Project description:In order to understand the role of Hippo pathway in mice testes, we inactivated lats1/2 in a transgenic mouse model using the cre recombinase system in Sertoli cells. RNAseq analysis on whole e15.5 testes were performed on male mice
Project description:Spermatogenesis is an essential process to generate male gametes in vertebrates, and it has become an important social health problem caused by spermatogenesis disorder. However, the molecular mechanism underlying spermatogenesis, particularly epigenetic modification in Sertoli cells of testis, remain elusive. In this study we generated Rnf20 conditional knockout mice by recombinant mothed, and only to find that Rnf20 knockout in Sertoli cells led to male infertility.
Project description:Protein phosphatase 6 (PP6) is a member of the PP2A-like subfamily, which plays significant roles in numerous fundamental biological activities. We found that PPP6C plays important roles in male germ cells recently. Spermatogenesis is supported by the Sertoli cells in seminiferous epithelium. In this study, we crossed Ppp6cF/F mice with AMH-Cre mice to gain mutant mice with specific depletion of the Ppp6c gene in the Sertoli cells. We discovered that the PPP6C cKO male mice were absolutely infertile and germ cells were largely lost during spermatogenesis. By combing phosphoproteome with bioinformatics analysis, we showed that the phosphorylation status of β-catenin at S552 (a marker of adherens junctions) was significantly upregulated in mutant mice. Abnormal β-catenin accumulation resulted in impaired testicular junction integrity, thus led to abnormal structure and functions of BTB. Taken together, our study reveals a novel function for PPP6C in male germ cell survival and differentiation by regulating the cell-cell communication through dephosphorylating β-catenin at S552.
Project description:In this study, we have demonstrated, for the first time, that overexpression of three genes of DAZ family members, namely DAZL, DAZ2, and BOULE, could directly reprogram human Sertoli cells to the cells with the biochemical phenotypes, the self-renewal and differentiation capacities of human SSCs. This study thus offers invaluable male gametes for treating the infertility of azoospermia patients. We propose a new concept that human somatic cells can be converted to become male germline stem cells by the defined factors. Here we have demonstrated that the overexpression of DAZL, DAZ2, and BOULE could directly reprogram human Sertoli cells into the cells with the characteristics of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), as evidenced by their similar transcriptomes and proteomics with human SSCs. Significantly, human SSCs derived from human Sertoli cells colonized and proliferated in vivo, and they could differentiate into spermatocyte and haploid spermatids in vitro. Human Sertoli cells-derived SSCs excluded Y chromosome microdeletions and assumed normal chromosomes. Collectively, human somatic cells could be converted directly to human SSCs with the self-renewal & differentiation potentials and high safety. This study is of unusual significance, because it provides an effective approach for reprogramming human somatic cells into male germ cells and offers invaluable male gametes for treating male infertility.
Project description:Environmental toxicants have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult onset disease, including testis disease and male infertility. The exposure of a gestating female during the period of gonadal sex determination has been shown to promote sperm epimutations, differential DNA methylation regions (DMR), that transmit transgenerational disease to subsequent generations. The current study was designed to determine the impact of an altered sperm epigenome on the subsequent development of an adult somatic cell (Sertoli cell) that influences the onset of a specific disease (male infertility). A gestating female rat (F0 generation) was exposed to the agriculture fungicide vinclozolin during gonadal sex determination and then the subsequent F3 generation progeny used for the isolation of Sertoli cells and assessment of testis disease. As previously observed, a spermatogenic cell apoptosis was observed. The Sertoli cells that provide the physical and nutritional support for the spermatogenic cells were isolated and alterations in gene expression examined. Over 400 genes were differentially expressed in the F3 generation control versus vinclozolin lineage Sertoli cells. A number of specific signaling pathways and cellular processes were identified to be transgenerationally altered. One of the key metabolic processes affected was pyruvate/lactate production that is directly linked to spermatogenic cell viability. The Sertoli cell epigenome was also altered with over 100 promoter differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) modified in the vinclozolin F3 generation Sertoli cell. The genomic features and overlap with the sperm DMR were investigated. Observations demonstrate that the transgenerational sperm epigenetic alterations subsequently alters the development of a specific somatic cell (Sertoli cell) epigenome and transcriptome that then has a role in the adult onset disease (male infertility). The environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of testis disease appears to be a component of the molecular etiology of male infertility. Environmental toxicants have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult onset male infertility. The exposure of a gestating female during the period of gonadal sex determination has been shown to promote sperm epimutations, differential DNA methylation regions (DMR), that transmit transgenerational disease to subsequent generations. The current study was designed to determine the impact of an altered sperm epigenome on the subsequent development of an adult somatic cell (Sertoli cell) that influences the onset of a specific disease (male infertility). A gestating female rat (F0 generation) was exposed to the agriculture fungicide vinclozolin during gonadal sex determination and then the subsequent F3 generation progeny used for the isolation of Sertoli cells and assessment of testis disease. The Sertoli cells provide the physical and nutritional support for the spermatogenic cells in the testis. The F3 generation Sertoli cells have an altered transcriptome and epigenome associated with adult onset testis disease. The environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of Sertoli cell abnormalities appears to be a component of the molecular etiology of male infertility. RNA samples from Sertoli cell of 3 F3-control lineage groups are compared to Sertoli cell of 3 F3-vinclozolin lineage groups
Project description:Sertoli cells provide nutrients and support for germ cell differentiation and maintain a stable microenvironment for spermatogenesis. Comprehensive identification of Sertoli cellular proteins is important in understanding spermatogenesis. In this study, we performed an integrative analysis of the proteome and phosphoproteome to explore the role of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis. A total of 2912 and 753 proteins were identified from the proteome and phosphoproteome in Sertoli cells; 438 proteins were common to the proteome and phosphoproteome. In the proteome, ACTG1, ACTB, ACTA2, MYH9 were the most abundant proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that most of the proteins are involved in the processes of localization, biosynthesis, gene expression, and transport. In addition, part of proteins related to Sertoli cell functions were also enriched. In the phosphoproteome, most of the proteins are involved in gene expression and the RNA metabolic process; the pathways mainly involve the spliceosome, mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway, focal adhesion, and tight junctions. The pleckstrin homology-like domain is the most highly enriched protein domain in phosphoproteins. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and protein kinases C (PKCs) were found to be highly active kinases in kinase-substrate network analysis. Ten proteins most closely related to network stability were found in the analysis of network interactions of proteins identified jointly by the phosphoproteome and proteome. Through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence verification of vimentin, it was found that there were localization differences between phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated vimentin in testicular tissue. This study is the first in-depth proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of the buffalo testicular Sertoli cells. The results provide insight into the role of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis and provide clues for further study of male reproduction.
Project description:Environmental toxicants have been shown to induce the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult onset disease, including testis disease and male infertility. The current study was designed to determine the impact of an altered sperm epigenome on the subsequent development of an adult somatic cell (Sertoli cell) that influences the onset of a specific disease (male infertility). A gestating female rat (F0 generation) was exposed to the agriculture fungicide vinclozolin during gonadal sex determination and then the subsequent F3 generation progeny used for the isolation of Sertoli cells and assessment of testis disease. As previously observed, enhanced spermatogenic cell apoptosis was observed. The Sertoli cells provide the physical and nutritional support for the spermatogenic cells. Over 400 genes were differentially expressed in the F3 generation control versus vinclozolin lineage Sertoli cells. A number of specific cellular pathways were identified to be transgenerationally altered. One of the key metabolic processes affected was pyruvate/lactate production that is directly linked to spermatogenic cell viability. The Sertoli cell epigenome was also altered with over 100 promoter differential DNA methylation regions (DMR) modified. The genomic features and overlap with the sperm DMR were investigated. Observations demonstrate that the transgenerational sperm epigenetic alterations subsequently alters the development of a specific somatic cell (Sertoli cell) epigenome and transcriptome that correlates with adult onset disease (male infertility). The environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of testis disease appears to be a component of the molecular etiology of male infertility.
Project description:To compare the transcriptional profile of endogenous Sertoli cells from different Stage of Sertoli cell development (embryonic, immature, mature) to the transcriptionla profile of induced embryonic Sertoli cells derived from MEFs or TTFs we employed the agilent whole genome microarray Keywords: Expression profiling by array The following samples were analyzed in duplicates (MEFs, TTFs, ieSCs (derived from MEFs), ieSCs (derived from TTFs), 14.5 dpc male gonad, immature Sertoli (19 dpc embryo testis) and mature (8 week-old mouse testis))