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Bafleh WS, Abdulsamad HMR, Al-Qaraghuli SM, El Khatib RY, Elbahrawi RT, Abdukadir AM, Alsawae SM, Dimassi Z, Hamdan H, Kashir J. Applications of advances in mRNA-based platforms as therapeutics and diagnostics in reproductive technologies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1198848. [PMID: 37305677 PMCID: PMC10250609 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1198848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but also in science and medicine, marking for the first time when drug regulatory authorities cleared for use mRNA-based vaccines in the fight against this outbreak. However, while indeed representing a novel application of such technology in the context of vaccination medicine, introducing RNA into cells to produce resultant molecules (proteins, antibodies, etc.) is not a novel principle. It has been common practice to introduce/inject mRNA into oocytes and embryos to inhibit, induce, and identify several factors in a research context, while such aspects have also been proposed as potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications to combat infertility in humans. Herein, we describe key areas where mRNA-based platforms have thus far represented potential areas of clinical applications, describing the advantages and limitations of such applications. Finally, we also discuss how recent advances in mRNA-based platforms, driven by the recent pandemic, may stand to benefit the treatment of infertility in humans. We also present brief future directions as to how we could utilise recent and current advancements to enhance RNA therapeutics within reproductive biology, specifically with relation to oocyte and embryo delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wjdan S. Bafleh
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Haia M. R. Abdulsamad
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sally M. Al-Qaraghuli
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Riwa Y. El Khatib
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rawdah Taha Elbahrawi
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Azhar Mohamud Abdukadir
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Zakia Dimassi
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hamdan Hamdan
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Junaid Kashir
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Satouh Y, Sato K. Reorganization, specialization, and degradation of oocyte maternal components for early development. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12505. [PMID: 36726596 PMCID: PMC9884333 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Oocyte components are maternally provided, solely determine oocyte quality, and coordinately determine embryo quality with zygotic gene expression. During oocyte maturation, maternal organelles are drastically reorganized and specialized to support oocyte characteristics. A large number of maternal components are actively degraded after fertilization and gradually replaced by zygotic gene products. The molecular basis and the significance of these processes on oocyte/embryo quality are not fully understood. Methods Firstly, recent findings in organelle characteristics of other cells or oocytes from model organisms are introduced for further understanding of oocyte organelle reorganization/specialization. Secondly, recent progress in studies on maternal components degradation and their molecular mechanisms are introduced. Finally, future applications of these advancements for predicting mammalian oocyte/embryo quality are discussed. Main findings The significance of cellular surface protein degradation via endocytosis for embryonic development, and involvement of biogenesis of lipid droplets in embryonic quality, were recently reported using mammalian model organisms. Conclusion Identifying key oocyte component characteristics and understanding their dynamics may lead to new applications in oocyte/embryo quality prediction and improvement. To implement these multidimensional concepts, development of new technical approaches that allow us to address the complexity and efficient studies using model organisms are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhkoh Satouh
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular RegulationGunma UniversityMaebashiJapan
| | - Ken Sato
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular RegulationGunma UniversityMaebashiJapan
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Morita A, Satouh Y, Kosako H, Kobayashi H, Iwase A, Sato K. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is essential for the selective degradation of maternal membrane proteins and preimplantation development. Development 2021; 148:270925. [PMID: 34269385 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Fertilization triggers significant cellular remodeling through the oocyte-to-embryo transition. In this transition, the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy are essential for the degradation of maternal components; however, the significance of degradation of cell surface components remains unknown. In this study, we show that multiple maternal plasma membrane proteins, such as the glycine transporter GlyT1a, are selectively internalized from the plasma membrane to endosomes in mouse embryos by the late two-cell stage and then transported to lysosomes for degradation at the later stages. During this process, large amounts of ubiquitylated proteins accumulated on endosomes. Furthermore, the degradation of GlyT1a with mutations in potential ubiquitylation sites was delayed, suggesting that ubiquitylation may be involved in GlyT1a degradation. The clathrin inhibitor blocked GlyT1a internalization. Strikingly, the protein kinase C (PKC) activator triggered the heterochronic internalization of GlyT1a; the PKC inhibitor markedly blocked GlyT1a endocytosis. Lastly, clathrin inhibition completely blocked embryogenesis at the two-cell stage and inhibited cell division after the four-cell stage. These findings demonstrate that PKC-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis is essential for the selective degradation of maternal membrane proteins during oocyte-to-embryo transition and early embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihito Morita
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Kosako
- Division of Cell Signaling, Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Hisae Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan
| | - Akira Iwase
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Ken Sato
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan
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4
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Umeda R, Satouh Y, Takemoto M, Nakada-Nakura Y, Liu K, Yokoyama T, Shirouzu M, Iwata S, Nomura N, Sato K, Ikawa M, Nishizawa T, Nureki O. Structural insights into tetraspanin CD9 function. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1606. [PMID: 32231207 PMCID: PMC7105497 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15459-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetraspanins play critical roles in various physiological processes, ranging from cell adhesion to virus infection. The members of the tetraspanin family have four membrane-spanning domains and short and large extracellular loops, and associate with a broad range of other functional proteins to exert cellular functions. Here we report the crystal structure of CD9 and the cryo-electron microscopic structure of CD9 in complex with its single membrane-spanning partner protein, EWI-2. The reversed cone-like molecular shape of CD9 generates membrane curvature in the crystalline lipid layers, which explains the CD9 localization in regions with high membrane curvature and its implications in membrane remodeling. The molecular interaction between CD9 and EWI-2 is mainly mediated through the small residues in the transmembrane region and protein/lipid interactions, whereas the fertilization assay revealed the critical involvement of the LEL region in the sperm-egg fusion, indicating the different dependency of each binding domain for other partner proteins. Tetraspanins play critical roles in various physiological processes, ranging from cell adhesion to virus infection. Here authors report the crystal structure of CD9 and the cryo-electron microscopic structure of CD9 in complex with its single membrane-spanning partner protein, EWI-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Umeda
- Department of Biological Sciences Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan.,Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mizuki Takemoto
- Department of Biological Sciences Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Preferred Networks, Inc., Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Nakada-Nakura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kehong Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yokoyama
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mikako Shirouzu
- Laboratory for Protein Functional and Structural Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Norimichi Nomura
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Sato
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation (IMCR), Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan.,Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, 371-8512, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nishizawa
- Department of Biological Sciences Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. .,Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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5
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Nuclear formation induced by DNA-conjugated beads in living fertilised mouse egg. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8461. [PMID: 31186495 PMCID: PMC6560220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44941-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Reformation of a functional nucleus at the end of mitosis is crucial for normal cellular activity. Reconstitution approaches using artificial beads in frog egg extracts have clarified the molecules required for nuclear formation in vitro. However, the spatiotemporal regulation of these components, which is required for the formation of a functional nucleus in living embryos, remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that exogenous DNA introduced in the form of DNA-conjugated beads induces the assembly of an artificial nucleus in living mouse cleavage-stage embryos. Live-cell imaging and immunofluorescence studies revealed that core histones and regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1) assembled on the DNA, suggesting that nucleosomes were formed. Electron microscopy showed that double-membrane structures, partly extended from annulate lamellae, formed around the beads. Nuclear pore complex-like structures indistinguishable from those of native nuclei were also formed, suggesting that this membranous structure resembled the normal nuclear envelope (NE). However, the reconstituted NE had no nuclear import activity, probably because of the absence of Ras-related nuclear protein (Ran). Thus, DNA is necessary for NE reassembly in mouse embryos but is insufficient to form a functional nucleus. This approach provides a new tool to examine factors of interest and their spatiotemporal regulation in nuclear formation.
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Cappa AI, de Paola M, Wetten P, De Blas GA, Michaut MA. Live imaging of cortical granule exocytosis reveals that in vitro matured mouse oocytes are not fully competent to secrete their content. Biol Open 2018; 7:bio031872. [PMID: 30341105 PMCID: PMC6310882 DOI: 10.1242/bio.031872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte in vitro maturation does not entirely support all the nuclear and cytoplasmic changes that occur physiologically, and it is poorly understood whether in vitro maturation affects the competence of cortical granules to secrete their content during cortical reaction. Here, we characterize cortical granule exocytosis (CGE) in live mouse oocytes activated by strontium chloride using the fluorescent lectin FITC-LCA. We compared the kinetic of CGE between ovulated (in vivo matured, IVO) and in vitro matured (IVM) mouse oocytes. Results show that: (1) IVM oocytes have a severely reduced response to strontium chloride; (2) the low response was confirmed by quantification of remnant cortical granules in permeabilized cells and by a novel method to quantify the exudate in non-permeabilized cells; (3) the kinetic of CGE in IVO oocytes was rapid and synchronous; (4) the kinetic of CGE in IVM oocytes was delayed and asynchronous; (5) cortical granules in IVM oocytes show an irregular limit in regards to the cortical granule free domain. We propose the analysis of CGE in live oocytes as a biological test to evaluate the competence of IVM mouse oocytes.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea I Cappa
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Matilde de Paola
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Paula Wetten
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Gerardo A De Blas
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Área de Farmacología, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Marcela A Michaut
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Molecular, Instituto de Histología y Embriología, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Av. Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Biología, Padre Jorge Contreras 1300, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
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7
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Satouh Y, Ikawa M. New Insights into the Molecular Events of Mammalian Fertilization. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:818-828. [PMID: 30170889 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Currently, infertility affects ∼16% of couples worldwide. The causes are reported to involve both male and female factors, including fertilization failure between mature spermatozoa and eggs. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in each step of mammalian fertilization are yet to be fully elucidated. Although some of these steps can be rescued with assisted reproductive technologies, it is important to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved for the treatment and diagnosis of infertile couples. This review illustrates recent findings in mammalian fertilization, discovered by combining gene modification techniques with other new approaches, and aims to show how these findings will guide future research in mammalian fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhkoh Satouh
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan.
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan; The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 1088639, Japan.
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8
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Sperm-borne phospholipase C zeta-1 ensures monospermic fertilization in mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1315. [PMID: 29358633 PMCID: PMC5778054 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19497-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm entry in mammalian oocytes triggers intracellular Ca2+ oscillations that initiate resumption of the meiotic cell cycle and subsequent activations. Here, we show that phospholipase C zeta 1 (PLCζ1) is the long-sought sperm-borne oocyte activation factor (SOAF). Plcz1 gene knockout (KO) mouse spermatozoa fail to induce Ca2+ changes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In contrast to ICSI, Plcz1 KO spermatozoa induced atypical patterns of Ca2+ changes in normal fertilizations, and most of the fertilized oocytes ceased development at the 1–2-cell stage because of oocyte activation failure or polyspermy. We further discovered that both zona pellucida block to polyspermy (ZPBP) and plasma membrane block to polyspermy (PMBP) were delayed in oocytes fertilized with Plcz1 KO spermatozoa. With the observation that polyspermy is rare in astacin-like metalloendopeptidase (Astl) KO female oocytes that lack ZPBP, we conclude that PMPB plays more critical role than ZPBP in vivo. Finally, we obtained healthy pups from male mice carrying human infertile PLCZ1 mutation by single sperm ICSI supplemented with Plcz1 mRNA injection. These results suggest that mammalian spermatozoa have a primitive oocyte activation mechanism and that PLCζ1 is a SOAF that ensures oocyte activation steps for monospermic fertilization in mammals.
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