NR2F2 Regulation of Fetal Leydig Cell Differentiation: Insights into Differences of Sex Development [RNA-Seq]
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE275902 | GEO | 2025/03/24
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Testicular fetal Leydig cells are specialized for androgen production during embryogenesis. Testosterone is essential for regulating sex differentiation, spermatogenesis, and fertility. Deficiencies in Leydig cell differentiation can lead to various disorders of sex development and male reproductive conditions, such as ambiguous genitalia, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, and infertility. Understanding the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells is essential for comprehending male sexual differentiation, reproductive health, and fertility. Fetal Leydig cells originate from proliferating progenitor cells in the gonadal interstitium, marked by genes like Arx, Pdgfra, Tcf21, Wnt5a, and Nr2f2. However, the precise mechanisms governing the transition from interstitial cells to Leydig cells remain elusive. Through integrated approaches involving animal models and multiomics, we have demonstrated that fetal Leydig cells originate from a Nr2f2 positive non-steroidogenic interstitial cell population. NR2F2 promotes progenitor cell fate while suppressing Leydig cell differentiation. Moreover, embryonic deletion of Nr2f2 in mouse testes resulted in disorders of sex development, including reduced testicular size, Leydig cell hypoplasia, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias. Collectively, our findings highlight the critical role of Nr2f2 in orchestrating the transition from interstitial cells to Leydig cells during testicular development.
2025-03-24 | GSE275901 | GEO
Project description:Testicular fetal Leydig cells are specialized for androgen production during embryogenesis. Testosterone is essential for regulating sex differentiation, spermatogenesis, and fertility. Deficiencies in Leydig cell differentiation can lead to various disorders of sex development and male reproductive conditions, such as ambiguous genitalia, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, and infertility. Understanding the differentiation of fetal Leydig cells is essential for comprehending male sexual differentiation, reproductive health, and fertility. Fetal Leydig cells originate from proliferating progenitor cells in the gonadal interstitium, marked by genes like Arx, Pdgfra, Tcf21, Wnt5a, and Nr2f2 (COUP-TFII). However, the precise mechanisms governing the transition from interstitial cells to Leydig cells remain elusive. Through integrated approaches involving animal models and multiomics, we have demonstrated that fetal Leydig cells originate from a COUP-TFII positive non-steroidogenic interstitial cell population. COUP-TFII promotes progenitor cell fate while suppressing Leydig cell differentiation. Moreover, embryonic deletion of COUP-TFII in mouse testes resulted in disorders of sex development, including reduced testicular size, Leydig cell hypoplasia, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias. Collectively, our findings highlight the critical role of COUP-TFII in orchestrating the transition from interstitial cells to Leydig cells during testicular development.
2025-03-24 | GSE275900 | GEO
Project description:Intrauterine exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can interfere with male reproductive development. This can lead to male reproductive disorders such as hypospadias, cryptorchidism and reduced fertility, as well as shorter anogenital distance (AGD) – a biomarker for incomplete androgen-dependent fetal masculinization. However, it remains challenging to predict adverse in vivo outcomes based on in vitro effect patterns for many chemicals. This is a challenge for modern toxicology, which aims to reduce animal testing for chemical safety assessments. To enable the transition towards higher reliance on alternative test methods, we need to better map underlying mechanisms leading to adverse effects. Herein, we have analyzed the transcriptome of the perineum and phallus of male fetal rats and defined the impacts of exposure to an anti-androgenic fungicide, triticonazole. Previously we have shown that developmental exposure to triticonazole can induce short male AGD, but without a marked effect on the transcriptome of the fetal testes. In contrast, we report here significant changes to the transcriptional landscape of the perineum and phallus, including regional differences between these adjacent tissues. This highlights the importance of analyzing the correct tissue when characterizing mechanisms of complex in vivo effect outcomes. Our results provide a rich resource for the spatiotemporal gene networks that are involved in the development of male external genitalia, and that can be disrupted upon exposure to chemicals that prevent normal masculinization of the perineum and phallus. Such data will be critical in the development of novel alternative test methods to determine the endocrine disrupting potential of existing and emerging chemicals.
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Project description:Before the onset of sexual differentiation, male and female external genitalia are morphologically indistinguishable. After the onset of sex-specific production of sex steroids by the gonads, the male and female external genitalia differentiate into either a penis or clitoris. Here we use single cell sequencing to investigate the similarities and differences of cell populations in the external genitalia during the critical sexual differentiation window in the mouse embryo. We found the male and female genitalia are largely similar in cell composition and gene expression at the bipotential stage of development. As sexual differentiation ensues, sex steroid-dependent and -independent differences in cell populations arise, leading to dimorphic establishment of the external genitalia.
2021-05-20 | GSE174712 | GEO
Project description:In males, Leydig cells are the main producers of testosterone and insulin-like 3, hormones which are both essential for sex differentiation and reproductive functions. Nuclear receptor chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factors II (COUP-TFII) is expressed in the cells committed to give rise to the fully functional steroidogenic adult Leydig cells and has a major role in their function and differentiation. Up to date, only handful of COUP-TFII gene targets have been reported. A transcriptomic approach was used to identify additional genes affected by depletion of COUP-TFII in mouse MA-10 Leydig cell line.
2021-07-01 | GSE163283 | GEO
Project description:MAMLD1 (mastermind-like domain containing 1, alias CXorf6) on human chromosome Xq28 is a causative gene for hypospadias, a mild form of 46,XY disorders of sex development. To date, multiple mutations have been identified in patients with various types of hypospadias. In this regard, the mouse homologous gene Mamld1 is transiently expressed in fetal Sertoli and Leydig cells around the critical period for sex development, and transient Mamld1 knockdown using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) reduces testosterone production in cultured mouse Leydig tumor cells (MLTCs). We performed detailed analyses in Mamld1 knockdown experiments using MLTCs. We used microarrays to display the global gene expression profile change, after knockdown of Mamld1 expression in MLTCs, to find the gene set regulated by Mamld1. To compare changes in gene expression profile in MLTCs, MLTCs were transfected with control siRNA or Mamld1 siRNA, 48h later, total RNA was subjected to Q-PCR to confirm a significantly decreased Mamld1 mRNA, and then these total RNA samples were for microarray analysis. The microarray data was analyzed to explore gene sets/pathways, which were significantly impacted by knockdown of Mamld1. Real-time RT-PCR and microarray analyses showed significantly decreased Cyp17a1 expression (~70%) in both siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected MLTCs. The siRNAs knockdown did not affect the expressions of Nr5a1 (Sf1), Star, Por, and Insl3. 47 genes including a Notch-related gene Hey1 were significantly up-regulated (fold change >2.0) and 38 genes were significantly down-regulated (fold change <0.5) in both siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected MLTCs (Table S1 and Table S2). However, Mamld1 knockdown had no discernible effect on the Hes3 expression level (siRNA1: fold change 0.92, P=0.80; siRNA2: fold change 1.43, P=0.35). MLTCs were maintained in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, and were transiently transfected with two siRNAs against Mamld1 or with non-targeting control RNA. To compare changes in gene expression profile in MLTCs, 48h later, total RNA was subjected to Q-PCR to confirm a significantly decreased Mamld1 mRNA, and then these total RNA samples were for microarray analysis. Supplementary file: t-test unpaired [i1] Vs [control], [i2] Vs [control], P <= 0.05 FC >=2.0
2014-01-26 | E-GEOD-26913 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Fetal Leydig cells are essential for masculinization through androgen production during fetal development. Previous studies have indicated that Desert Hedgehog regulates differentiation from progenitor cells. Our previous research showed a significant upregulation of energy metabolism-related genes during fetal Leydig cell differentiation. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unresolved. Here, we reveal that Desert Hedgehog rapidly activates energy metabolisms in testicular interstitial cells (W-EGFP cells) containing fetal Leydig progenitor cells without activating gene expression.
2025-03-24 | GSE292010 | GEO
Project description:MAMLD1 (mastermind-like domain containing 1, alias CXorf6) on human chromosome Xq28 is a causative gene for hypospadias, a mild form of 46,XY disorders of sex development. To date, multiple mutations have been identified in patients with various types of hypospadias. In this regard, the mouse homologous gene Mamld1 is transiently expressed in fetal Sertoli and Leydig cells around the critical period for sex development, and transient Mamld1 knockdown using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) reduces testosterone production in cultured mouse Leydig tumor cells (MLTCs). We performed detailed analyses in Mamld1 knockdown experiments using MLTCs. We used microarrays to display the global gene expression profile change, after knockdown of Mamld1 expression in MLTCs, to find the gene set regulated by Mamld1. To compare changes in gene expression profile in MLTCs, MLTCs were transfected with control siRNA or Mamld1 siRNA, 48h later, total RNA was subjected to Q-PCR to confirm a significantly decreased Mamld1 mRNA, and then these total RNA samples were for microarray analysis. The microarray data was analyzed to explore gene sets/pathways, which were significantly impacted by knockdown of Mamld1. Real-time RT-PCR and microarray analyses showed significantly decreased Cyp17a1 expression (~70%) in both siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected MLTCs. The siRNAs knockdown did not affect the expressions of Nr5a1 (Sf1), Star, Por, and Insl3. 47 genes including a Notch-related gene Hey1 were significantly up-regulated (fold change >2.0) and 38 genes were significantly down-regulated (fold change <0.5) in both siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected MLTCs (Table S1 and Table S2). However, Mamld1 knockdown had no discernible effect on the Hes3 expression level (siRNA1: fold change 0.92, P=0.80; siRNA2: fold change 1.43, P=0.35).
2014-01-26 | GSE26913 | GEO
Project description:This dataset contains fibroblasts from different genital and extragenital regions, mostly from 46,XY individuals. Due to proven androgen receptor gene mutations, several individuals have varying degrees of undervirilization of the external genitalia ranging from complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) to partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). CAIS is a completely female person despite a 46,XY karyotype. AIS-3 individuals have ambigous external genitalia. AIS-4 means predominantly female (clitoral enlargement), AIS-2 means predominantly male (hypospadias). It is important for this experiment set, that it contains data from 3 differet independent datasets that are not directly cmparable with each other. This is because of different reference RNAs and different glass slides. The particular normalization procedure is described in the paper accompanying this dataset. Only then, all arrays are allowed to be clustered together. Dataset 2 and 3 have "DS-2" and "DS-3" in their experiment names. All other experiments belong to dataset 1. A cell type comparison design experiment design type compares cells of different type for example different cell lines. Disease State: normal male, normal female or ambiguous external genitalia according to grading scheme by Sinnecker et al. Cell Line: fibroblast cell lines from different regions of the genital skin, some from extragenital skin Sex/Mating type: 46,XY or 46,XX karyotype Computed
2010-06-25 | E-GEOD-6796 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Retinoic acid (RA) is a potent inducer of cell differentiation and plays an essential role in sex-specific germ cell development in the mammalian gonad. RA is essential for male gametogenesis and hence fertility. However, RA can also disrupt sexual cell fate in somatic cells of the testis, promoting transdifferentiation of male Sertoli cells to female granulosa-like cells when the male sexual regulator Dmrt1 is absent. The feminizing ability of RA in the somatic testis suggests that RA might normally play a role in somatic cell differentiation or cell fate maintenance in the ovary. To test for this possibility we disrupted RA signaling in somatic cells of the early fetal ovary using three genetic strategies and one pharmaceutical approach. We found that deleting all three RA receptors (RARs) in the XX somatic gonad at the time of sex determination did not significantly affect ovarian differentiation, follicle development, or female fertility. Transcriptome analysis of adult triple mutant ovaries revealed remarkably little effect on gene expression in the absence of somatic RAR function. Likewise, deletion of three RA synthesis enzymes (Aldha1-3) at the time of sex determination did not masculinize the ovary. A dominant-negative RAR transgene altered granulosa cell proliferation, likely due to interference with a non-RA signaling pathway, but did not affect granulosa cell specification or fertility. Finally, culture of fetal XX gonads with an RAR antagonist blocked germ cell meiotic initiation but did not disrupt sex-biased gene expression. We conclude that RA signaling, although crucial in the ovary for meiotic initiation, is not required for granulosa cell specification, differentiation, or reproductive function.
2017-03-16 | GSE94802 | GEO