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Tholeti P, Koulmane Laxminarayana SL, Lakshmi VR, Bhat VK, Kumar P V, Uppangala S, Kalthur G, Spears N, Adiga SK. Spermatogonial quantity in prepubertal boys undergoing fertility preservation is comparable between haematological and non-haematological cancers. HUM FERTIL 2024; 27:2362980. [PMID: 38842163 DOI: 10.1080/14647273.2024.2362980] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Fertility restoration potential of immature testicular tissue (ITT) depends on the number of spermatogonial cells in the retrieved tissue prior to cryopreservation in oncofertility programme. There are limited data on the association between type of malignancy and testicular germ cell population. Hence, this study is aimed to investigate the spermatogonial and Sertoli cell population in ITT retrieved from 14 pre-pubertal boys who opted for fertility preservation. Histopathological and immunochemical analysis of seminiferous tubules from haematological (N = 7) and non-haematological (N = 7) malignant patients revealed 3.43 ± 2.92 and 1.71 ± 1.81 spermatogonia per tubular cross section (S/T), respectively. The Sertoli cell number was comparable between haematological and non-haematological group (18.42 ± 3.78 and 22.03 ± 10.43). Spermatogonial quantity in ITT did not vary significantly between haematological and non-haematological cancers. This observation, though preliminary, would contribute to the limited literature on paediatric male oncofertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prathima Tholeti
- Centre for Fertility Preservation, Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Vani R Lakshmi
- Department of Data Science, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Vasudeva K Bhat
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Vijay Kumar P
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shubhashree Uppangala
- Division of Reproductive Genetics, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Guruprasad Kalthur
- Division of Reproductive Biology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Norah Spears
- Biomedical Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Satish Kumar Adiga
- Centre for Fertility Preservation, Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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Campbell P, Riazzi A, Spitznagel E, Schulte M, Frias O, Daugherty M, Vanderbrink B, DeFoor W, Minevich E, Reddy P, Streich-Tilles T, Burns K, Strine A. Time to therapy and safety of testicular tissue cryopreservation in children undergoing gonadotoxic treatment or hematopoietic stem cell transplant. J Pediatr Urol 2024; 20:747.e1-747.e7. [PMID: 38782681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2024.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the use of multimodal treatments and hematopoietic stem cell transplant, the majority of children diagnosed with malignancies and hematologic diseases are now surviving into adulthood. Due to the gonadotoxic effects and potential for future infertility associated with many of these treatments, fertility counseling with sperm cryopreservation prior to starting therapy is the standard of care for post-pubertal males. Unfortunately, the options are limited for pre-pubertal patients or those unable to provide a specimen. Testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC) is an investigational method to surgically obtain germ cells from testicular tissue and potentially restore future spermatogenesis. While TTC has been shown to be safe, little is reported on the time to treatment following the procedure to ensure adequate wound healing and avoid delays in definitive therapy. OBJECTIVES The primary outcome was the time to initiation of treatment following TTC. Secondary outcomes were complication rates, delays in treatment due to TTC, and presence of germ cells. METHODS We conducted a single-institution retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing TTC between 2017 and 2023. Patients at significant risk for treatment related infertility based on established criteria were eligible for TTC. Patients were excluded if they received their oncology or hematology care elsewhere. All patients were enrolled in an IRB approved research protocol with 75% of the tissue submitted for cryopreservation and 25% for research purposes. Time to therapy was defined as the first receipt of gonadotoxic treatment following TTC. RESULTS A total of 122 patients (53 = malignant, 69 = non-malignant) underwent TTC with a median age of 5.9 years (IQR 2.3-9.35). Germ cells were identified in 115 (94%) specimens. A total of 109 (89%) patients underwent concomitant procedures. The median time to initiation of therapy was 5 (IQR 1.0-7.0) and 7 days (IQR 6.0-13.0) for malignant and non-malignant disease, respectively. The 30-day surgical complication rate was 2.5% and was similar between malignant vs non-malignant diagnoses (p = 0.58). All surgical complications were managed non-operatively. No patients had a delay in definitive treatment due to concern for wound healing or complications. DISCUSSION Our surgical complication rates are similar to previous studies and are not affected by the time to treatment following TTC. Limitations of the study are its retrospective design, single institution, and short-term follow up. CONCLUSION TTC can be performed safely, efficiently, and in conjunction with other necessary procedures without resulting in delays of definitive treatment. TTC affords the opportunity for fertility preservation in children who have no other options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Campbell
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Abbey Riazzi
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Spitznagel
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Marion Schulte
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Olivia Frias
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Michael Daugherty
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Brian Vanderbrink
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - William DeFoor
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Eugene Minevich
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Pramod Reddy
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Tara Streich-Tilles
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Karen Burns
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Oncology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Andrew Strine
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Urology, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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Ligon JA, Cupit-Link MC, Yu C, Levine J, Foley T, Rotz S, Sharma A, Gomez-Lobo V, Shah NN. Pediatric Cancer Immunotherapy and Potential for Impact on Fertility: A Need for Evidence-Based Guidance. Transplant Cell Ther 2024; 30:737-749. [PMID: 38866240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.06.006] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The use of immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults has become common. As the use of immunotherapy has expanded, including in earlier lines of therapy, it has become evident that several aspects of how these immunotherapies impact longer-term outcomes among survivors are understudied. Traditional cancer therapies like alkylating and platin agents carry the greatest risk of infertility, but little is known about the impact of novel immunotherapies on fertility. This topic is of great interest to patients, patient advocates, and clinicians. In this article, we review immunotherapeutic agents used to treat childhood and young adult cancers and discuss potential mechanisms by which they may impact fertility based on the known interplay between the immune system and reproductive organs. We highlight the relative paucity of high-quality literature examining these late effects. We discuss interventions to optimize fertility preservation (FP) for our patients. Conducting longitudinal, collaborative, and prospective research on the fertility outcomes of pediatric and young adult patients with cancer who receive immunotherapy is critical to learn how to effectively counsel our patients on long-term fertility outcomes and indications for FP procedures. Collection of patient-level data will be necessary to draft evidence-based guidelines on which providers can make therapy recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Ligon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, Florida.
| | | | - Christine Yu
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jennifer Levine
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Division of Oncology, Children's National Hospital, Washington District of Columbia
| | - Toni Foley
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Seth Rotz
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Akshay Sharma
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Veronica Gomez-Lobo
- Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Nirali N Shah
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Mamsen LS, Hildorf S, Ntemou E, Wang D, Cortes D, Fedder J, Thorup J, Andersen CY. Testis tissue cryopreservation may be considered in boys with cryptorchidism. Asian J Androl 2024:00129336-990000000-00212. [PMID: 39075793 DOI: 10.4103/aja202437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study assessed the feasibility of testis tissue cryopreservation (TTC) for fertility preservation in prepubescent boys with cryptorchidism. From January 2014 to December 2022, the University Hospital of Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark) implemented TTC for 56 boys with cryptorchidism to preserve their reproductive potential. Testis tissue samples were collected during orchiopexy (32 cases) or at subsequent follow-up procedures (24 cases), necessitated by an increased risk of infertility as indicated by hormonal assessments and/or findings from initial surgical biopsies. Testis samples were procured for TTC and pathological analysis. The cohort had an average age of 1.3 (range: 0.3-3.8) years at the time of orchiopexy, with 91.1% presenting bilateral cryptorchidism. The study revealed a median germ cell count of 0.39 (range: 0-2.88) per seminiferous tubule, with germ cells detected in 98.0% of the bilateral biopsies and 100% of the unilateral, indicating a substantial potential for fertility in these immature tissues. A dark spermatogonia (Ad) was detected in 37 out of 56 patients evaluated, with a median Ad spermatogonia count of 0.027 (range: 0.002-0.158) per seminiferous tubule. A total of 30.2% of the samples lacked Ad spermatogonia, indicative of potential gonadotrophin insufficiency. The median hormone levels measured were as follows: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) at 0.69 (range: 0.16-2.5) U l-1, luteinizing hormone (LH) at 0.21 (range: 0.05-3.86) U l-1, and inhibin B at 126 (range: 17-300) pg ml-1. Despite early orchiopexy, 20%-25% of boys with cryptorchidism remain at risk for future infertility, substantiating the necessity of TTC as a precaution. The study highlights the need for refined predictive techniques to identify boys at higher risk of future infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn Salto Mamsen
- Department of Gynaecology, Fertility, and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Simone Hildorf
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Elissavet Ntemou
- Department of Gynaecology, Fertility, and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Danyang Wang
- Department of Gynaecology, Fertility, and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Dina Cortes
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre 2650, Denmark
| | - Jens Fedder
- Centre of Andrology and Fertility Clinic, Department D, Odense University Hospital, Odense 5000, Denmark
- Research Unit of Human Reproduction, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense 5000, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Thorup
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
- Fertility Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev 2730, Denmark
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Moniz I, Soares M, Sousa AP, Ramalho-Santos J, Branco A. The Low Survivability of Transplanted Gonadal Grafts: The Impact of Cryopreservation and Transplantation Conditions on Mitochondrial Function. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:542. [PMID: 39056734 PMCID: PMC11274302 DOI: 10.3390/biology13070542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Advances in tissue preservation techniques have allowed reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to flourish in recent years. Because radio- and chemotherapy procedures are often gonadotoxic, irreversible damage can preclude future gamete production and endocrine support. Accordingly, in recent years, the freezing and storage of gonadal tissue fragments prior to the first oncological treatment appointment and autologous transplantation post-recovery have been considered improved solutions for fertility recovery in cancer survivors. Nevertheless, the cryopreservation and transplantation of thawed tissues is still very limited, and positive outcomes are relatively low. This review aims to discuss the limitations of oncofertility protocols with a focus on the impacts of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the loss of antioxidant defense in graft integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Moniz
- Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.)
- CNC—Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria Soares
- Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal; (I.M.)
- CNC—Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Sousa
- CNC—Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, Praceta Prof. Mota Pinto, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
- Eugin Coimbra, Rua Filipe Hodart, 3000-185 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Ramalho-Santos
- CNC—Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Live Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Branco
- CNC—Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
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6
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von Rohden E, Jensen CFS, Andersen CY, Sønksen J, Fedder J, Thorup J, Ohl DA, Fode M, Hoffmann ER, Mamsen LS. Male fertility restoration: in vivo and in vitro stem cell-based strategies using cryopreserved testis tissue: a scoping review. Fertil Steril 2024:S0015-0282(24)00603-4. [PMID: 38992744 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Advances in the treatment of childhood cancer have significantly improved survival rates, with more than 80% of survivors reaching adulthood. However, gonadotoxic cancer treatments endanger future fertility, and prepubertal males have no option to preserve fertility by sperm cryopreservation. In addition, boys with cryptorchidism are at risk of compromised fertility in adulthood. OBJECTIVE To investigate current evidence for male fertility restoration strategies, explore barriers to clinical implementation, and outline potential steps to overcome these barriers, a scoping review was conducted. This knowledge synthesis is particularly relevant for prepubertal male cancer survivors and boys with cryptorchidism. EVIDENCE REVIEW The review was conducted after the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews criteria and previously published guidelines and examined studies using human testis tissue of prepubertal boys or healthy male adults. A literature search in PubMed was conducted, and 72 relevant studies were identified, including in vivo and in vitro approaches. FINDINGS In vivo strategies, such as testis tissue engraftment and spermatogonial stem cell transplantation, hold promise for promoting cell survival and differentiation. Yet, complete spermatogenesis has not been achieved. In vitro approaches focus on the generation of male germ cells from direct germ cell maturation in various culture systems, alongside human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells. These approaches mark significant advancements in understanding and promoting spermatogenesis, but achieving fully functional spermatozoa in vitro remains a challenge. Barriers to clinical implementation include the risk of reintroducing malignant cells and introduction of epigenetic changes. CONCLUSION Male fertility restoration is an area in rapid development. On the basis of the reviewed studies, the most promising and advanced strategy for restoring male fertility using cryopreserved testis tissue is direct testis tissue transplantation. RELEVANCE This review identifies persistent barriers to the clinical implementation of male fertility restoration. However, direct transplantation of frozen-thawed testis tissue remains a promising strategy that is on the verge of clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena von Rohden
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Sønksen
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Fedder
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Centre of Andrology & Fertility Clinic, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Research Unit of Human Reproduction, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Thorup
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Surgical Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dana A Ohl
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Mikkel Fode
- Department of Urology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eva R Hoffmann
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Linn Salto Mamsen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Galdon G, Zarandi NP, Deebel NA, Zhang S, Cornett O, Lyalin D, Pettenati MJ, Lue Y, Wang C, Swerdloff R, Shupe TD, Bishop C, Stogner K, Kogan SJ, Howards S, Atala A, Sadri-Ardekani H. In Vitro Generation of Haploid Germ Cells from Human XY and XXY Immature Testes in a 3D Organoid System. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:677. [PMID: 39061759 PMCID: PMC11274239 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11070677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing survival rates of children following cancer treatment have resulted in a significant population of adult survivors with the common side effect of infertility. Additionally, the availability of genetic testing has identified Klinefelter syndrome (classic 47,XXY) as the cause of future male infertility for a significant number of prepubertal patients. This study explores new spermatogonia stem cell (SSC)-based fertility therapies to meet the needs of these patients. Testicular cells were isolated from cryopreserved human testes tissue stored from XY and XXY prepubertal patients and propagated in a two-dimensional culture. Cells were then incorporated into a 3D human testicular organoid (HTO) system. During a 3-week culture period, HTOs maintained their structure, viability, and metabolic activity. Cell-specific PCR and flow cytometry markers identified undifferentiated spermatogonia, Sertoli, Leydig, and peritubular cells within the HTOs. Testosterone was produced by the HTOs both with and without hCG stimulation. Upregulation of postmeiotic germ cell markers was detected after 23 days in culture. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of chromosomes X, Y, and 18 identified haploid cells in the in vitro differentiated HTOs. Thus, 3D HTOs were successfully generated from isolated immature human testicular cells from both euploid (XY) and Klinefelter (XXY) patients, supporting androgen production and germ cell differentiation in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Galdon
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nima Pourhabibi Zarandi
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Harrisburg, PA 17101, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Deebel
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Sue Zhang
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Olivia Cornett
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Dmitry Lyalin
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Diagnostics Division, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Mark J. Pettenati
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - YanHe Lue
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The Lundquist Institute, Harbor-University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90502, USA
| | - Christina Wang
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The Lundquist Institute, Harbor-University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90502, USA
| | - Ronald Swerdloff
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, The Lundquist Institute, Harbor-University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90502, USA
| | - Thomas D. Shupe
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Colin Bishop
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Kimberly Stogner
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Stanley J. Kogan
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Stuart Howards
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Hooman Sadri-Ardekani
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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8
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Gül M, Russo GI, Kandil H, Boitrelle F, Saleh R, Chung E, Kavoussi P, Mostafa T, Shah R, Agarwal A. Male Infertility: New Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Directions. World J Mens Health 2024; 42:502-517. [PMID: 38164030 PMCID: PMC11216957 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
There have been many significant scientific advances in the diagnostics and treatment modalities in the field of male infertility in recent decades. Examples of these include assisted reproductive technologies, sperm selection techniques for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, surgical procedures for sperm retrieval, and novel tests of sperm function. However, there is certainly a need for new developments in this field. In this review, we discuss advances in the management of male infertility, such as seminal oxidative stress testing, sperm DNA fragmentation testing, genetic and epigenetic tests, genetic manipulations, artificial intelligence, personalized medicine, and telemedicine. The role of the reproductive urologist will continue to expand in future years to address different topzics related to diverse questions and controversies of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of male infertility, training researchers and physicians in medical and scientific research in reproductive urology/andrology, and further development of andrology as an independent specialty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Gül
- Department of Urology, Selcuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Giorgio Ivan Russo
- Urology Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Hussein Kandil
- Fakih IVF Fertility Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
- Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Ramadan Saleh
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
- Ajyal IVF Center, Ajyal Hospital, Sohag, Egypt
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Eric Chung
- Department of Urology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Parviz Kavoussi
- Department of Reproductive Urology, Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, Austin, TX, USA
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Taymour Mostafa
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Rupin Shah
- Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
- Well Women's Centre, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, India
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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9
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Lahtinen AK, Funke M, Krallmann C, Wyrwoll MJ, Jarisch A, Yang Y, Bjarnason R, Romerius P, Sundin M, Norén-Nyström U, Langenskiöld C, Cremers JF, Kliesch S, Stukenborg JB, Neuhaus N, Jahnukainen K. Decreased spermatogonial numbers in boys with severe haematological diseases. Br J Haematol 2024; 205:229-235. [PMID: 38810989 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19572] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
This study examines spermatogonial numbers in testicular samples from 43 prepubertal patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). High-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation during HSCT can impact spermatogenesis requiring fertility preservation. Results show that 49% of patients have decreased and 19% severely depleted spermatogonial pool prior to HSCT. Patients with Fanconi anaemia exhibit significantly reduced spermatogonial numbers. Patients with immunodeficiency or aplastic anaemia generally present within the normal range, while results in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or myeloproliferative neoplasm vary. The study emphasizes the importance of assessing spermatogonial numbers in patients with severe haematological diseases for informed fertility preservation decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atte K Lahtinen
- Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics/Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miriam Funke
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Institute of Reproductive and Regenerative Biology, University Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Claudia Krallmann
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Margot J Wyrwoll
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Andrea Jarisch
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department of Children and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yifan Yang
- NORDFERTIL Research Lab Stockholm, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ragnar Bjarnason
- Children's Medical Center, Landspítali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Patrik Romerius
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Barn-Och Ungdomssjukhuset Lund, Skånes Universitetssjukhus, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mikael Sundin
- Division of Paediatrics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Section of Paediatric Haematology, Immunology and HCT, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Norén-Nyström
- Division of Paediatrics, Department of Clinical Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Langenskiöld
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jann-Frederik Cremers
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Jan-Bernd Stukenborg
- NORDFERTIL Research Lab Stockholm, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nina Neuhaus
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Institute of Reproductive and Regenerative Biology, University Münster, Munster, Germany
| | - Kirsi Jahnukainen
- NORDFERTIL Research Lab Stockholm, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- New Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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10
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Bjornard K, Close A, Burns K, Chavez J, Chow EJ, Meacham LR. Fertility preservation in pediatric solid tumors: A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30960. [PMID: 38532279 PMCID: PMC11104288 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Treatment for childhood solid tumors may lead to an increased risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility. Discussion of risk should occur at diagnosis, any changes in therapy, and during survivorship. Gonadotoxic therapies were abstracted from 32 Children's Oncology Group (COG) phase III, frontline solid tumor protocols, in use from 2000 to 2022. Risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility was assessed based on gonadotoxic therapies, sex, and pubertal status and assigned as minimal, significant, and high following the Oncofertility Consortium Pediatric Initiative Network (PIN) risk stratification. Most protocols (65.6%, 21/32) contained at least one therapeutic arm with a high level of increased risk. Solid tumor therapies present challenges in risk stratification due to response-adjusted therapy and the need to account for radiation field in the risk assessment. This guide hopes to serve as a tool to assist in standardizing gonadotoxic risk assessments across disciplines and improve referral for fertility services and reproductive health counseling for patients receiving COG-based solid tumor therapy. Internationally, many solid tumor therapies follow similar paradigms to COG studies, and risk stratifications may be generalizable to similar styles of therapy. In addition, this model may be applied to other international groups with the goal of standardizing fertility assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Bjornard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Allison Close
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Karen Burns
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Josuah Chavez
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Eric J. Chow
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lillian R. Meacham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Emory University Atlanta, GA USA
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11
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Shah FT, Nicolle S, Garg M, Pancham S, Lieberman G, Anthony K, Mensah AK. Guideline for the management of conception and pregnancy in thalassaemia syndromes: A British Society for Haematology Guideline. Br J Haematol 2024; 204:2194-2209. [PMID: 38715390 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.19362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
This comprehensive guideline, developed by a representative group of UK-based medical experts specialising in haemoglobinopathies, addresses the management of conception and pregnancy in patients with thalassaemia. A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE using specific keywords, formed the basis of the literature review. Key terms included "thalassaemia," "pregnancy," "Cooley's anaemia," "Mediterranean anaemia," and others, covering aspects such as fertility, iron burden and ultrasonography. The guideline underwent rigorous review by prominent organisations, including the Endocrine Society, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the United Kingdom Thalassaemia Society and the British Society of Haematology (BSH) guideline writing group. Additional feedback was solicited from a sounding board of UK haematologists, ensuring a thorough and collaborative approach. The objective of the guideline is to equip healthcare professionals with precise recommendations for managing conception and pregnancy in patients with thalassaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farrukh T Shah
- Department of Haematology, Whittington Health, London, UK
| | - Sarah Nicolle
- Department of Haematology, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK
| | - Mamta Garg
- Department of Haematology, Leicester Royal infirmary, Leicester, UK
| | - Shivan Pancham
- Department of Haematology, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, West Bromwich, UK
| | - Gidon Lieberman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Whittington Health, London, UK
| | - Karen Anthony
- Department of Endocrinology, Whittington Health, London, UK
| | - Amma Kyei Mensah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Whittington Health, London, UK
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12
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Kourta D, Camboni A, Saussoy P, Kanbar M, Poels J, Wyns C. Evaluating testicular tissue for future autotransplantation: focus on cancer cell contamination and presence of spermatogonia in tissue cryobanked for boys diagnosed with a hematological malignancy. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:486-495. [PMID: 38227814 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead271] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the contamination rate by cancer cells and spermatogonia numbers in immature testicular tissue (ITT) harvested before the start of gonadotoxic therapy in boys with a hematological malignancy? SUMMARY ANSWER Among our cohort of boys diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphomas, 39% (n = 11/28) had cancer cells identified in their tissues at the time of diagnosis and all patients appeared to have reduced spermatogonia numbers compared to healthy reference cohorts. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Young boys affected by a hematological cancer are at risk of contamination of their testes by cancer cells but histological examination is unable to detect the presence of only a few cancer cells, which would preclude autotransplantation of cryobanked ITT for fertility restoration, and more sensitive detection techniques are thus required. Reduced numbers of spermatogonia in ITT in hematological cancer patients have been suggested based on results in a limited number of patients. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This retrospective cohort study included 54 pre- and peri-pubertal boys who were diagnosed with a hematological malignancy and who underwent a testicular biopsy for fertility preservation at the time of diagnosis before any gonadotoxic therapy between 2005 and 2021. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Among the 54 patients eligible in our database, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) testicular tissue was available for 28 boys diagnosed either with ALL (n = 14) or lymphoma (n = 14) and was used to evaluate malignant cell contamination. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed for each patient to search for cancer cells in the tissue. Markers specific to each patient's disease were identified at the time of diagnosis on the biopsy of the primary tumor or bone marrow aspiration and an immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on the FFPE ITT for each patient to evidence his disease markers. PCR analyses on the FFPE tissue were also conducted when a specific gene rearrangement was available. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The mean age at diagnosis and ITT biopsy of the 28 boys was 7.5 years (age range: 19 months-16 years old). Examination of ITT of the 28 boys on H&E stained sections did not detect malignant cells. Using IHC, we found contamination by cancerous cells using markers specific to the patient's disease in 10 of 28 boys, with a higher rate in patients diagnosed with ALL (57%, n = 8/14) compared with lymphoma (14%, n = 2/14) (P-value < 0.05). PCR showed contamination in three of 15 patients who had specific rearrangements identified on their bone marrow at the time of diagnosis; one of these patients had negative results from the IHC. Compared to age-related reference values of the number of spermatogonia per ST (seminiferous tubule) (Spg/ST) throughout prepuberty of healthy patients from a simulated control cohort, mean spermatogonial numbers appeared to be decreased in all age groups (0-4 years: 1.49 ± 0.54, 4-7 years: 1.08 ± 0.43, 7-11 years: 1.56 ± 0.65, 11-14 years: 3.37, 14-16 years: 5.44 ± 3.14). However, using a cohort independent method based on the Z-score, a decrease in spermatogonia numbers was not confirmed. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The results obtained from the biopsy fragments that were evaluated for contamination by cancer cells may not be representative of the entire cryostored ITT and tumor foci may still be present outside of the biopsy range. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ITT from boys diagnosed with a hematological malignancy could bear the risk for cancer cell reseeding in case of autotransplantation of the tissue. Such a high level of cancer cell contamination opens the debate of harvesting the tissue after one or two rounds of chemotherapy. However, as the safety of germ cells can be compromised by gonadotoxic treatments, this strategy warrants for the development of adapted fertility restoration protocols. Finally, the impact of the hematological cancer on spermatogonia numbers should be further explored. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The project was funded by a grant from the FNRS-Télévie (grant n°. 7.4533.20) and Fondation Contre le Cancer/Foundation Against Cancer (2020-121) for the research project on fertility restoration with testicular tissue from hemato-oncological boys. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhoha Kourta
- Laboratoire d'andrologie, Pôle de recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alessandra Camboni
- Pathology Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pascale Saussoy
- Department of Clinical Biology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marc Kanbar
- Laboratoire d'andrologie, Pôle de recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Poels
- Laboratoire d'andrologie, Pôle de recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Wyns
- Laboratoire d'andrologie, Pôle de recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
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13
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Tang S, Jones C, Davies J, Lane S, Mitchell RT, Coward K. Determining the optimal time interval between sample acquisition and cryopreservation when processing immature testicular tissue to preserve fertility. Cryobiology 2024; 114:104841. [PMID: 38104854 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2023.104841] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The cryopreservation of immature testicular tissue (ITT) prior to gonadotoxic therapy is crucial for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys with cancer. However, the optimal holding time between tissue collection and cryopreservation has yet to be elucidated. Using the bovine model, we investigated four holding times (1, 6, 24, and 48 h) for ITTs before cryopreservation. Biopsies from two-week-old calves were stored in transport medium and cryopreserved following a standard slow-freezing clinical protocol. Thawed samples were then assessed for viability, morphology, and gene expression by haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Analysis failed to identify any significant changes in cell viability when compared between the different groups. Sertoli (Vimentin+) and proliferating cells (Ki67+) were well-preserved. The expression of genes related to germ cells, spermatogenesis (STRA8, PLZF, GFRα-1, C-KIT, THY1, UCHL-1, NANOG, OCT-4, CREM), and apoptosis (HSP70-2) remained stable over 48 h. However, seminiferous cord detachment increased significantly in the 48-h group (p < 0.05), with associated cord and SSC shrinkage. Collectively, our analyses indicate that bovine ITTs can be stored for up to 48 h prior to cryopreservation with no impact on cell viability and the expression levels of key genes. However, to preserve the morphology of frozen-thawed tissue, the ideal processing time would be within 24 h. Testicular tissues obtained from patients for fertility preservation often need to be transported over long distances to be cryopreserved in specialist centres. Our findings highlight the importance of determining optimal tissue transport times to ensure tissue quality in cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyan Tang
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Celine Jones
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jill Davies
- Oxford Cell and Tissue Biobank, Children's Hospital Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sheila Lane
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Children's Hospital Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Coward
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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14
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Duffin K, Neuhaus N, Andersen CY, Barraud-Lange V, Braye A, Eguizabal C, Feraille A, Ginsberg JP, Gook D, Goossens E, Jahnukainen K, Jayasinghe Y, Keros V, Kliesch S, Lane S, Mulder CL, Orwig KE, van Pelt AMM, Poirot C, Rimmer MP, Rives N, Sadri-Ardekani H, Safrai M, Schlatt S, Stukenborg JB, van de Wetering MD, Wyns C, Mitchell RT. A 20-year overview of fertility preservation in boys: new insights gained through a comprehensive international survey. Hum Reprod Open 2024; 2024:hoae010. [PMID: 38449521 PMCID: PMC10914450 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Twenty years after the inception of the first fertility preservation programme for pre-pubertal boys, what are the current international practices with regard to cryopreservation of immature testicular tissue? SUMMARY ANSWER Worldwide, testicular tissue has been cryopreserved from over 3000 boys under the age of 18 years for a variety of malignant and non-malignant indications; there is variability in practices related to eligibility, clinical assessment, storage, and funding. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY For male patients receiving gonadotoxic treatment prior to puberty, testicular tissue cryopreservation may provide a method of fertility preservation. While this technique remains experimental, an increasing number of centres worldwide are cryopreserving immature testicular tissue and are approaching clinical application of methods to use this stored tissue to restore fertility. As such, standards for quality assurance and clinical care in preserving immature testicular tissue should be established. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION A detailed survey was sent to 17 centres within the recently established ORCHID-NET consortium, which offer testicular tissue cryopreservation to patients under the age of 18 years. The study encompassed 60 questions and remained open from 1 July to 1 November 2022. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS Of the 17 invited centres, 16 completed the survey, with representation from Europe, Australia, and the USA. Collectively, these centres have cryopreserved testicular tissue from patients under the age of 18 years. Data are presented using descriptive analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Since the establishment of the first formal fertility preservation programme for pre-pubertal males in 2002, these 16 centres have cryopreserved tissue from 3118 patients under the age of 18 years, with both malignant (60.4%) and non-malignant (39.6%) diagnoses. All centres perform unilateral biopsies, while 6/16 sometimes perform bilateral biopsies. When cryopreserving tissue, 9/16 centres preserve fragments sized ≤5 mm3 with the remainder preserving fragments sized 6-20 mm3. Dimethylsulphoxide is commonly used as a cryoprotectant, with medium supplements varying across centres. There are variations in funding source, storage duration, and follow-up practice. Research, with consent, is conducted on stored tissue in 13/16 centres. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION While this is a multi-national study, it will not encompass every centre worldwide that is cryopreserving testicular tissue from males under 18 years of age. As such, it is likely that the actual number of patients is even higher than we report. Whilst the study is likely to reflect global practice overall, it will not provide a complete picture of practices in every centre. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Given the research advances, it is reasonable to suggest that cryopreserved immature testicular tissue will in the future be used clinically to restore fertility. The growing number of patients undergoing this procedure necessitates collaboration between centres to better harmonize clinical and research protocols evaluating tissue function and clinical outcomes in these patients. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS K.D. is supported by a CRUK grant (C157/A25193). R.T.M. is supported by an UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/S017151/1). The MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh is supported by MRC (MR/N022556/1). C.L.M. is funded by Kika86 and ZonMW TAS 116003002. A.M.M.v.P. is supported by ZonMW TAS 116003002. E.G. was supported by the Research Program of the Research Foundation-Flanders (G.0109.18N), Kom op tegen Kanker, the Strategic Research Program (VUB_SRP89), and the Scientific Fund Willy Gepts. J.-B.S. is supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation (TJ2020-0026). The work of NORDFERTIL is supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation (PR2019-0123; PR2022-0115), the Swedish Research Council (2018-03094; 2021-02107), and the Birgitta and Carl-Axel Rydbeck's Research Grant for Paediatric Research (2020-00348; 2021-00073; 2022-00317; 2023-00353). C.E is supported by the Health Department of the Basque Government (Grants 2019111068 and 2022111067) and Inocente Inocente Foundation (FII22/001). M.P.R. is funded by a Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health Grant No: MR/N022556/1. A.F. and N.R. received support from a French national research grant PHRC No. 2008/071/HP obtained by the French Institute of Cancer and the French Healthcare Organization. K.E.O. is funded by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the US National Institutes of Health HD100197. V.B-L is supported by the French National Institute of Cancer (Grant Seq21-026). Y.J. is supported by the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation and a Medical Research Future Fund MRFAR000308. E.G., N.N., S.S., C.L.M., A.M.M.v.P., C.E., R.T.M., K.D., M.P.R. are members of COST Action CA20119 (ANDRONET) supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The Danish Child Cancer Foundation is also thanked for financial support (C.Y.A.). The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Duffin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nina Neuhaus
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen & Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Virginie Barraud-Lange
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP Centre—University of Paris Cité, Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
- AYA Unit, Fertility Preservation Consultation, Haematology Department, AP-HP Nord, University of Paris Cité, Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Aude Braye
- Department of Genetics, Reproduction and Development (GRAD), Biology of the Testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cristina Eguizabal
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Basque Center for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Bizkaia, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Aurélie Feraille
- NorDIC, Team “Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology”, Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Rouen University Hospital, Université de Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Jill P Ginsberg
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Debra Gook
- Reproductive Services/Melbourne IVF, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ellen Goossens
- Department of Genetics, Reproduction and Development (GRAD), Biology of the Testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kirsi Jahnukainen
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, NORDFERTIL Research Lab Stockholm, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
- Division of Haematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, New Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yasmin Jayasinghe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Oncofertility Program, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Victoria Keros
- Division of Gynecology and Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Urology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology—CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sheila Lane
- Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Children’s Hospital Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Callista L Mulder
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kyle E Orwig
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ans M M van Pelt
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Catherine Poirot
- Fertility Preservation Consultation, Haematology Department, AYA Unit, Saint Louis Hospital, AP-HP Médecine Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Michael P Rimmer
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nathalie Rives
- NorDIC, Team “Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology”, Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Rouen University Hospital, Université de Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Hooman Sadri-Ardekani
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Myriam Safrai
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center (Tel Hashomer), Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Stefan Schlatt
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jan-Bernd Stukenborg
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, NORDFERTIL Research Lab Stockholm, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | | | - Christine Wyns
- Department of Gynecology and Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute of Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, UK
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15
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Barraud-Lange V, Boissel N, Gille AS, Jean C, Sitbon L, Schubert B, Yakouben K, Fahd M, Peycelon M, Paye-Jaouen A, Chalas C, Vanhaesebrouck A, Doz F, Surun A, Lemelle L, Sarnacki S, Neven B, Philippe-Chomette P, Dufour C, Rigaud C, Leverger G, Tabone MD, Irtan S, Pondarée C, Lezeau H, Lenaour G, Sibony M, Comperat E, Brocheriou I, Wolf JP, Dalle JH, Poirot C. A 10-year experience in testicular tissue cryopreservation for boys under 18 years of age: What can be learned from 350 cases? Andrology 2024; 12:385-395. [PMID: 37418281 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing number of centers worldwide are preserving testicular tissue (TT) of young boys at risk of fertility loss to preserve their fertility. Data in this regard are scarce and experience sharing is essential to the optimization of the process. OBJECTIVES This report of our 10-year activity of pediatric fertility preservation (FP) has the objective to (1) improve knowledge regarding the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and potential usefulness of the procedure; (2) analyze the impact of chemotherapy on spermatogonia in the cryopreserved TT. MATERIALS AND METHODS For this retrospective study of data prospectively recorded, we included all boys under 18 years of age referred to the FP consultation of our academic network between October 2009 and December 2019. Characteristics of patients and cryopreservation of testicular tissue (CTT) were extracted from the clinical database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess factors associated with the risk of absence of spermatogonia in the TT. RESULTS Three hundred and sixty-nine patients (7.2 years; 0.5-17.0) were referred to the FP consultation for malignant (70%) or non-malignant (30%) disease, of whom 88% were candidates for CTT, after a previous chemotherapy exposure (78%). The rate of recorded immediate adverse events was 3.5%, with painful episodes dominating. Spermatogonia were detected in the majority of TTs: 91.1% of those exposed to chemotherapy and 92.3% of those not exposed (p = 0.962). In multivariate analysis, the risk of absence of spermatogonia was almost three-fold higher in boys > 10 years of age ([OR] 2.74, 95% CI 1.09-7.26, p = 0.035) and four-fold higher in boys exposed to alkylating agents prior to CTT ([OR] 4.09, 95% CI 1.32-17.94, p = 0.028). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION This large series of pediatric FP shows that this procedure is well accepted, feasible, and safe in the short term, strengthening its place in the clinical care pathway of young patients requiring a highly gonadotoxic treatment. Our results demonstrate that CTT post-chemotherapy does not impair the chance to preserve spermatogonia in the TT except when the treatment includes alkylating agents. More data on post-CTT follow-up are still required to ensure the long-term safety and usefulness of the procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Barraud-Lange
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Boissel
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Hematology, Adolescents and Young Adults Unit, AP-HP. North-Université Paris Cité. Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Gille
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Camille Jean
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Leslie Sitbon
- Biomega-Bioclinic, Department Intercommunal Hospital of Créteil, Assisted Reproductive Biology, Créteil, France
| | - Benoit Schubert
- Eurofins Biomnis Laboratory, Institut Rhonalpin IVF Center, Clinique du Val d'Ouest, Ecully, France
| | - Karima Yakouben
- Department of Pediatric Immunology and Hematology, APHP. North-Université Paris Cité. Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Mony Fahd
- Department of Pediatric Immunology and Hematology, APHP. North-Université Paris Cité. Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Peycelon
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Centre de Référence des Malformations Rares des Voies Urinaires (MARVU), Inserm UMR 1141 NeuroDev, APHP. North-Université Paris Cité. Robert-Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Annabel Paye-Jaouen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Centre de Référence des Malformations Rares des Voies Urinaires (MARVU), Inserm UMR 1141 NeuroDev, APHP. North-Université Paris Cité. Robert-Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Céline Chalas
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Alexis Vanhaesebrouck
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Social issues (IRIS), UMR 8156-997, Sorbonne Paris North University, Aubervilliers, France
- Department of Legal and Social Medicine, AP-HP, Jean-Verdier Hospital, Bondy, France
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Sorbonne University, INSERM, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, Paris, France
| | - François Doz
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Curie Institute, SIREDO Center (Care, Innovation, Research in Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, Paris, France
| | - Aurore Surun
- Curie Institute, SIREDO Center (Care, Innovation, Research in Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, Paris, France
| | - Lauriane Lemelle
- Curie Institute, SIREDO Center (Care, Innovation, Research in Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, Paris, France
| | - Sabine Sarnacki
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Visceral and Urological Pediatric Surgery, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cité. Necker Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Neven
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Immuno-Hematology and Pediatric Rheumatology, APHP. Center-Université Paris Cité. Necker-Enfant Malades Hospital, Paris, France
| | | | - Christelle Dufour
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France
| | - Charlotte Rigaud
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France
| | - Guy Leverger
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Department of Pediatric Onco-Hematology, AP-HP. Sorbonne University. Armand Trousseau Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Dominique Tabone
- Department of Pediatric Onco-Hematology, AP-HP. Sorbonne University. Armand Trousseau Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sabine Irtan
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, AP-HP. Sorbonne University. Armand Trousseau Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Corinne Pondarée
- Pediatric Department Sickle Cell Referral Center, Intercommunal Hospital of Créteil, Créteil, France
- University Paris XII, INSERM U 955, Créteil, France
| | - Harry Lezeau
- Department of Visceral, Urological and Traumatological Surgery, Intercommunal Hospital of Créteil, Créteil, France
| | | | - Mathilde Sibony
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Pathology, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cité. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Eva Comperat
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Department of Pathology, AP-HP. Sorbonne University. Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Brocheriou
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Department of Pathology, AP-HP. Sorbonne University. Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Jean Philippe Wolf
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Hugue Dalle
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Department of Pediatric Immunology and Hematology, APHP. North-Université Paris Cité. Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Poirot
- Department of Reproductive Biology CECOS, AP-HP. Center-Université Paris Cite. Cochin Hospital, Paris, France
- Department of Hematology, Adolescents and Young Adults Unit, AP-HP. North-Université Paris Cité. Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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De Windt S, Kourta D, Kanbar M, Wyns C. Optimized Recovery of Immature Germ Cells after Prepubertal Testicular Tissue Digestion and Multi-Step Differential Plating: A Step towards Fertility Restoration with Cancer-Cell-Contaminated Tissue. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:521. [PMID: 38203691 PMCID: PMC10779385 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010521] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Undifferentiated germ cells, including the spermatogonial stem cell subpopulation required for fertility restoration using human immature testicular tissue (ITT), are difficult to recover as they do not easily adhere to plastics. Due to the scarcity of human ITT for research, we used neonatal porcine ITT. Strategies for maximizing germ cell recovery, including a comparison of two enzymatic digestion protocols (P1 and P2) of ITT fragment sizes (4 mm3 and 8 mm3) and multi-step differential plating were explored. Cellular viability and yield, as well as numbers and proportions of DDX4+ germ cells, were assessed before incubating the cell suspensions overnight on uncoated plastics. Adherent cells were processed for immunocytochemistry (ICC) and floating cells were further incubated for three days on Poly-D-Lysine-coated plastics. Germ cell yield and cell types using ICC for SOX9, DDX4, ACTA2 and CYP19A1 were assessed at each step of the multi-step differential plating. Directly after digestion, cell suspensions contained >92% viable cells and 4.51% DDX4+ germ cells. Pooled results for fragment sizes revealed that the majority of DDX4+ cells adhere to uncoated plastics (P1; 82.36% vs. P2; 58.24%). Further incubation on Poly-D-Lysine-coated plastics increased germ cell recovery (4.80 ± 11.32 vs. 1.90 ± 2.07 DDX4+ germ cells/mm2, respectively for P1 and P2). The total proportion of DDX4+ germ cells after the complete multi-step differential plating was 3.12%. These results highlight a reduced proportion and number of germ cells lost when compared to data reported with other methods, suggesting that multi-step differential plating should be considered for optimization of immature germ cell recovery. While Poly-D-Lysine-coating increased the proportions of recovered germ cells by 16.18% (P1) and 28.98% (P2), future studies should now focus on less cell stress-inducing enzymatic digestion protocols to maximize the chances of fertility restoration with low amounts of cryo-banked human ITT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven De Windt
- Laboratoire d’andrologie, Pôle de Recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (S.D.W.); (D.K.); (M.K.)
| | - Dhoha Kourta
- Laboratoire d’andrologie, Pôle de Recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (S.D.W.); (D.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marc Kanbar
- Laboratoire d’andrologie, Pôle de Recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (S.D.W.); (D.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Wyns
- Laboratoire d’andrologie, Pôle de Recherche en Physiologie de la Reproduction, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (S.D.W.); (D.K.); (M.K.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
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Albamonte MI, Vitullo AD. Preservation of fertility in female and male prepubertal patients diagnosed with cancer. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:2755-2767. [PMID: 37770817 PMCID: PMC10656407 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02945-2] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the importance of fertility preservation has grown not only in the realm of medical and clinical patient care, but also in the field of basic and applied research in human reproduction. With advancements in cancer treatments resulting in higher rates of patient survival, it is crucial to consider the quality of life post-cure. Therefore, fertility preservation must be taken into account prior to antitumor treatments, as it can significantly impact a patient's future fertility. For postpubertal patients, gamete cryopreservation is the most commonly employed preservation strategy. However, for prepubertal patients, the situation is more intricate. Presently, ovarian tissue cryopreservation is the standard practice for prepubertal girls, but further scientific evidence is required in several aspects. Testicular tissue cryopreservation, on the other hand, is still experimental for prepubertal boys. The primary aim of this review is to address the strategies available for possible fertility preservation in prepubertal girls and boys, such as ovarian cryopreservation/transplantation, in vitro follicle culture and meiotic maturation, artificial ovary, transplantation of cryopreserved spermatogonia, and cryopreservation/grafting of immature testicular tissue and testicular organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Itatí Albamonte
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 775, C1405BCK, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alfredo D Vitullo
- Centro de Estudios Biomédicos Básicos, Aplicados y Desarrollo (CEBBAD), Universidad Maimónides, Hidalgo 775, C1405BCK, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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18
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Feraille A, Liard A, Rives N, Bubenheim M, Barbotin AL, Giscard d'Estaing S, Mirallié S, Ancelle A, Roux C, Brugnon F, Daudin M, Schneider P, Dumont L, Rondanino C. Impact of low- or moderate-risk gonadotoxic chemotherapy prior to testicular tissue freezing on spermatogonia quantity in human (pre)pubertal testicular tissue. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:2105-2118. [PMID: 37674325 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead161] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the impact of low- or moderate-risk gonadotoxic chemotherapy received prior to testicular tissue freezing (TTF), and of the cancer itself, on spermatogonia quantity in testicular tissue from (pre)pubertal boys? SUMMARY ANSWER Vincristine, when associated with alkylating agents, has an additional adverse effect on spermatogonia quantity, while carboplatin has no individual contribution to spermatogonia quantity, in testicular tissue of (pre)pubertal boys, when compared to patients who have received non-alkylating chemotherapy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The improved survival rates after cancer treatment necessitate the inclusion of fertility preservation procedures as part of the comprehensive care for patients, taking into consideration their age. Sperm cryopreservation is an established procedure in post-pubertal males while the TTF proposed for (pre)pubertal boys remains experimental. Several studies exploring testicular tissue of (pre)pubertal boys after TTF have examined the tubular fertility index (TFI, percentage of seminiferous tubule cross-sections containing spermatogonia) and the number of spermatogonia per seminiferous tubule cross-section (S/T). All studies have demonstrated that TFI and S/T always decrease after the introduction of chemotherapeutic agents, especially those which carry high gonadotoxic risks such as alkylating agents. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Testicular tissue samples from 79 (pre)pubertal boys diagnosed with cancer (from 6 months to 16 years of age) were cryopreserved between May 2009 and June 2014. Their medical diagnoses and previous chemotherapy exposures were recorded. We examined histological sections of (pre)pubertal testicular tissue to elucidate whether the chemotherapy or the primary diagnosis affects mainly TFI and S/T. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS (Pre)pubertal boys with cancer diagnosis who had been offered TTF prior to conditioning treatment for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were included in the study. All the patients had previously received chemotherapy with low- or moderate-risk for future fertility. We have selected patients for whom the information on the chemotherapy received was complete. The quantity of spermatogonia and quality of testicular tissue were assessed by both morphological and immunohistochemical analyses. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A significant reduction in the number of spermatogonia was observed in boys treated with alkylating agents. The mean S/T values in boys exposed to alkylating agents were significantly lower compared to boys exposed to non-alkylating agents (P = 0.018). In contrast, no difference was observed for patients treated with carboplatin as the sole administered alkylating agent compared to the group of patients exposed to non-alkylating agents. We observed an increase of S/T with age in the group of patients who did not receive any alkylating agent and a decrease of S/T with age when patients received alkylating agents included in the cyclophosphamide equivalent dose (CED) formula (r = 0.6166, P = 0.0434; r = -0.3759, P = 0.0036, respectively). The TFI and S/T decreased further in the group of patients who received vincristine in combination with alkylating agents (decrease of 22.4%, P = 0.0049 and P < 0.0001, respectively), but in this group the CED was also increased significantly (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis, after CED adjustment, showed the persistence of a decrease in TFI correlated with vincristine administration (P = 0.02). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This is a descriptive study of testicular tissues obtained from (pre)pubertal boys who were at risk of infertility. The study population is quite heterogeneous, with a small number of patients in each sub-group. Our results are based on comparisons between patients receiving alkylating agents compared to patients receiving non-alkylating agents rather than chemotherapy-naive patients. The French national guidelines for fertility preservation in cancer patients recommend TTF before highly gonadotoxic treatment. Therefore, all the patients had received low- or moderate-risk gonadotoxic chemotherapy before TTF. Access to testicular tissue samples from chemotherapy-naive patients with comparable histological types of cancer was not possible. The functionality of spermatogonia and somatic cells could not be tested by transplantation or in vitro maturation due to limited sample sizes. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study summarizes the spermatogonial quantity of (pre)pubertal boys prior to TTF. We confirmed a negative correlation between the cumulative exposure to alkylating agents and spermatogonial quantity. In addition, the synergistic use of vincristine in combination with alkylating agents showed a cumulative deleterious effect on the TFI. For patients for whom fertility preservation is indicated, TTF should be proposed for chemotherapy with a predicted CED above 4000 mg/m2. However, the data obtained from vincristine and carboplatin use should be confirmed in a subsequent study including more patients. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study had financial support from a French national research grant PHRC No. 2008/071/HP obtained by the French Institute of Cancer and the French Healthcare Organization. The sponsors played no role in the study. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Feraille
- Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Univ Rouen Normandie, Inserm U1239, NorDIC, Team "Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology", Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Agnès Liard
- Department of Child Surgery, Univ Rouen Normandie, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Nathalie Rives
- Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Univ Rouen Normandie, Inserm U1239, NorDIC, Team "Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology", Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | | | - Anne-Laure Barbotin
- Institut de Biologie de la Reproduction-Spermiologie-CECOS de Lille, CHU de Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Sophie Mirallié
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS de Nantes, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Amélie Ancelle
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS de Caen, CHU de Caen, Caen, France
| | - Christophe Roux
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS de Besançon, CHU de Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Florence Brugnon
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction-CECOS d'Auvergne, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Myriam Daudin
- CECOS Midi-Pyrénées, University Hospital of Toulouse, Hôpital Paule de Viguier, Toulouse, France
| | - Pascale Schneider
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Univ Rouen Normandie, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Ludovic Dumont
- Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Univ Rouen Normandie, Inserm U1239, NorDIC, Team "Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology", Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
| | - Christine Rondanino
- Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Univ Rouen Normandie, Inserm U1239, NorDIC, Team "Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology", Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France
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19
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Gomes FDR, Ñaupas LVS, Palomino GJQ, Celiz RHY, Sá NAR, Novaes MAS, Ferreira ACA, Brito DCC, Freitas VJF, Costa BN, Lucci CM, Fernandes CCL, Rondina D, Figueiredo JR, Tetaping GM, Rodrigues APR. Definition of protocols for cryopreservation and three-dimensional in vitro culture of prepubertal goat testicular tissue after histomorphological, ultrastructural, and functional analysis. Theriogenology 2023; 211:151-160. [PMID: 37639997 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.08.015] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to define the best method (slow freezing or vitrification) and fragment size (1, 5, or 9 mm³) for prepubertal goat testis cryopreservation, as well as to evaluate testicular morphological integrity after cryopreservation and in vitro culture (IVC). Initially (experiment I), 1, 5, or 9 mm³ testis fragments were cryopreserved by slow freezing using a Mr. Frosty container with 20% Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or vitrified using the Ovarian Tissue Cryosystem (OTC) device, (Equilibration solution - ES: 10% DMSO and 10% ethylene glycol - EG; Vitrification solution - VS: 20% DMSO and 20% EG) and then subjected to morphological analysis, type I and III collagen quantification and gene expression (Oct4, C-kit, Bax, and Bcl-2). Subsequently, (experiment II), fresh or cryopreserved by slow freezing testis fragments were cultured in vitro and submitted to morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy. The data from the experiment I revealed fewer morphological alterations in 1 and 5 mm³ fragments after vitrification and slow freezing, respectively. The percentage of type I collagen fibers in 5 and 9 mm³ frozen was higher than in fresh or vitrified fragments. For type III collagen, fresh or frozen fragments of 1 and 5 mm3 showed a higher percentage than fragments of 9 mm3. Gene expression for Oct4 and C-kit after slow freezing or vitrification in the 5 mm3 fragments was lower than that observed in the fresh fragments. The Bax:Bcl-2 ratio in the 1 and 9 mm³ fragments was lower than in the 5 mm³ fragments for fresh fragments or after freezing. In experiment II, fragments cultured in vitro, previously frozen or not, showed more morphological alterations than fresh or frozen fragments. We concluded that slow freezing of 5 mm³ fragments was the best protocol for cryopreserving prepubertal goat testis and although the results of IVC are encouraging, it still needs improvement to restore testicular function after cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- F D R Gomes
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - L V S Ñaupas
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - G J Q Palomino
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - R H Y Celiz
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - N A R Sá
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - M A S Novaes
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - A C A Ferreira
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - D C C Brito
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - V J F Freitas
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction (LFCR), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - B N Costa
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro University Campus, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - C M Lucci
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro University Campus, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - C C L Fernandes
- College of Health Sciences, University of Fortaleza, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - D Rondina
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Production of Ruminants (LANUPRUMI), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - J R Figueiredo
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - G M Tetaping
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - A P R Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Ovarian Pre-Antral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
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Mo P, Zhao Z, Ke X, Fan Y, Li C. Effects of clinical medications on male fertility and prospects for stem cell therapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1258574. [PMID: 37791073 PMCID: PMC10543686 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1258574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of men require long-term drug therapy for various diseases. However, the effects of long-term drug therapy on male fertility are often not well evaluated in clinical practice. Meanwhile, the development of stem cell therapy and exosomes treatment methods may provide a new sight on treating male infertility. This article reviews the influence and mechanism of small molecule medications on male fertility, as well as progress of stem cell and exosomes therapy for male infertility with the purpose on providing suggestions (recommendations) for evaluating the effect of drugs on male fertility (both positive and negative effect on male fertility) in clinical application and providing strategies for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yong Fan
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaohui Li
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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21
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Mincheva M, Fraire-Zamora JJ, Liperis G, Ammar OF, Duffin K, Kanbar M, Mitchell RT, Moura-Ramos M, Massarotti C. Going back to the start: do cancer and haematological disorders affect germ cells in prepubertal boys? Hum Reprod 2023; 38:1856-1860. [PMID: 37328443 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - George Liperis
- Westmead Fertility Centre, Institute of Reproductive Medicine, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Omar F Ammar
- Biomaterials Cluster, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Marc Kanbar
- Andrology Lab, Pôle de recherche en Physiopathologie de la Reproduction (REPR), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mariana Moura-Ramos
- Clinical Psychology Unit, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Claudia Massarotti
- Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, DINOGMI Department, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Physiopathology of Human Reproduction Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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22
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Burns K, Phillips C, Brannigan R, Franklin A, Howell J, Schmidt D, Sopfe J, Appiah LC, Anazodo A. Male pediatric, adolescent, and young adult reproductive survivorship. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2023; 70 Suppl 5:e28823. [PMID: 37381156 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
As pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer survival rates increase, emphasis is placed on reducing late effects, including reproductive complications and potential impact to fertility. Male survivors are at risk of abnormalities in sperm, hormone deficiencies, and sexual dysfunction. This can impact one's progression into puberty and ability to have a biological child and impacts quality of life following treatment. Access to reproductive care is important and requires patient assessment and appropriate referral to reproductive specialists. This review addresses reproductive complications associated with therapy, standard-of-care testing, and therapeutic interventions. The psychologic impact on psychosexual functioning is also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Burns
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Division of Oncology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Christine Phillips
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Division of Oncology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Robert Brannigan
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Anna Franklin
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jonathan Howell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Deb Schmidt
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Jenna Sopfe
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Leslie Coker Appiah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
- Department of Surgery, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver, Colorado
| | - Antoinette Anazodo
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
- Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Women's and Children's, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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23
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Nikmahzar A, Khadivi F, Koruji M, Jahanshahi M, Dehghan Tarazjani M, Shabani M, Abbasi Y, Abbasi M. Evaluation of Apoptosis-related Genes and Hormone Secretion Profiles Using Three Dimensional Culture System of Human Testicular Organoids. Galen Med J 2023; 12:1-13. [PMID: 38774852 PMCID: PMC11108674 DOI: 10.31661/gmj.v12i0.2805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In reproductive biology, testicular organoids can be used to treat infertility and to study testicular development and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) differentiation. Generating organoid from primary cells is challenging. In this study, testicular organoids were created using human primary testicular cells and evaluated the apoptotic gene expression and hormone secretion profiles of the organoids. MATERIALS AND METHODS Primary human testicular cells were isolated using 2-step enzymatic digestion from three brain-dead donors. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analyses were performed to confirm human SSCs. Isolated cells were cultured in three experimental groups: control group (2 dimensional (2D)), group 1 (organoid culture after 2D culture), and group 2 (organoid culture immediately after enzymatic digestion). Testicular organoids were cultured in DMEM/F-12 media supplemented with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) for four weeks. After 24 hours and four weeks of culture, reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to investigate the relative expression of apoptotic genes (caspase 3, 9, Bax, and Bcl-2). At 24 hours, two weeks, and four weeks after culture, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to determine the testosterone and inhibin B concentrations. Light microscopy and toluidine blue staining were also used for morphological analysis. RESULTS RT-qPCR results revealed that pro-apoptotic (caspase 3, 9, Bax) gene expression levels were highest in group 2 after 24 h and four weeks of culture. In contrast, the expression level of Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic) was lower in group 2 compared to other groups. The hormone secretion levels decreased in a time-dependent manner during the cultivation. According to morphological evaluations, testicular organoids are compact, spherical structures with two to three elongated cells organized along their border. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed that the testicular organoid culture system maintained hormonal secretory abilities, demonstrating the function of Sertoli and Leydig cells in the absence of testis-specific environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aghbibi Nikmahzar
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
| | - Farnaz Khadivi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical
Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Morteza Koruji
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Jahanshahi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan
University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Dehghan Tarazjani
- Vali-E-Asr Reproductive Research Center, Family Research Institute, Tehran
University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Shabani
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasaman Abbasi
- Program in Neuroscience, Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Department of
Neural and Pain Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore,
MD, United States
| | - Mehdi Abbasi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
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24
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Close A, Burns K, Bjornard K, Webb M, Chavez J, Chow EJ, Meacham L. Fertility preservation in pediatric leukemia and lymphoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2023; 70:e30407. [PMID: 37194406 PMCID: PMC10525075 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Certain chemotherapy agents, radiation, and surgery can all negatively impact future fertility. Consults regarding treatment-related risk for infertility and gonadal late effects of these agents should occur at the time of diagnosis as well as during survivorship. Counseling on fertility risk has traditionally varied significantly across providers and institutions. We aim to provide a guide to standardize the assignment of gonadotoxic risk, which can be used in counseling patients both at the time of diagnosis and in survivorship. Gonadotoxic therapies were abstracted from 26 frontline Children's Oncology Group (COG) phase III protocols for leukemia/lymphoma, in use from 2000-2022. A stratification system based on gonadotoxic therapies, sex, and pubertal status was used to assign treatments into minimal, significant, and high level of increased risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility. Risk levels were assigned to protocols and different treatment arms to aid oncologists and survivor care providers in counseling patients regarding treatment-related gonadotoxicity. Males were most commonly at high risk, with at least one high-risk arm in 14/26 protocols (54%), followed by pubertal females (23% of protocols) and prepubertal females (15% of protocols). All patients who received direct gonadal radiation or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) were considered at high risk. Partnering with patients and their oncology/survivorship team is imperative for effective fertility counseling both prior to and post treatment, and this comprehensive guide can be used as a tool to standardize and improve reproductive health counseling in patients undergoing COG-based leukemia/lymphoma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Close
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Karen Burns
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kari Bjornard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Martine Webb
- University of California, Los Angeles, Division of Internal Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Josuah Chavez
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Eric J. Chow
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lillian Meacham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Emory University Atlanta, GA USA
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25
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Delgouffe E, Braye A, Vloeberghs V, Mateizel I, Ernst C, Ferster A, Devalck C, Tournaye H, Gies I, Goossens E. Spermatogenesis after gonadotoxic childhood treatment: follow-up of 12 patients. Hum Reprod Open 2023; 2023:hoad029. [PMID: 37547664 PMCID: PMC10403430 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the long-term impact of presumed gonadotoxic treatment during childhood on the patient's testicular function at adulthood? SUMMARY ANSWER Although most patients showed low testicular volumes and some degree of reproductive hormone disruption 12.3 (2.3-21.0) years after gonadotoxic childhood therapy, active spermatogenesis was demonstrated in the semen sample of 8 out of the 12 patients. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In recent decades, experimental testicular tissue banking programmes have been set up to safeguard the future fertility of young boys requiring chemo- and/or radiotherapy with significant gonadotoxicity. Although the risk of azoospermia following such therapies is estimated to be high, only limited long-term data are available on the reproductive potential at adulthood. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION This single-centre prospective cohort study was conducted between September 2020 and February 2023 and involved 12 adult patients. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS This study was carried out in a tertiary care centre and included 12 young adults (18.1-28.3 years old) who had been offered testicular tissue banking prior to gonadotoxic treatment during childhood. All patients had a consultation and physical examination with a fertility specialist, a scrotal ultrasound to measure the testicular volumes and evaluate the testicular parenchyma, a blood test for assessment of reproductive hormones, and a semen analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Testicular tissue was banked prior to the gonadotoxic treatment for 10 out of the 12 included patients. Testicular volumes were low for 9 patients, and 10 patients showed some degree of reproductive hormone disruption. Remarkably, ongoing spermatogenesis was demonstrated in 8 patients at a median 12.3 (range 2.3-21.0) years post-treatment. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION This study had a limited sample size, making additional research with a larger study population necessary to verify these preliminary findings. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS These findings highlight the need for multicentric research with a larger study population to establish universal inclusion criteria for immature testicular tissue banking. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This study was conducted with financial support from the Research Programme of the Research Foundation-Flanders (G010918N), Kom Op Tegen Kanker, and Scientific Fund Willy Gepts (WFWG19-03). The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04202094; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04202094?id=NCT04202094&draw=2&rank=1 This study was registered on 6 December 2019, and the first patient was enrolled on 8 September 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Delgouffe
- Correspondence address. Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine (RGRG), Biology of the Testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: +32-(0)2-477-46-44; E-mail: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5611-2173
| | - A Braye
- Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine (RGRG), Biology of the Testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - V Vloeberghs
- Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - I Mateizel
- Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Ernst
- Division of Paediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Ferster
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Devalck
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - H Tournaye
- Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Perinatology and Reproduction, Institute of Professional Education, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - I Gies
- Division of Paediatric Endocrinology, Department of Paediatrics, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - E Goossens
- Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine (RGRG), Biology of the Testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
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26
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Khaleel B, Lunenfeld E, Kapelushnik J, Huleihel M. Effect of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor on the Development of Spermatogenesis in the Adulthood of Juvenile AML Mice Model Treated with Cytarabine. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12229. [PMID: 37569605 PMCID: PMC10419160 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512229] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) generally occurs de novo. The treatment of AML includes cytarabine (CYT) and other medications. The granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) is used in the clinic in cases of neutropenia after chemotherapies. We show that the administration of GCSF in combination with CYT in AML-diagnosed mice (AML+CYT+GCSF) extended the survival of mice for additional 20 days. However, including GCSF in all treatment modalities does not affect the testis' weight or the histology of the seminiferous tubules (STs). We show that GCSF does not affect normal ST histology from AML-, CYT-, or (AML+CYT)-treated groups compared to the relevant treated group without GCSF 2, 4, and 5 weeks post-injection. However, when comparing the percentages of normal STs between the AML+CYT+GCSF-treated groups and those without GCSF, we observe an increase of 17%-42% in STs at 4 weeks and 5.5 weeks post-injection. Additionally, we show that the injection of GCSF into the normal, AML-alone, or CYT-alone groups, or in combination with AML, significantly decreases the percentage of STs with apoptotic cells compared to the relevant groups without GCSF and to the CT (untreated mice) only 2 weeks post-injection. We also show that injection of GCSF into the CT group increases the examined spermatogonial marker PLZF within 2 weeks post-injection. However, GCSF does not affect the count of meiotic cells (CREM) but decreases the post-meiotic cells (ACROSIN) within 4 weeks post-injection. Furthermore, GCSF not only extends the survival of the AML+CYT-treated group, but it also leads to the generation of sperm (1.2 ± 0.04 × 106/mL) at 5.5 weeks post-injection. In addition, we demonstrate that the injection of GCSF into the CT group increases the RNA expression level of IL-10 but not IL-6 compared to CT 2 weeks post-treatment. However, the injection of GCSF into the AML-treated group reverses the expression levels of both IL-10 and IL-6 to normal levels compared to CT 2 weeks post-injection. Thus, we suggest that the addition of GCSF to the regimen of AML after CYT may assist in the development of future therapeutic strategies to preserve male fertility in AML prepubertal patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bara’ah Khaleel
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- The Center of Advanced Research and Education in Reproduction (CARER), Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Eitan Lunenfeld
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 4076414, Israel;
| | - Joseph Kapelushnik
- The Center of Advanced Research and Education in Reproduction (CARER), Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Soroka Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Mahmoud Huleihel
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- The Center of Advanced Research and Education in Reproduction (CARER), Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
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27
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Hanna MT, Handa N, Laronda MM, Rowell EE. Efficacy of Video-based Education in Improving Understanding of Pediatric Fertility Preservation. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2023; 45:e487-e495. [PMID: 36716087 DOI: 10.1097/mph.0000000000002611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Eighty percent of children diagnosed with cancer in childhood survive into adulthood. Fertility preservation (FP) is an important consideration, and procedures are available to reduce the risk of infertility following gonadotoxic therapies. Discussing FP options eases decision-making and minimizes regret; however, poor comprehension of these topics remains a challenge. This study evaluates if video-based educational tools increase understanding of FP options among pediatric patients and families. Videos were first tested among participants not at risk of infertility to ensure objective utility and optimize quality. In part 1, parents of pediatric surgical patients were randomized to view 2 publicly available educational videos on FP in differing orders. Each group completed pre-surveys and post-surveys assessing the comprehension and perception of video quality. In part 2, the parent and patient participants completed a comprehension assessment before and after viewing our institution-specific educational video, designed based on participant feedback from part 1. Part 1 results demonstrated a significant increase in participant knowledge and perceived understanding after viewing the videos ( P <0.001), regardless of order. In part 2, the post-test comprehension scores were significantly improved for all participants and all subgroups, P <0.01. Results suggest that video-based educational tools may help to reduce barriers to FP in pediatric oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria T Hanna
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Department of Surgery
| | - Nicole Handa
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Department of Surgery
| | - Monica M Laronda
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Chicago, IL
| | - Erin E Rowell
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Department of Surgery
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28
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Antonouli S, Di Nisio V, Messini C, Daponte A, Rajender S, Anifandis G. A comprehensive review and update on human fertility cryopreservation methods and tools. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1151254. [PMID: 37143497 PMCID: PMC10151698 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1151254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The broad conceptualization of fertility preservation and restoration has become already a major concern in the modern western world since a large number of individuals often face it in the everyday life. Driven by different health conditions and/or social reasons, a variety of patients currently rely on routinely and non-routinely applied assisted reproductive technologies, and mostly on the possibility to cryopreserve gametes and/or gonadal tissues for expanding their reproductive lifespan. This review embraces the data present in human-focused literature regarding the up-to-date methodologies and tools contemporarily applied in IVF laboratories' clinical setting of the oocyte, sperm, and embryo cryopreservation and explores the latest news and issues related to the optimization of methods used in ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevastiani Antonouli
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Valentina Di Nisio
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina Messini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece
| | - Alexandros Daponte
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece
| | - Singh Rajender
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - George Anifandis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece
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29
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Yumura Y, Takeshima T, Komeya M, Karibe J, Kuroda S, Saito T. Long-Term Fertility Function Sequelae in Young Male Cancer Survivors. World J Mens Health 2023; 41:255-271. [PMID: 36593712 PMCID: PMC10042651 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.220102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
With advances in cancer treatment, such as cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, grave new sequelae of treatment have emerged for young cancer survivors. One sequela that cannot be overlooked is male infertility, with reportedly 15% to 30% of cancer survivors losing their fertility potential. Cytotoxic therapy influences spermatogenesis at least temporarily, and in some cases, permanently. The degree of spermatogenesis impairment depends on the combination of drugs used, their cumulative dose, and the level of radiation. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has created an index to classify the risks to fertility based on treatment. Medical professionals currently use this risk classification in fertility preservation (FP) programs. FP programs are currently being promoted to prevent spermatogenesis failure resulting from cancer treatment. For patients who are able to ejaculate and whose semen contains sperm, the semen (sperm) is cryopreserved. Moreover, for patients who lack the ability to ejaculate, those with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia, and those who have not attained puberty (i.e., spermatogenesis has not begun), testicular biopsy is performed to collect the sperm or germ cells and cryopreserve them. This method of culturing germ cells to differentiate the sperm has been successful in some animal models, but not in humans. FP has recently gained popularity; however, some oncologists and medical professionals involved in cancer treatment still lack adequate knowledge of these procedures. This hinders the dissemination of information to patients and the execution of FP. Information sharing and collaboration between reproductive medicine specialists and oncologists is extremely important for the development of FP. In Japan, the network of clinics and hospitals that support FP is expanding across prefectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Yumura
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Teppei Takeshima
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Komeya
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Jurii Karibe
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shinnosuke Kuroda
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tomoki Saito
- Reproduction Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
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Horvath-Pereira BDO, Almeida GHDR, da Silva Júnior LN, do Nascimento PG, Horvath Pereira BDO, Fireman JVBT, Pereira MLDRF, Carreira ACO, Miglino MA. Biomaterials for Testicular Bioengineering: How far have we come and where do we have to go? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1085872. [PMID: 37008920 PMCID: PMC10060902 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1085872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional therapeutic interventions aim to restore male fertile potential or preserve sperm viability in severe cases, such as semen cryopreservation, testicular tissue, germ cell transplantation and testicular graft. However, these techniques demonstrate several methodological, clinical, and biological limitations, that impact in their results. In this scenario, reproductive medicine has sought biotechnological alternatives applied for infertility treatment, or to improve gamete preservation and thus increase reproductive rates in vitro and in vivo. One of the main approaches employed is the biomimetic testicular tissue reconstruction, which uses tissue-engineering principles and methodologies. This strategy pursues to mimic the testicular microenvironment, simulating physiological conditions. Such approach allows male gametes maintenance in culture or produce viable grafts that can be transplanted and restore reproductive functions. In this context, the application of several biomaterials have been proposed to be used in artificial biological systems. From synthetic polymers to decellularized matrixes, each biomaterial has advantages and disadvantages regarding its application in cell culture and tissue reconstruction. Therefore, the present review aims to list the progress that has been made and the continued challenges facing testicular regenerative medicine and the preservation of male reproductive capacity, based on the development of tissue bioengineering approaches for testicular tissue microenvironment reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Pedro Gabriel do Nascimento
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Ana Claudia Oliveira Carreira
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centre for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Angelica Miglino
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Singh A, Hermann BP. Conserved Transcriptome Features Define Prepubertal Primate Spermatogonial Stem Cells as A dark Spermatogonia and Identify Unique Regulators. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:4755. [PMID: 36902187 PMCID: PMC10002546 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054755] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antineoplastic treatments for cancer and other non-malignant disorders can result in long-term or permanent male infertility by ablating spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). SSC transplantation using testicular tissue harvested before a sterilizing treatment is a promising approach for restoring male fertility in these cases, but a lack of exclusive biomarkers to unequivocally identify prepubertal SSCs limits their therapeutic potential. To address this, we performed single-cell RNA-seq on testis cells from immature baboons and macaques and compared these cells with published data from prepubertal human testis cells and functionally-defined mouse SSCs. While we found discrete groups of human spermatogonia, baboon and rhesus spermatogonia appeared less heterogenous. A cross-species analysis revealed cell types analogous to human SSCs in baboon and rhesus germ cells, but a comparison with mouse SSCs revealed significant differences with primate SSCs. Primate-specific SSC genes were enriched for components and regulators of the actin cytoskeleton and participate in cell-adhesion, which may explain why the culture conditions for rodent SSCs are not appropriate for primate SSCs. Furthermore, correlating the molecular definitions of human SSC, progenitor and differentiating spermatogonia with the histological definitions of Adark/Apale spermatogonia indicates that both SSCs and progenitor spermatogonia are Adark, while Apale spermatogonia appear biased towards differentiation. These results resolve the molecular identity of prepubertal human SSCs, define novel pathways that could be leveraged for advancing their selection and propagation in vitro, and confirm that the human SSC pool resides entirely within Adark spermatogonia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian P. Hermann
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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Adeleye AJ, Stark BA, Jalalian L, Mok-Lin E, Smith JF. Evidence of Spermatogenesis in the Presence of Hypothalamic Suppression and Low Testosterone in an Adolescent Transgender Female: A Case Report. Transgend Health 2023; 8:104-107. [PMID: 36895316 PMCID: PMC9991424 DOI: 10.1089/trgh.2021.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To report a novel case of semen cryopreservation after testicular sperm extraction in an adolescent transgender female without cessation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy and feminizing hormone therapy. Methods This is a case report of a 16-year-old transgender female using leuprolide acetate for 4 years and estradiol for 3 years requesting semen cryopreservation at the time of gender-affirming orchiectomy. She desired to proceed without cessation of gender affirming hormone therapy. The patient's consent was obtained for written publication. Results The patient underwent testicular sperm extraction followed by orchiectomy. The sample was processed and cryopreserved in a 1:1 Test Yolk Buffer. Multiple early and late spermatids were identified as well as spermatagonium in the TESE specimen. Conclusions Advanced spermatogenesis may occur in the presence of a GnRH agonist. Cessation of GnRH agonist therapy may not be essential for semen cryopreservation in adolescent transgender females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. Adeleye
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Brett A. Stark
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Liza Jalalian
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Evelyn Mok-Lin
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James F. Smith
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Aden NL, Bleeke M, Kordes UR, Brunne B, Holstermann B, Biemann R, Ceglarek U, Soave A, Salzbrunn A, Schneider SW, von Kopylow K. Germ Cell Maintenance and Sustained Testosterone and Precursor Hormone Production in Human Prepubertal Testis Organ Culture with Tissues from Boys 7 Years+ under Conditions from Adult Testicular Tissue. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030415. [PMID: 36766757 PMCID: PMC9913959 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human prepubertal testicular tissues are rare, but organ culture conditions to develop a system for human in vitro-spermatogenesis are an essential option for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys subjected to gonadotoxic therapy. To avoid animal testing in line with the 3Rs principle, organ culture conditions initially tested on human adult testis tissue were applied to prepubertal samples (n = 3; patient ages 7, 9, and 12 years). Tissues were investigated by immunostaining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the collected culture medium was profiled for steroid hormones by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Culture conditions proved suitable for prepubertal organ culture since SSCs and germ cell proliferation could be maintained until the end of the 3-week-culture. Leydig cells (LCs) were shown to be competent for steroid hormone production. Three additional testis tissues from boys of the same age were examined for the number of germ cells and undifferentiated spermatogonia (SPG). Using TEM micrographs, eight tissues from patients aged 1.5 to 13 years were examined, with respect to the sizes of mitochondria (MT) in undifferentiated SPG and compared with those from two adult testicular tissues. Mitochondrial sizes were shown to be comparable between adults and prepubertal boys from approximately 7 years of age, which suggests the transition of SSCs from normoxic to hypoxic metabolism at about or before this time period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neels Lennart Aden
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venerology, Andrological Section, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Bleeke
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Uwe R. Kordes
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bianka Brunne
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Holstermann
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ronald Biemann
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uta Ceglarek
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Armin Soave
- Department of Urology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Salzbrunn
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venerology, Andrological Section, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan W. Schneider
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venerology, Andrological Section, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kathrein von Kopylow
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venerology, Andrological Section, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Shamhari A‘A, Jefferi NES, Abd Hamid Z, Budin SB, Idris MHM, Taib IS. The Role of Promyelocytic Leukemia Zinc Finger (PLZF) and Glial-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family Receptor Alpha 1 (GFRα1) in the Cryopreservation of Spermatogonia Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24031945. [PMID: 36768269 PMCID: PMC9915902 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24031945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The cryopreservation of spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for infertility. However, cryopreservation itself induces cryoinjury due to oxidative and osmotic stress, leading to reduction in the survival rate and functionality of SSCs. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha 1 (GFRα1) and promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) are expressed during the self-renewal and differentiation of SSCs, making them key tools for identifying the functionality of SSCs. To the best of our knowledge, the involvement of GFRα1 and PLZF in determining the functionality of SSCs after cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to determine the role of GFRα1 and PLZF as biomarkers for evaluating the functionality of SSCs in cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention. Therapeutic intervention, such as the use of antioxidants, and enhancement in cryopreservation protocols, such as cell encapsulation, cryoprotectant agents (CPA), and equilibrium of time and temperature increase the expression of GFRα1 and PLZF, resulting in maintaining the functionality of SSCs. In conclusion, GFRα1 and PLZF have the potential as biomarkers in cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention of SSCs to ensure the functionality of the stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma’ ‘Afifah Shamhari
- Center of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Investigative Studies (CODTIS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
| | - Nur Erysha Sabrina Jefferi
- Center of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Investigative Studies (CODTIS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
| | - Zariyantey Abd Hamid
- Center of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Investigative Studies (CODTIS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
| | - Siti Balkis Budin
- Center of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Investigative Studies (CODTIS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
| | - Muhd Hanis Md Idris
- Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute (iPROMISE), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam Campus, Bandar Puncak Alam 42300, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Izatus Shima Taib
- Center of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Investigative Studies (CODTIS), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +603-928-97608
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Munyoki SK, Orwig KE. Perspectives: Methods for Evaluating Primate Spermatogonial Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2656:341-364. [PMID: 37249880 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3139-3_18] [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] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian spermatogenesis is a complex, highly productive process generating millions of sperm per day. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are at the foundation of spermatogenesis and can either self-renew, producing more SSCs, or differentiate to initiate spermatogenesis and produce sperm. The biological potential of SSCs to produce and maintain spermatogenesis makes them a promising tool for the treatment of male infertility. However, translating knowledge from rodents to higher primates (monkeys and humans) is challenged by different vocabularies that are used to describe stem cells and spermatogenic lineage development in those species. Furthermore, while rodent SSCs are defined by their biological potential to produce and maintain spermatogenesis in a transplant assay, there is no equivalent routine and accessible bioassay to test monkey and human SSCs or replicate their functions in vitro. This chapter describes progress characterizing, isolating, culturing, and transplanting SSCs in higher primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Munyoki
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, Magee-Women's Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kyle E Orwig
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, Magee-Women's Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Micol LA, Adenubi F, Williamson E, Lane S, Mitchell RT, Sangster P. The importance of the urologist in male oncology fertility preservation. BJU Int 2022; 130:637-645. [PMID: 35535513 PMCID: PMC9796952 DOI: 10.1111/bju.15772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To demonstrate that surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) and spermatogonial stem cell retrieval (SSCR) in an oncological context are safe and successful. PATIENTS AND METHODS This a retrospective study in a tertiary hospital in the UK. Patients requiring fertility preservation from December 2017 to January 2020 were included. Data were analysed with Microsoft Excel 2016 and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 20). RESULTS Among 1264 patients referred to the Reproductive Medical Unit at the University College of London Hospitals for cryopreservation prior to gonadotoxic treatment, 39 chose to go forward with SSR/SSCR because they presented as azoo-/cryptozoospermic or an inability to masturbate/ejaculate. Interventions were testicular sperm extraction (23 patients) or aspiration (one), electroejaculation (one), and testicular wedge biopsy for SSCR (14). The median (range) age was 15.0 (10-65) years and the median testosterone level was 4.4 nmoL/L. Primary diagnoses were sarcoma in 11 patients, leukaemia in nine, lymphoma in eight, testicular tumour in five, other oncological haematological entities in two, other solid cancers in two, while two patients had non-oncological haematological diseases. SSR/SSCR could be offered within 7.5 days on average. Chemotherapy could follow within 2 days from SSR/SSCR, and bone marrow transplant occurred within 19.5 days (all expressed as medians). The success rate for SSR was 68.0% (at least one vial/straw collected). The mean (SD) Johnsen score of testicular biopsies was 5.23 (2.25) with a trend towards positive correlation with SSR success (P = 0.07). However, age, hormonal profile and type of cancer did not predict SSR outcome. CONCLUSION We show that SSR and SSCR in an oncological context are valid treatment options with a high success rate for patients in which sperm cryopreservation from semen is impossible. By providing an effective pathway, fertility preservation is possible with minimal delay to oncological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel A. Micol
- Institute of AndrologyUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK,UrologyCHUVLausanneSwitzerland,CPMALausanneSwitzerland
| | - Funmi Adenubi
- Reproductive Medicine UnitUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth Williamson
- Reproductive Medicine UnitUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | - Sheila Lane
- Children's Haematology and OncologyOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustOxfordUK
| | - Rod T. Mitchell
- Centre for Reproductive HealthEdinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick ChildrenThe University of Edinburgh MRCEdinburghUK
| | - Philippa Sangster
- Institute of AndrologyUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
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Rives N, Courbière B, Almont T, Kassab D, Berger C, Grynberg M, Papaxanthos A, Decanter C, Elefant E, Dhedin N, Barraud-Lange V, Béranger MC, Demoor-Goldschmidt C, Frédérique N, Bergère M, Gabrel L, Duperray M, Vermel C, Hoog-Labouret N, Pibarot M, Provansal M, Quéro L, Lejeune H, Methorst C, Saias J, Véronique-Baudin J, Giscard d'Estaing S, Farsi F, Poirot C, Huyghe É. What should be done in terms of fertility preservation for patients with cancer? The French 2021 guidelines. Eur J Cancer 2022; 173:146-166. [PMID: 35932626 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIM To provide practice guidelines about fertility preservation (FP) in oncology. METHODS We selected 400 articles after a PubMed review of the literature (1987-2019). RECOMMENDATIONS Any child, adolescent and adult of reproductive age should be informed about the risk of treatment gonadotoxicity. In women, systematically proposed FP counselling between 15 and 38 years of age in case of treatment including bifunctional alkylating agents, above 6 g/m2 cyclophosphamide equivalent dose (CED), and for radiation doses on the ovaries ≥3 Gy. For postmenarchal patients, oocyte cryopreservation after ovarian stimulation is the first-line FP technique. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation should be discussed as a first-line approach in case of treatment with a high gonadotoxic risk, when chemotherapy has already started and in urgent cases. Ovarian transposition is to be discussed prior to pelvic radiotherapy involving a high risk of premature ovarian failure. For prepubertal girls, ovarian tissue cryopreservation should be proposed in the case of treatment with a high gonadotoxic risk. In pubertal males, sperm cryopreservation must be systematically offered to any male who is to undergo cancer treatment, regardless of toxicity. Testicular tissue cryopreservation must be proposed in males unable to cryopreserve sperm who are to undergo a treatment with intermediate or severe risk of gonadotoxicity. In prepubertal boys, testicular tissue preservation is: - recommended for chemotherapy with a CED ≥7500 mg/m2 or radiotherapy ≥3 Gy on both testicles. - proposed for chemotherapy with a CED ≥5.000 mg/m2 or radiotherapy ≥2 Gy. If several possible strategies, the ultimate choice is made by the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Rives
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, Team "Adrenal and Gonadal Physiopathology" Inserm U1239 Nordic, Rouen University Hospital, Biology of Reproduction-CECOS Laboratory, Rouen, France
| | - Blandine Courbière
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
| | - Thierry Almont
- Cancerology, Urology, Hematology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; General Cancer Registry of Martinique UF1441, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France
| | - Diana Kassab
- Methodology Unit, Association Française d'Urologie, Paris, Ile-de-France, France
| | - Claire Berger
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University-Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Hospital, Nord Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France 42055; Childhood Cancer Registry of the Rhône-Alpes Region, University of Saint-Etienne, 15 rue Ambroise Paré, Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France 42023
| | - Michaël Grynberg
- Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Department, Hôpital Antoine-Beclère, Clamart, Île-de-France, France
| | - Aline Papaxanthos
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France
| | - Christine Decanter
- Medically Assisted Procreation and Fertility Preservation Department, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Lille, Hauts-de-France, France
| | - Elisabeth Elefant
- Reference Center for Teratogenic Agents, Hôpital Armand-Trousseau Centre de Référence sur les Agents Tératogènes, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Nathalie Dhedin
- Adolescents and Young Adults Unit, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, France
| | - Virginie Barraud-Lange
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | | | | | - Nicollet Frédérique
- Information and Promotion Department, Association Laurette Fugain, Paris, France
| | - Marianne Bergère
- Human Reproduction, Embryology and Genetics Directorate, Agence de la biomédecine, La Plaine Saint-Denis, France
| | - Lydie Gabrel
- Good Practices Unit - Guidelines and Medicines Directorate, Institut National du Cancer, Billancourt, Île-de-France, France
| | - Marianne Duperray
- Guidelines and Drug Directorate, Institut National du Cancer, Billancourt, Île-de-France, France
| | - Christine Vermel
- Expertise Quality and Compliance Mission - Communication and Information Directorate, Institut National du Cancer, Billancourt, Île-de-France, France
| | - Natalie Hoog-Labouret
- Research and Innovation, Institut National du Cancer, Billancourt, Île-de-France, France
| | - Michèle Pibarot
- OncoPaca-Corse Regional Cancer Network, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
| | - Magali Provansal
- Medical Oncology Department, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
| | - Laurent Quéro
- Cancerology and Radiotherapy Department, Hôpital Saint Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Lejeune
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Charlotte Methorst
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Centre Hospitalier des Quatre Villes - Site de Saint-Cloud, Saint-Cloud, France
| | - Jacqueline Saias
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
| | - Jacqueline Véronique-Baudin
- Cancerology, Urology, Hematology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France; General Cancer Registry of Martinique UF1441, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Martinique, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France
| | - Sandrine Giscard d'Estaing
- Reproductive Medicine and Biology Department, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Fadila Farsi
- Regional Cancer Network, Réseau Espace Santé Cancer, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Catherine Poirot
- Adolescents and Young Adults Unit, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, France
| | - Éric Huyghe
- Urology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Laboratoire Développement Embryonnaire, Fertilité et Environnement (DEFE) UMR 1203, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
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Organotypic Culture of Testicular Tissue from Infant Boys with Cryptorchidism. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147975. [PMID: 35887314 PMCID: PMC9316019 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147975] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Organotypic culture of human fetal testis has achieved fertilization-competent spermatids followed by blastocysts development. This study focuses on whether the organotypic culture of testicular tissue from infant boys with cryptorchidism could support the development of spermatogonia and somatic cells. Frozen-thawed tissues were cultured in two different media, with or without retinoic acid (RA), for 60 days and evaluated by tissue morphology and immunostaining using germ and somatic cell markers. During the 60-day culture, spermatocytes stained by boule-like RNA-binding protein (BOLL) were induced in biopsies cultured with RA. Increased AR expression (p < 0.001) and decreased AMH expression (p < 0.001) in Sertoli cells indicated advancement of Sertoli cell maturity. An increased number of SOX9-positive Sertoli cells (p < 0.05) was observed, while the percentage of tubules with spermatogonia was reduced (p < 0.001). More tubules with alpha-smooth muscle actin (ACTA, peritubular myoid cells (PTMCs) marker) were observed in an RA-absent medium (p = 0.02). CYP17A1/STAR-positive Leydig cells demonstrated sustained steroidogenic function. Our culture conditions support the initiation of spermatocytes and enhanced maturation of Sertoli cells and PTMCs within infant testicular tissues. This study may be a basis for future studies focusing on maintaining and increasing the number of spermatogonia and identifying different factors and hormones, further advancing in vitro spermatogenesis.
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Whelan EC, Yang F, Avarbock MR, Sullivan MC, Beiting DP, Brinster RL. Reestablishment of spermatogenesis after more than 20 years of cryopreservation of rat spermatogonial stem cells reveals an important impact in differentiation capacity. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001618. [PMID: 35536782 PMCID: PMC9089916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of cancer in children is increasingly successful but leaves many prepubertal boys suffering from infertility or subfertility later in life. A current strategy to preserve fertility in these boys is to cryopreserve a testicular biopsy prior to treatment with the expectation of future technologies allowing for the reintroduction of stem cells and restoration of spermatogenesis. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) form the basis of male reproduction, differentiating into all germ cell types, including mature spermatozoa and can regenerate spermatogenesis following transplantation into an infertile testis. Here, we demonstrate that rat SSCs frozen for more than 20 years can be transplanted into recipient mice and produce all differentiating germ cell types. However, compared with freshly isolated cells or those frozen for a short period of time, long-frozen cells do not colonize efficiently and showed reduced production of spermatids. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar profiles of gene expression changes between short- and long-frozen cells as compared with fresh immediately after thawing. Conversely, following transplantation, long-frozen samples showed enhanced stem cell signaling in the undifferentiated spermatogonia compartment, consistent with self-renewal and a lack of differentiation. In addition, long-frozen samples showed fewer round spermatids with detectable protamine expression, suggesting a partial block of spermatogenesis after meiosis resulting in a lack of elongating spermatids. These findings strongly suggest that prolonged cryopreservation can impact the success of transplantation to produce spermatogenesis, which may not be revealed by analysis of the cells immediately after thawing. Our analysis uncovered persistent effects of long-term freezing not found in other cryopreservation studies that lacked functional regeneration of the tissue and this phenomenon must be accounted for any future therapeutic application. This study shows that spermatogonial stem cells frozen for more than 20 years can repopulate the niche when transplanted into an infertile host, but with lower efficiency and displaying abnormal spermatogenesis compared to fresh or short-term frozen cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals details of the dysregulated signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoin C. Whelan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Mary R. Avarbock
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Megan C. Sullivan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Beiting
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ralph L. Brinster
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Delessard M, Stalin L, Rives-Feraille A, Moutard L, Saulnier J, Dumont L, Rives N, Rondanino C. Achievement of complete in vitro spermatogenesis in testicular tissues from prepubertal mice exposed to mono- or polychemotherapy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7407. [PMID: 35523907 PMCID: PMC9076692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The assessment of the impact of chemotherapies on in vitro spermatogenesis in experimental models is required before considering the application of this fertility restoration strategy to prepubertal boys who received these treatments before testicular tissue cryopreservation. The present work investigated the effects of exposure of prepubertal mice to mono- (vincristine or cyclophosphamide) and polychemotherapy (a combination of vincristine and cyclophosphamide) on the first wave of in vitro spermatogenesis. When testicular tissue exposed to monochemotherapy was preserved, polychemotherapy led to severe alterations of the seminiferous epithelium and increased apoptosis in prepubertal testes prior in vitro maturation, suggesting a potential additive gonadotoxic effect. These alterations were also found in the testicular tissues of polychemotherapy-treated mice after 30 days of organotypic culture and were associated with a reduction in the germ cell/Sertoli cell ratio. The different treatments neither altered the ability of spermatogonia to differentiate in vitro into spermatozoa nor the yield of in vitro spermatogenesis. However, more spermatozoa with morphological abnormalities and fragmented DNA were produced after administration of polychemotherapy. This work therefore shows for the first time the possibility to achieve a complete in vitro spermatogenesis after an in vivo exposure of mice to a mono- or polychemotherapy before meiotic entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Delessard
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Laura Stalin
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Aurélie Rives-Feraille
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Laura Moutard
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Justine Saulnier
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Ludovic Dumont
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Nathalie Rives
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Christine Rondanino
- INSERM, U1239, Team Adrenal and Gonadal Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen Normandy University, 76000, Rouen, France.
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Nickel RS, Maher JY, Hsieh MH, Davis MF, Hsieh MM, Pecker LH. Fertility after Curative Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease: A Comprehensive Review to Guide Care. J Clin Med 2022; 11:2318. [PMID: 35566443 PMCID: PMC9105328 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11092318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Curative therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) currently requires gonadotoxic conditioning that can impair future fertility. Fertility outcomes after curative therapy are likely affected by pre-transplant ovarian reserve or semen analysis parameters that may already be abnormal from SCD-related damage or hydroxyurea treatment. Outcomes are also likely affected by the conditioning regimen. Conditioning with myeloablative busulfan and cyclophosphamide causes serious gonadotoxicity particularly among post-pubertal females. Reduced-intensity and non-myeloablative conditioning may be acutely less gonadotoxic, but more short and long-term fertility outcome data after these approaches is needed. Fertility preservation including oocyte/embryo, ovarian tissue, sperm, and experimental testicular tissue cryopreservation should be offered to patients with SCD pursing curative therapy. Regardless of HSCT outcome, longitudinal post-HSCT fertility care is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sheppard Nickel
- Children’s National Hospital, Division of Hematology, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
- Children’s National Hospital, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Washington, DC 20001, USA
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
| | - Jacqueline Y. Maher
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20810, USA;
- Children’s National Hospital, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Program, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Michael H. Hsieh
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
- Children’s National Hospital, Division of Urology, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Meghan F. Davis
- Department of Urology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20001, USA;
| | - Matthew M. Hsieh
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20810, USA;
| | - Lydia H. Pecker
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 20810, USA
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Tran KTD, Valli-Pulaski H, Colvin A, Orwig KE. Male fertility preservation and restoration strategies for patients undergoing gonadotoxic therapies†. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:382-405. [PMID: 35403667 PMCID: PMC9382377 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Medical treatments for cancers or other conditions can lead to permanent infertility. Infertility is an insidious disease that impacts not only the ability to have a biological child but also the emotional well-being of the infertile individuals, relationships, finances, and overall health. Therefore, all patients should be educated about the effects of their medical treatments on future fertility and about fertility preservation options. The standard fertility preservation option for adolescent and adult men is sperm cryopreservation. Sperms can be frozen and stored for a long period, thawed at a later date, and used to achieve pregnancy with existing assisted reproductive technologies. However, sperm cryopreservation is not applicable for prepubertal patients who do not yet produce sperm. The only fertility preservation option available to prepubertal boys is testicular tissue cryopreservation. Next-generation technologies are being developed to mature those testicular cells or tissues to produce fertilization-competent sperms. When sperm and testicular tissues are not available for fertility preservation, inducing pluripotent stem cells derived from somatic cells, such as blood or skin, may provide an alternative path to produce sperms through a process call in vitro gametogenesis. This review describes standard and experimental options to preserve male fertility as well as the experimental options to produce functional spermatids or sperms from immature cryopreserved testicular tissues or somatic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kien T D Tran
- Molecular Genetics and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hanna Valli-Pulaski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Colvin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kyle E Orwig
- Correspondence: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Tel: 412-641-2460; E-mail:
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Effect of Chemotherapy Cytarabine and Acute Myeloid Leukemia on the Development of Spermatogenesis at the Adult Age of Immature Treated Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074013. [PMID: 35409373 PMCID: PMC8999636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074013] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for around 20% of diagnosed childhood leukemia. Cytarabine (CYT) is involved in the AML treatment regimen. AML and CYT showed impairment in spermatogenesis in human and rodents in adulthood. We successfully developed an AML disease model in sexually immature mice. Monocytes and granulocytes were examined in all groups: untreated control, AML alone, CYT alone and AML+CYT (in combination). There was a significant increase in the counts of monocytes and granulocytes in the AML-treated immature mice (AML) compared to the control, and AML cells were demonstrated in the blood vessels of the testes. AML alone and CYT alone impaired the development of spermatogenesis at the adult age of the AML-treated immature mice. The damage was clear in the structure/histology of their seminiferous tubules, and an increase in the apoptotic cells of the seminiferous tubules was demonstrated. Our results demonstrated a significant decrease in the meiotic/post-meiotic cells compared to the control. However, CYT alone (but not AML) significantly increased the count of spermatogonial cells (premeiotic cells) that positively stained with SALL4 and PLZF per tubule compared to the control. Furthermore, AML significantly increased the count of proliferating spermatogonial cells that positively stained with PCNA in the seminiferous tubules compared to the control, whereas CYT significantly decreased the count compared to the control. Our result showed that AML and CYT affected the microenvironment/niche of the germ cells. AML significantly decreased the levels growth factors, such as SCF, GDNF and MCSF) compared to control, whereas CYT significantly increased the levels of MCSF and GDNF compared to control. In addition, AML significantly increased the RNA expression levels of testicular IL-6 (a proinflammatory cytokine), whereas CYT significantly decreased testicular IL-6 levels compared to the control group. Furthermore, AML alone and CYT alone significantly decreased RNA expression levels of testicular IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokine) compared to the control group. Our results demonstrate that pediatric AML disease with or without CYT treatment impairs spermatogenesis at adult age (the impairment was more pronounced in AML+CYT) compared to control. Thus, we suggest that special care should be considered for children with AML who are treated with a CYT regimen regarding their future fertility at adult age.
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Sanou I, van Maaren J, Eliveld J, Lei Q, Meißner A, de Melker AA, Hamer G, van Pelt AMM, Mulder CL. Spermatogonial Stem Cell-Based Therapies: Taking Preclinical Research to the Next Level. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:850219. [PMID: 35444616 PMCID: PMC9013905 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.850219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Fertility preservation via biobanking of testicular tissue retrieved from testicular biopsies is now generally recommended for boys who need to undergo gonadotoxic treatment prior to the onset of puberty, as a source of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). SSCs have the potential of forming spermatids and may be used for therapeutic fertility approaches later in life. Although in the past 30 years many milestones have been reached to work towards SSC-based fertility restoration therapies, including transplantation of SSCs, grafting of testicular tissue and various in vitro and ex vivo spermatogenesis approaches, unfortunately, all these fertility therapies are still in a preclinical phase and not yet available for patients who have become infertile because of their treatment during childhood. Therefore, it is now time to take the preclinical research towards SSC-based therapy to the next level to resolve major issues that impede clinical implementation. This review gives an outline of the state of the art of the effectiveness and safety of fertility preservation and SSC-based therapies and addresses the hurdles that need to be taken for optimal progression towards actual clinical implementation of safe and effective SSC-based fertility treatments in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Sanou
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jillis van Maaren
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jitske Eliveld
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Qijing Lei
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andreas Meißner
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annemieke A de Melker
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Geert Hamer
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ans M M van Pelt
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Callista L Mulder
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Kanbar M, Delwiche G, Wyns C. Fertility preservation for prepubertal boys: are we ready for autologous grafting of cryopreserved immature testicular tissue? ANNALES D'ENDOCRINOLOGIE 2022; 83:210-217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ando.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kabiri D, Safrai M, Gropp M, Hidas G, Mordechai-Daniel T, Meir K, Revel A, Imbar T, Reubinoff B. Establishment of a controlled slow freezing-based approach for experimental clinical cryopreservation of human prepubertal testicular tissues. F S Rep 2022; 3:47-56. [PMID: 35386499 PMCID: PMC8978083 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfre.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Doron Kabiri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Myriam Safrai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Gropp
- The Sydney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institution of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Guy Hidas
- Department of Pediatric Urology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Karen Meir
- Department of Pathology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ariel Revel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tal Imbar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
- IVF unit, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Benjamin Reubinoff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Sydney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institution of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
- IVF unit, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
- Reprint requests: Benjamin Reubinoff, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Frederick NN, Klosky JL, Meacham LR, Quinn GP, Kelvin JF, Cherven B, Freyer DR, Dvorak CC, Brackett J, Ahmed-Winston S, Bryson E, Chow EJ, Levine J. Infrastructure of Fertility Preservation Services for Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group. JCO Oncol Pract 2022; 18:e325-e333. [PMID: 34709943 PMCID: PMC8932529 DOI: 10.1200/op.21.00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Fertility preservation (FP) services are part of comprehensive care for those newly diagnosed with cancer. The capacity to offer these services to children and adolescents with cancer is unknown. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was sent to 220 Children's Oncology Group member institutions regarding institutional characteristics, structure and organization of FP services, and barriers to FP. Standard descriptive statistics were computed for all variables. The association between site-specific factors and selected outcomes was examined using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS One hundred forty-four programs (65.5%) returned surveys. Fifty-three (36.8%) reported a designated FP individual or team. Sperm banking was offered at 135 (97.8%) institutions, and testicular tissue cryopreservation at 37 (27.0%). Oocyte and embryo cryopreservation were offered at 91 (67.9%) and 62 (46.6%) institutions, respectively; ovarian tissue cryopreservation was offered at 64 (47.8%) institutions. The presence of dedicated FP personnel was independently associated with the ability to offer oocyte or embryo cryopreservation (odds ratio [OR], 4.7; 95% CI, 1.7 to 13.5), ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6.0), and testicular tissue cryopreservation (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 97.8). Only 26 (18.1%) participating institutions offered all current nonexperimental FP interventions. Barriers included cost (70.9%), inadequate knowledge or training (60.7%), difficulty characterizing fertility risk (50.4%), inadequate staffing (45.5%), and logistics with reproductive specialties (38%-39%). CONCLUSION This study provides the most comprehensive view of the current landscape of FP infrastructure for children and adolescents with cancer and demonstrates that existing infrastructure is inadequate to offer comprehensive services to patients. We discuss modifiable factors to improve patient access to FP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha N. Frederick
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT,University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT,Natasha N. Frederick, MD, MPH, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, CT Children's Medical Center, 282 Washington St, Hartford, CT 06106; e-mail:
| | - James L. Klosky
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lillian R. Meacham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Gwendolyn P. Quinn
- Division of Medical Ethics, Departments of OB-GYN, Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY
| | | | - Brooke Cherven
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA,Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - David R. Freyer
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA,USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA,Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christopher C. Dvorak
- Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Julienne Brackett
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Houston, TX
| | | | - Elyse Bryson
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
| | - Eric J. Chow
- Clinical Research and Public Health Sciences Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Jennifer Levine
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, New York, NY
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Abstract
Patient survival following childhood cancer has increased with contemporary radiation and chemotherapy techniques. However, gonadotoxicity associated with treatments means that infertility is a common consequence in survivors. Novel fertility preservation options are emerging, but knowledge about these options amongst urologists and other medical professionals is lacking. Pre-pubertal boys generally do not produce haploid germ cells. Thus, strategies for fertility preservation require cryopreservation of tissue containing spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Few centres worldwide routinely offer this option and fertility restoration (including testicular tissue engraftment, autotransplantation of SSCs and in vitro maturation of SSCs to spermatozoa) post-thaw is experimental. In pubertal boys, the main option for fertility preservation is masturbation and cryopreservation of the ejaculate. Assisted ejaculation using penile vibratory stimulation or electroejaculation and surgical sperm retrieval can be used in a sequential manner after failed masturbation. Physicians should inform boys and parents about the gonadotoxic effects of cancer treatment and offer fertility preservation. Preclinical experience has identified challenges in pre-pubertal fertility preservation, but available options are expected to be successful when today's pre-pubertal boys with cancer become adults. By contrast, fertility preservation in pubertal boys is clinically proven and should be offered to all patients undergoing cancer treatment.
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Kaneva K, Erickson L, Rowell E, Badawy SM. Fertility preservation education for pediatric hematology-oncology fellows, faculty and advanced practice providers: a pilot study. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2022; 39:68-73. [PMID: 34028331 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2021.1928348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Infertility secondary to chemotherapy, myeloablative conditioning regimens prior to stem cell transplantation, radiation therapy, and/or surgery is an important cause of morbidity and psychosocial distress among pediatric cancer patients. Known options exist for fertility preservation; however, knowledge among providers varies. We conducted a pilot study with an educational intervention over one-hour for hematology-oncology faculty, fellows, and advanced practice providers. Participants completed pre-/post-test assessment on fertility preservation knowledge. Participants' pretest mean (SD) score was 53% (17%), which significantly increased to 72% (11%) in the post-test (p = 0.0004). We demonstrated that a fertility education intervention could improve knowledge regarding infertility risk assessment and fertility preservation options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiyana Kaneva
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, Neuro-Oncology & Stem Cell Transplantation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Laura Erickson
- Division of Pediatric Surgery and Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Erin Rowell
- Division of Pediatric Surgery and Fertility & Hormone Preservation & Restoration Program, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sherif M Badawy
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, Neuro-Oncology & Stem Cell Transplantation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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50
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Wang D, Hildorf S, Ntemou E, Dong L, Pors SE, Mamsen LS, Fedder J, Hoffmann ER, Clasen-Linde E, Cortes D, Thorup J, Andersen CY. Characterization and Survival of Human Infant Testicular Cells After Direct Xenotransplantation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:853482. [PMID: 35360067 PMCID: PMC8960121 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.853482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryopreservation of prepubertal testicular tissue preserves spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that may be used to restore fertility in men at risk of infertility due to gonadotoxic treatments for either a malignant or non-malignant disease. Spermatogonial stem cell-based transplantation is a promising fertility restoration technique. Previously, we performed xenotransplantation of propagated SSCs from prepubertal testis and found human SSCs colonies within the recipient testes six weeks post-transplantation. In order to avoid the propagation step of SSCs in vitro that may cause genetic and epigenetic changes, we performed direct injection of single cell suspension in this study, which potentially may be safer and easier to be applied in future clinical applications. METHODS Testis biopsies were obtained from 11 infant boys (median age 1.3 years, range 0.5-3.5) with cryptorchidism. Following enzymatic digestion, dissociated single-cell suspensions were prelabeled with green fluorescent dye and directly transplanted into seminiferous tubules of busulfan-treated mice. Six to nine weeks post-transplantation, the presence of gonocytes and SSCs was determined by whole-mount immunofluorescence for a number of germ cell markers (MAGEA, GAGE, UCHL1, SALL4, UTF1, and LIN28), somatic cell markers (SOX9, CYP17A1). RESULTS Following xenotransplantation human infant germ cells, consisting of gonocytes and SSCs, were shown to settle on the basal membrane of the recipient seminiferous tubules and form SSC colonies with expression of MAGEA, GAGE, UCHL1, SALL4, UTF1, and LIN28. The colonization efficiency was approximately 6%. No human Sertoli cells were detected in the recipient mouse testes. CONCLUSION Xenotransplantation, without in vitro propagation, of testicular cell suspensions from infant boys with cryptorchidism resulted in colonization of mouse seminiferous tubules six to nine weeks post-transplantation. Spermatogonial stem cell-based transplantation could be a therapeutic treatment for infertility of prepubertal boys with cryptorchidism and boys diagnosed with cancer. However, more studies are required to investigate whether the low number of the transplanted SSC is sufficient to secure the presence of sperm in the ejaculate of those patients over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Wang
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Danyang Wang,
| | - Simone Hildorf
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elissavet Ntemou
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lihua Dong
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susanne Elisabeth Pors
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Linn Salto Mamsen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Fedder
- Centre of Andrology & Fertility Clinic, Department D, Odense University Hospital, Odense C, Denmark
- Research Unit of Human Reproduction, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Eva R. Hoffmann
- Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF) Center for Chromosome Stability, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erik Clasen-Linde
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dina Cortes
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Thorup
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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