Pub Date : 2024-06-13DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108636
Hannah Pulcastro, Ayelet Ziv-Gal
Parabens have been used as antimicrobial preservatives since the 1920s. The prevalent use of parabens increases their detection in the environment and in women’s biological samples including reproductive tissues. Recent studies suggest parabens may alter endocrine function and thus female reproductive health may be affected. In this literature review, we summarize findings on parabens and female reproduction while focusing on epidemiological and rodent-based studies. The topics reviewed include paraben effects on cyclicity, pregnancy, newborn and pubertal development, reproductive hormones, and ovarian and uterine specific outcomes. Overall, the scientific literature on paraben effects on female reproduction is limited and with some conflicting results. Yet, some epidemiological and/or rodent-based experimental studies report significant findings in relation to paraben effects on cyclicity, fertility, gestation length, birth weight, postnatal development and pubertal onset, hormone levels, and hormone signaling in reproductive tissues. Future epidemiological and experimental studies are needed to better understand paraben effects on female reproduction while focusing on human related exposures including mixtures, physiologic concentrations of parabens, and multi-generational studies.
{"title":"Parabens effects on female reproductive health – Review of evidence from epidemiological and rodent-based studies","authors":"Hannah Pulcastro, Ayelet Ziv-Gal","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Parabens have been used as antimicrobial preservatives since the 1920s. The prevalent use of parabens increases their detection in the environment and in women’s biological samples including reproductive tissues. Recent studies suggest parabens may alter endocrine function and thus female reproductive health may be affected. In this literature review, we summarize findings on parabens and female reproduction while focusing on epidemiological and rodent-based studies. The topics reviewed include paraben effects on cyclicity, pregnancy, newborn and pubertal development, reproductive hormones, and ovarian and uterine specific outcomes. Overall, the scientific literature on paraben effects on female reproduction is limited and with some conflicting results. Yet, some epidemiological and/or rodent-based experimental studies report significant findings in relation to paraben effects on cyclicity, fertility, gestation length, birth weight, postnatal development and pubertal onset, hormone levels, and hormone signaling in reproductive tissues. Future epidemiological and experimental studies are needed to better understand paraben effects on female reproduction while focusing on human related exposures including mixtures, physiologic concentrations of parabens, and multi-generational studies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141321532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-12DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108637
K. Asimaki , P. Vazakidou , H.T.A. van Tol , M.B.M. van Duursen , B.M. Gadella
Ketoconazole (KTZ) is widely used as a fungicide, but it is also known to target steroid hormone formation which may affect female reproductive health. Our study aims to investigate the effects of KTZ on in vitro matured bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), as a model for female reproductive toxicity. Cumulus cells of in vitro maturing COCs produce progesterone and pregnenolone, but exposure to 10−6 M KTZ effectively blocked the synthesis of these hormones. Exposure to lower concentrations of KTZ (i.e. 10−7 M and 10−8 M) had no such effect on steroidogenesis compared to the 0.1 % v/v DMSO vehicle control. Classical parameters of in vitro COC maturation, such as oocyte nuclear maturation to the metaphase II stage and expansion of the cumulus investment, were not affected by any KTZ concentration tested. Apoptosis and necrosis levels were also not altered in cumulus cells or oocytes exposed to KTZ. Moreover, oocytes exposed to KTZ during maturation showed normal cleavage and early embryo development up to day 8 post fertilization; albeit a statistically significant decrease was observed in day 8 blastocysts produced from oocytes exposed to the lowest concentration of 10−8 M KTZ. When unexposed mature oocytes were fertilized, followed by embryo culture for 8 days under KTZ exposure, no adverse effects in embryo cleavage and blastocyst formation were observed. In conclusion, KTZ has no major impact on in vitro bovine oocyte maturation and blastocyst formation in our study, even at concentrations blocking steroidogenesis.
{"title":"Ketoconazole blocks progesterone production without affecting other parameters of cumulus-oocyte complex maturation","authors":"K. Asimaki , P. Vazakidou , H.T.A. van Tol , M.B.M. van Duursen , B.M. Gadella","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ketoconazole (KTZ) is widely used as a fungicide, but it is also known to target steroid hormone formation which may affect female reproductive health. Our study aims to investigate the effects of KTZ on in vitro matured bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), as a model for female reproductive toxicity. Cumulus cells of in vitro maturing COCs produce progesterone and pregnenolone, but exposure to 10<sup>−6</sup> M KTZ effectively blocked the synthesis of these hormones. Exposure to lower concentrations of KTZ (i.e. 10<sup>−7</sup> M and 10<sup>−8</sup> M) had no such effect on steroidogenesis compared to the 0.1 % v/v DMSO vehicle control. Classical parameters of in vitro COC maturation, such as oocyte nuclear maturation to the metaphase II stage and expansion of the cumulus investment, were not affected by any KTZ concentration tested. Apoptosis and necrosis levels were also not altered in cumulus cells or oocytes exposed to KTZ. Moreover, oocytes exposed to KTZ during maturation showed normal cleavage and early embryo development up to day 8 post fertilization; albeit a statistically significant decrease was observed in day 8 blastocysts produced from oocytes exposed to the lowest concentration of 10<sup>−8</sup> M KTZ. When unexposed mature oocytes were fertilized, followed by embryo culture for 8 days under KTZ exposure, no adverse effects in embryo cleavage and blastocyst formation were observed. In conclusion, KTZ has no major impact on in vitro bovine oocyte maturation and blastocyst formation in our study, even at concentrations blocking steroidogenesis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623824001047/pdfft?md5=375df48c185df540eab0642bab0b1b65&pid=1-s2.0-S0890623824001047-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141321531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-10DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108614
M. Battistoni , F. Metruccio , F. Di Renzo , A. Moretto , R. Bacchetta , E. Menegola
Due to its endocrine disruptive activity, the plastic additive Bisphenol A (BPA) is classified as substance of very high concern (EU ECHA 2017). A correlation between environmental exposure to BPA and congenital defects has been described in humans and in experimental species including the amphibian Xenopus laevis, where severe branchial defects were associated to lethality. The exposure of X. laevis embryos to the BPA analogue bisphenol B (BPB) was recently linked to similar teratogenic effects, with BPB having relative potency about 3 times higher than BPA. The combined BPA-BPB exposure is realistic as both BPA and BPB are detected in human samples and environment. Limited experimental data are available on the combined developmental toxicity of BPA and BPB. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effects of BPA and BPB mixture in the X. laevis development model, using R-FETAX procedure. The exposure was limited to the first day of development (corresponding to the phylotypic developmental period, common to all vertebrates). Samples were monitored for lethal effects during the full six-day test period and the external morphology was evaluated at the end of the test. Mixture effects were described by modelling, using the PROAST software package. Overall data modelling showed that dose-addiction could not be rejected, suggesting a health concern for co-exposure.
由于具有内分泌干扰活性,塑料添加剂双酚 A(BPA)被列为高度关注物质(欧盟欧洲化学品管理局,2017 年)。在人类和包括两栖动物 Xenopus laevis 在内的实验物种中,已描述了环境暴露于双酚 A 与先天缺陷之间的相关性,其中严重的分支缺陷与致死率有关。最近,X.laevis 胚胎接触双酚 A 类似物双酚 B(BPB)也会产生类似的致畸效应,双酚 B 的相对效力比双酚 A 高出约 3 倍。由于在人体样本和环境中都检测到了双酚 A 和双酚 B,因此双酚 A 和双酚 B 的综合暴露是现实存在的。关于双酚 A 和双酚 B 对发育的综合毒性,目前只有有限的实验数据。本研究的目的是利用 R-FETAX 程序,在 X. laevis 发育模型中评估双酚 A 和双酚 B 混合物的影响。暴露仅限于发育的第一天(相当于所有脊椎动物共同的系统发育时期)。在整个六天试验期间,对样本的致死效应进行监测,并在试验结束时对其外部形态进行评估。使用 PROAST 软件包建立模型来描述混合效应。总体数据建模表明,无法排除剂量依赖性,这表明共同接触会对健康产生影响。
{"title":"Effects of combined exposure to two bisphenol plasticizers (BPA and BPB) on Xenopus laevis development","authors":"M. Battistoni , F. Metruccio , F. Di Renzo , A. Moretto , R. Bacchetta , E. Menegola","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Due to its endocrine disruptive activity, the plastic additive Bisphenol A (BPA) is classified as substance of very high concern (EU ECHA 2017). A correlation between environmental exposure to BPA and congenital defects has been described in humans and in experimental species including the amphibian <em>Xenopus laevis</em>, where severe branchial defects were associated to lethality. The exposure of <em>X. laevis</em> embryos to the BPA analogue bisphenol B (BPB) was recently linked to similar teratogenic effects, with BPB having relative potency about 3 times higher than BPA. The combined BPA-BPB exposure is realistic as both BPA and BPB are detected in human samples and environment. Limited experimental data are available on the combined developmental toxicity of BPA and BPB. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effects of BPA and BPB mixture in the <em>X. laevis</em> development model, using R-FETAX procedure. The exposure was limited to the first day of development (corresponding to the phylotypic developmental period, common to all vertebrates). Samples were monitored for lethal effects during the full six-day test period and the external morphology was evaluated at the end of the test. Mixture effects were described by modelling, using the PROAST software package. Overall data modelling showed that dose-addiction could not be rejected, suggesting a health concern for co-exposure.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623824000819/pdfft?md5=e6a3178e272cda107910902a15cd303a&pid=1-s2.0-S0890623824000819-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141311541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-08DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108625
Developmental hazard evaluation is an important part of assessing chemical risks during pregnancy. Toxicological outcomes from prenatal testing in pregnant animals result from complex chemical-biological interactions, and while New Approach Methods (NAMs) based on in vitro bioactivity profiles of human cells offer promising alternatives to animal testing, most of these assays lack cellular positional information, physical constraints, and regional organization of the intact embryo. Here, we engineered a fully computable model of the embryonic disc in the CompuCell3D.org modeling environment to simulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of epiblast cells and self-organization of mesodermal domains (chordamesoderm, paraxial, lateral plate, posterior/extraembryonic). Mesodermal fate is modeled by synthetic activity of the BMP4-NODAL-WNT signaling axis. Cell position in the epiblast determines timing with respect to EMT for 988 computational cells in the computer model. An autonomous homeobox (Hox) clock hidden in the epiblast is driven by WNT-FGF4-CDX signaling. Executing the model renders a quantitative cell-level computation of mesodermal fate and consequences of perturbation based on known biology. For example, synthetic perturbation of the control network rendered altered phenotypes (cybermorphs) mirroring some aspects of experimental mouse embryology, with electronic knockouts, under-activation (hypermorphs) or over-activation (hypermorphs) particularly affecting the size and specification of the posterior mesoderm. This foundational model is trained on embryology but capable of performing a wide variety of toxicological tasks conversing through anatomical simulation to integrate in vitro chemical bioactivity data with known embryology. It is amenable to quantitative simulation for probabilistic prediction of early developmental toxicity.
{"title":"Engineering a computable epiblast for in silico modeling of developmental toxicity","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Developmental hazard evaluation is an important part of assessing chemical risks during pregnancy. Toxicological outcomes from prenatal testing in pregnant animals result from complex chemical-biological interactions, and while New Approach Methods (NAMs) based on <em>in vitro</em> bioactivity profiles of human cells offer promising alternatives to animal testing, most of these assays lack cellular positional information, physical constraints, and regional organization of the intact embryo. Here, we engineered a fully computable model of the embryonic disc in the CompuCell3D.org modeling environment to simulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of epiblast cells and self-organization of mesodermal domains (chordamesoderm, paraxial, lateral plate, posterior/extraembryonic). Mesodermal fate is modeled by synthetic activity of the BMP4-NODAL-WNT signaling axis. Cell position in the epiblast determines timing with respect to EMT for 988 computational cells in the computer model. An autonomous homeobox (<em>Hox</em>) clock hidden in the epiblast is driven by WNT-FGF4-CDX signaling. Executing the model renders a quantitative cell-level computation of mesodermal fate and consequences of perturbation based on known biology. For example, synthetic perturbation of the control network rendered altered phenotypes (cybermorphs) mirroring some aspects of experimental mouse embryology, with electronic knockouts, under-activation (hypermorphs) or over-activation (hypermorphs) particularly affecting the size and specification of the posterior mesoderm. This foundational model is trained on embryology but capable of performing a wide variety of toxicological tasks conversing through anatomical simulation to integrate <em>in vitro</em> chemical bioactivity data with known embryology. It is amenable to quantitative simulation for probabilistic prediction of early developmental toxicity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141301518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-06DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108634
Si-Yu Cheng , Zi-Yun Yi , Chun-Hui Zhang , Qing-Yuan Sun , Wei-Ping Qian , Jian Li
Vinorelbine is a commonly used drug to treat various malignancies, such as breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and metastatic pleural mesothelioma. Its side effects include severe neutropenia, local phlebitis, gastrointestinal reactions, and neurotoxicity. In view of the scarcity of research on vinorelbine's reproductive toxicity, this study evaluated the impact of vinorelbine ditartrate, a commonly used form of vinorelbine, on oocyte maturation in vitro. Our investigation revealed that vinorelbine ditartrate had no effect on oocyte meiotic resumption. However, it did reduce the rate of first polar body extrusion, suggesting that it could significantly impede the meiotic maturation of oocytes. Vinorelbine ditartrate exposure was found to disturb the regular spindle assembly and chromosome alignment, leading to the continuous activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) and a delayed activation of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), ultimately causing aneuploidy in oocytes. Consequently, the administration of vinorelbine is likely to result in oocyte aneuploidy, which can be helpful in providing a drug reference and fertility guidance in a clinical context.
{"title":"Vinorelbine administration impedes the timely progression of meiotic maturation and induces aneuploidy in mouse oocytes","authors":"Si-Yu Cheng , Zi-Yun Yi , Chun-Hui Zhang , Qing-Yuan Sun , Wei-Ping Qian , Jian Li","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Vinorelbine is a commonly used drug to treat various malignancies, such as breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and metastatic pleural mesothelioma. Its side effects include severe neutropenia, local phlebitis, gastrointestinal reactions, and neurotoxicity. In view of the scarcity of research on vinorelbine's reproductive toxicity, this study evaluated the impact of vinorelbine ditartrate, a commonly used form of vinorelbine, on oocyte maturation in vitro. Our investigation revealed that vinorelbine ditartrate had no effect on oocyte meiotic resumption. However, it did reduce the rate of first polar body extrusion, suggesting that it could significantly impede the meiotic maturation of oocytes. Vinorelbine ditartrate exposure was found to disturb the regular spindle assembly and chromosome alignment, leading to the continuous activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) and a delayed activation of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), ultimately causing aneuploidy in oocytes. Consequently, the administration of vinorelbine is likely to result in oocyte aneuploidy, which can be helpful in providing a drug reference and fertility guidance in a clinical context.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141293671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-05DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108628
Mariam M. Abady , Islam M. Saadeldin , Ayeong Han , Seonggyu Bang , Heejae Kang , Dong Wook Seok , Ha-Jeong Kwon , Jongki Cho , Ji-Seon Jeong
Bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread environmental contaminant, poses concerns due to its disruptive effects on physiological functions of the uterine endometrium. In contrast, melatonin (MT) and Resveratrol (RSV) are under scrutiny for their potential protective roles against BPA-induced damage. For the efficacy and ethical concerns in the animal test, endometrial organoids, three-dimensional models mimicking endometrium, serve as crucial tools for unraveling the impact of environmental factors on reproductive health. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the morphological, molecular and metabolic responses of porcine endometrial organoids to BPA and assess the potential protective effects of MT and RSV. Porcine uteri were prepared, digested with collagenase, mixed with Matrigel, and incubated at 38°C with 5 % CO2. Passaging involved dissociation through trypsin-EDTA treatment and subculturing. The culture medium was refreshed every 2–3 days. To investigate the environmental impact on reproductive health, endometrial organoids were treated with BPA (0.5 µM), MT (with/without BPA at 0.1 µM), and/or RSV (10 µM). Various molecular screening using gene expression, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and metabolites profiling were assessed the effects of BPA, MT, and RSV in terms of cell viability, morphology, reproductivity, and metabolism alteration in the endometrial organoids. As expected, BPA induced structural and molecular disruptions in organoids, affecting cytoskeletal proteins, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and epithelial/mesenchymal markers. It triggered oxidative stress and apoptotic pathways, altered miRNA expression, and disrupted the endocannabinoid system. The level of glucose, galactose, and essential amino acids were increased or decreased by approximately 1.5–3 times in BPA-treated groups compared to the control groups (p-value < 0.05), indicating metabolic changes. Moreover, MT and RSV treated groups exhibited protective effects, mitigating BPA-induced disruptions across multiple pathways. For the first time, our study models endometrial organoids, advancing understanding of environmental impacts on reproductive health.
双酚 A(BPA)是一种广泛存在的环境污染物,它对子宫内膜的生理功能具有破坏性影响,因而备受关注。相比之下,褪黑素(MT)和白藜芦醇(RSV)因其对双酚 A 引起的损伤具有潜在的保护作用而备受关注。考虑到动物试验的有效性和伦理问题,子宫内膜器官组织(模拟子宫内膜的三维模型)是揭示环境因素对生殖健康影响的重要工具。本研究旨在全面描述猪子宫内膜器官组织对双酚 A 的形态、分子和代谢反应,并评估 MT 和 RSV 的潜在保护作用。制备猪子宫,用胶原酶消化,与 Matrigel 混合,在 38°C 和 5% CO2 条件下培养。传代过程包括通过胰蛋白酶-EDTA处理解离和亚培养。培养基每 2-3 天更换一次。为了研究环境对生殖健康的影响,用双酚 A(0.5µM)、MT(含/不含双酚 A,0.1µM)和/或 RSV(10µM)处理子宫内膜器官组织。通过基因表达、Western 印迹、免疫荧光染色和代谢物分析等多种分子筛选方法,评估了双酚 A、MT 和 RSV 对子宫内膜有机体细胞活力、形态、生殖能力和代谢改变的影响。不出所料,双酚A会诱导有机体的结构和分子破坏,影响细胞骨架蛋白、Wnt/β-catenin信号传导和上皮/间质标记物。它引发了氧化应激和细胞凋亡途径,改变了 miRNA 的表达,并破坏了内源性大麻素系统。与对照组相比,双酚 A 处理组的葡萄糖、半乳糖和必需氨基酸水平增加或减少了约 1.5 至 3 倍(P 值 < 0.05),表明代谢发生了变化。此外,MT 和 RSV 处理组表现出保护作用,减轻了双酚 A 诱导的多途径紊乱。我们的研究首次以子宫内膜有机体为模型,加深了人们对环境对生殖健康影响的理解。
{"title":"Melatonin and resveratrol alleviate molecular and metabolic toxicity induced by Bisphenol A in endometrial organoids","authors":"Mariam M. Abady , Islam M. Saadeldin , Ayeong Han , Seonggyu Bang , Heejae Kang , Dong Wook Seok , Ha-Jeong Kwon , Jongki Cho , Ji-Seon Jeong","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread environmental contaminant, poses concerns due to its disruptive effects on physiological functions of the uterine endometrium. In contrast, melatonin (MT) and Resveratrol (RSV) are under scrutiny for their potential protective roles against BPA-induced damage. For the efficacy and ethical concerns in the animal test, endometrial organoids, three-dimensional models mimicking endometrium, serve as crucial tools for unraveling the impact of environmental factors on reproductive health. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the morphological, molecular and metabolic responses of porcine endometrial organoids to BPA and assess the potential protective effects of MT and RSV. Porcine uteri were prepared, digested with collagenase, mixed with Matrigel, and incubated at 38°C with 5 % CO<sub>2</sub>. Passaging involved dissociation through trypsin-EDTA treatment and subculturing. The culture medium was refreshed every 2–3 days. To investigate the environmental impact on reproductive health, endometrial organoids were treated with BPA (0.5 µM), MT (with/without BPA at 0.1 µM), and/or RSV (10 µM). Various molecular screening using gene expression, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and metabolites profiling were assessed the effects of BPA, MT, and RSV in terms of cell viability, morphology, reproductivity, and metabolism alteration in the endometrial organoids. As expected, BPA induced structural and molecular disruptions in organoids, affecting cytoskeletal proteins, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and epithelial/mesenchymal markers. It triggered oxidative stress and apoptotic pathways, altered miRNA expression, and disrupted the endocannabinoid system. The level of glucose, galactose, and essential amino acids were increased or decreased by approximately 1.5–3 times in BPA-treated groups compared to the control groups (<em>p-</em>value < 0.05), indicating metabolic changes. Moreover, MT and RSV treated groups exhibited protective effects, mitigating BPA-induced disruptions across multiple pathways. For the first time, our study models endometrial organoids, advancing understanding of environmental impacts on reproductive health.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623824000959/pdfft?md5=f4e6bf1c68da1acd555c4c5c55ff4342&pid=1-s2.0-S0890623824000959-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141288521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108613
Meghan Angley , Liping Lu , Yijia Zhang , Penelope P. Howards , Ka Kahe
The primary route of mercury exposure for the general population is through consumption of contaminated seafood. There is a biological basis for an adverse effect of mercury exposure on human fertility. The goal of this review was to evaluate the existing literature on the association between mercury and pregnancy, among men and women attempting to conceive with and without assisted reproductive technology (ART). Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science for papers published up to March 2023 with no early date restriction, only including studies with a biomarker measurement of mercury exposure. We identified 11 studies examining mercury and natural fertility and 12 studies examining mercury and outcomes of assisted reproduction (implantation or clinical pregnancy). The accumulated evidence provides some support for a null association between bodily mercury concentrations and natural fertility among women, however, a large proportion of studies did not report adjusted estimates or were extremely imprecise. The majority of studies of natural fertility were also cross-sectional in nature. There was no evidence for an inverse or null association between mercury and natural fertility among men, or mercury and ART outcomes among men or women. In spite of biological plausibility, the existing evidence includes studies that are imprecise and often conflicting and does not allow us to make definitive conclusions on the associations of mercury exposure with successful pregnancy. Additional, larger studies are warranted, especially among individuals with high concentrations of mercury exposure as these individuals may be underrepresented in the current literature.
一般人接触汞的主要途径是食用受污染的海产品。汞暴露对人类生育能力的不利影响是有生物学依据的。本综述的目的是评估有关汞与怀孕之间关系的现有文献,包括尝试使用或不使用辅助生殖技术(ART)怀孕的男性和女性。我们在 PubMed、EMBASE、Scopus 和 Web of Science 上对截至 2023 年 3 月发表的论文进行了系统检索,没有早期日期限制,仅包括对汞暴露进行生物标记测量的研究。我们发现有 11 项研究探讨了汞与自然生育能力,12 项研究探讨了汞与辅助生殖结果(植入或临床妊娠)。累积的证据在一定程度上支持了体内汞浓度与女性自然生育能力之间的负相关,但是,很大一部分研究没有报告调整后的估计值,或者极不精确。大多数有关自然生育率的研究也都是横断面研究。没有证据表明汞与男性的自然生育率或汞与男性或女性的抗逆转录病毒疗法结果之间存在反向或无效关联。尽管存在生物学上的合理性,但现有的证据包括一些不精确且经常相互矛盾的研究,因此我们无法就汞暴露与成功怀孕之间的关系做出明确的结论。我们有必要进行更多更大规模的研究,尤其是针对汞暴露浓度较高的个体,因为这些个体在目前的文献中可能代表性不足。
{"title":"Mercury, natural fertility and outcomes of assisted reproduction: A systematic review","authors":"Meghan Angley , Liping Lu , Yijia Zhang , Penelope P. Howards , Ka Kahe","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108613","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108613","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The primary route of mercury exposure for the general population is through consumption of contaminated seafood. There is a biological basis for an adverse effect of mercury exposure on human fertility. The goal of this review was to evaluate the existing literature on the association between mercury and pregnancy, among men and women attempting to conceive with and without assisted reproductive technology (ART). Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science for papers published up to March 2023 with no early date restriction, only including studies with a biomarker measurement of mercury exposure. We identified 11 studies examining mercury and natural fertility and 12 studies examining mercury and outcomes of assisted reproduction (implantation or clinical pregnancy). The accumulated evidence provides some support for a null association between bodily mercury concentrations and natural fertility among women, however, a large proportion of studies did not report adjusted estimates or were extremely imprecise. The majority of studies of natural fertility were also cross-sectional in nature. There was no evidence for an inverse or null association between mercury and natural fertility among men, or mercury and ART outcomes among men or women. In spite of biological plausibility, the existing evidence includes studies that are imprecise and often conflicting and does not allow us to make definitive conclusions on the associations of mercury exposure with successful pregnancy. Additional, larger studies are warranted, especially among individuals with high concentrations of mercury exposure as these individuals may be underrepresented in the current literature.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141238180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108631
Brian N. Chorley , Gary R. Klinefelter , Gail M. Nelson , Lillian F. Strader , Helen H. Nguyen , Mette C. Schladweiler , Grant Palmer , Makala L. Moore , Rachel D. Grindstaff , William T. Padgett , Gleta K. Carswell , Anna A. Fisher , Urmila P. Kodavanti , Janice A. Dye , Colette N. Miller
Epidemiological evidence suggests the potential for air pollutants to induce male reproductive toxicity. In experimental studies, exposure to ozone during sensitive windows in the sperm lifecycle has been associated with impaired sperm motility. Subsequently, we sought to investigate the effects of episodic exposure to ozone during sperm maturation in the rat. Long-Evans rats were exposed to either filtered air or ozone (0.4 or 0.8 ppm) for five non-consecutive days over two weeks. Ozone exposure did not impact male reproductive organ weights or sperm motility ∼24 hours following the final exposure. Furthermore, circulating sex hormones remained unchanged despite increased T3 and T4 in the 0.8 ppm group. While there was indication of altered adrenergic signaling attributable to ozone exposure in the testis, there were minimal impacts on small non-coding RNAs detected in cauda sperm. Only two piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were altered in the mature sperm of ozone-exposed rats (piR-rno-346434 and piR-rno-227431). Data across all rats were next analyzed to identify any non-coding RNAs that may be correlated with reduced sperm motility. A total of 7 microRNAs (miRNAs), 8 RNA fragments, and 1682 piRNAs correlated well with sperm motility. Utilizing our exposure paradigm herein, we were unable to substantiate the relationship between ozone exposure during maturation with sperm motility. However, these approaches served to identify a suite of non-coding RNAs that were associated with sperm motility in rats. With additional investigation, these RNAs may prove to have functional roles in the acquisition of motility or be unique biomarkers for male reproductive toxicity.
{"title":"Episodic ozone exposure in Long-Evans rats has limited effects on cauda sperm motility and non-coding RNA populations","authors":"Brian N. Chorley , Gary R. Klinefelter , Gail M. Nelson , Lillian F. Strader , Helen H. Nguyen , Mette C. Schladweiler , Grant Palmer , Makala L. Moore , Rachel D. Grindstaff , William T. Padgett , Gleta K. Carswell , Anna A. Fisher , Urmila P. Kodavanti , Janice A. Dye , Colette N. Miller","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Epidemiological evidence suggests the potential for air pollutants to induce male reproductive toxicity. In experimental studies, exposure to ozone during sensitive windows in the sperm lifecycle has been associated with impaired sperm motility. Subsequently, we sought to investigate the effects of episodic exposure to ozone during sperm maturation in the rat. Long-Evans rats were exposed to either filtered air or ozone (0.4 or 0.8 ppm) for five non-consecutive days over two weeks. Ozone exposure did not impact male reproductive organ weights or sperm motility ∼24 hours following the final exposure. Furthermore, circulating sex hormones remained unchanged despite increased T<sub>3</sub> and T<sub>4</sub> in the 0.8 ppm group. While there was indication of altered adrenergic signaling attributable to ozone exposure in the testis, there were minimal impacts on small non-coding RNAs detected in cauda sperm. Only two piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were altered in the mature sperm of ozone-exposed rats (piR-rno-346434 and piR-rno-227431). Data across all rats were next analyzed to identify any non-coding RNAs that may be correlated with reduced sperm motility. A total of 7 microRNAs (miRNAs), 8 RNA fragments, and 1682 piRNAs correlated well with sperm motility. Utilizing our exposure paradigm herein, we were unable to substantiate the relationship between ozone exposure during maturation with sperm motility. However, these approaches served to identify a suite of non-coding RNAs that were associated with sperm motility in rats. With additional investigation, these RNAs may prove to have functional roles in the acquisition of motility or be unique biomarkers for male reproductive toxicity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141238178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-31DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108629
Roland E. Akhigbe , Tunmise M. Akhigbe , Precious A. Oyedokun , Ademola C. Famurewa
The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS worldwide. The HAART approach is the combination of two or more antiretroviral drugs of different classes and are responsible for patient’s survival and declining death rates from HIV/AIDS and AIDS-related events. However, the severe and persistent reproductive side effect toxicity of HAART regimens is of great concern to patients within the reproductive age. Till date, the underlying pathophysiology of the HAART-induced reproductive toxicity remains unraveled. Nevertheless, preclinical studies show that oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in HAART-induced sperm-endocrine deficit and reproductive aberrations. Studies are emerging demonstrating the efficacy of plant-based and non-plant products against the molecular alterations and testicular toxicity of HAART. The testicular mechanisms of mitigation by these products are associated with enhancement of testicular steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation. This review presents the toxic effects of HAART on spermatogenesis, reproductive hormones and testis integrity. It also provides insights on the molecular mechanisms underlying the mitigation of HAART testicular toxicity by plant-based and non-plant agents. However, effect of repurposing clinical drugs to combat HAART toxicity is unknown, and more mechanistic studies are evidently needed. Altogether, plant-based and non-plant products are potential agents for prevention of rampant endocrine dysfunction and testicular toxicity of HAART.
{"title":"Molecular mechanisms underpinning the protection against antiretroviral drug-induced sperm-endocrine aberrations and testicular toxicity: A review","authors":"Roland E. Akhigbe , Tunmise M. Akhigbe , Precious A. Oyedokun , Ademola C. Famurewa","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108629","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108629","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS worldwide. The HAART approach is the combination of two or more antiretroviral drugs of different classes and are responsible for patient’s survival and declining death rates from HIV/AIDS and AIDS-related events. However, the severe and persistent reproductive side effect toxicity of HAART regimens is of great concern to patients within the reproductive age. Till date, the underlying pathophysiology of the HAART-induced reproductive toxicity remains unraveled. Nevertheless, preclinical studies show that oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in HAART-induced sperm-endocrine deficit and reproductive aberrations. Studies are emerging demonstrating the efficacy of plant-based and non-plant products against the molecular alterations and testicular toxicity of HAART. The testicular mechanisms of mitigation by these products are associated with enhancement of testicular steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation. This review presents the toxic effects of HAART on spermatogenesis, reproductive hormones and testis integrity. It also provides insights on the molecular mechanisms underlying the mitigation of HAART testicular toxicity by plant-based and non-plant agents. However, effect of repurposing clinical drugs to combat HAART toxicity is unknown, and more mechanistic studies are evidently needed. Altogether, plant-based and non-plant products are potential agents for prevention of rampant endocrine dysfunction and testicular toxicity of HAART.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141200788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-31DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108627
In the recent paper by Lee et al. 1 reporting reproductive toxicity testing of BVN008, a newly developed tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine, the statement is made “BVN008 is a booster vaccine identical to the current Tdap vaccines, Boostrix (GSK) and Adacel (Sanofi).” However, as the authors report, the acellular pertussis portion of BVN008 was provided by BIKEN (Japan). The composition of the BIKEN acellular pertussis product differs in important ways from the compositions of the acellular pertussis components of Boostrix and Adacel.2 Accordingly, the statement cited above is incorrect. A more appropriate statement might have been, “BVN008 is a booster vaccine similar in concept to the current Tdap vaccines, Boostrix (GSK) and Adacel (Sanofi).”
{"title":"Erroneous statement","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108627","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108627","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the recent paper by Lee et al. <sup>1</sup><span><span> reporting reproductive toxicity testing of BVN008, a newly developed tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular </span>pertussis vaccine, the statement is made “BVN008 is a booster vaccine identical to the current Tdap vaccines, Boostrix (GSK) and Adacel (Sanofi).” However, as the authors report, the acellular pertussis portion of BVN008 was provided by BIKEN (Japan). The composition of the BIKEN acellular pertussis product differs in important ways from the compositions of the acellular pertussis components of Boostrix and Adacel.</span><sup>2</sup> Accordingly, the statement cited above is incorrect. A more appropriate statement might have been, “BVN008 is a booster vaccine similar in concept to the current Tdap vaccines, Boostrix (GSK) and Adacel (Sanofi).”</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141186838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}