MBD-seq in ovarian tissues of prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the molecular mechanism of PCOS underlying the hyperandrogenic phenotype, prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice were used to mimic this phenotype in women with PCOS. Methylated DNA binding domain sequencing (MBD-seq) and RNA-seq were performed on PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=4) and validations were applied on ovarian samples from PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=6) using MSP (methylation-specific PCR) and qPCR. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) profiling was separately conducted on tissue sections and granular cells of PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=6). We identified 857 genes with differently methylated promoters and 3317 differently expressed genes in PNA mice and control group. We found that PCOS group had a down-regulation of Dnmt1 gene expression, accompanied by global hypomethylation compared with the control group. The promoter regions of Map3k1(mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1) and Map1lc3ka (microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3) were hypomethylated, accompanied by up-regulation of their mRNA expression, which may be involved in the regulation of PCOS through MAPK/p53 pathway activition and autophagy alteration.
Project description:To investigate the molecular mechanism of PCOS underlying the hyperandrogenic phenotype, prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice were used to mimic this phenotype in women with PCOS. Methylated DNA binding domain sequencing (MBD-seq) and RNA-seq were performed on PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=4) and validations were applied on ovarian samples from PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=6) using MSP (methylation-specific PCR) and qPCR. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) profiling was separately conducted on tissue sections and granular cells of PNA mice (n=6) and control group (n=6). We identified 857 genes with differently methylated promoters and 3317 differently expressed genes in PNA mice and control group. We found that PCOS group had a down-regulation of Dnmt1 gene expression, accompanied by global hypomethylation compared with the control group. The promoter regions of Map3k1(mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1) and Map1lc3ka (microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3) were hypomethylated, accompanied by up-regulation of their mRNA expression, which may be involved in the regulation of PCOS through MAPK/p53 pathway activition and autophagy alteration.
Project description:Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hyperandrogenic and metabolic condition in women. The syndrome is linked to subfertility and pregnancy complications, yet the independent effects of exposure to hyperandrogenism and obesity on endometrial function remain unclear. Here, PCOS-like mice were generated using prenatal androgenization (PNA) with dihydrotestosterone, followed by a prepubertal high-fat (HF) or standard diet. In ovariectomized mice, PNA impaired uterine closure during the implantation window, disrupted decidualization, and altered extracellular matrix- and inflammation-related gene expression. The effects were aggravated by HF diet. In naturally mated, ovary-intact mice, PNA and HF diet affected decidual and placental gene expression, suggestive of placental dysfunction and inflammation, and induced fetal growth restriction. This study underlines the role of the uterus in adverse pregnancy outcomes in PCOS and identifies possible underlying mechanisms for future studies. Pre-pregnancy interventions targeting metabolic health and hyperandrogenism should be the next steps to optimize PCOS pregnancy outcomes.
Project description:To investigate the molecular mechanisms of miRNA-mRNA expression underlying this phenotype, ovarian samples from PNA and control mice were subjected to microRNA-seq and RNA-seq. Differential expression analyses were carried out to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Target genes of DEmiRs were predicted by miRTarbase and visualization by Cytoscape. Functional annotation and pathway enrichment analyses for the DEGs and target genes were performed through the DAVID database. Then, to reveal the interactions involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS, the integrated analysis of miRNA-mRNA was performed in PNA mice vs. controls and granulosa cells (GCs) of PCOS women vs. health women. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were established for these negatively regulated pairs via the STRING database. The expression and correlation of potential miRNAs and targets were further validated using RT-qPCR in more PNA mice and clinical human granulosa cells.
Project description:To investigate the etiology of the hyperandrogenic phenotype of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a prenatally androgenized (PNA) mouse model was validated and used for microarray analysis.
Project description:Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common form of infertility in women. The causes of PCOS are not yet understood and both genetics and early-life exposure have been considered as candidates. With regard to the latter, circulating androgens are elevated in mid-late gestation in women with PCOS, potentially exposing offspring to elevated androgens in utero; daughters of women with PCOS are at increased risk for developing this disorder. Consistent with these clinical observations, prenatal androgenization (PNA) of several species recapitulates many phenotypes observed in PCOS. There is increasing evidence that symptoms associated with PCOS, including elevated luteinizing hormone (LH) (and presumably gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)) pulse frequency emerge during the pubertal transition. We utilized translating ribosomal affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing to examine GnRH neuron mRNAs from prepubertal (3wk) and adult female control and PNA mice. Prominent in GnRH neurons were transcripts associated with protein synthesis and cellular energetics, in particular oxidative phosphorylation. The GnRH neuron transcript profile was affected more by the transition from prepuberty to adulthood than by PNA treatment, however PNA did change the developmental trajectory of GnRH neurons. This included families of transcripts related to both protein synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation, which were more prevalent in adults than in prepubertal mice but were blunted in PNA adults. These findings suggest that prenatal androgen exposure can program alterations in the translatome of GnRH neurons, providing a mechanism independent of changes in the genetic code for altered expression.
Project description:Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder of the reproductive and metabolic axis in women during the reproductive age. In this study, we used a rat model exhibiting reproductive and metabolic abnormalities similar to human PCOS to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlining this complex syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with a silicone capsule continuous-releasing 5α-dehydrotestestrone (DHT) per day for 12 weeks to mimic the hyperandrogenic state in women with PCOS, and the control (CTL) groups received an empty capsule. The animals were euthanized at 15 weeks of age and the ovarian cortex tissues of both groups were used for transcriptome profile analysis.
Project description:Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynaecological endocrine disease in women of reproductive age, with a prevalence rate of more than 12%, and is characterised by sporadic ovulation or anovulation, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovarian changes. Polycystic ovary syndrome has a complex clinical presentation and, in addition to affecting follicular development and reproductive endocrine levels in women of childbearing age, it also impairs early embryonic development, affecting pregnancy outcome and offspring health, but its pathogenesis is unclear. In this study, we constructed a mouse model of PCOS using late-gestational hyperandrogen exposure, and examined the reproductive endocrine phenotype and glycolipid metabolism phenotype in mice. We found that PCOS model mice exposed to dihydrotestosterone in late pregnancy could exhibit hyperandrogenic manifestations, presenting elevated vaginal-anal index and delayed puberty establishment, as well as disturbed estrous cycle in adulthood. Ovulation number, number of mature oocytes, fertilisation rate and number of blastocysts were significantly lower in PCOS model mice compared to control mice. Subsequently, we assessed the follicular development and embryonic development ability of the mice using superovulation and in vitro fertilisation experiments, and obtained preimplantation embryonic RNA expression profiles of PCOS mice by performing Smart-seqII RNA sequencing to explore the possible mechanisms by which PCOS affects preimplantation embryonic development and offspring health. Bioinformatics analyses showed that 160 differentially expressed genes were identified out of 12,165 genes in blastocyst samples from both groups of mice, of which calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II β (CAMK2B2), melanoma-associated antigen B2 (MAGEB2), and the ADAM metallopeptidase domain (Adam4) were significantly differentially between the polycystic ovary syndrome and control groups Expression. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that the differential genes were mainly associated with pathways such as glandular development, nephron development, organ development and receptor catabolism. Our current study highlights the deleterious effects of intrauterine exposure to hyperandrogenism on the expression of polycystic ovary syndrome in mice, as well as resulting in impaired development of their eggs and early embryos. These findings may provide valuable insights into the early prevention of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Project description:The disorders of endometrial receptivity and ovulatory dysfunction are both important causes of infertility of patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The study aimed to investigate the expression profile and functional analysis of circRNAs in the endometrial receptivity of mice with PCOS. Twenty-four 4-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups (PCOS group and Normal control group, n=12) and PCOS group was subcutaneously with DHEA 6mg/kg for 20 days. The circRNA expression profile in the endometrium tissue of two groups on the 4th day of gestation was screened by gene chip technique.