1
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Blumenstiel JP. From the cauldron of conflict: Endogenous gene regulation by piRNA and other modes of adaptation enabled by selfish transposable elements. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2025; 164:1-12. [PMID: 38823219 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.05.001] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) provide a prime example of genetic conflict because they can proliferate in genomes and populations even if they harm the host. However, numerous studies have shown that TEs, though typically harmful, can also provide fuel for adaptation. This is because they code functional sequences that can be useful for the host in which they reside. In this review, I summarize the "how" and "why" of adaptation enabled by the genetic conflict between TEs and hosts. In addition, focusing on mechanisms of TE control by small piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), I highlight an indirect form of adaptation enabled by conflict. In this case, mechanisms of host defense that regulate TEs have been redeployed for endogenous gene regulation. I propose that the genetic conflict released by meiosis in early eukaryotes may have been important because, among other reasons, it spurred evolutionary innovation on multiple interwoven trajectories - on the part of hosts and also embedded genetic parasites. This form of evolution may function as a complexity generating engine that was a critical player in eukaryotic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin P Blumenstiel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States.
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2
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Ahmadi Asouri S, Aghadavood E, Mirzaei H, Abaspour A, Esmaeil Shahaboddin M. PIWI-interacting RNAs (PiRNAs) as emerging biomarkers and therapeutic targets in biliary tract cancers: A comprehensive review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33767. [PMID: 39040379 PMCID: PMC11261894 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancers affecting the biliary tract, such as gallbladder cancer and cholangiocarcinoma, make up a small percentage of adult gastrointestinal malignancies, but their incidence is on the rise. Due to the lack of dependable molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, these cancers are often not detected until later stages and have limited treatment options. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a type of small noncoding RNA that interacts with Piwi proteins and has been linked to various diseases, especially cancer. Manipulation of piRNA expression has the potential to serve as an important biomarker and target for therapy. This review uncovers the relationship between PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) and a variety of gastrointestinal cancers, including biliary tract cancer (BTC). It is evident that piRNAs have the ability to impact gene expression and regulate key genes and pathways related to the advancement of digestive cancers. Abnormal expression of piRNAs plays a significant role in the development and progression of digestive-related malignancies. The potential of piRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as therapeutic targets in BTC, is noteworthy. Nevertheless, there are obstacles and limitations that require further exploration to fully comprehend piRNAs' role in BTC and to devise effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches using piRNAs. In summary, this review underscores the value of piRNAs as valuable biomarkers and promising targets for treating BTC, as we delve into the association between piRNAs and various gastrointestinal cancers, including BTC, and how piRNAs can impact gene expression and control essential pathways for digestive cancer advancement. The present research consists of a thorough evaluation presented in a storytelling style. The databases utilized to locate original sources were PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar, and the search was conducted using the designated keywords.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Ahmadi Asouri
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Esmat Aghadavood
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Institute for Basic Sciences, Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Alireza Abaspour
- Department of Pathobiology and Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Esmaeil Shahaboddin
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Institute for Basic Sciences, Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
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3
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Liao H, Lu D, Reisinger SN, Kleeman EA, van de Garde N, Gubert C, Hannan AJ. Mimicking bacterial infection in male mice changes sperm small RNA profiles and multigenerationally alters offspring behavior and physiology. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:520-538. [PMID: 38636562 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Paternal pre-conceptual exposures, including stress, diet, substance abuse, parasite infection, and viral immune activation via Poly I:C, have been reported to influence the brains and behavior of offspring through sperm epigenetic changes. However, the effects of paternal (F0) pre-conceptual exposure to bacterial-induced immune activation on the behavior and physiology of F1 and F2 generations remain unexplored. We examined this using C57BL/6J mice. Eight-week-old males (F0) received a single intraperitoneal injection of the bacterial mimetic lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 5 mg/kg) or 0.9 % saline (vehicle control) before mating with naïve females at four weeks post-injection. Comprehensive behavioral assessments were conducted to investigate anxiety, social behaviors, depressive-like behaviors and cognition in both the F1 and F2 generations within the age range of 8 to 14 weeks. Results demonstrated that only female offspring of LPS-exposed fathers exhibited reduced anxiety levels in the light/dark box, large open field, and novelty-suppressed feeding test. These F1 female offspring also exhibited heightened sociability in the 3-chambered social interaction test and a reduced preference for saccharin in the saccharin preference test. Additionally, the F1 male offspring of LPS-challenged males demonstrated an increased total distance traveled in the light/dark box and a longer distance covered in the light zone. They also exhibited diminished preference for social novelty in the 3-chambered social interaction test and an elevated novel arm preference index in the Y-maze. In the F2 generation, male descendants of LPS-treated fathers showed reduced latency to feed in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. Additionally, the F2 generation of LPS-challenged fathers, but not the F1 generation, displayed enhanced immune response in both sexes after an acute LPS immune challenge (5 mg/kg). Analysis of sperm small noncoding RNA profiles from LPS-treated F0 mice revealed significant changes at 4 weeks after administration of LPS. These changes included three microRNAs, eight PIWI-interacting RNAs, and two transfer RNAs, exhibiting significant upregulation (mmu-miR-146a-5p, mmu-piR-27082 and mmu-piR-29102) or downregulation (mmu-miR-5110, mmu-miR-467e-3p, mmu-piR-22583, mmu-piR-23548, mmu-piR-36341, mmu-piR-50293, mmu-piR-16583, mmu-piR-36507, Mus_musculus_tRNA-Ile-AAT-2-1 and Mus_musculus_tRNA-Tyr-GTA-1-1). Additionally, we detected 52 upregulated small noncoding RNAs (including 9 miRNAs, 41 piRNAs, and 2 tRNAs) and 7 downregulated small noncoding RNAs (3 miRNAs, 3 piRNAs, and 1 tRNA) in the sperm of F1 offspring from LPS-treated males. These findings provide compelling evidence for the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in the modulation of brain function and immunity, and associated behavioral and immunological traits, across generations, in response to bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liao
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Da Lu
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Sonali N Reisinger
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Kleeman
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicholas van de Garde
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Carolina Gubert
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Vrettos N, Oppelt J, Zoch A, Sgourdou P, Yoshida H, Song B, Fink R, O’Carroll D, Mourelatos Z. MIWI N-terminal arginines orchestrate generation of functional pachytene piRNAs and spermiogenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6558-6570. [PMID: 38520410 PMCID: PMC11194079 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
N-terminal arginine (NTR) methylation is a conserved feature of PIWI proteins, which are central components of the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway. The significance and precise function of PIWI NTR methylation in mammals remains unknown. In mice, PIWI NTRs bind Tudor domain containing proteins (TDRDs) that have essential roles in piRNA biogenesis and the formation of the chromatoid body. Using mouse MIWI (PIWIL1) as paradigm, we demonstrate that the NTRs are essential for spermatogenesis through the regulation of transposons and gene expression. The loss of TDRD5 and TDRKH interaction with MIWI results in attenuation of piRNA amplification. We find that piRNA amplification is necessary for transposon control and for sustaining piRNA levels including select, nonconserved, pachytene piRNAs that target specific mRNAs required for spermatogenesis. Our findings support the notion that the vast majority of pachytene piRNAs are dispensable, acting as self-serving genetic elements that rely for propagation on MIWI piRNA amplification. MIWI-NTRs also mediate interactions with TDRD6 that are necessary for chromatoid body compaction. Furthermore, MIWI-NTRs promote stabilization of spermiogenic transcripts that drive nuclear compaction, which is essential for sperm formation. In summary, the NTRs underpin the diversification of MIWI protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Vrettos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jan Oppelt
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ansgar Zoch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Paraskevi Sgourdou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Haruka Yoshida
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Brian Song
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryan Fink
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dónal O’Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zissimos Mourelatos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Wei J, Dai J, Shi X, Zhao R, Fu G, Li R, Xia C, Zhang L, Zhou T, Wang H, Shi Y. Cadmium disrupts spermatogenic cell cycle via piRNA-DQ717867/p53 pathway. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 125:108554. [PMID: 38331007 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108554] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful environmental pollutant that disrupts public health, including respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. In this study, male rats were exposed to CdCl2 at a dose of 3 mg/kg by oral for 28 days to investigate the impact on spermatogenesis. Testis tissue samples were collected after sacrifice, and piRNA expression levels were measured using piRNA microarray and qPCR. PiRNAs, specialized molecules involved in spermatogenesis, were examined. CdCl2 exposure led to disrupted piRNA expression, particularly in piRNA-DQ759395 in rats. This piRNA was found to have a binding site with p53, and a similar piRNA-DQ717867 was discovered in mice. In GC-2spd cells, CdCl2 exposure increased piRNA-DQ717867 expression, which resulted in cell cycle arrest and abnormal expression of cell cycle-related proteins. The activation of p53-related pathways and disruptions in cell cycle regulation were also observed. Antagomir-717867 transfections and PFT-a pretreatment in GC-2spd cells supported the involvement of piRNA-DQ717867 in regulating cell cycle-related proteins. This study suggests that Cd exposure induces abnormal expression of piRNA-DQ759395 in rat testis and that piRNA-DQ717867 may regulate p53, causing cell cycle abnormalities in GC-2spd cells. These findings help understand the mechanisms of male reproductive toxicity caused by Cd exposure and emphasize the role of piRNAs in cell cycle regulation and male reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyang Wei
- School of Public Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China
| | - Juan Dai
- Wuhan centers for Disease Prevention and Control, China
| | - Xiaofan Shi
- Qinghai centers for Disease Prevention and Control, China
| | - Ruixue Zhao
- School of Public Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China
| | | | - Rui Li
- Central China Normal University, China
| | - Chao Xia
- Ezhou centers for Disease Prevention and Control, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- School of Public Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- School of Public Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China
| | - Huaiji Wang
- Wuhan centers for Disease Prevention and Control, China.
| | - Yuqin Shi
- School of Public Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, China.
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6
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Liu J, Lu F. The piRNA size matters. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwad297. [PMID: 38327666 PMCID: PMC10849359 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Falong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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7
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Vrettos N, Oppelt J, Zoch A, Sgourdou P, Yoshida H, Song B, Fink R, O’Carroll D, Mourelatos Z. MIWI arginines orchestrate generation of functional pachytene piRNAs and spermiogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.31.573779. [PMID: 38260298 PMCID: PMC10802271 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.31.573779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
N-terminal arginine (NTR) methylation is a conserved feature of PIWI proteins, which are central components of the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway. The significance and precise function of PIWI NTR methylation in mammals remains unknown. In mice, PIWI NTRs bind Tudor domain containing proteins (TDRDs) that have essential roles in piRNA biogenesis and the formation of the chromatoid body. Using mouse MIWI (PIWIL1) as paradigm, we demonstrate that the NTRs are essential for spermatogenesis through the regulation of transposons and gene expression. Surprisingly, the loss of TDRD5 and TDRKH interaction with MIWI results in defective piRNA amplification, rather than an expected failure of piRNA biogenesis. We find that piRNA amplification is necessary for both transposon control and for sustaining levels of select, nonconserved, pachytene piRNAs that target specific mRNAs required for spermatogenesis. Our findings support the notion that the vast majority of pachytene piRNAs are dispensable, acting as autonomous genetic elements that rely for propagation on MIWI piRNA amplification. MIWI-NTRs also mediate interactions with TDRD6 that are necessary for chromatoid body compaction. Furthermore, MIWI-NTRs promote stabilization of spermiogenic transcripts that drive nuclear compaction, which is essential for sperm formation. In summary, the NTRs underpin the diversification of MIWI protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Vrettos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Jan Oppelt
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Ansgar Zoch
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences
| | - Paraskevi Sgourdou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Haruka Yoshida
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences
| | - Brian Song
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Ryan Fink
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Dónal O’Carroll
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zissimos Mourelatos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Neuropathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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He M, Liu K, Cao J, Chen Q. An update on the role and potential mechanisms of clock genes regulating spermatogenesis: A systematic review of human and animal experimental studies. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 2023; 24:585-610. [PMID: 36792803 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-022-09783-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Circadian clocks can be traced in nearly all life kingdoms, with the male reproductive system no exception. However, our understanding of the circadian clock in spermatogenesis seems to fall behind other scenarios. The present review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the role and especially the potential mechanisms of clock genes in spermatogenesis regulation. Accumulating studies have revealed rhythmic oscillation in semen parameters and some physiological events of spermatogenesis. Disturbing the clock gene expression by genetic mutations or environmental changes will also notably damage spermatogenesis. On the other hand, the mechanisms of spermatogenetic regulation by clock genes remain largely unclear. Some recent studies, although not revealing the entire mechanisms, indeed attempted to shed light on this issue. Emerging clues hinted that gonadal hormones, retinoic acid signaling, homologous recombination, and the chromatoid body might be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis by clock genes. Then we highlight the challenges and the promising directions for future studies so as to stimulate attention to this critical field which has not gained adequate concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengchao He
- Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Southern Theatre Command, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jia Cao
- Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Qing Chen
- Key Lab of Medical Protection for Electromagnetic Radiation, Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
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Isenmann M, Stoddart MJ, Schmelzeisen R, Gross C, Della Bella E, Rothweiler RM. Basic Principles of RNA Interference: Nucleic Acid Types and In Vitro Intracellular Delivery Methods. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1321. [PMID: 37512632 PMCID: PMC10383872 DOI: 10.3390/mi14071321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Since its discovery in 1989, RNA interference (RNAi) has become a widely used tool for the in vitro downregulation of specific gene expression in molecular biological research. This basically involves a complementary RNA that binds a target sequence to affect its transcription or translation process. Currently, various small RNAs, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), micro RNA (miRNA), small hairpin RNA (shRNA), and PIWI interacting RNA (piRNA), are available for application on in vitro cell culture, to regulate the cells' gene expression by mimicking the endogenous RNAi-machinery. In addition, several biochemical, physical, and viral methods have been established to deliver these RNAs into the cell or nucleus. Since each RNA and each delivery method entail different off-target effects, limitations, and compatibilities, it is crucial to understand their basic mode of action. This review is intended to provide an overview of different nucleic acids and delivery methods for planning, interpreting, and troubleshooting of RNAi experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Isenmann
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland
| | - Martin James Stoddart
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Schmelzeisen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christian Gross
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elena Della Bella
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland
| | - René Marcel Rothweiler
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, 7270 Davos, Switzerland
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Chen Y, Zhang X, Jiang J, Luo M, Tu H, Xu C, Tan H, Zhou X, Chen H, Han X, Yue Q, Guo Y, Zheng K, Qi Y, Situ C, Cui Y, Guo X. Regulation of Miwi-mediated mRNA stabilization by Ck137956/Tssa is essential for male fertility. BMC Biol 2023; 21:89. [PMID: 37069605 PMCID: PMC10111675 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01589-z] [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: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sperm is formed through spermiogenesis, a highly complex process involving chromatin condensation that results in cessation of transcription. mRNAs required for spermiogenesis are transcribed at earlier stages and translated in a delayed fashion during spermatid formation. However, it remains unknown that how these repressed mRNAs are stabilized. RESULTS Here we report a Miwi-interacting testis-specific and spermiogenic arrest protein, Ck137956, which we rename Tssa. Deletion of Tssa led to male sterility and absence of sperm formation. The spermiogenesis arrested at the round spermatid stage and numerous spermiogenic mRNAs were down-regulated in Tssa-/- mice. Deletion of Tssa disrupted the localization of Miwi to chromatoid body, a specialized assembly of cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleoproteins (mRNPs) foci present in germ cells. We found that Tssa interacted with Miwi in repressed mRNPs and stabilized Miwi-interacting spermiogenesis-essential mRNAs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that Tssa is indispensable in male fertility and has critical roles in post-transcriptional regulations by interacting with Miwi during spermiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xiangzheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jiayin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Mengjiao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Haixia Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Chen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Huanhuan Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Hong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xudong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qiuling Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yueshuai Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Ke Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yaling Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Chenghao Situ
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Yiqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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11
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The epigenetic regulatory mechanism of PIWI/piRNAs in human cancers. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:45. [PMID: 36882835 PMCID: PMC9990219 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01749-3] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI proteins have a strong correlation with PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which are significant in development and reproduction of organisms. Recently, emerging evidences have indicated that apart from the reproductive function, PIWI/piRNAs with abnormal expression, also involve greatly in varieties of human cancers. Moreover, human PIWI proteins are usually expressed only in germ cells and hardly in somatic cells, so the abnormal expression of PIWI proteins in different types of cancer offer a promising opportunity for precision medicine. In this review, we discussed current researches about the biogenesis of piRNA, its epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in human cancers, such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation, histone modifications, DNA methylation and RNA interference, providing novel insights into the markers for clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in human cancers.
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Wang Q, Chen P, Wang X, Wu Y, Xia K, Mu X, Xuan Q, Xiao J, He Y, Liu W, Song X, Sun F. piR-36249 and DHX36 together inhibit testicular cancer cells progression by upregulating OAS2. Noncoding RNA Res 2023; 8:174-186. [PMID: 36710986 PMCID: PMC9851840 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs originally reported in the reproductive system of mammals and later found to be aberrantly expressed in tumors. However, the function and mechanism of piRNAs in testicular cancer are not very clear. Methods The expression level and distribution of piR-36249 were detected by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence staining assay. Testicular cancer cell (NT2) progression was measured by CCK8 assay, colony formation assay and wound healing assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry and western blot. RNA sequencing and dual-luciferase reporter assay were conducted to identify the potential targets of piR-36249. The relationship between piR-36249 and OAS2 or DHX36 was confirmed using overexpression assay, knockdown assay, pull-down assay and RIP assay. Results piR-36249 is significantly downregulated in testicular cancer tissues compared to tumor-adjacent tissues. Functional studies demonstrate that piR-36249 inhibits testicular cancer cell proliferation, migration and activates the cell apoptosis pathway. Mechanically, we identify that piR-36249 binds to the 3'UTR of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (OAS2) mRNA. OAS2 has been shown in the literature to be a tumor suppressor modulating the occurrence and development of some tumors. Here, we show that OAS2 knockdown also promotes testicular cancer cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, piR-36249 interacts with DHX36, which has been reported to promote translation. DHX36 can also bind to OAS2 mRNA, and knockdown of DHX36 increases OAS2 mRNA but downregulates its protein, indicating the enhancing effect of DHX36 on OAS2 protein expression. Conclusion All these data suggest that piR-36249, together with DHX36, functions in inhibiting the malignant phenotype of testicular cancer cells by upregulating OAS2 protein and that piR-36249 may be used as a suppressor factor to regulate the development of testicular cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Peize Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Xiaorong Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226018, China
| | - Yueming Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Kaiguo Xia
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Xiangyu Mu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
| | - Qiang Xuan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
| | - Yaohui He
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Wen Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Song
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
- Corresponding author. Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China.
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China
- Corresponding author.
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Hamilton M, Russell S, Menezes K, Moskovtsev SI, Librach C. Assessing spermatozoal small ribonucleic acids and their relationship to blastocyst development in idiopathic infertile males. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20010. [PMID: 36411317 PMCID: PMC9678953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24568-w] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical testing strategies for diagnosing male factor infertility are limited. A deeper analysis of spermatozoa-derived factors could potentially diagnose some cases of 'unexplained infertility'. Spermatozoa carry a rich and dynamic profile of small RNAs, which have demonstrated potential developmental importance and association with fertility status. We used next-generation sequencing to correlate sperm small RNA profiles of normozoospermic males (n = 54) with differing blastocyst development rates, when using young donor oocytes. While ribosomal RNAs accounted for the highest number of sequencing reads, transfer RNA fragments of tRNAGly/GCC and tRNAVal-CAC were the most abundant sequences across all sperm samples. A total of 324 small RNAs were differentially expressed between samples with high (n = 18) and low (n = 14) blastocyst rates (p-adj < 0.05). Ninety three miRNAs were differentially expressed between these groups (p-adj < 0.05). Differentially expressed transfer RNA fragments included: 5'-tRF-Asp-GTC; 5'-tRF-Phe-GAA; and 3'-tRF-Ser-GCA. Differentially expressed miRNAs included: let-7f-2-5p; miR-4755-3p; and miR-92a-3p. This study provides the foundation on which to validate a clinical panel of fertility-related sperm small RNAs, as well as to pursue potential mechanisms through which they alter blastocyst development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Karen Menezes
- grid.490031.fCReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Sergey I. Moskovtsev
- grid.490031.fCReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Clifford Librach
- grid.490031.fCReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Physiology and Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
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14
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Lehtiniemi T, Bourgery M, Ma L, Ahmedani A, Mäkelä M, Asteljoki J, Olotu O, Laasanen S, Zhang FP, Tan K, Chousal JN, Burow D, Koskinen S, Laiho A, Elo L, Chalmel F, Wilkinson M, Kotaja N. SMG6 localizes to the chromatoid body and shapes the male germ cell transcriptome to drive spermatogenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11470-11491. [PMID: 36259644 PMCID: PMC9723633 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) is a highly conserved and selective RNA turnover pathway that depends on the endonuclease SMG6. Here, we show that SMG6 is essential for male germ cell differentiation in mice. Germ-cell conditional knockout (cKO) of Smg6 induces extensive transcriptome misregulation, including a failure to eliminate meiotically expressed transcripts in early haploid cells, and accumulation of NMD target mRNAs with long 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). Loss of SMG6 in the male germline results in complete arrest of spermatogenesis at the early haploid cell stage. We find that SMG6 is strikingly enriched in the chromatoid body (CB), a specialized cytoplasmic granule in male germ cells also harboring PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and the piRNA-binding protein PIWIL1. This raises the possibility that SMG6 and the piRNA pathway function together, which is supported by several findings, including that Piwil1-KO mice phenocopy Smg6-cKO mice and that SMG6 and PIWIL1 co-regulate many genes in round spermatids. Together, our results demonstrate that SMG6 is an essential regulator of the male germline transcriptome, and highlight the CB as a molecular platform coordinating RNA regulatory pathways to control sperm production and fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Lehtiniemi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Matthieu Bourgery
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lin Ma
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ammar Ahmedani
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Margareeta Mäkelä
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Asteljoki
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Opeyemi Olotu
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Samuli Laasanen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Fu-Ping Zhang
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Center for Disease Modeling, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- GM-Unit, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kun Tan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jennifer N Chousal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dana Burow
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Satu Koskinen
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Asta Laiho
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura L Elo
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- University of Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Miles F Wilkinson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine (IGM), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Noora Kotaja
- Institute of Biomedicine, Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Jia DD, Jiang H, Zhang YF, Zhang Y, Qian LL, Zhang YF. The regulatory function of piRNA/PIWI complex in cancer and other human diseases: The role of DNA methylation. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:3358-3373. [PMID: 35637965 PMCID: PMC9134905 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.68221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of short chain noncoding RNAs that are constituted by 26-30 nucleotides (nt) and can couple with PIWI protein family. piRNAs were initially described in germline cells and are believed to be critical regulators of the maintenance of reproductive line. Increasing evidence has extended our perspectives on the biological significance of piRNAs and indicated that they could still affect somatic gene expression through DNA methylation, chromatin modification and transposon silencing, etc. Many studies have revealed that the dysregulation of piRNAs might contribute to diverse diseases through epigenetic changes represented by DNA methylation and chromatin modification. In this review, we summarized piRNA/PIWI protein-mediated DNA methylation regulation mechanisms and methylation changes caused by piRNA/PIWI proteins in different diseases, especially cancers. Since DNA methylation and inhibitory chromatin marks represented by histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation frequently cooperate to silence genomic regions, we also included methylation in chromatin modification within this discussion. Furthermore, we discussed the potential clinical applications of piRNAs as a new type promising biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, as well as the significance of piRNA/PIWI protein-associated methylation changes in treatment, providing disparate insights into the potential applications of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Dong Jia
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat - Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Fei Zhang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Li-Li Qian
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Yin-Feng Zhang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
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16
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Xu L, Chen W, Chen J, Jin Y, Ma W, Qi G, Sun X, Luo J, Li C, Zhao K, Zheng Y, Yu D. PIWI-interacting RNA-23210 protects against acetaminophen-induced liver injury by targeting HNF1A and HNF4A. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 197:114897. [PMID: 34968487 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is one of the leading causes of acute liver failure in the US and other developed countries, the molecular mechanisms of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity remain speculative. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a novel class of small non-coding RNAs, have been identified as epigenetic regulators of transposon silencing, mRNA deadenylation, and elimination. However, the functional role of piRNAs in APAP-induced liver injury remains unclear. In the current study, the piRNA profiles were constructed in HepaRG cells after APAP exposure, and the roles of piR-23210 in regulating nuclear receptors (NRs) expression, metabolizing enzymes expression, and consequently APAP-induced liver injury were systematically investigated. As a result, 57 upregulated piRNAs were identified after APAP exposure, indicating the stress-response characteristic of piRNA molecules. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments proved that piR-23210 is a novel self-protective molecule that targets HNF1A and HNF4A transcripts by interacting with RNA binding protein Nucleolin (NCL), suppresses downstream CYPs (CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP1A2) expression, and protects against APAP-induced liver injury. In conclusion, our findings provided new mechanistic clues revealing potential protective role of a piRNA against the hepatoxicity of APAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xu
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wendi Chen
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuan Jin
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wanli Ma
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guangshuai Qi
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xueying Sun
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jiao Luo
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chuanhai Li
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kunming Zhao
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuxin Zheng
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dianke Yu
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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17
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He C, Wang K, Gao Y, Wang C, Li L, Liao Y, Hu K, Liang M. Roles of Noncoding RNA in Reproduction. Front Genet 2021; 12:777510. [PMID: 34956326 PMCID: PMC8695933 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.777510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization predicts that infertility will be the third major health threat after cancer and cardiovascular disease, and will become a hot topic in medical research. Studies have shown that epigenetic changes are an important component of gametogenesis and related reproductive diseases. Epigenetic regulation of noncoding RNA (ncRNA) is appropriate and is a research hotspot in the biomedical field; these include long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA). As vital members of the intracellular gene regulatory network, they affect various life activities of cells. LncRNA functions as a molecular bait, molecular signal and molecular scaffold in the body through molecular guidance. miRNAs are critical regulators of gene expression; they mainly control the stability or translation of their target mRNA after transcription. piRNA functions mainly through silencing genomic transposable elements and the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs in animal germ cells. Current studies have shown that these ncRNAs also play significant roles in the reproductive system and are involved in the regulation of essential cellular events in spermatogenesis and follicular development. The abnormal expression of ncRNA is closely linked to testicular germ cell tumors, poly cystic ovary syndrome and other diseases. This paper briefly presents the research on the reproductive process and reproductive diseases involving ncRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ke Hu
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Meng Liang
- School of Life Science, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
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18
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Li Y, Mi P, Chen X, Wu J, Liu X, Tang Y, Cheng J, Huang Y, Qin W, Cheng CY, Sun F. Tex13a Optimizes Sperm Motility via Its Potential Roles in mRNA Turnover. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:761627. [PMID: 34733855 PMCID: PMC8558480 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.761627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
mRNAs have been found to undergo substantial selective degradation during the late stages of spermiogenesis. However, the mechanisms regulating this biological process are unknown. In this report, we have identified Tex13a, a spermatid-specific gene that interacts with the CCR4–NOT complex and is implicated in the targeted degradation of mRNAs encoding particular structural components of sperm. Deletion of Tex13a led to a delayed decay of these mRNAs, lowered the levels of house-keeping genes, and ultimately lowered several key parameters associated with the control of sperm motility, such as the path velocity (VAP, average path velocity), track speed (VCL, velocity curvilinear), and rapid progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinchuan Li
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Panpan Mi
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jiabao Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute (Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaohua Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute (Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunge Tang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute (Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinmei Cheng
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yingying Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Weibing Qin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Institute (Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - C Yan Cheng
- The Mary M. Wohlford Laboratory for Male Contraceptive Research, Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, NY, United States
| | - Fei Sun
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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Gutierrez J, Platt R, Opazo JC, Ray DA, Hoffmann F, Vandewege M. Evolutionary history of the vertebrate Piwi gene family. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12451. [PMID: 34760405 PMCID: PMC8574217 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWIs are regulatory proteins that belong to the Argonaute family. Piwis are primarily expressed in gonads and protect the germline against the mobilization and propagation of transposable elements (TEs) through transcriptional gene silencing. Vertebrate genomes encode up to four Piwi genes: Piwil1, Piwil2, Piwil3 and Piwil4, but their duplication history is unresolved. We leveraged phylogenetics, synteny and expression analyses to address this void. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests Piwil1 and Piwil2 were retained in all vertebrate members. Piwil4 was the result of Piwil1 duplication in the ancestor of gnathostomes, but was independently lost in ray-finned fishes and birds. Further, Piwil3 was derived from a tandem Piwil1 duplication in the common ancestor of marsupial and placental mammals, but was secondarily lost in Atlantogenata (Xenarthra and Afrotheria) and some rodents. The evolutionary rate of Piwil3 is considerably faster than any Piwi among all lineages, but an explanation is lacking. Our expression analyses suggest Piwi expression has mostly been constrained to gonads throughout vertebrate evolution. Vertebrate evolution is marked by two early rounds of whole genome duplication and many multigene families are linked to these events. However, our analyses suggest Piwi expansion was independent of whole genome duplications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, United States of America
| | - Roy Platt
- Host Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States of America
| | - Juan C. Opazo
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channel-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Valdivia, Chile
- Integrative Biology Group, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - David A. Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States of America
| | - Federico Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States of America
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States of America
| | - Michael Vandewege
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, United States of America
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20
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Su JF, Concilla A, Zhang DZ, Zhao F, Shen FF, Zhang H, Zhou FY. PIWI-interacting RNAs: Mitochondria-based biogenesis and functions in cancer. Genes Dis 2021; 8:603-622. [PMID: 34291132 PMCID: PMC8278532 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNAs), once thought to be mainly functioning in germlines, are now known to play an essential role in somatic and cancerous tissues. Ping-pong cycle initiation and mitochondria-based phased production constitute the core of the piRNA biogenesis and these two processes are well conserved in mammals, including humans. By being involved in DNA methylation, histone marker deposition, mRNA degradation, and protein modification, piRNAs also contribute to carcinogenesis partly due to oncogenic stress-induced piRNA dysregulation. Also, piRNAs play important roles in cancer stemness, drug resistance, and tumor immunology. Results from liquid biopsy analysis of piRNA can be used in both cancer diagnoses and cancer prognoses. A combination of targeting piRNA with other therapeutic strategies could be groundbreaking cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Fen Su
- Anyang Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research, Anyang Cancer Hospital, The Forth Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Anyang, Henan Province, 455000, PR China
| | - Anthony Concilla
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Dian-zheng Zhang
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Fang Zhao
- Anyang Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research, Anyang Cancer Hospital, The Forth Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Anyang, Henan Province, 455000, PR China
| | - Fang-Fang Shen
- Key Laboratory for Tumor Translational Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, 453000, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute of Precision Cancer Medicine and Pathology, Jinan University Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510630, PR China
| | - Fu-You Zhou
- Anyang Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research, Anyang Cancer Hospital, The Forth Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Anyang, Henan Province, 455000, PR China
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21
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Yuan C, Qin H, Ponnusamy M, Chen Y, Lin Z. PIWI‑interacting RNA in cancer: Molecular mechanisms and possible clinical implications (Review). Oncol Rep 2021; 46:209. [PMID: 34328192 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI‑interacting RNA is a class of non‑coding small RNA that is ~30 nt long and is primarily found in mammalian germ cells from mice and humans. In cooperation with the members of PIWI protein family, this macromolecule participates in germ cell development, inhibits DNA self‑-replication and maintains genomic stability. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that PIWI‑interacting RNA (piRNAs) are abnormally expressed in various human cancers, such as liver cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, etc. piRNAs abnormal expression is also associated with the occurrence and development of human cancers, such as liver cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, etc. Despite their unclear molecular mechanisms, piRNAs may act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors by interacting with multiple cancer‑related signal pathways including STAT3/Bcl‑xl or coding genes, such as heat shock transcription factor‑1. Hence, piRNAs may be potential markers and targets and provide new opportunities for cancer diagnosis, treatment or prognosis monitoring. The current review mainly aims to highlight the latest research progress made in the biological functions and regulation of piRNAs in mammals, their involvement in various cancer forms and their potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yuan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Key Lab for Immunology in Universities of Shandong Province, Immunology Lab, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Hao Qin
- Department of Public Health, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Murugavel Ponnusamy
- Department of Basic Medicine, Institute for Translational Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266021, P.R. China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Basic Medicine, Key Lab for Immunology in Universities of Shandong Province, Immunology Lab, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
| | - Zhijuan Lin
- Department of Basic Medicine, Key Lab for Immunology in Universities of Shandong Province, Immunology Lab, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, P.R. China
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22
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Zhang X, Xia Z, Lv X, Li D, Liu M, Zhang R, Ji T, Liu P, Ren R. DDB1- and CUL4-associated factor 8 plays a critical role in spermatogenesis. Front Med 2021; 15:302-312. [PMID: 33855678 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-021-0851-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL)-4 is a member of the large CRL family in eukaryotes. It plays important roles in a wide range of cellular processes, organismal development, and physiological and pathological conditions. DDB1- and CUL4-associated factor 8 (DCAF8) is a WD40 repeat-containing protein, which serves as a substrate receptor for CRL4. The physiological role of DCAF8 is unknown. In this study, we constructed Dcaf8 knockout mice. Homozygous mice were viable with no noticeable abnormalities. However, the fertility of Dcaf8-deficient male mice was markedly impaired, consistent with the high expression of DCAF8 in adult mouse testis. Sperm movement characteristics, including progressive motility, path velocity, progressive velocity, and track speed, were significantly lower in Dcaf8 knockout mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. However, the total motility was similar between WT and Dcaf8 knockout sperm. More than 40% of spermatids in Dcaf8 knockout mice showed pronounced morphological abnormalities with typical bent head malformation. The acrosome and nucleus of Dcaf8 knockout sperm looked similar to those of WT sperm. In vitro tests showed that the fertilization rate of Dcaf8 knockout mice was significantly reduced. The results demonstrated that DCAF8 plays a critical role in spermatogenesis, and DCAF8 is a key component of CRL4 function in the reproductive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuli Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhizhou Xia
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xingyu Lv
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Donghe Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Mingzhu Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ruihong Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Tong Ji
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Ping Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Ruibao Ren
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory for Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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23
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HRV16 Infection Induces Changes in the Expression of Multiple piRNAs. Virol Sin 2021; 36:736-745. [PMID: 33616891 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-021-00344-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Human rhinovirus (HRV) is one of the most important cold-causing pathogens in humans. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a recently discovered class of small non-coding RNAs whose best-understood function is to repress mobile element (ME) activity in animal germline. However, the profile of human/host piRNA during HRV infection is largely unknown. Here we performed high-throughput sequencing of piRNAs from H1-HeLa cells infected with HRV16 at 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h. The results showed that 22,151,664, 24,362,486 and 22,726,546 piRNAs displayed differential expression after HRV16 infection for three time points. A significant differential expression of 21 piRNAs was found in all time points and further verified by RT-qPCR, including 7 known piRNAs and 14 newly found piRNAs. In addition, piRNA prediction was performed on Piano using the SVM algorithm and transposon information. It found that novel_pir78110, novel_pir78107, novel_pir78097, novel_pir78094 and novel_pir76584 are associated with the DNA/hobo of Drosophila, Ac of maize and Tam3 of snapdragon (hAT)-Charlie transposon. The novel_pir97924, novel_pir105705 and novel_pir105700 recognize long interspersed nuclear elements 1 (LINE-1). The novel_pir33182 and novel_pir46604 are related to the long terminal repeat (LTR)/(Endogenous Retrovirus1) ERV1 repetitive element. The novel_pir73855 is related to the LTR/ERVK repetitive element. Both novel_pir70108 and novel_pir70106 are associated with the LTR/ERVL-MaLR repetitive element. The novel_pir15900 is associated with the DNA/hAT-Tip100 repetitive element. Overall, our results indicated that rhinovirus infection could reduce the expression of some piRNAs to facilitate upregulation of LINE-1 transcription or retrotransposons' expression, which is helpful to further explore the mechanism of rhinovirus infection.
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24
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Le Blévec E, Muroňová J, Ray PF, Arnoult C. Paternal epigenetics: Mammalian sperm provide much more than DNA at fertilization. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110964. [PMID: 32738444 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated cell with unique characteristics: it is mobile, thanks to its flagellum, and is very compact. The sperm cytoplasm is extremely reduced, containing no ribosomes, and therefore does not allow translation, and its nucleus contains very closed chromatin, preventing transcription. This DNA compaction is linked to the loss of nucleosomes and the replacement of histones by protamines. Based on these characteristics, sperm was considered to simply deliver paternal DNA to the oocyte. However, some parts of the sperm DNA remain organized in a nucleosomal format, and bear epigenetic information. In addition, the nucleus and the cytoplasm contain a multitude of RNAs of different types, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which also carry epigenetic information. For a long time, these RNAs were considered residues of spermatogenesis. After briefly describing the mechanisms of compaction of sperm DNA, we focus this review on the origin and function of the different ncRNAs. We present studies demonstrating the importance of these RNAs in embryonic development and transgenerational adaptation to stress. We also look at other epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation or post-translational modifications of histones, and show that they are sensitive to environmental stress and transmissible to offspring. The post-fertilization role of certain sperm-borne proteins is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Le Blévec
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, F-38000, France; Institute for Advanced Biosciences INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, F-38000, France; IMV Technologies, ZI N° 1 Est, L'Aigle, F-61300, France
| | - Jana Muroňová
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, F-38000, France; Institute for Advanced Biosciences INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, F-38000, France
| | - Pierre F Ray
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, F-38000, France; Institute for Advanced Biosciences INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, F-38000, France; CHU de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, Grenoble, F-38000, France
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, F-38000, France; Institute for Advanced Biosciences INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, F-38000, France.
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25
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Guay C, Jacovetti C, Bayazit MB, Brozzi F, Rodriguez-Trejo A, Wu K, Regazzi R. Roles of Noncoding RNAs in Islet Biology. Compr Physiol 2020; 10:893-932. [PMID: 32941685 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c190032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The discovery that most mammalian genome sequences are transcribed to ribonucleic acids (RNA) has revolutionized our understanding of the mechanisms governing key cellular processes and of the causes of human diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic islet cells were found to contain thousands of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including micro-RNAs (miRNAs), PIWI-associated RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, tRNA-derived fragments, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. While the involvement of miRNAs in islet function and in the etiology of diabetes is now well documented, there is emerging evidence indicating that other classes of ncRNAs are also participating in different aspects of islet physiology. The aim of this article will be to provide a comprehensive and updated view of the studies carried out in human samples and rodent models over the past 15 years on the role of ncRNAs in the control of α- and β-cell development and function and to highlight the recent discoveries in the field. We not only describe the role of ncRNAs in the control of insulin and glucagon secretion but also address the contribution of these regulatory molecules in the proliferation and survival of islet cells under physiological and pathological conditions. It is now well established that most cells release part of their ncRNAs inside small extracellular vesicles, allowing the delivery of genetic material to neighboring or distantly located target cells. The role of these secreted RNAs in cell-to-cell communication between β-cells and other metabolic tissues as well as their potential use as diabetes biomarkers will be discussed. © 2020 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 10:893-932, 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudiane Guay
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cécile Jacovetti
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Bilal Bayazit
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Flora Brozzi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adriana Rodriguez-Trejo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kejing Wu
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romano Regazzi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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26
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Shami AN, Zheng X, Munyoki SK, Ma Q, Manske GL, Green CD, Sukhwani M, Orwig KE, Li JZ, Hammoud SS. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Human, Macaque, and Mouse Testes Uncovers Conserved and Divergent Features of Mammalian Spermatogenesis. Dev Cell 2020; 54:529-547.e12. [PMID: 32504559 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a highly regulated process that produces sperm to transmit genetic information to the next generation. Although extensively studied in mice, our current understanding of primate spermatogenesis is limited to populations defined by state-specific markers from rodent data. As between-species differences have been reported in the duration and differentiation hierarchy of this process, it remains unclear how molecular markers and cell states are conserved or have diverged from mice to man. To address this challenge, we employ single-cell RNA sequencing to identify transcriptional signatures of major germ and somatic cell types of the testes in human, macaque, and mice. This approach reveals similarities and differences in expression throughout spermatogenesis, including the stem/progenitor pool of spermatogonia, markers of differentiation, potential regulators of meiosis, RNA turnover during spermatid differentiation, and germ cell-soma communication. These datasets provide a rich foundation for future targeted mechanistic studies of primate germ cell development and in vitro gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xianing Zheng
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sarah K Munyoki
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Qianyi Ma
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gabriel L Manske
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Meena Sukhwani
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kyle E Orwig
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Integrative Systems Biology Graduate Program, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Jun Z Li
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Saher Sue Hammoud
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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27
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Meng X, Peng H, Ding Y, Zhang L, Yang J, Han X. A transcriptomic regulatory network among miRNAs, piRNAs, circRNAs, lncRNAs and mRNAs regulates microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR)-induced male reproductive toxicity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 667:563-577. [PMID: 30833255 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) which is produced by cyanobacteria is a potent toxin for the reproductive system. Our previous work has demonstrated that both acute and chronic reproductive toxicity engendered by MC-LR can result in the decline of sperm quality and damage of testicular structures in male mice. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of chronic low-dose exposure to MC-LR on the regulation of RNA networks including mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), piwi-associated RNA (piRNA), covalently closed circular RNA (circRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in testicular tissues. By high-throughput sequencing analysis, 1091 mRNAs, 21 miRNAs, 644 piRNAs, 278 circRNAs and 324 lncRNAs were identified to be significantly altered in testicular tissues treated with MC-LR. We performed gene ontology (GO) analysis to ascertain the biological functions of differentially expressed genes. Among the altered 21 miRNAs and 644 piRNAs, the miRNA chr13_8977, which is a newly discovered species, and the piRNA mmu_piR_027558 were dramatically down-regulated after exposure to MC-LR. Consistently, both mRNA levels and protein expression levels of their predicted targets were increased significantly when chr13_8977 and mmu_piR_027558 were each down-regulated. Testicular structures, germ cell apoptosis and sperm quality were also affected by the altered expression of chr13_8977 and mmu_piR_027558 severally. We further investigated the differential expression of circRNAs and lncRNAs and their biological functions in testicular tissues following treatment with chronic low-dose exposure to MC-LR. We also constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network to predict the functions of the altered expressed RNAs using MiRanda. Our study suggested a crucial role for the potential network regulation of miRNAs, piRNAs, circRNAs, lncRNAs and mRNAs impacting the cytotoxicity of MC-LR in testicular tissues, which provides new perspectives in the development of diagnosis and treatment strategies for MC-LR-induced male reproductive toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiannan Meng
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Haoran Peng
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Yuanzhen Ding
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Jingping Yang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
| | - Xiaodong Han
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
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28
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Chang KW, Tseng YT, Chen YC, Yu CY, Liao HF, Chen YC, Tu YFE, Wu SC, Liu IH, Pinskaya M, Morillon A, Pain B, Lin SP. Stage-dependent piRNAs in chicken implicated roles in modulating male germ cell development. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:425. [PMID: 29859049 PMCID: PMC5984780 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4820-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The PIWI/piRNA pathway is a conserved machinery important for germ cell development and fertility. This piRNA-guided molecular machinery is best known for repressing derepressed transposable elements (TE) during epigenomic reprogramming. The extent to which piRNAs are involved in modulating transcripts beyond TEs still need to be clarified, and it may be a stage-dependent event. We chose chicken germline as a study model because of the significantly lower TE complexity in the chicken genome compared to mammalian species. Results We generated high-confidence piRNA candidates in various stages across chicken germline development by 3′-end-methylation-enriched small RNA sequencing and in-house bioinformatics analysis. We observed a significant developmental stage-dependent loss of TE association and a shifting of the ping-pong cycle signatures. Moreover, the stage-dependent reciprocal abundance of LINE retrotransposons, CR1-C, and its associated piRNAs implicated the developmental stage-dependent role of piRNA machinery. The stage dependency of piRNA expression and its potential functions can be better addressed by analyzing the piRNA precursors/clusters. Interestingly, the new piRNA clusters identified from embryonic chicken testes revealed evolutionary conservation between chickens and mammals, which was previously thought to not exist. Conclusions In this report, we provided an original chicken RNA resource and proposed an analytical methodology that can be used to investigate stage-dependent changes in piRNA compositions and their potential roles in TE regulation and beyond, and also revealed possible conserved functions of piRNAs in developing germ cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4820-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Wei Chang
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.,Present Address: Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Tzu Tseng
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.,Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Chen
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.,Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.,Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, INSERM, INRA, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Chih-Yun Yu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Fu Liao
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Chen
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Fan Evan Tu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Chih Wu
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - I-Hsuan Liu
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Marina Pinskaya
- ncRNA, epigenetic and genome fluidity, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, CNRS UMR 3244, PSL Research University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Antonin Morillon
- ncRNA, epigenetic and genome fluidity, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, CNRS UMR 3244, PSL Research University, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Pain
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, INSERM, INRA, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Shau-Ping Lin
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. .,Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. .,Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. .,Agricultural Biotechnology Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. .,Center for Systems Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
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29
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TDRD5 binds piRNA precursors and selectively enhances pachytene piRNA processing in mice. Nat Commun 2018; 9:127. [PMID: 29317670 PMCID: PMC5760656 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02622-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pachytene piRNAs are the most abundant piRNAs in mammalian adult testes. They are generated from long precursor transcripts by the primary piRNA biogenesis pathway but the factors involved in pachytene piRNA precursors processing are poorly understood. Here we show that the Tudor domain-containing 5 (TDRD5) protein is essential for pachytene piRNA biogenesis in mice. Conditional inactivation of TDRD5 in mouse postnatal germ cells reveals that TDRD5 selectively regulates the production of pachytene piRNAs from abundant piRNA-producing precursors, with little effect on low-abundant piRNAs. Unexpectedly, TDRD5 is not required for the 5′ end processing of the precursors, but is crucial for promoting production of piRNAs from the other regions of the transcript. Furthermore, we show that TDRD5 is an RNA-binding protein directly associating with piRNA precursors. These observations establish TDRD5 as a piRNA biogenesis factor and reveal two genetically separable steps at the start of pachytene piRNA processing. Pachytene piRNAs are abundant piRNAs in mammalian adult testes but their biogenesis pathway is not fully understood. Here, the authors identify TDRD5 as a piRNA biogenesis factor in mice, showing that it binds piRNA precursors and promotes pachytene piRNA production from specific transcript regions.
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30
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Lehtiniemi T, Kotaja N. Germ granule-mediated RNA regulation in male germ cells. Reproduction 2017; 155:R77-R91. [PMID: 29038333 DOI: 10.1530/rep-17-0356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Germ cells have exceptionally diverse transcriptomes. Furthermore, the progress of spermatogenesis is accompanied by dramatic changes in gene expression patterns, the most drastic of them being near-to-complete transcriptional silencing during the final steps of differentiation. Therefore, accurate RNA regulatory mechanisms are critical for normal spermatogenesis. Cytoplasmic germ cell-specific ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules, known as germ granules, participate in posttranscriptional regulation in developing male germ cells. Particularly, germ granules provide platforms for the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway and appear to be involved both in piRNA biogenesis and piRNA-targeted RNA degradation. Recently, other RNA regulatory mechanisms, such as the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway have also been associated to germ granules providing new exciting insights into the function of germ granules. In this review article, we will summarize our current knowledge on the role of germ granules in the control of mammalian male germ cell's transcriptome and in the maintenance of fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noora Kotaja
- Institute of BiomedicineUniversity of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Zhou L, Canagarajah B, Zhao Y, Baibakov B, Tokuhiro K, Maric D, Dean J. BTBD18 Regulates a Subset of piRNA-Generating Loci through Transcription Elongation in Mice. Dev Cell 2017; 40:453-466.e5. [PMID: 28292424 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs essential for animal germ cell development. Despite intense investigation of post-transcriptional processing, chromatin regulators for piRNA biogenesis in mammals remain largely unexplored. Here we document that BTBD18 is a pachytene nuclear protein in mouse testes that occupies a subset of pachytene piRNA-producing loci. Ablation of Btbd18 in mice disrupts piRNA biogenesis, prevents spermiogenesis, and results in male sterility. Transcriptome profiling, chromatin accessibility, and RNA polymerase II occupancy demonstrate that BTBD18 facilitates expression of pachytene piRNA precursors by promoting transcription elongation. Thus, our study identifies BTBD18 as a specific controller for transcription activation through RNA polymerase II elongation at a subset of genomic piRNA loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liquan Zhou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Bertram Canagarajah
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yangu Zhao
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Boris Baibakov
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Keizo Tokuhiro
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- NINDS Flow Cytometry Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jurrien Dean
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Umu SU, Gardner PP. A comprehensive benchmark of RNA-RNA interaction prediction tools for all domains of life. Bioinformatics 2017; 33:988-996. [PMID: 27993777 PMCID: PMC5408919 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btw728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation The aim of this study is to assess the performance of RNA-RNA interaction prediction tools for all domains of life. Results Minimum free energy (MFE) and alignment methods constitute most of the current RNA interaction prediction algorithms. The MFE tools that include accessibility (i.e. RNAup, IntaRNA and RNAplex) to the final predicted binding energy have better true positive rates (TPRs) with a high positive predictive values (PPVs) in all datasets than other methods. They can also differentiate almost half of the native interactions from background. The algorithms that include effects of internal binding energies to their model and alignment methods seem to have high TPR but relatively low associated PPV compared to accessibility based methods. Availability and Implementation We shared our wrapper scripts and datasets at Github (github.com/UCanCompBio/RNA_Interactions_Benchmark). All parameters are documented for personal use. Contact sinan.umu@pg.canterbury.ac.nz. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Ugur Umu
- School of Biological Sciences.,Biomolecular Interaction Centre
| | - Paul P Gardner
- School of Biological Sciences.,Biomolecular Interaction Centre.,Bio-Protection Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Zhang L, Zhang H, Zhang H, Benson M, Han X, Li D. Roles of piRNAs in microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) induced reproductive toxicity in testis on male offspring. Food Chem Toxicol 2017; 105:177-185. [PMID: 28414124 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects on the testis of the male offspring of MC-LR exposure during fetal and lactational periods. Pregnant females were distributed into two experimental groups: control group and MC-LR group which were exposed to 0 and 10 μg/L of MC-LR, respectively, through drinking water separately during fetal and lactational periods. At the age of 30 days after birth, the male offspring were euthanized. The body weight, testis index, and histomorphology change were observed and the global changes of piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) expression were evaluated. The results revealed that MC-LR was found in the testis of male offspring, body weight and testis index decreased significantly, and testicular tissue structure was damaged in the MC-LR group. In addition, the exposure to MC-LR resulted in an altered piRNA expression profile and an increase of the cell apoptosis and a decrease of the cell proliferation in the testis of the male offspring. It was reasonable to speculate that the toxic effects on reproductive system of the male offspring in MC-LR group might be mediated by piRNAs through the regulation of the target genes. As far as we are aware, this is the first report showing that MC-LR could play a role in disorder of proliferative and cell apoptosis in the testis of the male offspring by the maternal transmission effect of toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zhang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
| | - Huan Zhang
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Mikael Benson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Xiaodong Han
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
| | - Dongmei Li
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
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Ng KW, Anderson C, Marshall EA, Minatel BC, Enfield KSS, Saprunoff HL, Lam WL, Martinez VD. Piwi-interacting RNAs in cancer: emerging functions and clinical utility. Mol Cancer 2016; 15:5. [PMID: 26768585 PMCID: PMC4714483 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-016-0491-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are emerging players in cancer genomics. Originally described in the germline, there are over 20,000 piRNA genes in the human genome. In contrast to microRNAs, piRNAs interact with PIWI proteins, another member of the Argonaute family, and function primarily in the nucleus. There, they are involved in the epigenetic silencing of transposable elements in addition to the transcriptional regulation of genes. It has recently been demonstrated that piRNAs are also expressed across a variety of human somatic tissue types in a tissue-specific manner. An increasing number of studies have shown that aberrant piRNA expression is a signature feature across multiple tumour types; however, their specific tumorigenic functions remain unclear. In this article, we discuss the emerging functional roles of piRNAs in a variety of cancers, and highlight their potential clinical utilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin W Ng
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Christine Anderson
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Erin A Marshall
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Brenda C Minatel
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Katey S S Enfield
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | | | - Wan L Lam
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Victor D Martinez
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
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