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State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo

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A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 12575

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Gabriella Chieffi Baccari

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Interests: reproduction; spermatogenesis; steroidogenesis; androgen signaling; D-aspartate; animal models; neurosteroidogenesis

Prof. Dr. Brian Dale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Centro di Fecondazione assistita, via Tasso 480, Napoli, Italy
Interests: assisted reproductive technology; reproductive endocrinology; reproductive medicine; reproduction biology; endometriosis; cell biology; ovary; fertilizers; reproductive biology; enzymes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "State-of-the-Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy", is intended to provide an innovative and broad perspective on the research in Italy in the field of molecular reproductive biology and medicine, as well as reproductive and developmental biology. We kindly encourage our colleagues in Italy that are involved in all fields of molecular reproduction to make contributions to this Special Issue. High-quality review articles, research articles, and communications are all welcomed. The potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Reproductive biology;
Reproductive immunology;
Reproductive medicine;
Reproductive endocrinology;
Molecular regulation of reproductive processes;
Embryo development;
New techniques and methods in reproductive biology;
Gametogenesis and fertilization.

Prof. Dr. Gabriella Chieffi Baccari
Prof. Dr. Brian Dale
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

molecular reproduction
endometriosis
endometrium
implantation
decidualization
placenta
cellular senescence
senolysis
prostaglandin
inflammation
pregnancy
reproduction
implantation
decidualization
endometriosis
assisted reproductive technology
molecular reproductive biology
reproductive biology
reproductive immunology
reproductive medicine
reproductive endocrinology
molecular regulation of reproductive processes
embryo development
reproductive biology
gametogenesis and fertilization

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 944 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Immune and Reproductive Biomarkers in Female Sea Urchins Paracentrotus lividus under Heat Stress

by Alessandra Gallo, Carola Murano, Rosaria Notariale, Davide Caramiello, Elisabetta Tosti, Stefano Cecchini Gualandi and Raffaele Boni

Biomolecules 2023, 13(8), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13081216 - 4 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1307

Abstract

The functioning of the immune and reproductive systems is crucial for the fitness and survival of species and is strongly influenced by the environment. To evaluate the effects of short-term heat stress (HS) on these systems, confirming and deepening previous studies, female sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus were exposed for 7 days to 17 °C, 23 and 28 °C. Several biomarkers were detected such as the ferric reducing power (FRAP), ABTS-based total antioxidant capacity (TAC-ABTS), nitric oxide metabolites (NO_x), total thiol levels (TTL), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and protease (PA) activities in the coelomic fluid (CF) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), H₂O₂ content and intracellular pH (pH_i) in eggs and coelomocytes, in which TAC-ABTS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) were also analyzed. In the sea urchins exposed to HS, CF analysis showed a decrease in FRAP levels and an increase in TAC-ABTS, TTL, MPO and PA levels; in coelomocytes, RNS, MMP and H₂O₂ content increased, whereas pH_i decreased; in eggs, increases in MMP, H₂O₂ content and pH_i were found. In conclusion, short-term HS leads to changes in five out of the six CF biomarkers analyzed and functional alterations in the cells involved in either reproductive or immune activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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11 pages, 2020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polymorphic Rearrangements of Human Chromosome 9 and Male Infertility: New Evidence and Impact on Spermatogenesis

by Filomena Mottola, Marianna Santonastaso, Valentina Ronga, Renata Finelli and Lucia Rocco

Biomolecules 2023, 13(5), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13050729 - 23 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3403

Abstract

Chromosomal polymorphisms are structural variations in chromosomes that define the genomic variance of a species. These alterations are recurrent in the general population, and some of them appear to be more recurrent in the infertile population. Human chromosome 9 is highly heteromorphic, and how its rearrangement affects male fertility remains to be fully investigated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between the polymorphic rearrangements of chromosome 9 and male infertility via an Italian cohort of male infertile patients. Cytogenetic analysis was carried out, along with Y microdeletion screening, semen analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and TUNEL assays using spermatic cells. Chromosome 9 rearrangements were observed in six patients: three of them showed a pericentric inversion, while the others showed a polymorphic heterochromatin variant 9qh. Of these, four patients exhibited oligozoospermia associated with teratozoospermia, along with a percentage of aneuploidy in the sperm of above 9%, in particular, an increase in XY disomy. Additionally, high values for sperm DNA fragmentation (≥30%) were observed in two patients. None of them had microdeletions to the AZF loci on chromosome Y. Our results suggest that polymorphic rearrangements of chromosome 9 might be associated with abnormalities in sperm quality due to incorrect spermatogenesis regulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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15 pages, 4224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

D-Aspartate Depletion Perturbs Steroidogenesis and Spermatogenesis in Mice

by Alessandra Santillo, Sara Falvo, Massimo Venditti, Anna Di Maio, Gabriella Chieffi Baccari, Francesco Errico, Alessandro Usiello, Sergio Minucci and Maria Maddalena Di Fiore

Biomolecules 2023, 13(4), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13040621 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1509

Abstract

High levels of free D-aspartate (D-Asp) are present in vertebrate testis during post-natal development, coinciding with the onset of testosterone production, which suggests that this atypical amino acid might participate in the regulation of hormone biosynthesis. To elucidate the unknown role of D-Asp on testicular function, we investigated steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in a one-month-old knockin mouse model with the constitutive depletion of D-Asp levels due to the targeted overexpression of D-aspartate oxidase (DDO), which catalyzes the deaminative oxidation of D-Asp to generate the corresponding α-keto acid, oxaloacetate, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonium ions. In the Ddo knockin mice, we found a dramatic reduction in testicular D-Asp levels, accompanied by a significant decrease in the serum testosterone levels and testicular 17β-HSD, the enzyme involved in testosterone biosynthesis. Additionally, in the testes of these Ddo knockin mice, the expression of PCNA and SYCP3 proteins decreased, suggesting alterations in spermatogenesis-related processes, as well as an increase in the cytosolic cytochrome c protein levels and TUNEL-positive cell number, which indicate an increase in apoptosis. To further investigate the histological and morphometric testicular alterations in Ddo knockin mice, we analyzed the expression and localization of prolyl endopeptidase (PREP) and disheveled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (DAAM1), two proteins involved in cytoskeletal organization. Our results showed that the testicular levels of DAAM1 and PREP in Ddo knockin mice were different from those in wild-type animals, suggesting that the deficiency of D-Asp is associated with overall cytoskeletal disorganization. Our findings confirmed that physiological D-Asp influences testosterone biosynthesis and plays a crucial role in germ cell proliferation and differentiation, which are required for successful reproduction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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11 pages, 1746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

First Evidence of the Expression and Localization of Prothymosin α in Human Testis and Its Involvement in Testicular Cancers

by Massimo Venditti, Davide Arcaniolo, Marco De Sio and Sergio Minucci

Biomolecules 2022, 12(9), 1210; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12091210 - 31 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1878

Abstract

Prothymosin α (PTMA) is a phylogenetically conserved polypeptide in male gonads of Vertebrates. In Mammals, it is a ubiquitous protein, and, possessing a random-coil structure, it interacts with many other partners, in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. PTMA has been widely studied during cell progression in different types of cancer because of its anti-apoptotic and proliferative properties. Here, we provided the first evidence of PTMA expression and localization in human testis and in two testicular cancers (TC): classic seminoma (CS) and Leydig cell tumor (LCT). Data showed that its protein level, together with that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a cell cycle progression marker, increased in both CS and LCT samples, as compared to non-pathological (NP) tissue. Moreover, in the two-cancer tissue, a decreased apoptotic rate and an increased autophagic flux was also evidenced. Results confirmed the anti-apoptotic action of PTMA, also suggesting that it can act as a switcher from apoptosis to autophagy, to favor the survival of testicular cancer cells when they develop in adverse environments. Finally, the combined data, even if they need to be further validated, add new insight into the role of PTMA in human normal and pathological testicular tissue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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Review

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12 pages, 558 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Male Germ Cell Telomeres and Chemical Pollutants

by Gabriella Chieffi Baccari, Giuseppe Iurato, Alessandra Santillo and Brian Dale

Biomolecules 2023, 13(5), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13050745 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1705

Abstract

In recent decades, male infertility has been correlated with the shortening of sperm telomeres. Telomeres regulate the reproductive lifespan by mediating the synapsis and homologous recombination of chromosomes during gametogenesis. They are composed of thousands of hexanucleotide DNA repeats (TTAGGG) that are coupled to specialized shelterin complex proteins and non-coding RNAs. Telomerase activity in male germ cells ensures that the telomere length is maintained at maximum levels during spermatogenesis, despite telomere shortening due to DNA replication or other genotoxic factors such as environmental pollutants. An emerging body of evidence has associated an exposure to pollutants with male infertility. Although telomeric DNA may be one of the important targets of environmental pollutants, only a few authors have considered it as a conventional parameter for sperm function. The aim of this review is to provide comprehensive and up-to-date data on the research carried out so far on the structure/function of telomeres in spermatogenesis and the influence of environmental pollutants on their functionality. The link between pollutant-induced oxidative stress and telomere length in germ cells is discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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25 pages, 1403 KiB

Open AccessReview

Electrophysiology and Fluorescence Spectroscopy Approaches for Evaluating Gamete and Embryo Functionality in Animals and Humans

by Raffaele Boni, Alessandra Gallo and Elisabetta Tosti

Biomolecules 2022, 12(11), 1685; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12111685 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1745

Abstract

This review has examined two of the techniques most used by our research group for evaluating gamete and embryo functionality in animal species, ranging from marine invertebrates to humans. Electrophysiology has given access to fundamental information on some mechanisms underpinning the biology of reproduction. This technique demonstrates the involvement of ion channels in multiple physiological mechanisms, the achievement of homeostasis conditions, and the triggering of profound metabolic modifications, often functioning as amplification signals of cellular communication. Fluorescence spectrometry using fluorescent probes to mark specific cell structures allows detailed information to be obtained on the functional characteristics of the cell populations examined. The simple and rapid execution of this methodology allowed us to establish a panel helpful in elucidating functional features in living cells in a simultaneous and multi-parameter way in order to acquire overall drafting of gamete and embryo functionality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art Molecular Reproduction in Italy: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Loredana Di Matteo)

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