Search for other papers by Bogdan Doroftei in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ovidiu Dumitru Ilie in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Sergiu Timofeiov in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ana Maria Cretu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ioana Sadyie Scripcariu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Romeo Micu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Elena Tataranu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Alpha-ketoglutarate is an important intermediate molecule in the tricarboxylic acid cycle with a prominent role in distinct biological processes such as cellular energy metabolism, epigenetic regulation, and signaling pathways. We conducted a registered scoping review (OSF: osf.io/b8nyt) to explore the impact of exogenous supplementation on reproductive capabilities. Our strategy included evaluating the main research literature from different databases like PubMed-MEDLINE, Web of ScienceTM, Scopus, and Excerpta Medica dataBASE using a specific systematic layout to encompass all investigations based on experimental models and critically compare the results. Twenty-one studies were included in the main body of this manuscript which revealed that exogenous supplementation induced dose- and sex-dependent modifications. This metabolite modulates the expression of pluripotency genes, thus controlling stem cells’ self-renewal, differentiation, and reprogramming dynamics, while also alleviating structural transformations induced by exposure to heavy metals and other inhibitors. This significantly demonstrated a direct influence of alpha-ketoglutarate in mitigating oxidative stress prolonging the lifespan, consequently supporting metabolic and endocrine adjustments. It influences oocyte quality and quantity, delays reproductive aging, and establishes an optimal competence framework for development with a minimal risk of failure. Therefore, alpha-ketoglutarate is linked to improving reproductive performance, but further studies are needed due to a lack of studies on humans.
Department of Pediatric Urology, Key Laboratory of Children Genitourinary Diseases of Wenzhou City, Key Laboratory of Structural Malformations in Children of Zhejiang Province, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Search for other papers by Xin Wen in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Department of Pediatric Urology, Key Laboratory of Children Genitourinary Diseases of Wenzhou City, Key Laboratory of Structural Malformations in Children of Zhejiang Province, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Search for other papers by Jiexia Wang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Mengjie Qin in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Hu Wang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jingfeng Xu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xiaoju Guan in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dan Shan in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Panpan Chen in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jiajia Xie in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jingjing Shao in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ping Duan in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Congde Chen in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Department of Pediatric Urology, Key Laboratory of Children Genitourinary Diseases of Wenzhou City, Key Laboratory of Structural Malformations in Children of Zhejiang Province, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Search for other papers by Haolin Chen in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Progenitor cells with ovulation-related tissue repair activity were identified with defined markers (LGR5, EPCR, LY6A, and PDGFRA), but their potentials to form steroidogenic cells were not known. This study shows that the cells can generate progenies with different steroidogenic activities.
Abstract
Adult mammalian ovaries contain stem/progenitor cells necessary for folliculogenesis and ovulation-related tissue rupture repair. Theca cells are recruited and developed from progenitors during the folliculogenesis. Theca cell progenitors were not well defined. The aim of current study is to compare the potentials of four ovarian progenitors with defined markers (LY6A, EPCR, LGR5, and PDGFRA) to form steroidogenic theca cells in vitro. The location of the progenitors with defined makers was determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining of ovarian sections of adult mice. Different progenitor populations were purified by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) and/or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) techniques from ovarian cell preparation and were tested for their abilities to generate steroidogenic theca cells in vitro. The cells were differentiated with a medium containing LH, ITS, and DHH agonist for 12 days. The results showed that EPCR+ and LGR5+ cells primarily distributed along the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), while LY6A+ cells distributed in both the OSE and parenchyma. However, PDGFRA+ cells were exclusively located in interstitial compartment. When the progenitors were purified by these markers and differentiated in vitro, LY6A+ and PDGFRA+ cells formed steroidogenic cells expressing both CYP11A1 and CYP17A1 and primarily producing androgens, showing characteristics of theca-like cells, while LGR5+ cells generated steroidogenic cells devoid of CYP17A1 expression and androgen production, showing a characteristic of progesterone-producing cells (granulosa- or lutea-like cells). In conclusion, progenitors from both OSE and parenchyma of adult mice are capable of generating steroidogenic cells with different steroidogenic capacities, showing a possible lineage preference.
Search for other papers by Rebecca A. Maher in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Katie Wadden in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Daniel Fuller in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Fabien Basset in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Hannah Murphy in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Erin McGowan in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Females with obesity may experience infertility and can improve their fertility through exercise. This review found that most exercise interventions improve fertility outcomes regardless of technique, intensity, or duration. More detailed reporting through the lens of exercise prescription should be included in future studies.
Abstract
Female infertility disproportionately affects people with obesity. Exercise often improves fertility outcomes for this population, however, there is limited prescriptive evidence. Specifically, there is a lack of information on the ideal type, frequency, intensity, and setting of exercise to improve fertility outcomes. Using principles of exercise prescription, this review aimed to describe the scope of exercise interventions that have been explored and fertility outcomes measured for people with female infertility and obesity. A search was completed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL, identifying 16 relevant published articles. Overall, exercise had a positive impact on female fertility outcomes in people with obesity, though there were large variations in the exercise interventions prescribed and outcomes measured. Cyclic exercise (i.e. walking and cycling) was the most common technique incorporated, though a combination of cyclic, acyclic (i.e. circuit training and boot camp), or individualization was often used. Several fertility outcomes were reported; however, the rate of conception, pregnancy, and live birth rates were the most common, which, we suggest, should always be reported in fertility intervention research. We stress that future studies provide more thorough descriptions of their implemented exercise interventions to facilitate reproducibility and comparisons between studies. Closer attention to the principles of exercise prescription when developing and reporting exercise interventions will help improve fertility outcomes, mainly live birth rates, for those with female infertility and obesity.
Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Search for other papers by Florencia X Santiago Valtierra in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Paulina Urriola-Muñoz in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Rodrigo Godoy-Sepúlveda in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ricardo D Moreno in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Juan G Reyes in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Search for other papers by Ana S Vallés in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Search for other papers by Gerardo M Oresti in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
The endocrine disruptor, nonylphenol (NP) increases 20:4n-6 release in Sertoli cells via PKA/cPLA2 activation. Our data show that lipid metabolism could be a target of NP-induced abnormal reproductive outcomes.
Abstract
Nonylphenol (NP), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is an environmental contaminant, and many notorious effects on male fertility have been reported in animal models and wild-type species. Here, we evaluated the effects of NP in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) signal transduction pathways and lipid metabolism using an in vitro model of rat Sertoli cell (SC) primary culture. Results show that an acute (1 h) SC exposure to NP (10 µM) increased the intra- and extra-cellular concentrations of free fatty acids (FFAs), mainly arachidonic acid (20:4n-6). Phosphatidylinositol seemed to be the major phospholipid source of this 20:4n-6 release by activation of the protein kinase A (PKA)/cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) pathway. NP also increased diacylglycerols (DAG) levels and the expression (mRNA) of cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels. It is noteworthy that accumulation of lipid droplets took place after 24 h NP exposition, which was prevented by both a PKA inhibitor and a PLA2 inhibitor. Like FSH, NP triggers the release of 20:4n-6, which is a substrate for PGE2 synthesis via PKA/PLA2 activation. In addition, NP induces the formation of DAG, which could be required as a cofactor of the PKC-mediated activation of the COX2 inflammatory pathway. Our findings suggest that NP alters lipid homeostasis in SCs by inducing the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways that may trigger adverse effects in testis physiology over time. Concomitantly, the SC enhances the acylation of surplus FFAs (including 20:4n-6) in neutral lipids as a protective mechanism to shield itself from lipotoxicity and pro-inflammatory signals.
Search for other papers by Dan Liu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Takuto Yamamoto in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Haoxue Wang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Naojiro Minami in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Shinnosuke Honda in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Shuntaro Ikeda in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Proper early embryonic development in mammals relies on precise cellular signaling pathways. This study reveals that NSUN5 is crucial for the regulation of the Hippo pathway, ensuring normal proliferation and differentiation in mouse preimplantation embryos.
Abstract
NOL1/NOP2/Sun domain family, member 5 (NSUN5) is an enzyme belonging to the 5-methylcytosine (m5C) writer family that modifies rRNA and mRNA. Our data revealed an upregulation of Nsun5 at the two-cell stage of mouse preimplantation development, suggesting its significance in early embryonic development. Given m5C’s important role in stabilizing rRNA and mRNA and the Hippo signaling pathway’s critical function in lineage segregation during embryogenesis, we hypothesized that NSUN5 controls cell differentiation by regulating the expression of components of the Hippo signaling pathway in mouse early embryos. To examine this hypothesis, we employed Nsun5-specific small interfering RNAs for targeted gene silencing in mouse preimplantation embryos. Nsun5 knockdown resulted in significant developmental impairments including reduced blastocyst formation, smaller size of blastocysts, and impaired hatching from the zona pellucida. Nsun5 knockdown also led to decreased cell numbers and increased apoptosis in embryos. We also observed diminished nuclear translocation of yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) in Nsun5 knockdown embryos at the morula stage, indicating disrupted cell differentiation. This disruption was further evidenced by an altered ratio of CDX2-positive to OCT4-positive cells. Furthermore, Nsun5 depletion was found to upregulate the Hippo signaling-related key genes, Lats1 and Lats2 at the morula stage. Our findings underscore the essential role of Nsun5 in early embryonic development by affecting cell proliferation, YAP1 nuclear translocation, and the Hippo pathway.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Search for other papers by Robert John Aitken in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Over the past half century, the world has witnessed an unprecedented decline in human fertility rates. This analysis reviews the various socioeconomic, cultural, and biological factors involved in driving this change and considers whether low fertility rates are a temporary or permanent feature of our future demographic profile.
Abstract
Since the early 1960s, the world has witnessed the spectacular collapse of human fertility. As a result of this phenomenon, several countries are already seeing their population numbers fall and more will follow in the coming decades. The causes of this fertility decline involve a complex interplay of socio-economic, environmental, and biological factors that have converged to constrain fertility in posterity’s wake. Since large numbers of offspring are no longer needed to compensate for high infant mortality in contemporary society, couples have opted to have small families in a quality-over-quantity investment in their progeny’s future. Simultaneously, increases in female education, the enhanced participation of women in the paid workforce, and a resultant delay in childbearing has placed limits on achievable family size. Progressive urbanization, the improved availability of contraceptives, and the socio-economic pressures experienced by young adults in ageing societies are also contributing to fertility’s demise. These factors, together with the individualism that pervades modern society and the increasing social acceptability of voluntary childlessness, have firmly established a low fertility ethos in most post-transition countries. Since none of these forces are about to relent, it looks as if extremely low fertility might be with us for some time to come. This may have long-term consequences. The lack of selection pressure on high fertility genotypes, the ability of ART to retain poor fertility genotypes within the population, and sustained exposure to reproductive toxicants in modern industrialized environments may all contrive to leave a permanent mark on the fecundity of our species.
Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Microecological Preparation, Shandong Baolai-Leelai Bio-Tech Co., Ltd, Taian, China
Search for other papers by Yun Zhang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Wenhui Wu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Yuxiao Ma in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xuzhao Wang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jiahui Wei in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xiaotong Guo in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Man Xue in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jiarong Ji in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Guiyu Zhu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Oogonial stem cells in the adult ovary can generate oocytes, but they are usually quiescent. TGFB1 is key in stimulating the proliferation of OSC, thereby ensuring the sustained reproductive potential in poultry species.
Abstract
Oogonial stem cells (OSCs) are a type of germ stem cell present in the adult ovary. They have the ability to self-renew through mitosis and differentiate into oocytes through meiosis. We have previously identified a population of OSCs in the chicken ovary, but the underlying mechanisms controlling their activation and proliferation were unclear. In this study, we observed that OSCs showed robust proliferation when cultured on a layer of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF), suggesting that CEF may secrete certain crucial factors that activate OSC proliferation. We further detected TGFB1 as a potent signaling molecule to promote OSC proliferation. Additionally, we revealed the signaling pathways that play important roles downstream of TGFB1-induced OSC proliferation. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying OSC proliferation in chickens and offer a foundation for future research on in situ activation of OSC proliferation in ovary and improvement of egg-laying performance in chickens.
Search for other papers by Ruixue Zhao in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Nana Song in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xin Ning in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xihai Chen in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Rong Ma in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Aberration in cell cycle progression is one of the essential mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, making regulators of cell cycle reasonable anti-cancer therapeutic targets. Here, we dissected the regulatory mechanism involving the novel axis ZNF146/TFDP1/DEPDC1B in the cell cycle in ovarian cancer.
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third most common kind of gynecological tumor, in addition to being the most lethal. Transcription factor Dp-1 (TFDP1) functions as a binding partner for E2F transcription factors, and its target genes include those involved in DNA synthesis, cell cycle, and apoptosis. However, the regulatory role of TFDP1 in OC remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of TFDP1 in OC. TFDP1 was highly expressed in the ovarian epithelial tissues of OC patients, and the expression of TFDP1 in OC cells was higher than that in normal ovarian epithelial cells. Silencing of TFDP1 inhibited the biological activity of OC cells and hindered cell cycle entry. Zinc finger protein 146 (ZNF146) knockdown induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and tumor growth by blocking TFDP1 transcription, which was overturned by ectopic expression of TFDP1. TFDP1 stimulated DEP domain-containing protein 1B (DEPDC1B) expression through transcriptional activation. DEPDC1B increased the proportion of OC cells in the G2/M phase and potentiated tumor malignant progression in nude mice inhibited by sh-ZNF146. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that ZNF146 participates in TFDP1/DEPDC1B activation and plays a vital role in the cell cycle in OC.
Joint International Research Lab for Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
Reproduction and Stem Cell Therapy Research Center of Chongqing, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
Search for other papers by Rui-Qi Chang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jing-Cong Dai in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Yu-Han Qiu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Yan Liang in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Xiao-Yu Hu in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ming-Qing Li in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Joint International Research Lab for Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
Reproduction and Stem Cell Therapy Research Center of Chongqing, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
Search for other papers by Fan He in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
The mechanism underlying the accumulation of γδT cells in the decidua, which helps maintain maternal–fetal immunotolerance in early pregnancy, is unknown. This study reveals that DSC-derived RANKL upregulates ICAM-1 expression via the NF-κB pathway to enable γδT cell accumulation in the early decidua.
Abstract
Decidual γδT (dγδT) cells help maintain maternal–fetal immunotolerance in early pregnancy. However, the mechanism underlying the accumulation of γδT cells in the decidua is unknown. Previous work showed that RANKL upregulated intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in decidual stromal cells (DSCs), and Rankl knockout mice had limited dγδT cell populations. In this study, we measured the expression levels of RANKL/RANK and ICAM-1 in DSCs, in addition to the integrins of ICAM-1 on dγδT cells, and the number of dγδT cells from patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and normal pregnant women in the first trimester. RSA patients showed significantly decreased RANKL/RANK and ICAM-1/CD11a signaling in decidua, and a decreased percentage of dγδT cells, which was positively correlated with DSC-derived RANKL and ICAM-1. Next, an in vitro adhesion experiment showed that the enhanced attraction of human DSCs to dγδT cells after RANKL overexpression was almost completely aborted by anti-ICAM-1. Furthermore, Rankl knockout mice showed a significant reduction in NF-κB activity compared with wild-type controls. Finally, we applied a selective NF-κB inhibitor named PDTC to validate the role of NF-κB in RANKL-mediated ICAM-1 upregulation. Taken together, our data show that DSC-derived RANKL upregulates ICAM-1 expression via the NF-κB pathway to enable γδT cell accumulation in the early decidua. A reduction in RANKL/ICAM-1 signaling in DSCs may result in insufficient accumulation of γδT cells in decidua and, in turn, RSA.
Search for other papers by Noemi Monferini in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Pritha Dey in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Ludovica Donadini in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Niki Katsakoglou in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Federica Franciosi in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Valentina Lodde in
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Alberto Maria Luciano in
Google Scholar
PubMed
In brief
Preantral follicles constitute the largest follicle reserve in the mammalian ovary. This study assesses a mechanical isolation method to maximize the number of follicles retrieved from a defined cortex volume.
Abstract
Primordial, primary, and secondary follicles (collectively defined as preantral follicles) constitute the most abundant source of gametes inside the mammalian ovarian cortex. The massive isolation of preantral follicles and the refinement of stage-specific protocols for in vitro follicle growth would provide a powerful tool to boost the rescue and restoration of fertility in assisted reproduction interventions in human medicine, animal breeding, and vulnerable species preservation. Nevertheless, together with an efficient culture system, the most significant limitation to implementing in vitro follicle growth is the lack of an efficient method to isolate viable and homogeneous subpopulations of primordial, primary, and secondary follicles suitable for in vitro culture. Our study provides a strategy for high-yielding mechanical isolation of primordial, primary, and early secondary follicles from a limited portion of the ovarian cortex in the bovine animal model. In the first part of the study, we refined a mechanical isolation protocol of preantral follicles, adopting specific methodological strategies to separate viable and distinct subpopulations of primordial (oblate and prolate forms), primary, and early secondary follicles from 0.16 cm3 of the ovarian cortex. In the second part of the study, we tested the effectiveness of the isolation protocol, considering the individual’s age as a critical factor, bearing in mind the progressive decrease in the ovarian reserve that naturally accompanies the reproductive life span. Our study provides a way for designing quantitative and conservative fertility preservation approaches to preserve organ function and minimize the invasiveness of the interventions, also considering age-related differences.
