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Otake M, Imamura M, Enya S, Kangawa A, Shibata M, Ozaki K, Kimura K, Ono E, Aoki Y. Severe cardiac and skeletal manifestations in DMD-edited microminipigs: an advanced surrogate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Commun Biol 2024; 7:523. [PMID: 38702481 PMCID: PMC11068776 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06222-5] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an intractable X-linked muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the DMD gene. While many animal models have been used to study the disease, translating findings to humans has been challenging. Microminipigs, with their pronounced physiological similarity to humans and notably compact size amongst pig models, could offer a more representative model for human diseases. Here, we accomplished precise DMD modification in microminipigs by co-injecting embryos with Cas9 protein and a single-guide RNA targeting exon 23 of DMD. The DMD-edited microminipigs exhibited pronounced clinical phenotypes, including perturbed locomotion and body-wide skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy, alongside augmented serum creatine kinase levels. Muscle weakness was observed as of one month of age, respiratory and cardiac dysfunctions emerged by the sixth month, and the maximum lifespan was 29.9 months. Histopathological evaluations confirmed dystrophin deficiency and pronounced dystrophic pathology in the skeletal and myocardial tissues, demonstrating that these animals are an unprecedented model for studying human DMD. The model stands as a distinct and crucial tool in biomedical research, offering deep understanding of disease progression and enhancing therapeutic assessments, with potential to influence forthcoming treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayoshi Otake
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, 439-0037, Japan.
| | - Michihiro Imamura
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan
| | - Satoko Enya
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, 439-0037, Japan
| | - Akihisa Kangawa
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, 439-0037, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Shibata
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, 439-0037, Japan
| | - Kinuyo Ozaki
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
- Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Koichi Kimura
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine/Cardiology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuro Ono
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
- Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Aoki
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan.
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Wahyuni S, Siregar TN, Gholib G, Saputra A, Hafizuddin H, Sofyan H, Jalaluddin M, Adam M, Akmal M. Identification and Determination of the Seminiferous Epithelium Stages and Spermatid Development in the Testis of Aceh Bull ( Bos indicus). Vet Med Int 2023; 2023:8848185. [PMID: 37795107 PMCID: PMC10547576 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8848185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to describe the stages of seminiferous epithelium (SE), determine the relative frequency of the stages, and identify the steps of spermatid development during spermatogenesis in the testicular tissue of Aceh bull. Seven pairs of the testicular organs of Aceh bull (Bos indicus) were used and then processed in a histological manner for staining using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff-haematoxylin (PAS-H). The stages of seminiferous tubules were examined using a tubular morphology method while spermatid development was observed based on the acrosome formation during spermatid development. Eight stages (stages I to VIII) of SE were found in the testicular seminiferous tubules of Aceh bull. Furthermore, the percentage of the relative frequency of each stage was 25.48, 15.38, 12.92, 4.74, 14.97, 10.69, 10.74, and 5.08%, respectively, with the relative frequency of premeiotic, meiotic, and postmeiotic phases being 53.78, 4.74, and 41.48%, respectively. Spermatid development from round to elongated spermatids occurred in 14 steps. Steps 1 to 7 were observed in stage I, steps 8 and 9 in stage II, steps 10 and 11 in stage III, step 12 in stage IV, step 13 in stages V and VI, and step 14 in stages VII and VIII. These findings can be used as a basis for further studies, particularly in evaluating the abnormality of the cellular composition of the seminiferous tubule in each stage of spermatogenesis and also in determining daily sperm production in Aceh bull.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri Wahyuni
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Tongku Nizwan Siregar
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Gholib Gholib
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Arianto Saputra
- Study Program of Veterinary Medicine Education, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Hafizuddin Hafizuddin
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Hamny Sofyan
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Jalaluddin
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Mulyadi Adam
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
| | - Muslim Akmal
- Laboratory of Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
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Zhang L, Li F, Lei P, Guo M, Liu R, Wang L, Yu T, Lv Y, Zhang T, Zeng W, Lu H, Zheng Y. Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals the dynamic process and novel markers in porcine spermatogenesis. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2021; 12:122. [PMID: 34872612 PMCID: PMC8650533 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-021-00638-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations. To date, the dynamic transcriptional changes of defined populations of male germ cells in pigs have not been reported. Results To characterize the atlas of porcine spermatogenesis, we profiled the transcriptomes of ~ 16,966 testicular cells from a 150-day-old pig testis through single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). The scRNA-seq analysis identified spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and three somatic cell types in porcine testes. The functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these cell types played diverse roles in porcine spermatogenesis. The accuracy of the defined porcine germ cell types was further validated by comparing the data from scRNA-seq with those from bulk RNA-seq. Since we delineated four distinct spermatogonial subsets, we further identified CD99 and PODXL2 as novel cell surface markers for undifferentiated and differentiating spermatogonia, respectively. Conclusions The present study has for the first time analyzed the transcriptome of male germ cells and somatic cells in porcine testes through scRNA-seq. Four subsets of spermatogonia were identified and two novel cell surface markers were discovered, which would be helpful for studies on spermatogonial differentiation in pigs. The datasets offer valuable information on porcine spermatogenesis, and pave the way for identification of key molecular markers involved in development of male germ cells. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-021-00638-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingkai Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fuyuan Li
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peipei Lei
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ming Guo
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruifang Liu
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ling Wang
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723001, Shaanxi, China
| | - Taiyong Yu
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yinghua Lv
- College of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723001, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenxian Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Hongzhao Lu
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723001, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Yi Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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Šturm S, Švara T, Spörndly-Nees E, Cerkvenik-Flajs V, Gombač M, Weber AL, Weber K. Seminiferous epithelium cycle staging based on the development of the acrosome in ram testis. J Toxicol Pathol 2021; 34:331-338. [PMID: 34621108 PMCID: PMC8484928 DOI: 10.1293/tox.2021-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular histopathology is considered the most sensitive and reliable method to detect the effects of chemicals on sperm production. To carry out a sensitive examination of testicular histopathology and interpret the changes require knowledge of spermatogenic stages. Spermatogenic staging based on acrosome development during spermiogenesis is conventionally performed in animal species routinely used for research and toxicity testing. In contrast, small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, are rarely used as animal models to evaluate toxicity in male reproductive organs. To the best of our knowledge, a comparable spermatogenic staging system in rams has not yet been fully characterised. Hence, this study aimed to adapt the existing spermatogenic staging based on acrosome development in bull testes to fit the seminiferous epithelium cycle of ram testes. The results show that spermatogenic staging based on acrosome development in bull testes can, with slight modifications, be efficiently used for the staging of ram testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Šturm
- Institute of Pathology, Wild Animals, Fish and Bees, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Tanja Švara
- Institute of Pathology, Wild Animals, Fish and Bees, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ellinor Spörndly-Nees
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7011, 75007, Sweden
| | - Vesna Cerkvenik-Flajs
- Institute of Pathology, Wild Animals, Fish and Bees, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Mitja Gombač
- Institute of Pathology, Wild Animals, Fish and Bees, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Anna-Luisa Weber
- AnaPath Services GmbH, Hammerstrasse 49, Liestal, 4410, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Weber
- AnaPath Services GmbH, Hammerstrasse 49, Liestal, 4410, Switzerland
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Skydsgaard M, Dincer Z, Haschek WM, Helke K, Jacob B, Jacobsen B, Jeppesen G, Kato A, Kawaguchi H, McKeag S, Nelson K, Rittinghausen S, Schaudien D, Vemireddi V, Wojcinski ZW. International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria (INHAND): Nonproliferative and Proliferative Lesions of the Minipig. Toxicol Pathol 2021; 49:110-228. [PMID: 33393872 DOI: 10.1177/0192623320975373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The INHAND (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions) Project (www.toxpath.org/inhand.asp) is a joint initiative of the Societies of Toxicologic Pathology from Europe (ESTP), Great Britain (BSTP), Japan (JSTP), and North America (STP) to develop an internationally accepted nomenclature for proliferative and nonproliferative lesions in laboratory animals. The purpose of this publication is to provide a standardized nomenclature for classifying microscopic lesions observed in most tissues and organs from the minipig used in nonclinical safety studies. Some of the lesions are illustrated by color photomicrographs. The standardized nomenclature presented in this document is also available electronically on the internet (http://www.goreni.org/). Sources of material included histopathology databases from government, academia, and industrial laboratories throughout the world. Content includes spontaneous lesions as well as lesions induced by exposure to test materials. Relevant infectious and parasitic lesions are included as well. A widely accepted and utilized international harmonization of nomenclature for lesions in laboratory animals will provide a common language among regulatory and scientific research organizations in different countries and increase and enrich international exchanges of information among toxicologists and pathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zuhal Dincer
- Pathology Department, Covance Laboratories Limited, Harrogate, United Kingdom
| | - Wanda M Haschek
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kris Helke
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Bjoern Jacobsen
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gitte Jeppesen
- Charles River Laboratories Copenhagen, Lille Skensved, Denmark
| | - Atsuhiko Kato
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd Research Division, Shizuoka, Japan
| | | | - Sean McKeag
- Pathology Department, Covance Laboratories Limited, Harrogate, United Kingdom
| | | | - Susanne Rittinghausen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaudien
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
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Contreras-Ortiz AJ, Vigueras RM, Mendoza-Elvira SE, Martínez-Castañeda FE, Gutiérrez-Pérez O, Trujillo-Ortega ME. Postnatal testicular development in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. Acta Histochem 2021; 123:151741. [PMID: 34197981 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151741] [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: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a breed with high investigation potential. However, at the reproductive level, its testicular characteristics are still unknown, as well as the different stages of its development. Therefore, the objective of this work is to describe the postnatal testicular development of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. In this study, we used pigs grouped into the neonatal stage, animals at zero weeks; prepubertal stage, animals at three and eight weeks; pubertal stage, animals at twelve and sixteen weeks; and postpubertal stage animals at twenty, twenty-four, twenty-eight and thirty-two weeks of age. The neonatal stage is characterized by gonocytes at different migration phases. In the prepubertal stage, gonocytes were differentiated into spermatogonia at 3 weeks of age, and the first spermatocytes were observed at 7 weeks of age. Puberty was determined to start at 12 weeks because seminiferous tubules are found with complete spermatogenesis and the highest peaks in positive cell counting of androgen receptors (AR) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) factor that later decreased and further stabilized in the following weeks. In the postpubertal stage, an increase in seminiferous tubule areas was observed. The number of apoptotic cells ranged from low to null at all ages. Testosterone (T) and gonadotropin levels had two important peaks at 3 and 24 weeks. The seminiferous epithelium cycle was found to have 11 stages according to acrosome development. These characteristics of Vietnamese pot-bellied pig testes, which are different from rat testes and more similar to human testicles, make them a viable model to study human male reproductive biology. The postnatal testicular development of pot-bellied pigs is different from the postnatal testicular development of other breeds. Therefore, due to this difference in size and easy manipulation, the Vietnamese pig is an alternative for investigation compared to other pig breeds.
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Guo S, Chunyu Lv, Ouyang S, Wang X, Liao A, Yuan S. GOLGA4, A Golgi matrix protein, is dispensable for spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 529:642-646. [PMID: 32736686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.05.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
During acrosome biogenesis, numerous granules formed from trans-Golgi stacks and accumulated in the concave region of the nuclear surface that is essential for acrosome formation. Several Golgi-associated proteins were involved in this process. However, the specific function of Golgi-associated proteins, especially Golgi matrix protein, during acrosome biogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we identified GOLGA4, as a Golgi matrix protein, highly expressed in mouse testes. To explore the function of GOLGA4 in spermatogenesis, we generated a Golga4 global knockout mouse line using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and demonstrated that Golga4 knockout males are fertile with normal morphology of testis and sperm. Furthermore, testicular histology showed no significant difference between WT and KO mice. Together, our data demonstrate that GOLGA4 is dispensable for mouse spermatogenesis and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Guo
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Chunyu Lv
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Sijin Ouyang
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Aihua Liao
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518057, China.
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8
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Nakamura K, Otake M. [Current progress of research and use of microminipigs in drug development]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2019; 152:202-207. [PMID: 30298842 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.152.202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The use of minipigs has been increasing in the areas of pharmacology researches and drug development. The microminipig developed by Fuji Micra Inc. (Shizuoka, Japan) inherits characteristics of other pig strains showing several similarities to humans in anatomy, physiology, omnivorousness and diurnal, but at the same time has several advantages over other pig strains because of its small size which allows easy keeping, handling and dosing, and saving of test substances. The microminipig weighs about 10 kg at the age of 6 months. Canine cages can be used to keep the animal. Swine leukocyte antigens (SLA) are defined in each individual animal which is useful for testing immunological reactions. As there are many similarities in metabolic enzymes and transporters to those in humans, the microminipig is a powerful animal model for toxicokinetic studies. Unfortunately as in other minipigs the microminipig is not appropriate for embryo-fetal development studies of antibody drugs due to its poor placental transfer, but can be used for other reproductive and developmental studies. Repeat dose toxicity, safety pharmacology, immunotoxicity and local tolerance studies should be also other arenas of this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuichi Nakamura
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University
| | - Masayoshi Otake
- Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center
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9
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Almunia J, Nakamura K, Murakami M, Takashima S, Mori T, Takasu M. Sexual precocity in male microminipigs evaluated immunohistologically using spermatogonial stem cell markers. Theriogenology 2019; 130:120-124. [PMID: 30884332 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Microminipigs are one of the smallest miniature pigs characterized as sexually precocious; the males achieve sexual maturity at around 3-4.5 months of age. However, the physiology of this sexual precocity is still unclear. To understand sexual precocity in male microminipigs, we analyzed their testes at five developmental stages: neonatal (<7 days), 30-day-old, 45-day-old, 80-day-old, and adult (>24 months) stages. We used 4 pigs in each of the stages. To analyze testicular development histologically, the seminiferous tubule diameter (SD) was measured, and the presence or absence of the seminiferous lumen was confirmed. Changes in the expression of pluripotency markers, DBA, UCHL1, ZBTB16, and vimentin, were evaluated immunohistologically. For the analyses, cells positive for DBA, UCHL1, and ZBTB16 per 150 round seminiferous tubules in cross sections from each testis were counted to evaluate the total number of positive cells. The number of positive cells per 100 Sertoli cells (DBA+/Sertoli, UCHL1+/Sertoli, and ZBTB16+/Sertoli) was calculated to compare the five developmental stages. Histologically, SDs became larger with piglet growth, and precocity was confirmed; seminiferous lumens were observed from the 30-day-old stage. Immunohistologically, the number of DBA+/Sertoli, which indicates the number of gonocytes, decreased rapidly to an undetectable level by the 45-day-old stage. In the same period, the number of UCHL1+/Sertoli, which indicates total SSCs, increased significantly, suggesting that the proliferation of SSCs was accelerated before 30 days of age. Consequently, our study clarified that differentiation of SSCs in microminipigs started during the fetal period, the differentiation of gonocytes and proliferation of SSCs was then accelerated before 30 days of age, and the early phase of spermatogenesis was finally completed at around 45 days after birth. Consequently, sexual precocity in male microminipigs was characterized by a shorter duration of the early phase of spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Almunia
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Kotono Nakamura
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | - Mami Murakami
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Japan
| | | | - Takashi Mori
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Japan; Center for Highly Advanced Integration of Nano and Life Sciences, Gifu University (G-CHAIN), Japan
| | - Masaki Takasu
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Japan; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Japan; Education and Research Center for Food Animal Health (GeFAH), Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan.
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10
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Takeishi K, Kawaguchi H, Akioka K, Noguchi M, Arimura E, Abe M, Ushikai M, Okita S, Tanimoto A, Horiuchi M. Effects of Dietary and Lighting Conditions on Diurnal Locomotor Activity and Body Temperature in Microminipigs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 32:55-62. [PMID: 29275299 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.11204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The effects of dietary and lighting conditions on diurnal rhythm of locomotor activity (LA) and body temperature (BT) using four adult male microminipigs were investigated. Different feeding times, diet and lighting conditions were applied sequentially for 3 weeks in each phase as follows: Phase I: Morning mealtime, normal diet, 12-h lights on; phase II: mealtime changed to afternoon; phase III: diet changed to high-fat diet; phase IV: lighting changed to 20-h on; and phase V: phase I repeated. LA was measured by an actigraph which was worn on the body of each pig. A BT recording module (Thermochron Type-SL) was implanted in the neck subcutaneously. Phase II increased BT compared with phase I. Phase III increased LA and BT compared with phase II. Phase IV increased LA compared with phase III. LA in phase V was higher compared with phase I. These results can be extrapolated to other diurnal animals such as humans. This study provides an example of the effects of diet and lighting on biological activities in microminipigs under low-invasive procedures measuring LA and BT, leading to low variations in these measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichiro Takeishi
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kawaguchi
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kohei Akioka
- Laboratory of Veterinary Histopathology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Michiko Noguchi
- Laboratory of Theriogenology, Azabu University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Emi Arimura
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Life and Environmental Science, Kagoshima Prefectural College, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masaharu Abe
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Miharu Ushikai
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Shinobu Okita
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Akihide Tanimoto
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masahisa Horiuchi
- Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Iwatsuki-Horimoto K, Nakajima N, Shibata M, Takahashi K, Sato Y, Kiso M, Yamayoshi S, Ito M, Enya S, Otake M, Kangawa A, da Silva Lopes TJ, Ito H, Hasegawa H, Kawaoka Y. The Microminipig as an Animal Model for Influenza A Virus Infection. J Virol 2017; 91:e01716-16. [PMID: 27807225 PMCID: PMC5215345 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01716-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigs are considered a mixing vessel for the generation of novel pandemic influenza A viruses through reassortment because of their susceptibility to both avian and human influenza viruses. However, experiments to understand reassortment in pigs in detail have been limited because experiments with regular-sized pigs are difficult to perform. Miniature pigs have been used as an experimental animal model, but they are still large and require relatively large cages for housing. The microminipig is one of the smallest miniature pigs used for experiments. Introduced in 2010, microminipigs weigh around 10 kg at an early stage of maturity (6 to 7 months old) and are easy to handle. To evaluate the microminipig as an animal model for influenza A virus infection, we compared the receptor distribution of 10-week-old male pigs (Yorkshire Large White) and microminipigs. We found that both animals have SAα2,3Gal and SAα2,6Gal in their respiratory tracts, with similar distributions of both receptor types. We further found that the sensitivity of microminipigs to influenza A viruses was the same as that of larger miniature pigs. Our findings indicate that the microminipig could serve as a novel model animal for influenza A virus infection. IMPORTANCE The microminipig is one of the smallest miniature pigs in the world and is used as an experimental animal model for life science research. In this study, we evaluated the microminipig as a novel animal model for influenza A virus infection. The distribution of influenza virus receptors in the respiratory tract of the microminipig was similar to that of the pig, and the sensitivity of microminipigs to influenza A viruses was the same as that of miniature pigs. Our findings suggest that microminipigs represent a novel animal model for influenza A virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Nakajima
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Shibata
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kenta Takahashi
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Sato
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Maki Kiso
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiya Yamayoshi
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mutsumi Ito
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoko Enya
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Otake
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Akihisa Kangawa
- Swine and Poultry Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tiago Jose da Silva Lopes
- Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hirotaka Ito
- Ito Business Planning, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hideki Hasegawa
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kawaoka
- Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Influenza Research Institute, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Special Pathogens, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Kangawa A, Otake M, Enya S, Yoshida T, Shibata M. Histological Development of Male Reproductive Organs in Microminipigs. Toxicol Pathol 2016; 44:1105-1122. [PMID: 27770108 DOI: 10.1177/0192623316673495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microminipigs are becoming increasingly attractive alternatives for various experimental applications, such as general toxicology studies, owing to their manageable size. However, there are limited studies on the male reproductive organs of microminipigs, particularly on the histological aspects of sexual maturity. To clarify the development of male reproductive organs, 35 male microminipigs, aged 0 to 12 months, were used in this study. Histological and histomorphological evaluation was performed based on spermatogenic development, measurement of tubular structure in testes and epididymides, and histological progress of accessory glands. In addition, spontaneous testicular changes were quantitatively assessed. Histologically, male microminipigs sexually matured around 4.5 months of age, when spermatogenesis in testes and structural development in genital organs were completed. Spontaneous testicular changes occurred in all the animals investigated. Multinucleated giant cell was most commonly observed, followed by hypospermatogenesis and tubular atrophy/hypoplasia. However, the number of affected tubules was less than 1% in testes after 4.5 months of age, suggesting that the influence of these changes on evaluation of toxicity studies may be minimal. It is preferable to use sexually mature animals in toxicology studies; therefore, the information obtained by the present study will be helpful for future toxicity evaluations in microminipigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihisa Kangawa
- 1 Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Otake
- 1 Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Satoko Enya
- 1 Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Toshinori Yoshida
- 2 Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Shibata
- 1 Swine and Poultry Department, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Animal Industry, Swine and Poultry Research Center, Kikugawa, Shizuoka, Japan
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