1
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Nadri P, Nadri T, Gholami D, Zahmatkesh A, Hosseini Ghaffari M, Savvulidi Vargova K, Georgijevic Savvulidi F, LaMarre J. Role of miRNAs in assisted reproductive technology. Gene 2024; 927:148703. [PMID: 38885817 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Cellular proteins and the mRNAs that encode them are key factors in oocyte and sperm development, and the mechanisms that regulate their translation and degradation play an important role during early embryogenesis. There is abundant evidence that expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is crucial for embryo development and are highly involved in regulating translation during oocyte and early embryo development. MiRNAs are a group of short (18-24 nucleotides) non-coding RNA molecules that regulate post-transcriptional gene silencing. The miRNAs are secreted outside the cell by embryos during preimplantation embryo development. Understanding regulatory mechanisms involving miRNAs during gametogenesis and embryogenesis will provide insights into molecular pathways active during gamete formation and early embryo development. This review summarizes recent findings regarding multiple roles of miRNAs in molecular signaling, plus their transport during gametogenesis and embryo preimplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Nadri
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Touba Nadri
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran; Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Tehran University, Karaj, Iran.
| | - Dariush Gholami
- Department of Microbial Biotechniligy, Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
| | - Azadeh Zahmatkesh
- Department of Anaerobic Vaccine Research and Production, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | | | - Karin Savvulidi Vargova
- Institute of Pathological Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Filipp Georgijevic Savvulidi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University, Prague, Kamýcká, Czech Republic
| | - Jonathan LaMarre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada
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2
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Taravat M, Roshanzamir A, Rahbar M, Topraggaleh TR, Asadpour R, Bucak MN. Apoptotic-Related MiRNAs Correlated with Functional and Flow Cytometric Parameters in Asthenozoospermic Holstein Bulls After Freeze-Thaw Process. Biopreserv Biobank 2024. [PMID: 38686528 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2023.0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Many cellular processes in spermatozoa, including apoptosis and motility, are regulated by miRNA. Different miRNAs and molecular pathways are involved in asthenozoospermia (AS) conditions, which are thought to be one of the causes of infertility with reduced sperm motility. Thirty-two semen samples from four Holstein bulls with normozoospermia (NS), total motility ≥ 70%, and progressive motility ≥ 60%, and 32 semen samples from four bulls with AS, total motility ≤ 40%, and progressive motility ≤ 32% were used to investigate the function of apoptosis-related miRNAs in the AS group. Samples were then aspirated into a 0.5 mL straw after dilution with a Tris-egg yolk extender and frozen at -196°C. After freezing, semen samples were thawed for 2 weeks at 37°C and sperm kinematic parameters, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, DNA fragmentation, apoptosis status, and expression of apoptosis-related miRNAs (miR-2114, miR-296-3p, miR-455-3p, and miR345-3p) were evaluated. Our results showed that the functional and flow cytometric parameters of the NS group were significantly better than those of the AS group. In the NS group, miR-455-3pp and miR-2412 were upregulated, while miR-345-3p was downregulated compared with the AS group. In the AS group, miR-296-39, miR-2412, and miR-345-3p levels were strongly correlated with membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis status. The findings demonstrated that the selected miRNAs based on bioinformatic analysis in AS and NS samples had a substantial association with functional and flow cytometry indicators and may be involved in regulating apoptosis and motility in AS samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Taravat
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amirmahdi Roshanzamir
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Rahbar
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tohid Rezaei Topraggaleh
- Department of Anatomical Science, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Reza Asadpour
- Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mustafa Numan Bucak
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
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3
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Zhao Y, Qin J, Sun J, He J, Sun Y, Yuan R, Li Z. Motility-related microRNAs identified in pig seminal plasma exosomes by high-throughput small RNA sequencing. Theriogenology 2024; 215:351-360. [PMID: 38150851 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.11.028] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Boar fertility is a key determinant of the production efficiency of the whole pig breeding industry and boar sperm motility is the seminal parameter with the greatest impact on the fecundity of a sow. Exosomes are small, extracellular vesicles found in many body fluids. Seminal plasma exosomes, which are secreted by the epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and testes, contain a large number of miRNAs, the types and levels of which can reflect the physiological state of source cells. It has been shown that the expression profile of seminal plasma exosomal miRNA differs between low-motility semen and normal semen. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between semen motility and exosomal miRNA profiles to obtain information that would allow to predict boar fertility, as well as contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms by which exosomal miRNAs regulate semen motility. Three high-motility (semen motility >90 %) and three low-motility (semen motility <80 %) semen samples were collected from Landrace and Yorkshire boars, respectively, and seminal plasma exosomes were extracted by ultracentrifugation. Exosome characterization was performed using transmission electron microscopy, NTA, and Western blot. The expression profiles of exosomal miRNAs associated with semen motility in the two boar breeds were subsequently determined by small RNA sequencing. The results showed that 297 known miRNAs and 295 novel RNAs were co-expressed in the four groups. Notably, six miRNAs (ssc-miR-122-5p, ssc-miR-486, ssc-miR-451, ssc-miR-345-3p, ssc-miR-362, and ssc-miR-500-5p) were found to be differentially expressed in both boar breeds. Enrichment analysis of the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs showed that they were mainly involved in biological processes such as regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, regulation of gene expression, and intracellular signal transduction and signaling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and Ras signaling pathways. The six differentially expressed miRNAs identified in this study have significant potential as noninvasive markers of boar semen motility. Meanwhile, the results of the enrichment analysis provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the regulation of semen motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxiang Zhao
- College of Animal Science & Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China; Guangxi Yangxiang Co., LTD, Guigang, 537000, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jiali Qin
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China; Guangxi Yangxiang Co., LTD, Guigang, 537000, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jingshuai Sun
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Jian He
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Yanmei Sun
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China
| | - Renqiang Yuan
- Guangxi Yangxiang Co., LTD, Guigang, 537000, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhili Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, 528231, Guangdong province, China.
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4
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de Souza LP, Domingues WB, Blödorn EB, da Silva Nunes L, Ortiz HG, Komninou ER, Campos VF. Expression of sperm microRNAs related to bull fertility: A systematic review. Res Vet Sci 2024; 166:105077. [PMID: 37948882 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.105077] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study we proposed to address the following question: "Are there differentially expressed sperm microRNAs related to fertility in bulls?". A systematic review of scientific literature until November 2022 was performed, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The main outcome was differentially expressed sperm microRNA from bulls with low versus high fertility profiles identified by using different methods such as field fertility evaluation and sperm laboratory analysis. Were identified 786 documents, of which 13 were selected for qualitative analysis. A total of 182 unique differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, among these, 49 miRNAs were found in common between at least two studies. It is believed that from these 49 miRNAs, it is possible that miRNAs such as miR-10a, -10b, -103, -15b, -122, -125b, -126-5p, -151-5p, -193a-5p, -196a, -27a-5p and -99b could be potential universal biomarkers to assess the reproductive potential of males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Petitemberte de Souza
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - William Borges Domingues
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Bierhals Blödorn
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Leandro da Silva Nunes
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Hadassa Gabriela Ortiz
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Vinicius Farias Campos
- Laboratório de Genômica Estrutural, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
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5
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Gacem S, Castello-Ruiz M, Hidalgo CO, Tamargo C, Santolaria P, Soler C, Yániz JL, Silvestre MA. Bull Sperm SWATH-MS-Based Proteomics Reveals Link between High Fertility and Energy Production, Motility Structures, and Sperm-Oocyte Interaction. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3607-3624. [PMID: 37782577 PMCID: PMC10629479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00461] [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: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The prediction of male or semen fertility potential remains a persistent challenge that has yet to be fully resolved. This work analyzed several in vitro parameters and proteome of spermatozoa in bulls cataloged as high- (HF; n = 5) and low-field (LF; n = 5) fertility after more than a thousand artificial inseminations. Sperm motility was evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (mROS) of spermatozoa were assessed by flow cytometry. Proteome was evaluated by the SWATH-MS procedure. Spermatozoa of HF bulls showed significantly higher total motility than the LF group (41.4% vs 29.7%). Rates of healthy sperm (live, high MMP, and low mROS) for HF and LF bull groups were 49% and 43%, respectively (p > 0.05). Spermatozoa of HF bulls showed a higher presence of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) related to both energy production (COX7C), mainly the OXPHOS pathway, and the development of structures linked with the motility process (TPPP2, SSMEM1, and SPAG16). Furthermore, we observed that equatorin (EQTN), together with other DAPs related to the interaction with the oocyte, was overrepresented in HF bull spermatozoa. The biological processes related to protein processing, catabolism, and protein folding were found to be overrepresented in LF bull sperm in which the HSP90AA1 chaperone was identified as the most DAP. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD042286.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Gacem
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Departamento
de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Castello-Ruiz
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Unidad
Mixta de Investigación Cerebrovascular, Instituto de Investigación
Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario
y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos O. Hidalgo
- Animal
Selection and Reproduction Area, Regional
Agrifood Research and Development Service (SERIDA), 33394 Deva, Gijón, Spain
| | - Carolina Tamargo
- Animal
Selection and Reproduction Area, Regional
Agrifood Research and Development Service (SERIDA), 33394 Deva, Gijón, Spain
| | - Pilar Santolaria
- BIOFITER
Research Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, Spain
| | - Carles Soler
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jesús L. Yániz
- BIOFITER
Research Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Silvestre
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
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6
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Liu J, Dai S, Dai Z, Feng Y, Lei M, Chen R, Zhu H. Transcriptome Profiling of Goose Ovarian Follicle Granulosa Cells Reveals Key Regulatory Networks for Follicle Selection. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2132. [PMID: 37443931 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132132] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The selection of follicles determines the reproductive performance of birds, but the process of follicle selection in geese is still elusive. This study focuses on Yangzhou geese during the egg-laying period and divides the follicular development process into three stages: small follicle development, follicle selection, and follicle maturation. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on granulosa cells from large white follicles, small yellow follicles, and F5 and F4 follicles. In addition, we selected the transcripts that remained unchanged during the development and maturation of small follicles but significantly changed during the follicular selection stage as the transcript collection that plays an important role in the follicular selection process. Then, we performed functional analysis on these transcripts and constructed a ceRNA network. The results showed that during the follicular selection stage, the number of differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs was the highest. In addition, miR-222-3p, miR-2954-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-2478, and miR-425-5p are potential key core regulatory molecules in the selection stage of goose follicles. These results can provide a reference for a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of the goose follicle selection process and potential targets for the precise regulation of goose egg production performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop and Livestock Integration, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Shudi Dai
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
| | - Zichun Dai
- Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop and Livestock Integration, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Yuyan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology & Biochemistry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Mingming Lei
- Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop and Livestock Integration, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Rong Chen
- Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop and Livestock Integration, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Huanxi Zhu
- Institute of Animal Science, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop and Livestock Integration, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
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7
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Capra E, Turri F, Lazzari B, Biffani S, Lange Consiglio A, Ajmone Marsan P, Stella A, Pizzi F. CpG DNA methylation changes during epididymal sperm maturation in bulls. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:20. [PMID: 37254160 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During epididymal transit spermatozoa acquire specific morphological features which enhance their ability to swim in a progressive manner and interact with the oocytes. At the same time, sperm cells undergo specific molecular rearrangements essential for the fertilizing sperm to drive a correct embryo development. To assess epigenetic sperm changes during epididymal maturation, the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis sperm tracts were isolated from eight bulls and characterized for different sperm quality parameters and for CpG DNA methylation using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS) able to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in higher CpG density regions. RESULTS Caput sperm showed significant variation in motility and sperm kinetics variables, whereas spermatozoa collected from the corpus presented morphology variation and significant alterations in variables related to acrosome integrity. A total of 57,583 methylated regions were identified across the eight bulls, showing a significantly diverse distribution for sperm collected in the three epididymal regions. Differential methylation was observed between caput vs corpus (n = 11,434), corpus vs cauda (n = 12,372) and caput vs cauda (n = 2790). During epididymal transit a high proportion of the epigenome was remodeled, showing several regions in which methylation decreases from caput to corpus and increases from corpus to cauda. CONCLUSIONS Specific CpG DNA methylation changes in sperm isolated from the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis tracts are likely to refine the sperm epigenome during sperm maturation, potentially impacting sperm fertilization ability and spatial organization of the genome during early embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Capra
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - F Turri
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - B Lazzari
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 26900, Lodi, Italy
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - S Biffani
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - A Lange Consiglio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - P Ajmone Marsan
- Department of Animal Science, Food and Technology-DIANA, and Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi Research Center on Sustainable Dairy Production-CREI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122, Piacenza, Italy
| | - A Stella
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - F Pizzi
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council IBBA CNR, 26900, Lodi, Italy
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8
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Gan M, Jing Y, Xie Z, Ma J, Chen L, Zhang S, Zhao Y, Niu L, Wang Y, Li X, Zhu L, Shen L. Potential Function of Testicular MicroRNAs in Heat-Stress-Induced Spermatogenesis Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108809. [PMID: 37240155 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is temperature-dependent, and the increase in testicular temperature seriously affects mammalian spermatogenesis and semen quality. In this study, the testicular heat stress model of mice was made with a 43 °C water bath for 25 min, and the effects of heat stress on semen quality and spermatogenesis-related regulators were analyzed. On the 7th day after heat stress, testis weight shrank to 68.45% and sperm density dropped to 33.20%. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that 98 microRNAs (miRNAs) and 369 mRNAs were down-regulated, while 77 miRNAs and 1424 mRNAs were up-regulated after heat stress. Through gene ontology (GO) analysis of differentially expressed genes and miRNA-mRNA co-expression networks, it was found that heat stress may be involved in the regulation of testicular atrophy and spermatogenesis disorders by affecting cell meiosis process and cell cycle. In addition, through functional enrichment analysis, co-expression regulatory network, correlation analysis and in vitro experiment, it was found that miR-143-3p may be a representative potential key regulatory factor affecting spermatogenesis under heat stress. In summary, our results enrich the understanding of miRNAs in testicular heat stress and provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of heat-stress-induced spermatogenesis disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mailin Gan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yunhong Jing
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Zhongwei Xie
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Jianfeng Ma
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Shunhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Ye Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Lili Niu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xuewei Li
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Linyuan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-Omics, College of Animal and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Farm Animal Genetic Resource Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
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9
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Bollwein H, Malama E. Review: Evaluation of bull fertility. Functional and molecular approaches. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100795. [PMID: 37567681 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
With the term "assisted reproduction technologies" in modern cattle farming, one could imply the collection of techniques that aim at the optimal use of bovine gametes to produce animals of high genetic value in a time- and cost-efficient manner. The accurate characterisation of sperm quality plays a critical role for the efficiency of several assisted reproduction-related procedures, such as sperm processing, in vitro embryo production and artificial insemination. Bull fertility is ultimately a collective projection of the ability of a series of ejaculates to endure sperm processing stress, and achieve fertilisation of the oocyte and production of a viable and well-developing embryo. In this concept, the assessment of sperm functional and molecular characteristics is key to bull fertility diagnostics and prognostics. Among others, functional features linked to sperm plasma membrane, acrosome and DNA integrity are usually assessed as a measure of the ability of sperm to express the phenotypes that will allow them to maintain their homeostasis and orchestrate-in a strict temporal manner-the course of events that will enable the delivery of their genetic content to the oocyte upon fertilisation. Nevertheless, measures of sperm functionality are not always adequate indicators of bull fertility. Nowadays, advancements in the field of molecular biology have facilitated the profiling of several biomolecules in male gametes. The molecular profiling of bovine sperm offers a deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying sperm physiology and, thus, can reveal novel candidate markers for bull fertility prognosis. In this review, the importance of three organelles (the nucleus, the plasma membrane and the acrosome) for the characterisation of sperm fertilising capacity and bull fertility is discussed at functional and molecular levels. In particular, information about sperm head morphometry, chromatin structure, viability as well as the ability of sperm to capacitate and undergo the acrosome reaction are presented in relation to the cryotolerance of male gametes and bull fertility. Finally, major spermatozoal coding and non-coding RNAs, and proteins that are involved in the above-mentioned aspects of sperm functionality are also summarised.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Bollwein
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Department for Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - E Malama
- Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Department for Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Štiavnická M, Hošek P, Abril-Parreño L, Kenny DA, Lonergan P, Fair S. Membrane remodulation and hyperactivation are impaired in frozen-thawed sperm of low-fertility bulls. Theriogenology 2023; 195:115-121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Indriastuti R, Pardede BP, Gunawan A, Ulum MF, Arifiantini RI, Purwantara B. Sperm Transcriptome Analysis Accurately Reveals Male Fertility Potential in Livestock. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:2955. [PMID: 36359078 PMCID: PMC9657999 DOI: 10.3390/ani12212955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, selection of superior male candidates in livestock as a source of frozen semen based on sperm quality at the cellular level is not considered accurate enough for predicting the potential of male fertility. Sperm transcriptome analysis approaches, such as messenger RNA levels, have been shown to correlate with fertility rates. Using this technology in livestock growth has become the principal method, which can be widely applied to predict male fertility potential in the livestock industry through the analysis of the sperm transcriptome. It provides the gene expression to validate the function of sperm in spermatogenesis, fertilization, and embryo development, as the parameters of male fertility. This review proposes a transcriptomic analysis approach as a high-throughput method to predict the fertility potential of livestock more accurately in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhesti Indriastuti
- Reproductive Biology Study Program, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
- Tuah Sakato Technology and Resource Development Center, Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health of West Sumatra, Payakumbuh 26229, Indonesia
| | - Berlin Pandapotan Pardede
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Asep Gunawan
- Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Mokhamad Fakhrul Ulum
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Raden Iis Arifiantini
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Purwantara
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
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12
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Donnellan EM, Perrier JP, Keogh K, Štiavnická M, Collins CM, Dunleavy EM, Sellem E, Bernecic NC, Lonergan P, Kenny DA, Fair S. Identification of differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs in spermatozoa of bulls of varying fertility. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:993561. [PMID: 36277068 PMCID: PMC9581129 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.993561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Bulls used in artificial insemination, with apparently normal semen quality, can vary significantly in their field fertility. This study aimed to characterize the transcriptome of spermatozoa from high (HF) and low (LF) fertility bulls at the mRNA and miRNA level in order to identify potential novel markers of fertility. Holstein-Friesian bulls were assigned to either the HF or LF group (n = 10 per group) based on an adjusted national fertility index from a minimum of 500 inseminations. Total RNA was extracted from a pool of frozen-thawed spermatozoa from three different ejaculates per bull, following which mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq were performed. Six mRNAs and 13 miRNAs were found differentially expressed (P < 0.05, FC > 1.5) between HF and LF bulls. Of particular interest, the gene pathways targeted by the 13 differentially expressed miRNAs were related to embryonic development and gene expression regulation. Previous studies reported that disruptions to protamine 1 mRNA (PRM1) had deleterious consequences for sperm chromatin structure and fertilizing ability. Notably, PRM1 exhibited a higher expression in spermatozoa from LF than HF bulls. In contrast, Western Blot analysis revealed a decrease in PRM1 protein abundance for spermatozoa from LF bulls; this was not associated with increased protamine deficiency (measured by the degree of chromatin compaction) or DNA fragmentation, as assessed by flow cytometry analyses. However, protamine deficiency was positively and moderately correlated with the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation, irrespective of fertility group. This study has identified potential biomarkers that could be used for improving semen quality assessments of bull fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eimear M. Donnellan
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jean-Philippe Perrier
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kate Keogh
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
| | - Miriam Štiavnická
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Elaine M. Dunleavy
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, Biomedical Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Eli Sellem
- ALLICE, Innovation and Development, Paris, France
| | - Naomi C. Bernecic
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Patrick Lonergan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David A. Kenny
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
| | - Sean Fair
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,*Correspondence: Sean Fair
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13
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Investigation of Sperm and Seminal Plasma Candidate MicroRNAs of Bulls with Differing Fertility and In Silico Prediction of miRNA-mRNA Interaction Network of Reproductive Function. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182360. [PMID: 36139221 PMCID: PMC9495167 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) sperm and seminal plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) in high- and low-fertile Holstein bulls (four bulls per group), integrate miRNAs to their target genes, and categorize target genes based on predicted biological processes. Out of 84 bovine-specific, prioritized miRNAs analyzed by RT-PCR, 30 were differentially expressed in high-fertile sperm and seminal plasma compared to low-fertile sperm and seminal plasma, respectively (p ≤ 0.05, fold regulation ≥5 magnitudes). Interestingly, expression levels of DE-miRNAs in sperm and seminal plasma followed a similar pattern. Highly scored integrated genes of DE-miRNAs predicted various biological and molecular functions, cellular process, and pathways. Further in silico analysis revealed categorized genes may have a plausible association with pathways regulating sperm structure and function, fertilization, and embryo and placental development. In conclusion, highly DE-miRNAs in bovine sperm and seminal plasma could be used as a tool for predicting reproductive functions. Since the identified miRNA-mRNA interactions were mostly based on predictions from public databases, the causal regulations of miRNA-mRNA and the underlying mechanisms require further functional characterization in future studies. Abstract Recent advances in high-throughput in silico techniques portray experimental data as exemplified biological networks and help us understand the role of individual proteins, interactions, and their biological functions. The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) sperm and seminal plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) in high- and low-fertile Holstein bulls (four bulls per group), integrate miRNAs to their target genes, and categorize the target genes based on biological process predictions. Out of 84 bovine-specific, prioritized miRNAs analyzed by RT-PCR, 30 were differentially expressed in high-fertile sperm and seminal plasma compared to low-fertile sperm and seminal plasma, respectively (p ≤ 0.05, fold regulation ≥ 5 magnitudes). The expression levels of DE-miRNAs in sperm and seminal plasma followed a similar pattern. Highly scored integrated genes of DE-miRNAs predicted various biological and molecular functions, cellular process, and pathways. Further, analysis of the categorized genes showed association with pathways regulating sperm structure and function, fertilization, and embryo and placental development. In conclusion, highly DE-miRNAs in bovine sperm and seminal plasma could be used as a tool for predicting reproductive functions. Since the identified miRNA-mRNA interactions were mostly based on predictions from public databases, the causal regulations of miRNA-mRNA and the underlying mechanisms require further functional characterization in future studies.
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14
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Sahoo B, Choudhary RK, Sharma P, Choudhary S, Gupta MK. Significance and Relevance of Spermatozoal RNAs to Male Fertility in Livestock. Front Genet 2021; 12:768196. [PMID: 34956322 PMCID: PMC8696160 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.768196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock production contributes to a significant part of the economy in developing countries. Although artificial insemination techniques brought substantial improvements in reproductive efficiency, male infertility remains a leading challenge in livestock. Current strategies for the diagnosis of male infertility largely depend on the evaluation of semen parameters and fail to diagnose idiopathic infertility in most cases. Recent evidences show that spermatozoa contains a suit of RNA population whose profile differs between fertile and infertile males. Studies have also demonstrated the crucial roles of spermatozoal RNA (spRNA) in spermatogenesis, fertilization, and early embryonic development. Thus, the spRNA profile may serve as unique molecular signatures of fertile sperm and may play pivotal roles in the diagnosis and treatment of male fertility. This manuscript provides an update on various spRNA populations, including protein-coding and non-coding RNAs, in livestock species and their potential role in semen quality, particularly sperm motility, freezability, and fertility. The contribution of seminal plasma to the spRNA population is also discussed. Furthermore, we discussed the significance of rare non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in spermatogenic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijayalaxmi Sahoo
- Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela, India
| | - Ratan K Choudhary
- College of Animal Biotechnology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Paramajeet Sharma
- College of Animal Biotechnology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Shanti Choudhary
- College of Animal Biotechnology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela, India
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