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Del Vento F, Vermeulen M, de Michele F, Giudice MG, Poels J, des Rieux A, Wyns C. Tissue Engineering to Improve Immature Testicular Tissue and Cell Transplantation Outcomes: One Step Closer to Fertility Restoration for Prepubertal Boys Exposed to Gonadotoxic Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19010286. [PMID: 29346308 PMCID: PMC5796232 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [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: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite their important contribution to the cure of both oncological and benign diseases, gonadotoxic therapies present the risk of a severe impairment of fertility. Sperm cryopreservation is not an option to preserve prepubertal boys’ reproductive potential, as their seminiferous tubules only contain spermatogonial stem cells (as diploid precursors of spermatozoa). Cryobanking of human immature testicular tissue (ITT) prior to gonadotoxic therapies is an accepted practice. Evaluation of cryopreserved ITT using xenotransplantation in nude mice showed the survival of a limited proportion of spermatogonia and their ability to proliferate and initiate differentiation. However, complete spermatogenesis could not be achieved in the mouse model. Loss of germ cells after ITT grafting points to the need to optimize the transplantation technique. Tissue engineering, a new branch of science that aims at improving cellular environment using scaffolds and molecules administration, might be an approach for further progress. In this review, after summarizing the lessons learned from human prepubertal testicular germ cells or tissue xenotransplantation experiments, we will focus on the benefits that might be gathered using bioengineering techniques to enhance transplantation outcomes by optimizing early tissue graft revascularization, protecting cells from toxic insults linked to ischemic injury and exploring strategies to promote cellular differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Del Vento
- Gynecology-Andrology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (F.D.V.); (M.V.); (F.d.M.); (M.G.G.)
| | - Maxime Vermeulen
- Gynecology-Andrology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (F.D.V.); (M.V.); (F.d.M.); (M.G.G.)
| | - Francesca de Michele
- Gynecology-Andrology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (F.D.V.); (M.V.); (F.d.M.); (M.G.G.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Maria Grazia Giudice
- Gynecology-Andrology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (F.D.V.); (M.V.); (F.d.M.); (M.G.G.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Jonathan Poels
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Anne des Rieux
- Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials Unit, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Christine Wyns
- Gynecology-Andrology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (F.D.V.); (M.V.); (F.d.M.); (M.G.G.)
- Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-2-764-95-01
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Rebourcet D, Wu J, Cruickshanks L, Smith SE, Milne L, Fernando A, Wallace RJ, Gray CD, Hadoke PWF, Mitchell RT, O'Shaughnessy PJ, Smith LB. Sertoli Cells Modulate Testicular Vascular Network Development, Structure, and Function to Influence Circulating Testosterone Concentrations in Adult Male Mice. Endocrinology 2016; 157:2479-88. [PMID: 27145015 PMCID: PMC4891787 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The testicular vasculature forms a complex network, providing oxygenation, micronutrients, and waste clearance from the testis. The vasculature is also instrumental to testis function because it is both the route by which gonadotropins are delivered to the testis and by which T is transported away to target organs. Whether Sertoli cells play a role in regulating the testicular vasculature in postnatal life has never been unequivocally demonstrated. In this study we used models of acute Sertoli cell ablation and acute germ cell ablation to address whether Sertoli cells actively influence vascular structure and function in the adult testis. Our findings suggest that Sertoli cells play a key role in supporting the structure of the testicular vasculature. Ablating Sertoli cells (and germ cells) or germ cells alone results in a similar reduction in testis size, yet only the specific loss of Sertoli cells leads to a reduction in total intratesticular vascular volume, the number of vascular branches, and the numbers of small microvessels; loss of germ cells alone has no effect on the testicular vasculature. These perturbations to the testicular vasculature leads to a reduction in fluid exchange between the vasculature and testicular interstitium, which reduces gonadotropin-stimulated circulating T concentrations, indicative of reduced Leydig cell stimulation and/or reduced secretion of T into the vasculature. These findings describe a new paradigm by which the transport of hormones and other factors into and out of the testis may be influenced by Sertoli cells and highlights these cells as potential targets for enhancing this endocrine relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Rebourcet
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Junxi Wu
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Lyndsey Cruickshanks
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E Smith
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Milne
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Anuruddika Fernando
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J Wallace
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Calum D Gray
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick W F Hadoke
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J O'Shaughnessy
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Lee B Smith
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health (D.R., J.W., L.C., S.E.S., L.M., A.F., R.T.M., L.B.S.), University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science (J.W., P.W.F.H.), and Clinical Research Imaging Centre (C.D.G.), University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom; Department of Orthopaedics (R.J.W.), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Eh16 4SB, United Kingdom; and Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine (P.J.O.), University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
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Poels J, Abou-Ghannam G, Herman S, Van Langendonckt A, Wese FX, Wyns C. In Search of Better Spermatogonial Preservation by Supplementation of Cryopreserved Human Immature Testicular Tissue Xenografts with N-acetylcysteine and Testosterone. Front Surg 2014; 1:47. [PMID: 25593971 PMCID: PMC4286969 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2014.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlled slow-freezing is the procedure currently applied for immature testicular tissue (ITT) cryobanking in clinical practice. Vitrification has been proposed as a promising alternative, with a view to better preserve the spermatogonial stem cells for future fertility restoration by autografting in young boys suffering from cancer. It appears that besides the potential influence of the cryopreservation technique used, the transplantation procedure itself has a significant impact on spermatogonial loss observed in ITT xenografts. Eighteen ITT pieces issued from 6 patients aged 2–15 years were used. Fragments of fresh tissue (serving as ungrafted controls), frozen-thawed tissue, frozen-thawed tissue supplemented with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and frozen-thawed tissue supplemented with testosterone xenografted to nude mice for 5 days were compared. Upon graft removal, histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to evaluate spermatogonia, intratubular proliferation, and intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis. A significant decrease in the integrity of intact seminiferous tubules was found in all three grafted groups. Spermatogonia were observed by immunohistochemistry in all grafted groups, with recovery rates of 67, 63, and 53%, respectively, for slow-frozen tissue, slow-frozen tissue supplemented with NAC, and slow-frozen tissue supplemented with testosterone. Apoptosis evidenced by active caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling was similar in all grafts. The study is limited by the low availability of ITT samples of human origin, and no clear impact of graft supplementation was found. The mouse xenotransplantation model needs to be refined to investigate human spermatogenesis in human ITT grafts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Poels
- Gynecology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain , Brussels , Belgium ; Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Gaël Abou-Ghannam
- Gynecology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain , Brussels , Belgium ; Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Sophie Herman
- Gynecology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain , Brussels , Belgium ; Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Anne Van Langendonckt
- Gynecology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain , Brussels , Belgium ; Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc , Brussels , Belgium
| | | | - Christine Wyns
- Gynecology Unit, Medical School, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain , Brussels , Belgium ; Department of Gynecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc , Brussels , Belgium
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