1
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Hughes CHK, Smith OE, Meinsohn MC, Brunelle M, Gévry N, Murphy BD. Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1; Nr5a1) regulates the formation of the ovarian reserve. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220849120. [PMID: 37494420 PMCID: PMC10410717 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220849120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The ovarian follicle reserve, formed pre- or perinatally, comprises all oocytes for lifetime reproduction. Depletion of this reserve results in infertility. Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1; Nr5a1) and liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1; Nr5a2) are two orphan nuclear receptors that regulate adult endocrine function, but their role in follicle formation is unknown. We developed models of conditional depletion of SF-1 or LRH-1 from prenatal ovaries. Depletion of SF-1, but not LRH-1, resulted in dramatically smaller ovaries and fewer primordial follicles. This was mediated by increased oocyte death, resulting from increased ovarian inflammation and increased Notch signaling. Major dysregulated genes were Iroquois homeobox 3 and 5 and their downstream targets involved in the establishment of the ovarian laminin matrix and oocyte-granulosa cell gap junctions. Disruptions of these pathways resulted in follicles with impaired basement membrane formation and compromised oocyte-granulosa communication networks, believed to render them more prone to atresia. This study identifies SF-1 as a key regulator of the formation of the ovarian reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla H. K. Hughes
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QCJ2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Olivia E. Smith
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QCJ2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Mylène Brunelle
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QCJ1K 0A5, Canada
| | - Nicolas Gévry
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QCJ1K 0A5, Canada
| | - Bruce D. Murphy
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QCJ2S 2M2, Canada
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2
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Vansandt LM, Meinsohn MC, Godin P, Nagykery N, Sicher N, Kano M, Kashiwagi A, Chauvin M, Saatcioglu HD, Barnes JL, Miller AG, Thompson AK, Bateman HL, Donelan EM, González R, Newsom J, Gao G, Donahoe PK, Wang D, Swanson WF, Pépin D. Durable contraception in the female domestic cat using viral-vectored delivery of a feline anti-Müllerian hormone transgene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3140. [PMID: 37280258 PMCID: PMC10244415 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38721-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Eighty percent of the estimated 600 million domestic cats in the world are free-roaming. These cats typically experience suboptimal welfare and inflict high levels of predation on wildlife. Additionally, euthanasia of healthy animals in overpopulated shelters raises ethical considerations. While surgical sterilization is the mainstay of pet population control, there is a need for efficient, safe, and cost-effective permanent contraception alternatives. Herein, we report evidence that a single intramuscular treatment with an adeno-associated viral vector delivering an anti-Müllerian hormone transgene produces long-term contraception in the domestic cat. Treated females are followed for over two years, during which transgene expression, anti-transgene antibodies, and reproductive hormones are monitored. Mating behavior and reproductive success are measured during two mating studies. Here we show that ectopic expression of anti-Müllerian hormone does not impair sex steroids nor estrous cycling, but prevents breeding-induced ovulation, resulting in safe and durable contraception in the female domestic cat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Vansandt
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Philippe Godin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas Nagykery
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Natalie Sicher
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Motohiro Kano
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aki Kashiwagi
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maeva Chauvin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hatice D Saatcioglu
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julie L Barnes
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Amy G Miller
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Amy K Thompson
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Helen L Bateman
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Donelan
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Raquel González
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jackie Newsom
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Patricia K Donahoe
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dan Wang
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - William F Swanson
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Morris ME, Meinsohn MC, Chauvin M, Saatcioglu HD, Kashiwagi A, Sicher NA, Nguyen N, Yuan S, Stavely R, Hyun M, Donahoe PK, Sabatini BL, Pépin D. A single-cell atlas of the cycling murine ovary. eLife 2022; 11:77239. [PMID: 36205477 PMCID: PMC9545525 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [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: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The estrous cycle is regulated by rhythmic endocrine interactions of the nervous and reproductive systems, which coordinate the hormonal and ovulatory functions of the ovary. Folliculogenesis and follicle progression require the orchestrated response of a variety of cell types to allow the maturation of the follicle and its sequela, ovulation, corpus luteum formation, and ovulatory wound repair. Little is known about the cell state dynamics of the ovary during the estrous cycle and the paracrine factors that help coordinate this process. Herein, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to evaluate the transcriptome of >34,000 cells of the adult mouse ovary and describe the transcriptional changes that occur across the normal estrous cycle and other reproductive states to build a comprehensive dynamic atlas of murine ovarian cell types and states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Morris
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Maeva Chauvin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Hatice D Saatcioglu
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Aki Kashiwagi
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Natalie A Sicher
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Ngoc Nguyen
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Selena Yuan
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Rhian Stavely
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Minsuk Hyun
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Patricia K Donahoe
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Bernardo L Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
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4
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Li Y, Wei L, Meinsohn MC, Suliman R, Chauvin M, Berstler J, Hartland K, Jensen MM, Sicher NA, Nagykery N, Donahoe PK, Pepin D. A screen of repurposed drugs identifies AMHR2/MISR2 agonists as potential contraceptives. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2122512119. [PMID: 35380904 PMCID: PMC9169708 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122512119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We identified the anti-Mullerian hormone (also known as Müllerian inhibiting substance or MIS) as an inhibitory hormone that induces long-term contraception in mammals. The type II receptor to this hormone, AMHR2 (also known as MISR2), represents a promising druggable target for the modulation of female reproduction with a mechanism of action distinct from steroidal contraceptives. We designed an in vitro platform to screen and validate small molecules that can activate MISR2 signaling and suppress ovarian folliculogenesis. Using a bone morphogenesis protein (BMP)–response element luciferase reporter cell–based assay, we screened 5,440 compounds from a repurposed drug library. Positive hits in this screen were tested for specificity and potency in luciferase dose–response assays, and biological activity was tested in ex vivo Mullerian duct regression bioassays. Selected candidates were further evaluated in ex vivo follicle/ovary culture assays and in vivo in mice and rats. Here, we report that SP600125, CYC-116, gandotinib, and ruxolitinib can specifically inhibit primordial follicle activation and repress folliculogenesis by stimulating the MISR2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Lina Wei
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Rana Suliman
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Maeva Chauvin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jim Berstler
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics (CDoT), Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Kate Hartland
- Center for the Development of Therapeutics (CDoT), Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Mark M Jensen
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Natalie A Sicher
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Nicholas Nagykery
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Patricia K Donahoe
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David Pepin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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5
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Shook LL, Bordt EA, Meinsohn MC, Pepin D, De Guzman RM, Brigida S, Yockey LJ, James KE, Sullivan MW, Bebell LM, Roberts DJ, Kaimal AJ, Li JZ, Schust D, Gray KJ, Edlow AG. Placental Expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Are Placental Defenses Mediated by Fetal Sex? J Infect Dis 2021; 224:S647-S659. [PMID: 34293137 PMCID: PMC8344531 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and type II transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2), host molecules required for viral entry, may underlie sex differences in vulnerability to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We investigated whether placental ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression vary by fetal sex in the presence of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS Placental ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression was quantified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by Western blot in 68 pregnant women (38 SARS-CoV-2 positive, 30 SARS-CoV-2 negative) delivering at Mass General Brigham from April to June 2020. The impact of fetal sex and maternal SARS-CoV-2 exposure on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was analyzed by 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection impacted placental TMPRSS2 expression in a sexually dimorphic fashion (2-way ANOVA interaction, P = .002). We observed no impact of fetal sex or maternal SARS-CoV-2 status on ACE2. TMPRSS2 expression was significantly correlated with ACE2 expression in males (Spearman ρ = 0.54, P = .02) but not females (ρ = 0.23, P = .34) exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS Sex differences in placental TMPRSS2 but not ACE2 were observed in the setting of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may have implications for offspring vulnerability to placental infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia L Shook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Pepin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rose M De Guzman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara Brigida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura J Yockey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E James
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mackenzie W Sullivan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lisa M Bebell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Center for Global Health, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Drucilla J Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anjali J Kaimal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jonathan Z Li
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Danny Schust
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kathryn J Gray
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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6
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Bordt EA, Shook LL, Atyeo C, Pullen KM, De Guzman RM, Meinsohn MC, Chauvin M, Fischinger S, Yockey LJ, James K, Lima R, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Brigida S, Bebell LM, Roberts DJ, Pépin D, Huh JR, Bilbo SD, Li JZ, Kaimal A, Schust DJ, Gray KJ, Lauffenburger D, Alter G, Edlow AG. Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits sexually dimorphic placental immune responses. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabi7428. [PMID: 34664987 PMCID: PMC8784281 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abi7428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is a persistent bias toward higher prevalence and increased severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in males. Underlying mechanisms accounting for this sex difference remain incompletely understood. Interferon responses have been implicated as a modulator of COVID-19 disease in adults and play a key role in the placental antiviral response. Moreover, the interferon response has been shown to alter Fc receptor expression and therefore may affect placental antibody transfer. Here, we examined the intersection of maternal-fetal antibody transfer, viral-induced placental interferon responses, and fetal sex in pregnant women infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Placental Fc receptor abundance, interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, and SARS-CoV-2 antibody transfer were interrogated in 68 human pregnancies. Sexually dimorphic expression of placental Fc receptors, ISGs and proteins, and interleukin-10 was observed after maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, with up-regulation of these features in placental tissue of pregnant individuals with male fetuses. Reduced maternal SARS-CoV-2–specific antibody titers and impaired placental antibody transfer were also observed in pregnancies with a male fetus. These results demonstrate fetal sex-specific maternal and placental adaptive and innate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Lydia L Shook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Caroline Atyeo
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,PhD Program in Virology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Krista M Pullen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rose M De Guzman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Maeva Chauvin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Laura J Yockey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kaitlyn James
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Rosiane Lima
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Lael M Yonker
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Alessio Fasano
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA.,European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS), Salerno, Italy
| | - Sara Brigida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lisa M Bebell
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Drucilla J Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jun R Huh
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jonathan Z Li
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anjali Kaimal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Danny J Schust
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Kathryn J Gray
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas Lauffenburger
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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7
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Bordt EA, Shook LL, Atyeo C, Pullen KM, De Guzman RM, Meinsohn MC, Chauvin M, Fischinger S, Yockey LJ, James K, Lima R, Yonker LM, Fasano A, Brigida S, Bebell LM, Roberts DJ, Pépin D, Huh JR, Bilbo SD, Li JZ, Kaimal A, Schust D, Gray KJ, Lauffenburger D, Alter G, Edlow AG. Sexually dimorphic placental responses to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. bioRxiv 2021:2021.03.29.437516. [PMID: 33821279 PMCID: PMC8020979 DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.29.437516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There is a persistent male bias in the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 disease. Underlying mechanisms accounting for this sex difference remain incompletely understood. Interferon responses have been implicated as a modulator of disease in adults, and play a key role in the placental anti-viral response. Moreover, the interferon response has been shown to alter Fc-receptor expression, and therefore may impact placental antibody transfer. Here we examined the intersection of viral-induced placental interferon responses, maternal-fetal antibody transfer, and fetal sex. Placental interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), Fc-receptor expression, and SARS-CoV-2 antibody transfer were interrogated in 68 pregnancies. Sexually dimorphic placental expression of ISGs, interleukin-10, and Fc receptors was observed following maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, with upregulation in males. Reduced maternal SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody titers and impaired placental antibody transfer were noted in pregnancies with a male fetus. These results demonstrate fetal sex-specific maternal and placental adaptive and innate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2.
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8
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Atyeo C, Pullen KM, Bordt EA, Fischinger S, Burke J, Michell A, Slein MD, Loos C, Shook LL, Boatin AA, Yockey LJ, Pepin D, Meinsohn MC, Nguyen NMP, Chauvin M, Roberts D, Goldfarb IT, Matute JD, James KE, Yonker LM, Bebell LM, Kaimal AJ, Gray KJ, Lauffenburger D, Edlow AG, Alter G. Compromised SARS-CoV-2-specific placental antibody transfer. Cell 2021; 184:628-642.e10. [PMID: 33476549 PMCID: PMC7755577 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection causes more severe disease in pregnant women compared to age-matched non-pregnant women. Whether maternal infection causes changes in the transfer of immunity to infants remains unclear. Maternal infections have previously been associated with compromised placental antibody transfer, but the mechanism underlying this compromised transfer is not established. Here, we used systems serology to characterize the Fc profile of influenza-, pertussis-, and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies transferred across the placenta. Influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies were actively transferred. However, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody transfer was significantly reduced compared to influenza- and pertussis-specific antibodies, and cord titers and functional activity were lower than in maternal plasma. This effect was only observed in third-trimester infection. SARS-CoV-2-specific transfer was linked to altered SARS-CoV-2-antibody glycosylation profiles and was partially rescued by infection-induced increases in IgG and increased FCGR3A placental expression. These results point to unexpected compensatory mechanisms to boost immunity in neonates, providing insights for maternal vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Atyeo
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; PhD Program in Virology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Krista M Pullen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Stephanie Fischinger
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; PhD Program in Immunology and Virology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 47057, Germany
| | - John Burke
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ashlin Michell
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew D Slein
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Carolin Loos
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lydia L Shook
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Adeline A Boatin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Laura J Yockey
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David Pepin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ngoc Minh Phuong Nguyen
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Maeva Chauvin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Drucilla Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ilona T Goldfarb
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Juan D Matute
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E James
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lael M Yonker
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lisa M Bebell
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Global Health, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Anjali J Kaimal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kathryn J Gray
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas Lauffenburger
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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9
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Meinsohn MC, Hughes CHK, Estienne A, Saatcioglu HD, Pépin D, Duggavathi R, Murphy BD. A role for orphan nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2) in primordial follicle activation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1079. [PMID: 33441767 PMCID: PMC7807074 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80178-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5A2) is expressed specifically in granulosa cells of developing ovarian follicles where it regulates the late stages of follicle development and ovulation. To establish its effects earlier in the trajectory of follicular development, NR5A2 was depleted from granulosa cells of murine primordial and primary follicles. Follicle populations were enumerated in neonates at postnatal day 4 (PND4) coinciding with the end of the formation of the primordial follicle pool. The frequency of primordial follicles in PND4 conditional knockout (cKO) ovaries was greater and primary follicles were substantially fewer relative to control (CON) counterparts. Ten-day in vitro culture of PND4 ovaries recapitulated in vivo findings and indicated that CON mice developed primary follicles in the ovarian medulla to a greater extent than did cKO animals. Two subsets of primordial follicles were observed in wildtype ovaries: one that expressed NR5A2 and the second in which the transcript was absent. Neither expressed the mitotic marker. KI-67, indicating their developmental quiescence. RNA sequencing on PND4 demonstrated that loss of NR5A2 induced changes in 432 transcripts, including quiescence markers, inhibitors of follicle activation, and regulators of cellular migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These experiments suggest that NR5A2 expression poises primordial follicles for entry into the developing pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Camilla H K Hughes
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Anthony Estienne
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Hatice D Saatcioglu
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Simches Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Simches Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Raj Duggavathi
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd., MS1085, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Bruce D Murphy
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada.
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10
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Iyer S, Zhang S, Yucel S, Horn H, Smith SG, Reinhardt F, Hoefsmit E, Assatova B, Casado J, Meinsohn MC, Barrasa MI, Bell GW, Pérez-Villatoro F, Huhtinen K, Hynninen J, Oikkonen J, Galhenage PM, Pathania S, Hammond PT, Neel BG, Farkkila A, Pépin D, Weinberg RA. Genetically Defined Syngeneic Mouse Models of Ovarian Cancer as Tools for the Discovery of Combination Immunotherapy. Cancer Discov 2020; 11:384-407. [PMID: 33158843 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite advances in immuno-oncology, the relationship between tumor genotypes and response to immunotherapy remains poorly understood, particularly in high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinomas (HGSC). We developed a series of mouse models that carry genotypes of human HGSCs and grow in syngeneic immunocompetent hosts to address this gap. We transformed murine-fallopian tube epithelial cells to phenocopy homologous recombination-deficient tumors through a combined loss of Trp53, Brca1, Pten, and Nf1 and overexpression of Myc and Trp53 R172H, which was contrasted with an identical model carrying wild-type Brca1. For homologous recombination-proficient tumors, we constructed genotypes combining loss of Trp53 and overexpression of Ccne1, Akt2, and Trp53 R172H, and driven by KRAS G12V or Brd4 or Smarca4 overexpression. These lines form tumors recapitulating human disease, including genotype-driven responses to treatment, and enabled us to identify follistatin as a driver of resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. These data provide proof of concept that our models can identify new immunotherapy targets in HGSC. SIGNIFICANCE: We engineered a panel of murine fallopian tube epithelial cells bearing mutations typical of HGSC and capable of forming tumors in syngeneic immunocompetent hosts. These models recapitulate tumor microenvironments and drug responses characteristic of human disease. In a Ccne1-overexpressing model, immune-checkpoint resistance was driven by follistatin.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 211.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Iyer
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU-Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Simge Yucel
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Heiko Horn
- Stanley Center, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sean G Smith
- Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ferenc Reinhardt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Esmee Hoefsmit
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Julia Casado
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - George W Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Fernando Pérez-Villatoro
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kaisa Huhtinen
- Institute of Biomedicine and FICAN West Cancer Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Johanna Hynninen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jaana Oikkonen
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pamoda M Galhenage
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shailja Pathania
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Paula T Hammond
- Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Benjamin G Neel
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU-Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Anniina Farkkila
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Robert A Weinberg
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts. .,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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11
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Hamilton LE, Suzuki J, Aguila L, Meinsohn MC, Smith OE, Protopapas N, Xu W, Sutovsky P, Oko R. Sperm-borne glutathione-S-transferase omega 2 accelerates the nuclear decondensation of spermatozoa during fertilization in mice†. Biol Reprod 2020; 101:368-376. [PMID: 31087045 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The postacrosomal sheath (PAS) of the perinuclear theca (PT) is the first compartment of the sperm head to solubilize into the ooplasm upon sperm-oocyte fusion, implicating its constituents in zygotic development. This study investigates the role of one such constituent, glutathione-S-transferase omega 2 (GSTO2), an oxidative-reductive enzyme found in the PAS and perforatorial regions of the PT. GSTO2 uses the conjugation of reduced glutathione, an electron donor shown to be compulsory in sperm disassembly within the ooplasm. The proximity of GSTO2 to the condensed sperm nucleus led us to hypothesize that this enzyme may facilitate nuclear decondensation by reducing disulfide bonds before the recruitment of GSTO enzymes from within the ooplasm. To test this hypothesis, we utilized a cell permeable isozyme-specific inhibitor, which fluoresces when bound to the active site of GSTO2, to functionally inhibit spermatozoa before performing intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI) in mice. The technique allowed for targeted inhibition of solely PT-residing GSTO2, as all that is required for complete zygotic development is the injection of the mouse spermatozoon head. ICSI showed that inhibition of PT-anchored GSTO2 caused a delay in sperm nuclear decondensation, and further resulted in untimely embryo cleavage, and an increase in fragmentation beginning at the morula stage. The confounding effects of these developmental delays ultimately resulted in decreased blastocyst formation. This study implicates PT-anchored GSTO2 as an important facilitator of nuclear decondensation and reinforces the notion that the PAS-PT is a critical sperm compartment harboring molecules that facilitate zygotic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Hamilton
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Joao Suzuki
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Center for Research in Reproduction and Fertility, Université de Montreal, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Luis Aguila
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Center for Research in Reproduction and Fertility, Université de Montreal, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Center for Research in Reproduction and Fertility, Université de Montreal, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Olivia E Smith
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Center for Research in Reproduction and Fertility, Université de Montreal, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Nicole Protopapas
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Peter Sutovsky
- Division of Animal Sciences, College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO,USA
| | - Richard Oko
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
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12
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Hamilton LE, Suzuki J, Acteau G, Shi M, Xu W, Meinsohn MC, Sutovsky P, Oko R. WBP2 shares a common location in mouse spermatozoa with WBP2NL/PAWP and like its descendent is a candidate mouse oocyte-activating factor. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:1171-1183. [PMID: 30010725 PMCID: PMC6299249 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The sperm-borne oocyte-activating factor (SOAF) resides in the sperm perinuclear theca (PT). A consensus has been reached that SOAF most likely resides in the postacrosomal sheath (PAS), which is the first region of the PT to solubilize upon sperm–oocyte fusion. There are two SOAF candidates under consideration: PLCZ1 and WBP2NL. A mouse gene germline ablation of the latter showed that mice remain fertile with no observable phenotype despite the fact that a competitive inhibitor of WBP2NL, derived from its PPXY motif, blocks oocyte activation when coinjected with WBP2NL or spermatozoa. This suggested that the ortholog of WBP2NL, WBP2, containing the same domain and motifs associated with WBP2NL function, might compensate for its deficiency in oocyte activation. Our objectives were to examine whether WBP2 meets the developmental criteria established for SOAF and whether it has oocyte-activating potential. Immunoblotting detected WBP2 in mice testis and sperm and immunofluorescence localized WBP2 to the PAS and perforatorium of the PT. Immunohistochemistry of the testes revealed that WBP2 reactivity was highest in round spermatids and immunofluorescence detected WBP2 in the cytoplasmic lobe of elongating spermatids and colocalized it with the microtubular manchette during PT assembly. Microinjection of the recombinant forms of WBP2 and WBP2NL into metaphase II mouse oocytes resulted in comparable rates of oocyte activation. This study shows that WBP2 shares a similar testicular developmental pattern and location with WBP2NL and a shared ability to activate the oocyte, supporting its consideration as a mouse SOAF component that can compensate for a WBP2NL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Hamilton
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joao Suzuki
- Centre de recherche en reproduction fertilité, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Genevieve Acteau
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mengqi Shi
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Centre de recherche en reproduction fertilité, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Peter Sutovsky
- Division of Animal Sciences, College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Richard Oko
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Estienne A, Portela VM, Choi Y, Zamberlam G, Boerboom D, Roussel V, Meinsohn MC, Brännström M, Curry TE, Jo M, Price CA. The endogenous hydrogen sulfide generating system regulates ovulation. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 138:43-52. [PMID: 30930295 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The generation of free-radicals such as nitric oxide has been implicated in the regulation of ovarian function, including ovulation. Tissues that generate nitric oxide typically generate another free-radical gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), although little is known about the role of H2S in ovarian function. The hypothesis of this study was that H2S regulates ovulation. Treatment with luteinizing hormone (LH) increased the levels of mRNA and protein of the H2S generating enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase (CTH) in granulosa cells of mice and humans in vivo and in vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of H2S generating enzymes reduced the number of follicles ovulating in mice in vivo and in vitro, and this inhibitory action was reversed by cotreatment with a H2S donor. Addition of a H2S donor to cultured mouse granulosa cells increased basal and LH-dependent abundance of mRNA encoding amphiregulin, betacellulin and tumor necrosis alpha induced protein 6, proteins important for cumulus expansion and follicle rupture. Inhibition of CTH activity reduced abundance of mRNA encoding matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 and tissue-type plasminogen activator, and cotreatment with the H2S donor increased the levels of these mRNA above those stimulated by LH alone. We conclude that the H2S generating system plays an important role in the propagation of the preovulatory cascade and rupture of the follicle at ovulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Estienne
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Valério M Portela
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Yohan Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536-0298, USA
| | - Gustavo Zamberlam
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Derek Boerboom
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Vickie Roussel
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Mats Brännström
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden; Stockholm IVF, 112 81, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas E Curry
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536-0298, USA
| | - Misung Jo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536-0298, USA
| | - Christopher A Price
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, J2S 7C6, QC, Canada.
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14
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Saatcioglu HD, Kano M, Horn H, Zhang L, Samore W, Nagykery N, Meinsohn MC, Hyun M, Suliman R, Poulo J, Hsu J, Sacha C, Wang D, Gao G, Lage K, Oliva E, Morris Sabatini ME, Donahoe PK, Pépin D. Single-cell sequencing of neonatal uterus reveals an Misr2+ endometrial progenitor indispensable for fertility. eLife 2019; 8:46349. [PMID: 31232694 PMCID: PMC6650247 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mullerian ducts are the anlagen of the female reproductive tract, which regress in the male fetus in response to MIS. This process is driven by subluminal mesenchymal cells expressing Misr2, which trigger the regression of the adjacent Mullerian ductal epithelium. In females, these Misr2+ cells are retained, yet their contribution to the development of the uterus remains unknown. Here, we report that subluminal Misr2+ cells persist postnatally in the uterus of rodents, but recede by week 37 of gestation in humans. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that ectopic postnatal MIS administration inhibits these cells and prevents the formation of endometrial stroma in rodents, suggesting a progenitor function. Exposure to MIS during the first six days of life, by inhibiting specification of the stroma, dysregulates paracrine signals necessary for uterine development, eventually resulting in apoptosis of the Misr2+ cells, uterine hypoplasia, and complete infertility in the adult female. In the womb, mammals possess all of the preliminary sexual structures necessary to become either male or female. This includes the Mullerian duct, which develops into the Fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina in female fetuses. In male fetuses, the testis secretes a hormone called Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS). This triggers the activity of a small group of cells, known as Misr2+ cells, that cause the Mullerian duct to degenerate, preventing males from developing female sexual organs. It was not clear what happens to Misr2+ cells in female fetuses or if they affect how the uterus develops. Saatcioglu et al. now show that in newborn female mice and rats, a type of Misr2+ cell that sits within a thin inner layer of the developing uterus still responds to MIS. At this time, the uterus is in a critical early period of development. Treating the mice and rats with MIS protein during their first six days of life eventually caused the Misr2+ cells to die. The treatment also prevented a layer of connective tissue, known as the endometrial stroma, from forming in the uterus. As a result, the mice and rats were infertile and had severely underdeveloped uteri. While the Misr2+ cells are present in newborn rats and mice, Saatcioglu et al. found that they disappeared before birth in humans. However, the overall results suggest that Misr2+ cells act as progenitor cells that develop into the cells of the endometrial stroma. Future work could investigate the roles these cells play in causing uterine developmental disorders and infertility disorders. Furthermore, the finding that MIS inhibits the Misr2+ cells could help researchers to develop treatments for uterine cancer and other conditions where the cells of the uterus grow and divide too much.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Duygu Saatcioglu
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Motohiro Kano
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Heiko Horn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Stanley Center, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Wesley Samore
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Nicholas Nagykery
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Minsuk Hyun
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Rana Suliman
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Joy Poulo
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Stanley Center, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jennifer Hsu
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachussets General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Caitlin Sacha
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachussets General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Dan Wang
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Kasper Lage
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Stanley Center, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Esther Oliva
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Mary E Morris Sabatini
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachussets General Hospital, Boston, United States
| | - Patricia K Donahoe
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
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15
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Meinsohn MC, Smith OE, Bertolin K, Murphy BD. The Orphan Nuclear Receptors Steroidogenic Factor-1 and Liver Receptor Homolog-1: Structure, Regulation, and Essential Roles in Mammalian Reproduction. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1249-1279. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors are intracellular proteins that act as transcription factors. Proteins with classic nuclear receptor domain structure lacking identified signaling ligands are designated orphan nuclear receptors. Two of these, steroidogenic factor-1 (NR5A1, also known as SF-1) and liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5A2, also known as LRH-1), bind to the same DNA sequences, with different and nonoverlapping effects on targets. Endogenous regulation of both is achieved predominantly by cofactor interactions. SF-1 is expressed primarily in steroidogenic tissues, LRH-1 in tissues of endodermal origin and the gonads. Both receptors modulate cholesterol homeostasis, steroidogenesis, tissue-specific cell proliferation, and stem cell pluripotency. LRH-1 is essential for development beyond gastrulation and SF-1 for genesis of the adrenal, sexual differentiation, and Leydig cell function. Ovary-specific depletion of SF-1 disrupts follicle development, while LRH-1 depletion prevents ovulation, cumulus expansion, and luteinization. Uterine depletion of LRH-1 compromises decidualization and pregnancy. In humans, SF-1 is present in endometriotic tissue, where it regulates estrogen synthesis. SF-1 is underexpressed in ovarian cancer cells and overexpressed in Leydig cell tumors. In breast cancer cells, proliferation, migration and invasion, and chemotherapy resistance are regulated by LRH-1. In conclusion, the NR5A orphan nuclear receptors are nonredundant factors that are crucial regulators of a panoply of biological processes, across multiple reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Olivia E. Smith
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Kalyne Bertolin
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Bruce D. Murphy
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
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Meinsohn MC, Morin F, Bertolin K, Duggavathi R, Schoonjans K, Murphy BD. The Orphan Nuclear Receptor Liver Homolog Receptor-1 (Nr5a2) Regulates Ovarian Granulosa Cell Proliferation. J Endocr Soc 2017; 2:24-41. [PMID: 29379893 PMCID: PMC5779114 DOI: 10.1210/js.2017-00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In mouse ovaries, liver receptor homolog-1 [nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A,
member 2 (Nr5a2)] expression is restricted to granulosa cells. Mice with Nr5a2
depletion in this cell population fail to ovulate. To determine whether Nr5a2 is
essential for granulosa cell proliferation during follicular maturation, we generated
granulosa-specific conditional knockout mice (genotype Nr5a2 floxed Cre-recombinase
driven by the anti-Müllerian type II receptor, hereafter cKO) with Nr5a2
depletion from primary follicles forward. Proliferation in cKO granulosa cells was
substantially reduced relative to control (CON) counterparts, as assessed by
bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, proliferative cell nuclear antigen expression, and
fluorescent-activated cell sorting. Microarray analysis revealed >2000
differentially regulated transcripts between cKO and CON granulosa cells. Major gene
ontology pathways disrupted were proliferation, steroid biosynthesis, female gamete
formation, and ovulatory cycle. Transcripts for key cell-cycle genes, including
Ccnd1, Ccnd2, Ccne1,
Ccne2, E2f1, and E2f2, were in
reduced abundance. Transcripts from other cell-cycle-related factors, including
Cdh2, Plagl1, Cdkn1a,
Prkar2b, Gstm1, Cdk7, and
Pts, were overexpressed. Although the follicle-stimulating
hormone and estrogen receptors were overexpressed in the cKO animals, in
vivo treatment with estradiol-17β failed to
rescue decreased proliferation. In vitro inactivation of Nr5a2 using
the ML180 reverse agonist similarly decreased cell-cycle-related gene transcripts and
downstream targets, as in cKO mice. Pharmacological inhibition of
β-catenin, an Nr5a2 cofactor, decreased cyclin gene
transcripts and downstream targets. Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated
deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling immunofluorescence and quantitative
polymerase chain reaction of pro/antiapoptotic and autophagic markers showed no
differences between cKO and CON granulosa cells. Thus, Nr5a2 is essential for
granulosa cell proliferation, but its depletion does not alter the frequency of
apoptosis nor autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Fanny Morin
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Kalyne Bertolin
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Raj Duggavathi
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Qubec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Kristina Schoonjans
- Laboratory of Metabolic Signaling, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bruce D Murphy
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
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Bertolin K, Meinsohn MC, Suzuki J, Gossen J, Schoonjans K, Duggavathi R, Murphy BD. Ovary-specific depletion of the nuclear receptor Nr5a2 compromises expansion of the cumulus oophorus but not fertilization by intracytoplasmic sperm injection†. Biol Reprod 2017; 96:1231-1243. [DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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