Identification of small noncoding RNAs as sperm quality biomarkers for in vitro fertilization
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ABSTRACT: We investigated differentially expressed sncRNAs in human sperm as candidate markers for evaluating sperm quality during IVF. We demonstrated that differentially expressed tsRNAs, rsRNAs and miRNAs are linked to sperm quality according to embryo quality, even though these sperm samples were all considered normal by the traditional semen-parameter assessment. Therefore, the sncRNAs, especially tsRNAs and rsRNAs, may be potential clinical biomarkers for the assessment of sperm quality in IVF.
Project description:EVs are known to contain important cargo of biologically active and regulatory molecules including ncRNAs. EVs in seminal plasma, play an important role in sperm functions , including motility and fertilization. However, less is known about the comprehensive profile of spEV ncRNAs in clinical cohort and if these profiles differ by semen quality status. We assessed sperm-free spEV ncRNA profiles from semen samples of male partners receiving IVF treatment. Men were classified into having normal (n = 59, Status 0) or poor (n = 32, Status 1) semen quality based on WHO semen parameter guidelines.
Project description:Emerging small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs), including tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) and rRNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs), are critical in diverse biological processes, such as neurological diseases. Traditional sncRNA-seq protocols often miss these sncRNAs due to their modifications. We have recently developed PANDORA-seq, a method enabling more comprehensive detection of modified sncRNAs by overcoming the RNA modifications. Using PANDORA-seq, we have revealed an updated sncRNA profile enriched by tsRNAs/rsRNAs in the mouse cortex and found a particularly significant downregulation of mitochondrial tsRNAs and rsRNAs in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model, compared to genomic tsRNAs and rsRNAs. Moreover, our integrated analysis of cortex gene expression and sncRNA profiles reveals that those downregulated mitochondrial sncRNAs are negatively correlated with enhanced lysosomal activity, suggesting a crucial interplay between mitochondrial RNA dynamics and lysosomal function in AD. Given the versatile tsRNA/tsRNA molecular actions in cellular regulation, our data provides insights for future mechanistic study of AD with potential therapeutic strategies.
Project description:Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) are key molecules regulating gene expression. High-throughput RNA-seq greatly advanced sncRNA discovery; however, traditional cDNA library construction protocols generate biased sequencing results, in part due to RNA modifications that interfere with adapter ligation and reverse transcription processes, preventing the detection of sncRNAs bearing these modifications. Here, we present PANDORA-seq (Panoramic RNA Display by Overcoming RNA modification Aborted Sequencing), employing a combination of enzymatic treatments to remove key RNA modifications that block adapter ligation and reverse transcription during cDNA library construction. PANDORA-Seq enables the discovery of thousands of modified sncRNAs previously undetected, mostly tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) and rRNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs), which are tissue/cell-specifically detected across mouse brain, liver, spleen, sperm, mouse and human embryonic stem cells, and HeLa cells. Moreover, PANDORA-Seq reveals dynamic changes of tsRNAs and rsRNAs during reprogramming of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), pointing to future investigations on their potential regulatory functions.
Project description:Dietary habits and obesity in fathers imprint upon progeny through epigenetic signals carried by sperm RNA. By activating hypothalamic AgRP neurons in mice to mimic obesity's effects, we observed significant alterations in sperm tsRNAs, miRNAs, and rsRNAs. These changes, particularly in tsRNAs, mirror those seen with short-term high-fat diets, suggesting a shared upstream regulatory mechanism involving AgRP neurons that influence metabolic epigenetic inheritance.
Project description:Sperm-derived tsRNAs could act as acquired epigenetic factors and contribute to offspring phenotypes. However, the roles of specific tsRNAs in early embryo development remain to be elucidated. Here, by using pigs as a research model, we probed the tsRNA dynamics during spermatogenesis and sperm maturation, and demonstrated the delivery of tsRNAs from semen-derived exosomes to spermatozoa. By microinjection of the antisense sequence into in vitro fertilized oocytes and subsequent single-cell RNA-sequencing of embryos, we identified a specific functional tsRNA group (Gln-TTGs) that participate in the early cleavage of porcine preimplantation embryos, probably by regulating cell cycle-associated genes. Thus, specific tsRNAs present in mature spermatozoa play significant roles during preimplantation embryo development.
Project description:Semen samples from men after a short ejaculatory abstinence show improved sperm quality and result in increased pregnancy rates, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we report that ejaculates from short (1–3 hours) compared with long (3–7 days) periods of abstinence showed increases in motile sperm count, sperm vitality, normal sperm morphology, acrosome reaction capacity, total antioxidant capacity, sperm mitochondrial membrane potential, high DNA stainability, and a decrease in the sperm DNA fragmentation index (P < 0.05). Sperm proteomic analysis showed 322 differentially expressed proteins (minimal fold change of ±1.5 or greater and P < 0.05), with 224 up-regulated and 98 down-regulated. These differentially expressed proteins are profoundly involved in specific cellular processes, such as motility and capacitation, oxidative stress, and metabolism. Interestingly, protein trimethyllysine modification was increased, and butyryllysine, propionyllysine, and malonyllysine modifications were decreased in ejaculates from a short versus long abstinence (P < 0.05). Finally, the rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live births from in vitro fertilization treatments were significantly increased in semen samples after a short abstinence. Our study provides preliminary mechanistic insights into improved sperm quality and pregnancy outcomes associated with spermatozoa retrieved after a short ejaculatory abstinence
Project description:Increasing evidences indicate diet-induced metabolic disorder could be paternally inherited, but the exact sperm epigenetic carrier remains unclear. Here, in a paternal high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model, we revealed that a highly enriched subset of sperm small RNAs (30-34 nt) that derived from the 5â halves of tRNAs (tsRNAs), exhibit changes in both expression profiles and RNA modifications. Injection of sperm tsRNAs from HFD male but not synthetic tsRNAs lacking RNA modifications, into normal zygotes generated metabolic disorders in the F1 offspring. Injection of HFD sperm tsRNAs derails gene expression in both early embryos and islets of F1 offspring, enriched in metabolic pathways, but unrelated to DNA methylation at CpG-enriched region. Collectively, we uncover sperm tsRNAs as a type of âepigenetic carrierâ that mediate intergenerational inheritance of acquired traits. Mature sperm small-RNA profiles between High-fat-diet (HFD) and Normal-diet (ND) males; Transcriptional profiles of 8-cell embryos and balstocysts that developed from zygotes that injected with sperm RNAs from HFD vs ND males. Transcriptional profiles and RRBS profiles of islets of F1 offsrping that generated from zygotes that injected with sperm RNAs from HFD vs ND males.
Project description:Excessive accumulation of manganese in brain can cause Parkinsonian-like symptoms, known as Manganism. Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT), a gasoline antiknock additive, is one of environmental exposures of manganese, which can lead to manganism in Rats. Though some researches showed that small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) were differently expressed in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, it was still unclear whether and how sncRNAs dysfunction appeared in Manganism. Unfartunately, transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) and ribosomal RNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs) are highly modified, including 3’ terminal modification such as 3’-phosphate and 2’,3’-cyclic phosphate that block the adapter ligation process, and RNA methylations such as m1A, m3C, m1G and m22G that interfere with reverse transcription. Thus, sncRNAs could escape from traditional small RNA-seq. Here, we present the differential expression of sncRNAs in MMT-induced unrepaired striatum in rats compared with control group, using PANDORA-seq, which could discover the highly modified sncRNAs. By removing sncRNAs modification, we found that 599 sncRNAs were differently expressed in Striatum of MMT-treated rats compared with control group, and 1155 sncRNAs in Mn-treated vs control. Further function analysis for predicted targets of these DE-sncRNAs shown that dysregulation of sncRNAs was implicated Manganism in rats.
Project description:<h4><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Semen quality is negatively correlated with male age and is mainly quantified by a routine semen analysis, which is descriptive and inconclusive. Sperm proteins or semen metabolites are used as the intermediate or end-products, reflecting changes in semen quality, and hold much promise as a new biomarker to predict fertility in advanced-aged males.</h4><h4><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>In this study, we sought to assess whether the semen metabolome and proteome of aged males can affect semen quality and serve as biomarkers for predicting semen quality.</h4><p><strong>MATERIALS AND METHODS: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed 12825 males that underwent semen routine analysis to understand the age-dependent changes in sperm quality. To identify the difference between aged and young adults, metabolomics (n=60) analyses of semen and proteomics (n=12) analyses of sperm were conducted. Finally, integrated machine learning of metabolomics was conducted to screen biomarkers to identify aging semen.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> We discovered that male age was positively correlated with sperm concentration as well as DNA fragmentation index(DFI), and negatively with progressive motile sperm count, total sperm count, sperm volume and progressive sperm motility. The differential metabolites were significantly enriched in various metabolic pathways, and four of these differential metabolites (Pipamperone, 2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2',2''-nitrilotriethanol, Arg-Pro and Triethyl phosphate) were utilized to establish a biomarker panel to identify aging semen. Proteomic analysis showed that differential proteins were significantly enriched in protein digestion and absorption and some energy-related pathways. An integrated analysis of the metabolome and proteome identified differential energy metabolism and oxidative stress-related proteins, which could explain the decreased motility and the increased DFI of aging sperm.</p><p><strong>DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:</strong> We provide compelling evidence that the changes in semen metabolome and sperm proteome are related to the decline of semen quality in aged males. Moreover, a biomarker panel based on four metabolites was established to identify aging semen.</p>
Project description:Identifying robust diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant challenge. Emerging studies highlight extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived RNAs in cancer biology, but the diagnostic potential of circulating EV-derived small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in GC is poorly understood. Using panoramic RNA display by overcoming RNA modification aborted sequencing (PANDORA-seq), we mapped non-canonical sncRNAs—specifically ribosomal RNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs) and transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs)—in plasma EVs. We identified a three-rs/tsRNA signature that discriminates GC patients from healthy individuals with high sensitivity (80.42%) and specificity (87.43%) (143 GC vs 167 controls). For early_x0002_stage GC (stage I), sensitivity and specificity were 81.97% and 81.44%, respectively. Furthermore, the three_x0002_rs/tsRNA signature was evaluated in two independent cohorts, resulting in AUC values of 0.97 and 0.91 for distinguishing GC from healthy controls. Functional analyses revealed that these rs/tsRNAs regulate the ErbB/Hippo pathways, suggesting them in the underlying pathogenesis andtherapeutic potential. This study establishes a novel EV-derived sncRNA signature for early GC detection.