- a Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET - FEI - División de Endocrinología , Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez , Buenos Aires , Argentina
- b Departamento de Biología Celular, Histología, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Medicina , Universidad de Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires , Argentina
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Bouchard MF, Bergeron F, Grenier Delaney J, Harvey LM, Viger RS. In Vivo Ablation of the Conserved GATA-Binding Motif in the Amh Promoter Impairs Amh Expression in the Male Mouse. Endocrinology 2019; 160:817-826. [PMID: 30759208 PMCID: PMC6426834 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
GATA4 is an essential transcriptional regulator required for gonadal development, differentiation, and function. In the developing testis, proposed GATA4-regulated genes include steroidogenic factor 1 (Nr5a1), SRY-related HMG box 9 (Sox9), and anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh). Although some of these genes have been validated as genuine GATA4 targets, it remains unclear whether GATA4 is a direct regulator of endogenous Amh transcription. We used a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach to specifically inactivate or delete the sole GATA-binding motif of the proximal mouse Amh promoter. AMH mRNA and protein levels were assessed at developmental time points corresponding to elevated AMH levels: fetal and neonate testes in males and adult ovaries in females. In males, loss of GATA binding to the Amh promoter significantly reduced Amh expression. Although the loss of GATA binding did not block the initiation of Amh transcription, AMH mRNA and protein levels failed to upregulate in the developing fetal and neonate testis. Interestingly, adult male mice presented no anatomical anomalies and had no evidence of retained Müllerian duct structures, suggesting that AMH levels, although markedly reduced, were sufficient to masculinize the male embryo. In contrast to males, GATA binding to the Amh promoter was dispensable for Amh expression in the adult ovary. These results provide conclusive evidence that in males, GATA4 is a positive modulator of Amh expression that works in concert with other key transcription factors to ensure that the Amh gene is sufficiently expressed in a correct spatiotemporal manner during fetal and prepubertal testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie France Bouchard
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Francis Bergeron
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jasmine Grenier Delaney
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Louis-Mathieu Harvey
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Robert S Viger
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Correspondence: Robert S. Viger, PhD, Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Room T3-67, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec–Université Laval, 2705 Laurier Boulevard, Quebec, Quebec G1V 4G2, Canada. E-mail:
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Anamthathmakula P, Miryala CSJ, Moreci RS, Kyathanahalli C, Hassan SS, Condon JC, Jeyasuria P. Steroidogenic Factor 1 (Nr5a1) is Required for Sertoli Cell Survival Post Sex Determination. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4452. [PMID: 30872705 PMCID: PMC6418149 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41051-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The elevated level of Steroidogenic Factor 1 (Nr5a1, Sf-1) expression in the male gonadal development pathway, post sex determination, implies a vital role in testis gonadal differentiation. In this study we generated Sertoli cell-specific Nr5a1 KO mice (SC-SF-1-/-) at E14.5, which coincides with testis development post sex determination, using the Amh-Cre mouse model. Analysis of SC-SF-1-/- (Sertoli cell specific Nr5a1 knockout) testes demonstrated apoptosis as early as E15. Further analysis revealed that SC-SF-1-/- gonads displayed lower MDM2 levels resulting in elevated TP53 levels, which we believe may lead to apoptosis of the Sertoli cell population, inferring the possibility that NR5A1 directly regulates MDM2 expression. By E15.5, the Sertoli cell and germ cell population declined in SC-SF-1-/- mice resulting in the disruption of seminiferous cords with limited cord structure remaining at E18.5. Due to the loss of Sertoli and germ cells, the testis weights of SC-SF-1-/- mice at 6-weeks were much reduced; however, SC-SF-1-/- seminal vesicles weights were comparable suggesting intact Leydig cell androgen production. We conclude that NR5A1 regulates the TP53 pathway during development, is essential for fetal Sertoli cell survival and controls the cell cycle of Sertoli cells during differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashanth Anamthathmakula
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Chandra Suma Johnson Miryala
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Rebecca S Moreci
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Chandrashekara Kyathanahalli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sonia S Hassan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer C Condon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Pancharatnam Jeyasuria
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Mott Center for Growth and Development, Detroit, MI, USA.
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Rotgers E, Jørgensen A, Yao HHC. At the Crossroads of Fate-Somatic Cell Lineage Specification in the Fetal Gonad. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:739-759. [PMID: 29771299 PMCID: PMC6173476 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The reproductive endocrine systems are vastly different between males and females. This sexual dimorphism of the endocrine milieu originates from sex-specific differentiation of the somatic cells in the gonads during fetal life. Most gonadal somatic cells arise from the adrenogonadal primordium. After separation of the adrenal and gonadal primordia, the gonadal somatic cells initiate sex-specific differentiation during gonadal sex determination with the specification of the supporting cell lineages: Sertoli cells in the testis vs granulosa cells in the ovary. The supporting cell lineages then facilitate the differentiation of the steroidogenic cell lineages, Leydig cells in the testis and theca cells in the ovary. Proper differentiation of these cell types defines the somatic cell environment that is essential for germ cell development, hormone production, and establishment of the reproductive tracts. Impairment of lineage specification and function of gonadal somatic cells can lead to disorders of sexual development (DSDs) in humans. Human DSDs and processes for gonadal development have been successfully modeled using genetically modified mouse models. In this review, we focus on the fate decision processes from the initial stage of formation of the adrenogonadal primordium in the embryo to the maintenance of the somatic cell identities in the gonads when they become fully differentiated in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Rotgers
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Anne Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Research and Research Training Center in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Humphrey Hung-Chang Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina
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48
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Yang Q, Yang X, Liu J, Chen Y, Shen S. Effects of exposure to BPF on development and sexual differentiation during early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2018; 210:44-56. [PMID: 29758382 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol F (BPF) has become a predominant bisphenol contaminant in recent years. It has significant estrogenic properties in both in vivo and in vitro studies. We have previously studied the disrupting mechanisms of BPF on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of adult zebrafish. However, the effects of BPF exposure on development and sexual differentiation of zebrafish embryos/larvae remain unclear. To determine the effects of BPF on the critical stage of sex differentiation in zebrafish, zebrafish embryos/larvae were exposed to 1, 10, 100, and 1000 μg/L BPF from fertilization to 60 days post-fertilization (dpf). Developmental malformations were induced by exposure to BPF from 2 h post-fertilization (hpf), with a LC50 of 10,030 μg/L at 96 hpf and 9391 μg/L at 120 hpf. Long-term exposure during sex differentiation tended to result in a female sex ratio bias. Histological analyses at 60 dpf indicated that the development of ovo-testes and immature ovaries was induced by 100 and 1000 μg/L BPF. Homogenate testosterone levels decreased and 17β-estradiol levels increased in zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner. BPF exposure suppressed gene expression of double sex, Mab3-related transcription factor 1(dmrt1), fushi tarazu factor 1d (ff1d), sry-box containing gene 9a (sox9a) and anti-Mullerian hormone (amh); induced expression of the forkhead box L2 transcription factor (foxl2), leading to increased expression of aromatase (cyp19a1a), which promoted production of estrogens, and further caused phenotypic feminization of zebrafish. These results suggest that developmental exposure to BPF has adverse effects on sexual differentiation, and the results were useful for a BPF risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Nanjing 210042, China; The College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xianhai Yang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Jining Liu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Nanjing 210042, China.
| | - Yingwen Chen
- The College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Shubao Shen
- The College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China
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49
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Osterix functions downstream of anti-Müllerian hormone signaling to regulate Müllerian duct regression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:8382-8387. [PMID: 30061417 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1721793115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, the developing reproductive tract primordium of male and female fetuses consists of the Wolffian duct and the Müllerian duct (MD), two epithelial tube pairs surrounded by mesenchyme. During male development, mesenchyme-epithelia interactions mediate MD regression to prevent its development into a uterus, oviduct, and upper vagina. It is well established that transforming growth factor-β family member anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) secreted from the fetal testis and its type 1 and 2 receptors expressed in MD mesenchyme regulate MD regression. However, little is known about the molecular network regulating downstream actions of AMH signaling. To identify potential AMH-induced genes and regulatory networks controlling MD regression in a global nonbiased manner, we examined transcriptome differences in MD mesenchyme between males (AMH signaling on) and females (AMH signaling off) by RNA-seq analysis of purified fetal MD mesenchymal cells. This analysis found 82 genes up-regulated in males during MD regression and identified Osterix (Osx)/Sp7, a key transcriptional regulator of osteoblast differentiation and bone formation, as a downstream effector of AMH signaling during MD regression. Osx/OSX was expressed in a male-specific pattern in MD mesenchyme during MD regression. OSX expression was lost in mutant males without AMH signaling. In addition, transgenic mice ectopically expressing human AMH in females induced a male pattern of Osx expression. Together, these results indicate that AMH signaling is necessary and sufficient for Osx expression in the MD mesenchyme. In addition, MD regression was delayed in Osx-null males, identifying Osx as a factor that regulates MD regression.
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50
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López-Hernández B, Méndez JP, Coral-Vázquez RM, Benítez-Granados J, Zenteno JC, Villegas-Ruiz V, Calzada-León R, Soderlund D, Canto P. Duplication of SOX9 associated with 46,XX ovotesticular disorder of sex development. Reprod Biomed Online 2018; 37:107-112. [PMID: 29673731 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether ten unrelated SRY-negative individuals with this sex differentiation disorder presented a double dose of SOX9 as the cause of their disease. DESIGN Ten unrelated SRY-negative 46,XX ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (DSD) subjects were molecularly studied. Multiplex-ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) for SOX9 were performed. RESULTS The MLPA analysis demonstrated that one patient presented a heterozygous duplication of the entire SOX9 coding region (above 1.3 value of peak ratio), as well as at least a ~ 483 kb upstream duplication. Moreover, no duplication of other SOX9 probes was observed corresponding to the region between -1007 and -1500 kb upstream. A qRT-PCR analysis showed a duplication of at least -581 kb upstream and ~1.63 kb of the coding region that encompasses exon 3. The limits of the duplication were mapped approximately from ~71539762 to 72122741 of Chr17. No molecular abnormalities were found in the remaining nine patients. CONCLUSION This study is thought to be the first report regarding a duplication of SOX9 that is associated with the presence of 46,XX ovotesticular DSD, encompassing at least -581 kb upstream, and the almost entire coding region of the gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenice López-Hernández
- División de Investigación Biomédica, Subdirección de Enseñanza e Investigación, Centro Médico Nacional '20 de Noviembre', Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado, México DF, México
| | - Juan Pablo Méndez
- Unidad de Investigación en Obesidad, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Clínica de Obesidad, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México DF, México
| | - Ramón Mauricio Coral-Vázquez
- Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México DF, México; Subdirección de Enseñanza e Investigación, Centro Médico Nacional '20 de Noviembre', Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado, México DF, México
| | - Jesús Benítez-Granados
- Unidad de Investigación en Obesidad, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Clínica de Obesidad, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México DF, México
| | - Juan Carlos Zenteno
- Departamento de Bioquímica Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Departamento de Genética-Unidad de Investigación, Instituto de Oftalmología 'Conde de Valenciana', México DF, México
| | - Vanessa Villegas-Ruiz
- Departamento de Bioquímica Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Departamento de Genética-Unidad de Investigación, Instituto de Oftalmología 'Conde de Valenciana', México DF, México
| | - Raúl Calzada-León
- Servicio de Endocrinología, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, México DF, México
| | | | - Patricia Canto
- Unidad de Investigación en Obesidad, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Clínica de Obesidad, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México DF, México.
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