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Nishimura T, Takebe T. Synthetic human gonadal tissues for toxicology. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 126:108598. [PMID: 38657700 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108598] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The process of mammalian reproduction involves the development of fertile germ cells in the testis and ovary, supported by the surrounders. Fertilization leads to embryo development and ultimately the birth of offspring inheriting parental genome information. Any disruption in this process can result in disorders such as infertility and cancer. Chemical toxicity affecting the reproductive system and embryogenesis can impact birth rates, overall health, and fertility, highlighting the need for animal toxicity studies during drug development. However, the translation of animal data to human health remains challenging due to interspecies differences. In vitro culture systems offer a promising solution to bridge this gap, allowing the study of mammalian cells in an environment that mimics the physiology of the human body. Current advances on in vitro culture systems, such as organoids, enable the development of biomaterials that recapitulate the physiological state of reproductive organs. Application of these technologies to human gonadal cells would provide effective tools for drug screening and toxicity testing, and these models would be a powerful tool to study reproductive biology and pathology. This review focuses on the 2D/3D culture systems of human primary testicular and ovarian cells, highlighting the novel approaches for in vitro study of human reproductive toxicology, specifically in the context of testis and ovary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Nishimura
- WPI Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine (WPI-PRIMe), Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Takanori Takebe
- WPI Premium Research Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine (WPI-PRIMe), Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Division of Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Institute of Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Communication Design Center, Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan.
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Moustakli E, Zikopoulos A, Skentou C, Bouba I, Dafopoulos K, Georgiou I. Evolution of Minimally Invasive and Non-Invasive Preimplantation Genetic Testing: An Overview. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2160. [PMID: 38673433 PMCID: PMC11050362 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13082160] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) has become a common supplementary diagnοstic/testing tοol for in vitro fertilization (ΙVF) cycles due to a significant increase in cases of PGT fοr mοnogenic cοnditions (ΡGT-M) and de novο aneuplοidies (ΡGT-A) over the last ten years. This tendency is mostly attributable to the advancement and application of novel cytogenetic and molecular techniques in clinical practice that are capable of providing an efficient evaluation of the embryonic chromosomal complement and leading to better IVF/ICSI results. Although PGT is widely used, it requires invasive biopsy of the blastocyst, which may harm the embryo. Non-invasive approaches, like cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, have lower risks but have drawbacks in consistency and sensitivity. This review discusses new developments and opportunities in the field of preimplantation genetic testing, enhancing the overall effectiveness and accessibility of preimplantation testing in the framework of developments in genomic sequencing, bioinformatics, and the integration of artificial intelligence in the interpretation of genetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthalia Moustakli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (I.B.)
| | - Athanasios Zikopoulos
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Barrack Rd, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK;
| | - Charikleia Skentou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Ioannina, University General Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Ioanna Bouba
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (I.B.)
| | - Konstantinos Dafopoulos
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (I.B.)
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Hattori K, Hoshino Y, Kachi M, Masuda Y, Yamamoto S, Honda S, Minami N, Ikeda S. Analysis of histone H3K4me3 modifications in bovine placenta derived from different calf-production methods. Reprod Domest Anim 2024; 59:e14527. [PMID: 38268203 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14527] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In ruminants, the overgrowth of offspring produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a common problem. Abnormal epigenetic modifications caused by environmental factors during the early embryonic period are suspected as an aetiology of overgrowth. In this study, we investigated the genome-wide histone H3K4me3 profiles of bovine placentae that play a pivotal role in foetal development and compared their characteristics between artificial insemination (AI)- and IVF-derived samples. Cotyledons were harvested from the placentae obtained at parturition of 5 AI- and 13 IVF-derived calves, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed for H3K4me3. We confirmed no significant maternal tissue contamination in the samples we used. The revealed H3K4me3 profiles reflected the general characteristics of the H3K4me3 modification, which is abundantly distributed in the promoter region of active genes. By extracting common modifications from multiple samples, the genes involved in placenta-specific biological processes could be enriched. Comparison with the H3K4me3 modifications of blastocyst samples was also effective for enriching the placenta-specific features. Principal component analysis suggested the presence of differential H3K4me3 modifications in AI- and IVF-derived samples. The genes contributing to the difference were related to the developmental biological processes. Imprinted genes such as BEGAIN, ZNF215 and DLX5 were among the extracted genes. Principal component and discriminant analyses using only male samples categorized the samples into three groups based on foetal weight and calf-production methods. To our knowledge, this is the first study to profile the genome-wide histone modifications of bovine foetal placentae and reveal their differential characteristics between different calf-production methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanoko Hattori
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Hoshino
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kachi
- Dairy Research Department, Gifu Prefectural Livestock Research Institute, Ena, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yasumitsu Masuda
- Department of Animal Science, Tottori Livestock Research Center, Tottori, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamamoto
- Livestock Technology Research Center, Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute, Shobara, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shinnosuke Honda
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naojiro Minami
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ikeda
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Wei Y, Zhang E, Yu L, Ci B, Sakurai M, Guo L, Zhang X, Lin S, Takii S, Liu L, Liu J, Schmitz DA, Su T, Zhang J, Shen Q, Ding Y, Zhan L, Sun HX, Zheng C, Xu L, Okamura D, Ji W, Tan T, Wu J. Dissecting embryonic and extraembryonic lineage crosstalk with stem cell co-culture. Cell 2023; 186:5859-5875.e24. [PMID: 38052213 PMCID: PMC10916932 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Embryogenesis necessitates harmonious coordination between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. Although stem cells of both embryonic and extraembryonic origins have been generated, they are grown in different culture conditions. In this study, utilizing a unified culture condition that activates the FGF, TGF-β, and WNT pathways, we have successfully derived embryonic stem cells (FTW-ESCs), extraembryonic endoderm stem cells (FTW-XENs), and trophoblast stem cells (FTW-TSCs) from the three foundational tissues of mouse and cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) blastocysts. This approach facilitates the co-culture of embryonic and extraembryonic stem cells, revealing a growth inhibition effect exerted by extraembryonic endoderm cells on pluripotent cells, partially through extracellular matrix signaling. Additionally, our cross-species analysis identified both shared and unique transcription factors and pathways regulating FTW-XENs. The embryonic and extraembryonic stem cell co-culture strategy offers promising avenues for developing more faithful embryo models and devising more developmentally pertinent differentiation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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.
| | - E Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - 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
| | - Baiquan Ci
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Masahiro Sakurai
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lei Guo
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sirui Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shino Takii
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nakamachi, Nara 631-8505, Japan
| | - Lizhong Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Daniel A Schmitz
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ting Su
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Junmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; 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
| | - Qiaoyan Shen
- 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
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Linfeng Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | | | - Canbin Zheng
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lin Xu
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Daiji Okamura
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nakamachi, Nara 631-8505, Japan
| | - Weizhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Tao Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, 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; Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Matsuguchi S, Hirai Y. Syntaxin4, P-cadherin, and CCAAT enhancer binding protein β as signaling elements in the novel differentiation pathway for cultured embryonic stem cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 672:27-35. [PMID: 37331168 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.06.039] [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] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells possess the potential to differentiate into all three germ layers. However, upon removal of the stemness factors, pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs), exhibit EMT-like cell behavior and lose stemness signatures. This process involves the membrane translocation of the t-SNARE protein syntaxin4 (Stx4) and the expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule P-cadherin. The forced expression of either of these elements induces the emergence of such phenotypes even in the presence of stemness factors. Interestingly, extracellular Stx4, but not P-cadherin, appears to induce a significant upregulation of the gastrulation-related gene brachyury, along with a slight upregulation of the smooth muscle cell-related gene ACTA2 in ESCs. Furthermore, our findings reveal that extracellular Stx4 plays a role in preventing the elimination of CCAAT enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ). Notably, the forced overexpression of C/EBPβ led to the downregulation of brachyury and a significant upregulation of ACTA2 in ESCs. These observations suggest that extracellular Stx4 contributes to early mesoderm induction while simultaneously activating an element that alters the differentiation state. The fact that a single differentiation cue can elicit multiple differentiation responses may reflect the challenges associated with achieving sensitive and directed differentiation in cultured stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Matsuguchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda, 669-1330, Japan.
| | - Yohei Hirai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda, 669-1330, Japan.
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Hosseiniporgham S, Sechi LA. Anti-HERV-K Drugs and Vaccines, Possible Therapies against Tumors. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040751. [PMID: 37112663 PMCID: PMC10144246 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The footprint of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV), specifically HERV-K, has been found in malignancies, such as melanoma, teratocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, lymphoma, and ovary and prostate cancers. HERV-K is characterized as the most biologically active HERV due to possession of open reading frames (ORF) for all Gag, Pol, and Env genes, which enables it to be more infective and obstructive towards specific cell lines and other exogenous viruses, respectively. Some factors might contribute to carcinogenicity and at least one of them has been recognized in various tumors, including overexpression/methylation of long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1), HERV-K Gag, and Env genes themselves plus their transcripts and protein products, and HERV-K reverse transcriptase (RT). Therapies effective for HERV-K-associated tumors mostly target invasive autoimmune responses or growth of tumors through suppression of HERV-K Gag or Env protein and RT. To design new therapeutic options, more studies are needed to better understand whether HERV-K and its products (Gag/Env transcripts and HERV-K proteins/RT) are the initiators of tumor formation or just the disorder’s developers. Accordingly, this review aims to present evidence that highlights the association between HERV-K and tumorigenicity and introduces some of the available or potential therapies against HERV-K-induced tumors.
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Sheng G, Boroviak TE, Schmidt-Ott U, Srinivas S. Extraembryonic tissues: exploring concepts, definitions and functions across the animal kingdom. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210250. [PMID: 36252213 PMCID: PMC9574640 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Guojun Sheng
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Thorsten E. Boroviak
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Urs Schmidt-Ott
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7TY, UK
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