A pathogenic DMC1 frameshift mutation causes nonobstructive azoospermia but not primary ovarian insufficiency in humans.

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) are two disorders that can lead to infertility in males and females. Genetic factors have been identified to contribute to NOA and DOR. However, the same genetic factor that can cause both NOA and DOR remains largely unknown. To explore the candidate pathogenic gene that causes both NOA and DOR, we conducted whole-exome sequencing (WES) in a non-consanguineous family with two daughters with DOR and a son with NOA. We detected one pathogenic frameshift variant (NM_007068:c.28delG, p. Glu10Asnfs*31) following a recessive inheritance mode in a meiosis gene DMC1 (DNA meiotic recombinase 1). Clinical analysis showed reduced antral follicle number in both daughters with DOR, but metaphase II oocytes could be retrieved from one of them. For the son with NOA, no spermatozoa were found after microsurgical testicular sperm extraction. A further homozygous Dmc1 knockout mice study demonstrated total failure of follicle development and spermatogenesis. These results revealed a discrepancy of DMC1 action between mice and humans. In humans, DMC1 is required for spermatogenesis but is dispensable for oogenesis, although the loss of function of this gene may lead to DOR. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the homozygous frameshift mutation as causative for both NOA and DOR and demonstrating that DMC1 is dispensable in human oogenesis.

Erratum to: The treatment effect of novel hGHRH homodimer to male infertility hamster.

[This corrects the article on p. 637 in vol. 22, PMID: 30402024.].

The treatment effect of novel hGHRH homodimer to male infertility hamster.

Extra-hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) plays an important role in reproduction. To study the treatment effect of Grin (a novel hGHRH homodimer), the infertility models of 85 male Chinese hamsters were established by intraperitoneally injecting 20 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide once in a week for 5 weeks and the treatment with Grin or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) as positive control was evaluated by performing a 3-week mating experiment. 2-8 mg/kg of Grin and 200 U/kg of hMG showed similar effect and different pathological characteristics. Compared to the single cyclophosphamide group (0%), the pregnancy rates (H-, M-, L-Grin 26.7, 30.8, 31.3%, and hMG 31.3%) showed significant difference, but there was no difference between the hMG and Grin groups. The single cyclophosphamide group presented loose tubules with pathologic vacuoles and significant TUNEL positive cells. Grin induced less weight of body or testis, compactly aligned tubules with little intra-lumens, whereas hMG caused more weight of body or testis, enlarging tubules with annular clearance. Grin presented a dose-dependent manner or cell differentiation-dependentincrease in testicular GHRH receptor, and did not impact the levels of blood and testicular GH, testosterone. Grin promotes fertility by proliferating and differentiating primitive cells through up-regulating testicular GHRH receptor without triggering GH secretion, which might solve the etiology of oligoasthenozoospermia.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel structure-related hGHRH agonistic analogs.

Activity and half-life play key roles in the application of GHRH analogues. The GHRH monomers produced in a solid synthesizer were incubated, respectively, in NH4OH solution and lyophilized to obtain their dimers. The activities, specificities, and receptor affinities of the GHRH dimers were evaluated in rGH release/inhibition, rACTH/LH/PRL release, pituitary homogenate binding, and fluorescent staining. Compared to hGHRH(1-44)NH2 (S), PP-hGHRH(1-44)-GGC-CGG-hGHRH(44-1)-PP (2D), P-hGHRH(1-44)-GGC-CGG-hGHRH(44-1)-P (2E), (1)P-hGHRH(2-44)-GGC-CGG-hGHRH(44-2)-(1)P (2F), or hGHRH(1-44)-GGC-CGG-hGHRH(44-1) (2Y) had potency of 104 ± 16.7%, 94 ± 32.6%, 114 ± 16.6%, or 122 ± 14.5% and similar specificities. The inhibition effect of GHIH on rGH stimulated by GHRH dimer was in dose-/time-dependent manner. The staining of FITC-labeled dimer showed cytomembrane distribution and the binding ranking was 2F>2D>2Y>2E>S. 2F presents the strongest activity and the highest affinity to pituitary cells. The dimer with (1)Pro-GHRH stimulates stronger rGH release than that with (1)Tyr-GHRH and the N-terminal single cyclic amino acid is required for the stimulation.

Novel hGHRH homodimer promotes fertility of female infertile hamster by up-regulating ovarian GHRH receptor without triggering GH secretion.

Extra-hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) plays an important role in infertility. The female infertility models were formed by intraperitoneally injecting cyclophosphamide in 5-week-old Chinese hamster once in a week for 5 weeks. All the models mated with healthy male hamster in the ratio of 1:1 in the experimental 6-8th week and the couples were separated to breed in the 9-10th week. 20 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide induced temporary interference of reproduction and did not cause significant difference in the weight of body, bilateral ovaries, or liver. By intramuscularly injecting twice in a week during the experimental 4-10th week, 2, 4, 8 mg/kg of Grin induced 30, 42.9, 60% of total pregnancy rates in a dose-dependent manner whereas 200 U/kg of hMG induced 50% of total pregnancy rates. The single cyclophosphamide dose caused strongly eosinophilic ovarian cells, scattered early follicles, many atretic follicles, and no corpora luteum was observed. The hMG group individually presents many follicles at all levels, especially secondary ones in the ovarian cortex and medulla. Much of loose connective tissue, vacuoles, and sparse interstitial cells distribute in the medulla. Grin induced many follicles at all dose levels and corpora lutea in the cortex, and the compactly aligned interstitial cells occurred in the whole ovarian tissue. The less TUNEL staining and higher expression of ki67 showed the proliferation and protection effect of Grin on ovarian cells. Grin obviously promotes fertility by up-regulating ovarian GHRH receptor and strengthening the development and maturation of follicles without triggering central and ovarian GH secretion.

A novel hGHRH analog and its comparative activity.

Growth hormone releasing hormone is one of the hormones secreted from the hypothalamus. Because of its potential applications in agriculture and medicine, its short half-life and its expensive chemical synthesis, an analog with high GHRH activity and prolonged half-life was sought after. The fusion partner gene with 127 amino acid residues of the C-terminus from L-asparaginase was recombined with asp-pro-hGHRH(1-44) gene synthesized by PCR method to form one kind of fusion protein with unique acid labile linker Asp-Pro. The Pro-hGHRH(1-44) peptide was purified to homogeneity by means of cell disruption, washing, ethanol precipitation, acid hydrolysis, SP-Sephadex C-25, and Sephadex G-10 column chromatography. The peptide's molecular weight of 5,139 Da as measured by EIS-MS was coincident with the actual values. In the study of the activity, the doses of peptide were 0.1, 1.0, and 10 microg/ml for rat pituitary and 5 microg/ml for human pituitary. The peptide increased GH releases from rat pituitary in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05; P<0.01). At 1.0 microg/ml, there was a significant difference between Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys and Pro-hGHRH(1-44) or Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44) (P<0.05), whereas the standard hGHRH(1-40) showed no measured rGH release. For human fetal pituitary, the Pro-hGHRH(1-44) peptides showed good GH-releasing activity, but there were no significant differences between them. The structure-activity relationship showed that for both rat and human fetal pituitary, the net GH-releasing activity of the Pro-hGHRH(1-44) analog was more than that of Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44). The results of the other hormones from human pituitary showed that the analog had good function-selectivity and species specificity.

Study on the constructions and activities of three novel hGHRH analogs with N-terminal prolyl modulation+.

Growth hormone releasing hormone is one of the hormones secreted by the hypothalamus. Because of its potential applications in agriculture and medicine, its short half-life and its expensive chemical synthesis, an analog with high GHRH activity and prolonged half-life has been looked for. The fusion partner gene with 127 amino acid residues of the C-terminus from L-asparaginase was recombined respectively with asp-pro-pro-hGHRH(1-44), asp-pro-hGHRH(1-44) or asp-1pro-GHRH(2-44) genes synthesized by PCR method to form three kinds of fusion proteins with unique acid labile linker Asp-Pro. The Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44), Pro-hGHRH(1-44), and 1Pro-GHRH(2-44) peptides were purified to homogeneity by means of cell disruption, washing of inclusion body, ethanol fraction precipitation, acid hydrolysis, SP-Sephadex C-25 and Sephadex G-10 column chromatography. The peptide molecular mass of 5235, 5139 or 4975 Da was determined by ESI mass spectroscopy and purity was determined by SDS-PAGE. In the study of in vitro activity, the antiserum kit against human GH and peptide doses of 0.1, 1.0 and 10 microg/ml were used. These peptides obviously increased GH releases both from human pituitary and from rat pituitary. The activity comparisons showed that there was significant difference between Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys and Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44) at 1.0 microg/ml, or between 1Pro-hGHRH(2-44) and Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44) or Pro-hGHRH(1-44) at 10 microg/ml. The structure-activity relationships showed that at the original C-terminus, for rat pituitary the activity of the GHRH analog with 1Tyr-->Pro was more than that of Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44) or Pro-hGHRH(1-44). The results showed that the analogs had good GH-releasing activity and species specificity.

[Purification and activity assay of recombinant growth hormone-releasing hormone].

OBJECTIVE: To express recombinant growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) peptide in E.coli by genetic engineering and examine its biological activity. METHOD: GHRH peptide was purified to homogeneity by means of cell lysis, washing, ethanol precipitation, acid hydrolysis, SP-Sephadex C25 and Sephadex G-25 column chromatographies. RESULT: SDS-PAGE showed that the recombinant plasmid pET-28a /L-ansB-GHRH in E.coli BL21(DE3) expressed the fusion protein under the induction with IPTG. The fusion protein was expressed in the form of inclusion body, accounting for 30% of the total bacterial protein. After the purification procedures, the peptide was purified about 147-fold with a peptide yield of 0.68%. The molecular mass of the peptide was 5 235 Da as determined by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrum, in agreement with the predicted value, and SDS-PAGE presented a single peak in assessment of the purity. Experiment showed that there were significant differences in the growth hormone released by the peptide between the dose groups and the blank control group, and the differences tended to be more obvious with the increase of the doses. CONCLUSION: The recombinant GHRH peptide possesses good biological activities.

Biochemical properties and comparative pharmacology of a coagulant from Deinagkistrodon acutus snake venom.

A number of snake venom thrombin-like enzymes (TLEs) have already been characterized. Some TLEs play significant roles in vessel injury hemostasis. A novel TLE (Agacutase) was purified from Deinagkistrodon acutus snake venom by the means of Sephadex G-75, DEAE-Sepharose FF, and Sephadex G-25 column chromatography. Structural analysis indicated that Agacutase is a single-chain glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 31,084 Da, isoelectric point of 4.38, optimal activity at 37 °C and pH 6.6, sugar content of 7.6%. Its N-terminal 44 amino acid sequence was determined to be VIGGNECDTNEHRFLAAFFTSRPWIFQCAGTLIHEEWVLAAAHC, showing maximum identity of 80% with that of Dav-X protease. The Agacutase-induced clotting activity was not influenced by heparin, hirudin, or Dextran 40, but activated by Ca(2+) and inhibited by PMSF or lactose, which suggests that Agacutase is a serine protease and the coagulation activity is independent of Thrombin. Agacutase with arginine esterase activity specifically cleaves the α-chain of fibrinogen. Agacutase iv (0.03-0.12 U/kg) shortened 16-68% of the rabbit blood clotting time. No significant influence was indicated on platelet, Factor II and XIII, or fibrinolytic system. It converts fibrinogen into the soluble fibrin that accelerates hemostasis at wound. Pharmacological comparison showed the hemostatic effect of Agacutase lasted 24h while Reptilase did 8h. Its maximum tolerated, abnormal toxicity, allergic, and hemorrhagin doses were 80 U/kg, 1 U, 2 U, and 50 U, respectively, whereas those of Reptilase or Agacutin were 35 U/kg, 0.25 U, 0.25 U, and 0.2 U, respectively. The results indicated that Agacutase may be a predominant coagulant.

Structure and function relationships of three novel hGHRH-GGC analogs.

Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) is one of the hypothalamus hormones. For its potential applications in agriculture and medicine, GHRH analog with higher activity and longer half-life has been looked for. By using the fusion expression with unique acid labile linker Asp-Pro and biochemical purification, the three novel GHRH peptides, Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys, Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys, and (1)Pro-GHRH(2-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys, were obtained. The peptide molecular weight with 5,455, 5,373 or 5,210 Da measured by EIS-MS is coincident with the actual values. The peptides at 0.1-10 microg/ml increased rat pituitary GH releases in a dose-dependent manner and at 5 microg/ml increased human pituitary GH releases. The activity comparisons showed that at 10 microg/ml there were significant between (1)Pro-hGHRH(2-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys and Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys or Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys, (1)Pro-hGHRH(2-44) (P<0.05). The (1)Pro-hGHRH(2-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys showed the highest GH release from rat pituitary. The activity results showed that the N-terminal Pro modulations and the C-terminal Gly-Gly-Cys extension regulate GH release from pituitary. The results showed that the three peptides had good GH release, function-selectivity and species specificity.

PC2/CPE-mediated pro-protein processing in tumor cells and its differentiated cells or tissues.

Pro-protein convertase-2 (PC2) and carboxypeptidase-E (CPE) proteins are two major members of the pro-protein convertases that involve in the maturation of protein precursor. By using PC2 activity, immunocytochemistry (ICC) and Western blot method, PC2, CPE and preproNPY protein expression levels were compared among mature retina tissue, RGC-5 cells and its differentiated cells, or brain cortex tissue, NS20Y tumor cells and its differentiated cells, or mature breast tissue, breast tumor cell RM1 and breast adenocarcinoma tissue. The experimental results indicated that the differentiated cells or tissues had higher or highest PC2 activity. In the comparative experiments, more PC2 protein expression in the mature tissues and more CPE and preproNPY protein expression in the tumor cells or tumor tissue were observed, but no expression of preproNPY protein was observed in the mature tissues. Compared with NS20Y or RGC-5 undifferentiated cells, its differentiated cells showed less proPC2, more proCPE and more preproNPY protein expressions. The results demonstrated that the mature tissues showed stronger PC2/CPE-mediated pro-protein processing ability than the tumor cells or tissue. The results also showed that the artificial differentiation of RGC-5 or NS20Y cells was different from maturation of its corresponding normal tissue.

Pro-protein convertase-2/carboxypeptidase-E mediated neuropeptide processing of RGC-5 cell after in vitro ischemia.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1007/s12264-009-1027-8.].

Pro-protein convertase-2/carboxypeptidase-E mediated neuropeptide processing of RGC-5 cell after in vitro ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the change of the neuropeptide pro-protein processing system in the ischemic retina ganglion cell-5 (RGC-5) cells, pro-protein convertase-2 (PC2), carboxypeptidase-E (CPE) and preproneuropeptide Y (preproNPY) protein levels in the ischemic RGC-5 cells and conditioned medium were analyzed. METHODS: The RGC-5 cell was differentiated in 0.1 mumol/L staurosporine for 24 h and then stressed by different doses of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). The acute or chronic OGD-induced cell death rates were obtained by using PI or TUNEL staining. The protein expression levels were determined by using the Western blot method and PC2 activity analysis. RESULTS: The ischemia caused substantial cell death in an OGD dose-dependent manner. In the cells, proPC2 and preproNPY protein levels gradually increased whereas proCPE gradually decreased. After OGD, PC2 activity was decreased. In the conditioned medium, proPC2 and PC2 proteins gradually decreased whereas proCPE, CPE, and preproNPY proteins gradually increased. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that OGD inhibited the neuropeptide pro-protein processing system by reducing PC2 activity and the maturation of proPC2. The aggregation of the pro-proteins and the increase of the active CPE excision adversely exacerbated the cell injury. The pro-protein processing system might play a critical role in the ischemic stress of RGC-5 cells.

Biochemical and hemostatic mechanism of a novel thrombin-like enzyme.

Thrombin-like enzyme (TLE) plays a significant role in vessel injury hemostasis. A novel snake venom TLE (Agacutin) was purified from Agkistrodon Acutus snake venom. Structural analysis indicated that Agacutin is a heterodimer that has a MW of 29,402 Da, a pI value of 5.39, and optimum activity at 35 degrees C and pH 7.5. The N-terminal 15 amino acid sequences of Agacutin are DSSGWSSYEGHEYYV (small subunit) and DCSSGWSSYEEHQYY (large subunit). In vitro studies indicated that the coagulation activity of Agacutin was activated by Ca(+2) or inhibited by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, but not influenced by heparin or hirudin. The arginine esterase activity and fibrinogen hydrolysis result showed that Agacutin only cleaves alpha-subunit and releases fibrinopeptide A. In vivo studies indicated that Agacutin iv (0.01-0.05 U/kg) shortened 30.2-49% of the rabbit blood clotting time, or ip (0.5-2.0 U/kg) shortened 29.7-73.1% of the mouse tail bleeding time. Agacutin does not influence APTT, platelet or euglobulin clotting time, and activate Factor II or XIII. It converts fibrinogen into the soluble fibrin that accelerates hemostasis at wound.

Construction and activity of a novel GHRH analog, Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys.

AIM: To construct another growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys peptide and to compare its activity with that of Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)OH peptide. METHODS: The pro-pro-hGHRH(1-44)-gly-gly-cys DNA fragment was synthesized by polymerase chain reaction. The recombinant protein was expressed to high levels in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys peptide was purified to homogeneity by cell disruption, washing, ethanol precipitation, acid hydrolysis, and SP-Sephadex C-25 and Sephadex G-25 column chromatography. The peptide molecular mass was determined by electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS). Its purity was determined by SDS-PAGE. The concentration of growth hormone (GH) stimulated by GHRH and its analogs was determined with antiserum kit against human GH. The other human hormones as hTSH, hFSH, hLH, and hPRL were determined with a paramagnetic particle chemiluminescent immunoassay kit. RESULTS: The molecular weight of Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys was 5455.4 kDa which was coincident with the theoretical calculations. All the three peptides at 5 mg/L stimulated GH release from the human fetal pituitary but only the difference between Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys group and blank group was significant (P<0.05). Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L and Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)OH 0.1 and 1 mg/L stimulated GH release from rat pituitary in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05, P<0.01). At the same concentration Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys stimulated more GH release than Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)OH. Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)OH 0.01 mg/L and hGHRH (1-40)OH 2 mg/L did not stimulate GH release from rat pituitary (P>0.05). Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)OH and Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys peptides at 5 mg/L did not stimulate hTSH, hFSH, hLH, and hPRL release from human fetal pituitary in vitro. CONCLUSION: Pro-Pro-hGHRH (1-44)-Gly-Gly-Cys had a better activity than that of Pro-Pro-hGHRH(1-44)OH. Variation at C-terminus of GHRH could modulate its GH releasing activity.