Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic mycotoxin mainly produced as a secondary metabolite by numerous species of Fusarium. Previous work showed that ZEA had a negative impact on domestic animals with regard to reproduction. The adverse effects and the mechanisms of ZEA on mammalian ovarian folliculogenesis remain largely unknown, particularly its effect on primordial follicle formation. Thus, we investigated the biological effects of ZEA exposure on murine ovarian germ cell cyst breakdown and primordial follicle assembly. Our results demonstrated that newborn mouse ovaries exposed to 10 or 30μM ZEA in vitro had significantly less germ cell numbers compared to the control group. Moreover, the presence of ZEA in vitro increased the numbers of TUNEL and γH2AX positive cells within mouse ovaries and the ratio of mRNA levels of the apoptotic genes Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, ZEA exposure reduced the mRNA of oocyte specific genes such as LIM homeobox 8 (Lhx8), newborn ovary homeobox (Nobox), spermatogenesis and oogenesis helix-loop-helix (Sohlh2), and factor in the germline alpha (Figlα) in a dose dependent manner. Exposure to ZEA led to remarkable changes in the Lhx8 3'-UTR DNA methylation dynamics in oocytes and severely impaired folliculogenesis in ovaries after transplantation under the kidney capsules of immunodeficient mice. In conclusion, ZEA exposure impairs mouse primordial follicle formation in vitro.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2017.01.004 | DOI Listing |
Poult Sci
December 2024
Shandong Provincial Key laboratory for Livestock Germplasm Innovation & Utilization, College of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China. Electronic address:
During ovary development, the dormant primordial follicles (PF) are stimulated and begin to develop into primary follicles (PrF), a process called follicle activation. Only activated follicles can continue to grow and release the eggs in the future, making the female animal fertile. The molecular events during PF activation are not fully understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
December 2024
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is an estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that was prescribed to millions of pregnant women worldwide, leading to increased rates of infertility in the exposed offspring. We have previously demonstrated that this reduced fertility persists for multiple generations in the mouse. However, how altered ovarian function contributes to this infertility is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Med
December 2025
Department of Histology and Embryology, Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is an agent used in the treatment of many neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases and is known to cause oxidative damage in normal tissues. Curcumin (Cur) is a natural polyphenol compound with powerful antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects. In this study we investigate the effects of Cur on MTX-induced ovarian damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnimal Model Exp Med
December 2024
Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Background: Traditional DNA microinjection methods used in mammals are difficult to apply to avian species due to their unique reproductive characteristics. Genetic manipulation in chickens, particularly involving immature follicles within living ovaries, has not been extensively explored. This study seeks to establish an efficient method for generating transgenic chickens through ovarian injection, potentially bypassing the challenges associated with primordial germ cell (PGC) manipulation and fertilized egg microinjection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Mol Life Sci
December 2024
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University/Jiangsu Province Hospital/Jiangsu Women and Children Health Hospital, Nanjing, 210036, China.
The reproductive lifespan of female mammals is determined by the size of the primordial follicle pool, which comprises oocytes enclosed by a layer of flattened pre-granulosa cells. Oocyte differentiation needs acquiring organelles and cytoplasm from sister germ cells in cysts, but the mechanisms regulating this process remain unknown. Previously helicase for meiosis 1 (HFM1) is reported to be related to the development of premature ovarian insufficiency.
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