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Finnerty RM, Carulli DJ, Hegde A, Wang Y, Baodu F, Winuthayanon S, Cheng J, Winuthayanon W. Multi-omics analyses and machine learning prediction of oviductal responses in the presence of gametes and embryos. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.13.598905. [PMID: 38915688 PMCID: PMC11195261 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.13.598905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The oviduct is the site of fertilization and preimplantation embryo development in mammals. Evidence suggests that gametes alter oviductal gene expression. To delineate the adaptive interactions between the oviduct and gamete/embryo, we performed a multi-omics characterization of oviductal tissues utilizing bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), and proteomics collected from distal and proximal at various stages after mating in mice. We observed robust region-specific transcriptional signatures. Specifically, the presence of sperm induces genes involved in pro-inflammatory responses in the proximal region at 0.5 days post-coitus (dpc). Genes involved in inflammatory responses were produced specifically by secretory epithelial cells in the oviduct. At 1.5 and 2.5 dpc, genes involved in pyruvate and glycolysis were enriched in the proximal region, potentially providing metabolic support for developing embryos. Abundant proteins in the oviductal fluid were differentially observed between naturally fertilized and superovulated samples. RNA-seq data were used to identify transcription factors predicted to influence protein abundance in the proteomic data via a novel machine learning model based on transformers of integrating transcriptomics and proteomics data. The transformers identified influential transcription factors and correlated predictive protein expressions in alignment with the in vivo-derived data. In conclusion, our multi-omics characterization and subsequent in vivo confirmation of proteins/RNAs indicate that the oviduct is adaptive and responsive to the presence of sperm and embryos in a spatiotemporal manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Finnerty
- Department of OB/GYN & Women’s Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, 65211 USA
| | - Daniel J. Carulli
- Division of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, 65211 USA
| | - Akshata Hegde
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering
| | - Yanli Wang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering
| | - Frimpong Baodu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering
| | - Sarayut Winuthayanon
- Division of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, 65211 USA
| | - Jianlin Cheng
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering
| | - Wipawee Winuthayanon
- Department of OB/GYN & Women’s Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, 65211 USA
- Division of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, 65211 USA
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Visnyaiová K, Varga I, Feitscherová C, Pavlíková L, Záhumenský J, Mikušová R. Morphology of the immune cells in the wall of the human uterine tube and their possible impact on reproduction-uterine tube as a possible immune privileged organ. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1325565. [PMID: 38516130 PMCID: PMC10955054 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1325565] [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: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The uterine tube, as well as other parts of the upper female reproductive system, is immunologically unique in its requirements for tolerance to allogenic sperm and semi-allogenic embryos, yet responds to an array of sexually transmitted pathogens. To understand this dichotomy, there is a need to understand the functional morphology of immune cells in the wall of the uterine tube. Thus, we reviewed scientific literature regarding immune cells and the human uterine tube by using the scientific databases. The human uterine tube has a diverse population of immunocompetent cells representing both the innate and adaptive immune systems. We describe in detail the possible roles of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (macrophages and dendritic cells), T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils and mast cells in association with the reproductive functions of uterine tubes. We are also discussing about the possible "immune privilege" of the uterine tube, as another mechanism to tolerate sperm and embryo without eliciting an inflammatory immune response. In uterine tube is not present an anatomical blood-tissue barrier between antigens and circulation. However, the immune cells of the uterine tube probably represent a type of "immunological barrier," which probably includes the uterine tube among the immunologically privileged organs. Understanding how immune cells in the female reproductive tract play roles in reproduction is essential to understand not only the mechanisms of gamete transport and fertilization as well as embryo transport through the uterine tube, but also in improving results from assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristína Visnyaiová
- Second Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava and University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ivan Varga
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Claudia Feitscherová
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lada Pavlíková
- Department of Rehabilitation Studies, Faculty of Health Care Studies, University of Western Bohemia, Pilsen, Czechia
| | - Jozef Záhumenský
- Second Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava and University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Renáta Mikušová
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Akthar I, Kim Y, Umehara T, Kanno C, Sasaki M, Marey MA, Yousef MS, Haneda S, Shimada M, Miyamoto A. Activation of sperm Toll-like receptor 2 induces hyperactivation to enhance the penetration to mucus and uterine glands: a trigger for the uterine inflammatory cascade in cattle. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1319572. [PMID: 38179051 PMCID: PMC10766357 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1319572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
It is known that sperm and seminal plasma (SP) affect uterine immunity. In cattle, artificial insemination enables breeding by depositing frozen and largely diluted sperm with a negligible amount of SP into the uterus. Thus, the present study focused on the impact of frozen-thawed sperm on bovine uterine immunity. We have previously shown that in the bovine uterus, sperm swim smoothly over the luminal epithelium and some sperm interact with uterine glands to induce a weak inflammatory response mainly via the endometrial Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling. However, the process by which sperm is encountered in the uterine glands is not completely clear. The present study intended to evaluate the role of sperm-TLR2 in sperm-uterine mucus penetration for reaching the glandular epithelium to induce the uterine immune response. To activate and block sperm-TLR2, they were treated with TLR2 agonist and antagonist, respectively. TLR2 activation enhanced sperm hyperactivation and improved its capacity to penetrate the artificial viscoelastic fluid and estrous-uterine-mucus. In contrast, TLR2-blocked sperm showed completely opposite effects. It is noteworthy, that the TLR2-activated sperm that penetrated the uterine mucus exhibited increased motile activity with hyperactivation. In the sperm-endometrial ex-vivo model, a greater amount of TLR2-activated sperm entered the uterine glands with an immune response, which was seen as the upregulation of mRNA expression for TNFA, IL1B, IL8, PGES, and TLR2 similar to those in control sperm. On the other hand, a lesser amount of TLR2-blocked sperm entered the uterine glands and weakened the sperm-induced increase only in PGES, suggesting that penetration of a certain number of sperm in the uterine gland is necessary enough to trigger the inflammatory response. Altogether, the present findings indicate that activation of sperm-TLR2 promotes their hyperactivation and mucus penetration with greater motility, allowing them to enter into the uterine glands more. This further suggests that the hyperactivated sperm contributes to triggering the pro-inflammatory cascade partly via TLR2 in the uterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihshan Akthar
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Yejin Kim
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Takashi Umehara
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Chihiro Kanno
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - Motoki Sasaki
- Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mohamed Ali Marey
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhur University, Behera, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Samy Yousef
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Shingo Haneda
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Akio Miyamoto
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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Dahlen CR, Amat S, Caton JS, Crouse MS, Diniz WJDS, Reynolds LP. Paternal effects on fetal programming. Anim Reprod 2023; 20:e20230076. [PMID: 37700908 PMCID: PMC10494885 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2023-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Paternal programming is the concept that the environmental signals from the sire's experiences leading up to mating can alter semen and ultimately affect the phenotype of resulting offspring. Potential mechanisms carrying the paternal effects to offspring can be associated with epigenetic signatures (DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNAs), oxidative stress, cytokines, and the seminal microbiome. Several opportunities exist for sperm/semen to be influenced during development; these opportunities are within the testicle, the epididymis, or accessory sex glands. Epigenetic signatures of sperm can be impacted during the pre-natal and pre-pubertal periods, during sexual maturity and with advancing sire age. Sperm are susceptible to alterations as dictated by their developmental stage at the time of the perturbation, and sperm and seminal plasma likely have both dependent and independent effects on offspring. Research using rodent models has revealed that many factors including over/under nutrition, dietary fat, protein, and ingredient composition (e.g., macro- or micronutrients), stress, exercise, and exposure to drugs, alcohol, and endocrine disruptors all elicit paternal programming responses that are evident in offspring phenotype. Research using livestock species has also revealed that sire age, fertility level, plane of nutrition, and heat stress can induce alterations in the epigenetic, oxidative stress, cytokine, and microbiome profiles of sperm and/or seminal plasma. In addition, recent findings in pigs, sheep, and cattle have indicated programming effects in blastocysts post-fertilization with some continuing into post-natal life of the offspring. Our research group is focused on understanding the effects of common management scenarios of plane of nutrition and growth rates in bulls and rams on mechanisms resulting in paternal programming and subsequent offspring outcomes. Understanding the implication of paternal programming is imperative as short-term feeding and management decisions have the potential to impact productivity and profitability of our herds for generations to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Robertson Dahlen
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy and Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Samat Amat
- Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Joel S. Caton
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy and Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
| | - Matthew S. Crouse
- U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | | | - Lawrence P. Reynolds
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy and Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
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Ezz MA, Mansouri A, Akthar I, Yousef MS, Kowsar R, Miyamoto A. Hyaluronan regulates sperm-induced inflammatory response by enhancing sperm attachment to bovine endometrial epithelial cells via CD44: in-silico and in-vitro approaches. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1134868. [PMID: 37234812 PMCID: PMC10206253 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1134868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we reported that sperm induce cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) expression and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-mediated inflammatory response in bovine uterus. In the present study, we hypothesized that the interaction between CD44 of bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) and hyaluronan (HA) affects sperm attachment and thereby enhancing TLR2-mediated inflammation. To test our hypothesis, at first, in-silico approaches were employed to define the binding affinity of HA for CD44 and TLR2. Further, an in-vitro experiment using the sperm-BEECs co-culture model was applied to investigate the effect of HA on sperm attachment and inflammatory response. Here, low molecular weight (LMW) HA at different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, or 10 µg/mL) was incubated with BEECs for 2 h followed by the co-culture without- or with non-capacitated washed sperm (106/ml) for additional 3 h was performed. The present in-silico model clarified that CD44 is a high-affinity receptor for HA. Moreover, TLR2 interactions with HA oligomer (4- and 8-mers) target a different subdomain (h-bonds) compared to TLR2-agonist (PAM3) which targets a central hydrophobic pocket. However, the interaction of LMW HA (32-mers) with TLR2 revealed no stability of HA at any pocket of TLR2. Notably, the immunofluorescence analysis revealed the HA localization in both endometrial stroma and epithelia of ex-vivo endometrial explant. Moreover, ELISA showed significant levels of HA in BEECs culture media. Importantly, BEECs pretreatment with HA prior to sperm exposure increased the number of attached sperm to BEECs, and upregulated the transcriptional levels of pro-inflammatory genes (TNFA, IL-1B, IL-8, and PGES) in BEECs in response to sperm. However, BEECs treated with HA only (no sperm exposure) did not show any significant effect on the transcript abundance of pro-inflammatory genes when compared to the non-treated BEECs. Altogether, our findings strongly suggest a possible cross-talk between sperm and endometrial epithelial cells via HA and HA binding receptors (CD44 and TLR2) to induce a pro-inflammatory response in bovine uterus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Aboul Ezz
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Alireza Mansouri
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ihshan Akthar
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mohamed Samy Yousef
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Rasoul Kowsar
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Akio Miyamoto
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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Mansouri A, Yousef MS, Kowsar R, Usui N, Akthar I, Miyamoto A. Sperm activate TLR2/TLR1 heterodimerization to induce a weak proinflammatory response in the bovine uterus. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1158090. [PMID: 37180107 PMCID: PMC10174305 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1158090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling pathway is involved in the sperm-triggered uterine inflammatory response at insemination, but its precise mechanism at molecular-level remains unknown. According to the ligand specificity, TLR2 forms a heterodimer with TLR1 or TLR6 as an initial step to mediate intracellular signaling, leading to a specific type of immune response. Hence, the present study aimed to identify the active TLR2 heterodimer (TLR2/1 or TLR2/6) that is involved in sperm-uterine immune crosstalk in bovine using various models. First, in-vitro (bovine endometrial epithelial cells, BEECs) and ex-vivo (bovine uterine explant) models were employed to test different TLR2 dimerization pathways in endometrial epithelia after exposure to sperm or TLR2 agonists; PAM3 (TLR2/1 agonist), and PAM2 (TLR2/6 agonist). Additionally, in-silico approaches were performed to confirm the dimer stability using de novo protein structure prediction model for bovine TLRs. The in-vitro approach revealed that sperm triggered the mRNA and protein expression of TLR1 and TLR2 but not TLR6 in BEECs. Moreover, this model disclosed that activation of TLR2/6 heterodimer, triggers a much stronger inflammatory response than TLR2/1 and sperm in bovine uterine epithelia. In the ex-vivo model that mimics the intact uterine tissue at insemination, sperm also induced the protein expression of both TLR1 and TLR2, but not TLR6, in bovine endometrium, particularly in uterine glands. Importantly, PAM3 and sperm induced similar and low mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TNFA protein to a lesser extent than PAM2 in endometrial epithelia. This implied that sperm might trigger a weak inflammatory response via TLR2/TLR1 activation which is similar to that of PAM3. Additionally, the in-silico analyses showed that the existence of bridging ligands is essential for heterodimer stability in bovine TLR2 with either TLR1 or TLR6. Altogether, the present findings revealed that sperm utilize TLR2/1, but not TLR2/6, heterodimerization to trigger a weak physiological inflammatory response in the bovine uterus. This might be the way to remove excess dead sperm remaining in the uterine lumen without tissue damage for providing an ideal uterine environment for early embryo reception and implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mansouri
- Global AgroMedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mohamed Samy Yousef
- Global AgroMedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Rasoul Kowsar
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Nonoka Usui
- Global AgroMedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ihshan Akthar
- Global AgroMedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Akio Miyamoto
- Global AgroMedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- *Correspondence: Akio Miyamoto,
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Elweza AE, Marey MA, Elesh IF, Zinnah MA, Akthar I, Kanno C, Takagi M, Miyamoto A. Zearalenone interferes with the sperm-triggered inflammation in the bovine uterus in vitro: Negative impact on sperm motility and survival. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 107:81-89. [PMID: 34864119 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEN)-contaminated diets induce detrimental effects on the bovine reproduction. Recently, we reported that active sperm induce pro-inflammatory responses in bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs) in vitro. This study aimed to investigate the impact of presence of ZEN on the sperm-uterine crosstalk in vitro. BEECs monolayers were stimulated by ZEN (10, 100, and 1000 ng/mL) for 0, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h and gene expressions were analyzed by real-time PCR. Moreover, BEECs were pre-exposed to ZEN (10, 100, and 1000 ng/mL) for 24 h then, co-incubated with sperm for 6 h. Conditioned media (CM) from a sperm-BEECs co-culture, after pre-exposure to ZEN, were harvested and exploited to challenge either polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) or sperm. Both PMNs phagocytic activity toward sperm and sperm motility parameters were then assessed. Results showed that ZEN alone induced pro-inflammatory responses in BEECs through the induction of mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFA and IL1B) and PGES1 at different time points. Pre-exposure of BEECs to ZEN, amplified the sperm-triggered upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFA and IL1B) and chemokine IL8 mRNA abundance in BEECs. Sperm-BEECs conditioned media, primed by ZEN, stimulated the PMNs phagocytosis for sperm whereas suppressed sperm motility parameters. Taken together, these findings indicate that the presence of ZEN augments the pro-inflammatory cascade triggered by sperm in BEECs, provokes PMNs phagocytosis for sperm, and reduces sperm motility parameters. Such immunological reactions may create a hostile environment for sperm competence and survival in the bovine uterus, thus impair fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed E Elweza
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menofia, 32897, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A Marey
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Behera, Egypt.
| | - Ibrahim F Elesh
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan; Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Behera, Egypt
| | - Mohammad A Zinnah
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan; Department of Microbiology and Public Health, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh
| | - Ihshan Akthar
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan
| | | | - Mitsuhiro Takagi
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, 1677-1, Japan
| | - Akio Miyamoto
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080 8555, Japan
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Akthar I, Marey MA, Kim Y, Shimada M, Suarez SS, Miyamoto A. Sperm interaction with the uterine innate immune system: toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is a main sensor in cattle. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 34:139-148. [PMID: 35231265 DOI: 10.1071/rd21265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
During the passage through the female reproductive tract, sperm interact with various compartments and their immune systems. The immune system that protects the female against pathogens also could destroy sperm or prevent them from reaching the site of fertilisation. In particular, the uterine innate immune response is crucial from the perspectives of both the sperm and the uterus. Following insemination, sperm immediately start to trigger inflammation in the uterus by entering uterine glands and activating an innate immune response. In cattle, the activation occurs mainly via TLR2 signalling, if not the only one, between sperm and the uterine epithelium lining the glands. This acute immune response is manifested as the upregulation of mRNA expression of IL8, TNFA, IL1B , and PGES . As a consequence, many sperm are trapped by polymorphonuclear neutrophils, the first and major component of innate immunity. The sperm-induced uterine innate immune responses apparently serve to clear the uterus of excess sperm and, importantly, prepare the endometrium for implantation. Pathophysiological conditions in the uterus seriously disrupt this phenomenon, and thus could directly decrease fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihshan Akthar
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mohamed A Marey
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan; and Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhur University, Behera, Egypt
| | - Yejin Kim
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shimada
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
| | - Susan S Suarez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Akio Miyamoto
- Global Agromedicine Research Center (GAMRC), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080-8555, Japan
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