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Yu L, Logsdon D, Pinzon-Arteaga CA, Duan J, Ezashi T, Wei Y, Ribeiro Orsi AE, Oura S, Liu L, Wang L, Liu K, Ding X, Zhan L, Zhang J, Nahar A, Stobbe C, Katz-Jaffe M, Schoolcraft WB, Tan T, Hon GC, Yuan Y, Wu J. Large-scale production of human blastoids amenable to modeling blastocyst development and maternal-fetal cross talk. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1246-1261.e9. [PMID: 37683605 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in human blastoids have opened new avenues for modeling early human development and implantation. One limitation of our first protocol for human blastoid generation was relatively low efficiency. We now report an optimized protocol for the efficient generation of large quantities of high-fidelity human blastoids from naive pluripotent stem cells. This enabled proteomics analysis that identified phosphosite-specific signatures potentially involved in the derivation and/or maintenance of the signaling states in human blastoids. Additionally, we uncovered endometrial stromal effects in promoting trophoblast cell survival, proliferation, and syncytialization during co-culture with blastoids and blastocysts. Side-by-side single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similarities and differences in transcriptome profiles between pre-implantation blastoids and blastocysts, as well as post-implantation cultures, and uncovered a population resembling early migratory trophoblasts during co-culture with endometrial stromal cells. Our optimized protocol will facilitate broader use of human blastoids as an accessible, perturbable, scalable, and tractable model for human blastocysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leqian Yu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Deirdre Logsdon
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | - Carlos A Pinzon-Arteaga
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jialei Duan
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Toshihiko Ezashi
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | - Yulei Wei
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China, Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ana Elisa Ribeiro Orsi
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Seiya Oura
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lizhong Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kun Liu
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA; Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Ding
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Linfeng Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China; Yunan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Junfei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China, Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Asrafun Nahar
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | - Caitlen Stobbe
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | - Mandy Katz-Jaffe
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA
| | | | - Tao Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China; Yunan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Gary C Hon
- Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Ye Yuan
- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Lone Tree, CO 80124, USA.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Canse C, Yildirim E, Yaba A. Overview of junctional complexes during mammalian early embryonic development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1150017. [PMID: 37152932 PMCID: PMC10158982 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1150017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell junctions form strong intercellular connections and mediate communication between blastomeres during preimplantation embryonic development and thus are crucial for cell integrity, polarity, cell fate specification and morphogenesis. Together with cell adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal elements, intercellular junctions orchestrate mechanotransduction, morphokinetics and signaling networks during the development of early embryos. This review focuses on the structure, organization, function and expressional pattern of the cell-cell junction complexes during early embryonic development. Understanding the importance of dynamic junction formation and maturation processes will shed light on the molecular mechanism behind developmental abnormalities of early embryos during the preimplantation period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Canse
- Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ecem Yildirim
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Aylin Yaba
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
- *Correspondence: Aylin Yaba,
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Simintiras CA, Dhakal P, Ranjit C, Fitzgerald HC, Balboula AZ, Spencer TE. Capture and metabolomic analysis of the human endometrial epithelial organoid secretome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2026804118. [PMID: 33876774 PMCID: PMC8053979 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026804118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Suboptimal uterine fluid (UF) composition can lead to pregnancy loss and likely contributes to offspring susceptibility to chronic adult-onset disorders. However, our understanding of the biochemical composition and mechanisms underpinning UF formation and regulation remain elusive, particularly in humans. To address this challenge, we developed a high-throughput method for intraorganoid fluid (IOF) isolation from human endometrial epithelial organoids. The IOF is biochemically distinct to the extraorganoid fluid (EOF) and cell culture medium as evidenced by the exclusive presence of 17 metabolites in IOF. Similarly, 69 metabolites were unique to EOF, showing asymmetrical apical and basolateral secretion by the in vitro endometrial epithelium, in a manner resembling that observed in vivo. Contrasting the quantitative metabolomic profiles of IOF and EOF revealed donor-specific biochemical signatures of organoids. Subsequent RNA sequencing of these organoids from which IOF and EOF were derived established the capacity to readily perform organoid multiomics in tandem, and suggests that transcriptomic regulation underpins the observed secretory asymmetry. In summary, these data provided by modeling uterine luminal and basolateral fluid formation in vitro offer scope to better understand UF composition and regulation with potential impacts on female fertility and offspring well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pramod Dhakal
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Chaman Ranjit
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | | | - Ahmed Z Balboula
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
| | - Thomas E Spencer
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211;
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201
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Yang W, Wang L, Wang F, Yuan S. Roles of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) in Mammalian Reproduction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:593005. [PMID: 33330475 PMCID: PMC7710906 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.593005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is an energy demanding function and only take place in case of sufficient available energy status in mammals. Metabolic diseases such as anorexia nervosa are clinically associated with reduced fertility. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), as a major regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, is activated in limited energy reserves to ensure the orderly progress of various physiological activities. In recent years, mounting evidence shows that AMPK is involved in the regulation of reproductive function through multiple mechanisms. AMPK is likely to be a metabolic sensor integrating central and peripheral signals. In this review, we aim to explore the preclinical studies published in the last decade that investigate the role of AMP-activated protein kinase in the reproductive field, and its role as a target for drug therapy of reproductive system-related diseases. We also emphasized the emerging roles of AMPK in transcriptional regulation of reproduction processes and metabolisms, which are tightly related to the energy state and fertility of an organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Yang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingjuan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fengli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Oleic Acid Counters Impaired Blastocyst Development Induced by Palmitic Acid During Mouse Preimplantation Development: Understanding Obesity-Related Declines in Fertility. Reprod Sci 2020; 27:2038-2051. [PMID: 32542540 PMCID: PMC7522107 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00223-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is associated with altered fatty acid profiles, reduced fertility, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) success. The effects of palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OA), and their combination on mouse preimplantation development, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway gene expression, lipid droplet formation, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were characterized. Two-cell stage mouse embryos collected from superovulated and mated CD1 females were placed into culture with KSOMaa medium, or PA alone or in combination with OA for 46 h. PA significantly reduced blastocyst development in a concentration-dependent manner, which was prevented by co-treatment with OA. PA and OA levels in mouse reproductive tracts were assessed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). LC-MS indicated higher concentrations of PA in the mouse oviduct than the uterus. Transcript analysis revealed that PA alone groups had increased ER stress pathway (ATF3, CHOP, and XBP1 splicing) mRNAs, which was alleviated by OA co-treatment. OA co-treatment significantly increased lipid droplet accumulation and significantly decreased mitochondrial ROS from PA treatment alone. PA treatment for only 24 h significantly reduced its impact on blastocyst development from the 2-cell stage. Thus, PA affects ER stress pathway gene expression, lipid droplet accumulation, and mitochondrial ROS in treated preimplantation embryos. These mechanisms may serve to offset free fatty acid exposure effects on preimplantation development, but their protective ability may be overwhelmed by elevated PA.
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Nayak G, Salian SR, Agarwal P, Suresh Poojary P, Rao A, Kumari S, Kalthur SG, Shreya AB, Mutalik S, Adiga SK, Kalthur G. Antidiabetic drug metformin affects the developmental competence of cleavage-stage embryos. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:1227-1238. [PMID: 32335799 PMCID: PMC7244706 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01709-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Metformin is the most commonly prescribed drug in the management of metabolic disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes in women of reproductive age. Insulin-sensitizing effect of metformin helps in improving from PCOS features such as hyperandrogenism, anovulation, and infertility. However, its ability to cross placental barrier raises concern about safety of the drug on early embryonic development. In this study, we evaluated the effect of metformin on the ovarian function and embryo development. METHODS Adult Swiss albino female mice were administered with metformin (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight) for 4 weeks and assessed for reproductive function and preimplantation embryo development. Further, effect of metformin (0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 μg/mL) exposure to 2-cell-stage embryos was tested under in vitro conditions. RESULTS Metformin did not alter the body weight, blood glucose, ovarian weight, and follicular reserve. However, the early embryo development was significantly affected in mice treated with metformin in vivo at highest dose. Moreover, embryos which were exposed to metformin in vitro showed dose-dependent decline in blastocyst rate and hatching rate. Furthermore, at highest concentration of metformin (500 μg/mL), all the embryos were arrested at compaction stage. CONCLUSION The study revealed that metformin affects the early embryonic development and raises concern about its use during conception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guruprasad Nayak
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Sujith Raj Salian
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Pooja Agarwal
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Pooja Suresh Poojary
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Arpitha Rao
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Sandhya Kumari
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Sneha Guruprasad Kalthur
- Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Ajjappla B Shreya
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Srinivas Mutalik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Satish Kumar Adiga
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Guruprasad Kalthur
- Department of Clinical Embryology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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Jeong Y, Ock S, Yoo JG, Yu D, Choi I. The Cxadr–Adam10 complex plays pivotal roles in tight junction integrity and early trophoblast development in mice. Mol Reprod Dev 2019; 86:1628-1638. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yelin Jeong
- Division of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChungnam National UniversityDaejeon Republic of Korea
- Disease Model Research Laboratory, Genome Editing Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)Daejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Sun‐A Ock
- National Institute of Animal ScienceRural Development AdministrationJeollabuk‐do Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Gyu Yoo
- National Institute of Animal ScienceRural Development AdministrationJeollabuk‐do Republic of Korea
| | - Dae‐Yeul Yu
- Disease Model Research Laboratory, Genome Editing Research CenterKorea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)Daejeon Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional GenomicsUniversity of Science and TechnologyDaejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Inchul Choi
- Division of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChungnam National UniversityDaejeon Republic of Korea
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8
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Activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) enhances energy metabolism, motility, and fertilizing ability of cryopreserved spermatozoa in domestic cat model. J Assist Reprod Genet 2019; 36:1401-1412. [PMID: 31079268 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-019-01470-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Increasing intracellular energy storage by chemically activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPKα) prior to sperm cryopreservation may improve post-thawed sperm function. Using the domestic cat as a biomedical model, the objectives were to (1) confirm the expression of AMPKα and its regulatory kinases in epididymal spermatozoa and (2) assess the influence of AMPK activator, 5'-aminoimidasole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) on epididymal sperm function before and after cryopreservation. METHODS In study I, sperm samples of different qualities were obtained from cauda epididymides of domestic cats and evaluated for AMPKα expression. In study II, epididymal spermatozoa were equilibrated for either 30 or 60 min in the presence of 0 (control), 0.5, 2.0, and 5.0 mM AICAR and sperm functions were assessed before and after cryopreservation. In study III, epididymal spermatozoa were treated as in study II and evaluated for AMPKα signaling protein expressions (phospho-AMPKα Thr172 and GLUT1) as well as ATP levels. RESULTS AMPKα protein expression was higher in high-motility vs poor-motility samples. Thirty-minute equilibration with 0.5 mM AICAR improved motion characteristics and fertilizing ability of cryopreserved sperm to the control. Increased expressions of phospho-AMPKα Thr172 and GLUT1 as well as intracellular ATP level were confirmed in sperm samples equilibrated with 0.5 or 2.0 mM AICAR for 30 min. CONCLUSIONS Presence and role of AMPKα protein in cat regulating sperm function were demonstrated before and after cryopreservation. Findings could be used to potentially enhance cryopreserved sperm function in sub-fertile men.
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Zhou C, Wang Y, Zhang J, Su J, An Q, Liu X, Zhang M, Wang Y, Liu J, Zhang Y. H3K27me3 is an epigenetic barrier while KDM6A overexpression improves nuclear reprogramming efficiency. FASEB J 2019; 33:4638-4652. [PMID: 30673507 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801887r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming is a major factor of developmental failure of cloned embryos. Histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), a histone mark for transcriptional repression, plays important roles in mammalian embryonic development and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation. The global loss of H3K27me3 marks may facilitate iPSC generation in mice and humans. However, the H3K27me3 level and its role in bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) reprogramming remain poorly understood. Here, we show that SCNT embryos exhibit global H3K27me3 hypermethylation from the 2- to 8-cell stage and that its removal by ectopically expressed H3K27me3 lysine demethylase (KDM)6A greatly improves nuclear reprogramming efficiency. In contrast, H3K27me3 reduction by H3K27me3 methylase enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex knockdown or donor cell treatment with the enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex-selective inhibitor GSK343 suppressed blastocyst formation by SCNT embryos. KDM6A overexpression enhanced the transcription of genes involved in cell adhesion and cellular metabolism and X-linked genes. Furthermore, we identified methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 3-like 2, which was reactivated by KDM6A, as a factor that is required for effective reprogramming in bovines. These results show that H3K27me3 functions as an epigenetic barrier and that KDM6A overexpression improves SCNT efficiency by facilitating transcriptional reprogramming.-Zhou, C., Wang, Y., Zhang, J., Su, J., An, Q., Liu, X., Zhang, M., Wang, Y., Liu, J., Zhang, Y. H3K27me3 is an epigenetic barrier while KDM6A overexpression improves nuclear reprogramming efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yizhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jingcheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jianmin Su
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Quanli An
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yongsheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Faure M, Bertoldo MJ, Khoueiry R, Bongrani A, Brion F, Giulivi C, Dupont J, Froment P. Metformin in Reproductive Biology. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:675. [PMID: 30524372 PMCID: PMC6262031 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Initially produced in Europe in 1958, metformin is still one of the most widely prescribed drugs to treat type II diabetes and other comorbidities associated with insulin resistance. Metformin has been shown to improve fertility outcomes in females with insulin resistance associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in obese males with reduced fertility. Metformin treatment reinstates menstrual cyclicity, decreases the incidence of cesareans, and limits the number of premature births. Notably, metformin reduces steroid levels in conditions associated with hyperandrogenism (e.g., PCOS and precocious puberty) in females and improves fertility of adult men with metabolic syndrome through increased testosterone production. While the therapeutical use of metformin is considered to be safe, in the last 10 years some epidemiological studies have described phenotypic differences after prenatal exposure to metformin. The goals of this review are to briefly summarize the current knowledge on metformin focusing on its effects on the female and male reproductive organs, safety concerns, including the potential for modulating fetal imprinting via epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Faure
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre Val de Loire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR85, Nouzilly, France
| | - Michael J Bertoldo
- Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rita Khoueiry
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alice Bongrani
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre Val de Loire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR85, Nouzilly, France
| | - François Brion
- INERIS, Direction des Risques Chroniques, Pole VIVA, Unite d'ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, BP2, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Cecilia Giulivi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Joelle Dupont
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre Val de Loire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR85, Nouzilly, France
| | - Pascal Froment
- Unité de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre Val de Loire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR85, Nouzilly, France
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Edwards NA, Watson AJ, Betts DH. Knockdown of p66Shc Alters Lineage-Associated Transcription Factor Expression in Mouse Blastocysts. Stem Cells Dev 2018; 27:1479-1493. [PMID: 30091687 PMCID: PMC6209429 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2018.0131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The p66Shc adaptor protein regulates apoptosis and senescence during early mammalian development. However, p66Shc expression during mouse preimplantation development is upregulated at the blastocyst stage. Our objective was to determine the biological function of p66Shc during mouse blastocyst development. In this study, we demonstrate that a reduced p66Shc transcript abundance following its short interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown alters the spatiotemporal expression of cell lineage-associated transcription factors in the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst. P66Shc knockdown blastocysts restrict OCT3/4 earlier to the inner cells of the early blastocyst and have ICMs containing significantly higher OCT3/4 levels, more GATA4-positive cells, and fewer NANOG-positive cells. P66Shc knockdown blastocysts also show a significantly reduced ability to form ICM-derived outgrowths when explanted in vitro. The increase in cells expressing primitive endoderm markers may be due to increased ERK1/2 activity, as it is reversed by ERK1/2 inhibition. These results suggest that p66Shc may regulate the relative abundance and timing of lineage-associated transcription factor expression in the blastocyst ICM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Edwards
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Andrew J. Watson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- The Children's Health Research Institute (CHRI), Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
| | - Dean H. Betts
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- The Children's Health Research Institute (CHRI), Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
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Puscheck EE, Bolnick A, Awonuga A, Yang Y, Abdulhasan M, Li Q, Secor E, Louden E, Hüttemann M, Rappolee DA. Why AMPK agonists not known to be stressors may surprisingly contribute to miscarriage or hinder IVF/ART. J Assist Reprod Genet 2018; 35:1359-1366. [PMID: 29882092 PMCID: PMC6086802 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-018-1213-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we examine recent evidence suggesting that many drugs and diet supplements (DS), experimental AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonists as well as energy-depleting stress, lead to decreases in anabolism, growth or proliferation, and potency of cultured oocytes, embryos, and stem cells in an AMPK-dependent manner. Surprising data for DS and drugs that have some activity as AMPK agonists in in vitro experiments show possible toxicity. This needs to be balanced against a preponderance of evidence in vivo that these drugs and DS are beneficial for reproduction. We here discuss and analyze data that leads to two possible conclusions: First, although DS and drugs that have some of their therapeutic mechanisms mediated by AMPK activity associated with low ATP levels, some of the associated health problems in vivo and in vitro fertilization/assisted reproductive technologies (IVF/ART) may be better-treated by increasing ATP production using CoQ10 (Ben-Meir et al., Aging Cell 14:887-895, 2015). This enables high developmental trajectories simultaneous with solving stress by energy-requiring responses. In IVF/ART, it is ultimately best to maintain handling and culture of gametes and embryos in the quietest state with low metabolic activity (Leese et al., Mol Hum Reprod 14:667-672, 2008; Leese, Bioessays 24 (9):845-849, 2002) using back-to-nature or simplex algorithms to identify optima (Biggers, Reprod Biomed Online 4 Suppl 1:30-38, 2002). Stress markers, such as checkpoint proteins like TRP53 (aka p53) (Ganeshan et al., Exp Cell Res 358:227-233, 2017); Ganeshan et al., Biol Reprod 83:958-964, 2010) and a small set of kinases from the protein kinome that mediate enzymatic stress responses, can also be used to define optima. But, some gametes or embryos may have been stressed in vivo prior to IVF/ART or IVF/ART optimized for one outcome may be suboptimal for another. Increasing nutrition or adding CoQ10 to increase ATP production (Yang et al., Stem Cell Rev 13:454-464, 2017), managing stress enzyme levels with inhibitors (Xie et al., Mol Hum Reprod 12:217-224, 2006), or adding growth factors such as GM-CSF (Robertson et al., J Reprod Immunol 125:80-88, 2018); Chin et al., Hum Reprod 24:2997-3009, 2009) may increase survival and health of cultured embryos during different stress exposure contexts (Puscheck et al., Adv Exp Med Biol 843:77-128, 2015). We define "stress" as negative stimuli which decrease normal magnitude and speed of development, and these can be stress hormones, reactive oxygen species, inflammatory cytokines, or physical stimuli such as hypoxia. AMPK is normally activated by high AMP, commensurate with low ATP, but it was recently shown that if glucose is present inside the cell, AMPK activation by low ATP/high AMP is suppressed (Zhang et al., Nature 548:112-116, 2017). As we discuss in more detail below, this may also lead to greater AMPK agonist toxicity observed in two-cell embryos that do not import glucose. Stress in embryos and stem cells increases AMPK in large stimulation indexes but also direness indexes; the fastest AMPK activation occurs when stem cells are shifted from optimal oxygen to lower or high levels (Yang et al., J Reprod Dev 63:87-94, 2017). CoQ10 use may be better than risking AMPK-dependent metabolic and developmental toxicity when ATP is depleted and AMPK activated. Second, the use of AMPK agonists, DS, and drugs may best be rationalized when insulin resistance or obesity leads to aberrant hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia, and obesity that negatively affect fertility. Under these conditions, beneficial effects of AMPK on increasing triglyceride and fatty acid and glucose uptake are important, as long as AMPK agonist exposures are not too high or do not occur during developmental windows of sensitivity. During these windows of sensitivity suppression of anabolism, proliferation, and stemness/potency due to AMPK activity, or overexposure may stunt or kill embryos or cause deleterious epigenetic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Puscheck
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Alan Bolnick
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaleida Women's and Children's Hospital Buffalo New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Awoniyi Awonuga
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Yu Yang
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Mohammed Abdulhasan
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Quanwen Li
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Eric Secor
- Department of Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Hartford Hospital and University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT, 06102, USA
| | - Erica Louden
- Augusta University of Health Sciences, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Maik Hüttemann
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Daniel A Rappolee
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 275 East Hancock, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Institutes for Environmental Health Science, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.
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Chen L, Wang J, You Q, He S, Meng Q, Gao J, Wu X, Shen Y, Sun Y, Wu X, Xu Q. Activating AMPK to Restore Tight Junction Assembly in Intestinal Epithelium and to Attenuate Experimental Colitis by Metformin. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:761. [PMID: 30061832 PMCID: PMC6054982 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a crucial molecule in energy metabolism, is reported to play a potential role in gut epithelial differentiation and barrier function recently; however, its performance and mechanisms in the pathological process of inflammatory bowel diseases remain unidentified. In this study, we have found that the phosphorylation of AMPK in colonic tissues is negatively correlated with severity of disease during the initiation and development of experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium. Activation of AMPK by metformin significantly controls the progression of colitis, which is associated with the maintenance of tight junction in colonic epithelium in mice. Moreover, our in vitro data in colonic epithelial Caco2 cells shows that metformin promotes expression and assembly of tight junctions via an AMPK-dependent way. Overall, our results suggested that activating AMPK by a clinically safe drug metformin could be a beneficial choice for colitis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian You
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuai He
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianqian Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xudong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuefeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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