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Wang S, Wei D, Zhao Y, Pang X, Zhang Z. Development and validation of machine learning models for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer by urinary proteomics, based on the FLEMENGHO cohort. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:643-654. [PMID: 38455408 PMCID: PMC10915340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The current study aims to develop and validate machine learning (ML) models for the prediction of cancer status by the non-invasive urinary proteomic in a population-based cohort. In this retrospective study, urinary proteome profiles in 804 cases from the FLEMENGHO cohort were measured by mass spectrometry. After feature selection by LASSO on both clinical variables and urinary proteome profile, benchmark models by clinical variables were built with six different ML algorithms. Proteome-based models and combined models were built and compared with the benchmark models. The models' performance, i.e. area under the curve (AUC) was compared by Delong method. The 95% confidence interval was estimated by the bootstrapping method. The best-performing model was explained by Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method. The predictive role of proteome biomarkers in longitudinal cancer diagnosis was also explored. A clinical model, based on age, blood sugar and blood lipid profile, yielded the best AUC of 0.75 (0.68-0.82), with 0.80 (0.72-0.91) for the proteome model based on 13 selected biomarkers and 0.83 (0.77-0.90) for the combined model (P=0.01 for comparison with clinical model). SHAP on the support vector machine in the combined setting showed that except for age, proteome biomarkers contribute to the final prediction of the model. After adjusting with clinical factors, three proteome biomarkers are independent risk factors for longitudinal cancer development. Urinary proteome profiling, together with fine-tuned machine learning algorithms, demonstrates the predictive potential for cancer diagnosis transparently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuncong Wang
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Campus Sint RafaëlKapucijnenvoer 7, Block H, Box 7001, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Biomedical Group, Campus Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dongmei Wei
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Campus Sint RafaëlKapucijnenvoer 7, Block H, Box 7001, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yanling Zhao
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Campus Sint RafaëlKapucijnenvoer 7, Block H, Box 7001, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xin Pang
- Faculty of Economics and Business, KU Leuven3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Campus Sint RafaëlKapucijnenvoer 7, Block H, Box 7001, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Real MVF, Colvin MS, Sheehan MJ, Moeller AH. Major urinary protein ( Mup) gene family deletion drives sex-specific alterations in the house-mouse gut microbiota. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0356623. [PMID: 38170981 PMCID: PMC10846032 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03566-23] [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: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is shaped by host metabolism. In house mice (Mus musculus), major urinary protein (MUP) pheromone production represents a considerable energy investment, particularly in sexually mature males. Deletion of the Mup gene family shifts mouse metabolism toward an anabolic state, marked by lipogenesis, lipid accumulation, and body mass increases. Given the metabolic implications of MUPs, they may also influence the gut microbiota. Here, we investigated the effect of a deletion of the Mup gene family on the gut microbiota of sexually mature mice. Shotgun metagenomics revealed distinct taxonomic and functional profiles between wild-type and knockout males but not females. Deletion of the Mup gene cluster significantly reduced diversity in microbial families and functions in male mice. Additionally, a species of Ruminococcaceae and several microbial functions, such as transporters involved in vitamin B5 acquisition, were significantly depleted in the microbiota of Mup knockout males. Altogether, these results show that MUPs significantly affect the gut microbiota of house mouse in a sex-specific manner.IMPORTANCEThe community of microorganisms that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract can have profound effects on host phenotypes. The gut microbiota is in turn shaped by host genes, including those involved with host metabolism. In adult male house mice, expression of the major urinary protein (Mup) gene cluster represents a substantial energy investment, and deletion of the Mup gene family leads to fat accumulation and weight gain in males. We show that deleting Mup genes also alters the gut microbiota of male, but not female, mice in terms of both taxonomic and functional compositions. Male mice without Mup genes harbored fewer gut bacterial families and reduced abundance of a species of Ruminococcaceae, a family that has been previously shown to reduce obesity risk. Studying the impact of the Mup gene family on the gut microbiota has the potential to reveal the ways in which these genes affect host phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalena V. F. Real
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Melanie S. Colvin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Michael J. Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Andrew H. Moeller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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3
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Willemin G, Mange F, Praz V, Lorrain S, Cousin P, Roger C, Willis IM, Hernandez N. Contrasting effects of whole-body and hepatocyte-specific deletion of the RNA polymerase III repressor Maf1 in the mouse. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1297800. [PMID: 38143800 PMCID: PMC10746880 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1297800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
MAF1 is a nutrient-sensitive, TORC1-regulated repressor of RNA polymerase III (Pol III). MAF1 downregulation leads to increased lipogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mice. However, Maf1 -/- mice are lean as increased lipogenesis is counterbalanced by futile pre-tRNA synthesis and degradation, resulting in increased energy expenditure. We compared Chow-fed Maf1 -/- mice with Chow- or High Fat (HF)-fed Maf1 hep-/- mice that lack MAF1 specifically in hepatocytes. Unlike Maf1 -/- mice, Maf1 hep-/- mice become heavier and fattier than control mice with old age and much earlier under a HF diet. Liver ChIPseq, RNAseq and proteomics analyses indicate increased Pol III occupancy at Pol III genes, very few differences in mRNA accumulation, and protein accumulation changes consistent with increased lipogenesis. Futile pre-tRNA synthesis and degradation in the liver, as likely occurs in Maf1 hep-/- mice, thus seems insufficient to counteract increased lipogenesis. Indeed, RNAseq and metabolite profiling indicate that liver phenotypes of Maf1 -/- mice are strongly influenced by systemic inter-organ communication. Among common changes in the three phenotypically distinct cohorts, Angiogenin downregulation is likely linked to increased Pol III occupancy of tRNA genes in the Angiogenin promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles Willemin
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - François Mange
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Praz
- Lausanne Genomic Technologies Facility, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Séverine Lorrain
- Protein Analysis Facility, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Cousin
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Roger
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ian M. Willis
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Nouria Hernandez
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Macholán M, Daniszová K, Hiadlovská Z. The Expansion of House Mouse Major Urinary Protein Genes Likely Did Not Facilitate Commensalism with Humans. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2090. [PMID: 38003032 PMCID: PMC10671799 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112090] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse wild-derived strains (WDSs) combine the advantages of classical laboratory stocks and wild animals, and thus appear to be promising tools for diverse biomedical and evolutionary studies. We employed 18 WDSs representing three non-synanthropic species (Mus spretus, Mus spicilegus, and M. macedonicus) and three house mouse subspecies (Mus musculus musculus, M. m. domesticus, M. m. castaneus), which are all important human commensals to explore whether the number of major urinary protein (MUP) genes and their final protein levels in urine are correlated with the level of commensalism. Contrary to expectations, the MUP copy number (CN) and protein excretion in the strains derived from M. m. castaneus, which is supposed to be the strongest commensal, were not significantly different from the non-commensal species. Regardless of an overall tendency for higher MUP amounts in taxa with a higher CN, there was no significant correlation at the strain level. Our study thus suggests that expansion of the Mup cluster, which appeared before the house mouse diversification, is unlikely to facilitate commensalism with humans in three house mouse subspecies. Finally, we found considerable variation among con(sub)specific WDSs, warning against generalisations of results based on a few strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Macholán
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Laboratory of Mammalian Evolutionary Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 601 77 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristina Daniszová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Laboratory of Mammalian Evolutionary Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hiadlovská
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Laboratory of Mammalian Evolutionary Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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5
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Rattner A, Heng JS, Winer BL, Goff LA, Nathans J. Normal and Sjogren's syndrome models of the murine lacrimal gland studied at single-cell resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311983120. [PMID: 37812717 PMCID: PMC10589653 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311983120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The lacrimal gland is of central interest in ophthalmology both as the source of the aqueous component of tear fluid and as the site of autoimmune pathology in the context of Sjogren's syndrome (SjS). To provide a foundational description of mouse lacrimal gland cell types and their patterns of gene expression, we have analyzed single-cell transcriptomes from wild-type (Balb/c) mice and from two genetically based SjS models, MRL/lpr and NOD (nonobese diabetic).H2b, and defined the localization of multiple cell-type-specific protein and mRNA markers. This analysis has uncovered a previously undescribed cell type, Car6+ cells, which are located at the junction of the acini and the connecting ducts. More than a dozen secreted polypeptides that are likely to be components of tear fluid are expressed by acinar cells and show pronounced sex differences in expression. Additional examples of gene expression heterogeneity within a single cell type were identified, including a gradient of Claudin4 along the length of the ductal system and cell-to-cell heterogeneity in transcription factor expression within acinar and myoepithelial cells. The patterns of expression of channels, transporters, and pumps in acinar, Car6+, and ductal cells make strong predictions regarding the mechanisms of water and electrolyte secretion. In MRL/lpr and NOD.H2b lacrimal glands, distinctive changes in parenchymal gene expression and in immune cell subsets reveal widespread interferon responses, a T cell-dominated infiltrate in the MRL/lpr model, and a mixed B cell and T cell infiltrate in the NOD.H2b model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Rattner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- HHMI, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Jacob S. Heng
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Briana L. Winer
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Loyal A. Goff
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Kavli Neurodiscovery Institute, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Jeremy Nathans
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- HHMI, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD21205
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6
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Real MVF, Colvin MS, Sheehan MJ, Moeller AH. Major urinary protein ( Mup) gene family deletion drives sex-specific alterations on the house mouse gut microbiota. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.01.551491. [PMID: 37577672 PMCID: PMC10418228 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.01.551491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota is shaped by host metabolism. In house mice (Mus musculus), major urinary protein (MUP) pheromone production represents a considerable energy investment, particularly in sexually mature males. Deletion of the Mup gene family shifts mouse metabolism towards an anabolic state, marked by lipogenesis, lipid accumulation, and body mass increases. Given the metabolic implications of MUPs, they may also influence the gut microbiota. Here, we investigated the effect of deletion of the Mup gene family on the gut microbiota of sexually mature mice. Shotgun metagenomics revealed distinct taxonomic and functional profiles between wildtype and knockout males, but not females. Deletion of the Mup gene cluster significantly reduced diversity in microbial families and functions in male mice. Additionally, specific taxa of the Ruminococcaceae family, which is associated with gut health and reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome, and several microbial functions, such as transporters involved in vitamin B5 acquisition, were significantly depleted in the microbiota of Mup-knockout males. Altogether these results show that major urinary proteins significantly affect the gut microbiota of house mouse in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalena V. F. Real
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Melanie S. Colvin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Michael J. Sheehan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Andrew H. Moeller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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7
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Delcroix V, Mauduit O, Lee HS, Ivanova A, Umazume T, Knox SM, de Paiva CS, Dartt DA, Makarenkova HP. The First Transcriptomic Atlas of the Adult Lacrimal Gland Reveals Epithelial Complexity and Identifies Novel Progenitor Cells in Mice. Cells 2023; 12:1435. [PMID: 37408269 PMCID: PMC10216974 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The lacrimal gland (LG) secretes aqueous tears. Previous studies have provided insights into the cell lineage relationships during tissue morphogenesis. However, little is known about the cell types composing the adult LG and their progenitors. Using scRNAseq, we established the first comprehensive cell atlas of the adult mouse LG to investigate the cell hierarchy, its secretory repertoire, and the sex differences. Our analysis uncovered the complexity of the stromal landscape. Epithelium subclustering revealed myoepithelial cells, acinar subsets, and two novel acinar subpopulations: Tfrchi and Car6hi cells. The ductal compartment contained Wfdc2+ multilayered ducts and an Ltf+ cluster formed by luminal and intercalated duct cells. Kit+ progenitors were identified as: Krt14+ basal ductal cells, Aldh1a1+ cells of Ltf+ ducts, and Sox10+ cells of the Car6hi acinar and Ltf+ epithelial clusters. Lineage tracing experiments revealed that the Sox10+ adult populations contribute to the myoepithelial, acinar, and ductal lineages. Using scRNAseq data, we found that the postnatally developing LG epithelium harbored key features of putative adult progenitors. Finally, we showed that acinar cells produce most of the sex-biased lipocalins and secretoglobins detected in mouse tears. Our study provides a wealth of new data on LG maintenance and identifies the cellular origin of sex-biased tear components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Delcroix
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
| | - Olivier Mauduit
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
| | - Hyun Soo Lee
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Anastasiia Ivanova
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
| | - Takeshi Umazume
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
| | - Sarah M. Knox
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Cintia S. de Paiva
- The Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Darlene A. Dartt
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
| | - Helen P. Makarenkova
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (V.D.); (H.S.L.); (A.I.); (T.U.)
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8
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Zala SM, Church B, Potts WK, Knauer F, Penn DJ. Female scent accelerates growth of juvenile male mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7371. [PMID: 37147391 PMCID: PMC10163255 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34548-3] [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: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposing female house mice (Mus musculus) to male urinary scent accelerates their sexual development (Vandenbergh effect). Here, we tested whether exposing juvenile male mice to females' urine similarly influences male growth and size of their sexual organs. We exposed three-week old male house mice to female urine or water (control) for ca. three months. We found that female-exposed males grew significantly faster and gained more body mass than controls, despite all males being reared on a controlled diet, but we detected no differences in males' muscle mass or sexual organs. In contrast, exposing juvenile males to male urine had no effect their growth. We tested whether the males' accelerated growth imposed functional trade-offs on males' immune resistance to an experimental infection. We challenged the same male subjects with an avirulent bacterial pathogen (Salmonella enterica), but found no evidence that faster growth impacted their bacterial clearance, body mass or survival during infection compared to controls. Our results provide the first evidence to our knowledge that juvenile male mice accelerate their growth when exposed to the urine of adult females, though we found no evidence that increased growth had negative trade-offs on immune resistance to infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Zala
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S. 1400 E., Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
| | - Brian Church
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S. 1400 E., Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Wayne K Potts
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S. 1400 E., Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Felix Knauer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dustin J Penn
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S. 1400 E., Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
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Infection of Trichinella spiralis Affects the Reproductive Capacity of ICR/CD-1 Male Mice by Reducing the Urine Pheromone Contents and Sperm Quality. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065731. [PMID: 36982803 PMCID: PMC10058773 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Female mice can discriminate the urinary odors of male mice due to their olfactory acuity. Parasitic infection or subclinical infection can decrease the odor attractiveness of male mice and finally lead to aversion or avoidance responses in odor selection for female mice. Trichinella spiralis is a kind of tissue-parasitizing nematode that causes trichinellosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease that spreads throughout the world. However, the reproductive injury caused by Trichinella spiralis infection was not fully revealed. In this study, we explored the effect of Trichinella spiralis infection on the reproductive capacity in ICR/CD-1 male mice. We identified eight volatile compounds in urine by GC-MS analysis, and the results indicated that the contents of dimethyl sulfone, Z-7-tetradecen-1-ol, 6-Hydroxy-6-methyl-3-heptanone and (S)-2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole were significantly downregulated after parasitic infection, which might lead to the reduction of attractiveness of male mice urine to females. On the other hand, parasitic infection decreased sperm quality and downregulated the expression levels of Herc4, Ipo11, and Mrto4, and these genes were strongly related to spermatogenesis. In summary, this study revealed that the reproductive injury caused by Trichinella spiralis infection in ICR/CD-1 male mice could be associated with a decrease in urine pheromone content and sperm quality.
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Infection with Cryptosporidium parvum Affects Secondary Sexual Characteristics of Male Mice by Altering the Pheromone Content in Preputial Gland. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040756. [PMID: 36830543 PMCID: PMC9952591 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The olfactory acuity of female mice allows them to discriminate the urinary odors of males. Parasitic infection can reduce the odor attractiveness of male mice to females and result in female aversion or avoidance responses in odor selection. However, the chemical signaling changes in the pheromone contents produced by the foreskin gland were not fully revealed after parasitic infection. Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum) is a common zoonotic intestinal parasite and has a wide range of hosts, including human, domestic animals, and wild animals. In this study, we immunosuppressed ICR/CD-1 male mice by dexamethasone sodium phosphate treatment. After C. parvum infection, physiological indexes such as body weight and organ weight were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the gene expression level of MUP (major urinary protein) in liver and urine were significantly down-regulated, which could be the reason for the decrease in urine attractiveness to females. GC-MS was performed to analyze the changes in the pheromone produced by the preputial gland before and after parasitic infection, and the results indicated that the levels of different pheromones were significantly reduced after parasitic infection. In summary, this study reveals that C. parvum infection damages the secondary sexual characteristics of male ICR/CD-1 male mice and decreases the pheromone content produced by the foreskin gland.
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11
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Chernov AV, Shubayev VI. Sexual dimorphism of early transcriptional reprogramming in degenerating peripheral nerves. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1029278. [DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1029278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is a powerful yet understudied factor that influences the timing and efficiency of gene regulation in axonal injury and repair processes in the peripheral nervous system. Here, we identified common and distinct biological processes in female and male degenerating (distal) nerve stumps based on a snapshot of transcriptional reprogramming 24 h after axotomy reflecting the onset of early phase Wallerian degeneration (WD). Females exhibited transcriptional downregulation of a larger number of genes than males. RhoGDI, ERBB, and ERK5 signaling pathways increased activity in both sexes. Males upregulated genes and canonical pathways that exhibited robust baseline expression in females in both axotomized and sham nerves, including signaling pathways controlled by neuregulin and nerve growth factors. Cholesterol biosynthesis, reelin signaling, and synaptogenesis signaling pathways were downregulated in females. Signaling by Rho Family GTPases, cAMP-mediated signaling, and sulfated glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis were downregulated in both sexes. Estrogens potentially influenced sex-dependent injury response due to distinct regulation of estrogen receptor expression. A crosstalk of cytokines and growth hormones could promote sexually dimorphic transcriptional responses. We highlighted prospective regulatory activities due to protein phosphorylation, extracellular proteolysis, sex chromosome-specific expression, major urinary proteins (MUPs), and genes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism. Combined with our earlier findings in the corresponding dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and regenerating (proximal) nerve stumps, sex-specific and universal early phase molecular triggers of WD enrich our knowledge of transcriptional regulation in peripheral nerve injury and repair.
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Bretes E, Wróblewski J, Wyszczelska-Rokiel M, Jakubowski H. Cystathionine β-synthase gene inactivation dysregulates major urinary protein biogenesis and impairs sexual signaling in mice. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22547. [PMID: 36098436 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200969r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive success in mice depends on sexually dimorphic major urinary proteins (Mup) that facilitate interactions between females and males. Deletion of cystathionine β-synthase (Cbs) gene, a metabolic gene important for homeostasis of one-carbon metabolism, impairs reproduction by causing female infertility in mice. Here, we examined Mup biogenesis and sexual signaling in Cbs-/- versus Cbs+/- mice. We found significantly reduced levels of total urinary Mup protein in male and female Cbs-/- versus Cbs+/- mice. SDS-PAGE/Western blot, ESI-MS, and RT-qPCR analyses of the liver, plasma, and urinary proteins identified a male-specific Mup20 in Cbs-/- , but not in Cbs+/- females. The 18 893 Da Mup20 became the most abundant in urine of Cbs-/- females and males. Effects of Cbs genotype on 18 645 Da, 18 693 Da, and 18 709 Da Mup species abundance were Mup- and sex-specific. Cbs genotype-dependent changes in hepatic Mups and Mup20 expression were similar at the protein and mRNA level. Changes in Mups, but not in Mup20, can be explained by downregulation of hepatic Zhx2 and Ghr receptors in Cbs-/- mice. Behavioral testing showed that Cbs+/- females ignored Cbs-/- male urine but were attracted to Cbs+/- male urine. Cbs+/- males ignored urine of Cbs-/- males but countermarked urine of other Cbs+/- males and were attracted to urines of Cbs-/- as well as Cbs+/- females. Cbs-/- males did not countermark urine of Cbs+/- males but were attracted to urines of Cbs+/- females. Taken together, these findings show that Cbs, a metabolic gene, interacts with the processes involved in Mup biogenesis that are essential for the maintenance of sexual dimorphism and signaling and suggest that dysregulation of these interactions impairs reproductive fitness in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Bretes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Jacek Wróblewski
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.,Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Poznań, Poland
| | - Monika Wyszczelska-Rokiel
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, International Center for Public Health, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Hieronim Jakubowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.,Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, International Center for Public Health, Newark, New Jersey, USA
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13
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Pardo-Bellver C, Vila-Martin ME, Martínez-Bellver S, Villafranca-Faus M, Teruel-Sanchis A, Savarelli-Balsamo CA, Drabik SM, Martínez-Ricós J, Cervera-Ferri A, Martínez-García F, Lanuza E, Teruel-Martí V. Neural activity patterns in the chemosensory network encoding vomeronasal and olfactory information in mice. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:988015. [PMID: 36120099 PMCID: PMC9479637 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.988015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents detect chemical information mainly through the olfactory and vomeronasal systems, which play complementary roles to orchestrate appropriate behavioral responses. To characterize the integration of chemosensory information, we have performed electrophysiological and c-Fos studies of the bulbo–amygdalar network in freely behaving female mice exploring neutral or conspecific stimuli. We hypothesize that processing conspecifics stimuli requires both chemosensory systems, and thus our results will show shared patterns of activity in olfactory and vomeronasal structures. Were the hypothesis not true, the activity of the vomeronasal structures would be independent of that of the main olfactory system. In the c-Fos analysis, we assessed the activation elicited by neutral olfactory or male stimuli in a broader network. Male urine induced a significantly higher activity in the vomeronasal system compared to that induced by a neutral odorant. Concerning the olfactory system, only the cortex–amygdala transition area showed significant activation. No differential c-Fos expression was found in the reward system and the basolateral amygdala. These functional patterns in the chemosensory circuitry reveal a strong top-down control of the amygdala over both olfactory bulbs, suggesting an active role of the amygdala in the integration of chemosensory information directing the activity of the bulbs during environmental exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecília Pardo-Bellver
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel E. Vila-Martin
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sergio Martínez-Bellver
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - María Villafranca-Faus
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Anna Teruel-Sanchis
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Camila A. Savarelli-Balsamo
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sylwia M. Drabik
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joana Martínez-Ricós
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Cervera-Ferri
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Martínez-García
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Departmental Unit of Medicine, Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - Enrique Lanuza
- Department of Functional and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Enrique Lanuza,
| | - Vicent Teruel-Martí
- Laboratory of Neuronal Circuits, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Vicent Teruel-Martí,
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14
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Greve S, Kuhn GA, Saenz-de-Juano MD, Ghosh A, von Meyenn F, Giller K. The major urinary protein gene cluster knockout mouse as a novel model for translational metabolism research. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13161. [PMID: 35915220 PMCID: PMC9343454 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17195-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific evidence suggests that not only murine scent communication is regulated by major urinary proteins, but that their expression may also vary in response to metabolism via a yet unknown mechanism. Major urinary proteins are expressed mainly in the liver, showing a sexually dimorphic pattern with substantially higher expression in males. Here, we investigate the metabolic implications of a major urinary protein knockout in twelve-week-old male and female C57BL/6N mice during ad libitum feeding. Despite both sexes of major urinary protein knockout mice displayed numerically increased body weight and visceral adipose tissue proportions compared to sex-matched wildtype mice, the main genotype-specific metabolic differences were observed exclusively in males. Male major urinary protein knockout mice exhibited plasma and hepatic lipid accumulation accompanied by a hepatic transcriptome indicating an activation of lipogenesis. These findings match the higher major urinary protein expression in male compared to female wildtype mice, suggesting a more distinct reduction in energy requirements in male compared to female major urinary protein knockout mice. The observed sex-specific anabolic phenotype confirms a role of major urinary protein in metabolism and, since major urinary proteins are not expressed in humans, suggests the major urinary protein knockout mouse as a potential alternative model for translational metabolism research which needs to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Greve
- Animal Nutrition, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gisela A Kuhn
- Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zurich, Leopold-Ruzicka-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Adhideb Ghosh
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, ETH Zurich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Ferdinand von Meyenn
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, ETH Zurich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Giller
- Animal Nutrition, ETH Zurich, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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15
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Goldfarb CN, Karri K, Pyatkov M, Waxman DJ. Interplay Between GH-regulated, Sex-biased Liver Transcriptome and Hepatic Zonation Revealed by Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing. Endocrinology 2022; 163:6580481. [PMID: 35512247 PMCID: PMC9154260 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The zonation of liver metabolic processes is well-characterized; however, little is known about the cell type-specificity and zonation of sexually dimorphic gene expression or its growth hormone (GH)-dependent transcriptional regulators. We address these issues using single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of 32 000 nuclei representing 9 major liver cell types. Nuclei were extracted from livers from adult male and female mice; from males infused with GH continuously, mimicking the female plasma GH pattern; and from mice exposed to TCPOBOP, a xenobiotic agonist ligand of the nuclear receptor CAR that perturbs sex-biased gene expression. Analysis of these rich transcriptomic datasets revealed the following: 1) expression of sex-biased genes and their GH-dependent transcriptional regulators is primarily restricted to hepatocytes and is not a feature of liver nonparenchymal cells; 2) many sex-biased transcripts show sex-dependent zonation within the liver lobule; 3) gene expression is substantially feminized both in periportal and pericentral hepatocytes when male mice are infused with GH continuously; 4) sequencing nuclei increases the sensitivity for detecting thousands of nuclear-enriched long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and enables determination of their liver cell type-specificity, sex-bias and hepatocyte zonation profiles; 5) the periportal to pericentral hepatocyte cell ratio is significantly higher in male than female liver; and 6) TCPOBOP exposure disrupts both sex-specific gene expression and hepatocyte zonation within the liver lobule. These findings highlight the complex interconnections between hepatic sexual dimorphism and zonation at the single-cell level and reveal how endogenous hormones and foreign chemical exposure can alter these interactions across the liver lobule with large effects both on protein-coding genes and lncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Goldfarb
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Kritika Karri
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Bioinformatics Program Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Maxim Pyatkov
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Correspondence: David J. Waxman, PhD, Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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