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Zhuo L, Zhou Y, Tian J, Li Y, Xie Z, Pei C, Yan B, Ma L. The role of miR-199a-3p in inhibiting the proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells under heat stress. Theriogenology 2023; 211:56-64. [PMID: 37573635 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. However, their specific functions in response to heat stress are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of miR-199a-3p on the proliferation of heat stress-treated spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). SSCs were isolated from mouse testes and cultured in vitro to identify marker molecules. Lentiviruses carrying miR-199a-3p-over, miR-199a-3p-inhibit, and ID4-over constructs were generated for stable transfection. Luciferase assay was employed to confirm the targeting relationship between miR-199a-3p and ID4. An in vitro SSCs heat stress model was established, and the miR-199a-3p-inhibit and ID4-over groups were included. Cellular proliferation was assessed using CCK-8, EdU, and cell cycle analysis methods after heat stress. Expression levels of miR-199a-3p and ID4 were evaluated by western blotting and qRT-PCR. The results demonstrated that miR-199a-3p-over inhibited SSCs proliferation, while ID4-over promoted an increase in SSCs number. Luciferase assay confirmed the regulatory effect of miR-199a-3p on ID4 expression. Moreover, after heat stress treatment, miR-199a-3p-inhibit and ID4-over enhanced SSCs proliferation compared to the control group. These findings suggest that miR-199a-3p modulates SSCs proliferation by targeting ID4, especially under heat stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifan Zhuo
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Jia Tian
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Yan Li
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Zhiyuan Xie
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Chengbin Pei
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Bei Yan
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
| | - Lianghong Ma
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Ningxia Human Sperm Bank, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China; Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Urology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
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Sun W, Zhang X, Wang L, Ren G, Piao S, Yang C, Liu Z. RNA sequencing profiles reveals progressively reduced spermatogenesis with progression in adult cryptorchidism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1271724. [PMID: 38027210 PMCID: PMC10643144 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1271724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The fertility of cryptorchidism patients who didn't perform corrective surgery will decrease with age. Herein, we elucidate the histological alterations and underlying molecular mechanism in patients with an increase in the disease duration from 20 to 40 years. Methods Testicular tissues were obtained from three patients with cryptorchidism, ranging in age from 22 to 44 years. Three benign paracancerous testicular samples of matched ages were used as controls. The normal and undescended testicular tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and immunofluorescence and all six testicular samples were subjected to RNA sequencing. RNA sequencing data were subjected to gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and Gene Ontology (GO) searches. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the DEGs. Results The seminiferous tubules' basement membrane thickens with age in healthy testes. As the period of cryptorchidism in the cryptorchid testis extended, the seminiferous tubules significantly atrophy, the number of spermatogenic cells declines, and the amount of interstitial fibrous tissue increases in comparison to normal tissues. The number of germ cells per cross-section of seminiferous tubules was significantly lower in cryptorchidism than in normal testicular tissues, according to immunofluorescence staining, but the number of Sertoli cells remained stable. RNA sequencing analysis identified 1150 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between cryptorchidism and normal testicular tissues (fold change >2 and p<0.05), of which 61 genes were noticeably upregulated and 1089 were significantly downregulated. These genes were predominantly linked to sperm development and differentiation, and fertilization, according to GO analysis. Meiosis pathways were significantly downregulated in cryptorchidism, according to KEGG pathway analysis and GSEA (P<0.001). PPI analysis was used to identify the top seven downregulated hub genes (PLCZ1, AKAP4, IZUMO1, SPAG6, CAPZA3, and ROPN1L), which were then further verified by qPCR. Discussion By describing the histological changes and differential gene expression patterns in adult cryptorchid patients of different age groups, we discovered the progression mechanisms of undescended testes in adults with aging and identified seven significantly downregulated hub genes (PLCZ1, AKAP4, IZUMO1, SPAG6, CAPZA3, and ROPN1L) in cryptorchid testis compared to normal testicular tissues. These genes played a role in the process of spermgenesis and are directly linked to the steady decline in fertility caused by cryptorchidism. Our study provided a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the loss of spermatogenesis in adult cryptorchidism, and give support for the development of adult cryptorchidism treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihao Sun
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinhui Zhang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guanyu Ren
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuguang Piao
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenghua Yang
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- Department of Urology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Shanghai, China
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Wang J, Gao WJ, Deng SL, Liu X, Jia H, Ma WZ. High temperature suppressed SSC self-renewal through S phase cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:227. [PMID: 31358059 PMCID: PMC6664773 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1335-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High temperature has a very adverse effect on mammalian spermatogenesis and eventually leads to sub- or infertility through either apoptosis or DNA damage. However, the direct effects of heat stress on the development of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are still unknown because SSCs are rare in the testes. METHODS In the present study, we first used in vitro-cultured SSCs to study the effect of heat shock treatment on SSC development. Then, we used RNA-Seq analysis to identify new genes or signalling pathways implicated in the heat stress response. RESULTS We found that 45 min of 43 °C heat shock treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of SSCs 2 h after treatment but did not lead to apoptosis. In total, 17,822 genes were identified by RNA-Seq after SSC heat shock treatment. Among these genes, we found that 200 of them had significantly changed expression, with 173 upregulated and 27 downregulated genes. The number of differentially expressed genes in environmental information processing pathways was 37, which was the largest number. We screened the candidate JAK-STAT signalling pathway on the basis of inhibition of cell cycle progression and found that the JAK-STAT pathway was inhibited after heat shock treatment. The flow cytometry results further confirmed that heat stress caused S phase cycle arrest of SSCs. CONCLUSION Our results showed that heat shock treatment at 43 °C for 45 min significantly inhibited SSC self-renewal through S phase cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Wei-Jun Gao
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Shou-Long Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Hua Jia
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China. .,Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Wen-Zhi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, and Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China. .,Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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Cryptorchidism and pesticides: Is there a connection? J Pediatr Surg 2017; 52:1166-1168. [PMID: 27956069 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2016.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of our study was to compare the level of the most common organophosphate metabolite, dimethyl phosphate, in urine of women giving birth to both boys with cryptorchidism (study group), and healthy boys (control group), as well as to compare the level of dimethyl phosphate in our population with the results obtained in other populations. MATERIAL AND METHODS After the ethical approval we included thirty women in both study and control groups. All newborns were born between 38 and 42weeks' gestation. Urine samples were taken on 3rd postpartal day. Gas chromatography with flame photometric detection was used to analyze dimethyl phosphate in urine following the method of Wu et al. Statistical analysis was done using Mann-Whitney test to compare the results in the two groups. RESULTS Geometric mean of dimethyl phosphate in the study group was 7.18±8.26μg/L and the creatinine-corrected level was 5.63±5.95μg/L, and in the control group, the values are 7.98±6.75μg/L and 6.15±7.01μg/L, respectively. There was not a statistically significant difference in levels of dimethyl phosphate between these two groups (p=0.72786). Dimethyl phosphate levels obtained in similar studies are: 14.4μg/L in Israel, 3.7μg/L in Palestine, 10.3μg/L in Jerusalem, 1.60μg/L in Caribbean islands and 2.60μg/L in Canada. CONCLUSIONS Pregnant women in our country are exposed to organophosphate pesticides, but a correlation between the exposure to organophosphate pesticides and cryptorchidism was not found. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I. TYPE OF STUDY Prognostic study, prospective study.
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de Laffolie J, Engel V, Turial S. Laser Doppler spectroscopy of testes after unilateral orchiopexy. J Pediatr Urol 2015; 11:83.e1-5. [PMID: 25819377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2014.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Undescended testes are the most common urogenital malformation in boys. Impaired microcirculation is among other factors addressed as a potential complication of surgery and scar formation, leading to long-term suboptimal results. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to compare the postoperative microcirculation in operated versus non-operated contralateral testis groups after unilateral orchiopexies versus a healthy control cohort. METHODS Ninety-nine consecutive patients were included after unilateral orchiopexy procedures at the age of 3.5 years (±2.9 years) at a single center for pediatric surgery. Eight-five patients were examined with a combination of laser Doppler (blood flow determination) and white-light spectroscopy (oxygen saturation and hemoglobin amount determinations) to determine the microcirculation at two different depth levels non-invasively. All relevant surgery data were obtained retrospectively. RESULTS The right side was operated in 53.5% of cases. Previous hormone treatment had been prescribed in 46.5%. There were no significant differences in perfusion measurements between patients with previous hormone therapy and patients without. There was no significant difference in age and clinical pubertal stage between groups; however, 65% of patients underwent surgery after their second birthday. When comparing oxygen saturation (So2), relative hemoglobin (rHb), flow, and velocity in the operated testis with the contralateral testis of the same patients, we found significantly higher flows and velocities for the contralateral testes (p = 0.041, p = 0.022). Similar higher flows and velocities were found in the healthy controls (p < 0.001). The differences between healthy controls and contralateral testis that were not operated on did not reach statistical significance. There was no difference in measurements at 2 mm depth (skin and subcutaneous tissue) between groups to rule out systemic or capillary differences. DISCUSSION Important limitations include the limited and relatively heterogeneous samples that were obtained for follow-up and retrospective surgery data collection. An additional limitation is missing presurgical data, which we hope to obtain in future studies. Hormonal data or bone age could not be obtained for study reasons. The age in our study was on average above the recommended age for orchiopexy in Germany (6-12 months), which could also restrict generalizability. In terms of complications, we observed reascending testes within the range but a rather high incidence of wound infections. The combination of Doppler and white-light spectroscopy was easily applicable and produced reliable data at 2 and 8 mm depth simultaneously in a standardized setting. CONCLUSIONS After orchiopexy, differences were found in the microcirculation between the operated and contralateral testes or healthy controls. It remains unclear if this is an effect of primary disease or surgery. The microcirculation of contralateral testes was also seemingly different from controls. This is most likely not a consequence of surgery alone, but a common problem for both testes in the affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan de Laffolie
- Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Veronika Engel
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Salmai Turial
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Yang S, Ping P, Ma M, Li P, Tian R, Yang H, Liu Y, Gong Y, Zhang Z, Li Z, He Z. Generation of haploid spermatids with fertilization and development capacity from human spermatogonial stem cells of cryptorchid patients. Stem Cell Reports 2014; 3:663-75. [PMID: 25358793 PMCID: PMC4223697 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of functional spermatids from azoospermia patients is of unusual significance in the treatment of male infertility. Here, we report an efficient approach to obtain human functional spermatids from cryptorchid patients. Spermatogonia remained whereas meiotic germ cells were rare in cryptorchid patients. Expression of numerous markers for meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells was enhanced in human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) of cryptorchidism patients by retinoic acid (RA) and stem cell factor (SCF) treatment. Meiotic spreads and DNA content assays revealed that RA and SCF induced a remarkable increase of SCP3-, MLH1-, and CREST-positive cells and haploid cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis reflected distinct global gene profiles in embryos derived from round spermatids and nuclei of somatic cells. Significantly, haploid spermatids generated from human SSCs of cryptorchid patients possessed fertilization and development capacity. This study thus provides an invaluable source of autologous male gametes for treating male infertility in azoospermia patients. Spermatogonia remain whereas meiotic male germ cells are rare in cryptorchid patients Human SSCs of cryptorchid patients differentiate into phenotypic haploid spermatids Round spermatids derived from human SSCs have fertilization and development capacity Distinct gene profiles exist in embryos from round spermatid and somatic cell nuclei
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Ping Ping
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Meng Ma
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Ruhui Tian
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China
| | - Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Yuehua Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai 200001, China.
| | - Zuping He
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 845 Linshan Road, Shanghai 200135, China; State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Road, Shanghai 200127, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai 200001, China.
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