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Zhang Z, Zhang Q, Liu Z, Wang C, Chen H, Luo X, Shen L, Long C, Wei G, Liu X. Rab25 is involved in hypospadias via the β1 integrin/EGFR pathway. Exp Cell Res 2024; 436:113980. [PMID: 38401686 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.113980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypospadias is a common congenital abnormality of the penile. Abnormal regulation of critical genes involved in urethral development leads to hypospadias. We used the Rab25-/- mice and foreskin fibroblasts transfected with lentivirus in vitro and in vivo to investigate the role of Rab25 in hypospadias. METHODS The expression levels of various molecules in tissue samples and foreskin fibroblasts were confirmed using molecular biology methods (western blotting, PCR, immunohistochemistry, etc.). A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to visualize the external morphology of genital tubercles (GTs) of gestation day (GD) 18.5 male wild-type (WT) and Rab25-/- mice. RESULTS An expanded distal cleft and V-shaped urethral opening were observed in GD 18.5 Rab25-/- mice. We demonstrated that Rab25 mediated hypospadias through the β1 integrin/EGFR pathway. In addition, silencing Rab25 inhibited cell proliferation and migration and promoted apoptosis in the foreskin fibroblasts; Ki-67- and TUNEL-positive cells were mainly concentrated near the urethral seam. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that Rab25 plays an essential role in hypospadias by activation of β1 integrin/EGFR pathway, and Rab25 is a critical mediator of urethral seam formation in GD18.5 male fetal mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Zhenmin Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Chong Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Hongsong Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Xingguo Luo
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Lianju Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Chunlan Long
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Guanghui Wei
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Xing Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Structural Birth Defect and Reconstruction, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Pediatric Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China; Program for Youth Innovation in Future Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China.
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Kim JH, Jin ZW, Abe H, Murakami G, Rodríguez-Vázquez JF, Hinata N. Distal vaginal atresia: a report of a rare type found a late-term fetus and its histological comparison with the normal pelvis. Anat Cell Biol 2022; 55:475-482. [PMID: 36071545 PMCID: PMC9747340 DOI: 10.5115/acb.22.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Solitary distal vaginal atresia is generally caused by a transverse septum or an imperforate hymen. We found a novel type of distal vaginal atresia in a late-term fetus (gestational age approximately 28 weeks) in our histology collection. This fetus had a vaginal vestibule that was closed and covered by a thick subcutaneous tissue beneath the perineal skin in the immediately inferior or superficial side of the imperforate hymen. The uterus, uterine tube, anus, and anal canal had normal development. The urethral rhabdosphincters were well-developed and had a normal topographical relationship with the vagina, but the urethrovaginal sphincter was absent. Thus, vaginal descent seemed to occur normally and form the vestibule. However, the external orifice of the urethra consisted of a highly folded duct with hypertrophied squamous epithelium. Notably, the corpus cavernosum and crus of the clitoris had poor development and were embedded in the subcutaneous tissue, distant from the vestibule. Normally, the cloacal membrane shifts from the bottom of the urogenital sinus to the inferior aspect of the thick and elongated genital tubercle after establishment of the urorectal septum. Therefore, we speculate there was a failure in the transposition of the cloacal membrane caused by decreased elongation of the genital tubercle. The histology of this anomaly strongly suggested that the hymen does not represent a part of the cloacal membrane, but is instead a product that appears during the late recanalization of the distal vagina after vaginal descent. The transverse septum was also likely to form during this recanalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hyun Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea,Corresponding author: Ji Hyun Kim, Department of Anatomy, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, 20 Geonji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54907, Korea, E-mail:
| | - Zhe-Wu Jin
- Department of Anatomy, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Emeritus professor of Akita University, Akita, Japan
| | - Gen Murakami
- Division of Internal Medicine, Cupid Clinic, Iwamizawa, Japan
| | | | - Nobuyuki Hinata
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Draskau MK, Schwartz CL, Evrard B, Lardenois A, Pask A, Chalmel F, Svingen T. The anti-androgenic fungicide triticonazole induces region-specific transcriptional changes in the developing rat perineum and phallus. Chemosphere 2022; 308:136346. [PMID: 36084822 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136346] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Intrauterine exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can interfere with male reproductive development. This can lead to male reproductive disorders such as hypospadias, cryptorchidism and reduced fertility, as well as shorter anogenital distance (AGD) - a biomarker for incomplete androgen-dependent fetal masculinization. However, it remains challenging to predict adverse in vivo outcomes based on in vitro effect patterns for many chemicals. This is a challenge for modern toxicology, which aims to reduce animal testing for chemical safety assessments. To enable the transition towards higher reliance on alternative test methods, we need to better map underlying mechanisms leading to adverse effects. Herein, we have analyzed the transcriptome of the perineum and phallus of male fetal rats and defined the impacts of exposure to an anti-androgenic fungicide, triticonazole. Previously we have shown that developmental exposure to triticonazole can induce short male AGD, but without a marked effect on the transcriptome of the fetal testes. In contrast, we report here significant changes to the transcriptional landscape of the perineum and phallus, including regional differences between these adjacent tissues. This highlights the importance of analyzing the correct tissue when characterizing mechanisms of complex in vivo effect outcomes. Our results provide a rich resource for the spatiotemporal gene networks that are involved in the development of male external genitalia, and that can be disrupted upon exposure to chemicals that prevent normal masculinization of the perineum and phallus. Such data will be critical in the development of novel alternative test methods to determine the endocrine disrupting potential of existing and emerging chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Kam Draskau
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, Kongens Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Camilla Lindgren Schwartz
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, Kongens Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
| | - Bertrand Evrard
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Aurélie Lardenois
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Andrew Pask
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Terje Svingen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, Kongens Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark.
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Armfield BA, Cohn MJ. Single cell transcriptomic analysis of external genitalia reveals complex and sexually dimorphic cell populations in the early genital tubercle. Dev Biol 2021; 477:145-154. [PMID: 34033822 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
External genital organs are among the most recognizable sexually dimorphic characters. The penis and clitoris develop from the embryonic genital tubercle, an outgrowth at the anterior margin of the cloaca that undergoes an extensive period of development in male and female embryos prior to the onset of sexual differentiation. In mice, differentiation into the penis and clitoris begins around embryonic day (E)15.5. Current knowledge of cell types that comprise the genital tubercle is limited to a few studies that have fate mapped derivatives of endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Here we use single cell transcriptomics to characterize the cell populations in the genital tubercles of male and female mouse embryos at E14.5, approximately 24 h before the onset of sexual differentiation, and we present the first comprehensive atlas of single-cell gene expression during external genital development. Clustering analyses and annotation using marker genes shows 19 distinct cell populations in E14.5 genital tubercles. Mapping of cell clusters to anatomical locations using in situ gene expression patterns revealed granularity of cellular specializations and positional identities. Although E14.5 precedes sexually dimorphic morphogenesis of the genital tubercle, comparative analysis of males and females identified sexual dimorphisms at the single cell level, including male-specific cell clusters with transcriptional signatures of smooth muscle and bone progenitors, both of which are known to be sexually dimorphic in adult genitalia, as well as immune cells. These results provide a new resource for classification of external genital cell types based on gene expression profiles and reveal sex-specific cellular specializations in the early genital tubercle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Armfield
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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5
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Cunha GR, Liu G, Sinclair A, Cao M, Baskin L. Clitoral development in the mouse and human. Differentiation 2019; 111:79-97. [PMID: 31731099 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2019.07.006] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this report is (a) to provide the first detailed description of mouse clitoral development, and (b) to compare mouse and human clitoral development. For this purpose, external genitalia of female mice were examined by wholemount microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry from 14 days of gestation to 10 days postnatal. Human clitoral development was examined by these techniques as well as by scanning electron microscopy and optical projection tomography from 8 to 19 weeks of gestation. The adult mouse clitoris is an internal organ defined by a U-shaped clitoral lamina whose development is associated with the prenatal medial and distal growth of the female preputial swellings along the sides of the genital tubercle to form the circumferential preputial lamina. Regression of the ventral aspect of the preputial lamina leads to formation of the U-shaped clitoral lamina recognized as early as 17 days of gestation. While the adult U-shaped mouse clitoral lamina is closely associated with the vagina, and it appears to be completely non-responsive to estrogen as opposed to the highly estrogen-responsive vaginal epithelium. The prominent perineal appendage in adult females is prepuce, formed via fusion of the embryonic preputial swellings and is not the clitoris. The human clitoris is in many respects a smaller anatomic version of the human penis having all of the external and internal elements except the urethra. The human clitoris (like the human penis) is derived from the genital tubercle with the clitoral glans projecting into the vaginal vestibule. Adult morphology and developmental processes are virtually non-comparable in the mouse and human clitoris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald R Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Ge Liu
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Adriane Sinclair
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Mei Cao
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Laurence Baskin
- Department of Urology, University of California, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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6
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Liu G, Liu X, Shen J, Sinclair A, Baskin L, Cunha GR. Contrasting mechanisms of penile urethral formation in mouse and human. Differentiation 2018; 101:46-64. [PMID: 29859371 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This paper addresses the developmental mechanisms of formation of the mouse and human penile urethra and the possibility that two disparate mechanisms are at play. It has been suggested that the entire penile urethra of the mouse forms via direct canalization of the endodermal urethral plate. While this mechanism surely accounts for development of the proximal portion of the mouse penile urethra, we suggest that the distal portion of the mouse penile urethra forms via a series of epithelial fusion events. Through review of the recent literature in combination with new data, it is unlikely that the entire mouse urethra is formed from the endodermal urethral plate due in part to the fact that from E14 onward the urethral plate is not present in the distal aspect of the genital tubercle. Formation of the distal portion of the mouse urethra receives substantial contribution from the preputial swellings that form the preputial-urethral groove and subsequently the preputial-urethral canal, the later of which is subdivided by a fusion event to form the distal portion of the mouse penile urethra. Examination of human penile development also reveals comparable dual morphogenetic mechanisms. However, in the case of human, direct canalization of the urethral plate occurs in the glans, while fusion events are involved in formation of the urethra within the penile shaft, a pattern exactly opposite to that of the mouse. The highest incidence of hypospadias in humans occurs at the junction of these two different developmental mechanisms. The relevance of the mouse as a model of human hypospadias is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Joel Shen
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Adriane Sinclair
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Laurence Baskin
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Gerald R Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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Dos Santos AC, Conley AJ, de Oliveira MF, de Assis Neto AC. Development of urogenital system in the Spix cavy: A model for studies on sexual differentiation. Differentiation 2018; 101:25-38. [PMID: 29684807 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This study documented, for the first time, the morphological patterns of differentiation of male and female genital organs of Spix cavy (Galea spixii) using histological and ultrastructural analyses, with immuno-localization of steroidogenic enzymes, cytochromes P450 aromatase (P450arom) and 17α-hydroxylase/17, 20-lyase (P450c17), involved in the synthesis of estrogens and androgens respectively throughout fetal sexual development. Undifferentiated gonads of Spix cavy develop into ovaries in females after 25 days of gestation (DG), exhibiting P450arom immunoreactivity. After 25 DG, paramesonephric ducts develop and form oviducts, uterine horns and cranial portion of the vagina. The caudal portion of the vagina originates from the urogenital sinus, and a vaginal closure membrane is present at the end of gestation. Partial channeling of the urethra into the clitoris occurs after 40 DG, but complete channeling never occurs. A preputial meatus emerges near the tip of organ. In males, undifferentiated gonads develop into testes at 25 DG and develop immunoreactivity for P450c17, which is required for androgens synthesis and likely maintenance of mesonephric ducts. Mesonephric ducts develop subsequently, forming the epididymis and ductus deferens. The pelvic urethra develops after 25 DG with channeling into the penis occurring around 30 DG. This is the first morphological study describing the process of sexual differentiation during gestation in a hystricomorph rodent and one of the most comprehensive analyses conducted in any mammal. Male genital organ development follows the general pattern described in other domestic mammals, but does not include formation of the baculum as occurs in mice and rats. In females, clitoral development includes partial canalization by the urethra and development of a preputial meatus. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms involved in the differentiative processes described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amilton Cesar Dos Santos
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87 ZC, 05508-270 São Paulo-SP, Brazil
| | - Alan James Conley
- Population Health&Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | | | - Antônio Chaves de Assis Neto
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87 ZC, 05508-270 São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
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Isaacson D, Shen J, Cao M, Sinclair A, Yue X, Cunha G, Baskin L. Renal Subcapsular xenografing of human fetal external genital tissue - A new model for investigating urethral development. Differentiation 2017; 98:1-13. [PMID: 29031189 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 08/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce our novel renal subcapsular xenograft model for the study of human penile urethral and clitoral development. We grafted fifteen intact fetal penes and clitorides 8-11 weeks fetal age under the renal capsules of gonadectomized athymic mice. The mice were treated with a subcutaneous pellet of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), diethylstilbestrol (DES) or untreated with hormones. Xenografts were harvested after fourteen days of growth and analyzed via serial histologic sectioning and immunostaining for Ki-67, cytokeratins 6, 7 and 10, uroplakin and the androgen receptor. Non-grafted specimens of similar fetal age were sectioned and immunostained for the same antigenic markers. 14/15 (93.3%) grafts were successfully propagated and harvested. The developing urethral plate, urethral groove, tubular urethra, corporal bodies and preputial lamina were easily identifiable. These structures demonstrated robust cellularity, appropriate architecture and abundant Ki-67 expression. Expression patterns of cytokeratins 6, 7 and 10, uroplakin and the androgen receptor in xenografted specimens demonstrated characteristic male/female differences analogous to non-grafted specimens. DHT treatment reliably produced tubularization of nascent urethral and vestibular structures and male patterns of androgen receptor expression in grafts of both genetic sexes while estrogenic or hormonally absent conditions reliably resulted in a persistent open urethral/vestibular groove and female patterns of androgen receptor expression. This model's success enables further study into causal pathways by which endocrine-disrupting and endocrine-mimicking substances may directly cause disruption of normal human urethral development or hypospadias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Isaacson
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joel Shen
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mei Cao
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adriane Sinclair
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xuan Yue
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gerald Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Laurence Baskin
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Division of Pediatric Urology, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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9
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Sreenivasan R, Gordon CT, Benko S, de Iongh R, Bagheri-Fam S, Lyonnet S, Harley V. Altered SOX9 genital tubercle enhancer region in hypospadias. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 170:28-38. [PMID: 27989796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Human mutations in the SOX9 gene or its regulatory region can disrupt testicular development, leading to disorders of sex development (DSDs). Our previous work involving the genomic analysis of isolated DSD patients revealed a 78kb minimal sex determining region (RevSex) far upstream of SOX9 that was duplicated in 46,XX and deleted in 46,XY DSDs. It was postulated that RevSex contains a gonadal enhancer. However, the most highly conserved sub-region within RevSex, called SR4, was neither responsive to sex determining factors in vitro nor active in the gonads of transgenic mice, suggesting that SR4 may not be functioning as a testicular enhancer. Interestingly, SR4 transgenic mice showed reporter activity in the genital tubercle, the primordium of the penis and clitoris, a previously unreported domain of Sox9 expression. SOX9 protein was detected in the genital tubercle, notably in the urethral plate epithelium, preputial glands, ventral surface ectoderm and corpus cavernosa. SR4 may therefore function as a Sox9 genital tubercle enhancer, mutations of which could possibly lead to hypospadias, a birth defect seen in the DSD patients in the RevSex study. SR4 activity and the observed SOX9 expression pattern suggest that SR4 may function as a Sox9 genital tubercle enhancer. However, conditional ablation of Sox9 in the genital tubercle using Shh-Cre/+;Sox9flox/flox mice revealed no genital tubercle abnormalities, possibly due to compensation by similar Sox factors. To conclude, we have identified a novel regulatory enhancer driving Sox9 expression during external genitalia development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajini Sreenivasan
- Molecular Genetics and Development, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher T Gordon
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France; Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - Sabina Benko
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France; Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - Robb de Iongh
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Bagheri-Fam
- Molecular Genetics and Development, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stanislas Lyonnet
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France; Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité University, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Harley
- Molecular Genetics and Development, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Leung MC, Hutson MS, Seifert AW, Spencer RM, Knudsen TB. Computational modeling and simulation of genital tubercle development. Reprod Toxicol 2016; 64:151-61. [PMID: 27180093 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hypospadias is a developmental defect of urethral tube closure that has a complex etiology involving genetic and environmental factors, including anti-androgenic and estrogenic disrupting chemicals; however, little is known about the morphoregulatory consequences of androgen/estrogen balance during genital tubercle (GT) development. Computer models that predictively model sexual dimorphism of the GT may provide a useful resource to translate chemical-target bipartite networks and their developmental consequences across the human-relevant chemical universe. Here, we describe a multicellular agent-based model of genital tubercle (GT) development that simulates urethrogenesis from the sexually-indifferent urethral plate stage to urethral tube closure. The prototype model, constructed in CompuCell3D, recapitulates key aspects of GT morphogenesis controlled by SHH, FGF10, and androgen pathways through modulation of stochastic cell behaviors, including differential adhesion, motility, proliferation, and apoptosis. Proper urethral tube closure in the model was shown to depend quantitatively on SHH- and FGF10-induced effects on mesenchymal proliferation and epithelial apoptosis-both ultimately linked to androgen signaling. In the absence of androgen, GT development was feminized and with partial androgen deficiency, the model resolved with incomplete urethral tube closure, thereby providing an in silico platform for probabilistic prediction of hypospadias risk across combinations of minor perturbations to the GT system at various stages of embryonic development.
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11
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Georgas KM, Armstrong J, Keast JR, Larkins CE, McHugh KM, Southard-Smith EM, Cohn MJ, Batourina E, Dan H, Schneider K, Buehler DP, Wiese CB, Brennan J, Davies JA, Harding SD, Baldock RA, Little MH, Vezina CM, Mendelsohn C. An illustrated anatomical ontology of the developing mouse lower urogenital tract. Development 2015; 142:1893-908. [PMID: 25968320 DOI: 10.1242/dev.117903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Malformation of the urogenital tract represents a considerable paediatric burden, with many defects affecting the lower urinary tract (LUT), genital tubercle and associated structures. Understanding the molecular basis of such defects frequently draws on murine models. However, human anatomical terms do not always superimpose on the mouse, and the lack of accurate and standardised nomenclature is hampering the utility of such animal models. We previously developed an anatomical ontology for the murine urogenital system. Here, we present a comprehensive update of this ontology pertaining to mouse LUT, genital tubercle and associated reproductive structures (E10.5 to adult). Ontology changes were based on recently published insights into the cellular and gross anatomy of these structures, and on new analyses of epithelial cell types present in the pelvic urethra and regions of the bladder. Ontology changes include new structures, tissue layers and cell types within the LUT, external genitalia and lower reproductive structures. Representative illustrations, detailed text descriptions and molecular markers that selectively label muscle, nerves/ganglia and epithelia of the lower urogenital system are also presented. The revised ontology will be an important tool for researchers studying urogenital development/malformation in mouse models and will improve our capacity to appropriately interpret these with respect to the human situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie M Georgas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jane Armstrong
- Center for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Janet R Keast
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Christine E Larkins
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Kirk M McHugh
- Centre for Molecular and Human Genetics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Division of Anatomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205/10, USA
| | - E Michelle Southard-Smith
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Martin J Cohn
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Department of Biology, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | | | - Hanbin Dan
- Columbia University, Department of Urology, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kerry Schneider
- Columbia University, Department of Urology, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dennis P Buehler
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Carrie B Wiese
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jane Brennan
- Center for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Jamie A Davies
- Center for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Simon D Harding
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC IGMM, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Richard A Baldock
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC IGMM, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Melissa H Little
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chad M Vezina
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Cathy Mendelsohn
- Columbia University, Department of Urology, New York, NY 10032, USA
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12
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Ching ST, Cunha GR, Baskin LS, Basson MA, Klein OD. Coordinated activity of Spry1 and Spry2 is required for normal development of the external genitalia. Dev Biol 2013; 386:1-11. [PMID: 24361260 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Revised: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Development of the mammalian external genitalia is controlled by a network of signaling molecules and transcription factors. Because FGF signaling plays a central role in this complicated morphogenetic process, we investigated the role of Sprouty genes, which are important intracellular modulators of FGF signaling, during embryonic development of the external genitalia in mice. We found that Sprouty genes are expressed by the urethral epithelium during embryogenesis, and that they have a critical function during urethral canalization and fusion. Development of the genital tubercle (GT), the anlage of the prepuce and glans penis in males and glans clitoris in females, was severely affected in male embryos carrying null alleles of both Spry1 and Spry2. In Spry1(-/-);Spry2(-/-) embryos, the internal tubular urethra was absent, and urothelial morphology and organization was abnormal. These effects were due, in part, to elevated levels of epithelial cell proliferation in Spry1(-/-);Spry2(-/-) embryos. Despite changes in overall organization, terminal differentiation of the urothelium was not significantly affected. Characterization of the molecular pathways that regulate normal GT development confirmed that deletion of Sprouty genes leads to elevated FGF signaling, whereas levels of signaling in other cascades were largely preserved. Together, these results show that levels of FGF signaling must be tightly regulated during embryonic development of the external genitalia in mice, and that this regulation is mediated in part through the activity of Sprouty gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saunders T Ching
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, United States; Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, United States
| | - Gerald R Cunha
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, United States
| | - Laurence S Baskin
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, United States
| | - M Albert Basson
- Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College, London, UK
| | - Ophir D Klein
- Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, United States; Program in Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology, University of California, San Francisco, United States; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
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