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Wan X, Hu H, Sun J, Meng F, Gong F, Lin G, Liao H, Zheng W. Identification of novel compound heterozygous ZFP36L2 variants implicated in oocyte maturation defects and female infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024:10.1007/s10815-024-03154-1. [PMID: 38829516 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03154-1] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the pathogenesis of oocyte maturation defects. METHODS Whole exome sequencing was conducted to identify potential variants, which were then confirmed within the pedigree through Sanger sequencing. The functional characterization of the identified variants responsible for the disease, including their subcellular localization, protein levels, and interactions with other proteins, was verified through transient transfection in HeLa cells in vitro. Additionally, we employed real-time RT-PCR and single-cell RNA sequencing to examine the impact of ZFP36L2 pathogenic variants on mRNA metabolism in both HeLa cells and mouse or human oocytes. RESULTS A novel compound heterozygous variant in ZFP36L2 (c.186T > G, p.His62Gln and c.869 C > T, p.Pro290Leu) was discovered in a patient with oocyte maturation defects. Our findings indicate that these variants lead to compromised binding capacity of the ZFP36L2-CONT6L complex and impaired mRNA degradation in HeLa cells and mouse oocytes. Furthermore, we characterized the changes in the human oocyte transcriptome associated with ZFP36L2 variants, with a particular emphasis on cell division, mitochondrial function, and ribosome metabolism. CONCLUSIONS This study broadens the mutation spectrum of ZFP36L2 and constitutes the first report of human oocyte transcriptome alterations linked to ZFP36L2 variants. In conjunction with existing knowledge of ZFP36L2, our research lays the groundwork for genetic counseling aimed at addressing female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Wan
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Hengyang Nanhua-Xinghui Reproductive Health Hospital, Hengyang, China
| | - Huiling Hu
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Jiaqi Sun
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fei Meng
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Fei Gong
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Hongqing Liao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
- Hengyang Nanhua-Xinghui Reproductive Health Hospital, Hengyang, China.
| | - Wei Zheng
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, 410008, China.
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Okutman O, Gürbüz AS, Büyük U, Real E, Leconte R, Chennen K, Mayer C, Muller J, Le May N, Viville S. Pathogenic missense variation in PABPC1L/EPAB causes female infertility due to oocyte maturation arrest at the germinal vesicle stage. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024; 41:311-322. [PMID: 38177974 PMCID: PMC10894787 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-03009-1] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation prior to in vitro fertilization (IVF) are treated using various protocols to induce multiple follicular growths. Complete failure of all oocytes to mature during IVF cycles is rare; however, it is a known cause of primary female infertility. Recently, pathogenic variations in a few genes have been identified in women with oocyte maturation defects; however, the underlying genetic causes remain largely unknown.This study included a Turkish family comprising three sisters with recurring oocyte maturation arrest at the germinal vesicle stage after multiple ovarian stimulations. Exome sequencing revealed a homozygous missense variant (c.1037C>T, p.Ala346Val) in the EPAB gene (also known as PABPC1L) in all three affected sisters, which was either absent or heterozygous in the unaffected family members. Functional experiments confirming the pathogenicity of the variant were performed by transfecting HEK293T cells and demonstrated the instability and increased rate of proteolysis of the mutated PABPC1L/EPAB protein. The identified variant, located in the well-conserved fourth RNA recognition motif (RRM4), in silico 3D modelling suggested changes in the physical properties of the pathogenic variant of PABPC1L/EPAB. Our findings validate PABPC1L/EPAB as an essential genetic contributor to the oocyte maturation process in humans and have direct implications for the genetic counselling of patients and their family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Okutman
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), Hôpital Erasme, Service de Gynécologie-Obstetrique, Clinique de Fertilité, Route de Lennik, 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - U Büyük
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Graduate Studies in Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - E Real
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale LGM, Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace IGMA, INSERM UMR 1112, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - R Leconte
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale LGM, Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace IGMA, INSERM UMR 1112, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - K Chennen
- Complex Systems and Translational Bioinformatics, ICube UMR 7357, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - C Mayer
- Complex Systems and Translational Bioinformatics, ICube UMR 7357, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- UFR Sciences de La Vie, Université Paris Cité, 75013, Paris, France
| | - J Muller
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale LGM, Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace IGMA, INSERM UMR 1112, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Unité Fonctionnelle de Bioinformatique Médicale Appliquée Au Diagnostic (UF7363), Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - N Le May
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale LGM, Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace IGMA, INSERM UMR 1112, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - S Viville
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale LGM, Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace IGMA, INSERM UMR 1112, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
- Laboratoire de Diagnostic Génétique, Unité de Génétique de L'infertilité (UF3472), Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67091, Strasbourg, France.
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Pan Z, Wang W, Wu L, Yao Z, Wang W, Chen Y, Gu H, Dong J, Mu J, Zhang Z, Fu J, Li Q, Wang L, Sun X, Kuang Y, Sang Q, Chen B. Bi-allelic missense variants in MEI4 cause preimplantation embryonic arrest and female infertility. Hum Genet 2024:10.1007/s00439-023-02633-2. [PMID: 38252283 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02633-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Preimplantation embryonic arrest is an important pathogenesis of female infertility, but little is known about the genetic factors behind this phenotype. MEI4 is an essential protein for DNA double-strand break formation during meiosis, and Mei4 knock-out female mice are viable but sterile, indicating that MEI4 plays a crucial role in reproduction. To date, MEI4 has not been found to be associated with any human reproductive diseases. Here, we identified six compound heterozygous and homozygous MEI4 variants-namely, c.293C > T, p.(Ser98Leu), c.401C > G, p.(Pro134Arg), c.391C > G, p.(Pro131Ala), c.914A > T, p.(Tyr305Phe), c.908C > G, p.(Ala303Gly), and c.899A > T, p.(Gln300Leu)-in four independent families that were responsible for female infertility mainly characterized by preimplantation embryonic arrest. In vitro, we found that these variants reduced the interaction between MEI4 and DNA. In vivo, we generated a knock-in mouse model and demonstrated that female mice were infertile and were characterized by developmental defects during oogenesis. Our findings reveal the important roles of MEI4 in human reproduction and provide a new diagnostic marker for genetic counseling of clinical infertility patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqi Pan
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weijie Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ling Wu
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Zhongyuan Yao
- The Reproductive Medical Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hao Gu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jie Dong
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian Mu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhihua Zhang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jing Fu
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Qiaoli Li
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoxi Sun
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yanping Kuang
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Qing Sang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, and the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Biaobang Chen
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Wang X, Zhou R, Lu X, Dai S, Liu M, Jiang C, Yang Y, Shen Y, Wang Y, Liu H. Identification of nonfunctional PABPC1L causing oocyte maturation abnormalities and early embryonic arrest in female primary infertility. Clin Genet 2023; 104:648-658. [PMID: 37723834 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14425] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Oocyte maturation arrest, fertilization failure, and early embryonic arrest are important causes of female infertility, whereas the genetic events that contribute to these processes are largely unknown. Loss-of-function of PABPC1L in mice has been suggested to cause female infertility involved in the absence of mature oocytes or embryos in vivo or in vitro. However, the role of PABPC1L in human female reproduction remains largely elusive. In this study, we identified a homozygous missense mutation (c.536G>A, p.R179Q) and a compound heterozygous mutation (c.793C>T, p.R265W; c.1201C>T, p.Q401*) in PABPC1L in two unrelated infertile females characterized by recurrent oocyte maturation abnormalities and early embryonic arrest. These variants resulted in nonfunctional PABPC1L protein and were associated with impaired chromatin configuration and transcriptional silencing in GV oocytes. Moreover, the binding capacity of mutant PABPC1L to mRNAs related to oocyte maturation and early embryonic development was decreased significantly. Our findings revealed novel PABPC1L mutations causing oocyte maturation abnormalities and early embryonic arrest, confirming the essential role of PABPC1L in human female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruixi Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowei Lu
- Reproductive Medicine Centre, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyu Dai
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mohan Liu
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanting Yang
- Medical Genetics Department/Prenatal Diagnostic Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hanmin Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Immunology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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5
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Ding X, Schimenti JC. Female infertility from oocyte maturation arrest: assembling the genetic puzzle. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e17729. [PMID: 37073822 PMCID: PMC10245026 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202317729] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Assisted reproduction procedures often encounter an issue called oocyte maturation arrest (OMA), which is manifested as failed IVF/ICSI attempts using oocytes from some infertile women. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Wang et al identify infertile women bearing novel DNA sequence variants in a gene called PABPC1L, which is essential for translation of maternal mRNAs. By conducting a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, they demonstrated certain variants as being causal for OMA, confirming a conserved requirement for PABPC1L in human oocyte maturation. This study offers a promising therapeutic target for treating OMA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbao Ding
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary MedicineCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - John C Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary MedicineCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
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