The chemical reprogramming of unipotent adult germ cells towards authentic pluripotency and de novo establishment of imprinting

Although somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with pure chemicals, authentic pluripotency of chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSCs) has never been achieved through tetraploid complementation assay. Spontaneous reprogramming of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) was another non-transgenic way to obtain PSCs, but this process lacks mechanistic explanation. Here, we reconstructed the trajectory of mouse SSC reprogramming and developed a five-chemical combination, boosting the reprogramming efficiency by nearly 80- to 100-folds. More importantly, chemical induced germline-derived PSCs (5C-gPSCs), but not gPSCs and chemical induced pluripotent stem cells, had authentic pluripotency, as determined by tetraploid complementation. Mechanistically, SSCs traversed through an inverted pathway of in vivo germ cell development, exhibiting the expression signatures and DNA methylation dynamics from spermatogonia to primordial germ cells and further to epiblasts. Besides, SSC-specific imprinting control regions switched from biallelic methylated states to monoallelic methylated states by imprinting demethylation and then re-methylation on one of the two alleles in 5C-gPSCs, which was apparently distinct with the imprinting reprogramming in vivo as DNA methylation simultaneously occurred on both alleles. Our work sheds light on the unique regulatory network underpinning SSC reprogramming, providing insights to understand generic mechanisms for cell-fate decision and epigenetic-related disorders in regenerative medicine.

Zebrafish ambra1b knockout reveals a novel role for Ambra1 in primordial germ cells survival, sex differentiation and reproduction

BACKGROUND: AMBRA1 is an intrinsically disordered protein, working as a scaffold molecule to coordinate, by protein-protein interaction, many cellular processes, including autophagy, mitophagy, apoptosis and cell cycle progression. The zebrafish genome contains two ambra1 paralogous genes (a and b), both involved in development and expressed at high levels in the gonads. Characterization of the zebrafish paralogous genes mutant lines generated by CRISPR/Cas9 approach showed that ambra1b knockout leads to an all-male population. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the silencing of the ambra1b gene determines a reduction of primordial germ cells (PGCs), a condition that, in the zebrafish, leads to the development of all-male progeny. PGC reduction was confirmed by knockdown experiments and rescued by injection of ambra1b and human AMBRA1 mRNAs, but not ambra1a mRNA. Moreover, PGC loss was not rescued by injection with human AMBRA1 mRNA mutated in the CUL4-DDB1 binding region, thus suggesting that interaction with this complex is involved in PGC protection from loss. Results from zebrafish embryos injected with murine Stat3 mRNA and stat3 morpholino suggest that Ambra1b could indirectly regulate this protein through CUL4-DDB1 interaction. According to this, Ambra1+/- mice showed a reduced Stat3 expression in the ovary together with a low number of antral follicles and an increase of atretic follicles, indicating a function of Ambra1 in the ovary of mammals as well. Moreover, in agreement with the high expression of these genes in the testis and ovary, we found significant impairment of the reproductive process and pathological alterations, including tumors, mainly limited to the gonads. CONCLUSIONS: By exploiting ambra1a and ambra1b knockout zebrafish lines, we prove the sub-functionalization between the two paralogous zebrafish genes and uncover a novel function of Ambra1 in the protection from excessive PGC loss, which seems to require binding with the CUL4-DDB1 complex. Both genes seem to play a role in the regulation of reproductive physiology.

Caracterización y marcación de células germinales primordiales / Characterization and marking of primordial germ cells

Las células germinales primordiales (CGP) son los precursores de los ovocitos y espermatocitos. Se caracterizan por ser las únicas capaces de retener verdaderamente la capacidad de desarrollo pluripotencial luego de la gastrulación. Estas células provienen del epiblasto, diferenciándose del resto de las células somáticas gracias a señales emitidas por el ectodermo extraembrionario y endodermo visceral tempranamente a partir de los días 6,0 a 7,5 dpc. en la especie murina. Luego migran a través de intestino primitivo y mesenterio dorsal hasta llegar a las crestas genitales alrededor de los 10,5 dpc. Las células germinales primordiales tienen una variada morfología y expresión génica, por lo tanto presentan distintos marcadores según el estadío en el que se encuentren. Dentro de los marcadores más estudiados y caracterizados se encuentran fragillis, c-Kit, Stella, DAZ, Vasa, GCNA1, Blimp1 y SSEA-1.

Primordial germ cells (PGC) are the precursors of oocytes and spermatocytes. They are characterized by being the only ones capable of accurately retaining pluripotent developmental ability after gastrulation. These cells come from the epiblast, they differ from somatic cells by signals from the extra-embryonic ectoderm and visceral endoderm, starting from day 6.0 to 7.5 dpc in murine species. Then migrate through the primitive gut and dorsal mesentery to reach genital ridges around 10.5 dpc. The primordial germ cells have a varied morphology and gene expression therefore have different markers according to the stage where they are. Among the most studied and characterized markers are Fragilis, c-Kit, Stella, DAZ, Vasa, GCNA1, Blimp1 and SSEA-1.

Y chromosome microdeletions in Brazilian fertility clinic patients

Microdeletions in Yq are associated with defects in spermatogenesis, while those in the AZF region are considered critical for germ cell development. We examined microdeletions in the Y chromosomes of patients attended at the Laboratory of Human Reproduction of the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Goiás as part of a screening of patients who plan to undergo assisted reproduction. Analysis was made of the AZF region of the Y chromosome in men who had altered spermograms to detect possible microdeletions in Yq. Twenty-three patients with azoospermia and 40 with severe oligozoospermia were analyzed by PCR for the detection of six sequence-tagged sites: sY84 and sY86 for AZFa, sY127 and sY134 for AZFb, and sY254 and sY255 for AZFc. Microdeletions were detected in 28 patients, including 10 azoospermics and 18 severe oligozoospermics. The patients with azoospermia had 43.4% of their microdeletions in the AZFa region, 8.6% in the AZFb region and 17.4% in the AZFc region. In the severe oligozoospermics, 40% were in the AZFa region, 5% in the AZFb region and 5% in the AZFc region. We conclude that microdeletions can be the cause of idiopathic male infertility, supporting conclusions from previous studies.

mRNA translation during oocyte maturation plays a key role in development of primordial germ cells in Xenopus embryos.

It is believed that cytoplasmic localization in the egg is necessary for development of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in Xenopus embryos. In this study, we sought to determine if translation of maternal mRNA during oocyte maturation is involved in the development of PGCs. Donor oocytes were collected from both stimulated (those who receive gonadotropin) and unstimulated females, artificially matured and fertilized using a host transfer technique. Using chloramphenicol (50 microM and 500 microM RNA), RNA translation was inhibited during oocyte maturation. Our results showed that in unstimulated embryos treated with 50 microM chloramphenicol, there was a significant reduction in the number of PGCs reaching genital ridges. In stimulated embryos, however, the number of PGCs was unchanged unless a higher concentration (500 microM) of chloramphenicol was used. From these results it is suggested that maternal mRNA translation during oocyte maturation plays a key role in development of PGCs.