Extracellular vesicles derived from human Sertoli cells: characterizations, proteomic analysis, and miRNA profiling.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain thousands of proteins and nucleic acids, playing an important role in cell-cell communications. Sertoli cells have been essential in the testis as a "nurse cell". However, EVs derived from human Sertoli cells (HSerCs) have not been well investigated.

METHODS:

EVs were isolated from HSerCs via ultracentrifugation and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, tunable resistive pulse sensing, and Western blotting. The cargo carried by HSerCs-EVs was measured via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and GeneChip miRNA Arrays. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to reveal potential functions of HSerCs-EVs.

RESULTS:

A total of 860 proteins with no less than 2 unique peptides and 88 microRNAs with high signal values were identified in HSerCs-EVs. Biological processes related to molecular binding, enzyme activity, and regulation of cell cycle were significantly enriched. Specifically, many proteins in HSerCs-EVs were associated with spermatogenesis and regulation of immune system, including Septins, Large proline-rich protein BAG6, Clusterin, and Galectin-1. Moreover, abundant microRNAs within HSerCs-EVs (miR-638, miR-149-3p, miR-1246, etc.) had a possible impact on male reproductive disorders such as asthenozoospermia and oligozoospermia.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our study has shown that HSerCs-EVs contain diverse components such as proteins and microRNAs. Further research is required to evaluate HSerCs-EVs in spermatogenesis, which are underutilized but highly potent resources with particular promise for male infertility.

• Authors: Xiao-Hui Tan, Sheng-Ji Gu, Wen-Jie Tian, Wen-Peng Song, Yang-Yang Gu, Yi-Ming Yuan, Xue-Song Li, Zhong-Cheng Xin, Sae Woong Kim, Rui-Li Guan, Woong Jin Bae
• Journal: Molecular biology reports (Mol Biol Rep) Vol. 49 Issue 6 Pg. 4673-4681 (Jun 2022) ISSN: 1573-4978 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 35366759 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.

Chemical References

• BAG6 protein, human
• MIRN149 microRNA, human
• MIRN638 microRNA, human
• MicroRNAs
• Molecular Chaperones
• Proteins

Topics

• Chromatography, Liquid
• Extracellular Vesicles (genetics, metabolism)
• Humans
• Male
• MicroRNAs (metabolism)
• Molecular Chaperones (metabolism)
• Proteins (metabolism)
• Proteomics
• Sertoli Cells (metabolism)