1
|
Hu M, Yeh YH, Maezawa S, Nakagawa T, Yoshida S, Namekawa S. PRC1 directs PRC2-H3K27me3 deposition to shield adult spermatogonial stem cells from differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2306-2322. [PMID: 38142439 PMCID: PMC10954450 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1203] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogonial stem cells functionality reside in the slow-cycling and heterogeneous undifferentiated spermatogonia cell population. This pool of cells supports lifelong fertility in adult males by balancing self-renewal and differentiation to produce haploid gametes. However, the molecular mechanisms underpinning long-term stemness of undifferentiated spermatogonia during adulthood remain unclear. Here, we discover that an epigenetic regulator, Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), shields adult undifferentiated spermatogonia from differentiation, maintains slow cycling, and directs commitment to differentiation during steady-state spermatogenesis in adults. We show that PRC2-mediated H3K27me3 is an epigenetic hallmark of adult undifferentiated spermatogonia. Indeed, spermatogonial differentiation is accompanied by a global loss of H3K27me3. Disruption of PRC1 impairs global H3K27me3 deposition, leading to precocious spermatogonial differentiation. Therefore, PRC1 directs PRC2-H3K27me3 deposition to maintain the self-renewing state of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Importantly, in contrast to its role in other tissue stem cells, PRC1 negatively regulates the cell cycle to maintain slow cycling of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Our findings have implications for how epigenetic regulators can be tuned to regulate the stem cell potential, cell cycle and differentiation to ensure lifelong fertility in adult males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yu-Han Yeh
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - So Maezawa
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 281-8510, Japan
| | - Toshinori Nakagawa
- Division of Germ Cell Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
- Course for Basic Biology, The Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Shosei Yoshida
- Division of Germ Cell Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
- Course for Basic Biology, The Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Satoshi H Namekawa
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Division of Developmental Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
McGrath KE, Koniski AD, Murphy K, Getman M, An HH, Schulz VP, Kim AR, Zhang B, Schofield TL, Papoin J, Blanc L, Kingsley PD, Westhoff CM, Gallagher PG, Chou ST, Steiner LA, Palis J. BMI1 regulates human erythroid self-renewal through both gene repression and gene activation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.02.578704. [PMID: 38370741 PMCID: PMC10871261 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.578704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The limited proliferative capacity of erythroid precursors is a major obstacle to generate sufficient numbers of in vitro-derived red blood cells (RBC) for clinical purposes. We and others have determined that BMI1, a member of the polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), is both necessary and sufficient to drive extensive proliferation of self-renewing erythroblasts (SREs). However, the mechanisms of BMI1 action remain poorly understood. BMI1 overexpression led to 10 billion-fold increase BMI1-induced (i)SRE self-renewal. Despite prolonged culture and BMI1 overexpression, human iSREs can terminally mature and agglutinate with typing reagent monoclonal antibodies against conventional RBC antigens. BMI1 and RING1B occupancy, along with repressive histone marks, were identified at known BMI1 target genes, including the INK-ARF locus, consistent with an altered cell cycle following BMI1 inhibition. We also identified upregulated BMI1 target genes with low repressive histone modifications, including key regulator of cholesterol homeostasis. Functional studies suggest that both cholesterol import and synthesis are essential for BMI1-associated self-renewal. These findings support the hypothesis that BMI1 regulates erythroid self-renewal not only through gene repression but also through gene activation and offer a strategy to expand the pool of immature erythroid precursors for eventual clinical uses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. McGrath
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Anne D. Koniski
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Kristin Murphy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Michael Getman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Hyun Hyung An
- Dept. of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Ah Ram Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Taylor L. Schofield
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - Julien Papoin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Lionel Blanc
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Paul D. Kingsley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | | | - Patrick G. Gallagher
- Dept. of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stella T. Chou
- Dept. of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laurie A. Steiner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| | - James Palis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xin S, Xiaoxuan L, Yixuan Z, Zhikang C. Leptin promotes proliferation of human undifferentiated spermatogonia by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Am J Reprod Immunol 2024; 91:e13811. [PMID: 38282611 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13811] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male infertility is a common disease affecting male reproductive health. Leptin is an important hormone that regulates various physiological processes, including reproductive function. However, few experimental studies have been carried out to elucidate the mechanism of leptin's effects on male reproductive function. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of leptin on testicular spermatogenesis and its mechanism, so as to provide potential targets for the treatment of patients with spermatogenic dysfunction. METHODS Testicular tissues were collected from eight prostate cancer patients undergoing surgical castration. GPR125-positive spermatogonia were isolated by two consecutive magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), followed by incubation with conditioned medium. To identify the signaling pathway(s) involved in the effects of leptin, undifferentiated spermatogonia were treated with different concentrations of leptin and antagonists of leptin-related pathways. The proliferative effect of leptin was evaluated by cell counting using a hemocytometer. Expressions of p-AKT, p-ERK, p-STAT, and p-S6K were determined by western blotting analysis. RESULTS Leptin promoted the growth of human GPR125-positive spermatogonia in a concentration-dependent manner. The most significant proliferative effect was observed using 100 ng/mL leptin after 6 days of culture. Leptin significantly increased the phosphorylation of STAT3, AKT, and ERK in undifferentiated spermatogonia. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 inhibited the leptin-induced activation of AKT, ERK, and downstream S6K. Treatment with the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin also inhibited S6K phosphorylation. Moreover, both LY294002 and rapamycin were found to inhibit the leptin-induced proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia. These results suggested that the leptin-induced proliferation of GPR125-positive spermatogonia was dependent on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Further exploration of proliferation and apoptotic markers suggested that leptin may alleviate cell apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bax and FasL. CONCLUSIONS A certain concentration of leptin (25∼100 ng/mL) could promote proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia, which was mediated by PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Song Xin
- Department of Urology, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Xiaoxuan
- School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhang Yixuan
- School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Cai Zhikang
- Department of Urology, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|