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Duan H, Ge W, Wu J, Lv J, Li Z, Dong W, Du X, Zhang L, Zhang Y, Hu J, Zhao X. Melatonin regulates dihydrotestosterone formation via its membrane receptor in the epididymal epithelial cells of sheep. Theriogenology 2023; 198:273-281. [PMID: 36623430 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.12.040] [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: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Both melatonin and androgen, which affect sperm fertility, are the important factors in epididymis of male animal. In the present study, we confirmed that melatonin regulates the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in sheep epididymides. Here, we investigated the localization and the expression levels of melatonin keys synthases AANAT and HIOMT, membrane receptors MT1 and MT2, and nuclear receptor RORα in sheep epididymides and testes. We also cultured epididymal epithelial cells and treated them with different concentrations of melatonin (10-11-10-7 M) and luzindole (10-5 M) and 4P-PDOT (10-5 M) to investigate whether melatonin is involved in the regulation of DHT formation and whether these effects are mediated through its receptor pathways. The results showed that AANAT, HIOMT, MT1, MT2, and RORα were differentially expressed between sheep epididymides and testes. In addition, melatonin is involved in mediating the formation of DHT in epididymal epithelial cells, and its influence on DHT is at least partially regulated by the melatonin receptor pathway. Our findings showed that melatonin regulates the functions of the testes and epididymides through an autocrine mechanism and regulates the formation of androgen in sheep epididymides via the receptor pathway. These results provide a basis for further exploring the regulatory mechanisms of melatonin in animal reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Duan
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Wenbo Ge
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China; Key Lab of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Key Lab of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Pharmaceutics, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, PR China
| | - Jianxin Wu
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Jianshu Lv
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Zongshuai Li
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Weitao Dong
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Xianghong Du
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Lihong Zhang
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China
| | - Junjie Hu
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China.
| | - Xingxu Zhao
- Key Lab of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation of Gansu Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, PR China.
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Cosme P, Rodríguez AB, Garrido M, Espino J. Coping with Oxidative Stress in Reproductive Pathophysiology and Assisted Reproduction: Melatonin as an Emerging Therapeutical Tool. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 12:antiox12010086. [PMID: 36670948 PMCID: PMC9854935 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12010086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility is an increasing global public health concern with socio-psychological implications for affected couples. Remarkable advances in reproductive medicine have led to successful treatments such as assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, the search for new therapeutic tools to improve ART success rates has become a research hotspot. In the last few years, pineal indolamine melatonin has been investigated for its powerful antioxidant properties and its role in reproductive physiology. It is considered a promising therapeutical agent to counteract the detrimental effects associated with oxidative stress in fertility treatments. The aim of the present narrative review was to summarize the current state of the art on the importance of melatonin in reproductive physiology and to provide a critical evaluation of the data available encompassing basic, translational and clinical studies on its potential use in ART to improve fertility success rates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - María Garrido
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (J.E.); Tel.: +34-924289796 (M.G. & J.E.)
| | - Javier Espino
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (J.E.); Tel.: +34-924289796 (M.G. & J.E.)
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Chen Y, Shan X, Jiang H, Guo Z. Exogenous Melatonin Directly and Indirectly Influences Sheep Oocytes. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:903195. [PMID: 35720845 PMCID: PMC9203153 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.903195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding whether and how melatonin (MT) may impact sheep oocyte development competence is central to our ability to predict how sheep oocytes will respond to artificially regulated estrus. Implanting MT can make sheep enter estrus during the non-breeding season. One study found that the blastocyst rate increased under MT treatment, while another found that the blastocyst rate decreased. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of MT directly and indirectly influencing sheep oocytes. A total of 433 articles were collected from which 20 articles and 34 treatments were finally selected. A method for estimating the default value was established for the litter size analysis. We found that exogenous MT add into in vitro maturation medium was positively related to the blastocyst rate in the lab. However, subcutaneous implanting MT did not affect the in vivo ovulation rate, fertilization rate, blastocyst rate, or pregnancy rate at farm. MT did not affect the in vitro cleavage rate. However, MT improved the in vivo cleavage rate. We hypothesized that implanted MT could increase the concentration of MT in oviduct fluid in vivo, and also that in vitro MT could increase the early cleavage rate of sheep zygotes without affecting the total cleavage rate. In the analysis of oocyte apoptosis caused by injury, the results suggested that pyroptosis would be more suitable for further research. MT produces responses in all body organs, and thus implanting of MT during non-breeding seasons should consider the effect on animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Sheep & Goat) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuesong Shan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Sheep & Goat) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Huaizhi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Sheep & Goat) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhenhua Guo
- Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Animal Husbandry Research Institute, Harbin, China
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Pool KR, Rickard JP, Pini T, de Graaf SP. Exogenous melatonin advances the ram breeding season and increases testicular function. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9711. [PMID: 32546776 PMCID: PMC7297710 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66594-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Governed by melatonin, ovine reproductive seasonality limits production outcomes due to periods of decreased reproductive efficiency. Though it is established that slow-release melatonin implants improve out of season reproductive performance in the ewe, the comprehensive effects of exogenous melatonin in the ram remain inconclusive. This study aimed to ultimately clarify the ability of exogenous melatonin to alter ram reproductive function during the non-breeding season and the subsequent breeding season. Hence, we investigated the effect of exogenous melatonin on reproductive endocrinology, semen quality and production, testicular size and libido in Merino and Poll Dorset rams (n = 31, using a subset of 18 rams for analysis of semen production and quality). Melatonin treatment resulted in elevation of melatonin in seminal plasma from 1-8 weeks post-implantation and in blood plasma at 6 weeks post-implantation. The blood plasma testosterone of implanted rams was greater than controls at both 6 weeks post-implantation and during the following breeding season. Implanted rams exhibited increased testicular size and number of sperm per ejaculate from 3-12 weeks post-implantation but did not demonstrate any change in sperm motility or morphology in response to treatment. Compared to their control counterparts, melatonin-treated Poll Dorset rams exhibited a lower percentage of sperm DNA fragmentation during several weeks of the non-breeding season. Though melatonin increased the likelihood of ejaculate collection in Poll Dorset rams (P < 0.05), libido was otherwise unaffected by treatment. Melatonin did not alter seminal plasma concentrations of inhibin A or Anti-Mullerian hormone, however, for the first time in the ram we have shown Anti-Mullerian hormone to be positively correlated with the number of sperm per ejaculate and sperm motility (r = 0.464 and 0.3242 respectively, P < 0.001), and inhibin A to be correlated to the number of sperm per ejaculate (r = 0.1786, P = 0.0135). These results indicate that melatonin is able to both systemically upregulate reproduction and act directly upon testicular function in the ram.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Pool
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - J P Rickard
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - T Pini
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - S P de Graaf
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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Gasparrini B. Effects of reproductive season on embryo development in the buffalo. Reprod Fertil Dev 2019; 31:68-81. [PMID: 32188543 DOI: 10.1071/rd18315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Interest in buffalo farming is increasing worldwide due to the critical role played by buffaloes as sources of animal protein in tropical and subtropical environments. However, reproductive seasonality negatively affects the profitability of buffalo farming. Buffaloes tend to be short-day breeders, with seasonality patterns increasing with greater distances from the Equator. Although ovarian cyclic activity may occur throughout the year, seasonal anoestrus and cycles in calving and milk production are recorded. When buffaloes are forced to mate during the unfavourable season, to meet market demand, they may undergo a higher incidence of embryo mortality. This review addresses the effects of the reproductive season on embryo development in the buffalo, analysing the different factors involved in determining embryo mortality during the unfavourable season, such as impaired luteal function, oocyte competence and sperm quality. The review then focuses on strategies to control the photoperiod-dependent annual fluctuations in conception and embryo mortality in the female buffalo.
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