1
|
He Z, Yan RG, Shang QB, Yang QE. Elevated Id2 expression causes defective meiosis and spermatogenesis in mice. Dev Dyn 2024; 253:593-605. [PMID: 38063258 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhibitors of DNA binding (ID) proteins mainly inhibit gene expression and regulate cell fate decisions by interacting with E-proteins. All four ID proteins (ID1-4) are present in the testis, and ID4 has a particularly important role in spermatogonial stem cell fate determination. Several lines of evidence indicate that ID proteins are involved in meiosis; however, functional experiments have not been conducted to validate this observation. RESULTS In this study, we report that ID2 is enriched in spermatocytes and that forced ID2 expression in germ cells causes defects in spermatogenesis. A detailed analysis demonstrated that Id2 overexpression (Id2 OE) decreased the total number of spermatogonia and changed the dynamics of meiosis progression. Specifically, spermatocytes were enriched in the zygotene stage, and the proportion of pachytene spermatocytes was significantly decreased, indicating defects in the zygotene-pachytene transition. The number of MLH1-positive foci per cell was decreased in pachytene spermatocytes from Id2 OE testes, suggesting abnormalities in recombination. Transcriptome analysis revealed that forced Id2 expression changed the expression of a list of genes mainly associated with meiosis and spermatid development. CONCLUSIONS ID2 protein is expressed in spermatocytes, and its genetic ablation in the germline does not affect spermatogenesis, likely due to genetic compensation of its family members. However, forced Id2 expression changes meiosis progression and causes defects in spermiogenesis. These data provide important evidence that ID proteins play pivotal roles in male meiosis and spermatid development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen He
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rong-Ge Yan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qin-Bang Shang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Qi-En Yang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Plateau Animal Breeding and Functional Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang FC, Zhang XN, Wu SX, He Z, Zhang LY, Yang QE. Loss of PBX1 function in Leydig cells causes testicular dysgenesis and male sterility. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:212. [PMID: 38724675 PMCID: PMC11082031 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05249-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Leydig cells are essential components of testicular interstitial tissue and serve as a primary source of androgen in males. A functional deficiency in Leydig cells often causes severe reproductive disorders; however, the transcriptional programs underlying the fate decisions and steroidogenesis of these cells have not been fully defined. In this study, we report that the homeodomain transcription factor PBX1 is a master regulator of Leydig cell differentiation and testosterone production in mice. PBX1 was highly expressed in Leydig cells and peritubular myoid cells in the adult testis. Conditional deletion of Pbx1 in Leydig cells caused spermatogenic defects and complete sterility. Histological examinations revealed that Pbx1 deletion impaired testicular structure and led to disorganization of the seminiferous tubules. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that loss of Pbx1 function affected the fate decisions of progenitor Leydig cells and altered the transcription of genes associated with testosterone synthesis in the adult testis. Pbx1 directly regulates the transcription of genes that play important roles in steroidogenesis (Prlr, Nr2f2 and Nedd4). Further analysis demonstrated that deletion of Pbx1 leads to a significant decrease in testosterone levels, accompanied by increases in pregnenolone, androstenedione and luteinizing hormone. Collectively, our data revealed that PBX1 is indispensable for maintaining Leydig cell function. These findings provide insights into testicular dysgenesis and the regulation of hormone secretion in Leydig cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Chen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Na Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shi-Xin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhen He
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lu-Yao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China
| | - Qi-En Yang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810001, Qinghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang YW, Wu SX, Wang GW, Wan RD, Yang QE. Single-cell analysis identifies critical regulators of spermatogonial development and differentiation in cattle-yak bulls. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)00759-8. [PMID: 38642661 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a continuous process in which functional sperm are produced through a series of mitotic and meiotic divisions and morphological changes in germ cells. The aberrant development and fate transitions of spermatogenic cells cause hybrid sterility in mammals. Cattle-yak, a hybrid animal between taurine cattle (Bos taurus) and yak (Bos grunniens), exhibits male-specific sterility due to spermatogenic failure. In the present study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to identify differences in testicular cell composition and the developmental trajectory of spermatogenic cells between yak and cattle-yak. The composition and molecular signatures of spermatogonial subtypes were dramatically different between these 2 animals, and the expression of genes associated with stem cell maintenance, cell differentiation and meiotic entry was altered in cattle-yak, indicating the impairment of undifferentiated spermatogonial fate decisions. Cell communication analysis revealed that signaling within different spermatogenic cell subpopulations was weakened, and progenitor spermatogonia were unable or delayed receiving and sending signals for transformation to the next stage in cattle-yak. Simultaneously, the communication between niche cells and germ cells was also abnormal. Collectively, we obtained the expression profiles of transcriptome signatures of different germ cells and testicular somatic cell populations at the single-cell level and identified critical regulators of spermatogonial differentiation and meiosis in yak and sterile cattle-yak. The findings of this study shed light on the genetic mechanisms that lead to hybrid sterility and speciation in bovid species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Wen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shi-Xin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guo-Wen Wang
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810016, China
| | - Rui-Dong Wan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi-En Yang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Qinghai Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, Qinghai 810001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li S, Yan RG, Gao X, He Z, Wu SX, Wang YJ, Zhang YW, Tao HP, Zhang XN, Jia GX, Yang QE. Single-cell transcriptome analyses reveal critical regulators of spermatogonial stem cell fate transitions. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:138. [PMID: 38310206 PMCID: PMC10837949 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10072-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the foundation cells for continual spermatogenesis and germline regeneration in mammals. SSC activities reside in the undifferentiated spermatogonial population, and currently, the molecular identities of SSCs and their committed progenitors remain unclear. RESULTS We performed single-cell transcriptome analysis on isolated undifferentiated spermatogonia from mice to decipher the molecular signatures of SSC fate transitions. Through comprehensive analysis, we delineated the developmental trajectory and identified candidate transcription factors (TFs) involved in the fate transitions of SSCs and their progenitors in distinct states. Specifically, we characterized the Asingle spermatogonial subtype marked by the expression of Eomes. Eomes+ cells contained enriched transplantable SSCs, and more than 90% of the cells remained in the quiescent state. Conditional deletion of Eomes in the germline did not impact steady-state spermatogenesis but enhanced SSC regeneration. Forced expression of Eomes in spermatogenic cells disrupted spermatogenesis mainly by affecting the cell cycle progression of undifferentiated spermatogonia. After injury, Eomes+ cells re-enter the cell cycle and divide to expand the SSC pool. Eomes+ cells consisted of 7 different subsets of cells at single-cell resolution, and genes enriched in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and the PI3/Akt signaling pathway participated in the SSC regeneration process. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we explored the molecular characteristics and critical regulators of subpopulations of undifferentiated spermatogonia. The findings of the present study described a quiescent SSC subpopulation, Eomes+ spermatogonia, and provided a dynamic transcriptional map of SSC fate determination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Institute of Medical Technology, Luoyang Polytechnic, Luoyang, Henan, 471000, China
| | - Rong-Ge Yan
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xue Gao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhen He
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shi-Xin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hai-Ping Tao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Na Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Gong-Xue Jia
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810001, China
| | - Qi-En Yang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810008, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qinghai, 810001, China.
| |
Collapse
|