Expression profiles of meiotic genes in male vs. female gonads and gametes: Insights into fertility issues

Frontiers in Genetics

Genetics

Lucas Rosa Fraga¹  Marília Körbes Rockenbach²  Thayne Woycinck Kowalski³  Maria Teresa Vieira Sanseverino⁴ 

[1] Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;Bioinformatics Core, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;Centro Universitário CESUCA, Cachoeirinha, Brazil;Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil;

关键词: oogenesis;    spermatogenesis;    germinal vesicle;    mature oocyte;    infertility;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fgene.2023.1125097

 received in 2022-12-15, accepted in 2023-03-02,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Gametes are specialized cells that, at fertilization, give rise to a totipotent zygote capable of generating an entire organism. Female and male germ cells undergo meiosis to produce mature gametes; however, sex-specific events of oogenesis and spermatogenesis contribute to specific roles of gametes in reproductive issues. We investigate the differential gene expression (DGE) of meiosis-related genes in human female and male gonads and gametes in normal and pathological conditions. The transcriptome data for the DGE analysis was obtained through the Gene Expression Omnibus repository, comprising human ovary and testicle samples of the prenatal period and adulthood, additionally to male (non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and teratozoospermia), and female (polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and advanced maternal age) reproductive conditions. Gene ontology terms related to meiosis were associated with 678 genes, of which 17 genes in common were differentially expressed between the testicle and ovary during the prenatal period and adulthood. Except for SERPINA5 and SOX9, the 17 meiosis-related genes were downregulated in the testicle during the prenatal period and upregulated in adulthood compared to the ovary. No differences were observed in the oocytes of PCOS patients; however, meiosis-related genes were differentially expressed according to the patient’s age and maturity of the oocyte. In NOA and teratozoospermia, 145 meiosis-related genes were differentially expressed in comparison to the control, including OOEP; despite no recognized role in male reproduction, OOEP was co-expressed with genes related to male fertility. Taking together, these results shed light on potential genes that might be relevant to comprehend human fertility disorders.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Rockenbach, Fraga, Kowalski and Sanseverino.