Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36513788›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2022

Transcriptomic differences between fibrotic and non-fibrotic testicular tissue reveal possible key players in Klinefelter syndrome-related testicular fibrosis.

Margo Willems, Catharina Olsen, Ben Caljon, Veerle Vloeberghs, Jean De Schepper, Herman Tournaye, Dorien Van Saen, Ellen Goossens

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Margo WillemsLaboratory for Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium. Margo.Willems@vub.be.
Catharina OlsenBrussels Interuniversity Genomics High Throughput Core (BRIGHTcore) Platform, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel)/Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Ben CaljonBrussels Interuniversity Genomics High Throughput Core (BRIGHTcore) Platform, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel)/Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Veerle VloeberghsUniversitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels IVF, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Jean De SchepperLaboratory for Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Herman TournayeLaboratory for Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Dorien Van SaenLaboratory for Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Ellen GoossensLaboratory for Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine, Biology of the Testis (BITE) Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel · BEUniversitair Ziekenhuis Brussel · BESechenov University · RU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Klinefelter syndrome (KS; 47,XXY) affects 1-2 in 1000 males. Most men with KS suffer from an early germ cell loss and testicular fibrosis from puberty onwards. Mechanisms responsible for these processes remain unknown. Previous genomics studies on testis tissue from men with KS focused on germ cell loss, while a transcriptomic analysis focused on testicular fibrosis has not yet been performed. This study aimed to identify factors involved in the fibrotic remodelling of KS testes by analysing the transcriptome of fibrotic and non-fibrotic testicular tissue. RNA sequencing was performed to compare the genes expressed in testicular samples with (KS and testis atrophy) and without (Sertoli cell-only syndrome and fertile controls) fibrosis (n = 5, each). Additionally, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between KS and testis atrophy samples were studied to reveal KS-specific fibrotic genes. DEGs were considered significant when p < 0.01 and log2FC > 2. Next, downstream analyses (GO and KEGG) were performed. Lastly, RNA in situ hybridization was performed to validate the results. The first analysis (fibrotic vs non-fibrotic) resulted in 734 significant DEGs (167 up- and 567 down-regulated). Genes involved in the extracellular structure organization (e.g. VCAM1) were found up-regulated. KEGG analysis showed an up-regulation of genes involved in the TGF-β pathway. The KS vs testis atrophy analysis resulted in 539 significant DEGs (59 up- and 480 down-regulated). Chronic inflammatory response genes were found up-regulated. The overlap of X-linked DEGs from the two analyses revealed three genes: matrix-remodelling associated 5 (MXRA5), doublecortin (DCX) and variable charge X-Linked 3B (VCX3B). RNA in situ hybridization showed an overexpression of VCAM1, MXRA5 and DCX within the fibrotic group compared with the non-fibrotic group. To summarize, this study revealed DEGs between fibrotic and non-fibrotic testis tissue, including VCAM1. In addition, X-linked fibrotic genes were revealed, e.g. MXRA5, DCX and VCX3B. Their potential role in KS-related testicular fibrosis needs further study.

Indexed as

Klinefelter SyndromeAtrophyFibrosisHumansMaleRNATestisTranscriptomeRNA

Identifiers

PMID36513788
PMCPMC9748020
OpenAlexW4311361713

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.