• 농업과학연구
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.979-985
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• 2020

A wide range of techniques have been developed to separate X or Y- chromosome-bearing sperm. In particular, bovine semen sex-sorted by using flow cytometry based on differences in the amount of DNA between X and Y chromosome bearing sperm is used in dairy farms. The first piglets were produced using sex-sorted sperm 30 years ago. However, sexed sperm have not been commercially available in pigs because the flow cytometry technique is not capable of sorting the high number of sperm required for porcine artificial insemination (AI), and the prolonged exposure to an electrical filed might damage to the DNA in sperm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a boar sperm sorting method based on magnetic nanoparticles. A flow cytometer assay verified the efficacy of the magnetic nanoparticles (> 90% of sex-sorted sperm). In addition, a duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using sex chromosome specific genes including SRY (sex-determining region Y; male), ZFY (zinc finger protein Y-linked; male), and ZFX (zinc finger protein X-linked; female) showed that in vitro fertilized porcine embryos by X and Y-chromosome bearing sperm were 100% female (40/40) and 72% female (35/48), respectively, at 8-cell or morula stages, suggesting that the sex-sorted sperm were fertile. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the sex-sorted method based on magnetic nanoparticles can be utilized for porcine sex-sorted AI.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.264-275
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by tremors, bradykinesia, and rigidity. PD is caused by loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain substantia nigra (SN) and therefore, replenishment of DA neurons via stem cell-based therapy is a potential treatment option. Astrocytes are the most abundant non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system and are promising candidates for reprogramming into neuronal cells because they share a common origin with neurons. The ability of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) to proliferate and differentiate may overcome the limitations of the reduced viability and function of transplanted cells after cell replacement therapy. Achaete-scute complex homolog-like 1 (Ascl1) is a well-known neuronal-specific factor that induces various cell types such as human and mouse astrocytes and fibroblasts to differentiate into neurons. Nurr1 is involved in the differentiation and maintenance of DA neurons, and decreased Nurr1 expression is known to be a major risk factor for PD. Previous studies have shown that direct conversion of astrocytes into DA neurons and NPCs can be induced by overexpression of Ascl1 and Nurr1 and additional transcription factors genes such as superoxide dismutase 1 and SRY-box 2. Here, we demonstrate that astrocytes isolated from the ventral midbrain, the origin of SN DA neurons, can be effectively converted into DA neurons and NPCs with enhanced viability. In addition, when these NPCs are inducted to differentiate, they exhibit key characteristics of DA neurons. Thus, direct conversion of midbrain astrocytes is a possible cell therapy strategy to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.57-65
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• 1997

Cytogenetic observations of loss of the distal portion of the Y chromosome long arm were found to be associated with disrupted spermatogenesis. The existence of a gene involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis, the azoospermia factor (AZF), was postulated. In this study, we screened the AZF region including DAZ and DAZH genes and observed the expression pattern of DAZ and DAZH transcript in infertile men with azoospermia and oligospermia by using a sequence-tagged site (STS)-based PCR method. PCR primers were synthesized for 11 STSs that span Yq interval 6, SRY, DAZ, and DAZH, functional DAZ homologue on chromosome 3. Microdeletions were detected in 4/32 (12.5%) azoospermic men and 1/11 (9%) severe oligospermic men. Only 2 of 5 patients had microdeletions of Yq that contained the DAZ gene, whereas the other 3 patients had deletions extending from intervals 5L-6F proximal to the DAZ gene on Yq. Testis biopsies of the azoospermic patients revealed a variety from Sertoli cell-only syndrome to testicular maturation arrest. Of 4 men with clinical data available, average testis size was R: 13.8 cc, L: 13.8 cc, serum T was $4.0{\pm}1.25$ ng/ml, LH was $3.63{\pm}1.90$ mIU/ml, and FSH was $8.85{\pm}5.13$ mIU/ml. These values did not differ significantly from the remainder of the patients tested. We could not observed the DAZ transcript in 2 patients, who have no mature spermatozoa. In 11.6% of patients microdeletions of the AZF could be detected. These deletions in the AZF region seem to be involved causing spermatogenic failure. But the frequency of microdeletions proximal to DAZ suggests that DAZ is not the only gene associated with spermatogenic failure.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.367-377
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• 1996

Genes on the long arm of Y chromosome, particularly interval 6, are believed to playa critical role in human spermatogenesis. The objective of this study was to validate a sequenced-tagged site(STS)-mapping strategy for the detection of Yq microdeletion and to use this method to determine the proportion of men with Yq microdeletions in idiopathic, obstructive, nonobstructive azoospermia, severe OATS and in normal males. We analyzed three STS markers mapped to interval 6 within long arm of the Y chromosome from 106 nonobstructive, 30 obstructive azoospermia, 15 severe OATS patients, and normal 42 males in Korean men. By PCR, we tested leukocyte DNA, for the presences of STS markers(DAZ, sY129 and sY134) and SRY gene as internal control. And PCR results were confirmed by Southern hybridization, and were investigated by SSCP analysis for DAZ gene mutation. None of 42 normal males and 30 obstructive azoospermia had microdeletions, Of the 15 severe OATS typed with DAZ, sY129 and sY134, 3(20.0%) patients failed to amplify 1 or more STS markers, and of the 106 nonobstructive azoospermia typed with DAZ, sY129 and sY134, 12(11.3%) patients failed to amplify 1 or more STS markers. From these results, high prevalence(12.4%) of Yq deletion(DAZ, sY129, sY134) in men with nonobstructive idopathic azoospermia and severe OATS were observed in Korean infertility patients. To avoid the infertile offspring by assisted reproductive technique using ICSI or ROSI, genetic diagnosis will be needed in IVF-ET program.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.139-144
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• 2008

무정자증을 보이는 40세 남성과 3대에 걸쳐 정상 생식력과 표현형을 보이는 38세 산모의 가계에서 동원체를 포함한 X 염색체의 역위를 경험한 바, 이를 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하고자 한다. 첫 번째 증례의 남성 환자는 정상범위의 LH, prolactin, estradiol, testosterone 혈중농도를 보였으나 FSH는 20 mIU/mL을 보여 정상수치보다 높았다. 조직학적 소견으로는 정소 내 제 1, 제 2 정모세포의 발달이 정지되어 있었지만 Y 염색체의 sY84, sY129, sY134, sY254, sY255, SRY 부위에 대한 미세결실은 없었다. 그 외 특이할 만한 임상적 소견은 보이지 않았다. 환자의 말초혈액으로부터 세포유전학적 검사로 GTL-분염법 판독을 한 결과, 46,Y,inv(X)(p22.1q27)로 나타났다. 두 번째 증례의 산모와 그 태아는 각각 46,X,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2), 46,X,inv(X)(p22.1q27)의 핵형이 관찰되었다. 이 산모의 가계는 본 연구실에서 친언니의 산전진단 시 언니, 언니의 태아, 환자의 아버지가 각각 46,X,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2), 46,Y,?inv(X), 46,Y,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2)의 형태로 inv(X)가 관찰된 기록이 있었고 대상자 모두 inv(X)로 인한 특징적인 임상적 증상은 보이지 않았다. 또한 RBG-분염법을 통해 관찰한 X 염색체의 비활성화는 언니의 inv(X) 비활성화 비율이 4.1%, 환자는 69.5%로 혈액세포 내에서의 X 염색체의 비활성화 비율은 서로 다르게 관찰되었다. 따라서 이 가계의 inv(X)는 특정 유전자의 손상이 없는 균형적 역위이며, X염색체의 역위현상으로 인한 비정상 표현형이나 생식기능의 결함은 관찰되지 않았다. 그러나 증례 1의 남성의 경우 세포유전학적으로 동일한 위치에 절단점을 가졌으나 생식세포의 발달과정의 결함이 관찰되었으며, 절단점 주변에 위치한 중요한 유전인자들의 손상 가능성이 제기되었다.