Male infertility is a prevalent disorder distressing an estimated 70 million people worldwide. Despite continued progress in understanding the causes of male infertility, idiopathic sperm abnormalities such as multiple morphological abnormalities of sperm flagella (MMAF) still account for about 30% of male infertility. Recurrent mutations in DNAH1 have been reported to cause MMAF in various populations, but the underlying mechanism is still poorly explored. This study investigated the MMAF phenotype of two extended consanguineous Pakistani families without manifesting primary ciliary dyskinesia symptoms. The transmission electron microscopy analysis of cross-sections of microtubule doublets revealed a missing central singlet of microtubules and a disorganized fibrous sheath. SPAG6 staining, a marker generally used to check the integration of microtubules of central pair, further confirmed the disruption of central pair in the spermatozoa of patients. Thus, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed, and WES analysis identified two novel mutations in the DNAH1 gene that were recessively co-segregating with MMAF phenotype in both families. To mechanistically study the impact of identified mutation, we generated Dnah1 mice models to confirm the in vivo effects of identified mutations. Though Dnah1 △iso1/△iso1 mutant mice represented MMAF phenotype, no significant defects were observed in the ultrastructure of mutant mice spermatozoa. Interestingly, we found DNAH1 isoform2 in Dnah1 △iso1/△iso1 mutant mice that may be mediating the formation of normal ultrastructure in the absence of full-length protein. Altogether we are first reporting the possible explanation of inconsistency between mouse and human DNAH1 mutant phenotypes, which will pave the way for further understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of MMAF.

In vitro culture of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) is a useful approach to investigate numerous aspects of neuronal behavior and to identify potential therapeutic targets for SGN protection and regeneration. However, the isolation of SGNs and the long-term maintenance of their structure and function in vitro remain challenging. In this study, we isolated SGNs from Bhlhb5-cre and Rosa26-tdTomato mice with fluorescence-activated cell sorting and determined the cell purity. We then encapsulated the pure SGNs in matrigel and cultured the SGNs in vitro. We found that the three-dimensional (3D)-matrigel culture environment significantly suppressed apoptosis and improved SGN survival in vitro, which enabled the long-term culture of SGNs for up to 6 months. The 3D-matrigel system also significantly promoted neurite outgrowth of the SGNs, increased the cells\' polarity, promoted the area of growth cones, and significantly increased the synapse density of the SGNs. More importantly, the 3D-matrigel system helped to maintain and promote the electrophysiological properties of the SGNs. In conclusion, the 3D-matrigel culture system promoted the survival of purified SGNs in vitro and maintained their morphological structure and function and thus could be a useful tool for studying the physiology and pathophysiology of purified SGNs in long-term culture.

Reactive oxygen species have been implicated in feeding control through involvement in brain lipid sensing, and regulating NPY/AgRP and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule in neurons and it stimulates feeding in many species. Whether reactive oxygen species affect feeding through interaction with nitric oxide is unclear. We previously reported that Immp2l mutation in mice causes excessive mitochondrial superoxide generation, which causes infertility and early signs of aging. In our present study, reduced food intake in mutant mice resulted in significantly reduced body weight and fat composition while energy expenditure remained unchanged. Lysate from mutant brain showed a significant decrease in cGMP levels, suggesting insufficient nitric oxide signaling. Thus, our data suggests that reactive oxygen species may regulate food intake through modulating the bioavailability of nitric oxide.

Previous studies have shown that disruption of von Hippel-Lindau gene (Vhl) coincides with activation of hypoxia-inducible factor α (HIFα) signaling in bone cells and plays an important role in bone development, homeostasis, and regeneration. It is known that activation of HIF1α signaling in mature osteoblasts is central to the coupling between angiogenesis and bone formation. However, the precise mechanisms responsible for the coupling between skeletal angiogenesis and osteogenesis during bone remodeling are only partially elucidated. To evaluate the role of Vhl in bone homeostasis and the coupling between vascular physiology and bone, we generated mice lacking Vhl in osteochondral progenitor cells (referred to as Vhl cKO mice) at postnatal and adult stages in a tamoxifen-inducible manner and changes in skeletal morphology were assessed by micro-computed tomography (µCT), histology, and bone histomorphometry. We found that mice with inactivation of Vhl in osteochondral progenitor cells at the postnatal stage largely phenocopied that of mice lacking Vhl in mature osteoblasts, developing striking and progressive accumulation of cancellous bone with increased microvascular density and bone formation. These were accompanied with a significant increase in osteoblast proliferation, upregulation of differentiation marker Runx2 and osteocalcin, and elevated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8. In addition, we found that Vhl deletion in osteochondral progenitor cells in adult bone protects mice from aging-induced bone loss. Our data suggest that the VHL-mediated signaling in osteochondral progenitor cells plays a critical role in bone remodeling at postnatal/adult stages through coupling osteogenesis and angiogenesis. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.