Project description:Phthalates are known endocrine disrupting chemicals and ovarian toxicants that are used widely in consumer products. Phthalates have been shown to exert ovarian toxicity on multiple endpoints, altering transcription of genes responsible for normal ovarian function. However, the molecular mechanisms by which phthalates act on the ovary are not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that phthalates specifically target granulosa cells within the ovarian follicle. To test our hypothesis, we cultured whole mouse antral follicles for 96 hours in the presence of vehicle or 10 ug/mL of a phthalate metabolite mixture. At the end of the culture period, follicles were dissociated into single cell suspensions and subjected to single cell RNA sequencing. We used markers from published studies to identify major cell type clusters, the largest of which were granulosa and theca/stroma cells. We further identified sub-populations of granulosa, theca, and stromal cells and analyzed differentially expressed genes between the phthalate treatment and control. Granulosa cells, specifically mural granulosa cells, had the most differentially expressed genes. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes from the overall granulosa cell cluster revealed disruption of cell cycle and mitosis, whereas pathway analysis of the mural granola cell subcluster identified terms related to translation and ribosome. Our findings suggest that phthalates have both broad impacts on major cell types and specific impacts on individual cell types, emphasizing the complexity of phthalate toxicity and highlighting how bulk sequencing can mask effects on vulnerable cell types.
2025-01-06 | GSE277115 | GEO
Project description:Phthalate mixtures toxicity in mouse granulosa cells
Project description:FOXL2 is a transcription factor essential for female fertility, expressed in somatic cells of the ovary, notably granulosa cells. In the mouse, Foxl2 deletion leads to partial sex reversal postnatally. However, deletion of the gene in 8-week-old females leads to granulosa to Sertoli cell transdifferentiation. We hypothesised that different outcomes of Foxl2 deletion in embryonic versus adult ovary may depend on a different role played across ovarian development. Therefore, we characterised the dynamics of gene expression and chromatin accessibility changes in purified murine granulosa cells across key developmental stages (E14.5, 1 and 8 weeks). We then performed genome-wide identification of FOXL2 target genes and on-chromatin interacting partners by ChIP-SICAP. We found that FOXL2 regulates more genes at postnatal stages, through the interaction with factors regulating primordial follicle activation (PFA), such as NR5A2, and others regulating steroidogenesis including AR and ESR2. As a proof of principle experiment, we chose one FOXL2 interactor, Ubiquitin specific protease 7 (USP7) and showed that deletion of this gene in granulosa cells leads to a blockage of PFA, impaired ovary development and sterility. Our study constitutes a comprehensive resource for exploration of the molecular mechanisms of ovarian development and causes of female infertility.
Project description:Previous studies suggested a role of acetylcholine (ACh) in the regulation of the ovary. A target receptor, alpha 7 nicotinic ACh receptor (CHRNA7; encoded by CHRNA7), is expressed in the human ovary, e.g. by stromal cells, oocytes and human granulosa cells (GCs). The objective of this study was to explore its functions in cultured, in vitro fertilization (IVF)-derived GCs. For this, GCs exposed to 1% O2 were treated with the selective CHRNA7-agonist PNU 282987 for 24 h.
Project description:Single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) from Trim28 ovary knockout and wildtype mice ovaries and testis to help elucidate the function of Trim28 in the adult mouse ovaries. The analysis revealed that loss of Trim28 in the adult mouse ovaries lead to a transcriptional repogramming of the Granulosa cells towards the Sertoli cell fate. Therefore, Trim28 has a function to maintain the adult ovarian cell identity
Project description:We report the results of an RNA-seq analysis conducted as part of an experiment investigating the effects of the phthalate, mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on cultured fetal mouse testes. The goal of the study was to determine whether fetal testis toxicity of MEHP is partially driven by disruption of retinoic acid signaling.
Project description:Transcriptomic analysis reveals potential mechanisms of toxicity in a combined exposure to dibutyl phthalate and diisobutyl phthalate in zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovary
