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Series GSE234765 Query DataSets for GSE234765
Status Public on May 24, 2024
Title Effects of chemical in vitro activation versus fragmentation on human ovarian tissue and follicle growth in culture
Organism Homo sapiens
Experiment type Expression profiling by high throughput sequencing
Summary Abstract

STUDY QUESTION
What is the effect of the chemical in vitro activation (cIVA) protocol compared with fragmentation only (Frag, also known as mechanical IVA) on gene expression, follicle activation, and growth in human ovarian tissue in vitro?

SUMMARY ANSWER
Although histological assessment shows that cIVA significantly increases follicle survival and growth compared to Frag, both protocols stimulate extensive and nearly identical transcriptomic changes in cultured tissue compared to freshly collected ovarian tissue, including marked changes in energy metabolism and inflammatory responses.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
Treatments based on chemical in vitro activation of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)- phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway in ovarian tissue followed by auto-transplantation have been administered to patients with refractory premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and resulted in live births. However, comparable effects with mere tissue fragmentation have been shown, questioning the added value of chemical stimulation that could potentially activate oncogenic responses.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
Fifty-nine ovarian cortical biopsies were obtained from consenting women undergoing elective caesarean section (C-section). The samples were fragmented for culture studies. Half of the fragments were exposed to bpV (HOpic) + 740Y-P (Frag + cIVA group) during the first 24 h of culture, while the other half were cultured with medium only (Frag group). Subsequently, both groups were cultured with medium only for an additional 6 days. Tissue and media samples were collected for histological, transcriptomic, steroid hormone and cytokine/chemokine analyses at various time points.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
Effects on follicles were evaluated by counting and scoring serial sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin before and after the 7-day culture. Follicle function was assessed by quantification of steroids by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry at different time points. Cytokines and chemokines were measured by multiplex assay. Transcriptomic effects were measured by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) of the tissue after the initial 24 h culture. Selected differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were validated by quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence in cultured ovarian tissue as well as in KGN cell (human ovarian granulosa-like tumor cell line) culture experiments.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
Compared to the Frag group, the Frag + cIVA group exhibited a significantly higher follicle survival rate, increased numbers of secondary follicles, and larger follicle sizes. Additionally, the tissue in Frag + cIVA group produced less dehydroepiandrosterone compared to Frag. Cytokine measurement showed a strong inflammatory response at the start of the culture in both groups. The RNA-seq data revealed modest differences between the Frag + cIVA and Frag groups, with only 164 DEGs identified using a relaxed cut-off of false discovery rate (FDR)<0.1. Apart from the expected PI3K-protein kinase B (Akt) pathway, cIVA also regulated pathways related to hypoxia, cytokines, and inflammation. In comparison to freshly collected ovarian tissue, gene expression in general was markedly affected in both Frag + cIVA and Frag groups, with a total of 3,119 and 2,900 DEGs identified (FDR < 0.001), respectively. The top enriched gene sets in both groups included several pathways known to modulate follicle growth such as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)C1 signaling. Significant changes compared to fresh tissue were also observed in the expression of steroidogenesis enzymes and classical granulosa cell markers in both groups. Intriguingly, we discovered a profound upregulation of genes related to glycolysis and its upstream regulator in both Frag and Frag + cIVA groups, and these changes were further boosted by the cIVA treatment. Cell culture experiments confirmed glycolysis-related genes as direct targets of the cIVA drugs. In conclusion, cIVA enhances follicle growth, as expected, but the mechanisms may be more complex than PI3K-Akt-mTOR alone, and the impact on function and quality of the follicles after the culture period remains an open question.

LARGE SCALE DATA
Data was deposited in GEO data base, accession number GSE234765. Code for sequencing analysis can be found in https://github.com/tialiv/IVA_project.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
Similar to the published IVA protocols, the first steps in our study were performed in an in vitro culture model where the ovarian tissue was isolated from the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Further in vivo experiments will be needed, for example in xeno-transplantation models, to explore the long-term impacts of the discovered effects. The tissue collected from patients undergoing C-section may not be comparable to tissue of patients with POI.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
The general impact of fragmentation and short (24 hours) in vitro culture on gene expression in ovarian tissue far exceeded the effects of cIVA. Yet, follicle growth was stimulated by cIVA, which may suggest effects on specific cell populations that may be diluted in bulk RNA-seq. Nevertheless, we confirmed the impact of cIVA on glycolysis using a cell culture model, suggesting impacts on cellular signaling beyond the PI3K pathway. The profound changes in inflammation and glycolysis following fragmentation and culture could contribute to follicle activation and loss in ovarian tissue culture, as well as in clinical applications, such as fertility preservation by ovarian tissue auto-transplantation.
 
Overall design 27 samples in total from 11 patients. Tissues were cultured in either matrigel-coated or laminin 221 coated insert. 10 IVA samples were treated with 740Y-P and bpV (HOpic) for 24 h and 6 fragmentation samples were treated with media only.

***Raw data have not been provided due to patient privacy concerns***
Web link https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoae028
 
Contributor(s) Hao J, Li T, Heinzelmann M, Moussaud-Lamodière E, Lebre F, Krjutškov K, Damdimopoulos A, Arnelo C, Pettersson K, Alfaro-Moreno E, Lindskog C, van Duursen M, Damdimopoulou P
Citation(s) 38803550
Submission date Jun 12, 2023
Last update date Jun 12, 2024
Contact name Tianyi Li
E-mail(s) tianyi_li1@sina.com
Phone +46-739764359
Organization name Karolinska Institute
Department Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology
Lab Damdimopoulou lab
Street address Novum plan 5 hiss F, Hälsovägen 7-9
City Huddinge
ZIP/Postal code 14186
Country Sweden
 
Platforms (1)
GPL11154 Illumina HiSeq 2000 (Homo sapiens)
Samples (27)
GSM7474316 Patient 1, LN221, Fragmentation
GSM7474317 Patient 3, LN221, Fragmentation
GSM7474318 Patient 4, LN221, IVA
Relations
BioProject PRJNA982873

Download family Format
SOFT formatted family file(s) SOFTHelp
MINiML formatted family file(s) MINiMLHelp
Series Matrix File(s) TXTHelp

Supplementary file Size Download File type/resource
GSE234765_raw_count.txt.gz 828.0 Kb (ftp)(http) TXT
Processed data are available on Series record
Raw data not provided for this record

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