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Jiang H, Huang CJ. Aberrant protamination in sperm correlates to anomalous nuclear and cytoplasmic architectures in infertile males with sperm dysmorphology. Asian J Androl 2024; 26:183-188. [PMID: 37921517 PMCID: PMC10919428 DOI: 10.4103/aja202360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant sperm protamination is linked to sperm dysmorphology and nuclear chromatin condensation. Yet, its effects on sperm cytoplasmic maturation remain largely unexplored. The relationships of protamines, sperm morphology, DNA damage, and cytoplasmic remodeling were illustrated in this study to provide fresh perspectives on the mechanisms of male infertility. A total of 205 infertile males were allocated into 5 groups according to the percentage of spermatozoa exhibiting abnormal morphology within their samples. Sperm concentration, motility, abnormal sperm morphology, cytoplasmic droplets (CDs), and excess residual cytoplasm (ERC) were analyzed according to the World Health Organization manual (2010). Sperm nuclear vacuoles (NVs) were determined by propidium iodide (PI) staining. Sperm protamine expressions (P1 and P2) were detected by western blot. DNA damage was measured by acridine orange test (AOT) to calculate the proportion of sperm with single-strand DNA breaks (SSBs). Our data showed that sperm concentration and motility in infertile males significantly decreased with the severity of abnormal sperm morphology (both P < 0.01). P1 level, P1/P2 ratio, and SSB rate increased with the severity of sperm dysmorphology, whilst the P2 level decreased (all P < 0.01). NVs, CDs, and ERC were more common in males with sperm dysmorphology and positively correlated with the SSB rate (all P < 0.01). The relationships between the SSB rate and the P1/P2 ratio were also significant ( P < 0.01). Aberrant protamination may cause sperm dysmorphology and compromise male fertility by impairing sperm's nucleus and cytoplasm maturation, with the P1/P2 ratio potentially serving as a valuable indicator of sperm quality and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Jiang
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Longgang Maternity and Child Institute of Shantou University Medical College), Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Chu-Jie Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Immunology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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Philibert P, Stévant I, Déjardin S, Girard M, Sellem E, Durix Q, Messager A, Gonzalez AA, Mialhe X, Pruvost A, Poulat F, Boizet-Bonhoure B. Intergenerational effects on fertility in male and female mice after chronic exposure to environmental doses of NSAIDs and 17α-ethinylestradiol mixtures. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 182:114085. [PMID: 37844793 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) are extensively used in human and veterinary medicine. Due to their partial removal by wastewater treatment plants, they are frequent environmental contaminants, particularly in drinking water. Here, we investigated the adverse outcomes of chronic exposure to mixtures of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, 2hydroxy-ibuprofen, diclofenac) and EE2 at two environmentally relevant doses in drinking water, on the reproductive organ development and fertility in F1-exposed male and female mice and in their F2 offspring. In male and female F1 mice, which were exposed to these mixtures, reproductive organ maturation, estrous cyclicity, and spermiogenesis were altered. These defects were observed also in F2 animals, in addition to some specific sperm parameter alterations in F2 males. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant changes in gene expression patterns and associated pathways implicated in testis and ovarian physiology. Chronic exposure of mice to NSAID and EE2 mixtures at environmental doses intergenerationally affected male and female fertility (i.e. total number of pups and time between litters). Our study provides new insights into the adverse effects of these pharmaceuticals on the reproductive health and will facilitate the implementation of a future regulatory environmental risk assessment of NSAIDs and EE2 for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Philibert
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France; Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, Hôpital Carèmeau, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France.
| | - Isabelle Stévant
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Stéphanie Déjardin
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France.
| | - Mélissa Girard
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France
| | - Eli Sellem
- Research and Development Department, Allice, Biology of Reproduction, INRA Domaine de Vilvert, Jouy en Josas, France
| | - Quentin Durix
- IExplore-RAM, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, INSERM, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France.
| | - Aurélie Messager
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour La Santé (DMTS), Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | | | - Xavier Mialhe
- MGX-Montpellier GenomiX, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
| | - Alain Pruvost
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour La Santé (DMTS), Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Francis Poulat
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France.
| | - Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure
- Développement et Pathologie de La Gonade, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier UMR9002, Montpellier, France.
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Chehelgerdi M, Chehelgerdi M. The use of RNA-based treatments in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:106. [PMID: 37420174 PMCID: PMC10401791 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01807-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, mRNA vaccines have evolved from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality. These vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccine techniques, including their high potency, rapid development, low-cost manufacturing, and safe administration. However, until recently, concerns over the instability and inefficient distribution of mRNA in vivo have limited their utility. Fortunately, recent technological advancements have mostly resolved these concerns, resulting in the development of numerous mRNA vaccination platforms for infectious diseases and various types of cancer. These platforms have shown promising outcomes in both animal models and humans. This study highlights the potential of mRNA vaccines as a promising alternative approach to conventional vaccine techniques and cancer treatment. This review article aims to provide a thorough and detailed examination of mRNA vaccines, including their mechanisms of action and potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, the article will analyze the current state of mRNA vaccine technology and highlight future directions for the development and implementation of this promising vaccine platform as a mainstream therapeutic option. The review will also discuss potential challenges and limitations of mRNA vaccines, such as their stability and in vivo distribution, and suggest ways to overcome these issues. By providing a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of mRNA vaccines, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of this innovative approach to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran.
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Matin Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
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Park JI, Bell GW, Yamashita YM. Derepression of Y-linked multicopy protamine-like genes interferes with sperm nuclear compaction in D. melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220576120. [PMID: 37036962 PMCID: PMC10120018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220576120] [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: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Across species, sperm maturation involves the dramatic reconfiguration of chromatin into highly compact nuclei that enhance hydrodynamic ability and ensure paternal genomic integrity. This process is mediated by the replacement of histones by sperm nuclear basic proteins, also referred to as protamines. In humans, a carefully balanced dosage between two known protamine genes is required for optimal fertility. However, it remains unknown how their proper balance is regulated and how defects in balance may lead to compromised fertility. Here, we show that a nucleolar protein, modulo, a homolog of nucleolin, mediates the histone-to-protamine transition during Drosophila spermatogenesis. We find that modulo mutants display nuclear compaction defects during late spermatogenesis due to decreased expression of autosomal protamine genes (including Mst77F) and derepression of Y-linked multicopy Mst77F homologs (Mst77Y), leading to the mutant's known sterility. Overexpression of Mst77Y in a wild-type background is sufficient to cause nuclear compaction defects, similar to modulo mutant, indicating that Mst77Y is a dominant-negative variant interfering with the process of histone-to-protamine transition. Interestingly, ectopic overexpression of Mst77Y caused decompaction of X-bearing spermatids nuclei more frequently than Y-bearing spermatid nuclei, although this did not greatly affect the sex ratio of offspring. We further show that modulo regulates these protamine genes at the step of transcript polyadenylation. We conclude that the regulation of protamines mediated by modulo, ensuring the expression of functional ones while repressing dominant-negative ones, is critical for male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun I. Park
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - George W. Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Yukiko M. Yamashita
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA02142
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142
- HHMI, Cambridge, MA02142
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Goel R, Batra H, Kumar M, Dada R, Kumar R. Evaluation of cell-free seminal mRNA for the diagnosis of obstruction as the cause of azoospermia in infertile men: A prospective cohort study. Andrologia 2022; 54:e14364. [PMID: 35942865 DOI: 10.1111/and.14364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiating obstructive (OA) from non-obstructive (NOA) azoospermia is clinically important in managing infertile men. Classically, the differentiation has been based on clinical, hormonal and histological analysis. Histological tests are invasive and may miss spermatogenic areas. Seminal fluid can serve as a medium to assess the status of spermatogenesis and presence or absence of certain markers can help diagnosing and differentiating azoospermia. We evaluated the role of cell-free seminal markers: DDX4, PRM1 and PRM2 in diagnosing and differentiating between OA and NOA and classifying their subtypes. We observed DDX4 was more sensitive for NOA compared with OA. Among various subtypes of NOA, DDX4 positivity was higher in patients with maturation arrest and hypospermatogenesis compared with Sertoli cell only syndrome. PRM1 and PRM2 had very low positivity rate for any meaningful comparison. Seminal cell-free markers can serve as non-invasive tests in diagnosing and differentiating etiologies of azoospermia but their validity needs to be proved in long-term trials with more refined molecular techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritesh Goel
- Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Harish Batra
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rima Dada
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajeev Kumar
- Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Saremi A, Yousefvand Z, Parastesh M, Bayat M, Gahreman D. Aerobic training mitigates the negative impact of diabetes on fertility. Andrologia 2021; 54:e14306. [PMID: 34751459 DOI: 10.1111/and.14306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes negatively affects the reproductive system. This present study investigated the effects of aerobic training on protamine 1 and 2 mRNA expression, sex hormones, antioxidant defence and sperm quality in diabetic rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups including diabetic training (DT) group, diabetic (D) group and control (C) group. Rats in DT were exercised 5 times per week for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected for evaluation of sex hormones 48 h after the last training session. Also, the testes were removed and subjected to histological evaluation and semen analysis. Testicular mRNA expressions of protamines were determined by RT-qPCR. Protamines 1 and 2, and the ratio of protamine 1 to protamine 2 were significantly lower in DT and D groups compared with C group (p < 0.01). LH and testosterone levels were significantly lower in D group compared with DT and C group (p < 0.01). Malondialdehyde was significantly lower in DT and C groups compared with D group (p < 0.001). Sperm parameters were significantly lower in D group compared with C group (p < 0.01). Our findings suggest that aerobic training may mitigate the negative impact of diabetes on sex hormones, oxidative stress, protamine content and sperm parameters in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbas Saremi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Zahra Yousefvand
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Mohammad Parastesh
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Mohammad Bayat
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Daniel Gahreman
- College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
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