The effect of epididymosomes on the development of frozen-thawed mouse spermatogonial stem cells after culture in a decellularized testicular scaffold and transplantation into azoospermic mice.
J Assist Reprod Genet
; 41(8): 2079-2098, 2024 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38839698
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
This study examined SSC proliferation on an epididymosome-enriched decellularized testicular matrix (DTM) hydrogel and spermatogenesis induction in azoospermic mice.METHODS:
Epididymosomes were extracted and characterized using SEM and western blotting. After cryopreservation, thawed SSCs were cultured in a hydrogel-based three-dimensional (3D) culture containing 10 ng/mL GDNF or 20 µg/mL epididymosomes. SSCs were assessed using the MTT assay, flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR after two weeks of culture. The isolated SSCs were microinjected into the efferent ducts of busulfan-treated mice. DiI-labeled SSCs were followed, and cell homing was assessed after two weeks. After 8 weeks, the testes were evaluated using morphometric studies and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:
The expression of PLZF, TGF-ß, and miR-10b did not increase statistically significantly in the 3D + GDNF and 3D + epididymosome groups compared to the 3D group. Among the groups, the GDNF-treated group exhibited the highest expression of miR-21 (*P < 0.05). Caspase-3 expression was lower in the epididymosome-treated group than in the other groups (***P < 0.001). Compared to the 3D and negative control groups, the 3D + epididymosomes and 3D + GDNF groups showed an increase in spermatogenic cells. Immunohistochemical results confirmed the growth and differentiation of spermatogonial cells into spermatids in the treatment groups.CONCLUSION:
The DTM hydrogel containing 20 µg/mL epididymosomes or 10 ng/mL GDNF is a novel and safe culture system that can support SSC proliferation in vitro to obtain adequate SSCs for transplantation success. It could be a novel therapeutic agent that could recover deregulated SSCs in azoospermic patients.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Espermatogênese
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Testículo
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Criopreservação
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Epididimo
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Azoospermia
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article