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Crafa A, Cannarella R, Calogero AE, Gunes S, Agarwal A. Behind the Genetics: The Role of Epigenetics in Infertility-Related Testicular Dysfunction. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:803. [PMID: 39063558 PMCID: PMC11277947 DOI: 10.3390/life14070803] [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: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, we have witnessed a progressive decline in male fertility. This is partly related to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g., obesity and diabetes mellitus) and risky lifestyle behaviors. These conditions alter male fertility through various non-genetic mechanisms. However, there is increasing evidence that they are also capable of causing sperm epigenetic alterations, which, in turn, can cause infertility. Furthermore, these modifications could be transmitted to offspring, altering their general and reproductive health. Therefore, these epigenetic modifications could represent one of the causes of the progressive decline in sperm count recorded in recent decades. This review focuses on highlighting epigenetic modifications at the sperm level induced by non-genetic causes of infertility. In detail, the effects on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the expression profiles of non-coding RNAs are evaluated. Finally, a focus on the risk of transgenerational inheritance is presented. Our narrative review aims to demonstrate how certain conditions can alter gene expression, potentially leading to the transmission of anomalies to future generations. It emphasizes the importance of the early detection and treatment of reversible conditions (such as obesity and varicocele) and the modification of risky lifestyle behaviors. Addressing these issues is crucial for individual health, in preserving fertility, and in ensuring the well-being of future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Crafa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.C.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.)
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.C.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.)
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.C.); (R.C.); (A.E.C.)
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
| | - Sezgin Gunes
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55280 Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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Brandwein C, Leenaars CHC, Becker L, Pfeiffer N, Iorgu AM, Hahn M, Vairani GA, Lewejohann L, Bleich A, Mallien AS, Gass P. A systematic mapping review of the evolution of the rat Forced Swim Test: Protocols and outcome parameters. Pharmacol Res 2023; 196:106917. [PMID: 37690532 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
As depression is projected to become the leading mental disease burden globally by 2030, understanding the underlying pathology, as well as screening potential anti-depressants with a higher efficacy, faster onset of action, and/or fewer side-effects is essential. A commonly used test for screening novel antidepressants and studying depression-linked aspects in rodents is the Porsolt Forced Swim Test. The present systematic mappping review gives a comprehensive overview of the evolution and of the most prevalently used set-ups of this test in rats, including the choice of animals (strain, sex, and age), technical aspects of protocol and environment, as well as reported outcome measures. Additionally, we provide an accessible list of all existing publications, to support informed decision-making for procedural and technical aspects of the test, to thereby enhance reproducibility and comparability. This should further contribute to reducing the number of unnecessarily replicated experiments, and consequently, reduce the number of animals used in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Brandwein
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Cathalijn H C Leenaars
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Laura Becker
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Natascha Pfeiffer
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ana-Maria Iorgu
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Melissa Hahn
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gaia A Vairani
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Max‑Dohrn‑Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany; Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - André Bleich
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Anne S Mallien
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Gass
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Razi M, Tavalaee M, Sarrafzadeh-Rezaei F, Moazamian A, Gharagozloo P, Drevet JR, Nasr-Eshafani MH. Varicocoele and oxidative stress: New perspectives from animal and human studies. Andrology 2020; 9:546-558. [PMID: 33145958 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Varicocoele (VCL), one of the main causes of male subfertility, negatively affects testicular function. Due to limited access to human testicular tissue, animal model studies have been used to evaluate molecular and, recently, epigenetic changes attributed to pathophysiology induced by VCL. OBJECTIVES This review aims to provide an update on the latest findings regarding the link between VCL-induced biochemical stress and molecular changes in germ cells and spermatozoa. Endocrine and antioxidant status, testicular chaperone-specific hemostasis failure, altered testicular ion balance, metabolic disorders, and altered carbon cycling during spermatogenesis are among the many features that will be presented. DISCUSSION Literature review coupled with our own findings suggests that ionic imbalance, hypoxia, hyperthermia, and altered blood flow could lead to severe chronic oxidative and nitrosative stress in patients with VCL leading to defective spermatogenesis and impairment of the integrity of all sperm cell components and compartments down to the epigenetic information they carry. CONCLUSION Since oxidative stress is an important feature of the reproductive pathology of VCL, therapeutic strategies such as the administration of appropriate antioxidants could be undertaken as a complementary non-invasive treatment line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazdak Razi
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
| | - Marziyeh Tavalaee
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farshid Sarrafzadeh-Rezaei
- Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
| | | | | | - Joël R Drevet
- Faculty of Medicine, GReD Institute, INSERM U1103, CNRS UMR6293, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Mohammad-Hossein Nasr-Eshafani
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
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