Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jing Ling Ruan, Shan Shan Liang, Jia Ping Pan, Zhi Qin Chen, Xiao Ming Teng
Summary: This retrospective study found that artificial oocyte activation (AOA) with calcium ionophore ionomycin can significantly improve the reproductive outcomes of patients with previous fertilization failure and poor embryo development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). AOA can increase fertilization rate, embryo quality, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate, while decreasing miscarriage rate. The study suggests that AOA is an effective and safe treatment option for some infertility patients.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jing Dai, Qi Li, Qinwei Zhou, Shen Zhang, Junru Chen, Yize Wang, Jing Guo, Yifan Gu, Fei Gong, Yueqiu Tan, Guangxiu Lu, Wei Zheng, Ge Lin
Summary: This study used whole-exome sequencing to identify the genetic causes of total fertilization failure (TFF) in male infertility. Homozygous variants in the novel gene IQCN were found in two individuals with abnormal acrosome structures. Knockout mice lacking the Iqcn gene showed similar phenotypes to humans with TFF. The study also revealed the role of IQCN in regulating microtubule nucleation during manchette assembly, and provided a genetic marker and therapeutic option for male TFF.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Developmental Biology
Yuhkoh Satouh
Summary: This article reports on the study of oocyte activation induced by PLCZ1 in mice, as well as the generation of PLCZ1-deficient mouse models using genome-editing techniques. The findings show that PLCZ1 deficiency in mice leads to subfertility but can be fully restored by intracytoplasmic sperm injection, indicating a PLCZ1-independent oocyte activation mechanism. These findings raise new questions in the field of sperm biology and have implications for the treatment and phenotypic interpretation of oocyte activation failure in patients.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Takashi Morimoto, Tomohiro Maekawa, Shimpei Mizuta, Hidehiko Matsubayashi, Takumi Takeuchi, Yutaka Hata, Tomomoto Ishikawa
Summary: During the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure, unintentional membrane rupture (UMR) often leads to oocyte degeneration. The study showed that the ICSI Position Detector (IPD) can be helpful in identifying the best puncture location to prevent UMR and improve the success of the procedure.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE
(2023)
Article
Andrology
Junaid Kashir, Bhavesh Mistry, Maha Adel Gumssani, Muhammad Rajab, Reema Abu-Dawas, Falah AlMohanna, Michail Nomikos, Celine Jones, Raed Abu-Dawud, Nadya Al-Yacoub, Kevin Coward, F. Anthony Lai, Abdullah M. Assiri
Summary: The study shows that with advancing male age, levels and variability of PLC zeta protein and mRNA in sperm decrease. There are also changes in the localization patterns of PLC zeta in sperm from older male mice.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Andrology
Meng Wang, Juepu Zhou, Rui Long, Huizi Jin, Limin Gao, Lixia Zhu, Lei Jin
Summary: This study investigates the genetic causes of male-related fertilization failure. Mutations in the ACTL7A gene were found to be responsible for fertilization failure and male infertility.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jana Rychtarova, Alena Langerova, Helena Fulka, Pasqualino Loi, Michal Benc, Josef Fulka
Summary: The long-term storage of biological material is crucial for various fields, and a simple approach for evaluating sperm DNA damage level has been proposed to address the issue of limited frozen biological material quantities.
Article
Cell Biology
Meng Wang, Lixia Zhu, Chang Liu, Hui He, Cheng Wang, Chenxi Xing, Jinming Liu, Liu Yang, Qingsong Xi, Zhou Li, Lei Jin
Summary: The study demonstrates that a new AOA method combining cycloheximide and ionomycin significantly increases fertilization rates for most TFF patients, potentially offering therapeutic benefits for couples experiencing severe fertilization deficiencies even after conventional AOA treatment.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoon Hee Jung, Hsiao-Lin Wang, Daniel Ruiz, Brianna J. Bixler, Hannah Linsenbaum, Jian-Feng Xiang, Samantha Forestier, Andrew M. Shafik, Peng Jin, Victor G. Corces
Summary: This study demonstrates that exposure of pregnant mice to bisphenol A (BPA) can lead to transgenerational transmission of obesity in F2 progeny up to the F6 generation. Chromatin accessibility analysis reveals alterations near binding motifs for CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) at two cis-regulatory elements of the Fto gene, which correlate with the transmission of obesity. The interaction between these cis-regulatory elements and the Irx3 and Irx5 genes, involved in the differentiation of appetite-controlling neurons, is increased in sperm of obese mice. Deletion of the CTCF site in Fto results in mice that have normal food intake and fail to become obese when ancestrally exposed to BPA.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Tzung-En Tsai, Pei-Hsuan Lin, Pei-Fen Lian, Chia-Jung Li, Salvatore Giovanni Vitale, Mislav Mikus, Wan-Ping Su, Hsiao-Wen Tsai, Kuan-Hao Tsui, Li-Te Lin
Summary: AOA may improve embryo quality in older patients with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing IVF-ICSI cycles, especially in women aged >= 40 years old.
JOURNAL OF OVARIAN RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Junaid Kashir, Durga Ganesh, Celine Jones, Kevin Coward
Summary: Oocyte activation deficiency (OAD) is a major cause of ICSI cycle failure. Assisted oocyte activation (AOA) is a method that artificially increases the levels of intracytoplasmic calcium ions (Ca2+) through mechanical, electrical, and/or chemical stimuli. However, the safety and efficacy of AOA are still controversial. More research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of AOA techniques.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION OPEN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaopei Zhou, Zhenxing Liu, Weimin Jia, Meiqi Hou, Xianqin Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the mechanisms underlying the effects of Actl7a gene knockout on sperm acrosome formation, male infertility, and sperm-zona pellucida binding ability during fertilization. The findings suggest that Actl7a deficiency leads to malformed sperm acrosomes, male infertility, and impaired sperm-ZP binding ability. Furthermore, abnormal localization and expression of the PLCZ1 protein in misshapen sperm are identified, resulting in reduced calcium oscillations in oocytes.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Developmental Biology
Nicoletta Tarozzi, Marco Nadalini, Giovanni Coticchio, Carlotta Zaca, Cristina Lagalla, Andrea Borini
Summary: Sperm is crucial for reconstitution of embryonic diploidy and specialized developmental functions. It triggers activation through PLC-zeta after gamete fusion, impacting fertilization and chromosome segregation. Sperm-specific epigenetic factors also contribute to embryonic development and have implications for assisted reproduction treatments.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Developmental Biology
Nicoletta Tarozzi, Marco Nadalini, Giovanni Coticchio, Carlotta Zaca, Cristina Lagalla, Andrea Borini
Summary: Sperm is essential for embryonic development, playing roles in activation, development, chromosome segregation, and more. Sperm's contribution to development goes beyond just fertilization, with implications for embryo health and assisted reproduction treatments.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jing Dai, Tianlei Zhang, Jing Guo, Qinwei Zhou, Yifan Gu, Jue Zhang, Liang Hu, Yurong Zong, Juan Song, Shuoping Zhang, Can Dai, Fei Gong, Guangxiu Lu, Wei Zheng, Ge Lin
Summary: Genetic variations in the ACTL9 gene in male individuals have been found to cause total fertilization failure (TFF). These variations disrupt the perinuclear theca structure and affect the localization of PLCz in sperm, leading to abnormal calcium oscillations in oocytes and subsequent TFF. Overcoming TFF can be achieved through assisted oocyte activation with calcium ionophore exposure.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Marc Torra-Massana, Montserrat Barragan, Emanuela Bellu, Rafael Oliva, Amelia Rodriguez, Rita Vassena
JOURNAL OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTION AND GENETICS
(2018)
Review
Reproductive Biology
Farners Amargant, Montserrat Barragan, Rita Vassena, Isabelle Vernos
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
(2019)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Paula Vergaro, Gustavo Tiscornia, Montserrat Barragan, Desiree Garcia, Amelia Rodriguez, Josep Santalo, Rita Vassena
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE
(2019)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
A. Ferrer-Vaquer, M. Barragan, A. Rodriguez, R. Vassena
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2019)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Marc Torra-Massana, David Cornet-Bartolome, Montserrat Barragan, Merce Durban, Anna Ferrer-Vaquer, Filippo Zambelli, Amelia Rodriguez, Rafael Oliva, Rita Vassena
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2019)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
D. Cornet-Bartolome, A. Rodriguez, D. Garcia, M. Barragan, R. Vassena
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2020)
Review
Biology
Alexandra Almansa-Ordonez, Raquel Bellido, Rita Vassena, Montserrat Barragan, Filippo Zambelli
Article
Cell Biology
Meghan L. Ruebel, Filippo Zambelli, Peter Z. Schall, Montserrat Barragan, Catherine A. VandeVoort, Rita Vassena, Keith E. Latham
Summary: Research identified shared transcriptome abnormalities in rhesus monkey and human failed-to-mature (FTM) oocytes, including effects on mitochondrial function, oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos), lipid metabolism, and other cellular functions. These results suggest fundamental aspects of cellular function are abnormal in FTM oocytes and raise concerns about using them for assisted reproduction technology (ART).
PHYSIOLOGICAL GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Andrology
Marc Torra-Massana, Meritxell Jodar, Montserrat Barragan, Ada Soler-Ventura, David Delgado-Duenas, Amelia Rodriguez, Rafael Oliva, Rita Vassena
Summary: This study conducted the first proteomic analysis of spermatozoa from patients who experienced fertilization failure after ICSI, revealing significant alterations in protein content in the FF group, mainly related to mitochondrial proteins. Novel stable-protein pair analysis indicated that specific mitochondrial proteins lost correlations in specific FF samples, highlighting mitochondrial deregulations in FF patients.
Article
Cell Biology
Silvia Llonch, Montserrat Barragan, Paula Nieto, Anna Mallol, Marc Elosua-Bayes, Patricia Lorden, Sara Ruiz, Filippo Zambelli, Holger Heyn, Rita Vassena, Bernhard Payer
Summary: Female fertility decreases with maternal age due to a decrease in oocyte quality and developmental competence. This study found that the transcriptome is more affected by age in in vitro matured (IVM-MII) oocytes compared to germinal vesicle stage (GV) oocytes. Specifically, genes related to chromosome segregation and RNA splicing showed increased representation with age in IVM-MII oocytes, while genes associated with mitochondrial activity displayed lower representation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Cornet-Bartolome, Montserrat Barragan, Filippo Zambelli, Anna Ferrer-Vaquer, Gustavo Tiscornia, Susanna Balcells, Amelia Rodriguez, Daniel Grinberg, Rita Vassena
Summary: The transition from a transcriptionally active state to a transcriptionally inactive state in oocytes is crucial for developmental competence. Posttranscriptional mechanisms, such as alternative splicing, play a role in gene expression modulation at the mature MII stage. The study found differences in alternatively spliced isoform profiles in genes related to transcription regulation and mitochondrial translation, contributing to understanding the role of alternative splicing in oocyte development.
MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marc Torra-Massana, Andreu Quintana-Vehi, Montserrat Barragan, Raquel Bellido, Amelia Rodriguez, Rita Vassena
Summary: This study examines the incubation times in sperm processing for IVF/ICSI cycles and their association with reproductive outcomes. The results suggest that different time intervals may have a slight impact on fertilization rates and embryo morphology, but no adverse effects were detected overall.
MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Sara Pietroforte, Montserrat Barragan Monasterio, Anna Ferrer-Vaquer, Manuel Irimia, Elena Ibanez, Mina Popovic, Rita Vassena, Filippo Zambelli
Summary: Human meiosis in oocytes involves complex regulation of the transcriptome, with a focus on pre-mRNA processing and translation rates. Through RNA sequencing analysis of 40 human oocytes at different meiotic maturation stages, we observed significant changes in gene expression, splicing, and 3’UTR processing. Interestingly, we found that successful meiosis transit was associated with RNA processing, and specific changes in protein isoforms were observed for genes involved in chromosome organization and spindle assembly.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Montserrat Barragan, David Cornet-Bartolome, Natalia Molina, Rita Vassena
Summary: Cumulus cells (CC) play a crucial role in protecting and regulating the development of oocytes, and their ability to respond to oxidative stress and hypoxia decreases with age. The expression of genes related to hypoxia response, such as NOS2, HMOX1, and VEGFC, can serve as markers for oocyte maturation and fertilization success.
MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
M. Barragan, J. J. Guillen, N. Martin-Palomino, A. Rodriguez, R. Vassena
Summary: The viral RNA for gene N was undetectable in oocytes from two women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting that there is currently no evidence to support the possibility of virus transmission through oocytes.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)