Project description:To examine the effect of seminal fluid on the whole genome expression profile of endometrial tissue following mating, RNA was extracted from endometrial tissue collected 8 h after CBAF1 females were mated with intact Balb/c males and compared to RNA from endometrial tissue of females mated with seminal fluid deficient SVX/VAS Balb/c males. This comparison controlled for ovarian hormone status, exposure to the male and mating activity, and the neuroendocrine response to cervical and vaginal stimulus at mating, so that changes in endometrial gene expression could be attributed specifically to contact with seminal fluid. The endometrial RNA from n=16 individual females was pooled into four independent biological replicates per treatment group (n=4 endometrial samples per replicate) and expression profiles were analyzed by Affymetrix microarray. Seminal fluid exposure induced a clear difference in the profile of genes expressed in the endometrium with a total of 335 genes were differentially regulated with a fold-change greater than 1.5 and p<0.05. Of these, 190 genes were upregulated and 145 genes were downregulated following contact with seminal fluid. Bioinformatics analysis revealed TLR4 signaling as a strongly predicted upstream regulator activated by the differentially expressed genes.Additional experiments confirmed the role of TLR4 with the absence of TLR4 in TLR4 null mice resulting in a failure for seminal fluid to induce endometrial Csf3, Cxcl2, Il6 and Tnf expression. This study provides evidence that TLR4 contributes to seminal fluid modulation of the periconception immune environment. Activation of TLR4 signaling by microbial or endogenous components of seminal fluid is thus implicated as a key element of the female tract response to seminal fluid at the outset of pregnancy in mice. Endometrial RNA collected 8 h following coitus from n=16 individual females was pooled into four independent biological replicates per treatment group (n=4 endometrial samples per replicate) and expression profiles were analyzed by Affymetrix microarray. Microarray analysis was performed using Affymetrix Mouse Gene 2.0 ST Arrays at the Adelaide Microarray Centre (Adelaide, Australia). Total RNA (300 ng) was labelled using the GeneChip® WT PLUS Reagent Kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA). Microarray data was analyzed using Partek Genomics Suite version 6.6). Briefly, .cel files were imported using RMA background correction, following GC content correction and mean probe summarization. Differentially expressed probes were defined as ≥1.50-fold change, t-test p <0.05. To investigate gene pathways and upstream regulators activated by seminal fluid following mating, differentially expressed genes were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) version 18488943 Build 308606M (IPA, Ingenuity Systems, Redwood City, CA).

Project description:In mice, seminal fluid elicits an inflammation-like response in the female genital tract that activates immune adaptations to advance the likelihood of conception and pregnancy. Here we examined whether similar changes in leukocyte and cytokine parameters occur in the human cervix in response to the male partner’s seminal fluid. After a period of abstinence in proven-fertile women, duplicate sets of biopsies were taken from the ectocervix in the peri-ovulatory period and again 48 h later, 12 h after unprotected vaginal coitus, vaginal coitus with use of a condom, or no coitus. One pair of first biopsy and second biopsy RNA samples from each treatment group were reverse transcribed into cDNA and hybridized to Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays. A total of 713 probe sets were identified as differentially expressed (fold change >2) between first and second biopsies after unprotected coitus, with 436 genes upregulated and 277 genes downregulated. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that gene pathways including inflammatory response, immune response, immune cell trafficking, cellular movement and antigen presentation were significantly affected by seminal fluid exposure. Amongst these were genes encoding several chemokines which target granulocytes, monocyte/macrophages, dendritic cells and lymphocytes, proinflammatory cytokines and regulators of cytokine synthesis, prostaglandin pathway gene including PTGS2; COX-2) and several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Of these genes, no change or a substantially smaller change was seen between first and second biopsies obtained after coitus with condom use, or abstinence. An increase in CSF2, IL6, IL8 and IL1A expression was confirmed by qRT-PCR in larger sets of duplicate biopsies (n=6-7 per group). We conclude that seminal fluid introduced at intercourse elicits expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines which underpins the accompanying recruitment of macrophages, dendritic cells and memory T cells. The leukocyte and cytokine environment induced in the cervix by seminal fluid appears competent to initiate adaptations in the female immune response that promote fertility. This response is also relevant to transmission of sexually transmitted pathogens, and potentially susceptibility to cervical metaplasia. Women aged 18-40 years, with regular menstrual cycles and a current sexual relationship with a proven fertile regular partner, volunteered for the study. All women had previously undergone tubal ligation and none of the women used steroidal contraceptives or an intrauterine device for a minimum of three months preceding the study. Subjects were screened to exclude bacterial or viral infection. A negative test result was a prerequisite for inclusion in the study. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Project description:In mice, seminal fluid elicits an inflammation-like response in the female genital tract that activates immune adaptations to advance the likelihood of conception and pregnancy. Here we examined whether similar changes in leukocyte and cytokine parameters occur in the human cervix in response to the male partner’s seminal fluid. After a period of abstinence in proven-fertile women, duplicate sets of biopsies were taken from the ectocervix in the peri-ovulatory period and again 48 h later, 12 h after unprotected vaginal coitus, vaginal coitus with use of a condom, or no coitus. One pair of first biopsy and second biopsy RNA samples from each treatment group were reverse transcribed into cDNA and hybridized to Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST arrays. A total of 713 probe sets were identified as differentially expressed (fold change >2) between first and second biopsies after unprotected coitus, with 436 genes upregulated and 277 genes downregulated. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that gene pathways including inflammatory response, immune response, immune cell trafficking, cellular movement and antigen presentation were significantly affected by seminal fluid exposure. Amongst these were genes encoding several chemokines which target granulocytes, monocyte/macrophages, dendritic cells and lymphocytes, proinflammatory cytokines and regulators of cytokine synthesis, prostaglandin pathway gene including PTGS2; COX-2) and several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Of these genes, no change or a substantially smaller change was seen between first and second biopsies obtained after coitus with condom use, or abstinence. An increase in CSF2, IL6, IL8 and IL1A expression was confirmed by qRT-PCR in larger sets of duplicate biopsies (n=6-7 per group). We conclude that seminal fluid introduced at intercourse elicits expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines which underpins the accompanying recruitment of macrophages, dendritic cells and memory T cells. The leukocyte and cytokine environment induced in the cervix by seminal fluid appears competent to initiate adaptations in the female immune response that promote fertility. This response is also relevant to transmission of sexually transmitted pathogens, and potentially susceptibility to cervical metaplasia. Women aged 18-40 years, with regular menstrual cycles and a current sexual relationship with a proven fertile regular partner, volunteered for the study. All women had previously undergone tubal ligation and none of the women used steroidal contraceptives or an intrauterine device for a minimum of three months preceding the study. Subjects were screened to exclude bacterial or viral infection. A negative test result was a prerequisite for inclusion in the study. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. RNA from each of six cervical biopsies was analysed. The six tissues comprised three pairs of cervical biopsies (a ‘first’ and a ‘second’ biopsy); one pair from each of three women assigned to three different treatment protocols. Treatments were (1) no coitus (control); (2) coitus with a condom (condom), or (3) unprotected coitus (coitus). To synchronise the timing of the biopsies, all subjects determined their LH peak in urine samples taken twice daily from approximately day 10 after the onset of menstruation to the time at which an LH increase was detected (LH0-LH+1), using a rapid self-test (Clearplan, Searle Unipath Ltd., Bedford, UK). The first biopsy was recovered during the peri-ovulatory stage of the menstrual cycle (at 0900 h - 1200 h on day LH0 to LH+1), and the second biopsy was recovered 48 h later (at 0900 h - 1200 h on day LH+2 to LH+3). Small needle biopsies (approximately 50-100 mg tissue) were taken from the ectocervix, approximately 1 cm from the transformation zone. Women then abstained from intercourse for 36 hours to enable haemostasis and healing of the biopsy site. Women allocated to groups (1) and (2) had intercourse, without or with condom use respectively, on one occasion approximately 36 hours after the first biopsy and 12 hours prior to the second biopsy. The abstinent woman did not have intercourse between the two biopsies. Before all biopsies, the cervix was washed with 10 ml of saline solution to clear mucous and debris. All cervical washings were collected and examined microscopically for the presence of sperm to confirm compliance.

Project description:Polyandrous ant queens are inseminated early in their life and store sperm mixtures for a potential reproductive life of decades. However, they cannot re-mate later in life and are thus expected to control the loss of viable sperm because their life-time reproductive success is ultimately limited by the viability of sperm obtained in their single reproductive event. In the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica, we have previously shown that sperm survival is lowered when getting in contact with seminal fluid of other males, and remains stable when in contact with secretions of the queen sperm storage organ (spermatheca). Here we aim to resolve the main protein-level interactions that mediate sperm competition dynamics and sperm preservation. We used artificial insemination and DIGE-based proteomics to identify proteomic changes when seminal fluid is exposed to spermathecal fluid. Seminal fluid was collected from mature males during field season experiments in Panama, by gently squeezing males’ abdomen until the ejaculate came out. Ejaculates from several males were kept together in ice and then centrifuged for 10 minutes at 13,500 g, the supernatant collected in a separate tube and then centrifuged again. The resulting supernatant was then transferred to another tube and stored at -20° C until further use. Four biological replicates of SF were collected from 4 colonies, each consisting of 400 µl SF from approximately 350 males. From each biological replicate three 100 µl aliquots were retrieved, and assigned to one of the following treatments: (1) un-inseminated controls, (2) inseminated SF retrieved after 30 min, and (3) inseminated SF retrieved after 12 h (Fig 1). Next, each of those aliquots was used to artificially inseminate 10 virgin queens (10 µl of aliquot per queen), for a total of 80 queens inseminated. Queens were allowed to recover for 30 min or 12 h before dissecting them to obtain the spermathecal content. All these spermathecal contents were then pooled per treatment and replicate, resulting in a total of 12 samples (3 treatments – un-inseminated SF, inseminated SF retrieved after 30 min inside the queen, and inseminated SF retrieved after 12 hours inside the queen - with 4 biological replicates). Proteins were precipitated in each sample by adding 4 volumes of ice-cold acetone for 4 hours at -20°C and centrifuged at 14,000 g for 10 minutes, after which supernatants were discarded and the protein pellets were stored at -80°C until further use. All of those 12 samples entered the DIGE analysis.

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Quantitation of microRNAs in seminal fluid from men with and without prostate cancer

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