Reproductive biology最新文献

{"title":"Increased circulating T helper 17 (TH17) cells and endometrial tissue IL-17-producing cells in patients with endometriosis compared with non-endometriotic subjects","authors":"Ali-Akbar Delbandi ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Mahmoudi ,&nbsp;Adel Shervin ,&nbsp;Pooya Farhangnia ,&nbsp;Tahereh Mohammadi ,&nbsp;Amir-Hassan Zarnani","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endometriosis, an inflammatory disease, is characterized by the aberrant presence of endometrial tissues at ectopic locations. Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammatory cells, such as interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing cells, may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. This investigation assessed the frequency of IL-17A (commonly known as IL-17)-producing cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), ectopic, and eutopic endometrial tissues in patients with endometriosis compared to non-endometriotic subjects. PBMCs, ectopic, and eutopic endometrial tissues were collected from 23 patients with endometriosis. PBMCs and endometrial tissues from 20 non-endometriotic women were used as the control group. The frequency of T helper 17 (T_H17) lymphocytes in PBMCs was assessed using flow cytometry, and the expression level of IL-17 in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues was evaluated through immunohistochemistry. The percentage of T_H17 and IL-17-producing lymphocytes was significantly higher in the PBMCs of patients with endometriosis compared to non-endometriotic subjects (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01 and <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001, respectively). The expression of IL-17 protein in ectopic (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and eutopic (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) endometrial tissues of patients with endometriosis increased compared to controls' endometrial tissue. Furthermore, the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis showed a higher expression of IL-17 protein than the eutopic endometrial tissue of control subjects (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The findings suggest that the higher frequency of IL-17-producing cells in the PBMCs and endometrial tissues of patients with endometriosis contributes to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101019"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PCOS and genetics: Exploring the heterogeneous role of potential genes in ovarian dysfunction, a hallmark of PCOS – A review","authors":"V. Dharani ,&nbsp;S. Nishu ,&nbsp;L. Hariprasath","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>PCOS is an endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. The root of PCOS is ovarian dysfunction, which presents as hormonal disturbances affecting normal ovarian function to cause the symptoms and complications of the disease. This dysfunction causes symptoms like impaired maturation of follicles and disorders of various origins with multiple treatment regimens that are not always clear. Therefore, the present review mainly concentrates on the genetic level of ovarian dysfunction of PCOS. The articles were identified through a vigorous literature search where search engines such as PubMed, Google Scholar, databases, and Science Direct were used, and the articles published from 2015 to 2025 were referred. We identified that the key genes involved in the ovarian dysfunctions in PCOS include CYP11A1, CYP17A1, CYP19A1, AR, FSHR, LHCGR, AMH, INSR, SHBG, IRS1, GATA4, ADIPOQ, YAP1, TCF7L2, and DENND1A, which play a role in gonadotropin action, steroidogenesis, and folliculogenesis. Furthermore, epigenetic factors and miRNAs miR-93, 222, 155, 146a, 132, 320, 27a, 483, 21, 378, 17–92 Cluster, and 375, 221 are also involved in it. Abnormal expression of these genes is known to play a critical role in the etiology and pathogenesis of PCOS. Present treatment includes the use of oral contraceptives, anti-androgen agents, insulin-sensitizing agents, and ovulation-inducing agents, and future treatment may consist of miRNA therapy, drug repositioning, and genetic markers that might be used for early identification and better management of ovarian dysfunction. Thus, the current review discusses ovarian dysfunction in PCOS, the involvement of potential genes and epigenetic factors, and miRNAs concerning ovulation and its therapeutic implications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101017"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143823591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the clinical significance of immune and thyroid biomarkers in women with breast cancer and Hashimoto's thyroiditis","authors":"Israa Khalaf Aneed ,&nbsp;Noori Mohammed Luaibi ,&nbsp;Sajid Nader Abdulqader","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breast cancer with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (BC-HT) presents a unique immuno-thyroid interplay that remains poorly understood. This study investigates the relationships between thyroid function markers (TSH, T3, T4), immune markers (CD33, CD44), and thyroid autoantibodies (Anti-TPO, Anti-Tg) in BC-HT patients and healthy controls. Normality testing confirmed non-parametric data distribution, necessitating Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> tests for group comparisons. BC-HT patients exhibited significantly elevated TSH, CD33, Anti-TPO, and Anti-Tg levels, alongside reduced T3 and T4, compared to controls, indicating thyroid dysfunction. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed strong negative correlations between TSH and T3/T4 in controls, which were lost in BC-HT, suggesting disruption of normal thyroid feedback mechanisms. Additionally, CD33 and CD44 correlations with thyroid hormones were evident in controls but absent in BC-HT, highlighting altered immune-thyroid interactions. ROC analysis demonstrated high diagnostic performance for TSH, Anti-Tg, and Anti-TPO, with sensitivities exceeding 0.75, whereas CD33 and CD44 showed limited diagnostic utility. These findings suggest a distinct immuno-thyroid dysregulation in BC-HT patients and highlight the potential of thyroid-specific markers for disease stratification. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and mechanistic investigations to further delineate the role of immune markers in breast cancer pathophysiology within the context of thyroid autoimmunity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101011"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of mitochondrial copy number and gene expression changes in the spermatozoa of buffalo bulls under heat stress","authors":"Meenakshi Chitkara ,&nbsp;Harsimran Kaur ,&nbsp;Rashi Vasisth ,&nbsp;Karpenahalli Ranganatha Sriranga ,&nbsp;Ankita Gurao ,&nbsp;Karan Mahar ,&nbsp;Mahesh Shivanand Dige ,&nbsp;R.A.K. Aggarwal ,&nbsp;Manishi Mukesh ,&nbsp;Pradeep Kumar ,&nbsp;Pawan Singh ,&nbsp;Ranjit Singh Kataria","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Relative copy number of mitochondria was estimated for the potential association with the expression of mitochondrial coded stress related genes in bubaline spermatozoa. Semen samples were collected from buffalo bulls under two extreme temperature-humidity index conditions: hot summer and winter. Based on the semen quality, the bulls were categorized: exhibiting poor semen quality during hot summer as \"seasonally affected,\" while those maintaining good semen quality throughout the year, as \"seasonally not affected\". The average mitochondrial copy numbers were lower during hot summer (15.42 ± 1.2368) compared to winter (17.29 ± 0.72) in both the groups. Furthermore, within the hot summer period, bulls classified as seasonally affected exhibited significantly lower mitochondrial copy numbers (12.86 ± 1.343) than their seasonally unaffected counterpart (17.97 ± 1.34). These results suggest a potential role of mitochondria in influencing semen quality, particularly in response to impaired scrotal thermoregulation during the summer season. Although the fold change in apoptotic genes (<em>BCL2</em>, <em>MCL1</em>, <em>CASP3</em>, and <em>BAK</em>) and oxidative panel genes (<em>CAT</em>, <em>SOD</em>, <em>GPx</em>, <em>ATF4</em>, and <em>FOXO-3</em>), did not differ significantly across the groups, differences were observed between the seasons. Further, to understand the role of copy number in apoptosis and ROS scavenging across the seasons and the groups, the generalized mixed model was employed. The results conveyed a significant negative interaction of copy number with the expression of <em>CAT</em> gene and significant positive interaction of copy number with the apoptotic gene panel. Our findings underscore the significant role of mitochondrial copy numbers in domestic buffalo spermatozoa in managing the challenges of thermoregulation posed by harsh tropical conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101014"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of extracellular glucose concentrations on antioxidant capacity, viability, and microRNA expression in TM4 Sertoli cells","authors":"Farha A. Ali Shafi ,&nbsp;Ali Thoulfikar A. Imeer ,&nbsp;Hassan Ali Abood Nassrullah ,&nbsp;Ali Mutashar Naeemah","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of extracellular glucose concentrations on antioxidant capacity, viability, and microRNA (miR) expression in TM4 Sertoli cell lines. TM4 cells were cultured in high-glucose (115 µm) and low-glucose (&lt;505 µm) conditions to simulate hyperglycemia and glucose starvation, respectively. The study measured total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), NADP/NADPH, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR) levels. MiR-17, miR-34, miR-106a, and miR-200a expression levels were assessed. Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated using MTT assay and acridine-orange staining. Results indicated that high glucose reduced miR-17 expression while low glucose increased it. Both glucose conditions elevated miR-34, miR-106a, and miR-200a expressions. TAC levels decreased, while TOS and MDA levels increased significantly under both conditions. High glucose had no significant effect on GPX and GR levels, whereas low glucose decreased them. Both conditions led to reduced GSH levels, increased GSSG levels, and altered NADP/NADPH ratio. Increased apoptosis and decreased cell viability were observed under both glucose conditions. These findings suggest that extracellular glucose levels significantly dysregulate miRNA expression, antioxidant capacities, and redox buffer systems in TM4 cells. High glucose conditions suppress miR-17 expression, increase miR-34 and miR-106a levels, and induce reductive buffer imbalance. Conversely, low glucose conditions trigger compensatory mechanisms via increased miR-17 expression to enhance antioxidant status while reducing GPX and GR levels. These results provide insights into the molecular responses of Sertoli cells under varying glucose environments, highlighting potential therapeutic pathways for conditions like diabetes and metabolic dysfunctions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101015"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The special phenotypic characteristics of Dummerstorf superfertile mouse lines could depend on the expression levels of IGF-axis genes","authors":"Michela Calanni-Pileri ,&nbsp;Joachim M. Weitzel ,&nbsp;Andreas Hoeflich ,&nbsp;Martina Langhammer ,&nbsp;Marten Michaelis","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To date, animal models with reproductive phenotypes are knockout or transgenic and typically exhibit reduced fertility or infertility. This limits research to studying single-gene effects or loss of fertility. By contrast, Dummerstorf high-fertility mouse lines 1 and 2 (FL1 and FL2) are two unique outbred selection models that demonstrate exceptional reproductive performance. After approximately 50 years of selection, both lines have doubled the number of ovulated oocytes per cycle and consequently their litter size (&gt;20 vs ∼11) compared to the unselected mice of the same founder population (Dummerstorf FZTDU, ctrl line). FL1 and FL2 exhibit atypical estrous cycle length and altered levels of hormones, such as insulin and leptin, which are associated with GnRH release and/or increased body fat content. Unlike typical cases where these factors impair fertility, they instead contribute to the FLs’ high reproductive capacity: the increased ovulation rate results from an upgrade in the quality of their oocytes, influenced by different ovarian lipid profile. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of IGF-axis marker genes linked to reproductive performance and FL-specific traits in three tissues. We found that lepr, which plays a critical role in implantation, was upregulated in the FL1 uterus (1.5-fold vs. ctrl, p &lt; 0.05). In FL1 follicles, igf1, IGF-biding proteins (IGFBP2, IGFBP4) and hsf1—which is involved in gametogenesis—were significantly upregulated (1–4-fold vs. ctrl, p &lt; 0.05 for igf1, hsf1 and IGFBP4; p &lt; 0.01 for igfbp2). In FL2, uterine size was reduced relatively to the body weight (∼0.2 % FL2 vs. 0.25 % in ctrl and 0.28 % in FL1, p &lt; 0.001), indicating that uterus dimensions do not drive their increased litter size. These findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of high fertility and could serve as a foundation for further studies on genotype-phenotype relationships in reproductive biology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101012"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143724790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the quality of bovine semen subjected to cryopreservation with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose","authors":"Anna Monallysa Silva de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Nívia Maria Rocha Brandão ,&nbsp;Anailson De Oliveira Maciel ,&nbsp;Nágylla Santos De Almeida ,&nbsp;Nayonara Santos De Almeida ,&nbsp;Thiago Santos Santos ,&nbsp;Izakiel Reis Marinho ,&nbsp;Francisco Cardoso Figueiredo ,&nbsp;Yndyra Nayan Teixeira Carvalho Castelo Branco ,&nbsp;José Adalmir Torres de Souza","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) on the cryopreservation of bovine semen. Semen was collected from seven bulls by electroejaculation and diluted in Tris-egg yolk medium with and without glycerol (G) in the following treatments: C: Tris-Egg Yolk + 6 %G; T1: Tris-Egg Yolk + 3 % G; T2: Tris-Egg Yolk + 0 % G; T3: Tris-Egg Yolk + 0.5 % HPMC; T4: Tris-Egg Yolk + 1.0 % HPMC; T5: Tris-Egg Yolk + 1.5 % HPMC; T6: Tris-Egg Yolk + 5.5 % G + 0.5 % HPMC. Samples were frozen and stored at −196°C. After thawing, sperm quality was assessed using the rapid thermoresistance test (RTRT), sperm morphology, hypoosmotic swelling test, plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) test. RTRT results showed that the control group had better motility and vigor at 0’, 15’, and 30’ compared to the T6 group. The T6 group had better results than other groups supplemented with 0.5 %, 1.0 %, and 1.5 % HPMC. No significant differences were observed at 45’ for RTRT, hypoosmotic swelling, morphology, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, or IVF rates. In conclusion, the addition of HPMC reduced sperm motility and vigor but did not negatively affect other cryopreservation parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101013"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143704779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fucoxanthin attenuates LPS-induced endometritis via inhibiting inflammatory factors through the NF-κB pathway","authors":"Qin Yao,&nbsp;Yuejuan Zhang,&nbsp;Qizhi Yan,&nbsp;Junhui Qian","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endometritis is an infectious disease of the female reproductive system and commonly treated with antibiotics. However, the high resistance rates to antibiotics necessitate the urgent research for new and effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this research is to explore the effect of fucoxanthin (FX) on endometritis through in vitro and in vivo assays. The effect of FX on inflammation was first explored in vitro using LPS-induced bovine endometrial epithelial (BEND) cell injury model. After the anti-inflammation effect of FX was confirmed in vitro, the effect of FX on endometritis was investigated in vivo using LPS-induced mice model. The female mice were randomly assigned into control, control + FX, LPS, and LPS + FX (100, 200 mg/kg) groups. The histological features of the uterus and expression levels of NF-κBp65 and inflammatory mediators (COX-2, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) in the uterine tissue were compared among the animal groups. Our in vitro results showed that LPS induced BEND cell damage while significantly enhancing the expression of NF-κBp65 and inflammatory mediators (COX-2, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Nevertheless, pretreatment with FX reversed the abnormal phenomena caused by LPS. In vivo, LPS treatment resulted in obvious histopathological uterus damages, which were alleviated by FX treatment. Consistent with the in vitro assay, FX treatment also inhibited the expression of NF-κBp65 and inflammatory mediators in the animal experiments. Our study implies that FX is a potential therapeutic agent for endometritis. The beneficial function of FX on endometritis was achieved by inhibiting the inflammatory factors through the NF-κB pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101010"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143679852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production of monoclonal antibodies targeting plasma membrane of porcine Y-chromosome-bearing sperm","authors":"Onpreeya Chot ,&nbsp;Marninphan Thongkham ,&nbsp;Apinya Satsook ,&nbsp;Chaiwat Arjin ,&nbsp;Supamit Mekchay ,&nbsp;Surat Hongsibsong ,&nbsp;Korawan Sringarm","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pig industry is interested in increasing the number of female piglets by using sexed semen. Immunological sperm sexing is a promising method. This study investigated and produced a monoclonal antibody (MAbs) targeted to plasma membrane epitopes on porcine Y-chromosome-bearing sperm. Two BALB/c mice were immunized with 92.08 % high-purity porcine Y-sperm, which was separated by a cell sorter flow cytometer. The hybridoma cells were a fusion of myeloma cells (P3X63Ag8.653) and splenocyte cells from immunized mice. Indirect ELISA screening for positive antibodies produced by a single clone well (C2B2) with a high titer specific to porcine Y-sperm. The C2B2 clone was used to produce and purify C2B2-MAbs, yielding 2.78 ± 0.78 µg/mL. The C2B2-MAbs was highly specific to Y-sperm (100.00 %) and had a low cross-reactivity with X-sperm (3.25 %). Therefore, the percentage cross-reactivity of C2B2-MAbs was low for conventional sperm from various livestock, including 0.34 % for Angus, 0.38 % for Holstein-Friesian, 0.20 % for goats, and 0.25 % for buffalo. The bright fluorescence of FITC displayed by the C2B2-MAbs bound to the plasma membrane of porcine Y-sperm provided evidence of affinity between them. However, the C2B2-MAbs bound to an X-sperm lacked fluorescence. C2B2-MAbs showed specificity for the plasma membrane of porcine Y-sperm, which can be used in porcine semen sexing in further studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101009"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural and molecular dysfunctions in granulosa cells: A key contributor to porcine follicular atresia","authors":"Yajun Guo,&nbsp;Chen Ma,&nbsp;Shiwei Wang,&nbsp;Xuan Wu,&nbsp;Fanghao Yang,&nbsp;Shenming Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2025.101008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The physiological function and metabolism of granulosa cells (GCs) are highly regulated processes that coordinate cells specification and morphogenesis to produce related cytokines and secretions that are closely associated with follicular development. However, there is no comprehensive understanding of the molecular functions of GCs in follicular atresia. Here, we investigated follicular morphological features, fibrosis, vascular changes, and immune cell distribution. Additionally, we analyzed the correlation between solute carrier transport proteins (SLCs) and amino acids, and characterized the levels of key enzymes in glucose metabolism. Morphological results showed that atretic follicles had increased gradual fibrosis in the stroma, decreased density of the inner microvasculature, lysis of the basement membrane, and collapse of GCs in the follicular antrum. Further results showed that CD68 macrophages and CD163 macrophages were initially distributed in the stroma of the healthy follicles. When the follicle was atretic, the spatiotemporal distribution of CD68 macrophages gradually migrated from the theca cells to the periphery of the collapsed GCs layer in the follicular antrum. Moreover, SLC39A14 and SLC16A1 were most significantly expressed in the GCs of healthy follicles (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01), and this correlation was positively associated with amino acids content. The results also showed that the key enzymes of glucose-related pathways (glycolysis (ALDOC, ENO1, HK1), pyruvate metabolism (LDHA, PDHA1), and tricarboxylic acid cycle (IDH1, OGDA, SDHB, CS) were significantly downregulated in GCs of atretic follicles by proteomic analysis (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These results revealed morphological changes and associated molecular events during follicular atresia, which may offer a new perspective on the underlying mechanisms of follicular atresia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 2","pages":"Article 101008"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143535063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}