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Divyanshi, Yang J. Germ plasm dynamics during oogenesis and early embryonic development in Xenopus and zebrafish. Mol Reprod Dev 2023. [PMID: 38126950 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Specification of the germline and its segregation from the soma mark one of the most crucial events in the lifetime of an organism. In different organisms, this specification can occur through either inheritance or inductive mechanisms. In species such as Xenopus and zebrafish, the specification of primordial germ cells relies on the inheritance of maternal germline determinants that are synthesized and sequestered in the germ plasm during oogenesis. In this review, we discuss the formation of the germ plasm, how germline determinants are recruited into the germ plasm during oogenesis, and the dynamics of the germ plasm during oogenesis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyanshi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
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Cheng YS, Chen HY, Lin YC, Lin YS, Yeh YC, Yeh YH, Cheng YH, Lin YM, Weng HY, Lin TY, Lin SC. The MAEL expression in mitochondria of human spermatozoa and the association with asthenozoospermia. Andrology 2023; 11:1286-1294. [PMID: 36779514 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The maelstrom spermatogenic transposon silencer (MAEL) function in postmeiotic germ cells remains unclear, and its protein localization in human testis and spermatozoa awaits determination. This study aims to clarify the MAEL expression in human spermatogenesis and to explore its role in sperm function. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-seven asthenozoospermic men, 40 normozoospermic controls, and three obstructive azoospermic men were enrolled. The transcripts of MAEL in the seminiferous epithelium and MAEL downstream targets were identified by bioinformatics analysis. MAEL protein expression in human testis and ejaculated sperms were examined by immunohistochemical and immunogold staining, respectively. The roles of MAEL in mitochondria function were investigated by siRNA knockdown in human H358 cells. The association between MAEL protein levels and clinical sperm features was evaluated. RESULTS Abundant MAEL was expressed in spermatid and spermatozoa of the human testis. Remarkably, MAEL was located in the mitochondria of ejaculated sperm, and bioinformatics analysis identified GPX4 and UBL4B as MAEL's downstream targets. Knockdown of MAEL sabotaged mitochondria function and reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in H358 cells. MAEL, GPX4, and UBL4B expression levels were significantly decreased in asthenozoospermic sperms than in controls. The MAEL protein levels were positively correlated with GPX4 and UBL4B in human sperm. Total motile sperm count (TMSC) was positively correlated with protein levels of MAEL, GPX4, and UBL4B in ejaculated sperms. CONCLUSIONS We highlight prominent MAEL expression in the intratesticular spermatid and the mitochondria of ejaculated spermatozoa. MAEL directly binds to GPX4 and UBL4B, and loss of MAEL induces mitochondrial dysfunction. MAEL-mitochondrial function-motility relationship might advance our understanding of the causes of asthenozoospermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sheng Cheng
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Yi Chen
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chiao Lin
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Syuan Lin
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Yeh
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Yeh
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Hsuan Cheng
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Ming Lin
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Han-Yu Weng
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of, Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yen Lin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chieh Lin
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Zhou L, Ou S, Liang T, Li M, Xiao P, Cheng J, Zhou J, Yuan L. MAEL facilitates metabolic reprogramming and breast cancer progression by promoting the degradation of citrate synthase and fumarate hydratase via chaperone-mediated autophagy. FEBS J 2023. [PMID: 36866961 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. Several studies have shown that inactivation of Krebs cycle enzymes, such as citrate synthase (CS) and fumarate hydratase (FH), facilitates aerobic glycolysis and cancer progression. MAEL has been shown to play an oncogenic role in bladder, liver, colon, and gastric cancers, but its role in breast cancer and metabolism is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated that MAEL promoted malignant behaviours and aerobic glycolysis in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, MAEL interacted with CS/FH and HSAP8 via its MAEL domain and HMG domain, respectively, and then enhanced the binding affinity of CS/FH with HSPA8, facilitating the transport of CS/FH to the lysosome for degradation. MAEL-induced degradation of CS and FH could be suppressed by the lysosome inhibitors leupeptin and NH4 Cl, but not by the macroautophagy inhibitor 3-MA or the proteasome inhibitor MG132. These results suggested that MAEL promoted the degradation of CS and FH via chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). Further studies showed that the expression of MAEL was significantly and negatively correlated with CS and FH in breast cancer. Moreover, overexpression of CS or/and FH could reverse the oncogenic effects of MAEL. Taken together, MAEL promotes a metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis by inducing CMA-dependent degradation of CS and FH, thereby promoting breast cancer progression. These findings have elucidated a novel molecular mechanism of MAEL in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,College of Clinical Laboratory, Changsha Medical University, China
| | - Shuobo Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ting Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Meiling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Pei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiaxin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish & Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Liqin Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Namba Y, Iwasaki YW, Nishida KM, Nishihara H, Sumiyoshi T, Siomi MC. Maelstrom functions in the production of Siwi-piRISC capable of regulating transposons in Bombyx germ cells. iScience 2022; 25:103914. [PMID: 35243263 PMCID: PMC8881725 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yurika Namba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yuka W. Iwasaki
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Kazumichi M. Nishida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Hidenori Nishihara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsutaro Sumiyoshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Mikiko C. Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
- Corresponding author
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Xu C, Cao Y, Bao J. Building RNA-protein germ granules: insights from the multifaceted functions of DEAD-box helicase Vasa/Ddx4 in germline development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:4. [PMID: 34921622 PMCID: PMC11072811 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04069-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The segregation and maintenance of a dedicated germline in multicellular organisms is essential for species propagation in the sexually reproducing metazoan kingdom. The germline is distinct from somatic cells in that it is ultimately dedicated to acquiring the "totipotency" and to regenerating the offspring after fertilization. The most striking feature of germ cells lies in the presence of characteristic membraneless germ granules that have recently proven to behave like liquid droplets resulting from liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Vasa/Ddx4, a faithful DEAD-box family germline marker highly conserved across metazoan species, harbors canonical DEAD-box motifs and typical intrinsically disordered sequences at both the N-terminus and C-terminus. This feature enables it to serve as a primary driving force behind germ granule formation and helicase-mediated RNA metabolism (e.g., piRNA biogenesis). Genetic ablation of Vasa/Ddx4 or the catalytic-dead mutations abolishing its helicase activity led to sexually dimorphic germline defects resulting in either male or female sterility among diverse species. While recent efforts have discovered pivotal functions of Vasa/Ddx4 in somatic cells, especially in multipotent stem cells, we herein summarize the helicase-dependent and -independent functions of Vasa/Ddx4 in the germline, and discuss recent findings of Vasa/Ddx4-mediated phase separation, germ granule formation and piRNA-dependent retrotransposon control essential for germline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caoling Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Yuzhu Cao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Jianqiang Bao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China.
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Viera A, Parra MT, Arévalo S, García de la Vega C, Santos JL, Page J. X Chromosome Inactivation during Grasshopper Spermatogenesis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1844. [PMID: 34946793 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of transcriptional activity during meiosis depends on the interrelated processes of recombination and synapsis. In eutherian mammal spermatocytes, transcription levels change during prophase-I, being low at the onset of meiosis but highly increased from pachytene up to the end of diplotene. However, X and Y chromosomes, which usually present unsynapsed regions throughout prophase-I in male meiosis, undergo a specific pattern of transcriptional inactivation. The interdependence of synapsis and transcription has mainly been studied in mammals, basically in mouse, but our knowledge in other unrelated phylogenetically species is more limited. To gain new insights on this issue, here we analyzed the relationship between synapsis and transcription in spermatocytes of the grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans. Autosomal chromosomes of this species achieve complete synapsis; however, the single X sex chromosome remains always unsynapsed and behaves as a univalent. We studied transcription in meiosis by immunolabeling with RNA polymerase II phosphorylated at serine 2 and found that whereas autosomes are active from leptotene up to diakinesis, the X chromosome is inactive throughout meiosis. This inactivation is accompanied by the accumulation of, at least, two repressive epigenetic modifications: H3 methylated at lysine 9 and H2AX phosphorylated at serine 139. Furthermore, we identified that X chromosome inactivation occurs in premeiotic spermatogonia. Overall, our results indicate: (i) transcription regulation in E. plorans spermatogenesis differs from the canonical pattern found in mammals and (ii) X chromosome inactivation is likely preceded by a process of heterochromatinization before the initiation of meiosis.
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Iwamori T, Iwamori N, Matsumoto M, Imai H, Ono E. Novel localizations and interactions of intercellular bridge proteins revealed by proteomic profiling†. Biol Reprod 2021; 102:1134-1144. [PMID: 31995159 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular bridges (ICBs) connecting germ cells are essential for spermatogenesis, and their deletion causes male infertility. However, the functions and component factors of ICBs are still unknown. We previously identified novel ICB-associated proteins by proteomics analysis using ICB enrichment. Here, we performed immunoprecipitation-proteomics analyses using antibodies specific to known ICB proteins MKLP1, RBM44, and ectoplasmic specialization-associated protein KIAA1210 and predicted protein complexes in the ICB cores. KIAA1210, its binding protein topoisomerase2B (TOP2B), and tight junction protein ZO1 were identified as novel ICB proteins. On the other hand, as well as KIAA1210 and TOP2B, MKLP1 and RBM44, but not TEX14, were localized at the XY body of spermatocytes, suggesting that there is a relationship between ICB proteins and meiotic chromosomes. Moreover, small RNAs interacted with an ICB protein complex that included KIAA1210, RBM44, and MKLP1. These results indicate dynamic movements of ICB proteins and suggest that ICB proteins could be involved not only in the communication between germ cells but also in their epigenetic regulation. Our results provide a novel perspective on the function of ICBs and could be helpful in revealing the biological function of the ICB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tokuko Iwamori
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Naoki Iwamori
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan and
| | - Masaki Matsumoto
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Imai
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Etsuro Ono
- Department of Biomedicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Center of Biomedical Research, Research Center for Human Disease Modeling, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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Ramos KS, Bojang P, Bowers E. Role of long interspersed nuclear element-1 in the regulation of chromatin landscapes and genome dynamics. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2082-2097. [PMID: 34304633 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211031247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
LINE-1 retrotransposon, the most active mobile element of the human genome, is subject to tight regulatory control. Stressful environments and disease modify the recruitment of regulatory proteins leading to unregulated activation of LINE-1. The activation of LINE-1 influences genome dynamics through altered chromatin landscapes, insertion mutations, deletions, and modulation of cellular plasticity. To date, LINE-1 retrotransposition has been linked to various cancer types and may in fact underwrite the genetic basis of various other forms of chronic human illness. The occurrence of LINE-1 polymorphisms in the human population may define inter-individual differences in susceptibility to disease. This review is written in honor of Dr Peter Stambrook, a friend and colleague who carried out highly impactful cancer research over many years of professional practice. Dr Stambrook devoted considerable energy to helping others live up to their full potential and to navigate the complexities of professional life. He was an inspirational leader, a strong advocate, a kind mentor, a vocal supporter and cheerleader, and yes, a hard critic and tough friend when needed. His passionate stand on issues, his witty sense of humor, and his love for humanity have left a huge mark in our lives. We hope that that the knowledge summarized here will advance our understanding of the role of LINE-1 in cancer biology and expedite the development of innovative cancer diagnostics and treatments in the ways that Dr Stambrook himself had so passionately envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Ramos
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pasano Bojang
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Emma Bowers
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway mainly consists of evolutionarily conserved protein factors. Intriguingly, many mutations of piRNA pathway factors lead to meiotic arrest during spermatogenesis. The majority of piRNA factor-knockout animals show arrested meiosis in spermatogenesis, and only a few show post-meiosis male germ cell arrest. It is still unclear whether the majority of piRNA factors expressed in spermatids are involved in long interspersed nuclear element-1 repression after meiosis, but future conditional knockout research is expected to resolve this. In addition, recent hamster knockout studies showed that a piRNA factor is necessary for oocytes-in complete contrast to the findings in mice. This species discrepancy allows researchers to reexamine the function of piRNA in female germ cells. This mini-review focuses on the current knowledge of protein factors derived from mammalian knockout studies and summarizes their roles in the biogenesis and function of piRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinuo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Liu WS, Lu C, Mistry BV. Subcellular localization of the mouse PRAMEL1 and PRAMEX1 reveals multifaceted roles in the nucleus and cytoplasm of germ cells during spermatogenesis. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:102. [PMID: 34074333 PMCID: PMC8170798 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00612-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer/testis antigen (CTA) that is predominantly expressed in normal gametogenic tissues and a variety of tumors. Members of the PRAME gene family encode leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins that provide a versatile structural framework for the formation of protein-protein interactions. As a nuclear receptor transcriptional regulator, PRAME has been extensively studied in cancer biology and is believed to play a role in cancer cell proliferation by suppressing retinoic acid (RA) signaling. The role of the PRAME gene family in germline development and spermatogenesis has been recently confirmed by a gene knockout approach. To further understand how PRAME proteins are involved in germ cell development at a subcellular level, we have conducted a systematic immunogold electron microscopy (IEM) analysis on testis sections of adult mice with gene-specific antibodies from two members of the mouse Prame gene family: Pramel1 and Pramex1. Pramel1 is autosomal, while Pramex1 is X-linked, both genes are exclusively expressed in the testis. RESULTS Our IEM data revealed that both PRAMEL1 and PRAMEX1 proteins were localized in various cell organelles in different development stages of spermatogenic cells, including the nucleus, rER, Golgi, mitochondria, germ granules [intermitochondrial cement (IMC) and chromatoid body (CB)], centrioles, manchette, and flagellum. Unlike other germ cell-specific makers, such as DDX4, whose proteins are evenly distributed in the expressed-organelle(s), both PRAMEL1 and PRAMEX1 proteins tend to aggregate together to form clusters of protein complexes. These complexes were highly enriched in the nucleus and cytoplasm (especially in germ granules) of spermatocytes and spermatids. Furthermore, dynamic distribution of the PRAMEL1 protein complexes were observed in the microtubule-based organelles, such as acroplaxome, manchette, and flagellum, as well as in the nuclear envelope and nuclear pore. Dual staining with PRAMEL1 and KIF17B antibodies further revealed that the PRAMEL1 and KIF17B proteins were co-localized in germ granules. CONCLUSION Our IEM data suggest that the PRAMEL1 and PRAMEX1 proteins are not only involved in transcriptional regulation in the nucleus, but may also participate in nucleocytoplasmic transport, and in the formation and function of germ cell-specific organelles during spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Sheng Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health (CRBH), College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 324 Henning Building, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Chen Lu
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health (CRBH), College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 324 Henning Building, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Present Address: Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bhavesh V. Mistry
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health (CRBH), College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 324 Henning Building, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Present Address: Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abbaszadegan MR, Taghehchian N, Aarabi A, Akbari F, Saburi E, Moghbeli M. MAEL as a diagnostic marker for the early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Diagn Pathol 2021; 16:36. [PMID: 33902648 PMCID: PMC8077922 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-021-01098-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies among Iranians and is categorized as adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Various environmental and genetic factors are involved in this malignancy. Despite the recent advances in therapeutic modalities there is still a noticeable mortality rate among such patients which can be related to the late diagnosis. Regarding high ratio of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Iran, therefore it is required to assess molecular biology of ESCC to introduce novel diagnostic markers. In present study we assessed the role of Maelstrom (MAEL) cancer testis gene in biology of ESCC among Iranian patients. Methods Forty-five freshly normal and tumor tissues were enrolled to evaluate the levels of MAEL mRNA expression using Real time polymerase chain reaction. Results MAEL under and over expressions were observed in 12 (26.7%) and 9 (20%) of patients, respectively. MAEL fold changes were ranged between -4.33 to -1.87 (mean SD: -2.90± 0.24) and 1.92 to 7.72 (mean SD: 3.97± 0.69) in under and over expressed cases, respectively. There was a significant association between stage and MAEL expression in which majority of MAEL over expressed tumors (8/9, 88.9%) were in stage I/II (p<0.001). There was also a significant correlation between MAEL expression and depth of invasion in which tumor with T1/2 had higher levels of MAEL expression compared with T3/4 tumors (p=0.017). Moreover, there were significant correlations between MAEL expression, tumor size (p=0.028), and grade (p=0.003) among male patients. Conclusions Our data showed that the MAEL was mainly involved in primary stages of tumor progression and it has a declining expression levels toward the advanced stages and higher depth of tumor invasions. Therefore, MAEL can be efficiently introduced as an early detection marker among Iranian ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Negin Taghehchian
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Azadeh Aarabi
- Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Faride Akbari
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ehsan Saburi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Sabetian S, Zarei M, Jahromi BN, Morowvat MH, Tabei SMB, Cava C. Exploring the dysregulated mRNAs-miRNAs-lncRNAs interactions associated to idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:5956-5964. [PMID: 33499760 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1875879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most clinical problem in case of infertility. About 70% of NOA patients are idiopathic with uncharacterized molecular mechanisms. This study aimed to analyze the possible pathogenic miRNA-target gene interaction and lncRNA-miRNA association involved in NOA. In the current study, differentially expressed (DE) nRNAs, miRNAs and lncRNAs were determined using the microarray dataset and statistical software R. miRNAs-mRNA and miRNA-lncRNA interactions were identified and the base-pair binding between the seed region of miRNAs and complementary nucleotides in 3' UTR of mRNAs were analyzed. The influence of the validated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was described by calculating the minimum free energy (MFE) of the interaction. A total of 74 mRNAs, 14 miRNAs, and 10 lncRNAs were identified to have significant differential expression in testicular tissue between patients and the fertile group. Four of the DE-mRNAs and all of the reported DE-miRNAs were upregulated. In addition, all of the represented DE-lncRNAs were showed to be downregulated. miR-509-5p and miR-27b-3p were found to interact with target gene polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and Cysteine-rich secretory protein2 (CRISP2), respectively. Rs550967205 (A > G) positioned at 3' UTR CRISP2 and rs544604911 (T > C) located at 3' UTR PLK1, with lowest MFE in miRNA-mRNA interaction, were assumed to have possible pathogenic roles linked to spermatogenesis arrest. The results of the study provide new clues to understand the regulatory roles of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of idiopathic azoospermia. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudabeh Sabetian
- Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Zarei
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Bahia Namavar Jahromi
- Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | | | - Claudia Cava
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
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13
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Abbaszadegan MR, Taghehchian N, Aarabi A, Moghbeli M. MAEL Cancer-Testis Antigen as a Diagnostic Marker in Primary Stages of Gastric Cancer with Helicobacter pylori Infection. J Gastrointest Cancer 2020; 51:17-22. [PMID: 30488287 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-018-0183-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths in the world. Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are involved in tumor progression of various cancers. These markers have not any expression or minimally expression in normal tissues, highlighting them as efficient methods for molecular targeted therapy. In the present study, we assessed the role of MAEL as a CTA in biology of GC and risk of Helicobacter Pylori (H pylori) infection. METHODS Levels of MAEL mRNA expression in 80 GC tumor tissues were compared to their corresponding normal margins using the real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS There was a significant correlation between MAEL expression and tumor stage (p = 0.050). There were also significant correlations between MAEL expression and tumor grade (p = 0.015) and depth of invasion (p = 0.030) among the H pylori negative cases. CONCLUSIONS MAEL is probably associated with aggressiveness of primary-stage tumors and can be introduced as an efficient marker for the early detection and also H pylori infected tumors in GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan
- Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Medical Genetics Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Negin Taghehchian
- Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Azadeh Aarabi
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Meysam Moghbeli
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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14
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Hilbold E, Distl O, Hoedemaker M, Wilkening S, Behr R, Rajkovic A, Langeheine M, Rode K, Jung K, Metzger J, Brehm RHJ. Loss of Cx43 in Murine Sertoli Cells Leads to Altered Prepubertal Sertoli Cell Maturation and Impairment of the Mitosis-Meiosis Switch. Cells 2020; 9:E676. [PMID: 32164318 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male factor infertility is a problem in today’s society but many underlying causes are still unknown. The generation of a conditional Sertoli cell (SC)-specific connexin 43 (Cx43) knockout mouse line (SCCx43KO) has provided a translational model. Expression of the gap junction protein Cx43 between adjacent SCs as well as between SCs and germ cells (GCs) is known to be essential for the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis in different species and men. Adult SCCx43KO males show altered spermatogenesis and are infertile. Thus, the present study aims to identify molecular mechanisms leading to testicular alterations in prepubertal SCCx43KO mice. Transcriptome analysis of 8-, 10- and 12-day-old mice was performed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Additionally, candidate genes were examined by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. NGS revealed many significantly differentially expressed genes in the SCCx43KO mice. For example, GC-specific genes were mostly downregulated and found to be involved in meiosis and spermatogonial differentiation (e.g., Dmrtb1, Sohlh1). In contrast, SC-specific genes implicated in SC maturation and proliferation were mostly upregulated (e.g., Amh, Fshr). In conclusion, Cx43 in SCs appears to be required for normal progression of the first wave of spermatogenesis, especially for the mitosis-meiosis switch, and also for the regulation of prepubertal SC maturation.
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15
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Guo W, Yu Q, Zhang M, Li F, Liu Y, Jiang W, Jiang H, Li H. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 511 promotes the progression of osteosarcoma cells through sponging microRNA 618 to upregulate the expression of maelstrom. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:5351-5367. [PMID: 31386627 PMCID: PMC6710040 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a tumor disease that commonly exists among young populations. Our research explored the role of the LINC00511/microRNA-618/MAEL axis in osteosarcoma.Expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in osteosarcoma (OS) tissues were constructed, and LINC00511 expression levels were verified with qRT-PCR. LncRNA-miRNA and miRNA-mRNA interactions were predicted. Validation was performed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Protein expression levels of MAEL were evaluated by Western blot assays. The effects of LINC00511, miR-618 and MAEL on the proliferation, viability, and metastasis of OS cells were detected using colony formation, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assays, respectively. The apoptosis rates of OS cells were investigated using flow cytometry. The tumor-suppressing effect of LINC00511 silencing was also analyzed using a xenograft model in nude mice.LINC00511 overexpression was observed in OS tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of LINC00511 in nude mice inhibited the tumorigenic ability of OS cells. Transfection-induced overexpression of LINC00511 and MAEL, as well as downregulation, highlighted the features of tumor cells, and LINC00511 overexpression reduced apoptosis in vitro.LINC00511 was confirmed to be beneficial for osteosarcoma development via sponging miR-618 and increasing MAEL expression and may thus be considered a potential target for osteosarcoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Guo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Neurology, Taizhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Weiwei Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Haitao Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
| | - Haijun Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People’s Hospital, Jiangsu 225300, China
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16
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Jiang X, Wang X, Zhang X, Xiao Z, Zhang C, Liu X, Xu J, Li D, Shen Y. A homozygous RNF220 mutation leads to male infertility with small-headed sperm. Gene 2019; 688:13-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.11.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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17
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Abstract
The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes has occurred independently many times in different lineages. The differentiation of sex chromosomes leads to dramatic changes in sequence composition and function and guides the evolutionary trajectory and utilization of genes in pivotal sex determination and reproduction roles. In addition, meiotic recombination and pairing mechanisms are key in orchestrating the resultant impact, retention and maintenance of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, as the resulting exposure of unpaired DNA at meiosis triggers ancient repair and checkpoint pathways. In this review, we summarize the different ways in which sex chromosome systems are organized at meiosis, how pairing is affected, and differences in unpaired DNA responses. We hypothesize that lineage specific differences in meiotic organization is not only a consequence of sex chromosome evolution, but that the establishment of epigenetic changes on sex chromosomes contributes toward their evolutionary conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasman Daish
- Comparative Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Frank Grützner
- Comparative Genome Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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18
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Chang TH, Mattei E, Gainetdinov I, Colpan C, Weng Z, Zamore PD. Maelstrom Represses Canonical Polymerase II Transcription within Bi-directional piRNA Clusters in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Cell 2019; 73:291-303.e6. [PMID: 30527661 PMCID: PMC6551610 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.10.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila, 23-30 nt long PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) direct the protein Piwi to silence germline transposon transcription. Most germline piRNAs derive from dual-strand piRNA clusters, heterochromatic transposon graveyards that are transcribed from both genomic strands. These piRNA sources are marked by the heterochromatin protein 1 homolog Rhino (Rhi), which facilitates their promoter-independent transcription, suppresses splicing, and inhibits transcriptional termination. Here, we report that the protein Maelstrom (Mael) represses canonical, promoter-dependent transcription in dual-strand clusters, allowing Rhi to initiate piRNA precursor transcription. Mael also represses promoter-dependent transcription at sites outside clusters. At some loci, Mael repression requires the piRNA pathway, while at others, piRNAs play no role. We propose that by repressing canonical transcription of individual transposon mRNAs, Mael helps Rhi drive non-canonical transcription of piRNA precursors without generating mRNAs encoding transposon proteins.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Argonaute Proteins/genetics
- Argonaute Proteins/metabolism
- Binding Sites
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/genetics
- Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/metabolism
- DNA Transposable Elements
- Drosophila Proteins/genetics
- Drosophila Proteins/metabolism
- Drosophila melanogaster/enzymology
- Drosophila melanogaster/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protein Binding
- RNA Helicases/genetics
- RNA Helicases/metabolism
- RNA Polymerase II/genetics
- RNA Polymerase II/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Small Interfering/biosynthesis
- RNA, Small Interfering/genetics
- Transcription, Genetic
- RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy H Chang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Eugenio Mattei
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ildar Gainetdinov
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Cansu Colpan
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | - Phillip D Zamore
- RNA Therapeutics Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Worcester, MA, USA.
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19
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Gomes Fernandes M, He N, Wang F, Van Iperen L, Eguizabal C, Matorras R, Roelen BAJ, Chuva De Sousa Lopes SM. Human-specific subcellular compartmentalization of P-element induced wimpy testis-like (PIWIL) granules during germ cell development and spermatogenesis. Hum Reprod 2019; 33:258-269. [PMID: 29237021 PMCID: PMC5850288 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dex365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the dynamics of expression of P-element induced wimpy testis-like (PIWIL) proteins in the germline during human fetal development and spermatogenesis? SUMMARY ANSWER PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PIWIL3 and PIWIL4 were expressed in a sex-specific fashion in human germ cells (GC) during development and adulthood. PIWILs showed a mutually exclusive pattern of subcellular localization. PIWILs were present in the intermitochondrial cement and a single large granule in meiotic GC and their expression was different from that observed in mice, highlighting species-differences. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In mice, PIWIL proteins play prominent roles in male infertility. PIWIL mouse mutants show either post-meiotic arrest at the round spermatid stage (PIWIL1) or arrest at the zygotene-pachytene stage of meiosis I (PIWIL2 and PIWIL4) in males, while females remain fertile. Recent studies have reported a robust piRNA pool in human fetal ovary. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This is a qualitative analysis of PIWILs expression in paraffin-embedded fetal human male (N = 8), female gonads (N = 6) and adult testes (N = 5), and bioinformatics analysis of online available single-cell transcriptomics data of human fetal germ cells (n = 242). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Human fetal gonads from elective abortion without medical indication and adult testes biopsies were donated for research with informed consent. Samples were fixed, paraffin-embedded and analyzed by immunofluorescence to study the temporal and cellular localization of PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PIWIL3 and PIWIL4. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE PIWIL1, PIWIL2 and PIWIL4 showed a mutually exclusive pattern of subcellular localization, particularly in female oocytes. To our surprise, PIWIL1 immunostaining revealed the presence of a single dense paranuclear body, resembling the chromatoid body of haploid spermatocytes, in meiotic oocytes. Moreover, in contrast to mice, PIWIL4, but not PIWIL2, localized to the intermitochondrial cement. PIWIL3 was not expressed in GC during development. The upregulation of PIWIL transcripts correlated with the transcription of markers associated with piRNAs biogenesis like the TDRDs and HENMT1 in fetal GC. LARGE SCALE DATA Non-applicable. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This study is limited by the restricted number of samples and consequently stages analyzed. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In the germline, PIWILs ensure the integrity of the human genome protecting it from ‘parasitic sequences’. This study offers novel insights on the expression dynamics of PIWILs during the window of epigenetic remodeling and meiosis, and highlights important differences between humans and mice, which may prove particularly important to understand causes of infertility and improve both diagnosis and treatment in humans. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) M.G.F. was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) [SFRH/BD/78689/2011]; N.H. by China Scholarship Council (CSC) [No. 201307040026] and F.W. by Medical Personnel Training Abroad Project of Henan Province [No. 2015022] and S.M.C.d.S.L. by the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research (NWO) [ASPASIA 015.007.037] and the Interuniversity Attraction Poles-Phase VII [IUAP/PAI P7/14]. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gomes Fernandes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, Leiden2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Nannan He
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, Leiden2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, Leiden 2333 ZC, The Netherlands.,Reproductive Medical Centre, First Affiliated Hospital Zhengzhou University, No.1 Jianshe east road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Liesbeth Van Iperen
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, Leiden2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina Eguizabal
- Cell Therapy and Stem Cells Group, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao 48960, Spain
| | - Roberto Matorras
- Human Reproduction Unit, Cruces University Hospital, University of the Basque Country, Plaza de Cruces s/n, Barakaldo 48903, Spain
| | - Bernard A J Roelen
- Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 104, Utrecht3584 CM, The Netherlands
| | - Susana M Chuva De Sousa Lopes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, Leiden 2333 ZC, The Netherlands.,Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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20
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Cheng YS, Wee SK, Lin TY, Lin YM. MAEL promoter hypermethylation is associated with de-repression of LINE-1 in human hypospermatogenesis. Hum Reprod 2018; 32:2373-2381. [PMID: 29095993 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dex329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does the hypermethylation of the maelstrom spermatogenic transposon silencer (MAEL) promoter and subsequent de-repression of transposable elements represent one of the causes of spermatogenic failure in infertile men? SUMMARY ANSWER Experimental hypermethylation of a specific region (-131 to +177) of the MAEL promoter leads to decreased expression of MAEL with increased expression of the transposable element LINE-1 (L1) and in infertile men methylation of the MAEL promoter is associated with the severity of spermatogenic failure. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY MAEL induces transposon repression in the male germline and is required for mammalian meiotic progression and post-meiotic spermiogenesis. Patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), defined as no sperm in the ejaculate due to spermatogenic failure, and histopathologically proven hypospermatogenesis (HS) is not uncommon and its etiology is largely unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Luciferase reporter assay and a targeted DNA methylation model were used to explore the effects of hypermethylation of MAEL promoter on gene expression. Germ cell-enriched testicular cells from infertile patients were used to determine the methylation levels of MAEL and expressions of MAEL and L1. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Twenty-six patients with histopathologically proven NOA and HS and 12 patients with obstructive azoospermia and normal spermatogenesis (NS) were enrolled in this study. Demographic and clinical information were obtained. The severity of HS was determined by a spermatogenic scoring system. The methylation levels of 26 CpGs in the MAEL promoter was measured, and quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to determine the expressional levels of MAEL and L1. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Targeted DNA methylation of MAEL promoter suppressed MAEL expression and de-repressed L1 activity in vitro. Patients with HS had significantly higher mean methylation levels of 26 consecutive CpGs in the MAEL promoter, compared to patients with NS. The MAEL methylation levels were negatively correlated with MAEL transcript levels and higher methylation level of MAEL was associated with severe spermatogenic defect. L1 transcript level was significantly higher in patients with HS. No differences in age, frequency of testicular insults and genetic anomalies was noted between patients with high or low MAEL methylation levels. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Because of the difficulty in the use of human germ cells for study, the in vitro targeted DNA methylation model was performed by using human NCI-H358 cells to explore the effects of MAEL methylation on transposable elements activity. Because the germ cell-enriched testicular cells isolated from a testicular sample were relatively few, the purity of cell populations was not determined. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Measurement of the methylation level of MAEL gene may be feasible to predict the severity of spermatogenic failure or the outcome of testicular sperm retrieval. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This work was supported through grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (100-2314-B-006-017) and National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (NCKUH 20120266). The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sheng Cheng
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shi-Kae Wee
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yen Lin
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Ming Lin
- Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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21
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Ashraf NU, Altaf M. Epigenetics: An emerging field in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res 2018; 778:1-12. [PMID: 30454678 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health concern associated with increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, insulin resistance, liver disease, and malignancy. The molecular mechanism underlying these processes is not fully understood but involves hepatic fat accumulation and alteration of energy metabolism and inflammatory signals derived from various cell types including immune cells. During the last two decades, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as important regulators of chromatin alteration and the reprogramming of gene expression. Recently, epigenetic mechanisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) genesis. Epigenetic mechanisms could be used as potential therapeutic targets and as noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD. These mechanisms can determine disease progression and prognosis in NAFLD. In this review, we discuss the role of epigenetic mechanisms in the progression of NAFLD and potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nissar U Ashraf
- Chromatin and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190006, India
| | - Mohammad Altaf
- Chromatin and Epigenetics Lab, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190006, India.
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22
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Kim SH, Park ER, Cho E, Jung WH, Jeon JY, Joo HY, Lee KH, Shin HJ. Mael is essential for cancer cell survival and tumorigenesis through protection of genetic integrity. Oncotarget 2018; 8:5026-5037. [PMID: 27926513 PMCID: PMC5354889 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ line-specific genes are activated in somatic cells during tumorigenesis, and are accordingly referred to as cancer germline genes. Such genes that act on piRNA (Piwi-interacting RNA) processing play an important role in the progression of cancer cells. Here, we show that the spermatogenic transposon silencer maelstrom (Mael), a piRNA-processing factor, is required for malignant transformation and survival of cancer cells. A specific Mael isoform was distinctively overexpressed in diverse human cancer cell lines and its depletion resulted in cancer-specific cell death, characterized by apoptosis and senescence, accompanied by an increase in reactive oxygen-species and DNA damage. These biochemical changes and death phenotypes induced by Mael depletion were dependent on ATM. Interestingly Mael was essential for Myc/Ras-induced transformation, and its overexpression inhibited Ras-induced senescence. In addition, Mael repressed retrotransposon activity in cancer cells. These results suggest that Mael depletion induces ATM-dependent DNA damage, consequently leading to cell death specifically in cancer cells. Moreover, Mael possesses oncogenic potential that can protect against genetic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Hyeon Kim
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Ran Park
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Eugene Cho
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Hee Jung
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Yeon Jeon
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Yoo Joo
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee-Ho Lee
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Jin Shin
- Division of Radiation Cancer Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea
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Zhang X, Ning Y, Xiao Y, Duan H, Qu G, Liu X, Du Y, Jiang D, Zhou J. MAEL contributes to gastric cancer progression by promoting ILKAP degradation. Oncotarget 2017; 8:113331-113344. [PMID: 29371914 PMCID: PMC5768331 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cancer-testis gene MAEL is involved in the development and progression of bladder, liver and colorectal cancers. However, its role in other cancers is unclear. By systematically analyzing transcriptomics and genomics data from various cancer databases, we identified that the MAEL gene is aberrantly elevated in gastric cancer (GC) tissues and that its expression is strongly negatively correlated with DNA methylation (Pearson's correlation coefficient = −0.675). Survival analysis revealed that MAEL expression may serve as a prognostic marker for GC patients (overall survival: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.54, p = 1.2E-4; first progression: HR = 1.51, p = 8.7E-4). In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that silencing MAEL expression in the GC cell lines HGC-27 and AGS inhibits proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion and growth of xenograft tumors, whereas MAEL overexpression exerts the opposite effects in the normal gastric cell line GES-1. Mechanistically, MAEL promotes the lysosome-dependent degradation of the protein phosphatase ILKAP, leading to increased phosphorylation of its substrates (p38, CHK1 and RSK2). Moreover, adenovirus-mediated ILKAP overexpression reversed the oncogenic effects of MAEL in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these results indicate that MAEL exerts its oncogenic function by promoting ILKAP degradation in the GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of The Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Yichong Ning
- Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of The Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Yuzhong Xiao
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Huaxin Duan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410005, Hunan, China
| | - Guifang Qu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410005, Hunan, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of The Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Yan Du
- Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of The Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
| | - Dejian Jiang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamics and Safety Evaluation of New Drugs, Changsha 410331, Hunan, China
| | - Jianlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of The Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China
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Cheng YS, Lu CW, Lin TY, Lin PY, Lin YM. Causes and Clinical Features of Infertile Men With Nonobstructive Azoospermia and Histopathologic Diagnosis of Hypospermatogenesis. Urology 2017; 105:62-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2017.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Tarabay Y, Achour M, Teletin M, Ye T, Teissandier A, Mark M, Bourc'his D, Viville S. Tex19 paralogs are new members of the piRNA pathway controlling retrotransposon suppression. J Cell Sci 2017; 130:1463-1474. [PMID: 28254886 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.188763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tex19 genes are mammalian specific and duplicated to give Tex19.1 and Tex19.2 in some species, such as the mouse and rat. It has been demonstrated that mutant Tex19.1 males display a variable degree of infertility whereas they all upregulate MMERVK10C transposons in their germ line. In order to study the function of both paralogs in the mouse, we generated and studied Tex19 double knockout (Tex19DKO) mutant mice. Adult Tex19DKO males exhibited a fully penetrant phenotype, similar to the most severe phenotype observed in the single Tex19.1KO mice, with small testes and impaired spermatogenesis, defects in meiotic chromosome synapsis, persistence of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis, lack of post-meiotic germ cells and upregulation of MMERVK10C expression. The phenotypic similarities to mice with knockouts in the Piwi family genes prompted us to check and then demonstrate, by immunoprecipitation and GST pulldown followed by mass spectrometry analyses, that TEX19 paralogs interact with PIWI proteins and the TEX19 VPTEL domain directly binds Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in adult testes. We therefore identified two new members of the postnatal piRNA pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara Tarabay
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France
| | - Mayada Achour
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France
| | - Marius Teletin
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France.,Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Tao Ye
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France
| | - Aurélie Teissandier
- Institut Curie, department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Manuel Mark
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France.,Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Déborah Bourc'his
- Institut Curie, department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Viville
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964/Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 1704/Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch 67404, France .,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Strasbourg 67000, France
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Li Q, Wei P, Huang B, Xu Y, Li X, Li Y, Cai S, Li D. MAEL expression links epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stem cell properties in colorectal cancer. Int J Cancer 2016; 139:2502-11. [PMID: 27537253 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
MAEL plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and preventing their mobilisation, however, its role on cancers is unclear. In this study, MAEL expression was analysed in a tissue microarray containing 185 samples of primary colon cancer tumor samples and human colon cancer cell lines. The effect of MAEL on cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug resistance was examined in vitro and in vivo. Immunoprecipitation assay, confocal immunofluorescent analysis and luciferase assay were used for mechanism study. As results, MAEL was significantly upregulated in colon cancer patient tissue samples, and elevated MAEL protein levels positively correlated with overall survival and disease free survival of colon cancer patients. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrated that MAEL expression was correlated with cell proliferation, invasion and drug resistance of colon cancer cells by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stemness characteristics. Mechanistically, our study demonstrated that MAEL interacts with Snail and inhibit E-cadherin promoter activity. Collectively, MAEL is an oncogene that plays an important role in the development and progression of colon cancer, which may be a novel potential therapeutic target for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingguo Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ben Huang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ye Xu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xinxiang Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yaqi Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sanjun Cai
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Dawei Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Kleene KC. Position-dependent interactions of Y-box protein 2 (YBX2) with mRNA enable mRNA storage in round spermatids by repressing mRNA translation and blocking translation-dependent mRNA decay. Mol Reprod Dev 2016; 83:190-207. [PMID: 26773323 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many mRNAs encoding proteins needed for the construction of the specialized organelles of spermatozoa are stored as translationally repressed, free messenger ribonucleoproteins in round spermatids, to be actively translated in elongating and elongated spermatids. The factors that repress translation in round spermatids, however, have been elusive. Two lines of evidence implicate the highly abundant and well-known translational repressor, Y-box protein 2 (YBX2), as a critical factor: First, protamine 1 (Prm1) and sperm-mitochondria cysteine-rich protein (Smcp) mRNAs are prematurely recruited onto polysomes in Ybx2-knockout mouse round spermatids. Second, mutations in 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) cis-elements that abrogate YBX2 binding activate translation of Prm1 and Smcp mRNAs in round spermatids of transgenic mice. The abundance of YBX2 and its affinity for variable sequences, however, raise questions of how YBX2 targets specific mRNAs for repression. Mutations to the Prm1 and Smcp mRNAs in transgenic mice reveal that strong repression in round spermatids requires YBX2 binding sites located near the 3' ends of their 3'UTRs as locating the same sites in upstream positions produce negligible repression. This location-dependence implies that the assembly of repressive complexes is nucleated by adjacent cis-elements that enable cooperative interactions of YBX2 with co-factors. The available data suggest that, in vertebrates, YBX2 has the important role of coordinating the storage of translationally repressed mRNAs in round spermatids by inhibiting translational activity and the degradation of transcripts via translation-dependent deadenylation. These insights should facilitiate future experiments designed to unravel how YBX2 targets mRNAs for repression in round spermatids and how mutations in the YBX2 gene cause infertility in humans. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 190-207, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth C Kleene
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
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28
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Viera A, Parra MT, Rufas JS, Page J. Transcription reactivation during the first meiotic prophase in bugs is not dependent on synapsis. Chromosoma 2016; 126:179-194. [DOI: 10.1007/s00412-016-0577-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Kobayashi H, Tomari Y. RISC assembly: Coordination between small RNAs and Argonaute proteins. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 2016; 1859:71-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Andraszek K, Gryzińska M, Ceranka M, Larisch A. Structure of nucleoli in first-order spermatocytes of selected free-living animal species. Anim Reprod Sci 2015; 161:16-22. [PMID: 26304750 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Nucleoli are the product of the activity of nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) in certain chromosomes. Their main functions are the formation of ribosomal subunits from ribosomal protein molecules and the transcription of genes encoding rRNA. Nucleoli are present in the nuclei of nearly all eukaryotic cells because they contain housekeeping genes. The size and number of nucleoli gradually decrease during spermatogenesis. Some of the material originating in the nucleolus probably migrates to the cytoplasm and takes part in the formation of chromatoid bodies (CB). Nucleolus fragmentation and CB assembly take place at the same stage of spermatogenesis. CB are involved in the formation of the acrosome, the migration of mitochondria to the midpiece, and the formation of the sperm tail fibrous sheath. The aim of the study was to characterize the nucleoli in the early prophase of spermatogenesis in the wild boar and the roe deer. The roe deer cells have larger nucleoli and a larger cell nucleus than the wild boar cells. The area of the nucleolus as a percentage of the total area of the nucleus was larger as well. The coefficients of variation for all parameters were higher in the roe deer. In the wild boar cells the nucleoli were mainly regularly shaped. The size of the nucleolus and the nucleus of the spermatocyte is a species-specific trait associated with karyotype and the number of nucleolar organizer regions in a given species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Andraszek
- Department of Animal Genetics and Horse Breeding, Institute of Bioengineering and Animal Breeding, University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, 14 Prusa Str, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Gryzińska
- Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Mariola Ceranka
- Department of Animal Genetics and Horse Breeding, Institute of Bioengineering and Animal Breeding, University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, 14 Prusa Str, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Larisch
- Department of Animal Genetics and Horse Breeding, Institute of Bioengineering and Animal Breeding, University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, 14 Prusa Str, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
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Matsumoto N, Sato K, Nishimasu H, Namba Y, Miyakubi K, Dohmae N, Ishitani R, Siomi H, Siomi MC, Nureki O. Crystal Structure and Activity of the Endoribonuclease Domain of the piRNA Pathway Factor Maelstrom. Cell Rep 2015; 11:366-75. [PMID: 25865890 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) protect the genome from transposons in animal gonads. Maelstrom (Mael) is an evolutionarily conserved protein, composed of a high-mobility group (HMG) domain and a MAEL domain, and is essential for piRNA-mediated transcriptional transposon silencing in various species, such as Drosophila and mice. However, its structure and biochemical function have remained elusive. Here, we report the crystal structure of the MAEL domain from Drosophila melanogaster Mael, at 1.6 Å resolution. The structure reveals that the MAEL domain has an RNase H-like fold but lacks canonical catalytic residues conserved among RNase H-like superfamily nucleases. Our biochemical analyses reveal that the MAEL domain exhibits single-stranded RNA (ssRNA)-specific endonuclease activity. Our cell-based analyses further indicate that ssRNA cleavage activity appears dispensable for piRNA-mediated transcriptional transposon silencing in Drosophila. Our findings provide clues toward understanding the multiple roles of Mael in the piRNA pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Matsumoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Kaoru Sato
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimasu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan; JST, PRESTO, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yurika Namba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Kana Miyakubi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Naoshi Dohmae
- Biomolecular Characterization Team and CREST/JST, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Ishitani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Siomi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Mikiko C Siomi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
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Sato K, Siomi MC. Functional and structural insights into the piRNA factor Maelstrom. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:1688-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Castañeda J, Genzor P, van der Heijden GW, Sarkeshik A, Yates JR, Ingolia NT, Bortvin A. Reduced pachytene piRNAs and translation underlie spermiogenic arrest in Maelstrom mutant mice. EMBO J 2014; 33:1999-2019. [PMID: 25063675 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201386855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pachytene piRNAs are a class of Piwi-interacting small RNAs abundant in spermatids of the adult mouse testis. They are processed from piRNA primary transcripts by a poorly understood mechanism and, unlike fetal transposon-derived piRNAs, lack complementary targets in the spermatid transcriptome. We report that immunopurified complexes of a conserved piRNA pathway protein Maelstrom (MAEL) are enriched in MIWI (Piwi partner of pachytene piRNAs), Tudor-domain proteins and processing intermediates of pachytene piRNA primary transcripts. We provide evidence of functional significance of these complexes in Mael129 knockout mice that exhibit spermiogenic arrest with acrosome and flagellum malformation. Mael129-null mutant testes possess low levels of piRNAs derived from MAEL-associated piRNA precursors and exhibit reduced translation of numerous spermiogenic mRNAs including those encoding acrosome and flagellum proteins. These translation defects in haploid round spermatids are likely indirect, as neither MAEL nor piRNA precursors associate with polyribosomes, and they may arise from an imbalance between pachytene piRNAs and MIWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Castañeda
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pavol Genzor
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Ali Sarkeshik
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas T Ingolia
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alex Bortvin
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Gou LT, Dai P, Liu MF. Small noncoding RNAs and male infertility. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA 2014; 5:733-45. [PMID: 25044449 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a novel class of gene regulators that modulate gene expression at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels, and they play crucial roles in almost all cellular processes in eukaryotes. Recent studies have indicated that several types of small noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), endo-small interference RNAs (endo-siRNAs), and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), are expressed in the male germline and are required for spermatogenesis in animals. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge of these small noncoding RNAs in male germ cells and their biological functions and mechanisms of action in animal spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Tao Gou
- Center for RNA Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Abstract
PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a complex class of small non-coding RNAs that are mostly 24-32 nucleotides in length and composed of at least hundreds of thousands of species that specifically interact with the PIWI protein subfamily of the ARGONAUTE family. Recent studies revealed that PIWI proteins interact with a number of proteins, especially the TUDOR-domain-containing proteins, to regulate piRNA biogenesis and regulatory function. Current research also provides evidence that PIWI proteins and piRNAs are not only crucial for transposon silencing in the germline, but also mediate novel mechanisms of epigenetic programming, DNA rearrangements, mRNA turnover, and translational control both in the germline and in the soma. These new discoveries begin to reveal an exciting new dimension of gene regulation in the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsueh-Yen Ku
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Haifan Lin
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Abstract
Early screening for colon cancer (CC) allows for early stage diagnosis of the malignancy and potentially reduces disease mortality as the cancer is most likely curable at its earliest stages. Early detection would be desirable if accurate, practical and cost-effective diagnostic measures for this cancer were available. Mortality and morbidity from CC represent a major health problem involving a malignant disease that is theoretically preventable through screening. Current screening methods (e.g., the convenient and inexpensive immunological fecal occult blood test, FOBTi, obtained from patients' medical records) either lack sensitivity and require dietary restriction, which impedes compliance and use; are costly (e.g., colonoscopy), which decreases compliance; or could result in mortality. In comparison with the FOBT test, a non-invasive sensitive screen for which there is no requirement for dietary restriction would be a more convenient test. Colorectal cancer is the only cancer for which colonoscopy is recommended as a screening method. Although colonoscopy is a reliable screening tool, the invasive nature, abdominal pain, potential complications and high cost have hampered the application of this procedure worldwide. A screening approach using the stable miRNA molecules, which are relatively non-degradable when extracted from non-invasive stool and semi-invasive blood samples by commercially available kits and manipulated thereafter, would be preferable to a transcriptomic mRNA-, a mutation DNA-, an epigenetic- or a proteomic-based test. The approach uses reverse transcriptase, modified real-time quantitative PCR. Although exosomal RNA would be missed, using a restricted extraction of total RNA from stool or blood, a parallel test could also be carried out on RNA obtained from stool or plasma samples, and appropriate corrections for exsosomal loss can be made for accurate and quantitative test result. Eventually, a chip can be developed to facilitate diagnosis, as has been done for the quantification of genetically modified organisms in foods. The gold standard to which the molecular miRNA test is compared is colonoscopy, which can be obtained from patients' medical records. If performance criteria are met, as detailed herein, a miRNA test in human stool or blood samples based on high-throughput automated technologies and quantitative expression measurements commonly used in the diagnostic clinical laboratory should be advanced to the clinical setting, which will make a significant impact on CC prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farid E Ahmed
- Institute for Research in Biotechnology, GEM Tox Labs, 2607 Calvin Way, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
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Liu L, Dai Y, Chen J, Zeng T, Li Y, Chen L, Zhu YH, Li J, Li Y, Ma S, Xie D, Yuan YF, Guan XY. Maelstrom promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition by way of Akt/GSK-3β/Snail signaling. Hepatology 2014; 59:531-43. [PMID: 23929794 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Amplification of 1q is one of the most frequent chromosomal alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study we identified and characterized a novel oncogene, Maelstrom (MAEL), at 1q24. Amplification and overexpression of MAEL was frequently detected in HCCs and significantly associated with HCC recurrence (P = 0.031) and poor outcome (P = 0.001). Functional study demonstrated that MAEL promoted cell growth, cell migration, and tumor formation in nude mice, all of which were effectively inhibited when MAEL was silenced with short hairpin RNA (shRNAs). Further study found that MAEL enhanced AKT activity with subsequent GSK-3β phosphorylation and Snail stabilization, finally inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. In addition, MAEL up-regulated various stemness-related genes, multidrug resistance genes, and cancer stem cell (CSC) surface markers at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level. Functional study demonstrated that overexpression of MAEL increased self-renewal, chemoresistance, and tumor metastasis. CONCLUSION MAEL is an oncogene that plays an important role in the development and progression of HCC by inducing EMT and enhancing the stemness of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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Lim SL, Tsend-Ayush E, Kortschak RD, Jacob R, Ricciardelli C, Oehler MK, Grützner F. Conservation and expression of PIWI-interacting RNA pathway genes in male and female adult gonad of amniotes. Biol Reprod 2013; 89:136. [PMID: 24108303 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.113.111211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is essential for germline development and transposable element repression. Key elements of this pathway are members of the piRNA-binding PIWI/Argonaute protein family and associated factors (e.g., VASA, MAELSTROM, and TUDOR domain proteins). PIWI-interacting RNAs have been identified in mouse testis and oocytes, but information about the expression of the different piRNA pathway genes, in particular in the mammalian ovary, remains incomplete. We investigated the evolution and expression of piRNA pathway genes in gonads of amniote species (chicken, platypus, and mouse). Database searches confirm a high level of conservation and revealed lineage-specific gain and loss of Piwi genes in vertebrates. Expression analysis in mammals shows that orthologs of Piwi-like (Piwil) genes, Mael (Maelstrom), Mvh (mouse vasa homolog), and Tdrd1 (Tudor domain-containing protein 1) are expressed in platypus adult testis. In contrast to mouse, Piwil4 is expressed in platypus and human adult testis. We found evidence for Mael and Piwil2 expression in mouse Sertoli cells. Importantly, we show mRNA expression of Piwil2, Piwil4, and Mael in oocytes and supporting cells of human, mouse, and platypus ovary. We found no Piwil1 expression in mouse and chicken ovary. The conservation of gene expression in somatic parts of the gonad and germ cells of species that diverged over 800 million yr ago indicates an important role in adult male and female gonad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Ly Lim
- The Robinson Institute, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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YUAN LIQIN, XIAO YUZHONG, ZHOU QIUZHI, YUAN DONGMEI, WU BAIPING, CHEN GANNONG, ZHOU JIANLIN. Proteomic analysis reveals that MAEL, a component of nuage, interacts with stress granule proteins in cancer cells. Oncol Rep 2013; 31:342-50. [DOI: 10.3892/or.2013.2836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Saxe JP, Chen M, Zhao H, Lin H. Tdrkh is essential for spermatogenesis and participates in primary piRNA biogenesis in the germline. EMBO J 2013; 32:1869-85. [PMID: 23714778 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2013.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2012] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Piwi proteins and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) repress transposition, regulate translation, and guide epigenetic programming in the germline. Here, we show that an evolutionarily conserved Tudor and KH domain-containing protein, Tdrkh (a.k.a. Tdrd2), is required for spermatogenesis and involved in piRNA biogenesis. Tdrkh partners with Miwi and Miwi2 via symmetrically dimethylated arginine residues in Miwi and Miwi2. Tdrkh is a mitochondrial protein often juxtaposed to pi-bodies and piP-bodies and is required for Tdrd1 cytoplasmic localization and Miwi2 nuclear localization. Tdrkh mutants display meiotic arrest at the zygotene stage, attenuate methylation of Line1 DNA, and upregulate Line1 RNA and protein, without inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, Tdrkh mutants have severely reduced levels of mature piRNAs but accumulate a distinct population of 1'U-containing, 2'O-methylated 31-37 nt RNAs that largely complement the missing mature piRNAs. Our results demonstrate that the primary piRNA biogenesis pathway involves 3'→5' processing of 31-37 nt intermediates and that Tdrkh promotes this final step of piRNA biogenesis but not the ping-pong cycle. These results shed light on mechanisms underlying primary piRNA biogenesis, an area in which information is conspicuously absent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Saxe
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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Hussain S, Tuorto F, Menon S, Blanco S, Cox C, Flores JV, Watt S, Kudo NR, Lyko F, Frye M. The mouse cytosine-5 RNA methyltransferase NSun2 is a component of the chromatoid body and required for testis differentiation. Mol Cell Biol 2013; 33:1561-70. [PMID: 23401851 PMCID: PMC3624257 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.01523-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms are crucial for protein synthesis during spermatogenesis and are often organized by the chromatoid body. Here, we identify the RNA methyltransferase NSun2 as a novel component of the chromatoid body and, further, show that NSun2 is essential for germ cell differentiation in the mouse testis. In NSun2-depleted testes, genes encoding Ddx4, Miwi, and Tudor domain-containing (Tdr) proteins are repressed, indicating that RNA-processing and posttranscriptional pathways are impaired. Loss of NSun2 specifically blocked meiotic progression of germ cells into the pachytene stage, as spermatogonial and Sertoli cells were unaffected in knockout mice. We observed the same phenotype when we simultaneously deleted NSun2 and Dnmt2, the only other cytosine-5 RNA methyltransferase characterized to date, indicating that Dnmt2 was not functionally redundant with NSun2 in spermatogonial stem cells or Sertoli cells. Specific NSun2- and Dnmt2-methylated tRNAs decreased in abundance when both methyltransferases were deleted, suggesting that RNA methylation pathways play an essential role in male germ cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobbir Hussain
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Tuorto
- Division of Epigenetics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Suraj Menon
- CR-UK Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Blanco
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Cox
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Joana V. Flores
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Watt
- CR-UK Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nobuaki R. Kudo
- IRDB, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Lyko
- Division of Epigenetics, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Frye
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Takebe M, Onohara Y, Yokota S. Expression of MAEL in nuage and non-nuage compartments of rat spermatogenic cells and colocalization with DDX4, DDX25 and MIWI. Histochem Cell Biol 2013; 140:169-81. [PMID: 23412502 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-012-1067-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The functions of MAELSTROM protein (MAEL) in spermatogenesis are gradually being identified but the precise distribution of MAEL in spermatogenic cells during spermatogenesis has not yet been mapped. We studied the expression of MAEL in rat testis by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM). Immunofluorescence staining showed that MAEL was localized in intermitochondrial cement, irregularly-shaped perinuclear granules and satellite bodies of pachytene spermatocytes, and in chromatoid bodies of spermatids. The SBs appeared exclusively in pachytene spermatocytes at stages IX-X and were stained strongly for MAEL. In step 12-19 spermatids, many granules stained for MAEL but not DDX4. These granules were confirmed to be non-nuage structures, including mitochondria-associated granules, reticulated body, granulated body by IEM. In the neck region of late spermatids and sperm, MAEL-positive small granules were found. MAEL is colocalized with MIWI in nuage and non-nuage. The results suggest that MAEL seems to function in nuage and non-nuage structures and interacts with MIWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Takebe
- Division of Functional Morphology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
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Bahena I, Xu E, Betancourt M, Casas E, Ducolomb Y, González C, Bonilla E. Role of Mael in early oogenesis and during germ-cell differentiation from embryonic stem cells in mice in vitro. ZYGOTE 2014; 22:513-20. [DOI: 10.1017/s0967199412000743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SummaryIn a previous study, we have identified a set of conserved spermatogenic genes whose expression is restricted to testis and ovary and that are developmentally regulated. One of these genes, the transcription factor Mael, has been reported to play an essential role in mouse spermatogenesis. Nevertheless, the role of Mael in mouse oogenesis has not been defined. In order to analyse the role of Mael in mouse oogenesis, the expression of this gene was blocked during early oogenesis in mouse in vitro using RNAi technology. In addition, the role of Mael during differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESC) into germ cells in vitro was analysed. Results show that downregulation of Mael by a specific short interfering RNA disrupted fetal oocyte growth and differentiation in fetal ovary explants in culture and the expression of several germ-cell markers in ESC during their differentiation. These results suggest that there is an important role for Mael in early oogenesis and during germ-cell differentiation from embryonic stem cells in mouse in vitro.
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Abstract
MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNA regulatory molecules that control gene expression by guiding associated effector complexes to other RNAs via sequence-specific recognition of target sites. Misregulation of microRNAs leads to a wide range of diseases including cancers, inflammatory and developmental disorders. MicroRNAs were found to mediate deadenylation-dependent decay and translational repression of messages through partially complementary microRNA target sites in the 3'-UTR (untranslated region). A growing series of studies has demonstrated that microRNAs and their associated complexes (microRNPs) elicit alternate functions that enable stimulation of gene expression in addition to their assigned repressive roles. These reports, discussed in this chapter, indicate that microRNA-mediated effects via natural 3' and 5'-UTRs can be selective and controlled, dictated by the RNA sequence context, associated complex, and cellular conditions. Similar to the effects of repression, upregulated gene expression by microRNAs varies from small refinements to significant amplifications in expression. An emerging theme from this literature is that microRNAs have a versatile range of abilities to manipulate post-transcriptional control mechanisms leading to controlled gene expression. These studies reveal new potentials for microRNPs in gene expression control that develop as responses to specific cellular conditions.
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Abstract
In Drosophila, Maelstrom is a conserved component of the perinuclear nuage, a germline-unique structure that appears to serve as a site for Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) production to repress deleterious transposons. Maelstrom also functions in the nucleus as a transcriptional regulator to repress the expression of microRNA-7, a process that is essential for the proper differentiation of germline stem cells. In this paper, we report another function of Maelstrom in regulating oocyte determination independently of its transposon silencing and germline stem cell differentiation activities. In Drosophila, the conserved serine 138 residue in Maelstrom is required for its phosphorylation, an event that promotes oocyte determination. Phosphorylation of Maelstrom is required for the repression of the pachytene checkpoint protein Sir2, but not for transposon silencing or for germline stem cell differentiation. We identify Polo as a kinase that mediates the phosphorylation of Maelstrom. Our results suggest that the Polo-mediated phosphorylation of Maelstrom may be a mechanism that controls oocyte determination by inactivating the pachytene checkpoint via the repression of Sir2 in Drosophila ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wei Pek
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Bing Fu Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Toshie Kai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
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Gao M, Arkov AL. Next generation organelles: structure and role of germ granules in the germline. Mol Reprod Dev 2012; 80:610-23. [PMID: 23011946 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Germ cells belong to a unique class of stem cells that gives rise to eggs and sperm, and ultimately to an entire organism after gamete fusion. In many organisms, germ cells contain electron-dense structures that are also known as nuage or germ granules. Although germ granules were discovered more than 100 years ago, their composition, structure, assembly, and function are not fully understood. Germ granules contain non-coding RNAs, mRNAs, and proteins required for germline development. Here we review recent studies that highlight the importance of several protein families in germ granule assembly and function, including germ granule inducers, which initiate the granule formation, and downstream components, such as RNA helicases and Tudor domain-Piwi protein-piRNA complexes. Assembly of these components into one granule is likely to result in a highly efficient molecular machine that ensures translational control and protects germline DNA from mutations caused by mobile genetic elements. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that different somatic cells, including stem cells and neurons, produce germ granule components that play a crucial role in stem cell maintenance and memory formation, indicating a much more diverse functional repertoire for these organelles than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Gao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky 42071, USA
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Liao HF, Tai KY, Chen WSC, Cheng LCW, Ho HN, Lin SP. Functions of DNA methyltransferase 3-like in germ cells and beyond. Biol Cell 2012; 104:571-87. [PMID: 22671959 DOI: 10.1111/boc.201100109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methyltransferase 3-like (DNMT3L) is one of the key players in de novo DNA methylation of imprinting control elements and retrotransposons, which occurs after genome-wide epigenetic erasure during germ cell development. In this review, we summarise the biochemical properties of DNMT3L and discuss the possible mechanisms behind DNMT3L-mediated imprinting establishment and retrotransposon silencing in germ cells. We also discuss possible connections between DNMT3L and non-coding RNA-mediated epigenetic remodelling, the roles of DNMT3L in germ cell development and the implications in stem cell and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Fu Liao
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Michalopoulos I, Pavlopoulos GA, Malatras A, Karelas A, Kostadima MA, Schneider R, Kossida S. Human gene correlation analysis (HGCA): a tool for the identification of transcriptionally co-expressed genes. BMC Res Notes 2012; 5:265. [PMID: 22672625 PMCID: PMC3441226 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bioinformatics and high-throughput technologies such as microarray studies allow the measure of the expression levels of large numbers of genes simultaneously, thus helping us to understand the molecular mechanisms of various biological processes in a cell. Findings We calculate the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r-value) between probe set signal values from Affymetrix Human Genome Microarray samples and cluster the human genes according to the r-value correlation matrix using the Neighbour Joining (NJ) clustering method. A hyper-geometric distribution is applied on the text annotations of the probe sets to quantify the term overrepresentations. The aim of the tool is the identification of closely correlated genes for a given gene of interest and/or the prediction of its biological function, which is based on the annotations of the respective gene cluster. Conclusion Human Gene Correlation Analysis (HGCA) is a tool to classify human genes according to their coexpression levels and to identify overrepresented annotation terms in correlated gene groups. It is available at: http://biobank-informatics.bioacademy.gr/coexpression/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Michalopoulos
- Cryobiology of Stem Cells, Centre of Immunology and Transplantation, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Soranou Athens, Greece.
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Abstract
Over the past 50 years, the ovary development has been subject of fewer studies as compare to the male pathway. Nevertheless due to the advancement of genetics, mouse ES cells and the development of genetic models, studies of ovarian differentiation was boosted. This review emphasizes some of new progresses in the research field of the mammalian ovary differentiation that have occurred in recent years with focuses of the period around prophase I of meiosis and of recent roles of small non-RNAs in the ovarian gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne Baillet
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Biologie Cellulaire, EA 4589 Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, F-78035 Versailles cedex, France.
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Peruquetti RL, Taboga SR, Azeredo-Oliveira MTVD. Morphological Changes of Mammalian Nucleoli during Spermatogenesis and Their Possible Role in the Chromatoid Body Assembling. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.5402/2012/829854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Chromatoid body (CB) is a typical cytoplasmic organelle of germ cells, and it seems to be involved in RNA/protein accumulation for later germ-cell differentiation. Despite most of the events in mammals spermatogenesis had been widely described in the past decades and the increase in the studies related to the CB molecular composition and physiology, the origins and functions of this important structure of male germ cells are still unclear. The aims of this study were to describe the nucleolar cycle and also to find some relationship between the nucleolar organization and the CB assembling during the spermatogenesis in mammals. Cytochemical and cytogenetics analysis showed nucleolar fragmentation in post-pachytene spermatocytes and nucleolar reorganization in post-meiotic spermatids. Significant difference in the number and in the size of nucleoli between spermatogonia and round spermatids, as well as differences in the nucleolar position within the nucleus were also observed. Ultrastructural analysis showed the CB assembling in the cytoplasm of primary spermatocytes and the nucleolar fragmentation occurring at the same time. In conclusion our results suggest that the CB may play important roles during the spermatogenesis process in mammals and that its origin may be related to the nucleolar cycle during the meiotic cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Luiza Peruquetti
- Department of Biology, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP/IBILCE, Rua Cristovao Colombo, 2265, 15054-000 Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Sebastião Roberto Taboga
- Department of Biology, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP/IBILCE, Rua Cristovao Colombo, 2265, 15054-000 Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
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