High NaCl Concentrations in Water Are Associated with Developmental Abnormalities and Altered Gene Expression in Zebrafish.

Salt is frequently introduced in ecosystems, where it acts as a pollutant. This study examined how changes in salinity affect the survival and development of zebrafish from the two-cell to the blastocyst stage and from the blastocyst to the larval stage. Control zebrafish embryos were cultured in E3 medium containing 5 mM Sodium Chloride (NaCl), 0.17 mM Potassium Chloride (KCL), 0.33 mM Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), and 0.33 mM Magnesium Sulfade (MgSO4). Experiments were conducted using increasing concentrations of each individual salt at 5×, 10×, 50×, and 100× the concentration found in E3 medium. KCL, CaCl2, and MgSO4 did not result in lethal abnormalities and did not affect early embryo growth at any of the concentrations tested. Concentrations of 50× and 100× NaCl caused embryonic death in both stages of development. Concentrations of 5× and 10× NaCl resulted in uninflated swim bladders in 12% and 65% of larvae, compared to 4.2% of controls, and caused 1654 and 2628 genes to be differentially expressed in blastocysts, respectively. The ATM signaling pathway was affected, and the Sonic Hedgehog pathway genes Shh and Ptc1 implicated in swim bladder development were downregulated. Our findings suggest that increased NaCl concentrations may alter gene expression and cause developmental abnormalities in animals found in affected ecosystems.

Embryology with precision: effective quality control in the in vitro fertilization laboratory.

The purpose of this review is to address the critical need for standardization and clarity in the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) within the realm of in vitro fertilization (IVF), particularly emphasizing the integration of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) processes. This review is timely and relevant given the persistently modest success rates of IVF treatments, which stand at approximately 30%, and the growing complexity of IVF procedures, including PGT practices. The review synthesizes recent findings across studies focusing on technical and clinical KPIs in embryology and genetic laboratories, identifying gaps in current research and practice, particularly the lack of standardized KPIs and terminology. Recent findings highlighted include the critical evaluation of technical KPIs such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) fertilization rates, embryo development rates, and laboratory performance metrics, alongside clinical KPIs like the proportion of mature oocytes and clinical pregnancy rates. Notably, the review uncovers a significant gap in integrating and standardizing KPIs for PGT applications, which is essential for improving IVF outcomes and genetic diagnostic accuracy. The implications of these findings are profound for both clinical practice and research. For clinical practice, establishing a standardized set of KPIs, especially for PGT, could significantly enhance the success rates of IVF treatments by providing clearer benchmarks for quality and performance. For research, this review underscores the necessity for further studies to close the identified gaps, promoting a more integrated and standardized approach to KPIs in IVF and PGT processes. This comprehensive approach will not only aid in improving clinical outcomes but also in advancing the field of reproductive medicine.

Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response Gene Clpp Is Required for Oocyte Function and Female Fertility.

Mitochondrial unfolded protein stress response (mtUPR) plays a critical role in regulating cellular and metabolic stress response and helps maintain protein homeostasis. Caseinolytic peptidase P (CLPP) is one of the key regulators of mtUPR and promotes unfolded protein degradation. Previous studies demonstrated that global deletion of Clpp resulted in female infertility, whereas no impairment was found in the mouse model with targeted deletion of Clpp in cumulus/granulosa cells. These results suggest the need to delineate the function of Clpp in oocytes. In this study, we aimed to further explore the role of mtUPR in female reproductive competence and senescence using a mouse model. Oocyte-specific targeted deletion of Clpp in mice resulted in female subfertility associated with metabolic and functional abnormalities in oocytes, thus highlighting the importance of CLPP-mediated protein homeostasis in oocyte competence and reproductive function.

Disruption of mitochondrial unfolded protein response results in telomere shortening in mouse oocytes and somatic cells.

Caseinolytic peptidase P (CLPP) plays a central role in mitochondrial unfolded protein response (mtUPR) by promoting the breakdown of misfolded proteins and setting in motion a cascade of reactions to re-establish protein homeostasis. Global germline deletion of Clpp in mice results in female infertility and accelerated follicular depletion. Telomeres are tandem repeats of 5'-TTAGGG-3' sequences found at the ends of the chromosomes. Telomeres are essential for maintaining chromosome stability during somatic cell division and their shortening is associated with cellular senescence and aging. In this study, we asked whether the infertility and ovarian aging phenotype caused by global germline deletion of Clpp is associated with somatic aging, and tested telomere length in tissues of young and aging mice. We found that impaired mtUPR caused by the lack of CLPP is associated with accelerated telomere shortening in both oocytes and somatic cells of aging mice. In addition, expression of several genes that maintain telomere integrity was decreased, and double-strand DNA breaks were increased in telomeric regions. Our results highlight how impaired mtUPR can affect telomere integrity and demonstrate a link between loss of mitochondrial protein hemostasis, infertility, and somatic aging.

Targeted Deletion of Mitofusin 1 and Mitofusin 2 Causes Female Infertility and Loss of Follicular Reserve.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that regulate their size, shape, and morphology through mechanisms called fusion and fission, to continually adapt themselves to their bioenergetic environment. These mechanisms play a critical role to maintain the mitochondrial function under metabolic and environmental stress. Mitofusin 1 (MFN1) and mitofusin 2 (MFN2) are transmembrane GTPases that regulate mitochondrial fusion mechanism and are required for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of mitofusins in female reproductive competence and senescence using a mouse model with oocyte-specific double deletion of Mfn1 and Mfn2, eliminating the potential functional redundancy of these two proteins. Oocyte-specific targeted double deletion of Mfn1 and Mfn2 in mice resulted in female infertility associated with impaired follicular development and oocyte maturation. It also resulted in altered mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial dysfunction. Lack of Mfn1 and Mfn2 in oocytes resulted in accelerated follicular depletion and impaired oocyte quality which are consistent with phenotype of reproductive aging.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Mitophagy and Their Correlation with Perinatal Complications: Preeclampsia and Low Birth Weight.

Mitochondria are essential organelles and crucial for cellular survival. Mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy are dynamic features that are essential for both maintaining the health of the mitochondrial network and cellular demands. The accumulation of damaged mitochondria has been shown to be related to a wide range of pathologies ranging from neurological to musculoskeletal. Mitophagy is the selective autophagy of mitochondria, eliminating dysfunctional mitochondria in cells by engulfment within double-membraned vesicles. Preeclampsia and low birth weight constitute prenatal complications during pregnancy and are leading causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Both placental implantation and fetal growth require a large amount of energy, and a defect in the mitochondrial quality control mechanism may be responsible for the pathophysiology of these diseases. In this review, we compiled current studies investigating the role of BNIP3, DRAM1, and FUNDC1, mediators of receptor-mediated mitophagy, in the progression of preeclampsia and the role of mitophagy pathways in the pathophysiology of low birth weight. Recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of reactive oxygen species are related to preeclampsia and low birth weight. However, due to the lack of studies in this field, the results are controversial. Therefore, mitophagy-related pathways associated with these pathologies still need to be elucidated. Mitophagy-related pathways are among the promising study targets that can reveal the pathophysiology behind preeclampsia and low birth weight.

Microrna analysis of human decidua mesenchymal stromal cells from preeclampsia patients.

INTRODUCTION: In preeclampsia (PE), human decidua mesenchymal stromal cells (hDMSCs) are exposed to abnormally high levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors circulating in the maternal blood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to have a significant impact on the differentiation, maturation and function of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Our aim in the present study is firstly to investigate differentially expressed miRNA levels to be used as a biomarker in the early detection of PE and secondly to investigate whether those differentially expressed miRNAs in hDMSCs have an effect on the pathogenesis of PE. METHODS: This study covers miRNA expression analysis of hDMSCs from 7 PE patient and 7 healthy pregnant women and is a preliminary study to investigate putative biomarkers. After cell culture and cell sorting, total RNA including miRNAs were isolated from hDMSCs. Let-7b-3p, let-7f-1-3p, miR-191-3p, miR-550a-5p, miR-33b-3p and miR-425-3p were used for miRNA analysis and U6 snRNA was used for normalization of the samples. MiRNA analysis was performed by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) method and obtained results were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the levels of hsa-miR-33b-3p significantly (AUC: 0.93, p = 0.04, fold change: 4.5) increased in hDMSC of PE patients compared to healthy controls. However, let-7b-3p, let-7f-1-3p, miR-191-3p, miR-550a-5p, and miR-425-3p were not considered as significant because they did not meet the p < 0,05 requirement. DISCUSSION: Within the scope of the study, it is predicted that miR-33b-3p (p = 0.004, AUC = 0.93) can be used as a biomarker in detecting PE.

The effects of oral mucosa-derived heterotopic fibroblasts on cutaneous wound healing.

An intriguing observation that has recently found support through clinical and experimental studies is that wounds of the oral mucosa tend to display faster healing and result in less scarring than in the skin. We aimed to investigate the potential of heterotopic oral mucosal fibroblasts in cutaneous wounds while determining the main differences between wounds conditioned with either the oral mucosa or dermis-derived human fibroblasts. A total of 48 nude mice were divided into four groups: control, sham, dermal fibroblast (DF), and oral fibroblast (OF). Fibroblasts were isolated, cultured, and seeded onto fibrin scaffolds for transfer to full-thickness dorsal wounds. Cell viability, wound area, healing rate, vascularization, cellular proliferation, dermal thickness, collagen architecture, and subtypes were evaluated. Both cell groups had a viability of 95% in fibrin gel prior to transfer. None of the wounds fully epithelialized on day 10, while all were epithelialized by day 21, which resulted in scars of different sizes and quality. Healing rate and scars were similar between the control and sham groups, whereas fastest healing and least scarring were noted in the OF group. Dermal thickness was highest in the DF group, which was also supported by highest levels of collagen types I and III. Proliferative cells and vascular density were highest in the OF group. DF result in healing through a thick dermal component, while oral fibroblasts result in faster healing and less scarring through potentially privileged angiogenic and regenerative gene expression.