Stability and Association with the Cytomatrix of Mitochondrial DNA in Spontaneously Immortalized Mouse Embryo Fibroblasts Containing or Lacking the Intermediate Filament Protein Vimentin

Hormonal protocol for cervical dilation modifies the protein profile of uterine lavage recovered from superovulated ewes

Hormonal protocols for cervical dilation (HPCD) are essential for non-surgical embryo recovery in ewes, due to the cervical complexity of this species. However, the hormones used for this purpose can alter the uterine protein profile and impact the embryonic quality. To test this hypothesis, Santa Inês ewes were superovulated and subjected or not to the HPCD before uterine lavage and embryos recovery by laparotomy. The protein profile of the uterine lavage was determined by mass spectrometry. Overall, 1447 proteins were identified, of which 436 and 126 were found exclusively in the treated and control groups, respectively. A total of 17 proteins were highly expressed in the treated group (P < 0.05), such as glutathione transferase (related to prostaglandin biosynthesis) and osteopontin (involved in the regulation of estradiol). In the control group, five proteins were up-regulated (P < 0.05), including cofilin (linked to up-regulation of embryonic development). Based on the gene ontology, in both groups, the proteins most abundant in the uterine fluid are related to cellular and metabolic processes, in addition to locomotion and localization in the control group. In conclusion, the hormonal protocol for cervical dilation modifies the protein profile of uterine lavage recovered from superovulated ewes after embryo collection.

Oviduct Epithelial Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Improve Porcine Trophoblast Outgrowth

Porcine species have a great impact on studies on biomaterial production, organ transplantation and the development of biomedical models. The low efficiency of in vitro-produced embryos to derive embryonic stem cells has made achieving this goal a challenge. The fallopian tube plays an important role in the development of embryos. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by oviductal epithelial cells play an important role in the epigenetic regulation of embryo development. We used artificially isolated oviductal epithelial cells and EVs. In this study, oviductal epithelial cell (OEC) EVs were isolated and characterized through transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticles tracking analysis, western blotting and proteomics. We found that embryo development and blastocyst formation rate was significantly increased (14.3% ± 0.6% vs. 6.0% ± 0.6%) after OEC EVs treatment. According to our data, the inner cell mass (ICM)/trophectoderm (TE) ratio of the embryonic cell number increased significantly after OEC EVs treatment (43.7% ± 2.3% vs. 28.4% ± 2.1%). Meanwhile, the attachment ability of embryos treated with OEV EVs was significantly improved (43.5% ± 2.1% vs. 29.2% ± 2.5%, respectively). Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we found that the expression of reprogramming genes (POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG, KLF4 and c-Myc) and implantation-related genes (VIM, KRT8, TEAD4 and CDX2) significantly increased in OEC EV-treated embryos. We report that OEC EV treatment can improve the development and implantation abilities of embryos.

Vimentin's side gig: Regulating cellular proteostasis in mammalian systems

Intermediate filaments (IFs) perform a diverse set of well-known functions including providing structural support for the cell and resistance to mechanical stress, yet recent evidence has revealed unexpected roles for IFs as stress response proteins. Previously, it was shown that the type III IF protein vimentin forms cage-like structures around centrosome-associated proteins destined for degradation, structures referred to as aggresomes, suggesting a role for vimentin in protein turnover. However, vimentin's function at the aggresome has remained largely understudied. In a recent report, vimentin was shown to be dispensable for aggresome formation, but played a critical role in protein turnover at the aggresome through localizing proteostasis-related machineries, such as proteasomes, to the aggresome. Here, we review evidence for vimentin's function in proteostasis and highlight the organismal implications of these findings.

Filaments and phenotypes: cellular roles and orphan effects associated with mutations in cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins

Cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (IFs) surround the nucleus and are often anchored at membrane sites to form effectively transcellular networks. Mutations in IF proteins (IFps) have revealed mechanical roles in epidermis, muscle, liver, and neurons. At the same time, there have been phenotypic surprises, illustrated by the ability to generate viable and fertile mice null for a number of IFp-encoding genes, including vimentin. Yet in humans, the vimentin ( VIM) gene displays a high probability of intolerance to loss-of-function mutations, indicating an essential role. A number of subtle and not so subtle IF-associated phenotypes have been identified, often linked to mechanical or metabolic stresses, some of which have been found to be ameliorated by the over-expression of molecular chaperones, suggesting that such phenotypes arise from what might be termed "orphan" effects as opposed to the absence of the IF network per se, an idea originally suggested by Toivola et al. and Pekny and Lane.

Lessons from the Discovery of Mitochondrial Fragmentation (Fission): A Review and Update

Thirty-five years ago, we described fragmentation of the mitochondrial population in a living cell into small vesicles (mitochondrial fission). Subsequently, this phenomenon has become an object of general interest due to its involvement in the process of oxidative stress-related cell death and having high relevance to the incidence of a pathological phenotype. Tentatively, the key component of mitochondrial fission process is segregation and further asymmetric separation of a mitochondrial body yielding healthy (normally functioning) and impaired (incapable to function in a normal way) organelles with subsequent decomposition and removal of impaired elements through autophagy (mitophagy). We speculate that mitochondria contain cytoskeletal elements, which maintain the mitochondrial shape, and also are involved in the process of intramitochondrial segregation of waste products. We suggest that perturbation of the mitochondrial fission/fusion machinery and slowdown of the removal process of nonfunctional mitochondrial structures led to the increase of the proportion of impaired mitochondrial elements. When the concentration of malfunctioning mitochondria reaches a certain threshold, this can lead to various pathologies, including aging. Overall, we suggest a process of mitochondrial fission to be an essential component of a complex system controlling a healthy cell phenotype. The role of reactive oxygen species in mitochondrial fission is discussed.

Novel DNA mismatch-repair activity involving YB-1 in human mitochondria

Maintenance of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is essential for proper cellular function. The accumulation of damage and mutations in the mtDNA leads to diseases, cancer, and aging. Mammalian mitochondria have proficient base excision repair, but the existence of other DNA repair pathways is still unclear. Deficiencies in DNA mismatch repair (MMR), which corrects base mismatches and small loops, are associated with DNA microsatellite instability, accumulation of mutations, and cancer. MMR proteins have been identified in yeast and coral mitochondria; however, MMR proteins and function have not yet been detected in human mitochondria. Here we show that human mitochondria have a robust mismatch-repair activity, which is distinct from nuclear MMR. Key nuclear MMR factors were not detected in mitochondria, and similar mismatch-binding activity was observed in mitochondrial extracts from cells lacking MSH2, suggesting distinctive pathways for nuclear and mitochondrial MMR. We identified the repair factor YB-1 as a key candidate for a mitochondrial mismatch-binding protein. This protein localizes to mitochondria in human cells, and contributes significantly to the mismatch-binding and mismatch-repair activity detected in HeLa mitochondrial extracts, which are significantly decreased when the intracellular levels of YB-1 are diminished. Moreover, YB-1 depletion in cells increases mitochondrial DNA mutagenesis. Our results show that human mitochondria contain a functional MMR repair pathway in which YB-1 participates, likely in the mismatch-binding and recognition steps.

The mitochondrion as janus bifrons

The signaling function of mitochondria is considered with a special emphasis on their role in the regulation of redox status of the cell, possibly determining a number of pathologies including cancer and aging. The review summarizes the transport role of mitochondria in energy supply to all cellular compartments (mitochondria as an electric cable in the cell), the role of mitochondria in plastic metabolism of the cell including synthesis of heme, steroids, iron-sulfur clusters, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Mitochondria also play an important role in the Ca(2+)-signaling and the regulation of apoptotic cell death. Knowledge of mechanisms responsible for apoptotic cell death is important for the strategy for prevention of unwanted degradation of postmitotic cells such as cardiomyocytes and neurons.

The role of mitochondrial DNA mutations in mammalian aging

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) accumulates both base-substitution mutations and deletions with aging in several tissues in mammals. Here, we examine the evidence supporting a causative role for mtDNA mutations in mammalian aging. We describe and compare human diseases and mouse models associated with mitochondrial genome instability. We also discuss potential mechanisms for the generation of these mutations and the means by which they may mediate their pathological consequences. Strategies for slowing the accumulation and attenuating the effects of mtDNA mutations are discussed.