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Graceli JB, Zomer HD, Medrano TI, Hess RA, Korach KS, Cooke PS. Role for Nongenomic Estrogen Signaling in Male Fertility. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqad180. [PMID: 38066676 PMCID: PMC10797322 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen actions are mediated by both nuclear (n) and membrane (m) localized estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1). Male Esr1 knockout (Esr1KO) mice lacking functional Esr1 are infertile, with reproductive tract abnormalities. Male mice expressing nESR1 but lacking mESR1 (nuclear-only estrogen receptor 1 mice) are progressively infertile due to testicular, rete testis, and efferent ductule abnormalities similar to Esr1KO males, indicating a role for mESR1 in male reproduction. The H2NES mouse expresses only mESR1 but lacks nESR1. The goal of this study was to identify the functions of mESR1 alone in mice where nESR1 was absent. Breeding trials showed that H2NES males are fertile, with decreased litter numbers but normal pup numbers/litter. In contrast to Esr1KO mice, H2NES testicular, and epididymal weights were not reduced, and seminiferous tubule abnormalities were less pronounced. However, Esr1KO and H2NES males both had decreased sperm motility and a high incidence of abnormal sperm morphology. Seminiferous tubule and rete testis dilation and decreased efferent ductule epithelial height characteristic of Esr1KO males were reduced in H2NES. Consistent with this, expression of genes involved in fluid transport and ion movement that were reduced in Esr1KO (Aqp1, Car2, Car14, Cftr) were partially or fully restored to wild-type levels in H2NES. In summary, in contrast to Esr1KO males, H2NES males are fertile and have reduced phenotypic and functional abnormalities in the testis and efferent ductules. Thus, mESR1 alone, in the absence of nESR1, can partially regulate male reproductive tract structure and function, emphasizing its importance for overall estrogen action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jones B Graceli
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Department of Morphology, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, 29040-090, Brazil
| | - Helena D Zomer
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Theresa I Medrano
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rex A Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Kenneth S Korach
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Paul S Cooke
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Estrogen Receptor Alpha Splice Variants, Post-Translational Modifications, and Their Physiological Functions. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060895. [PMID: 36980236 PMCID: PMC10047206 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of estrogenic signaling for a broad spectrum of biological processes, including reproduction, cancer development, energy metabolism, memory and learning, and so on, has been well documented. Among reported estrogen receptors, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) has been known to be a major mediator of cellular estrogenic signaling. Accumulating evidence has shown that the regulations of ERα gene transcription, splicing, and expression across the tissues are highly complex. The ERα promoter region is composed of multiple leader exons and 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) exons. Differential splicing results in multiple ERα proteins with different molecular weights and functional domains. Furthermore, various post-translational modifications (PTMs) further impact ERα cellular localization, ligand affinity, and therefore functionality. These splicing isoforms and PTMs are differentially expressed in a tissue-specific manner, mediate certain aspects of ERα signaling, and may work even antagonistically against the full-length ERα. The fundamental understanding of the ERα splicing isoforms in normal physiology is limited and association studies of the splicing isoforms and the PTMs are scarce. This review aims to summarize the functional diversity of these ERα variants and the PTMs in normal physiological processes, particularly as studied in transgenic mouse models.
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Rusidzé M, Gargaros A, Fébrissy C, Dubucs C, Weyl A, Ousselin J, Aziza J, Arnal JF, Lenfant F. Estrogen Actions in Placental Vascular Morphogenesis and Spiral Artery Remodeling: A Comparative View between Humans and Mice. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040620. [PMID: 36831287 PMCID: PMC9954071 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040620] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogens, mainly 17β-estradiol (E2), play a critical role in reproductive organogenesis, ovulation, and fertility via estrogen receptors. E2 is also a well-known regulator of utero-placental vascular development and blood-flow dynamics throughout gestation. Mouse and human placentas possess strikingly different morphological configurations that confer important reproductive advantages. However, the functional interplay between fetal and maternal vasculature remains similar in both species. In this review, we briefly describe the structural and functional characteristics, as well as the development, of mouse and human placentas. In addition, we summarize the current knowledge regarding estrogen actions during utero-placental vascular morphogenesis, which includes uterine angiogenesis, the control of trophoblast behavior, spiral artery remodeling, and hemodynamic adaptation throughout pregnancy, in both mice and humans. Finally, the estrogens that are present in abnormal placentation are also mentioned. Overall, this review highlights the importance of the actions of estrogens in the physiology and pathophysiology of placental vascular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Rusidzé
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
- Department of Pathology, Cancer University Institute of Toulouse Oncopole-IUCT, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | - Adrien Gargaros
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
| | - Chanaëlle Fébrissy
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
| | - Charlotte Dubucs
- Department of Pathology, Cancer University Institute of Toulouse Oncopole-IUCT, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | - Ariane Weyl
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
- Department of Pathology, Cancer University Institute of Toulouse Oncopole-IUCT, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | - Jessie Ousselin
- Department of Pathology, Cancer University Institute of Toulouse Oncopole-IUCT, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | - Jacqueline Aziza
- Department of Pathology, Cancer University Institute of Toulouse Oncopole-IUCT, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-François Arnal
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
| | - Françoise Lenfant
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC), INSERM U1297, University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), CHU, 31432 Toulouse, France
- Correspondence:
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