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Shimada R, Ishiguro KI. Female-specific mechanisms of meiotic initiation and progression in mammalian oocyte development. Genes Cells 2024; 29:797-807. [PMID: 39119753 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13152] [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: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Meiosis is regulated in sexually dimorphic manners in mammals. In females, the commitment to and entry into meiosis are coordinated with the developmental program of oocytes. Female germ cells initiate meiosis within a short time window during the fetal period and then undergo meiotic arrest until puberty. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the orchestration of oocyte development and meiosis to maximize the reproductive lifespan of mammalian females remain largely elusive. While meiotic initiation is regulated by a sexually common mechanism, where meiosis initiator and Stimulated by Retinoic Acid Gene 8 (STRA8) activate the meiotic genes, the female-specific mode of meiotic initiation is mediated by the interaction between retinoblastoma (RB) and STRA8. This review highlights the female-specific mechanisms of meiotic initiation and meiotic prophase progression in the context of oocyte development. Furthermore, the downstream pathway of the RB-STRA8 interaction that may regulate meiotic arrest will be discussed in the context of oocyte development, highlighting a potential genetic link between the female-specific mode of meiotic entry and meiotic arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuki Shimada
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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2
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Ishiguro KI. Mechanisms of meiosis initiation and meiotic prophase progression during spermatogenesis. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 97:101282. [PMID: 38797021 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2024.101282] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Meiosis is a critical step for spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Meiosis commences with pre-meiotic S phase that is subsequently followed by meiotic prophase. The meiotic prophase is characterized by the meiosis-specific chromosomal events such as chromosome recombination and homolog synapsis. Meiosis initiator (MEIOSIN) and stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (STRA8) initiate meiosis by activating the meiotic genes by installing the meiotic prophase program at pre-meiotic S phase. This review highlights the mechanisms of meiotic initiation and meiotic prophase progression from the point of the gene expression program and its relevance to infertility. Furthermore, upstream pathways that regulate meiotic initiation will be discussed in the context of spermatogenic development, indicating the sexual differences in the mode of meiotic entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.
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3
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Gao J, Qin Y, Schimenti JC. Gene regulation during meiosis. Trends Genet 2024; 40:326-336. [PMID: 38177041 PMCID: PMC11003842 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Meiosis is essential for gamete production in all sexually reproducing organisms. It entails two successive cell divisions without DNA replication, producing haploid cells from diploid ones. This process involves complex morphological and molecular differentiation that varies across species and between sexes. Specialized genomic events like meiotic recombination and chromosome segregation are tightly regulated, including preparation for post-meiotic development. Research in model organisms, notably yeast, has shed light on the genetic and molecular aspects of meiosis and its regulation. Although mammalian meiosis research faces challenges, particularly in replicating gametogenesis in vitro, advances in genetic and genomic technologies are providing mechanistic insights. Here we review the genetics and molecular biology of meiotic gene expression control, focusing on mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Gao
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yiwen Qin
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John C Schimenti
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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4
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Rodriguez-Polo I, Moris N. Using embryo models to understand the development and progression of embryonic lineages: a focus on primordial germ cell development. Cells Tissues Organs 2024:000538275. [PMID: 38479364 PMCID: PMC7616515 DOI: 10.1159/000538275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recapitulating mammalian cell type differentiation in vitro promises to improve our understanding of how these processes happen in vivo, while bringing additional prospects for biomedical applications. The establishment of stem cell-derived embryo models and embryonic organoids, which have experienced explosive growth over the last few years, open new avenues for research due to their scale, reproducibility, and accessibility. Embryo models mimic various developmental stages, exhibit different degrees of complexity, and can be established across species. Since embryo models exhibit multiple lineages organised spatially and temporally, they are likely to provide cellular niches that, to some degree, recapitulate the embryonic setting and enable "co-development" between cell types and neighbouring populations. One example where this is already apparent is in the case of primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs). SUMMARY While directed differentiation protocols enable the efficient generation of high PGCLC numbers, embryo models provide an attractive alternative as they enable the study of interactions of PGCLCs with neighbouring cells, alongside the regulatory molecular and biophysical mechanisms of PGC competency. Additionally, some embryo models can recapitulate post-specification stages of PGC development (including migration or gametogenesis), mimicking the inductive signals pushing PGCLCs to mature and differentiate, and enabling the study of PGCLC development across stages. Therefore, in vitro models may allow us to address questions of cell type differentiation, and PGC development specifically, that have hitherto been out of reach with existing systems. KEY MESSAGE This review evaluates the current advances in stem cell-based embryo models, with a focus on their potential to model cell type-specific differentiation in general, and in particular to address open questions in PGC development and gametogenesis.
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5
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Shimada R, Kato Y, Takeda N, Fujimura S, Yasunaga KI, Usuki S, Niwa H, Araki K, Ishiguro KI. STRA8-RB interaction is required for timely entry of meiosis in mouse female germ cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6443. [PMID: 37880249 PMCID: PMC10600341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42259-6] [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: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is differently regulated in males and females. In females, germ cells initiate meiosis within a limited time period in the fetal ovary and undergo a prolonged meiotic arrest until puberty. However, how meiosis initiation is coordinated with the cell cycle to coincide with S phase remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that STRA8 binds to RB via the LXCXE motif. Mutation of the RB-binding site of STRA8 in female mice delays meiotic entry, which consequently delays progression of meiotic prophase and leads to precocious depletion of the oocyte pool. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis reveals that the STRA8-RB interaction is required for S phase entry and meiotic gene activation, ensuring precise timing of meiosis initiation in oocytes. Strikingly, the results suggest STRA8 could sequester RB from E2F during pre-meiotic G1/S transition. This study highlights the gene regulatory mechanisms underlying the female-specific mode of meiotic initiation in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuki Shimada
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto university, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Kato
- Mammalian Development Laboratory, Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Naoki Takeda
- Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Sayoko Fujimura
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Kei-Ichiro Yasunaga
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Shingo Usuki
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Niwa
- Department of Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology, IMEG, Kumamoto university, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Kimi Araki
- Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1, Honjo, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto university, Honjo 2-2-1, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.
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Telfer EE, Grosbois J, Odey YL, Rosario R, Anderson RA. Making a good egg: human oocyte health, aging, and in vitro development. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2623-2677. [PMID: 37171807 PMCID: PMC10625843 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00032.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian eggs (oocytes) are formed during fetal life and establish associations with somatic cells to form primordial follicles that create a store of germ cells (the primordial pool). The size of this pool is influenced by key events during the formation of germ cells and by factors that influence the subsequent activation of follicle growth. These regulatory pathways must ensure that the reserve of oocytes within primordial follicles in humans lasts for up to 50 years, yet only approximately 0.1% will ever be ovulated with the rest undergoing degeneration. This review outlines the mechanisms and regulatory pathways that govern the processes of oocyte and follicle formation and later growth, within the ovarian stroma, through to ovulation with particular reference to human oocytes/follicles. In addition, the effects of aging on female reproductive capacity through changes in oocyte number and quality are emphasized, with both the cellular mechanisms and clinical implications discussed. Finally, the details of current developments in culture systems that support all stages of follicle growth to generate mature oocytes in vitro and emerging prospects for making new oocytes from stem cells are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn E Telfer
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Johanne Grosbois
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Yvonne L Odey
- Institute of Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Roseanne Rosario
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Kirsanov O, Johnson TA, Niedenberger BA, Malachowski TN, Hale BJ, Chen Q, Lackford B, Wang J, Singh A, Schindler K, Hermann BP, Hu G, Geyer CB. Retinoic acid is dispensable for meiotic initiation but required for spermiogenesis in the mammalian testis. Development 2023; 150:dev201638. [PMID: 37350382 PMCID: PMC10357014 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA) is the proposed mammalian 'meiosis inducing substance'. However, evidence for this role comes from studies in the fetal ovary, where germ cell differentiation and meiotic initiation are temporally inseparable. In the postnatal testis, these events are separated by more than 1 week. Exploiting this difference, we discovered that, although RA is required for spermatogonial differentiation, it is dispensable for the subsequent initiation, progression and completion of meiosis. Indeed, in the absence of RA, the meiotic transcriptome program in both differentiating spermatogonia and spermatocytes entering meiosis was largely unaffected. Instead, transcripts encoding factors required during spermiogenesis were aberrant during preleptonema, and the subsequent spermatid morphogenesis program was disrupted such that no sperm were produced. Taken together, these data reveal a RA-independent model for male meiotic initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksandr Kirsanov
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Taylor A. Johnson
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Bryan A. Niedenberger
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Taylor N. Malachowski
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Hale
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Qing Chen
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Brad Lackford
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Anukriti Singh
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Karen Schindler
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Brian P. Hermann
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Guang Hu
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Christopher B. Geyer
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
- East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
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8
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Single cell epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis uncovers potential transcription factors regulating mitotic/meiotic switch. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:134. [PMID: 36797258 PMCID: PMC9935506 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05671-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
In order to reveal the complex mechanism governing the mitotic/meiotic switch in female germ cells at epigenomic and genomic levels, we examined the chromatin accessibility (scATAC-seq) and the transcriptional dynamics (scRNA-seq) in germ cells of mouse embryonic ovary between E11.5 to 13.5 at single-cell resolution. Adopting a strict transcription factors (TFs) screening framework that makes it easier to understand the single-cell chromatin signature and a TF interaction algorithm that integrates the transcript levels, chromatin accessibility, and motif scores, we identified 14 TFs potentially regulating the mitotic/meiotic switch, including TCFL5, E2F1, E2F2, E2F6, E2F8, BATF3, SP1, FOS, FOXN3, VEZF1, GBX2, CEBPG, JUND, and TFDP1. Focusing on TCFL5, we constructed Tcfl5+/- mice which showed significantly reduced fertility and found that decreasing TCFL5 expression in cultured E12.5 ovaries by RNAi impaired meiotic progression from leptotene to zygotene. Bioinformatics analysis of published results of the embryonic germ cell transcriptome and the finding that in these cells central meiotic genes (Stra8, Tcfl5, Sycp3, and E2f2) possess open chromatin status already at the mitotic stage together with other features of TCFL5 (potential capability to interact with core TFs and activate meiotic genes, its progressive activation after preleptotene, binding sites in the promoter region of E2f2 and Sycp3), indicated extensive amplification of transcriptional programs associated to mitotic/meiotic switch with an important contribution of TCFL5. We conclude that the identified TFs, are involved in various stages of the mitotic/meiotic switch in female germ cells, TCFL5 primarily in meiotic progression. Further investigation on these factors might give a significant contribution to unravel the molecular mechanisms of this fundamental process of oogenesis and provide clues about pathologies in women such as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) due at least in part to meiotic defects.
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9
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Huang Y, Roig I. Genetic control of meiosis surveillance mechanisms in mammals. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1127440. [PMID: 36910159 PMCID: PMC9996228 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1127440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division that generates haploid gametes and is critical for successful sexual reproduction. During the extended meiotic prophase I, homologous chromosomes progressively pair, synapse and desynapse. These chromosomal dynamics are tightly integrated with meiotic recombination (MR), during which programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed and subsequently repaired. Consequently, parental chromosome arms reciprocally exchange, ultimately ensuring accurate homolog segregation and genetic diversity in the offspring. Surveillance mechanisms carefully monitor the MR and homologous chromosome synapsis during meiotic prophase I to avoid producing aberrant chromosomes and defective gametes. Errors in these critical processes would lead to aneuploidy and/or genetic instability. Studies of mutation in mouse models, coupled with advances in genomic technologies, lead us to more clearly understand how meiosis is controlled and how meiotic errors are linked to mammalian infertility. Here, we review the genetic regulations of these major meiotic events in mice and highlight our current understanding of their surveillance mechanisms. Furthermore, we summarize meiotic prophase genes, the mutations that activate the surveillance system leading to meiotic prophase arrest in mouse models, and their corresponding genetic variants identified in human infertile patients. Finally, we discuss their value for the diagnosis of causes of meiosis-based infertility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Huang
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Histology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Cytology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ignasi Roig
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Histology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Cytology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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10
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Fonseca BM, Cruz R, Pinto B, Costa L, Felgueira E, Oliveira P, Casal S, Rebelo I. Retinoic acid ( all-trans) presents antioxidant properties within human ovary and reduces progesterone production by human granulosa cells. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2022; 69:129-141. [PMID: 36409621 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2022.2120439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Both vitamin A and E support female reproduction and embryonic development. These vitamins have been associated with decreased fertility or failure to end the pregnancy in animals. An observational study was conducted on follicular fluid (FF) samples to determine the concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins of women undergoing in vitro fertilization and its correlation with assisted reproductive technology characteristics and pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) and alpha-tocopherol on granulosa cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy and hormonal production were evaluated. No association was identified between fat-soluble vitamin concentrations in FF and infertility aetiology, body mass index or woman's age. There were differences in follicular antioxidant profiles and ovarian response stimulation. In vitro evaluation of atRA and alpha-tocopherol reveals that, at physiological concentrations, both compounds may affect the viability of granulosa cells. In addition, these compounds are able to protect granulosa cells from oxidative stress, as well as to affect estradiol and progesterone production. Our data suggest that atRA and alpha-tocopherol levels should be well controlled as they may have implications in the function and viability of granulosa cells and highlights retinol as a marker of the oxidative defenses within ovary environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M. Fonseca
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rebeca Cruz
- LAQV, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bromatologia, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Pinto
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Lia Costa
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Unidade de Medicina da Reprodução Dra. Ingeborg Chaves, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Felgueira
- Unidade de Medicina da Reprodução Dra. Ingeborg Chaves, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Pedro Oliveira
- EPIUnit – Departamento de Estudo de Populações, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Susana Casal
- LAQV, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bromatologia, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Irene Rebelo
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratório de Bioquímica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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11
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Farini D, De Felici M. The Beginning of Meiosis in Mammalian Female Germ Cells: A Never-Ending Story of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012571. [PMID: 36293427 PMCID: PMC9604137 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is the unique division of germ cells resulting in the recombination of the maternal and paternal genomes and the production of haploid gametes. In mammals, it begins during the fetal life in females and during puberty in males. In both cases, entering meiosis requires a timely switch from the mitotic to the meiotic cell cycle and the transition from a potential pluripotent status to meiotic differentiation. Revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying these interrelated processes represents the essence in understanding the beginning of meiosis. Meiosis facilitates diversity across individuals and acts as a fundamental driver of evolution. Major differences between sexes and among species complicate the understanding of how meiosis begins. Basic meiotic research is further hindered by a current lack of meiotic cell lines. This has been recently partly overcome with the use of primordial-germ-cell-like cells (PGCLCs) generated from pluripotent stem cells. Much of what we know about this process depends on data from model organisms, namely, the mouse; in mice, the process, however, appears to differ in many aspects from that in humans. Identifying the mechanisms and molecules controlling germ cells to enter meiosis has represented and still represents a major challenge for reproductive medicine. In fact, the proper execution of meiosis is essential for fertility, for maintaining the integrity of the genome, and for ensuring the normal development of the offspring. The main clinical consequences of meiotic defects are infertility and, probably, increased susceptibility to some types of germ-cell tumors. In the present work, we report and discuss data mainly concerning the beginning of meiosis in mammalian female germ cells, referring to such process in males only when pertinent. After a brief account of this process in mice and humans and an historical chronicle of the major hypotheses and progress in this topic, the most recent results are reviewed and discussed.
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12
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Abstract
Meiosis is critical for germ cell development in multicellular organisms. Initiation of meiosis coincides with pre-meiotic S phase, which is followed by meiotic prophase, a prolonged G2 phase that ensures numerous meiosis-specific chromosome events. Meiotic prophase is accompanied by robust alterations of gene expression. In mouse germ cells, MEIOSIN and STRA8 direct cell cycle switch from mitosis to meiosis. MEIOSIN and STRA8 coordinate meiotic initiation with cell cycle, by activating the meiotic genes to have meiotic prophase program installed at S phase. This review mainly focuses on the mechanism of meiotic initiation in mouse germ cells from the viewpoint of the transcription of meiotic genes. Furthermore, signaling pathways that regulate meiotic initiation will be discussed in the context of germ cell development, pointing out the sexual differences in the mode of meiotic initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
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13
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Lundgaard Riis M, Jørgensen A. Deciphering Sex-Specific Differentiation of Human Fetal Gonads: Insight From Experimental Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:902082. [PMID: 35721511 PMCID: PMC9201387 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.902082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific gonadal differentiation is initiated by the expression of SRY in male foetuses. This promotes a signalling pathway directing testicular development, while in female foetuses the absence of SRY and expression of pro-ovarian factors promote ovarian development. Importantly, in addition to the initiation of a sex-specific signalling cascade the opposite pathway is simultaneously inhibited. The somatic cell populations within the gonads dictates this differentiation as well as the development of secondary sex characteristics via secretion of endocrine factors and steroid hormones. Opposing pathways SOX9/FGF9 (testis) and WNT4/RSPO1 (ovary) controls the development and differentiation of the bipotential mouse gonad and even though sex-specific gonadal differentiation is largely considered to be conserved between mice and humans, recent studies have identified several differences. Hence, the signalling pathways promoting early mouse gonad differentiation cannot be directly transferred to human development thus highlighting the importance of also examining this signalling in human fetal gonads. This review focus on the current understanding of regulatory mechanisms governing human gonadal sex differentiation by combining knowledge of these processes from studies in mice, information from patients with differences of sex development and insight from manipulation of selected signalling pathways in ex vivo culture models of human fetal gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malene Lundgaard Riis
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Jørgensen
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Research and Research Training Centre in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital—Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Spiller C, Bowles J. Instructing Mouse Germ Cells to Adopt a Female Fate. Sex Dev 2022:1-13. [PMID: 35320803 DOI: 10.1159/000523763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germ cells are critical for the survival of our species. They are the only cells that undergo meiosis - the reductive form of cell division that is necessary for genetic reassortment of chromosomes and production of the haploid gametes, the sperm and eggs. Remarkably, the initial female/male fate decision in fetal germ cells does not depend on whether they are chromosomally XX or XY; rather, initial sexual fate is imposed by influences from the surrounding tissue. In mammals, the female germline is particularly precious: despite recent suggestions that germline stem cells exist in the ovary, it is still generally accepted that the ovarian reserve is finite, and its size is dependant on germ cells of the fetal ovary initiating meiosis in a timely manner. SUMMARY Prior to 2006, evidence suggested that gonadal germ cells initiate meiotic prophase I by default, but more recent data support a key role for the signalling molecule retinoic acid (RA) in instructing female germ cell fate. Newer findings also support a key meiosis-inducing role for another signalling molecule, bone morphogenic protein (BMP). Nonetheless, many questions remain. KEY MESSAGES Here, we review knowledge thus far regarding extrinsic and intrinsic determinants of a female germ cell fate, focusing on the mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassy Spiller
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Josephine Bowles
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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15
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Function of Retinoic Acid in Development of Male and Female Gametes. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14061293. [PMID: 35334951 PMCID: PMC8951023 DOI: 10.3390/nu14061293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A, is necessary for many developmental processes in mammals. Much of the field of reproduction has looked toward retinoic acid as a key transcriptional regulator and catalyst of differentiation events. This review focuses on the effects of retinoic acid on male and female gamete formation and regulation. Within spermatogenesis, it has been well established that retinoic acid is necessary for the proper formation of the blood–testis barrier, spermatogonial differentiation, spermiation, and assisting in meiotic completion. While many of the roles of retinoic acid in male spermatogenesis are known, investigations into female oogenesis have provided differing results.
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16
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AOP Key Event Relationship report: Linking decreased retinoic acid levels with disrupted meiosis in developing oocytes. Curr Res Toxicol 2022; 3:100069. [PMID: 35345548 PMCID: PMC8957012 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The first case study to develop and publish an individual KER as a stand-alone unit of information under the AOP framework overseen by the OECD. Full description of a KER linking decreased all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) levels in developing ovaries with disrupted meiotic entry of oogonia. KER described is associated with an intended AOP linking inhibition of the atRA producing ALDH1A enzymes with reduced fertility in women.
The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept is an emerging tool in regulatory toxicology that uses simplified descriptions to show cause-effect relationships between stressors and toxicity outcomes in intact organisms. The AOP structure is a modular framework, with Key Event Relationships (KERs) representing the unit of causal relationship based on existing knowledge, describing the connection between two Key Events. Because KERs are the only unit to support inference it has been argued recently that KERs should be recognized as the core building blocks of knowledge assembly within the AOP-Knowledge Base. Herein, we present a first case to support this proposal and provide a full description of a KER linking decreased all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) levels in developing ovaries with disrupted meiotic entry of oogonia. We outline the evidence to support a role for atRA in inducing meiosis in oogonia across mammals; this is important because elements of the RA synthesis/degradation pathway are recognized targets for numerous environmental chemicals. The KER we describe will be used to support an intended AOP linking inhibition of the atRA producing ALDH1A enzymes with reduced fertility in women.
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17
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Meiosis initiation: a story of two sexes in all creatures great and small. Biochem J 2021; 478:3791-3805. [PMID: 34709374 PMCID: PMC8589329 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis facilitates diversity across individuals and serves as a major driver of evolution. However, understanding how meiosis begins is complicated by fundamental differences that exist between sexes and species. Fundamental meiotic research is further hampered by a current lack of human meiotic cells lines. Consequently, much of what we know relies on data from model organisms. However, contextualising findings from yeast, worms, flies and mice can be challenging, due to marked differences in both nomenclature and the relative timing of meiosis. In this review, we set out to combine current knowledge of signalling and transcriptional pathways that control meiosis initiation across the sexes in a variety of organisms. Furthermore, we highlight the emerging links between meiosis initiation and oncogenesis, which might explain the frequent re-expression of normally silent meiotic genes in a variety of human cancers.
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18
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Soygur B, Laird DJ. Ovary Development: Insights From a Three-Dimensional Imaging Revolution. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:698315. [PMID: 34381780 PMCID: PMC8351467 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.698315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ovary is an indispensable unit of female reproduction and health. However, the study of ovarian function in mammals is hindered by unique challenges, which include the desynchronized development of oocytes, irregular distribution and vast size discrepancy of follicles, and dynamic tissue remodeling during each hormonal cycle. Overcoming the limitations of traditional histology, recent advances in optical tissue clearing and three-dimensional (3D) visualization offer an advanced platform to explore the architecture of intact organs at a single cell level and reveal new relationships and levels of organization. Here we summarize the development and function of ovarian compartments that have been delineated by conventional two-dimensional (2D) methods and the limits of what can be learned by these approaches. We compare types of optical tissue clearing, 3D analysis technologies, and their application to the mammalian ovary. We discuss how 3D modeling of the ovary has extended our knowledge and propose future directions to unravel ovarian structure toward therapeutic applications for ovarian disease and extending female reproductive lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana J. Laird
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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19
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Mayère C, Neirijnck Y, Sararols P, Rands CM, Stévant I, Kühne F, Chassot AA, Chaboissier MC, Dermitzakis ET, Nef S. Single-cell transcriptomics reveal temporal dynamics of critical regulators of germ cell fate during mouse sex determination. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21452. [PMID: 33749946 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002420r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the importance of germ cell (GC) differentiation for sexual reproduction, the gene networks underlying their fate remain unclear. Here, we comprehensively characterize the gene expression dynamics during sex determination based on single-cell RNA sequencing of 14 914 XX and XY mouse GCs between embryonic days (E) 9.0 and 16.5. We found that XX and XY GCs diverge transcriptionally as early as E11.5 with upregulation of genes downstream of the bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and nodal/Activin pathways in XY and XX GCs, respectively. We also identified a sex-specific upregulation of genes associated with negative regulation of mRNA processing and an increase in intron retention consistent with a reduction in mRNA splicing in XY testicular GCs by E13.5. Using computational gene regulation network inference analysis, we identified sex-specific, sequential waves of putative key regulator genes during GC differentiation and revealed that the meiotic genes are regulated by positive and negative master modules acting in an antagonistic fashion. Finally, we found that rare adrenal GCs enter meiosis similarly to ovarian GCs but display altered expression of master genes controlling the female and male genetic programs, indicating that the somatic environment is important for GC function. Our data are available on a web platform and provide a molecular roadmap of GC sex determination at single-cell resolution, which will serve as a valuable resource for future studies of gonad development, function, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Mayère
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yasmine Neirijnck
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Pauline Sararols
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chris M Rands
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Stévant
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise Kühne
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Emmanouil T Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,iGE3, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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20
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Soygur B, Jaszczak RG, Fries A, Nguyen DH, Malki S, Hu G, Demir N, Arora R, Laird DJ. Intercellular bridges coordinate the transition from pluripotency to meiosis in mouse fetal oocytes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/15/eabc6747. [PMID: 33827806 PMCID: PMC8026130 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc6747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is critical to generating oocytes and ensuring female fertility; however, the mechanisms regulating the switch from mitotic primordial germ cells to meiotic germ cells are poorly understood. Here, we implicate intercellular bridges (ICBs) in this state transition. We used three-dimensional in toto imaging to map meiotic initiation in the mouse fetal ovary and revealed a radial geometry of this transition that precedes the established anterior-posterior wave. Our studies reveal that appropriate timing of meiotic entry across the ovary and coordination of mitotic-meiotic transition within a cyst depend on the ICB component Tex14, which we show is required for functional cytoplasmic sharing. We find that Tex14 mutants more rapidly attenuate the pluripotency transcript Dppa3 upon meiotic initiation, and Dppa3 mutants undergo premature meiosis similar to Tex14 Together, these results lead to a model that ICBs coordinate and buffer the transition from pluripotency to meiosis through dilution of regulatory factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Soygur
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - R G Jaszczak
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Fries
- Biological Imaging Development Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - D H Nguyen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S Malki
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - G Hu
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - N Demir
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - R Arora
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, The Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - D J Laird
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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21
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Feng CW, Burnet G, Spiller CM, Cheung FKM, Chawengsaksophak K, Koopman P, Bowles J. Identification of regulatory elements required for Stra8 expression in fetal ovarian germ cells of the mouse. Development 2021; 148:dev.194977. [PMID: 33574039 DOI: 10.1242/dev.194977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In mice, the entry of germ cells into meiosis crucially depends on the expression of stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8). Stra8 is expressed specifically in pre-meiotic germ cells of females and males, at fetal and postnatal stages, respectively, but the mechanistic details of its spatiotemporal regulation are yet to be defined. In particular, there has been considerable debate regarding whether retinoic acid is required, in vivo, to initiate Stra8 expression in the mouse fetal ovary. We show that the distinctive anterior-to-posterior pattern of Stra8 initiation, characteristic of germ cells in the fetal ovary, is faithfully recapitulated when 2.9 kb of the Stra8 promoter is used to drive eGFP expression. Using in vitro transfection assays of cutdown and mutant constructs, we identified two functional retinoic acid responsive elements (RAREs) within this 2.9 kb regulatory element. We also show that the transcription factor DMRT1 enhances Stra8 expression, but only in the presence of RA and the most proximal RARE. Finally, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutation studies to demonstrate that both RAREs are required for optimal Stra8 expression levels in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wei Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Guillaume Burnet
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Cassy M Spiller
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Fiona Ka Man Cheung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Kallayanee Chawengsaksophak
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i. Vídenská 1083, 4 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Josephine Bowles
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia .,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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22
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Low retinoic acid levels mediate regionalization of the Sertoli valve in the terminal segment of mouse seminiferous tubules. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1110. [PMID: 33441739 PMCID: PMC7806815 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79987-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammalian testes, undifferentiated spermatogonia (Aundiff) undergo differentiation in response to retinoic acid (RA), while their progenitor states are partially maintained by fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). Sertoli valve (SV) is a region located at the terminal end of seminiferous tubule (ST) adjacent to the rete testis (RT), where the high density of Aundiff is constitutively maintained with the absence of active spermatogenesis. However, the molecular and cellular characteristics of SV epithelia still remain unclear. In this study, we first identified the region-specific AKT phosphorylation in the SV Sertoli cells and demonstrated non-cell autonomous specialization of Sertoli cells in the SV region by performing a Sertoli cell ablation/replacement experiment. The expression of Fgf9 was detected in the RT epithelia, while the exogenous administration of FGF9 caused ectopic AKT phosphorylation in the Sertoli cells of convoluted ST. Furthermore, we revealed the SV region-specific expression of Cyp26a1, which encodes an RA-degrading enzyme, and demonstrated that the increased RA levels in the SV region disrupt its pool of Aundiff by inducing their differentiation. Taken together, RT-derived FGFs and low levels of RA signaling contribute to the non-cell-autonomous regionalization of the SV epithelia and its local maintenance of Aundiff in the SV region.
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23
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Abstract
Meiosis is a highly conserved process, and is responsible for the production of haploid gametes and generation of genetic diversity. We previously identified the transferrin receptor (TFRC) in the proteome profile of mice neonatal testes, indicating the involvement of the TFRC in meiosis. However, the exact molecular role of the TFRC in meiosis remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the function of the TFRC in neonatal testicular development by TFRC knockdown using the testis culture platform. Our results showed high TFRC expression in 2-week testes, corresponding to the first meiotic division. Targeting TFRC using morpholino oligonucleotides resulted in clear spermatocyte apoptosis. In addition, we used the chromosomal spread technique to show that a deficiency of TFRC caused the accumulation of leptotene and zygotene spermatocytes, and a decrease of pachytene spermatocytes, indicating early meiotic arrest. Moreover, the chromosomes of TFRC-deficient pachytene spermatocytes displayed sustained γH2AX association, as well as SYCP1/SYCP3 dissociation beyond the sex body. Therefore, our results demonstrated that the TFRC is essential for the progression of spermatocyte meiosis, particularly for DNA double-stranded break repair and chromosomal synapsis.
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24
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Vernet N, Condrea D, Mayere C, Féret B, Klopfenstein M, Magnant W, Alunni V, Teletin M, Souali-Crespo S, Nef S, Mark M, Ghyselinck NB. Meiosis occurs normally in the fetal ovary of mice lacking all retinoic acid receptors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz1139. [PMID: 32917583 PMCID: PMC7244263 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz1139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Gametes are generated through a specialized cell differentiation process, meiosis, which, in ovaries of most mammals, is initiated during fetal life. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is considered as the molecular signal triggering meiosis initiation. In the present study, we analyzed female fetuses ubiquitously lacking all ATRA nuclear receptors (RAR), obtained through a tamoxifen-inducible cre recombinase-mediated gene targeting approach. Unexpectedly, mutant oocytes robustly expressed meiotic genes, including the meiotic gatekeeper STRA8. In addition, ovaries from mutant fetuses grafted into adult recipient females yielded offspring bearing null alleles for all Rar genes. Thus, our results show that RAR are fully dispensable for meiotic initiation, as well as for the production of functional oocytes. Assuming that the effects of ATRA all rely on RAR, our study goes against the current model according to which meiosis is triggered by endogenous ATRA in the developing ovary. It therefore revives the search for the meiosis-inducing substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Chloé Mayere
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - 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
| | - William Magnant
- 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
| | - Violaine Alunni
- GenomEast platform, France Génomique consortium, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Marius Teletin
- 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), France
| | - 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
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, 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), 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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25
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Chassot AA, Le Rolle M, Jolivet G, Stevant I, Guigonis JM, Da Silva F, Nef S, Pailhoux E, Schedl A, Ghyselinck NB, Chaboissier MC. Retinoic acid synthesis by ALDH1A proteins is dispensable for meiosis initiation in the mouse fetal ovary. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz1261. [PMID: 32494737 PMCID: PMC7244317 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz1261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, the timing of meiosis entry is regulated by signals from the gonadal environment. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) signaling is considered the key pathway that promotes Stra8 (stimulated by retinoic acid 8) expression and, in turn, meiosis entry. This model, however, is debated because it is based on analyzing the effects of exogenous ATRA on ex vivo gonadal cultures, which not accurately reflects the role of endogenous ATRA. Aldh1a1 and Aldh1a2, two retinaldehyde dehydrogenases synthesizing ATRA, are expressed in the mouse ovaries when meiosis initiates. Contrary to the present view, here, we demonstrate that ATRA-responsive cells are scarce in the ovary. Using three distinct gene deletion models for Aldh1a1;Aldh1a2;Aldh1a3, we show that Stra8 expression is independent of ATRA production by ALDH1A proteins and that germ cells progress through meiosis. Together, these data demonstrate that ATRA signaling is dispensable for instructing meiosis initiation in female germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Geneviève Jolivet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Isabelle Stevant
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marie Guigonis
- Université Côte d’Azur, UMR E4320, CEA, F-06107 Nice, France
- Plateforme “Bernard Rossi”, Faculté de Médecine, Université Côte d’Azur, F-06107 Nice, France
| | - Fabio Da Silva
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
- Division of Molecular Embryology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eric Pailhoux
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Norbert B. Ghyselinck
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, CNRS UMR7104, Inserm U1258, Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch CEDEX, France
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Gantchev J, Martínez Villarreal A, Gunn S, Zetka M, Ødum N, Litvinov IV. The ectopic expression of meiCT genes promotes meiomitosis and may facilitate carcinogenesis. Cell Cycle 2020; 19:837-854. [PMID: 32223693 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1743902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer meiomitosis is defined as the concurrent activation of both mitotic and meiotic machineries in neoplastic cells that confer a selective advantage together with increased genomic instability. MeiCT (meiosis-specific cancer/testis) genes that perform specialized functions in the germline events required for the first meiotic division are ectopically expressed in several cancers. Here we describe the expression profiles of meiCT genes and proteins across a number of cancers and review the proposed mechanisms that increase aneuploidy and elicit reduction division in polyploid cells. These mechanisms are centered on the overexpression and function of meiCT proteins in cancers under various conditions that includes a response to genotoxic stress. Since meiCT genes are transcriptionally repressed in somatic cells, their target offers a promising therapeutic approach with limited toxicity to healthy tissues. Throughout the review, we provide a detailed description of the roles for each gene in the context of meiosis and we discuss proposed functions and outcomes resulting from their ectopic reactivation in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gantchev
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Scott Gunn
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Monique Zetka
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Neils Ødum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ivan V Litvinov
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Baytekus A, Tariku A, Debie A. Clinical vitamin-A deficiency and associated factors among pregnant and lactating women in Northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2019; 19:506. [PMID: 31852468 PMCID: PMC6921426 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-019-2663-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vitamin A deficiency is known for its adverse health consequences, such as blindness, growth retardation and death. To curb the problem, Ethiopia has implemented various public health measures although little has been done to examine the deficiency among pregnant and lactating women. As a result, this study assessed the prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency and associated factors among pregnant and lactating women in Lay Armachiho district, northwest Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant and lactating women in Lay Arimachiho district, northwest Ethiopia, using the multistage systematic sampling technique to select participants. The binary logistic regression model was fitted to test the effect of exposure variables, and the Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value < 0.05 were computed to identify the significance and the strength of the associations of variables with Vitamin A deficiency. Results The study revealed that 13.7% of the pregnant and lactating women had night blindness and 0.4% had also Bitot’s Spot. Over 35 years of age of mothers (AOR = 2.74; 95%CI: 1.15,7.43), less than USD 22.7 household monthly income (AOR = 8.9; 95%CI: 4.54,21.73), and poor hand washing practices after toilets (AOR = 8.87; 95% CI: 4.43,18.68) were positively associated with VAD, while mothers’ access to the media (AOR = 0.20; 95%CI:0.07, 0.59), formal education (AOR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.41), over 18 years of age at first marriage (AOR = 0.19; 95%CI: 0.08,0.36), and no fasting (AOR = 0.14; 95%CI: 0.04,0.46) were negatively associated. Conclusions Maternal Vitamin A deficiency was the major public health problem in Lay Armachiho district. Over 35 years of age of mothers, less than USD 22.7 household monthly income and poor hand washing practices after toilets were high risks for VAD, while mothers’ access to the media, formal education, over 18 years at first marriage, and no fasting were low risks. Therefore, community awareness about the risk of early marriage, poor hand hygiene practices after toilets, and fasting during pregnancy and lactating period were essential. Organizations working on maternal health need to focus on mothers with low incomes in order to reduce their deficiency in Vitamin A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abebaw Baytekus
- Amhara National Regional State Health Bureau, Tikldengay Health Center, Tikldengay, Ethiopia
| | - Amare Tariku
- Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health,College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Ayal Debie
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health,College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
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Retinoic Acid and Germ Cell Development in the Ovary and Testis. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9120775. [PMID: 31771306 PMCID: PMC6995559 DOI: 10.3390/biom9120775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A, is critical for the production of oocytes and sperm in mammals. These gametes derive from primordial germ cells, which colonize the nascent gonad, and later undertake sexual differentiation to produce oocytes or sperm. During fetal development, germ cells in the ovary initiate meiosis in response to RA, whereas those in the testis do not yet initiate meiosis, as they are insulated from RA, and undergo cell cycle arrest. After birth, male germ cells resume proliferation and undergo a transition to spermatogonia, which are destined to develop into haploid spermatozoa via spermatogenesis. Recent findings indicate that RA levels change periodically in adult testes to direct not only meiotic initiation, but also other key developmental transitions to ensure that spermatogenesis is precisely organized for the prodigious output of sperm. This review focuses on how female and male germ cells develop in the ovary and testis, respectively, and the role of RA in this process.
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Kim SM, Yokoyama T, Ng D, Ulu F, Yamazaki Y. Retinoic acid-stimulated ERK1/2 pathway regulates meiotic initiation in cultured fetal germ cells. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224628. [PMID: 31682623 PMCID: PMC6827903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In murine fetal germ cells, retinoic acid (RA) is an extrinsic cue for meiotic initiation that stimulates transcriptional activation of the Stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8), which is required for entry of germ cells into meiotic prophase I. Canonically, the biological activities of RA are mediated by nuclear RA receptors. Recent studies in somatic cells found that RA noncanonically stimulates intracellular signal transduction pathways to regulate multiple cellular processes. In this study, using a germ cell culture system, we investigated (1) whether RA treatment activates any mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in fetal germ cells at the time of sex differentiation, and (2) if this is the case, whether the corresponding RA-stimulated signaling pathway regulates Stra8 expression in fetal germ cells and their entry into meiosis. When XX germ cells at embryonic day (E) 12.5 were cultured with RA, the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 pathway was predominantly activated. MEK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) treatment suppressed the mRNA expressions of RA-induced Stra8 and meiotic marker genes (Rec8, Spo11, Dmc1, and Sycp3) in both XX and XY fetal germ cells. Furthermore, U0126 treatment dramatically reduced STRA8 protein levels and numbers of meiotic cells among cultured XX and XY fetal germ cells even in the presence of RA. Taken together, our results suggest the novel concept that the RA functions by stimulating the ERK1/2 pathway and that this activity is critical for Stra8 expression and meiotic progression in fetal germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Kim
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
| | - Toshifumi Yokoyama
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
- Department of Animal Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Dylan Ng
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
| | - Ferhat Ulu
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
| | - Yukiko Yamazaki
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Yousefi Taemeh S, Mahdavi Shahri N, Lari R, Bahrami AR, Dehghani H. Meiotic initiation in chicken germ cells is regulated by Cyp26b1 and mesonephros. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2019; 332:269-278. [PMID: 31580014 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Our knowledge of mechanisms involved in the meiosis of chicken germ cells is very limited. In mammalian fetal ovaries, the onset of meiosis is dependent on retinoic acid and subsequent upregulation of the Stra8 gene. To clarify the mechanism of meiotic initiation in chicken germ cells, we investigated the role of Cyp26b1, a retinoic acid-degrading enzyme. The Cyp26b1-inhibitor, ketoconazole was used to treat the ex vivo-cultured stage 36 gonads/mesonephroi. Then, the progression of meiosis was studied by histological and immunohistochemical analysis and the level of the transcript for Stra8 was evaluated by a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in individual ketoconazole-treated gonads after 6 days in culture. The results revealed that meiosis was induced in both testes and right ovary upon inhibition of Cyp26b1 in the ex vivo-cultured gonads, despite downregulation of Stra8 messenger RNA in the treated gonads. Also, meiosis was observed only when mesonephros was cultured alongside the left ovary. These findings demonstrate that in chicken, Stra8 is not the only factor for the entrance into meiosis, and Cyp26b1 and mesonephros play critical regulatory roles for the sex-specific timing of meiotic initiation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Yousefi Taemeh
- Division of Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Naser Mahdavi Shahri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Roya Lari
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Bahrami
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Industrial Biotechnology Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hesam Dehghani
- Division of Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.,Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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Divergent Roles of CYP26B1 and Endogenous Retinoic Acid in Mouse Fetal Gonads. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9100536. [PMID: 31561560 PMCID: PMC6843241 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In female mammals, germ cells enter meiosis in the fetal ovaries, while in males, meiosis is prevented until postnatal development. Retinoic acid (RA) is considered the main inducer of meiotic entry, as it stimulates Stra8 which is required for the mitotic/meiotic switch. In fetal testes, the RA-degrading enzyme CYP26B1 prevents meiosis initiation. However, the role of endogenous RA in female meiosis entry has never been demonstrated in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that some effects of RA in mouse fetal gonads are not recapitulated by the invalidation or up-regulation of CYP26B1. In organ culture of fetal testes, RA stimulates testosterone production and inhibits Sertoli cell proliferation. In the ovaries, short-term inhibition of RA-signaling does not decrease Stra8 expression. We develop a gain-of-function model to express CYP26A1 or CYP26B1. Only CYP26B1 fully prevents STRA8 induction in female germ cells, confirming its role as part of the meiotic prevention machinery. CYP26A1, a very potent RA degrading enzyme, does not impair the formation of STRA8-positive cells, but decreases Stra8 transcription. Collectively, our data reveal that CYP26B1 has other activities apart from metabolizing RA in fetal gonads and suggest a role of endogenous RA in amplifying Stra8, rather than being the initial inducer of Stra8. These findings should reactivate the quest to identify meiotic preventing or inducing substances.
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Yadu N, Kumar PG. Retinoic acid signaling in regulation of meiosis during embryonic development in mice. Genesis 2019; 57:e23327. [PMID: 31313882 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the embryonic gonads of mice, the genetic and epigenetic regulatory programs for germ cell sex specification and meiosis induction or suppression are intertwined. The quest for garnering comprehensive understanding of these programs has led to the emergence of retinoic acid (RA) as an important extrinsic factor, which regulates initiation of meiosis in female fetal germ cells that have attained a permissive epigenetic ground state. In contrast, germ cells in fetal testis are protected from the exposure to RA due to the activity of CYP26B1, an RA metabolizing enzyme, which is highly expressed in fetal testis. In this review, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms operating in fetal gonads of mice, which enable regulation of meiosis via RA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nomesh Yadu
- Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Pradeep G Kumar
- Division of Molecular Reproduction, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of retinol (vitamin A), functions as a ligand for nuclear RA receptors (RARs) that regulate development of chordate animals. RA-RARs can activate or repress transcription of key developmental genes. Genetic studies in mouse and zebrafish embryos that are deficient in RA-generating enzymes or RARs have been instrumental in identifying RA functions, revealing that RA signaling regulates development of many organs and tissues, including the body axis, spinal cord, forelimbs, heart, eye and reproductive tract. An understanding of the normal functions of RA signaling during development will guide efforts for use of RA as a therapeutic agent to improve human health. Here, we provide an overview of RA signaling and highlight its key functions during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Gregg Duester
- Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Rendic SP, Peter Guengerich F. Human cytochrome P450 enzymes 5-51 as targets of drugs and natural and environmental compounds: mechanisms, induction, and inhibition - toxic effects and benefits. Drug Metab Rev 2019; 50:256-342. [PMID: 30717606 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2018.1483401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 (P450, CYP) enzymes have long been of interest due to their roles in the metabolism of drugs, pesticides, pro-carcinogens, and other xenobiotic chemicals. They have also been of interest due to their very critical roles in the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroids, vitamins, and certain eicosanoids. This review covers the 22 (of the total of 57) human P450s in Families 5-51 and their substrate selectivity. Furthermore, included is information and references regarding inducibility, inhibition, and (in some cases) stimulation by chemicals. We update and discuss important aspects of each of these 22 P450s and questions that remain open.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - F Peter Guengerich
- b Department of Biochemistry , Vanderbilt University School of Medicine , Nashville , TN , USA
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Qu YH, Jian LY, Ce L, Ma Y, Xu CC, Gao YF, Machaty Z, Luo HL. Identification of candidate genes in regulation of spermatogenesis in sheep testis following dietary vitamin E supplementation. Anim Reprod Sci 2019; 205:52-61. [PMID: 31005359 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dietary vitamin E supplementation is beneficial to semen quality in different sheep and goat breeds. The aim of this research was to further investigate the effect of vitamin E in sheep on spermatogenesis and its regulatory mechanisms using RNA-seq. Thirty male Hu lambs were randomly divided into three groups. The animals received 0, 200 or 2000 IU/day vitamin E dietary supplementation for 105 days, and its effects were subsequently evaluated. The results indicate vitamin E supplementation increased the number of germ cells in the testes and epididymides. The positive effects were reduced, however, in animals that received 2000 IU/d vitamin E. Using the RNA-seq procedure, there was detection of a number of differentially expressed genes such as NDRG1, FSCN3 and CYP26B1 with these genes being mainly related to the regulation of spermatogenesis. Supplementation with 2000 IU/d vitamin E supplementation resulted in a lesser abundance of skeleton-related transcripts such as TUBB, VIM and different subtypes of collagen, and there was also an effect on the ECM-receptor interaction pathway. These changes appear to be responsible for the lesser beneficial effect of the greater vitamin E concentrations. The results provide a novel insight into the regulation of spermatogenesis by vitamin E at the molecular level, however, for a precise understanding of functions of the affected genes there needs to be further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Hua Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Lu-Yang Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Liu Ce
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Yong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Chen-Chen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Yue-Feng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Zoltan Machaty
- Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Hai-Ling Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
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Abstract
Germ cells are the stem cells of the species. Thus, it is critical that we have a good understanding of how they are specified, how the somatic cells instruct and support them, how they commit to one or other sex, and how they ultimately develop into functional gametes. Here, we focus on specifics of how sexual fate is determined during fetal life. Because the majority of relevant experimental work has been done using the mouse model, we focus on that species. We review evidence regarding the identity of instructive signals from the somatic cells, and the molecular responses that occur in germ cells in response to those extrinsic signals. In this way we aim to clarify progress to date regarding the mechanisms underlying the mitotic to meiosis switch in germ cells of the fetal ovary, and those involved in adopting and securing male fate in germ cells of the fetal testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassy Spiller
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Josephine Bowles
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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ES-mediated chimera analysis revealed requirement of DDX6 for NANOS2 localization and function in mouse germ cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:515. [PMID: 30679547 PMCID: PMC6345806 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36502-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In embryonic male germ cells, the RNA-binding protein NANOS2 recruits its target RNAs to processing bodies (P-bodies), where they are repressed. This process is necessary to promote male-type germ cell differentiation. However, it remains unclear whether all NANOS2 functions depend on P-bodies. To address this question, we established ES cell lines containing a germ cell-specific inducible Cre and reporter together with the floxed Ddx6 allele. We deleted the Ddx6 gene by administering tamoxifen to chimeric embryos containing germ cells derived from recombinant ES cells. DDX6-null germ cells exhibited both similar and distinct defects from those observed in NANOS2-null germ cells. These results demonstrate that NANOS2 function is carried out via both P-body-dependent and -independent mechanisms. RNA-seq analyses further supported the phenotypic differences between DDX6-null and NANOS2-null germ cells, and indicated distinct molecular cascades involved in NANOS2-mediated gene regulation.
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Teletin M, Vernet N, Yu J, Klopfenstein M, Jones JW, Féret B, Kane MA, Ghyselinck NB, Mark M. Two functionally redundant sources of retinoic acid secure spermatogonia differentiation in the seminiferous epithelium. Development 2019; 146:dev.170225. [PMID: 30487180 PMCID: PMC6340151 DOI: 10.1242/dev.170225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is instrumental to spermatogenesis. It is synthesized by two retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDH) present in both Sertoli cells (SCs) and germ cells (GCs). In order to determine the relative contributions of each source of ATRA, we have generated mice lacking all RALDH activities in the seminiferous epithelium (SE). We show that both the SC- and GC-derived sources of ATRA cooperate to initiate and propagate spermatogenetic waves at puberty. In adults, they exert redundant functions and, against all expectations, the GC-derived source does not perform any specific roles despite contributing to two-thirds of the total amount of ATRA present in the testis. The production from SCs is sufficient to maintain the periodic expression of genes in SCs, as well and the cycle and wave of the SE, which account for the steady production of spermatozoa. The production from SCs is also specifically required for spermiation. Importantly, our study shows that spermatogonia differentiation depends upon the ATRA synthesized by RALDH inside the SE, whereas initiation of meiosis and expression of STRA8 by spermatocytes can occur without ATRA. Summary: All-trans retinoic acid made by Sertoli cells is instrumental to spermatogenesis and is specifically required for spermatid release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Teletin
- 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France.,Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS), 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Jianshi Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Jace W Jones
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Maureen A Kane
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - 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, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France .,Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS), France
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Transcriptional regulation of P63 on the apoptosis of male germ cells and three stages of spermatogenesis in mice. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:76. [PMID: 29362488 PMCID: PMC5833356 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-017-0046-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Infertility affects 10-15% of couples worldwide, and male factors account for 50%. Spermatogenesis is precisely regulated by genetic factors, and the mutations of genes result in abnormal spermatogenesis and eventual male infertility. The aim of this study was to explore the role and transcriptional regulation of P63 in the apoptosis and mouse spermatogenesis. P63 protein was decreased in male germ cells of P63(+/-) mice compared with wild-type mice. There was no obvious difference in testis weight, sperm motility, and fecundity between P63(+/-) and wild-type mice. However, abnormal germ cells were frequently observed in P63(+/-) mice at 2 months old. Notably, apoptotic male germ cells and the percentage of abnormal sperm were significantly enhanced in P63(+/-) mice compared to wild-type mice. Spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids were isolated from P63(+/-) and wild-type mice using STA-PUT velocity sedimentation, and they were identified phenotypically with high purities. RNA sequencing demonstrated distinct transcription profiles in spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids between P63(+/-) mice and wild-type mice. In total, there were 645 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in spermatogonia, 106 DEGs in pachytene spermatocytes, and 1152 in round spermatids between P63(+/-) mice and wild-type mice. Real time PCR verified a number of DEGs identified by RNA sequencing. Gene ontology annotation and pathway analyzes further indicated that certain key genes, e.g., Ccnd2, Tgfa, Hes5, Insl3, Kit, Lef1, and Jun were involved in apoptosis, while Dazl, Kit, Pld6, Cdkn2d, Stra8, and Ubr2 were associated with regulating spermatogenesis. Collectively, these results implicate that P63 mediates the apoptosis of male germ cells and regulates three stages of spermatogenesis transcriptionally. This study could provide novel targets for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
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Shen C, Li M, Zhang P, Guo Y, Zhang H, Zheng B, Teng H, Zhou T, Guo X, Huo R. A Comparative Proteome Profile of Female Mouse Gonads Suggests a Tight Link between the Electron Transport Chain and Meiosis Initiation. Mol Cell Proteomics 2018; 17:31-42. [PMID: 29158290 PMCID: PMC5750849 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m117.066993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Generation of haploid gametes by meiosis is a unique property of germ cells and is critical for sexual reproduction. Leaving mitosis and entering meiosis is a key step in germ cell development. Several inducers or intrinsic genes are known to be important for meiotic initiation, but the regulation of meiotic initiation, especially at the protein level, is still not well understood. We constructed a comparative proteome profile of female mouse fetal gonads at specific time points (11.5, 12.5, and 13.5 days post coitum), spanning a critical window for initiation of meiosis in female germ cells. We identified 3666 proteins, of which 473 were differentially expressed. Further bioinformatics analysis showed that these differentially expressed proteins were enriched in the mitochondria, especially in the electron transport chain and, notably, 9 proteins in electron transport chain Complex I were differentially expressed. We disrupted the mitochondrial electron transport chain function by adding the complex I inhibitor, rotenone to 11.5 days post coitum female gonads cultured in vitro. This treatment resulted in a decreased proportion of meiotic germ cells, as assessed by staining for histone γH2AX. Rotenone treatment also caused decreased ATP levels, increased reactive oxygen species levels and failure of the germ cells to undergo premeiotic DNA replication. These effects were partially rescued by adding Coenzyme Q10. Taken together, our results suggested that a functional electron transport chain is important for meiosis initiation. Our characterization of the quantitative proteome of female gonads provides an inventory of proteins, useful for understanding the mechanisms of meiosis initiation and female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Shen
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
- §Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Suzhou Hospital, Suzhou 215002, P.R. China
| | - Mingrui Li
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Pan Zhang
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Yueshuai Guo
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Hao Zhang
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Bo Zheng
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
- §Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Suzhou Hospital, Suzhou 215002, P.R. China
| | - Hui Teng
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Tao Zhou
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China;
| | - Ran Huo
- From the ‡State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P.R. China;
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Nettersheim D, Jostes S, Schneider S, Schorle H. Elucidating human male germ cell development by studying germ cell cancer. Reproduction 2017; 152:R101-13. [PMID: 27512122 DOI: 10.1530/rep-16-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human germ cell development is regulated in a spatio-temporal manner by complex regulatory networks. Here, we summarize results obtained in germ cell tumors and respective cell lines and try to pinpoint similarities to normal germ cell development. This comparison allows speculating about the critical and error-prone mechanisms, which when disturbed, lead to the development of germ cell tumors. Short after specification, primordial germ cells express markers of pluripotency, which, in humans, persists up to the stage of fetal/infantile spermatogonia. Aside from the rare spermatocytic tumors, virtually all seminomas and embryonal carcinomas express markers of pluripotency and show signs of pluripotency or totipotency. Therefore, it appears that proper handling of the pluripotency program appears to be the most critical step in germ cell development in terms of tumor biology. Furthermore, data from mice reveal that germline cells display an epigenetic signature, which is highly similar to pluripotent cells. This signature (poised histone code, DNA hypomethylation) is required for the rapid induction of toti- and pluripotency upon fertilization. We propose that adult spermatogonial cells, when exposed to endocrine disruptors or epigenetic active substances, are prone to reinitiate the pluripotency program, giving rise to a germ cell tumor. The fact that pluripotent cells can be derived from adult murine and human testicular cells further corroborates this idea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Nettersheim
- Department of Developmental PathologyInstitute of Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sina Jostes
- Department of Developmental PathologyInstitute of Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Schneider
- Department of Developmental PathologyInstitute of Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hubert Schorle
- Department of Developmental PathologyInstitute of Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany
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42
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Overactive type 2 cannabinoid receptor induces meiosis in fetal gonads and impairs ovarian reserve. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e3085. [PMID: 28981118 PMCID: PMC5682662 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R) has been proposed to promote in vitro meiotic entry of postnatal male germ cells and to maintain the temporal progression of spermatogenesis in vivo. However, no information is presently available on the role played by CB2R in male and female fetal gonads. Here we show that in vitro pharmacological stimulation with JWH133, a CB2R agonist, induced activation of the meiotic program in both male and female fetal gonads. Upon stimulation, gonocytes initiated the meiotic program but became arrested at early stages of prophase I, while oocytes showed an increased rate of meiotic entry and progression toward more advanced stage of meiosis. Acceleration of meiosis in oocytes was accompanied by a strong increase in the percentage of γ-H2AX-positive pachytene and diplotene cells, paralleled by an increase of TUNEL-positive cells, suggesting that DNA double-strand breaks were not correctly repaired during meiosis, leading to oocyte apoptosis. Interestingly, in vivo pharmacological stimulation of CB2R in fetal germ cells through JWH133 administration to pregnant females caused a significant reduction of primordial and primary follicles in the ovaries of newborns with a consequent depletion of ovarian reserve and reduced fertility in adult life, while no alterations of spermatogenesis in the testis of the offspring were detected. Altogether our findings highlight a pro-meiotic role of CB2R in male and female germ cells and suggest that the use of cannabis in pregnant female might represent a risk for fertility and reproductive lifespan in female offspring.
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Abstract
Sexual reproduction crucially depends on the production of sperm in males and oocytes in females. Both types of gamete arise from the same precursor, the germ cells. We review the events that characterize the development of germ cells during fetal life as they commit to, and prepare for, oogenesis or spermatogenesis. In females, fetal germ cells enter meiosis, whereas in males they delay meiosis and instead lose pluripotency, activate an irreversible program of prospermatogonial differentiation, and temporarily cease dividing. Both pathways involve sex-specific molecular signals from the somatic cells of the developing gonads and a suite of intrinsic receptors, signal transducers, transcription factors, RNA stability factors, and epigenetic modulators that act in complex, interconnected positive and negative regulatory networks. Understanding these networks is important in the contexts of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility and gonadal cancers, and in efforts to augment human and animal fertility using stem cell approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassy Spiller
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Josephine Bowles
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia
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Suzuki A, Hirasaki M, Okuda A. Does MAX open up a new avenue for meiotic research? Dev Growth Differ 2017; 59:61-69. [PMID: 28220481 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis is a central event of sexual reproduction. Like somatic cells, germ cells conduct mitosis to increase their cell number, but unlike somatic cells, germ cells switch their cell division mode from mitosis to meiosis at a certain point in gametogenesis. However, the molecular basis of this switch remains elusive. In this review article, we give an overview of the onset of mammalian meiosis, including our recent finding that MYC Associated Factor X (MAX) prevents ectopic and precocious meiosis in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and germ cells, respectively. We present a hypothetical model of a MAX-centered molecular network that regulates meiotic entry in mammals and propose that inducible Max knockout ESCs provide an excellent platform for exploring the molecular mechanisms of meiosis initiation, while excluding other aspects of gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Suzuki
- Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan
| | - Masataka Hirasaki
- Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan
| | - Akihiko Okuda
- Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan
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Teletin M, Vernet N, Ghyselinck NB, Mark M. Roles of Retinoic Acid in Germ Cell Differentiation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2017; 125:191-225. [PMID: 28527572 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The modalities of gametogenesis differ markedly between sexes. Female are born with a definitive reserve of oocytes whose size is crucial to ensure fertility. Male fertility, in contrast, relies on a tightly regulated balance between germ cell self-renewal and differentiation, which operates throughout life, according to recurring spatial and temporal patterns. Genetic and pharmacological studies conducted in the mouse and discussed in this review have revealed that all-trans retinoic acid and its nuclear receptors are major players of gametogenesis and are instrumental to fertility in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Teletin
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France; Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), Strasbourg, France; Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Nadège Vernet
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France; Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), Strasbourg, France
| | - Norbert B Ghyselinck
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France; Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), Strasbourg, France
| | - Manuel Mark
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France; Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), Strasbourg, France; Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS), Strasbourg, France.
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46
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Elzaiat M, Todeschini AL, Caburet S, Veitia R. The genetic make-up of ovarian development and function: the focus on the transcription factor FOXL2. Clin Genet 2016; 91:173-182. [DOI: 10.1111/cge.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Elzaiat
- Molecular and Cellular Pathologies; Institut Jacques Monod; Paris France
- UFR Sciences du Vivant; Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII; Paris France
| | - A.-L. Todeschini
- Molecular and Cellular Pathologies; Institut Jacques Monod; Paris France
- UFR Sciences du Vivant; Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII; Paris France
| | - S. Caburet
- Molecular and Cellular Pathologies; Institut Jacques Monod; Paris France
- UFR Sciences du Vivant; Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII; Paris France
| | - R.A. Veitia
- Molecular and Cellular Pathologies; Institut Jacques Monod; Paris France
- UFR Sciences du Vivant; Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII; Paris France
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Wu Q, Fukuda K, Kato Y, Zhou Z, Deng CX, Saga Y. Sexual Fate Change of XX Germ Cells Caused by the Deletion of SMAD4 and STRA8 Independent of Somatic Sex Reprogramming. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002553. [PMID: 27606421 PMCID: PMC5015973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The differential programming of sperm and eggs in gonads is a fundamental topic in reproductive biology. Although the sexual fate of germ cells is believed to be determined by signaling factors from sexually differentiated somatic cells in fetal gonads, the molecular mechanism that determines germ cell fate is poorly understood. Herein, we show that mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) in germ cells is required for female-type differentiation. Germ cells in Smad4-deficient ovaries respond to retinoic acid signaling but fail to undergo meiotic prophase I, which coincides with the weaker expression of genes required for follicular formation, indicating that SMAD4 signaling is essential for oocyte differentiation and meiotic progression. Intriguingly, germline-specific deletion of Smad4 in Stra8-null female germ cells resulted in the up-regulation of genes required for male gonocyte differentiation, including Nanos2 and PLZF, suggesting the initiation of male-type differentiation in ovaries. Moreover, our transcriptome analyses of mutant ovaries revealed that the sex change phenotype is achieved without global gene expression changes in somatic cells. Our results demonstrate that SMAD4 and STRA8 are essential factors that regulate the female fate of germ cells. Double ablation of SMAD4 and STRA8 causes female-to-male switching of XX germ cells without affecting somatic cell fate. This suggests that SMAD4 and STRA8 are essential intrinsic factors that determine the female fate of germ cells, collaborating to suppress expression of male genes. Mammalian sex depends on a male-specific gene, sex-determining region Y (SRY), which is located on the Y chromosome. Individuals lacking this gene will develop as female. Accordingly, germ cell fate also changes from male to female in the absence of SRY. Therefore, it is thought that somatic cells regulate germ cells to become sperm or oocytes. However, it is largely unknown what factor is responsible for sexual fate determination in germ cells. In fetal ovaries, retinoic acid (RA) initiates STRA8 expression in germ cells and induces meiosis. Female germ cells without STRA8 fail to enter meiosis but still progress to oogenesis and form oocyte-like cells, indicating that RA is not the regulator of oogenesis. Here, we found that female germ cells lacking both SMAD4 and STRA8 (but not a single knockout) develop as male gonocyte-like cells in ovaries, indicating that these two factors work as female germ cell determinants. To our surprise, the sexual fate switch observed in the double knockout ovary is not accompanied by gene expression changes in somatic cells, revealing the unexpected finding that somatic factors controlled by SRY are dispensable for the upregulation of male-specific genes in germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wu
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Kurumi Fukuda
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Kato
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Zhi Zhou
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Chu-Xia Deng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Yumiko Saga
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Arora R, Abby E, Ross ADJ, Cantu AV, Kissner MD, Castro V, Ho HYH, Livera G, Laird DJ. Meiotic onset is reliant on spatial distribution but independent of germ cell number in the mouse ovary. J Cell Sci 2016; 129:2493-9. [PMID: 27199373 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.189910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse ovarian germ cells enter meiosis in a wave that propagates from anterior to posterior, but little is known about contribution of germ cells to initiation or propagation of meiosis. In a Ror2 mutant with diminished germ cell number and migration, we find that overall timing of meiotic initiation is delayed at the population level. We use chemotherapeutic depletion to exclude a profoundly reduced number of germ cells as a cause for meiotic delay. We rule out sex reversal or failure to specify somatic support cells as contributors to the meiotic phenotype. Instead, we find that anomalies in the distribution of germ cells as well as gonad shape in mutants contribute to aberrant initiation of meiosis. Our analysis supports a model of meiotic initiation via diffusible signal(s), excludes a role for germ cells in commencing the meiotic wave and furnishes the first phenotypic demonstration of the wave of meiotic entry. Finally, our studies underscore the importance of considering germ cell migration defects while studying meiosis to discern secondary effects resulting from positioning versus primary meiotic entry phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ripla Arora
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Emilie Abby
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Laboratory of Development of the Gonads; CEA, DSV, iRCM, SCSR, LDG; INSERM, Unit of Genetic Stability, Stem cells and Radiation, UMR-967; University Paris-Sud, Fontenay-aux-Roses F-92265, France
| | - Adam D J Ross
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Andrea V Cantu
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Michael D Kissner
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Vianca Castro
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Hsin-Yi Henry Ho
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, 4422 Tupper Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gabriel Livera
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Laboratory of Development of the Gonads; CEA, DSV, iRCM, SCSR, LDG; INSERM, Unit of Genetic Stability, Stem cells and Radiation, UMR-967; University Paris-Sud, Fontenay-aux-Roses F-92265, France
| | - Diana J Laird
- Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, 35 Medical Center Way, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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ALDH1A1 provides a source of meiosis-inducing retinoic acid in mouse fetal ovaries. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10845. [PMID: 26892828 PMCID: PMC4762892 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial evidence exists that during fetal ovarian development in mammals, retinoic acid (RA) induces germ cells to express the pre-meiotic marker Stra8 and enter meiosis, and that these effects are prevented in the fetal testis by the RA-degrading P450 enzyme CYP26B1. Nonetheless, the role of RA has been disputed principally because germ cells in embryos lacking two major RA-synthesizing enzymes, ALDH1A2 and ALDH1A3, remain able to enter meiosis. Here we show that a third RA-synthesizing enzyme, ALDH1A1, is expressed in fetal ovaries, providing a likely source of RA in the absence of ALDH1A2 and ALDH1A3. In ovaries lacking ALDH1A1, the onset of germ cell meiosis is delayed. Our data resolve the conundrum posed by conflicting published data sets and reconfirm the model that meiosis is triggered by endogenous RA in the developing ovary.
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50
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Jung D, Kee K. Insights into female germ cell biology: from in vivo development to in vitro derivations. Asian J Androl 2016; 17:415-20. [PMID: 25652637 PMCID: PMC4430939 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.148077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of human germ cell biology is important for developing infertility treatments. However, little is known about the mechanisms that regulate human gametogenesis due to the difficulties in collecting samples, especially germ cells during fetal development. In contrast to the mitotic arrest of spermatogonia stem cells in the fetal testis, female germ cells proceed into meiosis and began folliculogenesis in fetal ovaries. Regulations of these developmental events, including the initiation of meiosis and the endowment of primordial follicles, remain an enigma. Studying the molecular mechanisms of female germ cell biology in the human ovary has been mostly limited to spatiotemporal characterizations of genes or proteins. Recent efforts in utilizing in vitro differentiation system of stem cells to derive germ cells have allowed researchers to begin studying molecular mechanisms during human germ cell development. Meanwhile, the possibility of isolating female germline stem cells in adult ovaries also excites researchers and generates many debates. This review will mainly focus on presenting and discussing recent in vivo and in vitro studies on female germ cell biology in human. The topics will highlight the progress made in understanding the three main stages of germ cell developments: namely, primordial germ cell formation, meiotic initiation, and folliculogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kehkooi Kee
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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