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Feuz MB, Nelson DC, Miller LB, Zwerdling AE, Meyer RG, Meyer-Ficca ML. Reproductive Ageing: Current insights and a potential role of NAD in the reproductive health of aging fathers and their children. Reproduction 2024; 167:e230486. [PMID: 38471307 PMCID: PMC11075800 DOI: 10.1530/rep-23-0486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In brief In light of the increasing age of first-time fathers, this article summarizes the current scientific knowledge base on reproductive aging in the male, including sperm quality and health impacts for the offspring. The emerging role of NAD decline in reproductive aging is highlighted. Abstract Over the past decades, the age of first-time fathers has been steadily increasing due to socio-economic pressures. While general mechanisms of aging are subject to intensive research, male reproductive aging has remained an understudied area, and the effects of increased age on the male reproductive system are still only poorly understood, despite new insights into the potential dire consequences of advanced paternal age for the health of their progeny. There is also growing evidence that reproductive aging is linked to overall health in men, but this review mainly focuses on pathophysiological consequences of old age in men, such as low sperm count and diminished sperm genetic integrity, with an emphasis on mechanisms underlying reproductive aging. The steady decline of NAD levels observed in aging men represents one of the emerging concepts in that regard. Because it offers some mechanistic rationale explaining the effects of old age on the male reproductive system, some of the NAD-dependent functions in male reproduction are briefly outlined in this review. The overview also provides many questions that remain open about the basic science of male reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan B. Feuz
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - D. Colton Nelson
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Laura B. Miller
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Alexie E Zwerdling
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Ralph G. Meyer
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Mirella L. Meyer-Ficca
- Department of Veterinary, Clinical and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
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Aguilar P, Dag B, Carazo P, Sultanova Z. Sex-specific paternal age effects on offspring quality in Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:720-729. [PMID: 36946550 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Advanced paternal age has been repeatedly shown to modulate offspring quality via male- and/or female-driven processes, and there are theoretical reasons to expect that some of these effects can be sex-specific. For example, sex allocation theory predicts that, when mated with low-condition males, mothers should invest more in their daughters compared to their sons. This is because male fitness is generally more condition-dependent and more variable than female fitness, which makes it less risky to invest in female offspring. Here, we explore whether paternal age can affect the quality and quantity of offspring in a sex-specific way using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. In order to understand the contribution of male-driven processes on paternal age effects, we also measured the seminal vesicle size of young and older males and explored its relationship with reproductive success and offspring quality. Older males had lower competitive reproductive success, as expected, but there was no difference between the offspring sex ratio of young and older males. However, we found that paternal age caused an increase in offspring quality (i.e., offspring weight), and that this increase was more marked in daughters than sons. We discuss different male- and female-driven processes that may explain such sex-specific paternal age effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prem Aguilar
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Berfin Dag
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Pau Carazo
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Valencia, Spain
| | - Zahida Sultanova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Zhang C, Yan L, Qiao J. Effect of advanced parental age on pregnancy outcome and offspring health. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:1969-1986. [PMID: 35925538 PMCID: PMC9474958 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02533-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Fertility at advanced age has become increasingly common, but the aging of parents may adversely affect the maturation of gametes and the development of embryos, and therefore the effects of aging are likely to be transmitted to the next generation. This article reviewed the studies in this field in recent years. METHODS We searched the relevant literature in recent years with the keywords of "advanced maternal/paternal age" combined with "adverse pregnancy outcome" or "birth defect" in the PubMed database and classified the effects of parental advanced age on pregnancy outcomes and birth defects. Related studies on the effect of advanced age on birth defects were classified as chromosomal abnormalities, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and other systemic diseases. The effect of assisted reproduction technology (ART) on fertility in advanced age was also discussed. RESULTS Differences in the definition of the range of advanced age and other confounding factors among studies were excluded, most studies believed that advanced parental age would affect pregnancy outcomes and birth defects in offspring. CONCLUSION To some extent, advanced parental age caused adverse pregnancy outcomes and birth defects. The occurrence of these results was related to the molecular genetic changes caused by aging, such as gene mutations, epigenetic variations, etc. Any etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes and birth defects related to aging might be more than one. The detrimental effect of advanced age can be corrected to some extent by ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China
- Savid Medical College (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liying Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49, North garden road, Haidian district, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology (Peking University Third Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Research Units of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Oocyte Maturation Arrest (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Beijing, 100191, China.
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Caballero-Campo P, Lira-Albarrán S, Barrera D, Borja-Cacho E, Godoy-Morales HS, Rangel-Escareño C, Larrea F, Chirinos M. Gene transcription profiling of astheno- and normo-zoospermic sperm subpopulations. Asian J Androl 2021; 22:608-615. [PMID: 32167074 PMCID: PMC7705984 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_143_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Spermatozoa contain a repertoire of RNAs considered to be potential functional fertility biomarkers. In this study, the gene expression of human sperm subpopulations with high (F1) and low (F2) motility from healthy normozoospermic (N) and asthenozoospermic (A) individuals was evaluated using RNA microarray followed by functional genomic analysis of differentially expressed genes. Results from A–F1 versus N–F1, A–F2 versus N–F2, N–F1 versus N–F2, and A–F1 versus A–F2 comparisons showed a considerably larger set of downregulated genes in tests versus controls. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of A–F1 versus N–F1 identified 507 overrepresented biological processes (BPs), several of which are associated with sperm physiology. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis of the same contrast showed 110 BPs, 36 cellular components, and 31 molecular functions, several of which are involved in sperm motility. A leading-edge analysis of selected GO terms resulted in several downregulated genes encoding to dyneins and kinesins, both related to sperm physiology. Furthermore, the predicted activation state of asthenozoospermia was increased, while fertility, cell movement of sperm, and gametogenesis were decreased. Interestingly, several downregulated genes characteristic of the canonical pathway protein ubiquitination were involved in asthenozoospermia activation. Conversely, GO analysis of A–F2 versus N–F2 did not identify overrepresented BPs, although the gene set enrichment analysis detected six enriched BPs, one cellular component, and two molecular functions. Overall, the results show differences in gene transcription between sperm subpopulations from asthenozoospermic and normozoospermic semen samples and allowed the identification of gene sets relevant to sperm physiology and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Caballero-Campo
- Department of Reproduction Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico.,Tambre Foundation, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Saúl Lira-Albarrán
- Department of Reproduction Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - David Barrera
- Department of Reproduction Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth Borja-Cacho
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Angeles del Pedregal Hospital, Mexico City 10700, Mexico
| | | | - Claudia Rangel-Escareño
- Computational Genomic and Integrative Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City 14610, Mexico
| | - Fernando Larrea
- Department of Reproduction Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Mayel Chirinos
- Department of Reproduction Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
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Vuarin P, Lesobre L, Levêque G, Saint Jalme M, Lacroix F, Hingrat Y, Sorci G. Paternal age negatively affects sperm production of the progeny. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:719-727. [PMID: 33565248 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Parental age has profound consequences for offspring's phenotype. However, whether patrilineal age affects offspring sperm production remains unknown, despite the importance of sperm production for male reproductive success in species facing post-copulatory sexual selection. Using a longitudinal dataset on ejaculate attributes of the houbara bustard, we showed that offspring sired by old fathers had different age-dependent trajectories of sperm production compared to offspring sired by young fathers. Specifically, they produced less sperm (-48%) in their first year of life, and 14% less during their lifetime. Paternal age had the strongest effect, with weak evidence for grandpaternal or great grandpaternal age effects. These results show that paternal age can affect offspring reproductive success by reducing sperm production, establishing an intergenerational link between ageing and sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Vuarin
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, Abu Dhabi, PoBox 61741, United Arab Emirates.,Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 boulevard Gabriel, Dijon, 21000, France
| | - Loïc Lesobre
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, Abu Dhabi, PoBox 61741, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gwènaëlle Levêque
- Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation, BP 47, route de Midelt, Missour, 33250, Morocco
| | - Michel Saint Jalme
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, UMR 7204 MNHN CNRS-UPMC, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 43 et 61 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Frédéric Lacroix
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, Abu Dhabi, PoBox 61741, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yves Hingrat
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC, Abu Dhabi, PoBox 61741, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gabriele Sorci
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 boulevard Gabriel, Dijon, 21000, France
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Aich U, Jennions MD, Fox RJ. An experimental test of the role of male mating history on paternal effects in the livebearer fish Gambusia holbrooki. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190945. [PMID: 32097600 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies often show that paternal age affects offspring fitness. However, such effects could be due either to age, or to a male's previous mating effort (which is necessarily confounded with age). We experimentally tested whether differences in the mating history of old males affect offspring performance in the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki. Upon maturation, males were housed for a duration of the natural field-breeding season (23 weeks) either with mating access to females (lifetime-mating), or with visual but no physical access to females (no-mating). We then paired these males with a female to test whether male mating history had a significant effect on their mate's breeding success or offspring performance. The daughters, but not the sons, of 'no-mating' treatment males matured significantly sooner, and at a significantly smaller size, than those of 'lifetime-mating' treatment males. There was, however, no effect of male mating history on their daughters' initial fecundity, or on proxy measures of their sons' reproductive success. These results, when combined with earlier studies showing effects of male mating history on sperm quality, growth and immunity, suggest that variation in paternal effects currently attributed to male age could partly arise because older males have usually mated more often than younger males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upama Aich
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Fox
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600, Australia
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Evans JP, Wilson AJ, Pilastro A, Garcia-Gonzalez F. Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects: evidence, mechanisms and evolutionary implications. Reproduction 2019; 157:R109-R126. [PMID: 30668523 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite serving the primary objective of ensuring that at least one sperm cell reaches and fertilises an ovum, the male ejaculate (i.e. spermatozoa and seminal fluid) is a compositionally complex 'trait' that can respond phenotypically to subtle changes in conditions. In particular, recent research has shown that environmentally and genetically induced changes to ejaculates can have implications for offspring traits that are independent of the DNA sequence encoded into the sperm's haploid genome. In this review, we compile evidence from several disciplines and numerous taxonomic systems to reveal the extent of such ejaculate-mediated paternal effects (EMPEs). We consider a number of environmental and genetic factors that have been shown to impact offspring phenotypes via ejaculates, and where possible, we highlight the putative mechanistic pathways by which ejaculates can act as conduits for paternal effects. We also highlight how females themselves can influence EMPEs, and in some cases, how maternally derived sources of variance may confound attempts to test for EMPEs. Finally, we consider a range of putative evolutionary implications of EMPEs and suggest a number of potentially useful approaches for exploring these further. Overall, our review confirms that EMPEs are both widespread and varied in their effects, although studies reporting their evolutionary effects are still in their infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | | | - Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Estacion Biologica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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