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Yildirim RM, Seli E. Mitochondria as therapeutic targets in assisted reproduction. Hum Reprod 2024:deae170. [PMID: 39066614 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae170] [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: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential organelles with specialized functions, which play crucial roles in energy production, calcium homeostasis, and programmed cell death. In oocytes, mitochondrial populations are inherited maternally and are vital for developmental competence. Dysfunction in mitochondrial quality control mechanisms can lead to reproductive failure. Due to their central role in oocyte and embryo development, mitochondria have been investigated as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in assisted reproduction. Pharmacological agents that target mitochondrial function and show promise in improving assisted reproduction outcomes include antioxidant coenzyme Q10 and mitoquinone, mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway inhibitor rapamycin, and nicotinamide mononucleotide. Mitochondrial replacement therapies (MRTs) offer solutions for infertility and mitochondrial disorders. Autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer initially showed promise but failed to demonstrate significant benefits in clinical trials. Maternal spindle transfer (MST) and pronuclear transfer hold potential for preventing mitochondrial disease transmission and improving oocyte quality. Clinical trials of MST have shown promising outcomes, but larger studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy. However, ethical and legislative challenges complicate the widespread implementation of MRTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raziye Melike Yildirim
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emre Seli
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Ju W, Zhao Y, Yu Y, Zhao S, Xiang S, Lian F. Mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian aging and potential interventions. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1361289. [PMID: 38694941 PMCID: PMC11061492 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1361289] [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: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria plays an essential role in regulating cellular metabolic homeostasis, proliferation/differentiation, and cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in many age-related pathologies. Evidence supports that the dysfunction of mitochondria and the decline of mitochondrial DNA copy number negatively affect ovarian aging. However, the mechanism of ovarian aging is still unclear. Treatment methods, including antioxidant applications, mitochondrial transplantation, emerging biomaterials, and advanced technologies, are being used to improve mitochondrial function and restore oocyte quality. This article reviews key evidence and research updates on mitochondrial damage in the pathogenesis of ovarian aging, emphasizing that mitochondrial damage may accelerate and lead to cellular senescence and ovarian aging, as well as exploring potential methods for using mitochondrial mechanisms to slow down aging and improve oocyte quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhan Ju
- The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yuewen Zhao
- CReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yi Yu
- Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shuai Zhao
- The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shan Xiang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Fang Lian
- Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Liang J, Huang F, Song Z, Tang R, Zhang P, Chen R. Impact of NAD+ metabolism on ovarian aging. Immun Ageing 2023; 20:70. [PMID: 38041117 PMCID: PMC10693113 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-023-00398-w] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a crucial coenzyme in cellular redox reactions, is closely associated with age-related functional degeneration and metabolic diseases. NAD exerts direct and indirect influences on many crucial cellular functions, including metabolic pathways, DNA repair, chromatin remodeling, cellular senescence, and immune cell functionality. These cellular processes and functions are essential for maintaining tissue and metabolic homeostasis, as well as healthy aging. Causality has been elucidated between a decline in NAD levels and multiple age-related diseases, which has been confirmed by various strategies aimed at increasing NAD levels in the preclinical setting. Ovarian aging is recognized as a natural process characterized by a decline in follicle number and function, resulting in decreased estrogen production and menopause. In this regard, it is necessary to address the many factors involved in this complicated procedure, which could improve fertility in women of advanced maternal age. Concerning the decrease in NAD+ levels as ovarian aging progresses, promising and exciting results are presented for strategies using NAD+ precursors to promote NAD+ biosynthesis, which could substantially improve oocyte quality and alleviate ovarian aging. Hence, to acquire further insights into NAD+ metabolism and biology, this review aims to probe the factors affecting ovarian aging, the characteristics of NAD+ precursors, and the current research status of NAD+ supplementation in ovarian aging. Specifically, by gaining a comprehensive understanding of these aspects, we are optimistic about the prominent progress that will be made in both research and therapy related to ovarian aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghui Liang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Feiling Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zhaoqi Song
- School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Ruiyi Tang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetics of Birth Defects, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Rare Disease Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, 100045, China.
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Jiang Z, Shi C, Han H, Fu M, Zhu H, Han T, Fei J, Huang Y, Jin Z, He J, Wang Y, Chen X, Shen H. Autologous non-invasively derived stem cells mitochondria transfer shows therapeutic advantages in human embryo quality rescue. Biol Res 2023; 56:60. [PMID: 37978575 PMCID: PMC10657142 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00470-1] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The decline in the quantity and quality of mitochondria are closely associated with infertility, particularly in advanced maternal age. Transferring autologous mitochondria into the oocytes of infertile females represents an innovative and viable strategy for treating infertility, with no concerns regarding ethical considerations. As the donor cells of mitochondria, stem cells have biological advantages but research and evidence in this area are quite scarce. METHODS To screen out suitable human autologous ooplasmic mitochondrial donor cells, we performed comprehensive assessment of mitochondrial physiology, function and metabolic capacity on a varity of autologous adipose, marrow, and urine-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSC, BMSC and USC) and ovarian germline granulosa cells (GC). Further, to explore the biosafety, effect and mechanism of stem cell-derived mitochondria transfer on human early embryo development, randomized in-vitro basic studies were performed in both of the young and aged oocytes from infertile females. RESULTS Compared with other types of mesenchymal stromal cells, USC demonstrated a non-fused spherical mitochondrial morphology and low oxidative stress status which resembled the oocyte stage. Moreover, USC mitochondrial content, activity and function were all higher than other cell types and less affected by age, and it also exhibited a biphasic metabolic pattern similar to the pre-implantation stage of embryonic development. After the biosafety identification of the USC mitochondrial genome, early embryos after USC mitochondrial transfer showed improvements in mitochondrial content, activity, and cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels. Further, aging embryos also showed improvements in embryonic morphological indicators, euploidy rates, and oxidative stress status. CONCLUSION Autologous non-invasively derived USC mitochondria transfer may be an effective strategy to improve embryonic development and metabolism, especially in infertile females with advanced age or repeated pregnancy failure. It provides evidence and possibility for the autologous treatment of infertile females without invasive and ethical concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Jiang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Cheng Shi
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Hongjing Han
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Min Fu
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Honglan Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Tingting Han
- Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Jia Fei
- Peking Jabrehoo Med Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Yining Huang
- Peking Jabrehoo Med Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Zhiping Jin
- Peking Jabrehoo Med Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Jianan He
- Peking Jabrehoo Med Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing, 102629, China
| | - Yanbin Wang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Xi Chen
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Huan Shen
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
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Morimoto Y, Gamage USK, Yamochi T, Saeki N, Morimoto N, Yamanaka M, Koike A, Miyamoto Y, Tanaka K, Fukuda A, Hashimoto S, Yanagimachi R. Mitochondrial Transfer into Human Oocytes Improved Embryo Quality and Clinical Outcomes in Recurrent Pregnancy Failure Cases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032738. [PMID: 36769061 PMCID: PMC9917531 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most critical issues to be solved in reproductive medicine is the treatment of patients with multiple failures of assisted reproductive treatment caused by low-quality embryos. This study investigated whether mitochondrial transfer to human oocytes improves embryo quality and provides subsequent acceptable clinical results and normality to children born due to the use of this technology. We transferred autologous mitochondria extracted from oogonia stem cells to mature oocytes with sperm at the time of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in 52 patients with recurrent failures (average 5.3 times). We assessed embryo quality using the following three methods: good-quality embryo rates, transferable embryo rates, and a novel embryo-scoring system (embryo quality score; EQS) in 33 patients who meet the preset inclusion criteria for analysis. We also evaluated the clinical outcomes of the in vitro fertilization and development of children born using this technology and compared the mtDNA sequences of the children and their mothers. The good-quality embryo rates, transferable embryo rates, and EQS significantly increased after mitochondrial transfer and resulted in 13 babies born in normal conditions. The mtDNA sequences were almost identical to the respective maternal sequences at the 83 major sites examined. Mitochondrial transfer into human oocytes is an effective clinical option to enhance embryo quality in recurrent in vitro fertilization-failure cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiharu Morimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-90-3707-8824
| | | | - Takayuki Yamochi
- Reproductive Science Institute, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Noriatsu Saeki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Life Hospital, Osaka 550-0006, Japan
| | - Naoharu Morimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka 550-0015, Japan
| | - Masaya Yamanaka
- Department of Research, IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka 550-0015, Japan
| | - Akiko Koike
- Department of Reproductive Technology, HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan
| | - Yuki Miyamoto
- Department of Reproductive Technology, HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan
| | - Kumiko Tanaka
- Department of Integrated Medicine, HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan
| | - Aisaku Fukuda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF Osaka Clinic, Osaka 577-0012, Japan
| | - Shu Hashimoto
- Reproductive Science Institute, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Ryuzo Yanagimachi
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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Kankanam Gamage US, Hashimoto S, Miyamoto Y, Nakano T, Yamanaka M, Koike A, Satoh M, Morimoto Y. Mitochondria Transfer from Adipose Stem Cells Improves the Developmental Potential of Cryopreserved Oocytes. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12071008. [PMID: 35883564 PMCID: PMC9313289 DOI: 10.3390/biom12071008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although it is not a well-established technology, oocyte cryopreservation is becoming prevalent in assisted reproductive technologies in response to the growing demands of patients’ sociological and pathological conditions. Oocyte cryopreservation can adversely affect the developmental potential of oocytes by causing an increase in intracellular oxidative stresses and damage to the mitochondrial structure. In this study, we studied whether autologous adipose stem cell (ASC) mitochondria supplementation with vitrified and warmed oocytes could restore post-fertilization development that decreased due to mitochondrial damage following cryopreservation. ASC mitochondria showed similar morphology to oocytes’ mitochondria and had a higher ATP production capacity. The vitrified-warmed oocytes from juvenile mice were supplemented with ASC mitochondria at the same time as intracellular sperm injection (ICSI), after which we compared their developmental capacity and the mitochondria quality of 2-cell embryos. We found that, compared to their counterpart, mitochondria supplementation significantly improved development from 2-cell embryos to blastocysts (56.8% vs. 38.2%) and ATP production in 2-cell embryos (905.6 & 561.1 pmol), while reactive oxygen species levels were comparable. With these results, we propose that ASC mitochondria supplementation could restore the quality of cryopreserved oocytes and enhance the embryo developmental capacity, signifying another possible approach for mitochondrial transplantation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udayanga Sanath Kankanam Gamage
- HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan; (Y.M.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (U.S.K.G.); (S.H.); (Y.M.); Tel.: +81-90-9823-8477 (U.S.K.G.); +81-6-6645-2121 (S.H.); +81-6-6377-8824 (Y.M.)
| | - Shu Hashimoto
- Reproductive Science Institute, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
- Correspondence: (U.S.K.G.); (S.H.); (Y.M.); Tel.: +81-90-9823-8477 (U.S.K.G.); +81-6-6645-2121 (S.H.); +81-6-6377-8824 (Y.M.)
| | - Yuki Miyamoto
- HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan; (Y.M.); (A.K.)
| | - Tatsuya Nakano
- IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka 550-0015, Japan; (T.N.); (M.Y.); (M.S.)
| | - Masaya Yamanaka
- IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka 550-0015, Japan; (T.N.); (M.Y.); (M.S.)
| | - Akiko Koike
- HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan; (Y.M.); (A.K.)
| | - Manabu Satoh
- IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka 550-0015, Japan; (T.N.); (M.Y.); (M.S.)
| | - Yoshiharu Morimoto
- HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka 530-0011, Japan; (Y.M.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (U.S.K.G.); (S.H.); (Y.M.); Tel.: +81-90-9823-8477 (U.S.K.G.); +81-6-6645-2121 (S.H.); +81-6-6377-8824 (Y.M.)
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7
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Role of Mitochondria Transfer in Infertility: A Commentary. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121867. [PMID: 35740996 PMCID: PMC9221194 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria transfer techniques were first designed to prevent the transmission of diseases due to mutations in mtDNA, as these organelles are exclusively transmitted to the offspring by the oocyte. Despite this, given the crucial role of mitochondria in oocyte maturation, fertilization and subsequent embryo development, these approaches have been proposed as new potential strategies to overcome poor oocyte quality in infertile patients. This condition is a very common cause of infertility in patients of advanced maternal age, and patients with previous in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempt failures of oocyte origin. In this context, the enrichment or the replacement of the whole set of the oocyte mitochondria may improve its quality and increase these patients’ chances of success after an IVF treatment. In this short review, we will provide a brief overview of the main human studies using heterologous and autologous mitochondria transfer techniques in the reproductive field, focusing on the etiology of the treated patients and the final outcome. Although there is no current clearly superior mitochondria transfer technique, efforts must be made in order to optimize them and bring them into regular clinical practice, giving these patients a chance to achieve a pregnancy with their own oocytes.
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8
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Alberico H, Fleischmann Z, Bobbitt T, Takai Y, Ishihara O, Seki H, Anderson RA, Telfer EE, Woods DC, Tilly JL. Workflow Optimization for Identification of Female Germline or Oogonial Stem Cells in Human Ovarian Cortex Using Single-Cell RNA Sequence Analysis. Stem Cells 2022; 40:523-536. [PMID: 35263439 PMCID: PMC9199849 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In 2004, the identification of female germline or oogonial stem cells (OSCs) that can support post-natal oogenesis in ovaries of adult mice sparked a major paradigm shift in reproductive biology. Although these findings have been independently verified, and further extended to include identification of OSCs in adult ovaries of many species ranging from pigs and cows to non-human primates and humans, a recent study rooted in single-cell RNA sequence analysis (scRNA-seq) of adult human ovarian cortical tissue claimed that OSCs do not exist, and that other groups working with OSCs following isolation by magnetic-assisted or fluorescence-activated cell sorting have mistaken perivascular cells (PVCs) for germ cells. Here we report that rare germ lineage cells with a gene expression profile matched to OSCs but distinct from that of other cells, including oocytes and PVCs, can be identified in adult human ovarian cortical tissue by scRNA-seq after optimization of analytical workflow parameters. Deeper cell-by-cell expression profiling also uncovered evidence of germ cells undergoing meiosis-I in adult human ovaries. Lastly, we show that, if not properly controlled for, PVCs can be inadvertently isolated during flow cytometry protocols designed to sort OSCs because of inherently high cellular autofluorescence. However, human PVCs and human germ cells segregate into distinct clusters following scRNA-seq due to non-overlapping gene expression profiles, which would preclude the mistaken identification and use of PVCs as OSCs during functional characterization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Alberico
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zoë Fleischmann
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tyler Bobbitt
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yasushi Takai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Osamu Ishihara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Seki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH14 1DJ, UK
| | - Evelyn E Telfer
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH14 1DJ, UK
| | - Dori C Woods
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Hernández-Cruz EY, Amador-Martínez I, Aranda-Rivera AK, Cruz-Gregorio A, Pedraza Chaverri J. Renal damage induced by cadmium and its possible therapy by mitochondrial transplantation. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 361:109961. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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10
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Cakmak H. When is the right time to stop autologous in vitro fertilization treatment in poor responders? Fertil Steril 2022; 117:682-687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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11
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Mitochondrial Transplantation. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2022; 79:759-768. [DOI: 10.1097/fjc.0000000000001247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Huang QY, Chen SR, Chen JM, Shi QY, Lin S. Therapeutic options for premature ovarian insufficiency: an updated review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2022; 20:28. [PMID: 35120535 PMCID: PMC8815154 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-022-00892-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a rare gynecological condition. This disease causes menstrual disturbances, infertility, and various health problems. Historically, hormone replacement therapy is the first-line treatment for this disorder. Women diagnosed with POI are left with limited therapeutic options. In order to remedy this situation, a new generation of therapeutic approaches, such as in vitro activation, mitochondrial activation technique, stem cell and exosomes therapy, biomaterials strategies, and platelet-rich plasma intra-ovarian infusion, is being developed. However, these emerging therapies are yet in the experimental stage and require precise design components to accelerate their conversion into clinical treatments. Thus, each medical practitioner bears responsibility for selecting suitable therapies for individual patients. In this article, we provide a timely analysis of the therapeutic strategies that are available for POI patients and discuss the prospects of POI therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-Yi Huang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No.34 North Zhongshan Road, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Shao-Rong Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No.34 North Zhongshan Road, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Jia-Ming Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No.34 North Zhongshan Road, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qi-Yang Shi
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No.34 North Zhongshan Road, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian Province, China.
| | - Shu Lin
- Centre of Neurological and Metabolic Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No.34 North Zhongshan Road, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian Province, China.
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.
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13
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Sfakianoudis K, Rapani A, Grigoriadis S, Retsina D, Maziotis E, Tsioulou P, Giannelou P, Pantos K, Koutsilieris M, Vlahos N, Mastorakos G, Simopoulou M. Novel Approaches in Addressing Ovarian Insufficiency in 2019: Are We There Yet? Cell Transplant 2021; 29:963689720926154. [PMID: 32686983 PMCID: PMC7563844 DOI: 10.1177/0963689720926154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian insufficiency is described as a multifaceted issue typically encountered in the field of assisted reproduction. The three main identified diagnoses of ovarian insufficiency include premature ovarian failure (POF), poor ovarian response (POR), and advanced maternal age (AMA). Patient heterogeneity in the era of individualized medicine drives research forward leading to the emergence of novel approaches. This plethora of innovative treatments in the service of adequately managing ovarian insufficiency is called to undertake the challenge of addressing infertile patients exploring their reproductive options. This review provides an all-inclusive presentation and critical analysis on novel treatments that have not achieved routine clinical practice status yet, but have recently emerged as promising. In light of the lack of randomized controlled trials conveying safety and efficiency, clinicians are left puzzled in addressing the "how" and "for whom" these approaches may be beneficial. From ovarian injection employing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cells to artificial gametes and ovaries, ovarian transplantation, and mitochondrial replacement therapy, this descriptive review provides insight toward assisting the practitioner in decision making regarding these cutting-edge treatments. Biological mechanisms, invasiveness levels, efficiency, as well as possible complications, the current status along with bioethical concerns are discussed in the context of identifying future optimal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Rapani
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sokratis Grigoriadis
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Retsina
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Maziotis
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Petroula Tsioulou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Polina Giannelou
- Centre for Human Reproduction, Genesis Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece.,Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Michael Koutsilieris
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Vlahos
- Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mara Simopoulou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Assisted Reproduction Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE In the US, approximately 12.7% of reproductive age women seek treatment for infertility each year. This review summarizes current evidence regarding diagnosis and treatment of infertility. OBSERVATIONS Infertility is defined as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Approximately 85% of infertile couples have an identifiable cause. The most common causes of infertility are ovulatory dysfunction, male factor infertility, and tubal disease. The remaining 15% of infertile couples have "unexplained infertility." Lifestyle and environmental factors, such as smoking and obesity, can adversely affect fertility. Ovulatory disorders account for approximately 25% of infertility diagnoses; 70% of women with anovulation have polycystic ovary syndrome. Infertility can also be a marker of an underlying chronic disease associated with infertility. Clomiphene citrate, aromatase inhibitors such as letrozole, and gonadotropins are used to induce ovulation or for ovarian stimulation during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Adverse effects of gonadotropins include multiple pregnancy (up to 36% of cycles, depending on specific therapy) and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (1%-5% of cycles), consisting of ascites, electrolyte imbalance, and hypercoagulability. For individuals presenting with anovulation, ovulation induction with timed intercourse is often the appropriate initial treatment choice. For couples with unexplained infertility, endometriosis, or mild male factor infertility, an initial 3 to 4 cycles of ovarian stimulation may be pursued; IVF should be considered if these approaches do not result in pregnancy. Because female fecundity declines with age, this factor should guide decision-making. Immediate IVF may be considered as a first-line treatment strategy in women older than 38 to 40 years. IVF is also indicated in cases of severe male factor infertility or untreated bilateral tubal factor. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Approximately 1 in 8 women aged 15 to 49 years receive infertility services. Although success rates vary by age and diagnosis, accurate diagnosis and effective therapy along with shared decision-making can facilitate achievement of fertility goals in many couples treated for infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ann Carson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amanda N Kallen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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15
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Rodríguez-Varela C, Herraiz S, Labarta E. Mitochondrial enrichment in infertile patients: a review of different mitochondrial replacement therapies. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2021; 15:26334941211023544. [PMID: 34263171 PMCID: PMC8243099 DOI: 10.1177/26334941211023544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Poor ovarian responders exhibit a quantitative reduction in their follicular
pool, and most cases are also associated with poor oocyte quality due to
patient’s age, which leads to impaired in vitro fertilisation
outcomes. In particular, poor oocyte quality has been related to mitochondrial
dysfunction and/or low mitochondrial count as these organelles are crucial in
many essential oocyte processes. Therefore, mitochondrial enrichment has been
proposed as a potential therapy option in infertile patients to improve oocyte
quality and subsequent in vitro fertilisation outcomes.
Nowadays, different options are available for mitochondrial enrichment
treatments that are encompassed in two main approaches: heterologous and
autologous. In the heterologous approach, mitochondria come from an external
source, which is an oocyte donor. These techniques include transferring either a
portion of the donor’s oocyte cytoplasm to the recipient oocyte or nuclear
material from the patient to the donor’s oocyte. In any case, this approach
entails many ethical and safety concerns that mainly arise from the uncertain
degree of mitochondrial heteroplasmy deriving from it. Thus the autologous
approach is considered a suitable potential tool to improve oocyte quality by
overcoming the heteroplasmy issue. Autologous mitochondrial transfer, however,
has not yielded as many beneficial outcomes as initially expected. Proposed
mitochondrial autologous sources include immature oocytes, granulosa cells,
germline stem cells, and adipose-derived stem cells. Presently, it would seem
that these autologous techniques do not improve clinical outcomes in human
infertile patients. However, further trials still need to be performed to
confirm these results. Besides these two main categories, new strategies have
arisen for oocyte rejuvenation by improving patient’s own mitochondrial function
and avoiding the unknown consequences of third-party genetic material. This is
the case of antioxidants, which may enhance mitochondrial activity by
counteracting and/or preventing oxidative stress damage. Among others,
coenzyme-Q10 and melatonin have shown promising results in low-prognosis
infertile patients, although further randomised clinical trials are still
necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elena Labarta
- IVI Foundation – IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain;
IVIRMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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16
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Jiao Z, Bukulmez O. Potential roles of experimental reproductive technologies in infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:2507-2517. [PMID: 34100154 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02246-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In assisted reproductive technology treatment, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is a condition of utmost clinical and scientific relevance because of its negative influence on patient outcomes. The current methods of infertility treatment may be unsuitable for many women with DOR, which support the need for development of additional approaches to achieve fertility restoration. Various techniques have been tried to improve the quality and increase the quantity of oocytes in DOR patients, including mitochondrial transfer, activation of primordial follicles, in vitro culture of follicles, and regeneration of oocytes from various stem cells. Herein, we review the science behind these experimental reproductive technologies and their potential use to date in clinical studies for infertility treatment in women with DOR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexu Jiao
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Fertility and Advanced Reproductive Medicine Assisted Reproductive Technologies Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Orhan Bukulmez
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Fertility and Advanced Reproductive Medicine Assisted Reproductive Technologies Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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17
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Emerging follicular activation strategies to treat women with poor ovarian response and primary ovarian insufficiency. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2021; 33:241-248. [PMID: 33896920 DOI: 10.1097/gco.0000000000000703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW Female reproductive aging remains one of the key unsolved challenges in the field of reproductive medicine. This article reviews three of the most recent and cutting-edge strategies that are currently being investigated to address the issues of poor ovarian response (POR) and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). RECENT FINDINGS Publications revealing the mechanism of mechanical disruption of the Hippo signaling pathway paved the way to studies on its potential application for fertility treatments. This, in combination with Akt stimulation, resulted in live births and ongoing pregnancies in women with POI. Building on previous reports on the effects of bone marrow transplants on fertility after chemotherapy, another approach involved autologous stem cell ovarian transplantation (ASCOT). The method proved effective in achieving live births in women previously diagnosed with POR. A third approach, intraovarian injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma, resulted in live births and ongoing pregnancies both spontaneously and via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with POI and POR. SUMMARY New paths are being charted to address the issues of POI and POR. Although these are preliminary studies that should be interpreted with caution, they represent great promise for the women affected by these conditions and the physicians treating them.
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18
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Tang M, Popovic M, Stamatiadis P, Van der Jeught M, Van Coster R, Deforce D, De Sutter P, Coucke P, Menten B, Stoop D, Boel A, Heindryckx B. Germline nuclear transfer in mice may rescue poor embryo development associated with advanced maternal age and early embryo arrest. Hum Reprod 2021; 35:1562-1577. [PMID: 32613230 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaa112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Can pronuclear transfer (PNT) or maternal spindle transfer (ST) be applied to overcome poor embryo development associated with advanced maternal age or early embryo arrest in a mouse model? SUMMARY ANSWER Both PNT and ST may have the potential to restore embryonic developmental potential in a mouse model of reproductive ageing and embryonic developmental arrest. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Germline nuclear transfer (NT) techniques, such as PNT and ST, are currently being applied in humans to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases. Yet, there is also growing interest in the translational use of NT for treating infertility and improving IVF outcomes. Nevertheless, direct scientific evidence to support such applications is currently lacking. Moreover, it remains unclear which infertility indications may benefit from these novel assisted reproductive technologies. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We applied two mouse models to investigate the potential of germline NT for overcoming infertility. Firstly, we used a model of female reproductive ageing (B6D2F1 mice, n = 155), with ages ranging from 6 to 8 weeks (young), 56 (aged) to 70 weeks (very-aged), corresponding to a maternal age of <30, ∼36 and ∼45 years in humans, respectively. Secondly, we used NZB/OlaHsd female mice (7-14 weeks, n = 107), as a model of early embryo arrest. This mouse strain exhibits a high degree of two-cell block. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes and zygotes were retrieved following superovulation. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Ovarian reserve was assessed by histological analysis in the reproductive-aged mice. Mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) was measured by JC-1 staining in MII oocytes, while spindle-chromosomal morphology was examined by confocal microscopy. Reciprocal ST and PNT were performed by transferring the meiotic spindle or pronuclei (PN) from unfertilised or fertilised oocytes (after ICSI) to enucleated oocytes or zygotes between aged or very-aged and young mice. Similarly, NT was also conducted between NZB/OlaHsd (embryo arrest) and B6D2F1 (non-arrest control) mice. Finally, the effect of cytoplasmic transfer (CT) was examined by injecting a small volume (∼5%) of cytoplasm from the oocytes/zygotes of young (B6D2F1) mice to the oocytes/zygotes of aged or very-aged mice or embryo-arrest mice. Overall, embryonic developmental rates of the reconstituted PNT (n = 572), ST (n = 633) and CT (n = 336) embryos were assessed to evaluate the efficiency of these techniques. Finally, chromosomal profiles of individual NT-generated blastocysts were evaluated using next generation sequencing. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Compared to young mice, the ovarian reserve in aged and very-aged mice was severely diminished, reflected by a lower number of ovarian follicles and a reduced number of ovulated oocytes (P < 0.001). Furthermore, we reveal that the average △Ψm in both aged and very-aged mouse oocytes was significantly reduced compared to young mouse oocytes (P < 0.001). In contrast, the average △Ψm in ST-reconstructed oocytes (very-aged spindle and young cytoplast) was improved in comparison to very-aged mouse oocytes (P < 0.001). In addition, MII oocytes from aged and very-aged mice exhibited a higher rate of abnormalities in spindle assembly (P < 0.05), and significantly lower fertilisation (60.7% and 45.3%) and blastocyst formation rates (51.4% and 38.5%) following ICSI compared to young mouse oocytes (89.7% and 87.3%) (P < 0.001). Remarkably, PNT from zygotes obtained from aged or very-aged mice to young counterparts significantly improved blastocyst formation rates (74.6% and 69.2%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Similarly, both fertilisation and blastocyst rates were significantly increased after ST between aged and young mice followed by ICSI (P < 0.05). However, we observed no improvement in embryo development rates when performing ST from very-aged to young mouse oocytes following ICSI (P > 0.05). In the second series of experiments, we primarily confirmed that the majority (61.8%) of in vivo zygotes obtained from NZB/OlaHsd mice displayed two-cell block during in vitro culture, coinciding with a significantly reduced blastocyst formation rate compared to the B6D2F1 mice (13.5% vs. 90.7%; P < 0.001). Notably, following the transfer of PN from the embryo-arrest (NZB/OlaHsd) zygotes to enucleated non-arrest (B6D2F1) counterparts, most reconstructed zygotes developed beyond the two-cell stage, leading to a significantly increased blastocyst formation rate (89.7%) (P < 0.001). Similar findings were obtained after implementing ST between NZB/OlaHsd and B6D2F1 mice, followed by ICSI. Conversely, the use of CT did not improve embryo development in reproductive-age mice nor in the embryo-arrest mouse model (P > 0.05). Surprisingly, chromosomal analysis revealed that euploidy rates in PNT and ST blastocysts generated following the transfer of very-aged PN to young cytoplasts and very-aged spindles to young cytoplasts were comparable to ICSI controls (with young mouse oocytes). A high euploidy rate was also observed in the blastocysts obtained from either PNT or ST between young mice. Conversely, the transfer of young PN and young spindles into very-aged cytoplasts led to a higher rate of chromosomal abnormalities in both PNT and ST blastocysts. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The limited number of blastocysts analysed warrants careful interpretation. Furthermore, our observations should be cautiously extrapolated to humans given the inherent differences between mice and women in regards to various biological processes, including centrosome inheritance. The findings suggest that ST or PNT procedures may be able to avoid aneuploidies generated during embryo development, but they are not likely to correct aneuploidies already present in some aged MII oocytes. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the potential of PNT and ST in the context of advanced maternal age and embryonic developmental arrest in a mouse model. Our data suggest that PNT, and to a lesser extent ST, may represent a novel reproductive strategy to restore embryo development for these indications. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) M.T. is supported by grants from the China Scholarship Council (CSC) (Grant no. 201506160059) and the Special Research Fund from Ghent University (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, BOF) (Grant no. 01SC2916 and no. 01SC9518). This research is also supported by the FWO-Vlaanderen (Flemish fund for scientific research, Grant no. G051017N, G051516N and G1507816N). The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tang
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - M Popovic
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - P Stamatiadis
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - M Van der Jeught
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - R Van Coster
- Department of Pediatric Neurology and Metabolism, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - D Deforce
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - P De Sutter
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - P Coucke
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - B Menten
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - D Stoop
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - A Boel
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - B Heindryckx
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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19
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Is It Possible to Treat Infertility with Stem Cells? Reprod Sci 2021; 28:1733-1745. [PMID: 33834375 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00566-7] [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: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Infertility is a major health problem, and despite improved treatments over the years, there are still some conditions that cannot be treated successfully using a conventional approach. Therefore, new options are being considered and one of them is cell therapy using stem cells. Stem cell treatments for infertility can be divided into two major groups, the first one being direct transplantation of stem cells or their paracrine factors into reproductive organs and the second one being in vitro differentiation into germ cells or gametes. In animal models, all of these approaches were able to improve the reproductive potential of tested animals, although in humans there is still too little evidence to suggest successful use. The reasons for lack of evidence are unavailability of proper material, the complexity of explored biological processes, and ethical considerations. Despite all of the above-mentioned hurdles, researchers were able to show that in women, it seems to be possible to improve some conditions, but in men, no similar clinically important improvement was achieved. To conclude, the data presented in this review suggest that the treatment of infertility with stem cells seems plausible, because some types of treatments have already been tested in humans, achieving live births, while others show great potential only in animal studies, for now.
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20
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Jiang Z, Shen H. Mitochondria: emerging therapeutic strategies for oocyte rescue. Reprod Sci 2021; 29:711-722. [PMID: 33712995 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As the vital organelles for cell energy metabolism, mitochondria are essential for oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo development. Abnormalities in quantity, quality, and function of mitochondria are closely related to poor fertility and disorders, such as decreased ovarian reserve (DOR), premature ovarian aging (POA), and ovarian aging, as well as maternal mitochondrial genetic disease caused by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations or deletions. Mitochondria have begun to become a therapeutic target for infertility caused by factors such as poor oocyte quality, oocyte aging, and maternal mitochondrial genetic diseases. Mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) has attempted to use heterologous or autologous mitochondria to rebuild healthy state of oocyte by increasing the amount of mitochondria (e.g., partial ooplasm transfer, autologous mitochondrial transfer), or to stop the transmission of mtDNA diseases by replacing abnormal maternal mitochondria (e.g., pronuclei transfer, spindle transfer, polar body transfer). Among them, autologous mitochondrial transfer is the most promising therapeutic technology as of today which does not involve using a third party, but its clinical efficacy is controversial due to many factors such as the aging phenomenon of germ line cells, the authenticity of the existence of ovarian stem cells (OSC), and secondary damage caused by invasive surgery to patients with poor ovarian function. Therefore, the research of optimal autologous cell type that can be applied in autologous mitochondrial transfer is an area worthy of further exploration. Besides, the quality of germ cells can also be probably improved by the use of compounds that enhance mitochondrial activity (e.g., coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, melatonin), or by innovative gene editing technologies which have shown capability in reducing the risk of mtDNA diseases (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9, TALENTs). Though the current evidences from animal and clinical trials are not sufficient, and some solutions of technical problems are still needed, we believe this review will guide a new direction in the possible clinical applied mitochondrial-related therapeutic strategies in reproductive medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Jiang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Huan Shen
- Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100044, China.
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21
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Christodoulaki A, Boel A, Tang M, De Roo C, Stoop D, Heindryckx B. Prospects of Germline Nuclear Transfer in Women With Diminished Ovarian Reserve. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:635370. [PMID: 33692760 PMCID: PMC7937897 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.635370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is associated with a reduced quantity and quality of the retrieved oocytes, usually leading to poor reproductive outcomes which remain a great challenge for assisted reproduction technology (ART). Women with DOR often have to seek for oocyte donation, precluding genetically related offspring. Germline nuclear transfer (NT) is a novel technology in ART that involves the transfer of the nuclear genome from an affected oocyte/zygote of the patient to the cytoplast of an enucleated donor oocyte/zygote. Therefore, it offers opportunities for the generation of genetically related embryos. Currently, although NT is clinically applied only in women with serious mitochondrial DNA disorders, this technology has also been proposed to overcome certain forms of female infertility, such as advanced maternal age and embryo developmental arrest. In this review, we are proposing the NT technology as a future treatment option for DOR patients. Strikingly, the application of different NT strategies will result in an increase of the total number of available reconstituted embryos for DOR patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Christodoulaki
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annekatrien Boel
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maoxing Tang
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chloë De Roo
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominic Stoop
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Björn Heindryckx
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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22
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Abstract
The mitochondria, present in almost all eukaryotic cells, produce energy but also contribute to many other essential cellular functions. One of the unique characteristics of the mitochondria is that they have their own genome, which is only maternally transmitted via highly specific mechanisms that occur during gametogenesis and embryogenesis. The mature oocyte has the highest mitochondrial DNA copy number of any cell. This high mitochondrial mass is directly correlated to the capacity of the oocyte to support the early stages of embryo development in many species. Indeed, the subtle energetic and metabolic modifications that are necessary for each of the key steps of early embryonic development rely heavily on the oocyte’s mitochondrial load and activity. For example, epigenetic reprogramming depends on the metabolic cofactors produced by the mitochondrial metabolism, and the reactive oxygen species derived from the mitochondrial respiratory chain are essential for the regulation of cell signaling in the embryo. All these elements have also led scientists to consider the mitochondria as a potential biomarker of oocyte competence and embryo viability, as well as a key target for future potential therapies. However, more studies are needed to confirm these findings. This review article summarizes the past two decades of research that have led to the current understanding of mitochondrial functions in reproduction
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23
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Yang L, Chen Y, Liu Y, Xing Y, Miao C, Zhao Y, Chang X, Zhang Q. The Role of Oxidative Stress and Natural Antioxidants in Ovarian Aging. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:617843. [PMID: 33569007 PMCID: PMC7869110 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.617843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ovarian system comprises vital organs in females and is of great significance for the maintenance of reproductive potential and endocrine stability. Although complex pathogenesis undoubtedly contributes to ovarian aging, increasing attention is being paid to the extensive influence of oxidative stress. However, the role of oxidative stress in ovarian aging is yet to be fully elucidated. Exploring oxidative stress-related processes might be a promising strategy against ovarian aging. In this review, compelling evidence is shown that oxidative stress plays a role in the etiology of ovarian aging and promotes the development of other ovarian aging-related etiologies, including telomere shortening, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and inflammation. In addition, some natural antioxidants such as quercetin, resveratrol, and curcumin have a protective role in the ovaries through multiple mechanisms. These findings raise the prospect of oxidative stress modulator-natural antioxidants as therapeutic interventions for delaying ovarian aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuqing Yang
- Guangxing Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Guangxing Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Liu
- The 2nd Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Xing
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyun Miao
- Guangxing Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Guangxing Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangwei Chang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Guangxing Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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24
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Tilly JL, Woods DC. The obligate need for accuracy in reporting preclinical studies relevant to clinical trials: autologous germline mitochondrial supplementation for assisted human reproduction as a case study. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2020; 14:2633494120917350. [PMID: 32518919 PMCID: PMC7254586 DOI: 10.1177/2633494120917350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A now large body of work has solidified the central role that mitochondria play in oocyte development, fertilization, and embryogenesis. From these studies, a new technology termed autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer was developed for improving pregnancy success rates in assisted reproduction. Unlike prior clinical studies that relied on the use of donor, or nonautologous, mitochondria for microinjection into eggs of women with a history of repeated in vitro fertilization failure to enhance pregnancy success, autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer uses autologous mitochondria collected from oogonial stem cells of the same woman undergoing the fertility treatment. Initial trials of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during - in vitro fertilization at three different sites with a total of 104 patients indicated a benefit of the procedure for improving pregnancy success rates, with the birth of children conceived through the inclusion of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during in vitro fertilization. However, a fourth clinical study, consisting of 57 patients, failed to show a benefit of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer-in vitro fertilization versus in vitro fertilization alone for improving cumulative live birth rates. Complicating this area of work further, a recent mouse study, which claimed to test the long-term safety of autologous mitochondrial supplementation during in vitro fertilization, raised concerns over the use of the procedure for reproduction. However, autologous mitochondria were not actually used for preclinical testing in this mouse study. The unwarranted fears that this new study's erroneous conclusions could cause in women who have become pregnant through the use of autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer during-in vitro fertilization highlight the critical need for accurate reporting of preclinical work that has immediate bearing on human clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory for Aging and Infertility Research (LAIR), Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dori C Woods
- Laboratory for Aging and Infertility Research (LAIR), Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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25
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Satirapod C, Wang N, MacDonald JA, Sun M, Woods DC, Tilly JL. Estrogen regulation of germline stem cell differentiation as a mechanism contributing to female reproductive aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:7313-7333. [PMID: 32302290 PMCID: PMC7202493 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Progressive loss of ovarian estrogen (E2) production is a hallmark feature of, if not a driving force behind, reproductive aging and the menopause. Recent genetic studies in mice have shown that female germline or oogonial stem cells (OSCs) contribute to maintenance of adult ovarian function and fertility under physiological conditions through support of de-novo oogenesis. Here we show that mouse OSCs express E2 receptor-α (ERα). In the presence of E2, ERα interacts with the stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8) promoter to drive Stra8 expression followed by oogenesis. Treatment of mice with E2 in vivo increases Stra8 expression and oogenesis, and these effects are nullified by ERα (Esr1), but not ERβ (Esr2), gene disruption. Although mice lacking ERα are born with a normal quota of oocytes, ERα-deficient females develop premature ovarian insufficiency in adulthood due to impaired oogenesis. Lastly, mice treated with reversible ER antagonists show a loss of Stra8 expression and oocyte numbers; however, both endpoints rebound to control levels after ceasing drug treatment. These findings establish a key physiological role for E2-ERα signaling in promoting OSC differentiation as a potential mechanism to maintain adequate numbers of ovarian follicles during reproductive life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonthicha Satirapod
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ning Wang
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Current address: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Julie A. MacDonald
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Current address: Department of Medical Oncology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Minghan Sun
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dori C. Woods
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Tilly
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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26
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Abu-Musa A, Haahr T, Humaidan P. Novel Physiology and Definition of Poor Ovarian Response; Clinical Recommendations. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062110. [PMID: 32204404 PMCID: PMC7139860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor ovarian response (POR) to controlled ovarian stimulation (OS) presents a major challenge in assisted reproduction. The Bologna criteria represented the first serious attempt to set clear criteria for the definition of POR. However, the Bologna criteria were questioned because of the persistent heterogeneity among POR patients and the inability to provide management strategies. Based on these facts, a more recent classification, the POSEIDON (Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) classification, was developed to provide a homogeneous and refined definition of POR that significantly reduces the heterogeneity of the Bologna criteria definition of POR and helps in the clinical handling and counseling of patients. In this review, we discuss the impact of the POSEIDON classification on the clinical management of patients with POR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Abu-Musa
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon
- Correspondence:
| | - Thor Haahr
- The Fertility Clinic Skive Regional Hospital, 7800 Skive, Denmark; (T.H.); (P.H.)
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Peter Humaidan
- The Fertility Clinic Skive Regional Hospital, 7800 Skive, Denmark; (T.H.); (P.H.)
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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27
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Wagner M, Yoshihara M, Douagi I, Damdimopoulos A, Panula S, Petropoulos S, Lu H, Pettersson K, Palm K, Katayama S, Hovatta O, Kere J, Lanner F, Damdimopoulou P. Single-cell analysis of human ovarian cortex identifies distinct cell populations but no oogonial stem cells. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1147. [PMID: 32123174 PMCID: PMC7052271 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14936-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The human ovary orchestrates sex hormone production and undergoes monthly structural changes to release mature oocytes. The outer lining of the ovary (cortex) has a key role in defining fertility in women as it harbors the ovarian reserve. It has been postulated that putative oogonial stem cells exist in the ovarian cortex and that these can be captured by DDX4 antibody isolation. Here, we report single-cell transcriptomes and cell surface antigen profiles of over 24,000 cells from high quality ovarian cortex samples from 21 patients. Our data identify transcriptional profiles of six main cell types; oocytes, granulosa cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, perivascular cells, and stromal cells. Cells captured by DDX4 antibody are perivascular cells, not oogonial stem cells. Our data do not support the existence of germline stem cells in adult human ovaries, thereby reinforcing the dogma of a limited ovarian reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wagner
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Masahito Yoshihara
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Iyadh Douagi
- Center of Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Flow Cytometry Section, Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Sarita Panula
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophie Petropoulos
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Medicine, Centre de recherche du CHUM, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Haojiang Lu
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Pettersson
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Palm
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Visby hospital, Visby, Sweden
| | - Shintaro Katayama
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Outi Hovatta
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juha Kere
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Folkhälsan Research Institute, Helsinki, and Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Fredrik Lanner
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Ming Wai Lau Center for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm node, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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28
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Noli L, Khorsandi SE, Pyle A, Giritharan G, Fogarty N, Capalbo A, Devito L, Jovanovic VM, Khurana P, Rosa H, Kolundzic N, Cvoro A, Niakan KK, Malik A, Foulk R, Heaton N, Ardawi MS, Chinnery PF, Ogilvie C, Khalaf Y, Ilic D. Effects of thyroid hormone on mitochondria and metabolism of human preimplantation embryos. Stem Cells 2020; 38:369-381. [PMID: 31778245 PMCID: PMC7064942 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones are regarded as the major controllers of metabolic rate and oxygen consumption in mammals. Although it has been demonstrated that thyroid hormone supplementation improves bovine embryo development in vitro, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects are so far unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of thyroid hormone in development of human preimplantation embryos. Embryos were cultured in the presence or absence of 10-7 M triiodothyronine (T3) till blastocyst stage. Inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) were separated mechanically and subjected to RNAseq or quantification of mitochondrial DNA copy number. Analyses were performed using DESeq (v1.16.0 on R v3.1.3), MeV4.9 and MitoMiner 4.0v2018 JUN platforms. We found that the exposure of human preimplantation embryos to T3 had a profound impact on nuclear gene transcription only in the cells of ICM (1178 regulated genes-10.5% of 11 196 expressed genes) and almost no effect on cells of TE (38 regulated genes-0.3% of expressed genes). The analyses suggest that T3 induces in ICM a shift in ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation activity, as the upregulated genes are contributing to the composition and organization of the respiratory chain and associated cofactors involved in mitoribosome assembly and stability. Furthermore, a number of genes affecting the citric acid cycle energy production have reduced expression. Our findings might explain why thyroid disorders in women have been associated with reduced fertility and adverse pregnancy outcome. Our data also raise a possibility that supplementation of culture media with T3 may improve outcomes for women undergoing in vitro fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila Noli
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
- Department of Pathological SciencesFakeeh College for Medical SciencesJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | | | - Angela Pyle
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial ResearchInstitute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | | | - Norah Fogarty
- Human Embryo and Stem Cell LaboratoryThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
| | - Antonio Capalbo
- Igenomix Italyvia Fermi 1, MarosticaItaly
- DAHFMO, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza, University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Liani Devito
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
| | - Vladimir M. Jovanovic
- Bioinformatics Solution Center and Human Biology Group; Institute for Zoology; Department of Biology, Chemistry and PharmacyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Preeti Khurana
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
| | - Hannah Rosa
- MitoDNA Service LabKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Nikola Kolundzic
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
| | - Aleksandra Cvoro
- Center for BioenergeticsHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTexas
| | - Kathy K. Niakan
- Human Embryo and Stem Cell LaboratoryThe Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
| | - Afshan Malik
- MitoDNA Service LabKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Nigel Heaton
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College HospitalLondonUK
| | - Mohammad Saleh Ardawi
- Department of Pathological SciencesFakeeh College for Medical SciencesJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Patrick F. Chinnery
- MRC‐Mitochondrial Biology Unit and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Caroline Ogilvie
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Yacoub Khalaf
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
| | - Dusko Ilic
- Division of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College London and Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's HospitalLondonUK
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29
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Abstract
As women delay childbearing because of demographic and socioeconomic trends, reproductive aging and ensuing ovarian dysfunction become increasingly more prevalent causes of infertility. Age-related decline in fertility is characterized by both quantitative and qualitative deterioration of the ovarian reserve. Importantly, disorders of aging are frequently associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, as are impaired oogenesis and embryogenesis. Ongoing research explores the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian aging, and potential ways to exploit mitochondrial mechanisms to slow down or reverse age-related changes in female gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emre Seli
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- IVIRMA New Jersey, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
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30
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Mobarak H, Heidarpour M, Tsai PSJ, Rezabakhsh A, Rahbarghazi R, Nouri M, Mahdipour M. Autologous mitochondrial microinjection; a strategy to improve the oocyte quality and subsequent reproductive outcome during aging. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:95. [PMID: 31798829 PMCID: PMC6884882 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0360-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Along with the decline in oocyte quality, numerous defects such as mitochondrial insufficiency and the increase of mutation and deletion have been reported in oocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) following aging. Any impairments in oocyte mitochondrial function have negative effects on the reproduction and pregnancy outcome. It has been stated that infertility problems caused by poor quality oocytes in women with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and repeated pregnancy failures are associated with aging and could be overcome by transferring large amounts of healthy mitochondria. Hence, researches on biology, disease, and the therapeutic use of mitochondria continue to introduce some clinical approaches such as autologous mitochondrial transfer techniques. Following mitochondrial transfer, the amount of ATP required for aged-oocyte during fertilization, blastocyst formation, and subsequent embryonic development could be an alternative modality. These modulations improve the pregnancy outcome in women of high reproductive aging as well. In addition to overview the clinical studies using mitochondrial microinjection, this study provides a framework for future approaches to develop effective treatments and preventions of congenital transmission of mitochondrial DNA mutations/diseases to offspring. Mitochondrial transfer from ovarian cells and healthy oocytes could lead to improved fertility outcome in low-quality oocytes. The modulation of mitochondrial bioactivity seems to regulate basal metabolism inside target oocytes and thereby potentiate physiological activity of these cells while overcoming age-related infertility in female germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halimeh Mobarak
- Women’s Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Heidarpour
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Pei-Shiue Jason Tsai
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine Research, National Taiwan University/NTU, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University/NTU, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Aysa Rezabakhsh
- Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Reza Rahbarghazi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Nouri
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahdi Mahdipour
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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31
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Mitochondria and Female Germline Stem Cells-A Mitochondrial DNA Perspective. Cells 2019; 8:cells8080852. [PMID: 31398797 PMCID: PMC6721711 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA have important roles to play in development. In primordial germ cells, they progress from small numbers to populate the maturing oocyte with high numbers to support post-fertilization events. These processes take place under the control of significant changes in DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifiers, as well as changes to the DNA methylation status of the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial DNA replication factors. Consequently, the differentiating germ cell requires significant synchrony between the two genomes in order to ensure that they are fit for purpose. In this review, I examine these processes in the context of female germline stem cells that are isolated from the ovary and those derived from embryonic stem cells and reprogrammed somatic cells. Although our knowledge is limited in this respect, I provide predictions based on other cellular systems of what is expected and provide insight into how these cells could be used in clinical medicine.
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32
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Cozzolino M, Marin D, Sisti G. New Frontiers in IVF: mtDNA and autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2019; 17:55. [PMID: 31299996 PMCID: PMC6626406 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-019-0501-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many infertility specialists support the existence of a relationship between the levels of mitochondrial DNA and the quality of the blastocysts. Despite the extensive use of pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, a significant percentage of euploid embryos do not implant even though the endometrium is normal. Mitochondrial DNA may be used as a new test in evaluating embryonic vitality.Ovarian aging leads to a decrease in the quantity and quality of oocytes and aged oocytes have a reduced number of mitochondria. Mitochondria are the energy factories of the cells and their lacked could leads to lower fertilization rates and poor embryonic development. Various strategies have been tested to increase the mitochondria quantity and thus improve the quality of oocytes used in in vitro fertilization. Results of ovarian rejuvenation techniques such as autologous mitochondrial transplantation have been controversial. In this review, we describe the state of the art concerning the use of mitochondrial DNA and autologous mitochondrial transplantation as new possibilities to increase success in vitro fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Cozzolino
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
- IVIRMA, Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Avda/Fernando Abril Martorell, n° 106, Valencia, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Diego Marin
- IVIRMA New Jersey, Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920, USA
| | - Giovanni Sisti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, New York, USA
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33
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May-Panloup P, Brochard V, Hamel JF, Desquiret-Dumas V, Chupin S, Reynier P, Duranthon V. Maternal ageing impairs mitochondrial DNA kinetics during early embryogenesis in mice. Hum Reprod 2019; 34:1313-1324. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION
Does ageing affect the kinetics of the mitochondrial pool during oogenesis and early embryogenesis?
SUMMARY ANSWER
While we found no age-related change during oogenesis, the kinetics of mitochondrial DNA content and the expression of the factors involved in mitochondrial biogenesis appeared to be significantly altered during embryogenesis.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
Oocyte mitochondria are necessary for embryonic development. The morphological and functional alterations of mitochondria, as well as the qualitative and quantitative mtDNA anomalies, observed during ovarian ageing may be responsible for the alteration of oocyte competence and embryonic development.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
The study, conducted from November 2016 to November 2017, used 40 mice aged 5–8 weeks and 45 mice aged 9–11 months (C57Bl6/CBA F(1)). A total of 488 immature oocytes, with a diameter ranging from 20 μm to more than 80 μm, were collected from ovaries, and 1088 mature oocytes or embryos at different developmental stages (two PN, one-cell, i.e. syngamy, two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell, morula and blastocyst) were obtained after ovarian stimulation and, for embryos, mating.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
Mitochondrial DNA was quantified by quantitative PCR. We used quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) (microfluidic method) to study the relative expression of three genes involved in the key steps of embryogenesis, i.e. embryonic genome activation (HSPA1) and differentiation (CDX2 and NANOG), two mtDNA genes (CYB and ND2) and five genes essential for mitochondrial biogenesis (PPARGC1A, NRF1, POLG, TFAM and PRKAA). The statistical analysis was based on mixed linear regression models applying a logistic link function (STATA v13.1 software), with values of P < 0.05 being considered significant.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
During oogenesis, there was a significant increase in oocyte mtDNA content (P < 0.0001) without any difference between the two groups of mice (P = 0.73). During the first phase of embryogenesis, i.e. up to the two-cell stage, embryonic mtDNA decreased significantly in the aged mice (P < 0.0001), whereas it was stable for young mice (young/old difference P = 0.015). The second phase of embryogenesis, i.e. between the two-cell and eight-cell stages, was characterized by a decrease in embryonic mtDNA for young mice (P = 0.013) only (young/old difference P = 0.038). During the third phase, i.e. between the eight-cell and blastocyst stage, there was a significant increase in embryonic mtDNA content in young mice (P < 0.0001) but not found in aged mice (young/old difference P = 0.002). We also noted a faster expression of CDX2 and NANOG in the aged mice than in the young mice during the second (P = 0.007 and P = 0.02, respectively) and the third phase (P = 0.01 and P = 0.008, respectively) of embryogenesis. The expression of mitochondrial genes CYB and ND2 followed similar kinetics and was equivalent for both groups of mice, with a significant increase during the third phase (P < 0.01). Of the five genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, i.e. PPARGC1A, NRF1, POLG, TFAM and PRKAA, the expression of three genes decreased significantly during the first phase only in young mice (NRF1, P = 0.018; POLGA, P = 0.002; PRKAA, P = 0.010), with no subsequent difference compared to old mice. In conclusion, during early embryogenesis in the old mice, we suspect that the lack of a replicatory burst before the two-cell stage, associated with the early arrival at the minimum threshold value of mtDNA, together with the absence of an increase of mtDNA during the last phase, might potentially deregulate the key stages of early embryogenesis.
LARGE SCALE DATA
N/A.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
Because of the ethical impossibility of working on a human, this study was conducted only on a murine model. As superovulation was used, we cannot totally exclude that the differences observed were, at least partially, influenced by differences in ovarian response between young and old mice.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
Our findings suggest a pathophysiological explanation for the link observed between mitochondria and the deterioration of oocyte quality and early embryonic development with age.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
This work was supported by the University of Angers, France, by the French national research centres INSERM and the CNRS and, in part, by PHASE Division, INRA. There are no competing interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- P May-Panloup
- MITOLAB, Institut MITOVASC, CNRS 6015, INSERM U1083, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - V Brochard
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - J F Hamel
- SFR ICAT, Université Angers, Angers, France; DRCI, Cellule Data Management, CHU Angers, Angers, France
| | - V Desquiret-Dumas
- MITOLAB, Institut MITOVASC, CNRS 6015, INSERM U1083, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
- Département de Biochimie et Génétique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - S Chupin
- Département de Biochimie et Génétique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - P Reynier
- MITOLAB, Institut MITOVASC, CNRS 6015, INSERM U1083, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
- Département de Biochimie et Génétique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - V Duranthon
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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Roushandeh AM, Kuwahara Y, Roudkenar MH. Mitochondrial transplantation as a potential and novel master key for treatment of various incurable diseases. Cytotechnology 2019; 71:647-663. [PMID: 30706303 PMCID: PMC6465382 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-019-00302-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are attractive cellular organelles which are so interesting in both basic and clinical research, especially after it was found that they were arisen as a bacterial intruder in ancient cells. Interestingly, even now, they are the focus of many investigations and their function and relevance to health and disease have remained open questions. More recently, research on mitochondria have turned out their potential application in medicine as a novel therapeutic intervention. The importance of this issue is highlighted when we know that mitochondrial dysfunction can be observed in a variety of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, ischemia, diabetes, renal failure, skeletal muscles disorders, liver diseases, burns, aging, and cancer progression. In other words, transplantation of viable mitochondria into the injured tissues would replace or augment damaged mitochondria, allowing the rescue of cells and restoration of the normal function. Therefore, mitochondrial transplantation would be revolutionary for the treatment of a variety of diseases in which conventional therapies have proved unsuccessful. Here, we describe pieces of evidence of mitochondrial transplantation, discuss and highlight the current and future directions to show why mitochondrial transplantation could be a master key for treatment of a variety of diseases or injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoshikazu Kuwahara
- Divisions of Radiation Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mehryar Habibi Roudkenar
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease Research Center, Heshmat Hospital, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
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MacDonald JA, Takai Y, Ishihara O, Seki H, Woods DC, Tilly JL. Extracellular matrix signaling activates differentiation of adult ovary-derived oogonial stem cells in a species-specific manner. Fertil Steril 2019; 111:794-805. [PMID: 30871765 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Revised: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test if ovarian microenvironmental cues affect oogonial stem cell (OSC) function in a species-specific manner. DESIGN Animal and human study. SETTING Research laboratory. PATIENT(S)/ANIMAL(S) Human ovarian cells obtained from cryopreserved ovarian cortical tissue of reproductive-age women, and ovarian cells and tissues from female C57BL/6 mice. INTERVENTION(S) Mouse ovarian tissue, mouse OSCs (mOSCs) and human OSCs (hOSCs) were analyzed for extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression, and OSCs isolated from adult mouse and human ovaries were cultured in the absence or presence of ECM proteins without or with an integrin signaling inhibitor. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Gene expression and in vitro derived (IVD) oocyte formation. RESULT(S) Culture of mOSCs on a collagen-based ECM significantly elevated the rate of differentiation of the cells into IVD oocytes. Mouse OSCs expressed many integrins, including Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-binding subunits, and ECM-mediated increases in mOSC differentiation were blocked by addition of integrin-antagonizing RGD peptides. In comparison, hOSCs expressed a different pattern of integrin subunits compared with mOSCs, and hOSCs were unresponsive to a collagen-based ECM; however, hOSCs exhibited increased differentiation into IVD oocytes when cultured on laminin. CONCLUSION(S) These data, along with in silico analysis of ECM protein profiles in human ovaries, indicate that ovarian ECM-based niche components function in a species-specific manner to control OSC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A MacDonald
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yasushi Takai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Osamu Ishihara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Seki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Dori C Woods
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
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[Neo-oogenesis in the adult ovary: What do we know?]. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 47:478-483. [PMID: 30818039 DOI: 10.1016/j.gofs.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
For more than a decade, the existence of ovarian stem cells that can contribute to neo-oogenesis in the adult ovary is reported by some teams, challenging the dogma according to which mammalian females are born with a fixed and non-renewed germinal cell pool. The presence of germinal stem cells with mitotic activity suggests the possibility of potential postnatal oogenesis. These cells have both germ-line and stem cell markers in culture. They have been isolated using different strategies and their ability to differentiate into oocytes has been demonstrated since after reintroduction in an ovarian somatic environment, these cells generate follicles capable of producing healthy offspring in rodents. However, many scientists remain skeptical and question the reliability of the methods used. Despite that there is no consensus on the origin of these ovarian stem cells, private companies are now proposing to use their stem cell potential to treat human infertility.
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Martin JJ, Woods DC, Tilly JL. Implications and Current Limitations of Oogenesis from Female Germline or Oogonial Stem Cells in Adult Mammalian Ovaries. Cells 2019; 8:E93. [PMID: 30696098 PMCID: PMC6407002 DOI: 10.3390/cells8020093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A now large body of evidence supports the existence of mitotically active germ cells in postnatal ovaries of diverse mammalian species, including humans. This opens the possibility that adult stem cells naturally committed to a germline fate could be leveraged for the production of female gametes outside of the body. The functional properties of these cells, referred to as female germline or oogonial stem cells (OSCs), in ovaries of women have recently been tested in various ways, including a very recent investigation of the differentiation capacity of human OSCs at a single cell level. The exciting insights gained from these experiments, coupled with other data derived from intraovarian transplantation and genetic tracing analyses in animal models that have established the capacity of OSCs to generate healthy eggs, embryos and offspring, should drive constructive discussions in this relatively new field to further exploring the value of these cells to the study, and potential management, of human female fertility. Here, we provide a brief history of the discovery and characterization of OSCs in mammals, as well as of the in-vivo significance of postnatal oogenesis to adult ovarian function. We then highlight several key observations made recently on the biology of OSCs, and integrate this information into a broader discussion of the potential value and limitations of these adult stem cells to achieving a greater understanding of human female gametogenesis in vivo and in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Martin
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Dori C Woods
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Labarta E, de Los Santos MJ, Escribá MJ, Pellicer A, Herraiz S. Mitochondria as a tool for oocyte rejuvenation. Fertil Steril 2019; 111:219-226. [PMID: 30611551 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian aging leads to a decrease in the quantity and quality of oocytes. Aged oocytes have significantly reduced amounts of mitochondria, the energy factories of cells, leading to lower fertilization rates and poor embryonic development. Various techniques have tried to use heterologous or autologous sources of mitochondria to reestablish oocyte health by providing more energy. However, heterologous sources are no longer used owing to the known risk of heteroplasmy. Although autologous methods have recently been tested in humans, they have not shown a clear improvement in embryo quality. In this review, we describe the techniques that have been tested in recent years to provide a state of the art on oocyte rejuvenation through extra injection of mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Labarta
- IVI-RMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain; IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain.
| | | | | | | | - Sonia Herraiz
- IVI-RMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain; IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain
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Labarta E, de Los Santos MJ, Herraiz S, Escribá MJ, Marzal A, Buigues A, Pellicer A. Autologous mitochondrial transfer as a complementary technique to intracytoplasmic sperm injection to improve embryo quality in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-a randomized pilot study. Fertil Steril 2018; 111:86-96. [PMID: 30477915 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study if autologous mitochondrial transfer (AUGMENT) improves outcome in patients with previously failed in vitro fertilization (IVF). DESIGN Randomized, controlled, triple-blind, experimental study. SETTING Private infertility center, Valencian Institute of Infertility (IVI-RMA), Valencia, Spain. PATIENT(S) Infertile women ≤42 years of age, body mass index <30 kg/m2, antimüllerian hormone ≥4 pmol/L, >5 million/mL motile sperm, at least one previous IVF with at least five metaphase oocytes (MIIs) collected, and low embryo quality. INTERVENTIONS(S) An ovarian cortex biopsy was performed to isolate egg precursor cells to obtain their mitochondria. Sibling MIIs were randomly allocated to AUGMENT (experimental) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Control). In AUGMENT, mitochondrial suspension was injected along with the sperm. Viable blastocysts from both groups were biopsied for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Pregnancy, embryo quality. RESULT(S) An interim analysis was conducted. The patients' mean age was 36.3 ± 3.6 years, and they had an average of 2.5 ± 1.5 previous IVF cycles. Two of the 59 enrolled patients spontaneously conceived (one miscarried). Fifty-seven patients had ovarian biopsies and underwent stimulation. Oocyte retrieval was performed in 56 patients (premature ovulation; n = 1). A total of 253 MIIs were inseminated in AUGMENT and 250 in Control; fertilization rates were 62.7 ± 30.0% and 68.7 ± 29.1%, respectively. Statistical differences were observed in day 5 blastocyst formation rates (23.3 ± 32.0% vs. 41.1 ± 36.9%). Neither the euploid rate per biopsied blastocyst (43.8 ± 41.7% vs. 63.8 ± 44.1%) nor the euploid rate per MII (9.8 ± 20.5% vs. 11.9 ± 16.1%) between AUGMENT and Control achieved statistical significance. Moreover, no differences were seen regarding mitochondrial DNA content and relevant morphokinetic variables. Thirty patients were able to undergo embryo transfer. Cumulative live birth rates per transferred embryo were 41.6% in AUGMENT and 41.2% in Control. CONCLUSION(S) AUGMENT does not seem to improve prognosis in this population. Therefore, the study has been discontinued. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02586298.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Labarta
- IVI-RMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain; IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain.
| | | | - Sonia Herraiz
- IVI-RMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain; IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain
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40
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Mirabutalebi SH, Karami N, Ashrafzadeh HR, Akhvansales Z, Tavakoli M, Ghasemi N. Detection of 4977-bp deletion of mitochondrial DNA in in vitro fertilization failure women: A case-control study. Int J Reprod Biomed 2018. [DOI: 10.29252/ijrm.16.9.571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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41
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Chiaratti MR, Garcia BM, Carvalho KF, Macabelli CH, Ribeiro FKDS, Zangirolamo AF, Sarapião FD, Seneda MM, Meirelles FV, Guimarães FEG, Machado TS. Oocyte mitochondria: role on fertility and disease transmission. Anim Reprod 2018; 15:231-238. [PMID: 34178146 PMCID: PMC8202466 DOI: 10.21451/1984-3143-ar2018-0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte mitochondria are increased in number, smaller, and rounder in appearance than mitochondria in somatic cells. Moreover, mitochondrial numbers and activity are narrowly tied with oocyte quality because of the key role of mitochondria to oocyte maturation. During oocyte maturation, mitochondria display great mobility and cluster at specific sites to meet the high energy demand. Conversely, oocyte mitochondria are not required during early oogenesis as coupling with granulosa cells is sufficient to support gamete's needs. In part, this might be explained by the importance of protecting mitochondria from oxidative damage that result in mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Considering mitochondria are transmitted exclusively by the mother, oocytes with mtDNA mutations may lead to diseases in offspring. Thus, to counterbalance mutation expansion, the oocyte has developed specific mechanisms to filter out deleterious mtDNA molecules. Herein, we discuss the role of mitochondria on oocyte developmental potential and recent evidence supporting a purifying filter against deleterious mtDNA mutations in oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos R Chiaratti
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna M Garcia
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Karen F Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina H Macabelli
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Flávio V Meirelles
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Thiago S Machado
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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42
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Kristensen SG, Humaidan P, Coetzee K. Mitochondria and reproduction: possibilities for testing and treatment. Panminerva Med 2018; 61:82-96. [PMID: 29962188 DOI: 10.23736/s0031-0808.18.03510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria, known as the energy factories in all cells, are key regulators of multiple vital cellular processes and affect all aspects of mammalian reproduction, being essential for oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryonic development. Mitochondrial dysfunction is consequently implicated in disease as well as age-related infertility. Since mitochondria are inherited exclusively from the mother, the female gamete is central to reproductive outcome and therapeutic interventions, such as mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), and development of new diagnostic tools. The primary purpose of MRT is to improve oocyte quality, embryogenesis and fetal development by correcting the imbalance between mutant and wild-type mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the oocyte or zygote, either by replacing mutant mtDNA or supplementing with wild-type counterparts from heterologous or autologous sources. However, the efficacy and safety of these new technologies have not yet been tested in clinical trials, and various concerns exist. Nonetheless, the perspectives for such procedures are intriguing and include two distinct patient populations that could potentially benefit from the clinical implementation of MRT; 1) patients with mtDNA-disease transmission risk; 2) patients undergoing IVF with recurrent poor embryo outcomes due to advanced maternal age. In this review, we outline the intrinsic roles of mitochondria during oogenesis and early embryogenesis in relation to disease and infertility, and discuss the progress in MRT with the developments in reproductive technologies and the related concerns. In addition, we assess the use of mtDNA as a potential biomarker for embryo viability in assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine G Kristensen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark -
| | - Peter Humaidan
- The Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital and Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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43
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Cecchino GN, Seli E, Alves da Motta EL, García-Velasco JA. The role of mitochondrial activity in female fertility and assisted reproductive technologies: overview and current insights. Reprod Biomed Online 2018; 36:686-697. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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44
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Woods DC, Khrapko K, Tilly JL. Influence of Maternal Aging on Mitochondrial Heterogeneity, Inheritance, and Function in Oocytes and Preimplantation Embryos. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E265. [PMID: 29883421 PMCID: PMC5977205 DOI: 10.3390/genes9050265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Contrasting the equal contribution of nuclear genetic material from maternal and paternal sources to offspring, passage of mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), is uniparental through the egg. Since mitochondria in eggs are ancestral to all somatic mitochondria of the next generation and to all cells of future generations, oocytes must prepare for the high energetic demands of maturation, fertilization and embryogenesis while simultaneously ensuring that their mitochondrial genomes are inherited in an undamaged state. Although significant effort has been made to understand how the mtDNA bottleneck and purifying selection act coordinately to prevent silent and unchecked spreading of invisible mtDNA mutations through the female germ line across successive generations, it is unknown if and how somatic cells of the immediate next generation are spared from inheritance of detrimental mtDNA molecules. Here, we review unique aspects of mitochondrial activity and segregation in eggs and early embryos, and how these events play into embryonic developmental competency in the face of advancing maternal age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dori C Woods
- Laboratory for Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Konstantin Khrapko
- Laboratory for Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory for Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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45
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Ishii T, Hibino Y. Mitochondrial manipulation in fertility clinics: Regulation and responsibility. REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE & SOCIETY ONLINE 2018; 5:93-109. [PMID: 30094357 PMCID: PMC6076383 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbms.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The clinical uses of cytoplasmic transfer and pronuclear transfer for infertility treatment have raised concerns, leading to restrictive regulatory responses in both the USA and China. In 2015, the UK legalized nuclear transfer from oocytes and zygotes to prevent the onset of serious mitochondrial disease in the children of affected mothers. A research team in the USA then performed egg nuclear transfer, with subsequent embryo transfer in Mexico, to prevent mitochondrial disease. A live birth resulted, but the cross-border activity attracted attention from regulatory authorities. In order to respond appropriately to the likelihood of the wider use of such mitochondrial manipulation techniques (MMT), the present study first surveyed countries where MMT have been clinically implemented or where such experimental procedures are advertised on the internet. Sixteen countries were selected for an analysis of the legal position regarding germline genetic modification and egg donation. It was found that regulation of the clinical use of MMT could be broken down into three categories: (i) largely prohibited (USA and China), (ii) not regulated (Northern Cyprus and Ukraine), and (iii) insufficiently regulated (the remaining 12 countries, including Mexico). The reasons for no or insufficient regulation included no intention to oversee experimental procedures, no consideration of the manipulation in eggs, unclear technical terms and ambiguous medical purposes. To protect future children, this study underscores the pressing need for regulatory frameworks with policies that cover MMT. Wider implications regarding the responsible implementation of procedures in experimental reproductive medicine are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Ishii
- Hokkaido University, Office of Health and Safety, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuri Hibino
- Kanazawa University, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan
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46
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Haahr T, Esteves SC, Humaidan P. Individualized controlled ovarian stimulation in expected poor-responders: an update. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2018; 16:20. [PMID: 29523204 PMCID: PMC5845159 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-018-0342-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlled ovarian stimulation with subsequent multi-follicular development continues to be a keystone in ART. Evidence supports an individualized approach to ovarian stimulation, usually involving combinations of ovarian reserve tests, body mass index and age to tailor the exogenous gonadotropin dose, and potentially adjuvant treatment aiming for high safety and a shortening of time to live birth. While stimulation and trigger concepts have been developed successfully in normo- and hyperresponder patients, the poor responder patient remains difficult to manage. However, recent advances in definition and classification of the expected poor ovarian responder patient might enable a more accurate and clinically useful interpretation of new treatment concepts in a more homogenous study population. In the present review, we discuss the classification of the expected poor ovarian responder patient as well as clinically useful measurements of efficacy for controlled ovarian stimulation, and finally, we discuss the evidence for clinical management of patients with expected poor ovarian response, including adjuvant treatments such as growth hormone, androgens, and LH activity.In conclusion, the best available evidence supports that the treatment of the expected poor ovarian response patient should be individualized in all steps of ART, including the choice of GnRH analogue, the gonadotropin type and dose, ovulation trigger, and the possible use of adjuvant therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thor Haahr
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark and the Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark and the Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Peter Humaidan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark and the Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark.
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47
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Chiaratti MR, Garcia BM, Carvalho KF, Machado TS, Ribeiro FKDS, Macabelli CH. The role of mitochondria in the female germline: Implications to fertility and inheritance of mitochondrial diseases. Cell Biol Int 2018; 42:711-724. [PMID: 29418047 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria play a fundamental role during development of the female germline. They are fragmented, round, and small. Despite these characteristics suggesting that they are inactive, there is accumulating evidence that mitochondrial dysfunctions are a major cause of infertility and generation of aneuploidies in humans. In addition, mitochondria and their own genomes (mitochondrial DNA-mtDNA) may become damaged with time, which might be one reason why aging leads to infertility. As a result, mitochondria have been proposed as an important target for evaluating oocyte and embryo quality, and developing treatments for female infertility. On the other hand, mutations in mtDNA may cause mitochondrial dysfunctions, leading to severe diseases that affect 1 in 4,300 people. Moreover, very low levels of mutated mtDNA seem to be present in every person worldwide. These may increase with time and associate with late-onset degenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and common cancers. Mutations in mtDNA are transmitted down the maternal lineage, following a poorly understood pattern of inheritance. Recent findings have indicated existence in the female germline of a purifying filter against deleterious mtDNA variants. Although the underlying mechanism of this filter is largely unknown, it has been suggested to rely on autophagic degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria or selective replication/transmission of non-deleterious variants. Thus, understanding the mechanisms regulating mitochondrial inheritance is important both to improve diagnosis and develop therapeutic tools for preventing transmission of mtDNA-encoded diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Roberto Chiaratti
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Bruna Martins Garcia
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Karen Freire Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Thiago Simões Machado
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
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48
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Craven L, Tang MX, Gorman GS, De Sutter P, Heindryckx B. Novel reproductive technologies to prevent mitochondrial disease. Hum Reprod Update 2018. [PMID: 28651360 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmx018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of nuclear transfer (NT) has been proposed as a novel reproductive treatment to overcome the transmission of maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. Pathogenic mutations in mtDNA can cause a wide-spectrum of life-limiting disorders, collectively known as mtDNA disease, for which there are currently few effective treatments and no known cures. The many unique features of mtDNA make genetic counselling challenging for women harbouring pathogenic mtDNA mutations but reproductive options that involve medical intervention are available that will minimize the risk of mtDNA disease in their offspring. This includes PGD, which is currently offered as a clinical treatment but will not be suitable for all. The potential for NT to reduce transmission of mtDNA mutations has been demonstrated in both animal and human models, and has recently been clinically applied not only to prevent mtDNA disease but also for some infertility cases. In this review, we will interrogate the different NT techniques, including a discussion on the available safety and efficacy data of these technologies for mtDNA disease prevention. In addition, we appraise the evidence for the translational use of NT technologies in infertility. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE We propose to review the current scientific evidence regarding the clinical use of NT to prevent mitochondrial disease. SEARCH METHODS The scientific literature was investigated by searching PubMed database until Jan 2017. Relevant documents from Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as well as reports from both the scientific and popular media were also implemented. The above searches were based on the following key words: 'mitochondria', 'mitochondrial DNA'; 'mitochondrial DNA disease', 'fertility'; 'preimplantation genetic diagnosis', 'nuclear transfer', 'mitochondrial replacement' and 'mitochondrial donation'. OUTCOMES While NT techniques have been shown to effectively reduce the transmission of heteroplasmic mtDNA variants in animal models, and increasing evidence supports their use to prevent the transmission of human mtDNA disease, the need for robust, long-term evaluation is still warranted. Moreover, prenatal screening would still be strongly advocated in combination with the use of these IVF-based technologies. Scientific evidence to support the use of NT and other novel reproductive techniques for infertility is currently lacking. WIDER IMPLICATIONS It is mandatory that any new ART treatments are first adequately assessed in both animal and human models before the cautious implementation of these new therapeutic approaches is clinically undertaken. There is growing evidence to suggest that the translation of these innovative technologies into clinical practice should be cautiously adopted only in highly selected patients. Indeed, given the limited safety and efficacy data, close monitoring of any offspring remains paramount.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey Craven
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Mao-Xing Tang
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gráinne S Gorman
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Petra De Sutter
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Björn Heindryckx
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Genetic studies in mice directly link oocytes produced during adulthood to ovarian function and natural fertility. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10011. [PMID: 28855574 PMCID: PMC5577229 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple labs have reported that mammalian ovaries contain oogonial stem cells (OSCs), which can differentiate into oocytes that fertilize to produce offspring. However, the physiological relevance of these observations to adult ovarian function is unknown. Here we performed targeted and reversible ablation of premeiotic germ cells undergoing differentiation into oocytes in transgenic mice expressing the suicide gene, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk), driven by the promoter of stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8), a germ cell-specific gene activated during meiotic commitment. Over a 21-day ablation phase induced by the HSVtk pro-drug, ganciclovir (GCV), oocyte numbers declined due to a disruption of new oocyte input. However, germ cell differentiation resumed after ceasing the ablation protocol, enabling complete regeneration of the oocyte pool. We next employed inducible lineage tracing to fate map, through Cre recombinase-mediated fluorescent reporter gene activation only in Stra8-expressing cells, newly-formed oocytes. Induction of the system during adulthood yielded a mosaic pool of unmarked (pre-existing) and marked (newly-formed) oocytes. Marked oocytes matured and fertilized to produce offspring, which grew normally to adulthood and transmitted the reporter to second-generation offspring. These findings establish that oocytes generated during adulthood contribute directly to ovarian function and natural fertility in mammals.
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50
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Ou XH, Sun QY. Mitochondrial replacement techniques or therapies (MRTs) to improve embryo development and to prevent mitochondrial disease transmission. J Genet Genomics 2017; 44:371-374. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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