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Atiakshin D, Kulchenko N, Kostin A, Ignatyuk M, Protasov A, Klabukov I, Baranovskii D, Faniev M, Korovyakova E, Chekmareva I, Buchwalow I, Tiemann M. Cyto- and Histopographic Assessment of CPA3-Positive Testicular Mast Cells in Obstructive and Non-Obstructive Azoospermia. Cells 2024; 13:833. [PMID: 38786055 PMCID: PMC11120214 DOI: 10.3390/cells13100833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Infertility is an important personal and society disease, of which the male factor represents half of all causes. One of the aspects less studied in male infertility is the immunological testicular microenvironment. Mast cells (MCs), having high potential for regulating spermatogenesis due to fine-tuning the state of the integrative buffer metabolic environment, are one of the most crucial cellular subpopulations of the testicular interstitium. One important component of the MC secretome is proteases that can act as proinflammatory agents and in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In the testis, MCs are an important cell component of the testicular interstitial tissue (TIT). However, there are still no studies addressing the analysis of a specific MC protease-carboxypeptidase A3 (CPA3)-in cases with altered spermatogenesis. The cytological and histotopographic features of testicular CPA3+ MCs were examined in a study involving 34 men with azoospermia. As revealed, in cases with non-obstructive azoospermia, a higher content of CPA3+ MCs in the TIT and migration to the microvasculature and peritubular tissue of seminiferous tubules were observed when compared with cases with obstructive azoospermia. Additionally, a high frequency of CPA3+ MCs colocalization with fibroblasts, Leydig cells, and elastic fibers was detected in cases with NOA. Thus, CPA3 seems to be of crucial pathogenetic significance in the formation of a profibrogenic background of the tissue microenvironment, which may have direct and indirect effects on spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii Atiakshin
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
- Research Institute of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University, 394036 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Nina Kulchenko
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Andrey Kostin
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Michael Ignatyuk
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Andrey Protasov
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Ilya Klabukov
- National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Koroleva St. 4, 249036 Obninsk, Russia (D.B.)
| | - Denis Baranovskii
- National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Koroleva St. 4, 249036 Obninsk, Russia (D.B.)
| | - Mikhail Faniev
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Elina Korovyakova
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Irina Chekmareva
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
| | - Igor Buchwalow
- RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (N.K.); (A.K.); (M.I.); (A.P.); (M.F.); (E.K.); (I.C.); (I.B.)
- Institute for Hematopathology, Fangdieckstr, 75a, 22547 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Markus Tiemann
- Institute for Hematopathology, Fangdieckstr, 75a, 22547 Hamburg, Germany;
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Wei L, Feng Z, Dou Q, Tan L, Zhao X, Hao B. Dysregulation of MTFR2, ATP5IF1 and BAK1 in Sertoli cells relates to idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia via inhibiting mitochondrial fission and inducing mitochondrial dysfunction†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:408-418. [PMID: 37903059 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia affects more than 10% of infertile men with over 70% patients are idiopathic with uncharacterized molecular mechanisms, which is referred as idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia. In this study, we checked the morphology of Sertoli cell mitochondria in testis biopsies from patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia and patients with obstructive azoospermia who have normal spermiogenesis. The expression of 104 genes controlling mitochondria fission and fusion were analyzed in three gene expression datasets including a total of 60 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. The levels of 7 candidate genes were detected in testis biopsies from 38 patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia and 24 patients with obstructive azoospermia who have normal spermatogenesis by RT-qPCR. Cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondria membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate production, oxygen consumption, and mitochondria morphology were examined in primary human Sertoli cells. Mouse spermatogonial stem cells were used to detect the cell supporting capacity of Sertoli cells. We observed that patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia had elongated mitochondria. MTFR2 and ATP5IF1 were downregulated, whereas BAK1 was upregulated in idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia testis and Sertoli cells. Sertoli cells from patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia had reduced viability, mitochondria membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate production, oxygen consumption rate, glycolysis and increased apoptosis. Knockdown MTFR2 in Sertoli cells increased the mitochondria size. Knockdown ATP5IF1 did not change mitochondrial morphology but increased adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis. Overexpression of BAK1 reduced membrane potential and upregulated cell apoptosis. The dysregulation of all these three genes contributed to the dysfunction of Sertoli cells, which provides a clue for idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zonggang Feng
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Qian Dou
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Li Tan
- Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xinghua Zhao
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bin Hao
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Nowicka-Bauer K, Kamieniczna M, Olszewska M, Kurpisz MK. Proteomic approach towards identification of seminal fluid biomarkers from individuals with severe oligozoospermia, cryptozoospermia and non-obstructive azoospermia: a pilot study. Transl Androl Urol 2023; 12:1497-1510. [PMID: 37969768 PMCID: PMC10643378 DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Infertility becomes a global problem that affects to the same extent females and males. As reasons of male infertility can differ among individuals, the accurate diagnostics is essential for effective treatment. The most problematic both in diagnostics and in treatment are disturbances of spermatogenesis. Seminal fluid is rich in proteins that potentially can serve as markers for male infertility and among them, markers of spermatogenesis which are highly desired. Methods To find biomarkers of spermatogenesis, we applied comparative proteomics using nano ultra performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (nanoUPLC-MS/MS) followed by single-sample Western blotting (WB) using seminal fluid samples from males with different types of infertility including non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), cryptozoospermia (C) and severe oligozoospermia (SO). Then, the extensive survey on the identified proteins and their function in male reproductive system has been done. Results The proteomic approach has enabled to identified five seminal fluid proteins being potential markers of spermatogenesis disorders: ADGRG2, RAB3B, LTF, SLC2A3 and spermine synthase (SMS). Among them ADGRG2 seems to be strongly involved in male infertility. In addition, WB indicated that the distribution of LTF, SLC2A3 and SMS was not coherent among the individuals, especially in a group with NOA. Functional annotation analysis and search in proteomics databases revealed that vast majority of the proteins originated from extracellular environment. Conclusions The presented data point out several proteins that potentially can become biomarkers of male infertility. The data suggest, however, different mechanisms behind the male infertility indicating that the etiology is more complex. We assume that recognition of these mechanisms may lead to the creation of specific protein panel helpful in the management of male infertility and therefore, further studies are required.
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Liu SW, Luo JQ, Zhao LY, Ou NJ, Chao-Yang, Zhang YX, Bai HW, Sun HF, Zhang JX, Yao CC, Li P, Tian RH, Li Z, Zhu ZJ. scRNA-seq reveals that origin recognition complex subunit 6 regulates mouse spermatogonial cell proliferation and apoptosis via activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Asian J Androl 2023; 26:00129336-990000000-00123. [PMID: 37788012 PMCID: PMC10846824 DOI: 10.4103/aja202330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The regulation of spermatogonial proliferation and apoptosis is of great significance for maintaining spermatogenesis. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of the testis was performed to identify genes upregulated in spermatogonia. Using scRNA-seq analysis, we identified the spermatogonia upregulated gene origin recognition complex subunit 6 (Orc6), which is involved in DNA replication and cell cycle regulation; its protein expression in the human and mouse testis was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. To explore the potential function of Orc6 in spermatogonia, the C18-4 cell line was transfected with control or Orc6 siRNA. Subsequently, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to evaluate its effects on proliferation and apoptosis. It was revealed that ORC6 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of C18-4 cells. Bulk RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis indicated that Orc6 was involved in the activation of wingless/integrated (Wnt)/ β-catenin signaling. Western blot revealed that the expression of β-catenin protein and its phosphorylation (Ser675) were significantly decreased when silencing the expression of ORC6. Our findings indicated that Orc6 was upregulated in spermatogonia, whereby it regulated proliferation and apoptosis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Wei Liu
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jia-Qiang Luo
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Liang-Yu Zhao
- Department of Urology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Ning-Jing Ou
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Chao-Yang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Zhang
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Hao-Wei Bai
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Hong-Fang Sun
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jian-Xiong Zhang
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Chen-Cheng Yao
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Ru-Hui Tian
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Zi-Jue Zhu
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men’s Health, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
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Wu S, Cheng Z, Peng Y, Cao Y, He Z. GPx3 knockdown inhibits the proliferation and DNA synthesis and enhances the early apoptosis of human spermatogonial stem cells via mediating CXCL10 and cyclin B1. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1213684. [PMID: 37484915 PMCID: PMC10361659 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1213684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors. However, the genes and signaling pathways mediating human spermatogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we have for the first time explored the expression, function, and mechanism of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) in controlling the proliferation and apoptosis of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). We found that GPx3 was expressed in human SSCs. Notably, we revealed that GPx3 knockdown resulted in the decrease in the proliferation, DNA synthesis, and cyclin B1 level in human SSC lines, which possessed the phenotypic features of human primary SSCs. Flow cytometry and TUNEL assays showed that GPx3 silencing led to enhancement of early apoptosis of human SSC line. RNA sequencing was utilized to identify CXCL10 as a target of GPx3 in human SSCs, and notably, both double immunostaining and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) demonstrated that there was an association between GPx3 and CXCL10 in these cells. CXCL10-shRNA resulted in the reduction in the proliferation and DNA synthesis of human SSC line and an increase in apoptosis of these cells. Taken together, these results implicate that GPx3 regulates the proliferation, DNA synthesis, and early apoptosis of human SSC line via mediating CXCL10 and cyclin B1. This study, thus, offers a novel insight into the molecular mechanism regulating the fate determinations of human SSCs and human spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Zixin Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Ye Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Cao
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Zuping He
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, China
- The Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Bachelot G, Dhombres F, Sermondade N, Haj Hamid R, Berthaut I, Frydman V, Prades M, Kolanska K, Selleret L, Mathieu-D'Argent E, Rivet-Danon D, Levy R, Lamazière A, Dupont C. A Machine Learning Approach for the Prediction of Testicular Sperm Extraction in Nonobstructive Azoospermia: Algorithm Development and Validation Study. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e44047. [PMID: 37342078 DOI: 10.2196/44047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is an essential therapeutic tool for the management of male infertility. However, it is an invasive procedure with a success rate up to 50%. To date, no model based on clinical and laboratory parameters is sufficiently powerful to accurately predict the success of sperm retrieval in TESE. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to compare a wide range of predictive models under similar conditions for TESE outcomes in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) to identify the correct mathematical approach to apply, most appropriate study size, and relevance of the input biomarkers. METHODS We analyzed 201 patients who underwent TESE at Tenon Hospital (Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris), distributed in a retrospective training cohort of 175 patients (January 2012 to April 2021) and a prospective testing cohort (May 2021 to December 2021) of 26 patients. Preoperative data (according to the French standard exploration of male infertility, 16 variables) including urogenital history, hormonal data, genetic data, and TESE outcomes (representing the target variable) were collected. A TESE was considered positive if we obtained sufficient spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. After preprocessing the raw data, 8 machine learning (ML) models were trained and optimized on the retrospective training cohort data set: The hyperparameter tuning was performed by random search. Finally, the prospective testing cohort data set was used for the model evaluation. The metrics used to evaluate and compare the models were the following: sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), and accuracy. The importance of each variable in the model was assessed using the permutation feature importance technique, and the optimal number of patients to include in the study was assessed using the learning curve. RESULTS The ensemble models, based on decision trees, showed the best performance, especially the random forest model, which yielded the following results: AUC=0.90, sensitivity=100%, and specificity=69.2%. Furthermore, a study size of 120 patients seemed sufficient to properly exploit the preoperative data in the modeling process, since increasing the number of patients beyond 120 during model training did not bring any performance improvement. Furthermore, inhibin B and a history of varicoceles exhibited the highest predictive capacity. CONCLUSIONS An ML algorithm based on an appropriate approach can predict successful sperm retrieval in men with NOA undergoing TESE, with promising performance. However, although this study is consistent with the first step of this process, a subsequent formal prospective multicentric validation study should be undertaken before any clinical applications. As future work, we consider the use of recent and clinically relevant data sets (including seminal plasma biomarkers, especially noncoding RNAs, as markers of residual spermatogenesis in NOA patients) to improve our results even more.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bachelot
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Laboratory in Medical Informatics and Knowledge Engineering in e-Health, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Ferdinand Dhombres
- Laboratory in Medical Informatics and Knowledge Engineering in e-Health, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Sermondade
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Rahaf Haj Hamid
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Berthaut
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Valentine Frydman
- Service d'Urologie, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Marie Prades
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Kamila Kolanska
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Médecine de la Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Lise Selleret
- Service d'Urologie, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Mathieu-D'Argent
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique et Médecine de la Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Diane Rivet-Danon
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Levy
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Antonin Lamazière
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Département de Métabolomique Clinique, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Charlotte Dupont
- Saint Antoine Research Center, L'Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale UMR 938, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Service de Biologie de La Reproduction, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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Zhao X, Huang Z, Chen Y, Zhou Q, Zhu F, Zhang H, Zhou D. MAGEB2-Mediated Degradation of EGR1 Regulates the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Human Spermatogonial Stem Cell Lines. Stem Cells Int 2023; 2023:3610466. [PMID: 37304127 PMCID: PMC10256451 DOI: 10.1155/2023/3610466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogonial stem cells are committed to initiating and maintaining male spermatogenesis, which is the foundation of male fertility. Understanding the mechanisms underlying SSC fate decisions is critical for controlling spermatogenesis and male fertility. However, the key molecules and mechanisms responsible for regulating human SSC development are not clearly understood. Here, we analyzed normal human testis single-cell sequencing data from the GEO dataset (GSE149512 and GSE112013). Melanoma antigen gene B2 (MAGEB2) was found to be predominantly expressed in human SSCs and further validated by immunohistology. Overexpression of MAGEB2 in SSC lines severely weakened cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Further, using protein interaction prediction, molecular docking, and immunoprecipitation, we found that MAGEB2 interacted with early growth response protein 1 (EGR1) in SSC lines. Reexpression of EGR1 in MAGEB2 overexpression cells partially rescued decreased cell proliferation. Furthermore, MAGEB2 was shown to be downregulated in specific NOA patients, implying that abnormal expression of MAGEB2 may impair spermatogenesis and male fertility. Our results offer new insights into the functional and regulatory mechanisms in MAGEB2-mediated human SSC line proliferation and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueheng Zhao
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Zenghui Huang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Yongzhe Chen
- First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421000, China
| | - Qianyin Zhou
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Fang Zhu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
| | - Dai Zhou
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410000, China
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De Los Reyes M, Songsasen N, Herrick J. Editorial: Advances in reproductive biotechnologies in carnivores. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1123368. [PMID: 37303722 PMCID: PMC10250811 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1123368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nucharin Songsasen
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Jason Herrick
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, NE, United States
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Li J, Yang F, Dong L, Chang D, Yu X. Seminal plasma biomarkers for predicting successful sperm retrieval in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia: a narrative review of human studies. Basic Clin Androl 2023; 33:9. [PMID: 37076787 PMCID: PMC10116801 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-023-00184-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is considered to be the most severe form of male infertility. Before the emergence of surgical testicular sperm extraction and assisted reproductive technology, NOA patients could hardly become biological fathers of their children. However, failure of the surgery could cause physical and psychological harm to patients such as testicular damage, pain, hopeless of fertility and additional cost. Therefore, predicting the successful sperm retrieval (SSR) is so important for NOA patients to make their choice whether to do the surgery or not. Because seminal plasma is secreted by the testes and accessory gonads, it can reflect the spermatogenic environment, making it a preferential choice for SSR valuation. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the available evidence and provide the reader with a broad overview of biomarkers in seminal plasma for SSR prediction. RESULTS A total of 15,390 studies were searched from PUBMED, EMBASE, CENTRAL and Web of Science, but only 6615 studies were evaluated after duplications were removed. The abstracts of 6513 articles were excluded because they were irrelevant to the topic. The full texts of 102 articles were obtained, with 21 of them being included in this review. The included studies range in quality from medium to high. In the included articles, surgical sperm extraction methods included conventional testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). Currently, the biomarkers in seminal plasma used to predict SSR are primarily RNAs, metabolites, AMH, inhibin B, leptin, survivin, clusterin, LGALS3BP, ESX1, TEX101, TNP1, DAZ, PRM1 and PRM2. CONCLUSION The evidence does not conclusively indicate that AMH and INHB in seminal plasma are valuable to predict the SSR. It is worth noting that RNAs, metabolites and other biomarkers in seminal plasma have shown great potential in predicting SSR. However, existing evidence is insufficient to provide clinicians with adequate decision support, and more prospective, large sample size, and multicenter trials are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Li
- Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, The Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611130, Chengdu, China
| | - Fang Yang
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610072, Chengdu, China
| | - Liang Dong
- The Reproductive & Women-Children Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Degui Chang
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610072, Chengdu, China
| | - Xujun Yu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 611137, Chengdu, China.
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Micro-TESE surgery combined with ICSI regimen in the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia patients and its effect analysis. ZYGOTE 2023; 31:55-61. [PMID: 36268556 DOI: 10.1017/s096719942200051x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the clinical effects of microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) surgery combined with an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) regimen in the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients with different etiologies. In total, 128 NOA patients participated in this study, in which they received infertility treatment by micro-TESE surgery combined with an ICSI regimen, and all patients were divided into three groups [the Klinefelter syndrome (KS), the idiopathic and the secondary NOA groups]. In addition, the sperm retrieval rate (SRR), fertilization rate, embryo development status and clinical treatment effects were analyzed. Among the 128 NOA patients, the SRR of KS NOA patients was 48.65%, those of idiopathic and the secondary patients were 33.82% and 73.91%, respectively. Regardless of etiologies, there was no correlation with age, hormone value or testicular volume. Further analysis showed that the SRR of the KS group was positively related with testosterone (T) values, and the SRR of the secondary group had a positive relationship with follicle-stimulating hormone or luteinizing hormone values. In the subsequent clinical treatment, the retrieved sperm was subjected to ICSI and achieved good treatment effects, especially in the secondary group, and the implantation rate (55.56%) and clinical pregnancy rate (68.42%) were both higher than those of the idiopathic group (28.75% and 40.00%) and KS group (22.05% and 30.77%). Micro-TESE surgery combined with ICSI insemination is the most effective treatment regimen for NOA patients. The SRR of NOA patients with different etiologies are related to certain specific factors, and micro-TESE surgery seems to be the ideal and only way to have biological children.
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Li N, Zhou Q, Yi Z, Zhang H, Zhou D. Ubiquitin protein E3 ligase ASB9 suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in human spermatogonial stem cell line by inducing HIF1AN degradation. Biol Res 2023; 56:4. [PMID: 36683111 PMCID: PMC9869568 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00413-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are critical for sustaining spermatogenesis. Even though several regulators of SSC have been identified in rodents, the regulatory mechanism of SSC in humans has yet to be discovered. METHODS To explore the regulatory mechanisms of human SSCs, we analyzed publicly available human testicular single-cell sequencing data and found that Ankyrin repeat and SOCS box protein 9 (ASB9) is highly expressed in SSCs. We examined the expression localization of ASB9 using immunohistochemistry and overexpressed ASB9 in human SSC lines to explore its role in SSC proliferation and apoptosis. Meanwhile, we used immunoprecipitation to find the target protein of ASB9 and verified its functions. In addition, we examined the changes in the distribution of ASB9 in non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients using Western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS The results of uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) clustering and pseudotime analysis showed that ASB9 was highly expressed in SSCs, and its expression gradually increased during development. The immunohistochemical and dual-color immunofluorescence results displayed that ASB9 was mainly expressed in nonproliferating SSCs. Overexpression of ASB9 in the SSC line revealed significant inhibition of cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. We predicted the target proteins of ASB9 and verified that hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha inhibitor (HIF1AN), but not creatine kinase B-type (CKB), has a direct interaction with ASB9 in human SSC line using protein immunoprecipitation experiments. Subsequently, we re-expressed HIF1AN in ASB9 overexpressing cells and found that HIF1AN reversed the proliferative and apoptotic changes induced by ASB9 overexpression. In addition, we found that ABS9 was significantly downregulated in some NOA patients, implying a correlation between ASB9 dysregulation and impaired spermatogenesis. CONCLUSION ASB9 is predominantly expressed in human SSCs, it affects the proliferation and apoptotic process of the SSC line through HIF1AN, and its abnormal expression may be associated with NOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Operating Department of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Qianyin Zhou
- grid.477823.d0000 0004 1756 593XReproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410021 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Zhang Yi
- grid.477823.d0000 0004 1756 593XReproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410021 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Huan Zhang
- grid.477823.d0000 0004 1756 593XReproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410021 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Dai Zhou
- grid.477823.d0000 0004 1756 593XReproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410021 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan China ,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, 410021 Hunan China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
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Zhou D, Zhu F, Huang ZH, Zhang H, Fan LQ, Fan JY. SPOC domain-containing protein 1 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of human spermatogonial stem cells through adenylate kinase 4. World J Stem Cells 2022; 14:822-838. [PMID: 36619695 PMCID: PMC9813840 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i12.822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the origin of male spermatogenesis, which can reconstruct germ cell lineage in mice. However, the application of SSCs for male fertility restoration is hindered due to the unclear mechanisms of proliferation and self-renewal in humans.
AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of SPOC domain-containing protein 1 (SPOCD1) in human SSC proliferation.
METHODS We analyzed publicly available human testis single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and found that SPOCD1 is predominantly expressed in SSCs in the early developmental stages. Small interfering RNA was applied to suppress SPOCD1 expression to detect the impacts of SPOCD1 inhibition on SSC proliferation and apoptosis. Subsequently, we explored the target genes of SPOCD1 using RNA-seq and confirmed their role by restoring the expression of the target genes. In addition, we examined SPOCD1 expression in some non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients to explore the correlation between SPOCD1 and NOA.
RESULTS The uniform manifold approximation and projection clustering and pseudotime analysis showed that SPOCD1 was highly expressed in the early stages of SSC, and immunohistological results showed that SPOCD1 was mainly localized in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha-1 positive SSCs. SPOCD1 knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. RNA-seq results showed that SPOCD1 knockdown significantly downregulated genes such as adenylate kinase 4 (AK4). Overexpression of AK4 in SPOCD1 knockdown cells partially reversed the phenotypic changes, indicating that AK4 is a functional target gene of SPOCD1. In addition, we found a significant downregulation of SPOCD1 expression in some NOA patients, suggesting that the downregulation of SPOCD1 may be relevant for NOA.
CONCLUSION Our study broadens the understanding of human SSC fate determination and may offer new theories on the etiology of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Zhou
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Fang Zhu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Zeng-Hui Huang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Li-Qing Fan
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Jing-Yu Fan
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, United States
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Volumetric apparent diffusion coefficient histogram analysis of the testes in nonobstructive azoospermia: a noninvasive fingerprint of impaired spermatogenesis? Eur Radiol 2022; 32:7522-7531. [PMID: 35484338 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-022-08817-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the association between testicular volumetric apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis metrics and histologic categories in nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). The role of ADC histogram analysis in predicting the presence of spermatozoa, prior to testicular sperm extraction (TESE), was also investigated. METHODS Forty-one NOA men and 17 age-matched controls underwent scrotal MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging. Histogram analysis of ADC data of the whole testis was performed. Metrics including mean, standard deviation, median, mode, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, skewness, kurtosis, and entropy of volumetric ADC histograms were calculated. Nonparametric statistical tests were used to assess differences in ADC histogram parameters between NOA histologic categories (hypospermatogenesis, severe hypospermatogenesis, early maturation arrest, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome) and normal testes and, between NOA with positive and negative sperm retrieval. RESULTS Normal testes had a lower mean, median, mode, 25th percentile (p < 0.001), and 75th percentile of ADC (p = 0.001), compared to NOA histologic phenotypes. NOA with hypospermatogenesis had a lower 25th percentile of ADC compared to NOA with severe hypospermatogenesis. Regression analysis revealed that the 25th percentile of ADC had a moderately negative correlation with NOA histologic phenotype. The median ADC proved the most significant metric (p = 0.007) to predict the presence of sperm. CONCLUSIONS Testicular volumetric ADC histogram parameters may contribute in the identification of the subpopulation of NOA men with a specific type of spermatogenic arrest. KEY POINTS • Volumetric ADC histogram analysis metrics may be used as noninvasive markers of impaired spermatogenesis in nonobstructive azoospermia. • The 25th percentile of ADC proved useful in discriminating between NOA testes with hypospermatogenesis and severe hypospermatogenesis. • The median ADC proved the most significant parameter to predict the presence of viable spermatozoa prior to TESE.
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14
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Li JP, Du CQ, Liu ZB, Zhang FB, Li LJ, Wu JG, Tian YH, Liang ZY, Chen C, Jin F. Development and validation predictive models of sperm retrieval for azoospermic men undergoing testicular sperm aspiration: a multicentre, retrospective, cohort study. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:1779-1787. [PMID: 35870097 PMCID: PMC9428087 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02531-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) is widely used to retrieve sperm from testis. Diagnostic testicular biopsy should not be routinely performed for azoospermia. Therefore, a good predictive model is needed before TESA. METHODS A total of 1972 azoospermia patients constituted the modelling set, and 260 azoospermia patients from two other centres constituted the validation set. An integrated predictive model was built using logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC), calibration and decision curve analyses were performed to evaluate the performance of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), semen volume, testicular volume and the integrated model. RESULTS The FSH level was the best univariate predictor for successful sperm retrieval (SSR) and was better than semen volume and testicular volume alone (p<0.001, threshold 6.17 IU/L, modelling set area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.80, accuracy 0.79; validation set AUC 0.87, accuracy 0.78). The integrated predictive model had excellent accuracy for predicting SSR (modelling set: AUC 0.93, accuracy 0.89; validation set: AUC 0.96, accuracy: 0.89). Calibration curve analysis indicated that the integrated model calibration was good and better than that of FSH, semen volume and testicular volume alone. Decision curve analysis indicated with a threshold probability between 0.05 and 0.98, the integrated model added more benefit than treating either all or no patients. CONCLUSIONS The integrated model has excellent discrimination and good calibration. It can help azoospermic men make better decisions before TESA. It should be noted that TESA is not the first-line treatment for non-obstructive azoospermia because of a low sperm retrieval rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Ping Li
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Cong-Qi Du
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XReproductive Medicine Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zu-Bo Liu
- grid.513202.7Reproductive Medicine Centre, Jinhua People’s Hospital, Jinhua, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng-Bin Zhang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Le-Jun Li
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Jing-Gen Wu
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Yong-Hong Tian
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Zhong-Yan Liang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
| | - Chong Chen
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Ultrasound, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Jin
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China 310006
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A Homozygous Loss-of-Function Mutation in MSH5 Abolishes MutSγ Axial Loading and Causes Meiotic Arrest in NOA-Affected Individuals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126522. [PMID: 35742973 PMCID: PMC9224491 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), characterized by spermatogenesis failure and the absence of sperm in ejaculation, is the most severe form of male infertility. However, the etiology and pathology between meiosis-associated monogenic alterations and human NOA remain largely unknown. A homozygous MSH5 mutation (c.1126del) was identified from two idiopathic NOA patients in the consanguineous family. This mutation led to the degradation of MSH5 mRNA and abolished chromosome axial localization of MutSγ in spermatocytes from the affected males. Chromosomal spreading analysis of the patient's meiotic prophase I revealed that the meiosis progression was arrested at a zygotene-like stage with extensive failure of homologous synapsis and DSB repair. Therefore, our study demonstrates that the MSH5 c.1126del could cause meiotic recombination failure and lead to human infertility, improving the genetic diagnosis of NOA clinically. Furthermore, the study of human spermatocytes elucidates the meiosis defects caused by MSH5 variant, and reveals a conserved and indispensable role of MutSγ in human synapsis and meiotic recombination, which have not previously been well-described.
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Araujo SC, Bertolla RP. Protein markers of spermatogenesis and their potential use in the management of azoospermia. Expert Rev Proteomics 2021; 18:939-948. [PMID: 34812697 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2021.2010548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Azoospermia, absence of sperm in the ejaculate is classified as obstructive (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). In OA, sperm are produced, but due to physical obstruction in the male reproductive tract, they are not released in the ejaculate. NOA, on the other hand, is defined as the absence of sperm in the ejaculate due to testicular dysfunction. In NOA, spermatogenesis is frequently preserved in specific sites, and proteomics studies have been employed in order to identify men with preserved spermatogenesis. AREAS COVERED Differential protein expression in patients with male infertility is an indicator of impaired spermatogenesis. Here, we reviewed proteins with a potential role as biomarkers of spermatogenesis that could help in the management of non-obstructive and obstructive azoospermia. The following keywords were used for bibliographic research: seminal plasma, proteomics, male infertility, nonobstructive, obstructive, azoospermia, oligospermia. EXPERT OPINION Biopsy is an invasive and potentially harmful technique for detecting spermatogenesis in men with OA and NOA. Seminal plasma proteins are highly promising as biomarkers for spermatogenesis. Current literature presents a number of potential candidate biomarkers for determining preserved spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Costa Araujo
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Human Reproduction Section, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Pimenta Bertolla
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Human Reproduction Section, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Bi-allelic variants in human WDR63 cause male infertility via abnormal inner dynein arms assembly. Cell Discov 2021; 7:110. [PMID: 34782613 PMCID: PMC8593051 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-021-00327-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inner dynein arm (IDA), composed of a series of protein complex, is necessary to cilia and flagella bend formation and beating. Previous studies indicated that defects of IDA protein complex result in multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum (MMAF) and male infertility. However, the genetic causes and molecular mechanisms in the IDAs need further exploration. Here we identified two loss-of-function variants of WDR63 in both MMAF and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) affected cohorts. WDR63 encodes an IDA-associated protein that is dominantly expressed in testis. We next generated Wdr63-knockout (Wdr63-KO) mice through the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Remarkably, Wdr63-KO induced decreased sperm number, abnormal flagellar morphology and male infertility. In addition, transmission electron microscopy assay showed severely disorganized "9 + 2" axoneme and absent inner dynein arms in the spermatozoa from Wdr63-KO male mice. Mechanistically, we found that WDR63 interacted with WDR78 mainly via WD40-repeat domain and is necessary for IDA assembly. Furthermore, WDR63-associated male infertility in human and mice could be overcome by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that bi-allelic variants of WDR63 cause male infertility via abnormal inner dynein arms assembly and flagella formation and can be used as a genetic diagnostic indicator for infertility males.
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Punjani N, Kang C, Lamb DJ, Schlegel PN. Current updates and future perspectives in the evaluation of azoospermia: A systematic review. Arab J Urol 2021; 19:206-214. [PMID: 34552771 PMCID: PMC8451618 DOI: 10.1080/2090598x.2021.1954415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To provide a summary of the current evaluation of azoospermia and insights into future perspectives in the evaluation and counselling of men with azoospermia. Methods: A search of PubMed, Cochrane Reviews and Web of Science databases was performed for full-text English-language articles published between 1943 and 2020 focussing on ‘future perspectives’, ‘azoospermia’ and ‘evaluation’. Results: Azoospermia represents a severe form of male infertility characterised by sperm production so impaired that there are no sperm present in the ejaculate. The current evaluation of azoospermia focusses on patient history and physical examination with selected adjunctive laboratory investigations including serum hormones, a karyotype and screening for Y chromosome microdeletions. Future diagnostics are focussed on identifying the underlying genetic aetiologies for azoospermia, as well as a greater emphasis on screening for systemic illness that men with severe infertility may be predisposed to develop. Conclusion: Azoospermia represents an extreme form of male infertility, and evaluation relies heavily on history and physical examination, as genetic evaluations for these individuals remain limited. Future evaluation will focus on next-generation sequencing and more rigorous evaluation for possible co-existing and future risk of systemic disease. ABBREVIATIONS: ADGRG2, adhesion G protein-coupled receptor G2; ASRM: American Society of Reproductive Medicine; AZF: azoospermia factor; CBAVD: congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens; CFTR: cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; CRKL: CRK-like proto-oncogene; E2F1: E2F transcription factor 1; HAUS7: HAUS augmin-like complex subunit 7; HR: hazard ratio; KS: Klinefelter syndrome; MAZ, MYC-associated zinc finger protein; NGS: next-generation sequencing; NOA: non-obstructive azoospermia; OA: obstructive azoospermia; RHOX: reproductive homeobox on the X chromosome; SH2: SRC homology 2; TAF7L: TATA-box binding protein associated factor 7-like; TEX11: testis-expressed 11; WES: whole-exome sequencing
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Punjani
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caroline Kang
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dolores J Lamb
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Reproductive Genomics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter N Schlegel
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Reproductive Genomics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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Achermann APP, Pereira TA, Esteves SC. Microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) in men with infertility due to nonobstructive azoospermia: summary of current literature. Int Urol Nephrol 2021; 53:2193-2210. [PMID: 34410586 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-021-02979-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is associated with intrinsic testicular defects that severely impair sperm production. Although NOA invariably leads to infertility, focal sperm production may exist in the testicles of affected patients, which can be retrieved and used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to generate healthy offspring. However, geographic locations of testicular sperm producing-areas are uncertain, making microsurgical-guided sperm retrieval (microdissection testicular sperm extraction; micro-TESE) an attractive method to identify and retrieve sperm in patients with NOA due to spermatogenic failure. Given the widespread use of micro-TESE, its effectiveness in harvesting sperm and related potential complications need to be clarified. METHODS We queried PubMed/MEDLINE for studies published in English, from inception to May 2021, concerning the effect of micro-TESE on sperm retrieval rate (SRR), complication rate and ICSI pregnancy rate-using retrieved testicular sperm in subfertile couples where the male had NOA. RESULTS We found 116 articles, including 70 original papers, 32 review articles, and 14 systematic reviews. The evidence accounted for 4895 patients. Micro-TESE retrieved sperm in 46.6% of men with NOA, but SRRs varied considerably (18.4-70.8%) and were mainly related to the treated population characteristics. Concerning the general population of NOA patients who have not undergone previous sperm retrieval (naïve population), the SRR by micro-TESE was 46.8% (1833 of 3914 patients; range 20-70.8%; 28 studies). In studies reporting SR by micro-TESE for men who had failed percutaneous testicular sperm aspiration or non-microsurgical testicular sperm extraction, the SRR was 39.1% (127 of 325 patients; range 18.4-57.1%; 4 studies). Data on adverse events indicated that micro-TESE was associated with low (~ 3%) short-term postoperative complication rates. The fertilizing ability of testicular sperm retrieved by micro-TESE and used for ICSI was adequate (~ 57%), whereas clinical pregnancy and live birth were obtained in 39% and 24% of couples who had an embryo transfer, respectively. The health of the resulting children seems reassuring, but the evidence is limited. The procedure increases sperm retrieval success compared to non-microsurgical retrieval methods, particularly in men with Sertoli cell-only testicular histopathology. CONCLUSION We concluded that micro-TESE is an effective and safe method to retrieve sperm from men with NOA-related infertility, with potential advantages over non-microsurgical methods. Nevertheless, high-quality, head-to-head comparative randomized controlled trials by sperm retrieval method, focusing on SRR, live birth rate and assessing long-term adverse events and health of children conceived using testicular sperm from NOA patients are lacking. Therefore, further research is required to determine the full clinical implications of micro-TESE in male infertility treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnold P P Achermann
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Av. Dr. Heitor Penteado 1464, Campinas, SP, 13075-460, Brazil.,Post-Graduation Program in Surgical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Urocore-Centro de Urologia e Fisioterapia Pélvica, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Thairo A Pereira
- Post-Graduation Program in Surgical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Av. Dr. Heitor Penteado 1464, Campinas, SP, 13075-460, Brazil. .,Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil. .,Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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