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Hekim N, Gunes S, Ergun S, Barhan EN, Asci R. Investigation of sperm hsa-mir-145-5p and MLH1 expressions, seminal oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation in varicocele. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:588. [PMID: 38683237 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09534-1] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanisms by which varicocele causes infertility are not clear and few studies have reported that some miRNAs show expression alterations in men with varicocele. Recently, sperm promoter methylation of MLH1 has been shown to be higher in men diagnosed with varicocele. This study aimed to assess the potential effects of miR-145, which was determined to target MLH1 mRNA in silico on sperm quality and function in varicocele. METHODS Sperm miR-145 and MLH1 expressions of six infertile men with varicocele (Group 1), nine idiopathic infertile men (Group 2), and nine fertile men (control group) were analyzed by quantitative PCR. Sperm DNA fragmentation was evaluated by TUNEL and the levels of seminal oxidative damage and total antioxidant capacity were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS Our results have shown that sperm expression of miR-145 was decreased in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (P = 0.029). MLH1 expression was significantly higher in Group 2 than the controls (P = 0.048). Total antioxidant level and sperm DNA fragmentations of Group 1 and Group 2 were decreased (P = 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). Total antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with sperm concentration (ρ = 0.475, P = 0.019), total sperm count (ρ = 0.427, P = 0.037), motility (ρ = 0.716, P < 0.0001) and normal morphological forms (ρ = 0.613, P = 0.001) and negatively correlated with the seminal oxidative damage (ρ=-0.829, P = 0.042) in varicocele patients. CONCLUSION This is the first study investigating the expressions of sperm miR-145 and MLH1 in varicocele patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the potential effect of miR-145 on male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neslihan Hekim
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, 55139, Turkey.
- Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
| | - Sezgin Gunes
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
- Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Sercan Ergun
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
- Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Elzem Nisa Barhan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
| | - Ramazan Asci
- Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
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Tiwari S, Shahat A, Kastelic J, Thakor N, Thundathil J. Optimized total RNA isolation from bovine sperm with enhanced sperm head lysis. Biochem Cell Biol 2024; 102:194-205. [PMID: 37948675 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2023-0231] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence of sperm RNA's role in fertilization and embryonic development has provided impetus for its isolation and thorough characterization. Sperm are considered tough-to-lyse cells due to the compact condensed DNA in sperm heads. Lack of consensus among bovine sperm RNA isolation protocols introduces experimental variability in transcriptome studies. Here, we describe an optimized method for total RNA isolation from bovine sperm using the TRIzol reagent. This study critically investigated the effects of various lysis conditions on sperm RNA isolation. Sperm suspended in TRIzol were subjected to a combination of mechanical treatments (sonication and passage through a 30G needle and syringe) and chemical treatments (supplementation with reducing agents 1,4-dithiothreitol and tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP)). Microscopic evaluation of sperm lysis confirmed preferential sperm tail versus sperm head lysis. Interestingly, only TCEP-supplemented TRIzol (both mechanical treatments) had progressive sperm head lysis and consistently yielded total sperm RNA. Furthermore, RNA integrity was confirmed based on the electrophoresis profile and an absence of genomic DNA and somatic cells (e.g., epithelial cells, spermatids, etc.) with RT-qPCR. Our findings highlighted the importance of sperm lysis, specifically of the sperm head using TCEP with mechanical treatment, in total RNA isolation and presented a bovine-specific sperm RNA isolation method to reduce experimental variabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Tiwari
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Abdallah Shahat
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - John Kastelic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nehal Thakor
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre (SAGSC), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Jacob Thundathil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre (SAGSC), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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Dupont C, Stathopoulou MG, Illy PJ, Sermondade N, Levy R, Trabucchi M, Prades M, Haj Hamid R, Berthaut I, Grandjean V. Impact of testicular cancer on sperm small non-coding RNA signature: a pilot study. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2241009. [PMID: 37515809 PMCID: PMC10388827 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2241009] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) are the most common tumours in young adults of European ancestry. The high heritability and the constantly increased incidence, which has doubled over the last 20 years, strongly suggest that both genetic and environmental factors are likely to shape the TGCT susceptibility. While genome-wide association studies have identified loci associated with TGCT susceptibility, the role played by environmental molecular vectors in TGCT susceptibility remains unclear. Evidence shows that sperm non-coding RNAs provide a good vision of the environmental stresses experienced by men. Here, to determine whether TGCT impacts the abundance of specific non-coding RNAs in sperm, small RNA deep sequencing analysis of sperm of 25 men aged between 19 and 42 years, diagnosed with (n = 16) or without (n = 9) TGCT was performed. The primary analysis showed no statistical significance in the sncRNA population between the TGCT and non-TGCT groups. However, when sperm physiological parameters were considered to look for differentially expressed sncRNA, we evidenced 11 differentially expressed sncRNA between patients and control which allow a clear discrimination between control and TGCT samples after Hierarchical Clustering analysis. Together, these findings indicate that sperm small non-coding RNAs abundance may have the potential for diagnosing men with TGCT. However, specific care should be taken regarding sperm physiological parameters of the TGCT patients. Hence, larger studies are needed to confirm our findings and to determine whether such a signature associates with the risks to develop TGCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Dupont
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction CECOS, Hôpital Tenon (AP-HP. Sorbonne-Université, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Nathalie Sermondade
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction CECOS, Hôpital Tenon (AP-HP. Sorbonne-Université, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Levy
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction CECOS, Hôpital Tenon (AP-HP. Sorbonne-Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Marie Prades
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
| | - Rahaf Haj Hamid
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Berthaut
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St-Antoine, CRSA, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de la Reproduction CECOS, Hôpital Tenon (AP-HP. Sorbonne-Université, Paris, France
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4
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Dewry RK, Mohanty TK, Nath S, Bhakat M, Yadav HP, Baithalu RK. Comparative RNA isolation methods from fresh ejaculated spermatozoa in Sahiwal cattle ( Bos indicus) and Murrah buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis) bulls for high quality and enhanced RNA yield. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:5180-5191. [PMID: 37965764 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2276713] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Sperm mRNA transcriptional profiling can be used to evaluate the fertility of breeding bulls. The aim of the study was to compare the modified RNA isolation methods for higher RNA yield and quality from freshly ejaculated sperm of cattle and buffalo bulls. Ten fresh ejaculates from each Sahiwal (n = 10 bulls × 10 ejaculates) and Murrah bulls (n = 10 bulls x 10 ejaculates) were used for RNA isolation. From the recovered live sperm, total sperm RNA was isolated by conventional methods (TRIzol, Double TRIzol), membrane-based methods combined with TRIzol (RNeasy + TRIzol) with the addition of β-mercaptoethanol (BME) and Kit (RNeasy mini) methods in fresh semen. Among different isolation methods; the membrane-based modified methods combined with TRIzol (RNeasy + TRIzol) with the addition of β-mercaptoethanol (BME) resulted significantly (p < .05) higher total RNA quantity (300-340 ng/µL) and better purity in different concentrations of spermatozoa viz., 30-40 million, 70-80 million and 300-400 million sperm. The study concluded that the inclusion of BME to the combined membrane-based methods with somatic cell lysis buffer solution was best for constant increased yield and purity of RNA isolation from Sahiwal cattle and Murrah buffalo bull sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Kumar Dewry
- Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
| | - Tushar Kumar Mohanty
- Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
| | - Sapna Nath
- Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
| | - Mukesh Bhakat
- Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
| | - Hanuman Prasad Yadav
- Artificial Breeding Research Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
| | - Rubina Kumari Baithalu
- Reproductive Biotechnology Laboratory ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (Deemed University), Karnal, India
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5
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Nixon B, Schjenken JE, Burke ND, Skerrett-Byrne DA, Hart HM, De Iuliis GN, Martin JH, Lord T, Bromfield EG. New horizons in human sperm selection for assisted reproduction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1145533. [PMID: 36909306 PMCID: PMC9992892 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1145533] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a commonly encountered pathology that is estimated to be a contributory factor in approximately 50% of couples seeking recourse to assisted reproductive technologies. Upon clinical presentation, such males are commonly subjected to conventional diagnostic andrological practices that rely on descriptive criteria to define their fertility based on the number of morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa encountered within their ejaculate. Despite the virtual ubiquitous adoption of such diagnostic practices, they are not without their limitations and accordingly, there is now increasing awareness of the importance of assessing sperm quality in order to more accurately predict a male's fertility status. This realization raises the important question of which characteristics signify a high-quality, fertilization competent sperm cell. In this review, we reflect on recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of sperm biology and function, which are contributing to a growing armory of innovative approaches to diagnose and treat male infertility. In particular we review progress toward the implementation of precision medicine; the robust clinical adoption of which in the setting of fertility, currently lags well behind that of other fields of medicine. Despite this, research shows that the application of advanced technology platforms such as whole exome sequencing and proteomic analyses hold considerable promise in optimizing outcomes for the management of male infertility by uncovering and expanding our inventory of candidate infertility biomarkers, as well as those associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. Similarly, the development of advanced imaging technologies in tandem with machine learning artificial intelligence are poised to disrupt the fertility care paradigm by advancing our understanding of the molecular and biological causes of infertility to provide novel avenues for future diagnostics and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Brett Nixon,
| | - John E. Schjenken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Nathan D. Burke
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - David A. Skerrett-Byrne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Hanah M. Hart
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Geoffry N. De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Jacinta H. Martin
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Tessa Lord
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G. Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
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6
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Ali Abd El-Rahman H, Omar AR. Ameliorative effect of avocado oil against lufenuron induced testicular damage and infertility in male rats. Andrologia 2022; 54:e14580. [PMID: 36068645 DOI: 10.1111/and.14580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lufenuron is a benzoylurea pesticide that causes significant histological and histochemical damage in mammals. Avocado is a common food in the human diet that contains antioxidant and antitumor properties. In male rats, avocado oil's protection against lufenuron-induced reproductive deterioration, oxidative stress, and DNA damages was investigated. Twenty-eight mature male rats were selected and distributed into four groups: Group 1, control group were administered distilled water orally; Group 2 received 4 ml/kg avocado; Group 3 was given lufenuron (1.6 mg/kg), and Group 4 was given avocado oil/lufenuron. The findings show that lufenuron treatment reduces reproductive hormone levels, sperm count, motility, viability and causes negative histopathological changes in testicular tissue, such as decreased epithelial height and increased luminal diameter degenerated spermatogenesis. Furthermore, lufenuron reduced the content of antioxidant enzymes while increasing the level of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and corresponding DNA damage. Results showed that lufenuron is associated with testicular function impairment, which leads to infertility. Treatment with avocado oil improved reproductive hormone secretions, enzymatic activity, histological and DNA damage parameters in testis tissues, reducing the negative effects of lufenuron, proving that it may have a therapeutic role against lufenuron-mediated testicular toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amel Ramadan Omar
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
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7
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Donnellan EM, Perrier JP, Keogh K, Štiavnická M, Collins CM, Dunleavy EM, Sellem E, Bernecic NC, Lonergan P, Kenny DA, Fair S. Identification of differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs in spermatozoa of bulls of varying fertility. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:993561. [PMID: 36277068 PMCID: PMC9581129 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.993561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Bulls used in artificial insemination, with apparently normal semen quality, can vary significantly in their field fertility. This study aimed to characterize the transcriptome of spermatozoa from high (HF) and low (LF) fertility bulls at the mRNA and miRNA level in order to identify potential novel markers of fertility. Holstein-Friesian bulls were assigned to either the HF or LF group (n = 10 per group) based on an adjusted national fertility index from a minimum of 500 inseminations. Total RNA was extracted from a pool of frozen-thawed spermatozoa from three different ejaculates per bull, following which mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq were performed. Six mRNAs and 13 miRNAs were found differentially expressed (P < 0.05, FC > 1.5) between HF and LF bulls. Of particular interest, the gene pathways targeted by the 13 differentially expressed miRNAs were related to embryonic development and gene expression regulation. Previous studies reported that disruptions to protamine 1 mRNA (PRM1) had deleterious consequences for sperm chromatin structure and fertilizing ability. Notably, PRM1 exhibited a higher expression in spermatozoa from LF than HF bulls. In contrast, Western Blot analysis revealed a decrease in PRM1 protein abundance for spermatozoa from LF bulls; this was not associated with increased protamine deficiency (measured by the degree of chromatin compaction) or DNA fragmentation, as assessed by flow cytometry analyses. However, protamine deficiency was positively and moderately correlated with the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation, irrespective of fertility group. This study has identified potential biomarkers that could be used for improving semen quality assessments of bull fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eimear M. Donnellan
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jean-Philippe Perrier
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kate Keogh
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
| | - Miriam Štiavnická
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Elaine M. Dunleavy
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, Biomedical Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - Eli Sellem
- ALLICE, Innovation and Development, Paris, France
| | - Naomi C. Bernecic
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Patrick Lonergan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David A. Kenny
- Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
| | - Sean Fair
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, Biomaterials Research Cluster, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland,*Correspondence: Sean Fair
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Bisconti M, Leroy B, Gallagher MT, Senet C, Martinet B, Arcolia V, Wattiez R, Kirkman-Brown JC, Simon JF, Hennebert E. The ribosome inhibitor chloramphenicol induces motility deficits in human spermatozoa: A proteomic approach identifies potentially involved proteins. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:965076. [PMID: 36120567 PMCID: PMC9478589 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.965076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature spermatozoa are almost completely devoid of cytoplasm; as such it has long been believed that they do not contain ribosomes and are therefore not capable of synthesising proteins. However, since the 1950s, various studies have shown translational activity within spermatozoa, particularly during their in vitro capacitation. But the type of ribosomes involved (cytoplasmic or mitochondrial) is still debated. Here, we investigate the presence and activity of the two types of ribosomes in mature human spermatozoa. By targeting ribosomal RNAs and proteins, we show that both types of ribosomes are localized in the midpiece as well as in the neck and the base of the head of the spermatozoa. We assessed the impact of cycloheximide (CHX) and chloramphenicol (CP), inhibitors of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes, respectively, on different sperm parameters. Neither CHX, nor CP impacted sperm vitality, mitochondrial activity (measured through the ATP content), or capacitation (measured through the content in phosphotyrosines). However, increasing CP concentrations induced a decrease in total and progressive motilities as well as on some kinematic parameters while no effect was observed with CHX. A quantitative proteomic analysis was performed by mass spectrometry in SWATH mode to compare the proteomes of spermatozoa capacitated in the absence or presence of the two ribosome inhibitors. Among the ∼700 proteins identified in the different tested conditions, 3, 3 and 25 proteins presented a modified abundance in the presence of 1 and 2 mg/ml of CHX, and 1 mg/ml of CP, respectively. The observed abundance variations of some CP-down regulated proteins were validated using Multiple-Reaction Monitoring (MRM). Taken together, our results are in favor of an activity of mitochondrial ribosomes. Their inhibition by CP results in a decrease in the abundance of several proteins, at least FUNDC2 and QRICH2, and consequently induces sperm motility deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Bisconti
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Baptiste Leroy
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, CISMa, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Meurig T. Gallagher
- Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Birmingham, Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Coralie Senet
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Baptiste Martinet
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vanessa Arcolia
- Clinique de Fertilité Régionale de Mons, CHU Ambroise Paré Hospital, Mons, Belgium
| | - Ruddy Wattiez
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, CISMa, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Jackson C. Kirkman-Brown
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-François Simon
- Clinique de Fertilité Régionale de Mons, CHU Ambroise Paré Hospital, Mons, Belgium
| | - Elise Hennebert
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Elise Hennebert,
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9
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Swanson GM, Estill MS, Krawetz SA. The transcript integrity index (TII) provides a standard measure of sperm RNA. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2022; 68:258-271. [PMID: 35658756 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2022.2071133] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Standardizing RNA quality is key to interpreting RNA-seq data as a compromised sample can mask the underlying biology. The challenge remains when evaluating RNA quality in samples with high RNA fragmentation. For example, programmed fragmentation and cytoplasmic expulsion, integral to sperm maturation, is a prime example of the complexities of interpreting RNA-seq data, given that fragmentation can be random and\or targeted. To meet this challenge, we developed an algorithm that accurately measures RNA quality in samples with high fragmentation, such as spermatozoa. The integrity of 1,000 previously identified abundant sperm transcripts were independently visualized and evaluated using the Transcript Integrity Index (TII) algorithm to identify intact transcripts. Full-length transcripts from visual and the TII algorithm were evaluated for testis preference in humans using the GTEx tissues database. Samples were then filtered by the Interquartile Range (IQR), identifying those in which the greatest number of transcripts failed to pass the visual or TII thresholds. Transcript lists were overlapped, forming the set of intact transcripts used as TII standards. Each sample was re-evaluated as a function of this TII set of intact transcripts, with poor quality samples identified as those failing in the largest number of transcripts. While ontologically enriched in roles related to spermatogenesis and/or fertilization, samples did not segregate based on birth outcome. The TII algorithm proved an effective means to identify samples of similar quality from sperm, a cell type enriched in biologically fragmented RNAs. The algorithm should facilitate other studies using samples compromised by high levels of RNA fragmentation, such as Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded samples. Requisite to assessing male health, TII provides a solution to the long-sought-after standard that identifies samples of similar quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace M Swanson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Molly S Estill
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen A Krawetz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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Zhu W, Jiang L, Li Y, Sun J, Lin C, Huang X, Ni W. DNA comethylation analysis reveals a functional association between BRCA1 and sperm DNA fragmentation. Fertil Steril 2022; 117:963-973. [PMID: 35256191 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.01.025] [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: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify the DNA comethylation patterns associated with sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and to explore the potential associations of hub genes with SDF. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING University-affiliated reproductive medicine center. PATIENT(S) A total of 300 male patients consulting for couple infertility were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Comethylation network analysis based on the genome-wide methylation profile of spermatozoal DNA from 20 men was performed to identify hub modules and genes involved in SDF. Human spermatozoa were used for targeted bisulfite amplicon sequencing (267 men) or droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (45 men). The potential role of Brca1 in DNA damage was explored in mouse GC2 spermatocyte cells. Oxidative damage to spermatocytes was modeled by incubating GC2 cells with H2O2 (25 mM) for 90 minutes. RESULT(S) BRCA1 was identified as a hub gene in SDF. Promoter hypermethylation of BRCA1 was observed in those samples with a high DNA fragmentation index (DFI) compared to those with a low DFI. Concomitantly, BRCA1 mRNA expression was lower in samples with a high DFI than with a low DFI. In the GC2 cell model, Brca1 knockdown reduced cell proliferation and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Moreover, it increased double-strand breaks and decreased the protein levels of the DNA repair genes MRE11 and RAD51. CONCLUSION(S) A prominent cluster of comethylated patterns associated with SDF was identified. BRCA1 may be the hub gene involved in sperm DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijian Zhu
- Central Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Central Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhui Sun
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunchun Lin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Huang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wuhua Ni
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Hernández-Silva G, Caballero-Campo P, Chirinos M. Sperm mRNAs as potential markers of male fertility. Reprod Biol 2022; 22:100636. [PMID: 35338912 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2022.100636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Advances in transcriptomic technologies are contributing to an increased understanding of the role of spermatozoal RNA in sperm physiology. Although sperm transcriptomic studies have delivered large amounts of valuable information, no new male fertility biomarkers have emerged from such studies to date. This review summarizes current knowledge about the potential relevance of certain mRNA as biomarkers, focusing on comparative studies of human spermatozoa transcriptomic profiles from fertile and pathological semen samples. Asthenozoospermia is the semen aberrant condition that has been most exhaustively investigated to date. We cross-analyzed findings from three different studies on the transcriptome of asthenozoospermic semen samples and identified 100 transcripts that were consistently differentially expressed and that consequently are candidates for characterizing the molecular source of this sperm anomaly. The potential use of sperm mRNAs as predictors of outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is also reviewed. Improving the understanding of the human spermatozoa mRNA content is expected to improve the evaluation and diagnosis of infertile men, and ultimately facilitate the selection of the best treatment to overcome infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Hernández-Silva
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Pedro Caballero-Campo
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Mayel Chirinos
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico.
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12
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Santiago J, Silva JV, Howl J, Santos MAS, Fardilha M. All you need to know about sperm RNAs. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 28:67-91. [PMID: 34624094 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermatogenesis generates a small and highly specialised type of cell that is apparently incapable of transcription and translation. For many years, this dogma was supported by the assumption that (i) the compact sperm nucleus, resulting from the substitution of histones by protamine during spermatogenesis, renders the genome inaccessible to the transcriptional machinery; and (ii) the loss of most organelles, including endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes, limits or prevents translational activity. Despite these observations, several types of coding and non-coding RNAs have been identified in human sperm. Their functional roles, particularly during fertilisation and embryonic development, are only now becoming apparent. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review aimed to summarise current knowledge of the origin, types and functional roles of sperm RNAs, and to evaluate the clinical benefits of employing these transcripts as biomarkers of male fertility and reproductive outcomes. The possible contribution of sperm RNAs to intergenerational or transgenerational phenotypic inheritance is also addressed. SEARCH METHODS A comprehensive literature search on PubMed was conducted using the search terms 'sperm' AND 'RNA'. Searches focussed upon articles written in English and published prior to August 2020. OUTCOMES The development of more sensitive and accurate RNA technologies, including RNA sequencing, has enabled the identification and characterisation of numerous transcripts in human sperm. Though a majority of these RNAs likely arise during spermatogenesis, other data support an epididymal origin of RNA transmitted to maturing sperm by extracellular vesicles. A minority may also be synthesised by de novo transcription in mature sperm, since a small portion of the sperm genome remains packed by histones. This complex RNA population has important roles in paternal chromatin packaging, sperm maturation and capacitation, fertilisation, early embryogenesis and developmental maintenance. In recent years, additional lines of evidence from animal models support a role for sperm RNAs in intergenerational or transgenerational inheritance, modulating both the genotype and phenotype of progeny. Importantly, several reports indicate that the sperm RNA content of fertile and infertile men differs considerably and is strongly modulated by the environment, lifestyle and pathological states. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Transcriptional profiling has considerable potential for the discovery of fertility biomarkers. Understanding the role of sperm transcripts and comparing the sperm RNA fingerprint of fertile and infertile men could help to elucidate the regulatory pathways contributing to male factor infertility. Such data might also provide a molecular explanation for several causes of idiopathic male fertility. Ultimately, transcriptional profiling may be employed to optimise ART procedures and overcome some of the underlying causes of male infertility, ensuring the birth of healthy children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Santiago
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana V Silva
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,i3S-Institute for Innovation and Health Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - John Howl
- Research Institute in Healthcare Science, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Manuel A S Santos
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Margarida Fardilha
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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13
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Güngör BH, Tektemur A, Arkali G, Dayan Cinkara S, Acisu TC, Koca RH, Etem Önalan E, Özer Kaya S, Kizil M, Sönmez M, Gür S, Çambay Z, Yüce A, Türk G. Effect of freeze-thawing process on lipid peroxidation, miRNAs, ion channels, apoptosis and global DNA methylation in ram spermatozoa. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 33:747-759. [PMID: 34585662 DOI: 10.1071/rd21091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of the semen freeze-thawing process on the functionality and molecular structure of ram spermatozoa. The temperature of pooled and diluted semen at 38°C (group 1, control) was lowered to 5°C (group 2), and it was subjected to glycerolisation-equilibration (group 3), frozen and thawed (group 4). Compared to the control, deterioration in spermatological parameters and significant increases in lipid peroxidation and global DNA methylation levels were observed in groups 3 and 4. When compared with the control, significant downregulation in the levels of miR-485 of group 2, miR-29a of group 3 and let-7a, miR-485 and miR-29a of group 4, and significant upregulation in the levels of miR-107 of group 3 and miR-127 of groups 3 and 4 were detected. In comparison to the control, significant upregulation in the levels of CatSper1, CatSper2, CatSper3, CatSper4, ANO1 and TRPM3 of group 2, CatSper4, ANO1 and TRPM3 of group 3 and KCNJ11 of group 4, and significant downregulation in the CatSper 3 level of group 4 were determined. As a result, the semen freeze-thawing process causes motility and morphological disorders in rams. This may be due to molecular changes associated with lipid peroxidation in spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brahim Halil Güngör
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Tektemur
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gözde Arkali
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Serap Dayan Cinkara
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Tutku Can Acisu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Recep Hakki Koca
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Bingöl University, Bingöl, Turkey
| | - Ebru Etem Önalan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Seyma Özer Kaya
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Meltem Kizil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Sönmez
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Seyfettin Gür
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Zafer Çambay
- Department of Medical Services and Technics, Firat University, High School of Medical Services, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Abdurrauf Yüce
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Physiology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gaffari Türk
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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14
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Madeja ZE, Podralska M, Nadel A, Pszczola M, Pawlak P, Rozwadowska N. Mitochondria Content and Activity Are Crucial Parameters for Bull Sperm Quality Evaluation. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10081204. [PMID: 34439451 PMCID: PMC8388911 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10081204] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Standard sperm evaluation parameters do not enable predicting their ability to survive cryopreservation. Mitochondria are highly prone to suffer injuries during freezing, and any abnormalities in their morphology or function are reflected by a decline of sperm quality. Our work focused on describing a link between the number and the activity of mitochondria, with an aim to validate its applicability as a biomarker of bovine sperm quality. Cryopreserved sperm collected from bulls with high (group 1) and low (group 2) semen quality was separated by swim up. The spermatozoa of group 1 overall retained more mitochondria (MitoTrackerGreen) and mtDNA copies, irrespective of the fraction. Regardless of the initial ejaculate quality, the motile sperm contained significantly more mitochondria and mtDNA copies. The same trend was observed for mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm, JC-1), where motile sperm displayed high ΔΨm. These results stay in agreement with transcript-level evaluation (real-time polymerase chain reaction, PCR) of antioxidant enzymes (PRDX1, SOD1, GSS), which protect cells from the reactive oxygen species. An overall higher level of glutathione synthetase (GSS) mRNA was noted in group 1 bulls, suggesting higher ability to counteract free radicals. No differences were noted between basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) (Seahorse XF Agilent) and ATP-linked respiration for group 1 and 2 bulls. In conclusion, mitochondrial content and activity may be used as reliable markers for bovine sperm quality evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia E. Madeja
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (P.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Marta Podralska
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (A.N.); (N.R.)
| | - Agnieszka Nadel
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (A.N.); (N.R.)
| | - Marcin Pszczola
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (P.P.)
| | - Piotr Pawlak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (P.P.)
| | - Natalia Rozwadowska
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479 Poznan, Poland; (M.P.); (A.N.); (N.R.)
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15
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Bianchi E, Stermer A, Nolan T, Li H, Hall S, Boekelheide K, Sigman M, Hwang K. Highly conserved sperm function-related transcripts across three species: human, rat and mouse. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 104:44-51. [PMID: 34174366 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Assessing male reproductive toxicity of environmental and therapeutic agents relies on the histopathology of the testis and epididymis in a pre-clinical setting. Animal histopathology poorly correlates with human sperm parameters, and none of these current methods are strong indicators of sperm health or reproductive potential. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify a translatable, non-invasive and reliable approach to monitor environmental and therapeutic agents' effects on male reproductive health. mRNA sequences were analyzed in mouse, rat and human sperm samples to identify sperm transcriptomic similarities across species that could be used as biomarkers to predict male reproductive toxicity in animal models. Semen specimens were collected from men aged 18 to 55 years with proven fertility. Rat and mouse semen specimens were collected via needle punctures of the cauda epididymides. Sperm RNAs were extracted using an optimized sperm RNA isolation protocol and subjected to polyA-purified mRNA-sequencing. Bioinformatics analyses, including differential abundance and gene set enrichment analysis, were used to investigate the biological and molecular functions of all shared and differentially abundant transcripts across species. Transcriptome profiling identified 6,684 similarly expressed transcripts within the three species of which 1,579 transcripts were found to be involved in spermatogenic functions. Our findings have shown that sperm transcriptome is highly species dependent, however, there are some key similarities among transcripts that are required for fertility. Based on these similarities, sperm mRNA biomarker may be developed to monitor male reproductive toxicity where rodent models would make suitable laboratory substitutes for human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Bianchi
- Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Angela Stermer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Timothy Nolan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Susan Hall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Mark Sigman
- Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kathleen Hwang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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16
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Roszkowski M, Mansuy IM. High Efficiency RNA Extraction From Sperm Cells Using Guanidinium Thiocyanate Supplemented With Tris(2-Carboxyethyl)Phosphine. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:648274. [PMID: 33968930 PMCID: PMC8097045 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.648274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The extraction of high-quality ribonucleic acid (RNA) from tissues and cells is a key step in many biological assays. Guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform (AGPC) is a widely used and efficient method to obtain pure RNA from most tissues and cells. However, it is not efficient with some cells like sperm cells because they are resistant to chaotropic lysis solutions containing guanidinium thiocyanate such as Buffer RLT+ and Trizol. Here, we show that disulfide bonds are responsible for the chemical resistance of sperm cells to RNA extraction reagents. We show that while β-mercaptoethanol (βME) can increase sperm lysis in Buffer RLT+, it has no effect in Trizol and leaves sperm cells intact. We measured the reduction of disulfide bonds in 2,2′-dithiodipyridine (DTDP) and observed that βME has a pH-dependent activity in chaotropic solutions, suggesting that pH is a limiting factor. We identified tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) as an efficient lysis enhancer of AGPC solutions that can retain reducing activity even at acidic pH. Trizol supplemented with TCEP allows the complete and rapid lysis of sperm cells, increasing RNA yield by 100-fold and resulting in RNA with optimal quality for reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. Our findings highlight the importance of efficient cell lysis and extraction of various macromolecules for bulk and single-cell assays, and can be applied to other lysis-resistant cells and vesicles, thereby optimizing the amount of required starting material and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Roszkowski
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich, and Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology of the ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle M Mansuy
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich, and Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology of the ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Tektemur A, Etem Önalan E, Kaya Tektemur N, Dayan Cinkara S, Kılınçlı Çetin A, Tekedereli İ, Kuloğlu T, Türk G. Carbamazepine-induced sperm disorders can be associated with the altered expressions of testicular KCNJ11/miR-let-7a and spermatozoal CFTR/miR-27a. Andrologia 2020; 53:e13954. [PMID: 33372325 DOI: 10.1111/and.13954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a global health problem, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clearly known. Ion channels and microRNAs (miRNAs), known to function in many vital functions in cells, have been shown to play a significant role in male infertility through changes in their expressions. The study aimed to evaluate the alterations of testicular and/or spermatozoal potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily J member 11 (KCNJ11), Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), miR-let-7a and miR-27a expressions in carbamazepine-related male infertility. Here, we showed that carbamazepine reduced sperm motility, increased abnormal sperm morphology, and impaired hormonal balance as well as increased relative testis weight and decreased relative seminal vesicle weight. On the other hand, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated miR-let-7a expressions were determined in testis (p < .05). Also, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated CFTR and miR-27a expressions were found in spermatozoa (p < .05). Interestingly, altered testicular KCNJ11 and miR-let-7a expressions were correlated with decreased sperm motility and elevated sperm tail defect. Besides, spermatozoal CFTR and miR-27a expressions positively correlated with sperm tail defects. The results indicated a significant relationship between ion channel and/or miRNA expression alterations and impaired sperm parameters due to carbamazepine usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Tektemur
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Ebru Etem Önalan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Nalan Kaya Tektemur
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Serap Dayan Cinkara
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Ayten Kılınçlı Çetin
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
| | - İbrahim Tekedereli
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Tuncay Kuloğlu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gaffari Türk
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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18
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Prakash MA, Kumaresan A, Sinha MK, Kamaraj E, Mohanty TK, Datta TK, Morrell JM. RNA-Seq analysis reveals functionally relevant coding and non-coding RNAs in crossbred bull spermatozoa. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 222:106621. [PMID: 33069132 PMCID: PMC7607363 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA-Seq analysis was done to characterize the transcriptome of crossbred bull spermatozoa. Among the 13,814 transcripts detected, 431 had FPKM > 1 and 13,673 had FPKM > 0 or < 1. Coding and non-coding RNAs account for 13,145 (95.15%) and 152 (1.1%), respectively. Sperm transcripts were mainly related to ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation and spliceosome pathways. qPCR analysis showed individual variations in transcriptional abundance of selected genes.
Sperm, which are believed to be transcriptionally and translationally inactive, synthesize RNA and proteins before there is gradual disappearance of the ribosome during chromatin compaction. Sperm transfer several functionally relevant transcripts to the oocyte, controlling maternal-zygotic transition and embryonic development. The present study was undertaken to profile and analyze sperm transcripts comprehensively using Next Generation Ribonucleic acid sequencing technology in Holstein Friesian x Tharparkar crossbred bulls. The results from global transcriptomic profiling revealed transcripts for 13,814 genes; of which 431 transcripts were expressed with >1 FPKM and 13,383 transcripts were expressed with >0 or <1 FPKM. The abundant mRNA transcripts of crossbred bull sperm were PRM1 and HMGB4. Gene ontology of transcripts with>1 FPKM revealed there was a major involvement in the structural constituent of ribosomes and translation. Results from pathway enrichment indicated the connection between ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation and spliceosome pathways and the transcripts of crossbred bull spermatozoa. The transcriptional abundance of selected genes, validated using RT-qPCR, indicated significant variations between bulls. Collectively, it may be inferred that the transcripts in crossbred bull sperm were heavily implicated in functions such as the structural constituent of ribosomes and translation, and pathways such as ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation and spliceosome. Further studies using larger sample sizes are required to understand the possible implications of transcriptomic variations on semen quality and fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mani Arul Prakash
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030 Karnataka, India
| | - Arumugam Kumaresan
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030 Karnataka, India.
| | - Manish Kumar Sinha
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030 Karnataka, India
| | - Elango Kamaraj
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Adugodi, Bengaluru, 560030 Karnataka, India
| | - Tushar Kumar Mohanty
- Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001 Haryana, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- Animal Biotechnology Centre, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, 132001 Haryana, India
| | - Jane M Morrell
- Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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19
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Stermer AR, Reyes G, Hall SJ, Boekelheide K. Small RNAs in Rat Sperm Are a Predictive and Sensitive Biomarker of Exposure to the Testicular Toxicant Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether. Toxicol Sci 2020; 169:399-408. [PMID: 30768127 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfz041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular histology and semen parameters are considered the gold standards when determining male reproductive toxicity. Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) is a testicular toxicant with well-described effects on histopathology and sperm parameters. To compare the predictivity and sensitivity of molecular biomarkers of testicular toxicity to the traditional endpoints, small RNAs in the sperm were analyzed by next generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Adult rats were exposed to 0, 50, 60, or 75 mg/kg EGME by oral gavage for 5 consecutive days. Testis histology, epididymal sperm motility, and sperm small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), mRNA fragments, piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and tRNA fragments (tRFs), were analyzed 5 weeks after cessation of exposure. Testicular histology showed a significant dose-dependent increase in retained spermatid heads (RSH), while sperm motility declined with increasing dose. RNA-sequencing of sperm small RNAs was used to identify significant dose-dependent changes in percent mRNA fragments (of total reads), percent miRNAs (of total reads), average tRF length, average piRNA length, and piRNA and tRF length-distributions. Discriminant analysis showed relatively low predictivity of exposure based on RSH or motility compared to the average read length of all assigned RNAs. Benchmark dose (BMD) modeling resulted in a BMD of 62 mg/kg using RSH, whereas average read length of all assigned RNAs resulted in a BMD of 47 mg/kg. These results showed that sperm small RNAs are sensitive and predictive biomarkers of EGME-induced male reproductive toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela R Stermer
- Department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Gerardo Reyes
- Department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Susan J Hall
- Department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912
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Wang W, Liang K, Chang Y, Ran M, Zhang Y, Ali MA, Dai D, Qazi IH, Zhang M, Zhou G, Yang J, Angel C, Zeng C. miR-26a is Involved in Glycometabolism and Affects Boar Sperm Viability by Targeting PDHX. Cells 2020; 9:E146. [PMID: 31936222 PMCID: PMC7016825 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
miR-26a is associated with sperm metabolism and can affect sperm motility and apoptosis. However, how miR-26a affects sperm motility remains largely unknown. Our previous study indicated that the PDHX gene is predicted to be a potential target of miR-26a, which is responsible for pyruvate oxidative decarboxylation which is considered as a key step for connecting glycolysis with oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we first reported a potential relationship between miR-26a and PDHX and their expressions in fresh, frozen-thawed, and epididymal boar sperm. Then, sperm viability and survival were determined after transfection of miR-26a. mRNA and protein expression level of PDHX in the liquid-preserved boar sperm after transfection were also determined by RT-qPCR and Western Blot (WB). Our results showed that expression level of PDHX was significantly increased during sperm transit from epididymal caput to corpus and cauda. Similarly, expression of PDHX was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fresh sperm as compared to epididymal cauda and frozen-thawed sperm. However, the expression of miR-26a in epididymal corpus sperm was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of caput and cauda sperm. Furthermore, after transfection of boar sperm with miR-26a mimic and inhibitor under liquid storage, the lowest and highest sperm viability was observed in miR-26a mimic and inhibitor treatment (P < 0.05), respectively. The protein levels of PDHX, after 24 and 48 h of transfection of miR-26a mimics and inhibitor, were notably decreased and increased (P < 0.05), respectively, as compared to negative control (NC) group. In conclusion, the novel and enticing findings of our study provide a reasonable evidence that miR-26a via PDHX, a link between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, could regulate the glycometabolic pathway which eventually affect boar sperm viability and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencan Wang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Kai Liang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yu Chang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Mingxia Ran
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Malik Ahsan Ali
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Theriogenology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Dinghui Dai
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Izhar Hyder Qazi
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy & Histology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Ming Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Guangbin Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jiandong Yang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Christiana Angel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Changjun Zeng
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
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Jeremy M, Gurusubramanian G, Roy VK. Vitamin D3 treatment regulates apoptosis, antioxidant defense system, and DNA integrity in the epididymal sperm of an aged rat model. Mol Reprod Dev 2019; 86:1951-1962. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vikas Kumar Roy
- Department of ZoologyMizoram University Aizawl Mizoram India
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Bianchi E, Boekelheide K, Sigman M, Braun JM, Eliot M, Hall SJ, Dere E, Hwang K. Spermatozoal large RNA content is associated with semen characteristics, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216584. [PMID: 31120914 PMCID: PMC6532849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Semen analysis is one of the standard diagnostic tools currently used to assess male infertility and reproductive toxicity. However, semen analysis has a limited ability to separate fertile from infertile populations. Additional methods to detect impaired fertility are needed. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate how spermatozoal RNA content varies with sociodemographic and behavior/lifestyle factors, and to determine if spermatozoal large and small RNAs discriminate normal from abnormal spermatozoa. Semen specimens were collected from 133 men aged between 18 to 55 years undergoing semen analysis as part of couple infertility evaluation while 10 proven fertile donors were recruited as control group. Semen samples were classified as normal or abnormal according to World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 criteria. Sperm RNAs were extracted after somatic cells were lysed, and the association of large or small RNA content with semen quality and sociodemographic and behavioral/lifestyle factors was evaluated using a generalized additive model and one-way ANOVA. Inverse relationship was observed between large RNA content and sperm parameters such as sperm count, density and motility. Large RNA content per sperm was significantly increased in semen samples showing abnormal number of round cells. Furthermore, sperm motility was inversely associated with spermatozoal small RNA contents. Grouping donors by the number of semen abnormalities, we observed significant increased spermatozoal large and small RNA content in men with more than two semen abnormalities. Alcohol consumption was strongly associated with increased large RNA per sperm concentration after adjustment for age and BMI. Our study demonstrates a strong relationship between spermatozoal large RNA content and poor semen characteristics that may lead to a role in the assessment of male fertility, and may be used as an endpoint for reproductive toxicology risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Bianchi
- Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Mark Sigman
- Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Melissa Eliot
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Susan J. Hall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Edward Dere
- Division of Urology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Hwang
- Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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23
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Abstract
AIM Epigenetic analyses of sperm require pure samples devoid of diploid cell contamination. We sought to determine the efficacy of somatic cell lysis buffer (SCLB) treatment to purify mouse epididymis sperm samples. MATERIALS & METHODS Sperm cell concentration, sperm purity, small RNA contents and sperm and somatic marker gene expression was compared in SCLB-treated sperm samples and two different control conditions. RESULTS The SCLB condition as well as the control condition mimicking the additional pelleting and re-suspension steps resulted in substantial cell loss without evidence of enhanced purification of sperm cells as compared with epididymis-derived sperm samples that were not manipulated further. CONCLUSION Molecular analyses focused on sperm cells require high levels of purity in order to avoid high-confounding RNA and cytosolic contributions of nonsperm cells. Our findings advocate gradient or cell sorting-based purification approaches where pure samples are required for sensitive molecular assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Pearson
- Molecular & Cellular Cognition, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Leonie P Posselt
- Molecular & Cellular Cognition, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kristin S Henzel
- Molecular & Cellular Cognition, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dan Ehninger
- Molecular & Cellular Cognition, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
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