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Fragkiadaki P, Kouvidi E, Angelaki A, Nikolopoulou D, Vakonaki E, Tsatsakis A. Evaluation of telomere length and telomerase activity on predicting in vitro fertilization treatment outcomes. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024; 41:1463-1473. [PMID: 38695985 PMCID: PMC11224194 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03117-6] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The current article is a literature review aiming to provide an overview of the existing knowledge on the association between telomere length and telomerase activity and in vitro fertilization. Recently, telomeres have been used as an effective biomarker to determine biological age, which may differ from chronological age due to genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Cellular senescence, along with other exogenous and mainly environmental factors, can enhance telomere wear, further shortening their ends and may also affect reproductive aging. IVF is a common fertility treatment caused by female reasons (age, ovulation disorders, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis), male reasons (low sperm quantity or quality), or unexplained infertility. A growing number of studies have proposed a relationship between telomere length and telomerase activity and IVF success and have suggested their use as candidate biomarkers for IVF outcome. Nevertheless, additional studies are necessary to be conducted, in order to clarify the possible implication of telomeres in IVF and to evaluate their possible role as valuable predictors of IVF result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Persefoni Fragkiadaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
- Lifeplus S.A., Science &Technological Park of Crete, C Building, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elisavet Kouvidi
- Lifeplus S.A., Science &Technological Park of Crete, C Building, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Phenotypos Lab, Katehaki 40A, 115 25, Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Angelaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Dimitra Nikolopoulou
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
- Lifeplus S.A., Science &Technological Park of Crete, C Building, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elena Vakonaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Greece
- Lifeplus S.A., Science &Technological Park of Crete, C Building, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion, Greece.
- Lifeplus S.A., Science &Technological Park of Crete, C Building, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
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Knight AK, Spencer JB, Smith AK. DNA methylation as a window into female reproductive aging. Epigenomics 2024; 16:175-188. [PMID: 38131149 PMCID: PMC10841041 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0298] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
People with ovaries experience reproductive aging as their reproductive function and system declines. This has significant implications for both fertility and long-term health, with people experiencing an increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders after menopause. Reproductive aging can be assessed through markers of ovarian reserve, response to fertility treatment or molecular biomarkers, including DNA methylation. Changes in DNA methylation with age associate with poorer reproductive outcomes, and epigenome-wide studies can provide insight into genes and pathways involved. DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks can quantify biological age in reproductive tissues and systemically. This review provides an overview of hallmarks and theories of aging in the context of the reproductive system, and then focuses on studies of DNA methylation in reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Knight
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jessica B Spencer
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alicia K Smith
- Research Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Division, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Moazamian A, Gharagozloo P, Aitken RJ, Drevet JR. OXIDATIVE STRESS AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION: Sperm telomeres, oxidative stress, and infertility. Reproduction 2022; 164:F125-F133. [PMID: 35938805 DOI: 10.1530/rep-22-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In brief Oxidative stress is recognized as an underlying driving factor of both telomere dysfunction and human subfertility/infertility. This review briefly reassesses telomere integrity as a fertility biomarker before proposing a novel, mechanistic rationale for the role of oxidative stress in the seemingly paradoxical lengthening of sperm telomeres with aging. Abstract The maintenance of redox balance in the male reproductive tract is critical to sperm health and function. Physiological levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) promote sperm capacitation, while excess ROS exposure, or depleted antioxidant defenses, yields a state of oxidative stress which disrupts their fertilizing capacity and DNA structural integrity. The guanine moiety is the most readily oxidized of the four DNA bases and gets converted to the mutagenic lesion 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Numerous studies have also confirmed oxidative stress as a driving factor behind accelerated telomere shortening and dysfunction. Although a clear consensus has not been reached, clinical studies also appear to associate telomere integrity with fertility outcomes in the assisted reproductive technology setting. Intriguingly, while sperm cellular and molecular characteristics make them more susceptible to oxidative insult than any other cell type, they are also the only cell type in which telomere lengthening accompanies aging. This article focuses on the oxidative stress response pathways to propose a mechanism for the explanation of this apparent paradox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Moazamian
- CellOxess LLC, Ewing, New Jersey, USA.,Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD Institute, CNRS-INSERM, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Robert J Aitken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joël R Drevet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, GReD Institute, CNRS-INSERM, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Women's fertility decay starts at the mid 30 s. However, the current delay of childbearing leads to ovarian aging and the need of assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Telomere biology is one of the main pathways involved in organismal aging. Thus, this review will focus on the knowledge acquired during the last 2 years about the telomere pathway and its influence on female fertility and the consequences for the newborn. RECENT FINDINGS New research on telomere biology reaffirms the relationship of telomere attrition and female infertility. Shorter maternal telomeres, which could be aggravated by external factors, underly premature ovarian aging and other complications including preeclampsia, preterm birth and idiopathic pregnancy loss. Finally, the telomere length of the fetus or the newborn is also affected by external factors, such as stress and nutrition. SUMMARY Recent evidence shows that telomeres are implicated in most processes related to female fertility, embryo development and the newborn's health. Thus, telomere length and telomerase activity may be good biomarkers for early detection of ovarian and pregnancy failures, opening the possibility to use telomere therapies to try to solve the infertility situation.
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Anifandis G, Samara M, Simopoulou M, Messini CI, Chatzimeletiou K, Thodou E, Daponte A, Georgiou I. Insights into the Role of Telomeres in Human Embryological Parameters. Opinions Regarding IVF. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040049. [PMID: 34842724 PMCID: PMC8628962 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040049] [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: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres promote genome integrity by protecting chromosome ends from the activation of the DNA damage response and protecting chromosomes from the loss of coding sequences due to the end replication problem. Telomere length (TL) is progressively shortened as age progresses, thus resulting in cellular senescence. Therefore, TL is in strong adverse linear correlation with aging. Mounting evidence supports the notion that telomeres and male/female infertility are in a close relationship, posing the biology of telomeres as a hot topic in the era of human-assisted reproduction. Specifically, the length of sperm telomeres is gradually increasing as men get older, while the telomere length of the oocytes seems not to follow similar patterns with that of sperm. Nonetheless, the telomere length of the embryos during the cleavage stages seems to have a paternal origin, but the telomere length can be further extended by telomerase activity during the blastocyst stage. The latter has been proposed as a new molecular biomarker with strong predictive value regarding male infertility. As far as the role of telomeres in assisted reproduction, the data is limited but the length of telomeres in both gametes seems to be affected mainly by the cause of infertility rather than the assisted reproductive therapy (ART) procedure itself. The present review aims to shed more light into the role of telomeres in human embryological parameters, including gametes and embryos and also presents opinions regarding the association between telomeres and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
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Affiliation(s)
- George Anifandis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larisa, Greece; (C.I.M.); (A.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria Samara
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larisa, Greece; (M.S.); (E.T.)
| | - Mara Simopoulou
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Christina I. Messini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larisa, Greece; (C.I.M.); (A.D.)
| | - Katerina Chatzimeletiou
- Unit for Human Reproduction, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Eleni Thodou
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larisa, Greece; (M.S.); (E.T.)
| | - Alexandros Daponte
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larisa, Greece; (C.I.M.); (A.D.)
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
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