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Andrade AD, Almeida PGC, Mariani NAP, Santos NCM, Camargo IA, Martini PV, Kushima H, Ai D, Avellar MCW, Meinhardt A, Pleuger C, Silva EJR. Regional modulation of toll-like receptor signaling pathway genes in acute epididymitis in mice. Andrology 2024; 12:1024-1037. [PMID: 38497291 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13630] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Region-specific immune environments in the epididymis influence the immune responses to uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) infection, a relevant cause of epididymitis in men. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are essential to orchestrate immune responses against bacterial infections. The epididymis displays region-specific inflammatory responses to bacterial-derived TLR agonists, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS; TLR4 agonist) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA; TLR2/TLR6 agonist), suggesting that TLR-associated signaling pathways could influence the magnitude of inflammatory responses in epididymitis. OBJECTIVES To investigate the expression and regulation of key genes associated with TLR4 and TLR2/TLR6 signaling pathways during epididymitis induced by UPEC, LPS, and LTA in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS Epididymitis was induced in mice using UPEC, ultrapure LPS, or LTA, injected into the interstitial space of the initial segment or the lumen of the vas deferens close to the cauda epididymidis. Samples were harvested after 1, 5, and 10 days for UPEC-treated animals and 6 and 24 h for LPS-/LTA-treated animals. Ex vivo epididymitis was induced by incubating epididymal regions from naive mice with LPS or LTA. RT-qPCR and Western blot assays were conducted. RESULTS UPEC infection up-regulated Tlr2, Tlr4, and Tlr6 transcripts and their associated signaling molecules Cd14, Ticam1, and Traf6 in the cauda epididymidis but not in the initial segment. In these epididymal regions, LPS and LTA differentially modulated Tlr2, Tlr4, Tlr6, Cd14, Myd88, Ticam1, Traf3, and Traf6 expression levels. NFKB and AP1 activation was required for LPS- and LTA-induced up-regulation of TLR-associated signaling transcripts in the cauda epididymidis and initial segment, respectively. CONCLUSION The dynamic modulation of TLR4 and TLR2/TLR6 signaling pathways gene expression during epididymitis indicates bacterial-derived antigens elicit an increased tissue sensitivity to combat microbial infection in a spatial manner in the epididymis. Differential activation of TLR-associated signaling pathways may contribute to fine-tuning inflammatory responses along the epididymis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre D Andrade
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila G C Almeida
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Noemia A P Mariani
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia C M Santos
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Isabela A Camargo
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Poliana V Martini
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helio Kushima
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dingding Ai
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Unit of Reproductive Biology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Maria Christina W Avellar
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andreas Meinhardt
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Unit of Reproductive Biology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Hessian Center of Reproductive Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Centre of Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Australia
| | - Christiane Pleuger
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Unit of Reproductive Biology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Hessian Center of Reproductive Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Erick J R Silva
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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Battistone MA, Elizagaray ML, Barrachina F, Ottino K, Mendelsohn AC, Breton S. Immunoregulatory mechanisms between epithelial clear cells and mononuclear phagocytes in the epididymis. Andrology 2024; 12:949-963. [PMID: 37572347 PMCID: PMC10859549 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION One of the most intriguing aspects of male reproductive physiology is the ability of the epididymis to prevent the mounting of immune responses against the onslaught of foreign antigens carried by spermatozoa while initiating very efficient immune responses versus stressors. Epithelial clear cells are strategically positioned to work in a concerted manner with region-specific heterogeneous subsets of mononuclear phagocytes to survey the epididymal barrier and regulate the balance between inflammation and immune tolerance in the post-testicular environment. OBJECTIVE This review aims to describe how clear cells communicate with mononuclear phagocytes to contribute to the unique immune environment in which sperm mature and are stored in the epididymis. MATERIALS/METHODS A comprehensive systematic review was performed. PubMed was searched for articles specific to clear cells, mononuclear phagocytes, and epididymis. Articles that did not specifically address the target material were excluded. RESULTS In this review, we discuss the unexpected roles of clear cells, including the transfer of new proteins to spermatozoa via extracellular vesicles and nanotubes as they transit along the epididymal tubule; and we summarize the immune phenotype, morphology, and antigen capturing, processing, and presenting abilities of mononuclear phagocytes. Moreover, we present the current knowledge of immunoregulatory mechanisms by which clear cells and mononuclear phagocytes may contribute to the immune-privileged environment optimal for sperm maturation and storage. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Notably, we provide an in-depth characterization of clear cell-mononuclear phagocyte communication networks in the steady-state epididymis and in the presence of injury. This review highlights crucial concepts of mucosal immunology and cellcell interactions, all of which are critical but understudied facets of human male reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- MA Battistone
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - ML Elizagaray
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - F Barrachina
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - K Ottino
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - AC Mendelsohn
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - S Breton
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Research Center, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec (Québec), Canada
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Liu T, Zhao M, Peng L, Chen J, Xing P, Gao P, Chen L, Qiao X, Wang Z, Di J, Qu H, Jiang B, Su X. WFDC3 inhibits tumor metastasis by promoting the ERβ-mediated transcriptional repression of TGFBR1 in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:425. [PMID: 37443102 PMCID: PMC10345115 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05956-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen plays a protective role in colorectal cancer (CRC) and primarily functions through estrogen receptor β (ERβ). However, clinical strategies for CRC therapy associated with ERβ are still under investigation. Our discoveries identified WFDC3 as a tumor suppressor that facilitates estrogen-induced inhibition of metastasis through the ERβ/TGFBR1 signaling axis. WFDC3 interacts with ERβ and increases its protein stability by inhibiting its proteasome-dependent degradation. WFDC3 represses TGFBR1 expression through ERβ-mediated transcription. Blocking TGFβ signaling with galunisertib, a drug used in clinical trials that targets TGFBR1, impaired the migration of CRC cells induced by WFDC3 depletion. Moreover, there was clinical significance to WFDC3 in CRC, as CRC patients with high WFDC3 expression in tumor cells had favorable prognoses. Therefore, this work suggests that WFDC3 could be an indicator for therapies targeting the estrogen/ERβ pathway in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Min Zhao
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Sunshine Coast, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Lin Peng
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangbo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Pu Xing
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Pin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowen Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Zaozao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Jiabo Di
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Qu
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Beihai Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiangqian Su
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery IV, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, 100142, Beijing, China.
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Barrachina F, Ottino K, Tu LJ, Soberman RJ, Brown D, Breton S, Battistone MA. CX3CR1 deficiency leads to impairment of immune surveillance in the epididymis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 80:15. [PMID: 36550225 PMCID: PMC9948740 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04664-w] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) play an active role in the immunological homeostasis of the urogenital tract. In the epididymis, a finely tuned balance between tolerance to antigenic sperm and immune activation is required to maintain epididymal function while protecting sperm against pathogens and stressors. We previously characterized a subset of resident MPs that express the CX3CR1 receptor, emphasizing their role in antigen sampling and processing during sperm maturation and storage in the murine epididymis. Bacteria-associated epididymitis is the most common cause of intrascrotal inflammation and frequently leads to reproductive complications. Here, we examined whether the lack of functional CX3CR1 in homozygous mice (CX3CR1EGFP/EGFP, KO) alters the ability of MPs to initiate immune responses during epididymitis induced by LPS intravasal-epididymal injection. Confocal microscopy revealed that CX3CR1-deficient MPs located in the initial segments of the epididymis displayed fewer luminal-reaching membrane projections and impaired antigen capture activity. Moreover, flow cytometry showed a reduction of epididymal KO MPs with a monocytic phenotype under physiological conditions. In contrast, flow cytometry revealed an increase in the abundance of MPs with a monocytic signature in the distal epididymal segments after an LPS challenge. This was accompanied by the accumulation of CD103+ cells in the interstitium, and the prevention or attenuation of epithelial damage in the KO epididymis during epididymitis. Additionally, CX3CR1 deletion induced downregulation of Gja1 (connexin 43) expression in KO MPs. Together, our study provides evidence that MPs are gatekeepers of the immunological blood-epididymis barrier and reveal the role of the CX3CR1 receptor in epididymal mucosal homeostasis by inducing MP luminal protrusions and by regulating the monocyte population in the epididymis at steady state as well as upon infection. We also uncover the interaction between MPs and CD103+ dendritic cells, presumably through connexin 43, that enhance immune responses during epididymitis. Our study may lead to new diagnostics and therapies for male infertility and epididymitis by identifying immune mechanisms in the epididymis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Barrachina
- Program in Membrane Biology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - K Ottino
- Program in Membrane Biology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - L J Tu
- Program in Membrane Biology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - R J Soberman
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - D Brown
- Program in Membrane Biology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - S Breton
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Research Center, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - M A Battistone
- Program in Membrane Biology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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Elucidating Mechanisms of Tolerance to Salmonella Typhimurium across Long-Term Infections Using the Collaborative Cross. mBio 2022; 13:e0112022. [PMID: 35880881 PMCID: PMC9426527 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01120-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance and tolerance to pathogen infection may present the opportunity to develop novel interventions. Resistance is the absence of clinical disease with a low pathogen burden, while tolerance is minimal clinical disease with a high pathogen burden. Salmonella is a worldwide health concern. We studied 18 strains of collaborative cross mice that survive acute Salmonella Typhimurium (STm) infections. We infected these strains orally and monitored them for 3 weeks. Five strains cleared STm (resistant), six strains maintained a bacterial load and survived (tolerant), while seven strains survived >7 days but succumbed to infection within the study period and were called “delayed susceptible.” Tolerant strains were colonized in the Peyer’s patches, mesenteric lymph node, spleen, and liver, while resistant strains had significantly reduced bacterial colonization. Tolerant strains had lower preinfection core body temperatures and had disrupted circadian patterns of body temperature postinfection sooner than other strains. Tolerant strains had higher circulating total white blood cells than resistant strains, driven by increased numbers of neutrophils. Tolerant strains had more severe tissue damage and higher circulating levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), but lower levels of epithelial neutrophil-activating protein 78 (ENA-78) than resistant strains. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis revealed one significant association and six suggestive associations. Gene expression analysis identified 22 genes that are differentially regulated in tolerant versus resistant animals that overlapped these QTLs. Fibrinogen genes (Fga, Fgb, and Fgg) were found across the QTL, RNA, and top canonical pathways, making them the best candidate genes for differentiating tolerance and resistance.
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Heinen T, Xie C, Keshavarz M, Stappert D, Künzel S, Tautz D. Evolution of a New Testis-Specific Functional Promoter Within the Highly Conserved Map2k7 Gene of the Mouse. Front Genet 2022; 12:812139. [PMID: 35069705 PMCID: PMC8766832 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.812139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Map2k7 (synonym Mkk7) is a conserved regulatory kinase gene and a central component of the JNK signaling cascade with key functions during cellular differentiation. It shows complex transcription patterns, and different transcript isoforms are known in the mouse (Mus musculus). We have previously identified a newly evolved testis-specific transcript for the Map2k7 gene in the subspecies M. m. domesticus. Here, we identify the new promoter that drives this transcript and find that it codes for an open reading frame (ORF) of 50 amino acids. The new promoter was gained in the stem lineage of closely related mouse species but was secondarily lost in the subspecies M. m. musculus and M. m. castaneus. A single mutation can be correlated with its transcriptional activity in M. m. domesticus, and cell culture assays demonstrate the capability of this mutation to drive expression. A mouse knockout line in which the promoter region of the new transcript is deleted reveals a functional contribution of the newly evolved promoter to sperm motility and the spermatid transcriptome. Our data show that a new functional transcript (and possibly protein) can evolve within an otherwise highly conserved gene, supporting the notion of regulatory changes contributing to the emergence of evolutionary novelties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chen Xie
- Max-Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Maryam Keshavarz
- Max-Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Dominik Stappert
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max-Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Diethard Tautz
- Max-Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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