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PloS One 2024This study evaluates the impact of dietary supplementation of the blue-green alga Arthrospira platensis NIOF17/003 nanoparticles (AN) on the growth performance,...
Arthrospira platensis nanoparticles dietary supplementation improves growth performance, steroid hormone balance, and reproductive productivity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) broodstock.
This study evaluates the impact of dietary supplementation of the blue-green alga Arthrospira platensis NIOF17/003 nanoparticles (AN) on the growth performance, whole-body biochemical compositions, blood biochemistry, steroid hormonal, and fry production efficiency of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) broodstock, during the spawning season. After a 21-day preparation period to equip the females and ensure that their ovaries were filled with eggs, mating between the mature females and males took place in a 3:1 ratio during a 14-day spawning cycle. A total of 384 tilapia broodstock 288 females and 96 males with an initial body weight of 450.53±0.75, were divided into four groups; AN0: a basal diet as a control group with no supplementation of Arthrospira platensis, and the other three groups (AN2, AN4, and AN6) were diets supplemented with nanoparticles of A. platensis at levels of 2, 4, and 6 g kg─1 diet, respectively. The results found that fish-fed group AN6 showed the highest significant differences in weight gain (WG), final weight (FW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and feed efficiency ratio (FER). Females fed the AN6 diet showed the highest significant fat content. Compared to the AN0 group, fish fed on the supplemented diets showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in triglyceride, glucose, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). A gradual increase in AN inclusion level resulted in a gradual increase in the concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, progesterone, and prolactin. The rates (%) of increase in fry production for females fed supplemented diets were 10.5, 18.6, and 32.2% for AN2, AN4, and AN6, respectively, compared to the control group. This work concluded that the inclusion levels of 6 g kg─1 of A. platensis nanoparticles in the diet of Nile tilapia broodstock significantly improved the growth performances, steroid hormone concentrations, and increased the fry production efficiency by 32.2%, respectively. These findings revealed that A. platensis nanoparticles resulted in a significantly enhanced female' reproductive productivity of Nile tilapia broodstock.
Topics: Animals; Dietary Supplements; Nanoparticles; Female; Reproduction; Spirulina; Cichlids; Male; Animal Feed; Gonadal Steroid Hormones
PubMed: 38917116
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299480 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024Spexin (SPX, NPQ) is a 14-amino acid neuroactive peptide identified using bioinformatics. This amino acid sequence of the mature spexin peptide has been highly conserved... (Review)
Review
Spexin (SPX, NPQ) is a 14-amino acid neuroactive peptide identified using bioinformatics. This amino acid sequence of the mature spexin peptide has been highly conserved during species evolution and is widely distributed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues and organs. Therefore, spexin may play a role in various biological functions. Spexin, the cognate ligand for GALR2/3, acting as a neuromodulator or endocrine signaling factor, can inhibit reproductive performance. However, controversies and gaps in knowledge persist regarding spexin-mediated regulation of animal reproductive functions. This review focuses on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of spexin on reproduction. Through this review, we aim to enhance understanding and obtain in-depth insights into the regulation of reproduction by spexin peptides, thereby providing a scientific basis for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying the influence of spexin on reproductive function. Such investigations hold potential benefits for optimizing farming practices in livestock, poultry, and fish industries.
Topics: Animals; Reproduction; Peptide Hormones; Vertebrates; Humans; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System
PubMed: 38915898
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1422711 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024In humans, aging triggers cellular and tissue deterioration, and the female reproductive system is the first to show signs of decline. Reproductive aging is associated...
In humans, aging triggers cellular and tissue deterioration, and the female reproductive system is the first to show signs of decline. Reproductive aging is associated with decreased ovarian reserve, decreased quality of the remaining oocytes, and decreased production of the ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone. With aging, both mouse and human ovaries become pro-fibrotic and stiff. However, whether stiffness directly impairs ovarian function, folliculogenesis, and oocyte quality is unknown. To answer this question, we cultured mouse follicles in alginate gels that mimicked the stiffness of reproductively young and old ovaries. Follicles cultured in stiff hydrogels exhibited decreased survival and growth, decreased granulosa cell viability and estradiol synthesis, and decreased oocyte quality. We also observed a reduction in the number of granulosa cell-oocyte transzonal projections. RNA sequencing revealed early changes in the follicle transcriptome in response to stiffness. Follicles cultured in a stiff environment had lower expression of genes related to follicle development and greater expression of genes related to inflammation and extracellular matrix remodeling than follicles cultured in a soft environment. Altogether, our findings suggest that ovarian stiffness directly modulates folliculogenesis and contributes to the progressive decline in oocyte quantity and quality observed in women of advanced maternal age.
PubMed: 38915651
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.09.598134 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024The aging of mammalian ovary is accompanied by an increase in tissue fibrosis and heightened inflammation. Myeloid cells, including macrophages, monocytes, dendritic...
The aging of mammalian ovary is accompanied by an increase in tissue fibrosis and heightened inflammation. Myeloid cells, including macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, play pivotal roles in shaping the ovarian tissue microenvironment and regulating inflammatory responses. However, a comprehensive understanding of the roles of these cells in the ovarian aging process is lacking. To bridge this knowledge gap, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and flow cytometry analysis to functionally characterize CD45 CD11b myeloid cell populations in young (3 months old) and aged (14-17 months old) murine ovaries. Our dataset unveiled the presence of five ovarian macrophage subsets, including a subset unique to the aged murine ovary. Most notably, our data revealed significant alterations in ANNEXIN and TGFβ signaling within aged ovarian myeloid cells, which suggest a novel mechanism contributing to the onset and progression of aging-associated inflammation and fibrosis in the ovarian tissue.
PubMed: 38915572
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.13.598667 -
ISME Communications Jan 2024is a maternally inherited intracellular bacterium that infects a wide range of arthropods including mosquitoes. The endosymbiont is widely used in biocontrol strategies...
is a maternally inherited intracellular bacterium that infects a wide range of arthropods including mosquitoes. The endosymbiont is widely used in biocontrol strategies due to its capacity to modulate arthropod reproduction and limit pathogen transmission. infections in spp. are generally assumed to be monoclonal but the potential presence of genetically distinct subpopulations within and between individual organs has not been investigated using whole genome sequencing. Here we reconstructed genomes from ovary and midgut metagenomes of single naturally infected mosquitoes from Southern France to investigate patterns of intra- and inter-individual differences across mosquito organs. Our analyses revealed a remarkable degree of intra-individual conservancy among genomes from distinct organs of the same mosquito both at the level of gene presence-absence signal and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Yet, we identified several synonymous and non-synonymous substitutions between individuals, demonstrating the presence of some level of genomic heterogeneity among that infect the same field population. Overall, the absence of genetic heterogeneity within populations in a single individual confirms the presence of a dominant that is maintained under strong purifying forces of evolution.
PubMed: 38915450
DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae078 -
Journal of Medical Case Reports Jun 2024Mature cystic teratomas (MCT) of the ovary are benign ovarian germ cell neoplasms. Malignant transformation is possible but rare and ovarian carcinoid tumors in MCT are...
BACKGROUND
Mature cystic teratomas (MCT) of the ovary are benign ovarian germ cell neoplasms. Malignant transformation is possible but rare and ovarian carcinoid tumors in MCT are among the most extremely rare subtypes.
CASE PRESENTATION
We report a case of a 60-year-old Iranian woman suffering from postmenopausal bleeding and hypogastric pain for the last 40 days. An adnexal mass was detected during the physical examination. Ultrasound imaging showed a (55 × 58) mm mass in the left ovary. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingooophorectomy and comprehensive staging surgery were performed for the patient. Intraoperative frozen section of the left ovarian mass was indicative of a malignant tumor. She was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor with benign mucinous cystadenoma arising on MCT of the ovary, confirmed in the histopathology and immunohistochemistry examination. The tumor was classified as low grade and no chemotherapy cycles were considered. The patient was followed up long-term and no recurrence was observed during 14 months of examinations.
CONCLUSION
Ovarian carcinoids arising from MCT are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms, and proper diagnosis of these tumors requires careful histopathology evaluation and appropriate examination. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these tumors as a possible differential diagnosis and evaluate them in individuals (especially postmenopausal women) who have abdominal pain or abnormal bleeding and a palpable mass.
Topics: Humans; Female; Ovarian Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Carcinoid Tumor; Teratoma; Cystadenoma, Mucinous; Salpingo-oophorectomy; Hysterectomy; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 38915051
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-024-04603-2 -
Gynecological Endocrinology : the... Dec 2024To investigate the association between female sexual function and metabolic features among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during reproductive age.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between female sexual function and metabolic features among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during reproductive age.
METHOD
This was a cross-sectional study in which 288 women with PCOS and 180 women without PCOS between the ages of 20 and 40 years were evaluated. All women had serum total testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA-S, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels analyzed. The McCoy Female Sexual Questionnaire (MFSQ) was applied to all studied women. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were done after data collection. The factor loadings of MFSQ domains were compared between women with PCOS and controls.
RESULTS
Average factor loadings of the MFSQ sexuality domain and MFSQ sexual partner domain were significantly lower in the PCOS group when compared to controls. There was no correlation between the two sexual function domains of the MFSQ and the PCOS features either in the PCOS group or the controls.
CONCLUSION
PCOS is a heterogeneous disease with different metabolic components, such as insulin resistance, obesity, and hyperandrogenism. Although sexual function among women with PCOS was lower than controls, no differences were found in metabolic features of the PCOS and non-PCOS groups with relation to sexual function determined by the MFSQ.
Topics: Humans; Female; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Turkey; Young Adult; Insulin Resistance; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological; Testosterone; Surveys and Questionnaires; Case-Control Studies; Hyperandrogenism; Sexual Behavior; Androstenedione; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; Obesity
PubMed: 38913084
DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2024.2362249 -
Animal Reproduction 2024In reproductive technologies, uncovering the molecular aspects of oocyte and embryo competence under different conditions is crucial for refining protocols and enhancing...
In reproductive technologies, uncovering the molecular aspects of oocyte and embryo competence under different conditions is crucial for refining protocols and enhancing efficiency. RNA-seq generates high-throughput data and provides transcriptomes that can undergo additional computational analyses. This study presented the transcriptomic profiles of matured oocytes and blastocysts produced from buffalo crossbred (), coupled with gene co-expression and module preservation analysis. Cumulus Oophorus Complexes, obtained from slaughterhouse-derived ovaries, were subjected to maturation to yield metaphase II oocytes (616) or followed fertilization and culture to yield blastocysts for sequencing (526). Oocyte maturation (72%, ±3.34 sd) and embryo development (21.3%, ±4.18 sd) rates were obtained from three embryo production routines following standard protocols. Sequencing of 410 metaphase II oocytes and 70 hatched blastocysts (grade 1 and 2) identified a total of 13,976 genes, with 62% being ubiquitously expressed (8,649). Among them, the differentially expressed genes (4,153) and the strongly variable genes with the higher expression (fold-change above 11) were highlighted in oocytes (, , , , and ) and blastocysts (, , , , , and ) as representative indicators of molecular quality. Additionally, genes exclusively found in oocytes (224) and blastocysts (2,200) with specific biological functions were identified. Gene co-expression network and module preservation analysis revealed strong preservation of functional modules related to exosome components, steroid metabolism, cell proliferation, and morphogenesis. However, cell cycle and amino acid transport modules exhibited weak preservation, which may reflect differences in embryo development kinetics and the activation of cell signaling pathways between buffalo and bovine. This comprehensive transcriptomic profile serves as a valuable resource for assessing the molecular quality of buffalo oocytes and embryos in future embryo production assays.
PubMed: 38912163
DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2023-0131 -
Frontiers in Physiology 2024The neuropeptides kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A are imperative for the pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone to...
The neuropeptides kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A are imperative for the pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone to ultimately regulate reproductive cyclicity. A population of neurons co-expressing these neuropeptides, KNDy neurons, within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) are positioned to integrate energy status from afferent neuronal and glial cells. We hypothesized that KNDy-expressing neurons in the ARC of mature ewes are influenced by energy balance. To test this hypothesis, ovary-intact, mature ewes were fed to lose, maintain, or gain body weight and hypothalamic tissue harvested during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. Fluorescent, multiplex immunohistochemistry with direct antibody conjugation was employed to identify and quantify neurons expressing a single neuropeptide, as well as for the first time report co-expression of kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A protein in the ARC. Previous reports using this population of ewes demonstrated that concentrations of insulin and leptin differed between ewes fed to achieve different body weights and that ewes fed to gain body weight had increased concentrations of progesterone. Moreover, within this population of ewes tanycyte density and cellular penetration into the ARC was increased in ewes fed to gain body weight. Within the current report we have revealed that the number of neurons in the ARC expressing kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A protein was increased in ewes fed to gain body weight. Moreover, the number of KNDy neurons in the ARC expressing all three neuropeptides within a single neuron was decreased in ewes fed to lose body weight and increased in ewes fed to gain body weight when compared to ewes fed to maintain body weight. The cumulative findings of this experimental model suggest that expression of kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A protein in the ARC during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle are influenced by energy balance-induced alterations in circulating concentrations of progesterone that drive changes in morphology and density of tanycytes to ultimately regulate central perception of global energy status. Moreover, these results demonstrate that changes in KNDy neurons within the ARC occur as an adaptation to energy balance, potentially regulated divergently by metabolic milieu via proopiomelanocortin afferents.
PubMed: 38911326
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1372944 -
Iranian Journal of Basic Medical... 2024Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder associated with chronic inflammation. However, the effect of ∆ tetrahydrocannabinol-9...
Revitalizing polycystic ovary syndrome: The therapeutic impact of low-dose ∆ tetrahydrocannabinol-9 through reduction of oxidative stress and modulation of macrophage polarization.
OBJECTIVES
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder associated with chronic inflammation. However, the effect of ∆ tetrahydrocannabinol-9 (THC) on PCOS has not been evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of THC in an animal model of PCOS.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 4 weeks, were divided into four groups. The control group received a normal diet, the sham group received a vehicle (carboxymethyl cellulose), the PCOS group received a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks followed by letrozole for 4 weeks, and the THC group received an HFD for 16 weeks followed by letrozole+THC (0.02 mg/kg) for 4 weeks.
RESULTS
The PCOS animals exhibited significantly higher levels of testosterone, insulin, triglycerides, and total cholesterol, along with elevated inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared to the control group. Flow cytometry and real-time PCR analysis revealed an increase in M1 macrophage markers and a decrease in M2 macrophage markers compared to the control group. However, the administration of a low dose of THC mitigated these disturbances.
CONCLUSION
Low-dose THC improved inflammatory responses and shifted the balance of M1/M2 macrophage markers towards M2 macrophages in the animal model of PCOS.
PubMed: 38911246
DOI: 10.22038/IJBMS.2024.73892.16061