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Lu H, Zhao L, Wang A, Ruan H, Chen X, Li Y, Hu J, Lu W, Xiao M. Identification of potential biomarkers and pathways for asthenozoospermia by bioinformatics analysis and experiments. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1373774. [PMID: 38863929 PMCID: PMC11165088 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1373774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Asthenozoospermia, a type of male infertility, is primarily caused by dysfunctional sperm mitochondria. Despite previous bioinformatics analysis identifying potential key lncRNAs, miRNAs, hub genes, and pathways associated with asthenospermia, there is still a need to explore additional molecular mechanisms and potential biomarkers for this condition. Methods We integrated data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (GSE22331, GSE34514, and GSE160749) and performed bioinformatics analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normozoospermia and asthenozoospermia. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were conducted to gain insights into biological processes and signaling pathways. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified gene modules associated with asthenozoospermia. Expression levels of key genes were assessed using datasets and experimental data. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and correlation analysis identified pathways associated with the hub gene and explore the relationship between the ZNF764 and COQ9 and mitochondrial autophagy-related genes. Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed, and in vitro experiments using exosome samples were conducted to validate this finding. Results COQ9 was identified as a marker gene in asthenozoospermia, involved in autophagy, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, endocytosis, and cell cycle, etc. The ceRNA regulatory network (LINC00893/miR-125a-5p/COQ9) was constructed, and PCR demonstrated that LINC00893 and COQ9 were downregulated in asthenozoospermia, while miR-125a-5p and m6A methylation level of LINC00893 were upregulated in asthenozoospermia compared to normozoospermic individuals. Conclusion The ceRNA regulatory network (LINC00893/miR-125a-5p/COQ9) likely plays a crucial role in the mechanism of asthenozoospermia. However, further functional experiments are needed to fully understand its significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Lu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Liqiang Zhao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Anguo Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Hailing Ruan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yejuan Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Jiajia Hu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Weiying Lu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Meifang Xiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Center for Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, Hainan, China
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Zhang P, Zhang F, Sui H, Yang X, Ji Y, Zheng S, Li W, Cheng K, Wang C, Jiao J, Zhang X, Cao Z, Zhang Y. Characterization of sexual maturity-associated N6-methyladenosine in boar testes. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:447. [PMID: 38714941 PMCID: PMC11075296 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10343-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health and size of the testes are crucial for boar fertility. Testicular development is tightly regulated by epigenetics. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a prevalent internal modification on mRNA and plays an important role in development. The mRNA m6A methylation in boar testicular development still needs to be investigated. RESULTS Using the MeRIP-seq technique, we identify and profile m6A modification in boar testes between piglets and adults. The results showed 7783 distinct m6A peaks in piglets and 6590 distinct m6A peaks in adults, with 2,471 peaks shared between the two groups. Enrichment of GO and KEGG analysis reveal dynamic m6A methylation in various biological processes and signalling pathways. Meanwhile, we conjointly analyzed differentially methylated and expressed genes in boar testes before and after sexual maturity, and reproductive related genes (TLE4, TSSK3, TSSK6, C11ORF94, PATZ1, PHLPP1 and PAQR7) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis showed that differential genes are associated with important biological functions, including regulation of growth and development, regulation of metabolic processes and protein catabolic processes. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that m6A methylation, differential expression and the related signalling pathways are crucial for boar testicular development. These results suggest a role for m6A modification in boar testicular development and provided a resource for future studies on m6A function in boar testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Fei Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Heming Sui
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
- National Animal Husbandry Service, Beijing, 100125, China
| | - Xingyu Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Yiming Ji
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Shenghao Zheng
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Wei Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Kun Cheng
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Chonglong Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Jun Jiao
- Anhui Haoyu Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Luan, 237451, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Zubing Cao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Yunhai Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
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Li L, Xia X, Yang T, Sun Y, Liu X, Xu W, Lu M, Cui D, Wu Y. RNA methylation: A potential therapeutic target in autoimmune disease. Int Rev Immunol 2024; 43:160-177. [PMID: 37975549 DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2023.2280544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are caused by the body's immune response to autoantigens. The pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases is unclear. Numerous studies have demonstrated that RNA methylation plays a key role in disease progression, which is essential for post-transcriptional regulation and has gradually become a broad regulatory mechanism that controls gene expression in various physiological processes, including RNA nuclear output, translation, splicing, and noncoding RNA processing. Here, we outline the writers, erasers, and readers of RNA methylation, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 2'-O-methylation (Nm), 2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), 5-methylcytidine (m5C) and N7-methylguanosine (m7G). As the role of RNA methylation modifications in the immune system and diseases is explained, the potential treatment value of these modifications has also been demonstrated. This review reports the relationship between RNA methylation and autoimmune diseases, highlighting the need for future research into the therapeutic potential of RNA modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Li
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Xiaoping Xia
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Tian Yang
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Yuchao Sun
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Xueke Liu
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Wei Xu
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Mei Lu
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
| | - Dawei Cui
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingping Wu
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
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Jiang L, Lin X, Jiang J, Qiu C, Zheng S, Zhao N, Shu Z, Qian Y, Qiu L. METTL3-m6A-SIRT1 axis affects autophagic flux contributing to PM 2.5-induced inhibition of testosterone production in Leydig cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170701. [PMID: 38325452 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have found that long-term inhalation of PM2.5 is closely related to spermatogenesis disorders and infertility, but the underlying molecular mechanism is still unidentified. Testosterone, an essential reproductive hormone produced by Leydig cells, whose synthesis is disrupted by multiple environmental pollutants. In the current study, we explored the role of METTL3-m6A-SIRT1 axis-mediated abnormal autophagy in PM2.5-induced inhibition of testosterone production in in vivo and in vitro models. Our in vivo findings shown that long-term inhalation of PM2.5 decreased sperm count, increased sperm deformity rates, and altered testicular interstitial morphology accompanied by reduced testosterone in serum and testes. Further, data from the in vitro model displayed that exposure to PM2.5 caused an increase in m6A modification and METTL3 levels, followed by a decrease in testosterone levels and autophagy dysfunction in Leydig cells. The knockdown of METTL3 promotes autophagy flux and testosterone production in Leydig cells. Mechanistically, PM2.5 increased METTL3-induced m6A modification of SIRT1 mRNA in Leydig cells, bringing about abnormal autophagy. Subsequently, administration of SRT1720 (a SIRT1 activator) enhanced autophagy and further promoted testosterone biosynthesis. Collectively, our discoveries indicate that METTL3-m6A-SIRT1 axis-mediated autophagic flux contributes to PM2.5-induced inhibition of testosterone biosynthesis. This research offers a novel viewpoint on the mechanism of male reproductive injury following PM2.5 exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianlian Jiang
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Lin
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Jinchen Jiang
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Chong Qiu
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Rd., Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Shaokai Zheng
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Nannan Zhao
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Zhenhao Shu
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Yinyun Qian
- Graduate School, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China
| | - Lianglin Qiu
- School of Public Health, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Rd., Nantong 226019, PR China.
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5
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Caroppo E, Skinner MK. Could the sperm epigenome become a diagnostic tool for evaluation of the infertile man? Hum Reprod 2024; 39:478-485. [PMID: 38148019 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although male infertility is currently diagnosed when abnormal sperm parameters are found, the poor predictive ability of sperm parameters on natural fecundity and medically assisted reproduction outcome poses the need for improved diagnostic techniques for male infertility. The accumulating evidence about the role played by the sperm epigenome in modulation of the early phases of embryonic development has led researchers to focus on the epigenetic mechanisms within the sperm epigenome to find new molecular markers of male infertility. Indeed, sperm epigenome abnormalities could explain some cases of unexplained male infertility in men showing normal sperm parameters and were found to be associated with poor embryo development in IVF cycles. The present mini-review summarizes the current knowledge about this interesting topic, starting from a description of the epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation (i.e. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs' activity). We also discuss possible mechanisms by which environmental factors might cause epigenetic changes in the human germline and affect embryonic development, as well as subsequent generations' phenotypes. Studies demonstrating sperm epigenome abnormalities in men with male infertility are reviewed, with particular emphasis on those with the more severe form of spermatogenic dysfunction. Observations demonstrate that the diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of sperm epigenome evaluation will help facilitate the management of men with male factor infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Xiong YW, Zhu HL, Zhang J, Geng H, Tan LL, Zheng XM, Li H, Fan LL, Wang XR, Zhang XD, Wang KW, Chang W, Zhang YF, Yuan Z, Duan ZL, Cao YX, He XJ, Xu DX, Wang H. Multigenerational paternal obesity enhances the susceptibility to male subfertility in offspring via Wt1 N6-methyladenosine modification. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1353. [PMID: 38355624 PMCID: PMC10866985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45675-4] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
There is strong evidence that obesity is a risk factor for poor semen quality. However, the effects of multigenerational paternal obesity on the susceptibility to cadmium (a reproductive toxicant)-induced spermatogenesis disorders in offspring remain unknown. Here, we show that, in mice, spermatogenesis and retinoic acid levels become progressively lower as the number of generations exposed to a high-fat diet increase. Furthermore, exposing several generations of mice to a high fat diet results in a decrease in the expression of Wt1, a transcription factor upstream of the enzymes that synthesize retinoic acid. These effects can be rescued by injecting adeno-associated virus 9-Wt1 into the mouse testes of the offspring. Additionally, multigenerational paternal high-fat diet progressively increases METTL3 and Wt1 N6-methyladenosine levels in the testes of offspring mice. Mechanistically, treating the fathers with STM2457, a METTL3 inhibitor, restores obesity-reduced sperm count, and decreases Wt1 N6-methyladenosine level in the mouse testes of the offspring. A case-controlled study shows that human donors who are overweight or obese exhibit elevated N6-methyladenosine levels in sperm and decreased sperm concentration. Collectively, these results indicate that multigenerational paternal obesity enhances the susceptibility of the offspring to spermatogenesis disorders by increasing METTL3-mediated Wt1 N6-methyladenosine modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Wei Xiong
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Hua-Long Zhu
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Hao Geng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Lu-Lu Tan
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Xin-Mei Zheng
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Long-Long Fan
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Xin-Run Wang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Xu-Dong Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Chang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Yu-Feng Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Zhi Yuan
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China
| | - Zong-Liu Duan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yun-Xia Cao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Jin He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, China.
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - De-Xiang Xu
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China.
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China.
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Piechka A, Sparanese S, Witherspoon L, Hach F, Flannigan R. Molecular mechanisms of cellular dysfunction in testes from men with non-obstructive azoospermia. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:67-90. [PMID: 38110528 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-023-00837-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Male factor infertility affects 50% of infertile couples worldwide; the most severe form, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), affects 10-15% of infertile males. Treatment for individuals with NOA is limited to microsurgical sperm extraction paired with in vitro fertilization intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Unfortunately, spermatozoa are only retrieved in ~50% of patients, resulting in live birth rates of 21-46%. Regenerative therapies could provide a solution; however, understanding the cell-type-specific mechanisms of cellular dysfunction is a fundamental necessity to develop precision medicine strategies that could overcome these abnormalities and promote regeneration of spermatogenesis. A number of mechanisms of cellular dysfunction have been elucidated in NOA testicular cells. These mechanisms include abnormalities in both somatic cells and germ cells in NOA testes, such as somatic cell immaturity, aberrant growth factor signalling, increased inflammation, increased apoptosis and abnormal extracellular matrix regulation. Future cell-type-specific investigations in identifying modulators of cellular transcription and translation will be key to understanding upstream dysregulation, and these studies will require development of in vitro models to functionally interrogate spermatogenic niche dysfunction in both somatic and germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arina Piechka
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sydney Sparanese
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Luke Witherspoon
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Faraz Hach
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ryan Flannigan
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Zhang F, Chen F, Wang C, Zhou FH. The functional roles of m6A modification in prostate cancer. Proteomics Clin Appl 2023; 17:e2200108. [PMID: 37070355 DOI: 10.1002/prca.202200108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent malignancy of the male genitourinary system, and its etiology suggests that genetics is an essential risk factor for its development and progression, while exogenous factors may have an significant impact on this risk. Initial diagnosis of advanced PCa is relatively frequent, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the predominant standard of care for PCa and the basis for various novel combination therapy regimens, and is often required throughout the patient's subsequent treatment. Although diagnostic modalities and treatment options are evolving, some patients suffer from complications, including biochemical relapse, metastasis and treatment resistance. Mechanisms of PCa pathogenesis and progression have been the focus of research. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an RNA modification involved in cell physiology and tumor metabolism. It has been observed to affect the evolution of diverse cancers through the regulation of gene expression. Genes associated with m6A are prominent in PCa and are involved in multiple aspects of desmoresistant PCa occurrence, progression, PCa bone metastasis (BM), and treatment resistance. Here, we explore the role of m6A modifications in promoting PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa Zhang
- Department of Urology, Gansu Provincial People's Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Feng-Hai Zhou
- Department of Urology, Gansu Provincial People's Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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9
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Zhao J, Zhang C, Li S, Yuan M, Mu W, Yang J, Ma Y, Guan C, Ma C. Changes in m 6A RNA methylation are associated with male sterility in wolfberry. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:456. [PMID: 37770861 PMCID: PMC10540408 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04458-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most abundant type of RNA modification in eukaryotic cells, playing pivotal roles in multiple plant growth and development processes. Yet the potential role of m6A in conferring the trait of male sterility in plants remains unknown. RESULTS In this study, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) and m6A-sequencing (m6A-Seq) of RNAs obtained from the anther tissue of two wolfberry lines: 'Ningqi No.1' (LB1) and its natural male sterile mutant 'Ningqi No.5' (LB5). Based on the newly assembled transcriptome, we established transcriptome-wide m6A maps for LB1 and LB5 at the single nucleus pollen stage. We found that the gene XLOC_021201, a homolog of m6A eraser-related gene ALKBH10 in Arabidopsis thaliana, was significantly differentially expressed between LB1 and LB5. We also identified 1642 and 563 m6A-modified genes with hypermethylated and hypomethylated patterns, respectively, in LB1 compared with LB5. We found the hypermethylated genes significantly enriched in biological processes related to energy metabolism and lipid metabolism, while hypomethylation genes were mainly linked to cell cycle process, gametophyte development, and reproductive process. Among these 2205 differentially m6A methylated genes, 13.74% (303 of 2205) were differentially expressed in LB1 vis-à-vis LB5. CONCLUSIONS This study constructs the first m6A transcriptome map of wolfberry and establishes an association between m6A and the trait of male sterility in wolfberry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Chujun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Sifan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Mengmeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Wenlan Mu
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, 750021, China
| | - Jing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Yutong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Cuiping Guan
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, 750021, China.
| | - Chuang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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Chen C, Tang X, Yan S, Yang A, Xiang J, Deng Y, Yin Y, Chen B, Gu J. Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptome-Wide m 6A Methylome in Shaziling Pig Testicular Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14475. [PMID: 37833923 PMCID: PMC10572705 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914475] [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: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is one of the principal post-transcriptional modifications and plays a dynamic role in testicular development and spermatogenesis. However, the role of m6A in porcine testis is understudied. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the m6A transcriptome-wide profile in Shaziling pig testes at birth, puberty, and maturity. We analyzed the total transcriptome m6A profile and found that the m6A patterns were highly distinct in terms of the modification of the transcriptomes during porcine testis development. We found that key m6A methylated genes (AURKC, OVOL, SOX8, ACVR2A, and SPATA46) were highly enriched during spermatogenesis and identified in spermatogenesis-related KEGG pathways, including Wnt, cAMP, mTOR, AMPK, PI3K-Akt, and spliceosome. Our findings indicated that m6A methylations are involved in the complex yet well-organized post-transcriptional regulation of porcine testicular development and spermatogenesis. We found that the m6A eraser ALKBH5 negatively regulated the proliferation of immature porcine Sertoli cells. Furthermore, we proposed a novel mechanism of m6A modification during testicular development: ALKBH5 regulated the RNA methylation level and gene expression of SOX9 mRNA. In addition to serving as a potential target for improving boar reproduction, our findings contributed to the further understanding of the regulation of m6A modifications in male reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujie Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Xiangwei Tang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Saina Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Anqi Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jiaojiao Xiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Yanhong Deng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Yulong Yin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Bin Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jingjing Gu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; (C.C.); (X.T.); (S.Y.); (A.Y.); (J.X.); (Y.D.); (Y.Y.)
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of Domestic Animal, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
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11
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Guo S, Pei J, Wang X, Cao M, Xiong L, Kang Y, Ding Z, La Y, Chu M, Bao P, Guo X. Transcriptome Studies Reveal the N6-Methyladenosine Differences in Testis of Yaks at Juvenile and Sexual Maturity Stages. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2815. [PMID: 37760215 PMCID: PMC10525320 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying the mechanism of spermatogenesis is key to exploring the reproductive characteristics of male yaks. Although N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification has been reported to regulate spermatogenesis and reproductive function in mammals, the molecular mechanism of m6A in yak testis development and spermatogenesis remains largely unknown. Therefore, we collected testicular tissue from juvenile and adult yaks and found that the m6A level significantly increased after sexual maturity in yaks. In MeRIP-seq, 1702 hypermethylated peaks and 724 hypomethylated peaks were identified. The hypermethylated differentially methylated RNAs (DMRs) (CIB2, AK1, FOXJ2, PKDREJ, SLC9A3, and TOPAZ1) mainly regulated spermatogenesis. Functional enrichment analysis showed that DMRs were significantly enriched in the adherens junction, gap junction, and Wnt, PI3K, and mTOR signaling pathways, regulating cell development, spermatogenesis, and testicular endocrine function. The functional analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that they were involved in the biological processes of mitosis, meiosis, and flagellated sperm motility during the sexual maturity of yak testis. We also screened the key regulatory factors of testis development and spermatogenesis by combined analysis, which included BRCA1, CREBBP, STAT3, and SMAD4. This study indexed the m6A characteristics of yak testicles at different developmental stages, providing basic data for further research of m6A modification regulating yak testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoke Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Jie Pei
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xingdong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Mengli Cao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Lin Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yandong Kang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Ziqiang Ding
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yongfu La
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Min Chu
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (S.G.); (J.P.); (X.W.); (M.C.); (L.X.); (Y.K.); (Z.D.); (Y.L.); (M.C.); (P.B.)
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
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12
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Zhang X, Sai L, Zhang W, Kan X, Jia Q, Bo C, Yin W, Shao H, Han M, Peng C. M 6A transcriptome-wide map of circRNAs identified in the testis of normal and AZ-treated Xenopus laevis. Genes Environ 2023; 45:23. [PMID: 37658417 PMCID: PMC10472591 DOI: 10.1186/s41021-023-00279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence showed that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is strongly associated with male germline development. However, the role of m6A methylation on circRNAs in amphibians remains unknown. In this study, we conducted m6A sequencing analysis to explore the m6A transcriptome-wide profile of circRNAs in testis tissues of Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) with and without treatment with 100 µg/L atrazine (AZ). RESULTS The analysis showed that m6A modification of circRNAs enriched in sense overlapping in testes of X. laevis. We identified the differential m6A modification sites within circRNAs in testes of AZ-exposed X. laevis and compared that with animals from control group. The results showed that a total of 1507 methylated m6A sites was induced by AZ (760 up-methylated and 747 down-methylated). The cross-analysis exhibited a negative correlation of differentially methylated m6A peaks and circRNAs expression level. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that 20 key pathways may be involved in the mechanism of testis damage of AZ-exposed X. laevis. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicated that differentially m6A-methylated circRNAs may play important roles in abnormal testis development of AZ-exposed X. laevis. This study is the first report about a map of m6A modification of circRNAs in male X. laevis and provides a basis for further studying on the function and mechanism of m6A methylation of circRNAs in the testis development of amphibian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Linlin Sai
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Weiliang Zhang
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Xingzheng Kan
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiang Jia
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Cunxiang Bo
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhui Yin
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Hua Shao
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Mingming Han
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
- Eusyn Institute of Health Science, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
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13
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Wu Y, Li J, Li C, Lu S, Wei X, Li Y, Xia W, Qian C, Wang Z, Liu M, Gu Y, Huang B, Tan Y, Hu Z. Fat mass and obesity-associated factor (FTO)-mediated N6-methyladenosine regulates spermatogenesis in an age-dependent manner. J Biol Chem 2023:104783. [PMID: 37146971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent reversible RNA modification in the mammalian transcriptome. It has recently been demonstrated that m6A is crucial for male germline development. Fat mass and obesity-associated factor (FTO), a known m6A demethylase, is widely expressed in human and mouse tissues and is involved in manifold biological processes and human diseases. However, the function of FTO in spermatogenesis and male fertility remains poorly understood. Here, we generated an Fto knockout mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing techniques to address this knowledge gap. Remarkably, we found that loss of Fto in mice caused spermatogenesis defects in an age-dependent manner, resulting from the attenuated proliferation ability of undifferentiated spermatogonia and increased male germ cell apoptosis. Further research showed that FTO plays a vital role in the modulation of spermatogenesis and Leydig cell maturation by regulating the translation of the androgen receptor in an m6A-dependent manner. In addition, we identified two functional mutations of FTO in male infertility patients, resulting in truncated FTO protein and increased m6A modification in vitro. Our results highlight the crucial effects of FTO on spermatogonia and Leydig cells for the long-term maintenance of spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of the function of m6A in male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Jincheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, China; Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215002, China
| | - Chenmeijie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Shuai Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Wenjuan Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, China; Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215002, China
| | - Chunfeng Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, China; Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215002, China
| | - Zihang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Mingxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Yayun Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Boxian Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215002, China; Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215002, China.
| | - Yueqiu Tan
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha 410000, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha 410000, China.
| | - Zhibin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China.
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14
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Han L, Wang J, Zhang L, Jing J, Zhang W, Liu Z, Gao A. The role of N 6-methyladenosine modification in benzene-induced testicular damage and the protective effect of melatonin. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 319:138035. [PMID: 36736484 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Benzene is a universal ambient pollutant. Population-based studies have shown that benzene exposure affects male fertility. However, the mechanism of benzene-induced reproductive toxicity is unknown. Here, we established a dynamic inhalation model and exposed C57BL/6J mice to 0, 10, and 50 ppm benzene (6 h/day, 6 days/week, 7 weeks). Our study revealed that benzene exposure caused testicular injury, including structural damage to spermatogenic tubules, reduced semen quality, and decreased testosterone levels. In addition, the decrease in the global level of N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) and the change of m6A important regulatory enzymes in mice testes suggested that m6A was involved in the benzene-induced testicular injury. Further genome-wide m6A methylation analysis showed that 1469 differential m6A peaks were present in the testes of control and benzene groups, indicating that benzene exposure modulated m6A methylation in testes. Furthermore, the comprehensive analysis of m6A-sequencing and transcriptome revealed that hypermethylated Rara and its consequent reduced expression impaired the sperm production process. In particular, melatonin alleviated benzene-induced testicular injury by modulating m6A-related genes. Overall, our research provides a new idea and fundamental knowledge into the possible mechanisms of m6A modifications in benzene-induced testicular impairment, as well as a new experimental basis for benzene-induced male fertility therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Han
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Jiaru Jing
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Ziyan Liu
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Ai Gao
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, PR China.
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15
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Zhu X, Fu H, Sun J, Xu Q. Interaction between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and environmental chemical-induced diseases in various organ systems. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 373:110376. [PMID: 36736874 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
A wide variety of chemicals are ubiquitous in the environment and thus exposure to these environmental chemicals poses a serious threat to public health. Particularly, environmental factors such as air pollution, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can lead to diseases in various organ systems. Recent research in environmental epigenetics has demonstrated that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a key mechanism of environment-related diseases. m6A modification is the most abundant chemical modification in mRNAs, which can specifically regulate gene expression by affecting RNA translation, stability, processing, and nuclear export. In this review, we discussed how environmental chemicals affected m6A modification and mediated environment-related disease occurrence by classifying the diseases of various systems. Here, we conclude that environmental chemicals alter the levels of m6A and its modulators, which then participate in the occurrence of diseases in various systems by regulating gene expression and downstream signaling pathways such as METTL3/m6A ZBTB4/YTHDF2/EZH2, Foxo3a/FTO/m6A ephrin-B2/YTHDF2, and HIF1A/METTL3/m6A BIRC5/IGF2BP3/VEGFA. Considering the significant role of m6A and its modulators in response to environmental chemicals, they are expected to be used as biomarkers of environment-related diseases. Additionally, targeting m6A modulators using small molecule inhibitors and activators is expected to be a new method for the treatment of environment-related diseases. This review systematically and comprehensively clarifies the important role of m6A in diseases caused by environmental chemicals, thus establishing a scientific basis for the treatment of diseases in various organ systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, No. 87 Ding jia qiao Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Haowei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, No. 87 Ding jia qiao Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jiahui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, No. 87 Ding jia qiao Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, No. 87 Ding jia qiao Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Cai Z, Zhang Y, Yang L, Ma C, Fei Y, Ding J, Song W, Tong WM, Niu Y, Li H. ALKBH5 in mouse testicular Sertoli cells regulates Cdh2 mRNA translation to maintain blood-testis barrier integrity. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2022; 27:101. [PMID: 36418936 PMCID: PMC9682758 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00404-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in mammalian spermatogenesis. In both germ cells and Leydig cells, ALKBH5 regulates spermatogenesis and androgen synthesis in an m6A-dependent manner. However, it is unclear whether ALKBH5 plays a role in testicular Sertoli cells, which constitute the blood-testis barrier (BTB) through cell junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells. METHODS ALKBH5 expression in the testes of humans and mice was detected by immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining. BTB integrity was evaluated by BTB assay. m6A-seq was performed to screen for BTB-related molecules regulated by ALKBH5. m6A immunoprecipitation-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR, western blot, coimmunoprecipitation, and polysome fractionation-qPCR analyses were performed to explore the mechanisms of ALKBH5 in BTB. Transmission electron microscopy was applied to observe the BTB ultrastructure. RESULTS ALKBH5 in Sertoli cells is related to the integrity of the BTB. Subsequently, the m6A level on Cdh2 mRNA, encoding a structural protein N-cadherin in the BTB, was found to be regulated by ALKBH5. IGF2BP1/2/3 complexes and YTHDF1 promoted Cdh2 mRNA translation. In addition, we found that basal endoplasmic specialization, in which N-cadherin is a main structural protein, was severely disordered in the testes of Alkbh5-knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed that ALKBH5 regulates BTB integrity via basal endoplasmic specialization by affecting Cdh2 mRNA translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglin Cai
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China ,grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China ,grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Yang
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chunhui Ma
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Fei
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Ding
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Song
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei-Min Tong
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China ,grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Molecular Pathology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yamei Niu
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China ,grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Molecular Pathology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongjun Li
- grid.506261.60000 0001 0706 7839Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Effects of Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training and High-Intensity Interval Training on Testicular Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and m6A Methylation in Obese Male Mice. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11101874. [PMID: 36290597 PMCID: PMC9598593 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11101874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercise is an effective way to improve reproductive function in obese males. Oxidative stress and apoptosis are important pathological factors of obesity-related male infertility. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is associated with obesity and testicular reproductive function. Our study aimed to investigate and compare the effect of 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on testicular oxidative stress, apoptosis and m6A methylation in obese male mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated into the four groups: normal diet (ND) group, high-fat diet (HFD) group, high-fat diet with moderate-intensity continuous training (HFD-MICT) group and high-fat diet with high-intensity interval training (HFD-HIIT) group. Mice in the HFD-MICT and HFD-HIIT groups were subjected to 8 weeks of MICT or HIIT treadmill protocols after 12 weeks of HFD feeding. We found that MICT and HIIT increased the protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 in the testes of obese mice, and HIIT increased it more than MICT. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, Cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression and TUNEL-positive cells were consistently up-regulated in the testes of obese mice, but MICT and HIIT restrained these HFD-induced effects. In addition, HFDs increased m6A levels and the gene expression of METTL3, YTHDF2 and FTO in the testes, but these effects were reversed by MICT and HIIT. However, HIIT was more effective than MICT in reducing m6A methylation in the testes of obese mice. These results demonstrate that both MICT and HIIT protected against HFD-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and m6A methylation in testicular tissues; as a result, testicular morphological and functional impairment improved. In particular, HIIT was more beneficial than MICT in increasing the mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes and testicular antioxidant capacity and decreasing m6A methylation in the testes of HFD-fed mice.
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Xu CL, Tan QY, Yang H, Li CY, Wu Z, Ma YF. Melatonin enhances spermatogonia activity through promoting KIAA1429-mediated m 6A deposition to activate the PI3K/AKT signaling. Reprod Biol 2022; 22:100681. [PMID: 35987159 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2022.100681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is a key neuroendocrine hormone that promotes spermatogenesis and sperm motility, but the underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible roles of m6A (N6--methyl-adenosine) in mediating melatonin-regulated spermatogonia activity alterations. In this study, mouse-derived GC-1 spermatogonia (spg) cell line was used as the in vitro cellular model. The viability, proliferation rates and apoptosis of spermatogonia were detected via CCK-8, Edu staining and flow cytometry respectively. Total m6A level was quantitated by dot blot, while mRNA and proteins contents in spermatogonia were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot respectively. Differentially expressed mRNAs were characterized by deep RNA sequencing method. Results showed that melatonin significantly promoted viability and proliferation rate while inhibited apoptosis in the GC-1 spg cells. The total m6A levels in GC-1 spg cells were also greatly increased by melatonin treatment, accompanied by remarkable expressional elevation of the m6A writer KIAA1429. Moreover, the regulation of GC-1 spg cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis by melatonin were greatly abrogated by KIAA1429 silencing but effectively strengthened by KIAA1429 overexpression. In addition, KIAA1429 overexpression regulates multiple biological process and signaling pathways in spermatogonia such as the PI3K/AKT signaling. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 effectively mitigated the regulation of spermatogonia activity by KIAA1429 overexpression under melatonin treatment. Taken together, melatonin promotes spermatogonia activity via enhancing KIAA1429 expression and m6A RNA methylation to activate the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Long Xu
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031, China; National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Talent Highland of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China.
| | - Qing-Ying Tan
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031, China.
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031, China
| | - Chun-Yuan Li
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031, China
| | - Zhuo Wu
- Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031, China
| | - Ya-Feng Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wuxiang Hospital of Nanning Second People Hospital, Nanning 530031,China
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Wang X, Pei J, Guo S, Cao M, Kang Y, Xiong L, La Y, Bao P, Liang C, Yan P, Guo X. Characterization of N6-methyladenosine in cattle-yak testis tissue. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:971515. [PMID: 36016801 PMCID: PMC9395605 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.971515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common form of eukaryotic mRNA modification, and it has been shown to exhibit broad regulatory activity in yeast, plants, and mammals. The specific role of m6A methylation as a regulator of spermatogenesis, however, has yet to be established. In this experiment, through a series of preliminary studies and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, the m6A map of cattle-yak testicular tissue was established as a means of exploring how m6A modification affects cattle-yak male infertility. Cattle-yak testis tissues used in this study were found to contain sertoli cells and spermatogonia. Relative to sexually mature yak samples, those isolated from cattle-yak testis exhibited slightly reduced levels of overall methylation, although these levels were significantly higher than those in samples from pre-sexually mature yaks. Annotation analyses revealed that differentially methylated peaks were most concentrated in exonic regions, with progressively lower levels of concentration in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) and 5'-UTR regions. To further explore the role of such m6A modification, enrichment analyses were performed on differentially methylated and differentially expressed genes in these samples. For the cattle-yaks vs. 18-months-old yaks group comparisons, differentially methylated genes were found to be associated with spermatogenesis-related GO terms related to the cytoskeleton and actin-binding, as well as with KEGG terms related to the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and the MAPK signaling pathway. Similarly, enrichment analyses performed for the cattle-yaks vs. 5-years-old yaks comparison revealed differentially methylated genes to be associated with GO terms related to protein ubiquitination, ubiquitin ligase complexes, ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolism, and endocytotic activity, as well as with KEGG terms related to apoptosis and the Fanconi anemia pathway. Overall, enrichment analyses for the cattle-yaks vs. 18-months-old yaks comparison were primarily associated with spermatogenesis, whereas those for the cattle-yaks vs. 5-years-old yaks comparison were primarily associated with apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingdong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Pei
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shaoke Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mengli Cao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yandong Kang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lin Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongfu La
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chunnian Liang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xian Guo
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Chen L, Wang WJ, Liu Q, Wu YK, Wu YW, Jiang Y, Liao XQ, Huang F, Li Y, Shen L, Yu C, Zhang SY, Yan LY, Qiao J, Sha QQ, Fan HY. NAT10-mediated N4-acetylcytidine modification is required for meiosis entry and progression in male germ cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:10896-10913. [PMID: 35801907 PMCID: PMC9638909 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional RNA modifications critically regulate various biological processes. N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is an epi-transcriptome, which is highly conserved in all species. However, the in vivo physiological functions and regulatory mechanisms of ac4C remain poorly understood, particularly in mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that the only known ac4C writer, N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), plays an essential role in male reproduction. We identified the occurrence of ac4C in the mRNAs of mouse tissues and showed that ac4C undergoes dynamic changes during spermatogenesis. Germ cell-specific ablation of Nat10 severely inhibits meiotic entry and leads to defects in homologous chromosome synapsis, meiotic recombination and repair of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis. Transcriptomic profiling revealed dysregulation of functional genes in meiotic prophase I after Nat10 deletion. These findings highlight the crucial physiological functions of ac4C modifications in male spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of its role in the regulation of specific physiological processes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yun-Wen Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiu-Quan Liao
- Fertility Preservation Laboratory, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 510317, China
| | - Fei Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Li Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
- College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Song-Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Li-Ying Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Jie Qiao. Tel: +86 571 88981751;
| | - Qian-Qian Sha
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Qian-Qian Sha. Tel: +86 20 89169199;
| | - Heng-Yu Fan
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 571 88981370;
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21
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Bai G, Zhai X, Liu L, Cai Z, Xiong J, Li H, Yang B. The molecular characteristics in different procedures of spermatogenesis. Gene 2022; 826:146405. [PMID: 35341953 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146405] [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: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a multistep biological process. In addition to somatic cells, it involves the orderly differentiation of dozens of spermatogenic cells. In this process, the regulatory networks between different spermatogenic cell populations are significantly different. RNA m6A regulators and miRNAs have been found to be closely related to spermatogenesis in recent years, and they are an important part of the above regulatory networks. Understanding gene expression and its rules in different spermatogenic cell populations will help in the in-depth exploration of their detailed roles in spermatogenesis. This study collected a public dataset of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Based on the Johnson score, the testicular samples of NOA were divided into three types, Sertoli-cell only syndrome, meiotic arrest and postmeiotic arrest, which represented the loss of three germ cell populations, including whole spermatogenic cells, postmeiotic spermatogenic cells, and a mixture of late spermatids and spermatozoa, respectively. The aforementioned three types of testis data were compared with normal testis data, and the molecular expression characteristics of the abovementioned three germ cell populations were obtained. Our study showed that different germ cell populations have different active molecules and their pathways. In addition, RNA m6A regulators, including METTL3, IGF2BP2 and PRRC2A, and miRNAs, including hsa-let-7a-2, hsa-let-7f-1, hsa-let-7g, hsa-miR-15a, hsa-miR-197, hsa-miR-21, hsa-miR-30e, hsa-miR-32, hsa-miR-503 and hsa-miR-99a, also presented regulatory roles in almost all germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Bai
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiuxia Zhai
- Health Service Department of the Guard Bureau of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Beijing, China
| | - Linling Liu
- Department of Urology, the 940 Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhonglin Cai
- Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Jian Xiong
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hongjun Li
- Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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22
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Wang X, Pei J, Guo S, Cao M, Bao P, Xiong L, Wu X, Chu M, Liang C, Yan P, Guo X. Characterization of N 6-Methyladenosine in Domesticated Yak Testes Before and After Sexual Maturity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:755670. [PMID: 34858983 PMCID: PMC8632223 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.755670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential regulatory role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prominent mRNA modification in eukaryotes, has recently been identified in mammals, plants, and yeast. However, whether and how m6A methylation is involved in sexual maturation in mammals remains largely unexplored. In this study, testicular tissue was obtained from yaks before and after sexual maturation, and m6A maps were generated via preliminary experiments and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Only spermatogonial cells and a few primary spermatocytes were observed in the testicular tissue of yaks before sexual maturation, while spermatogenic cells at different stages of maturity could observed after sexual maturation. Experiments examining the expression of methylation-related enzymes and overall methylation levels showed that the methylation levels in yak testes increased after sexual maturation. Overall, 1,438 methylation peaks were differentially expressed before and after sexual maturation; 1,226 showed significant up-regulation and 212 showed significant down-regulation after sexual maturation. Annotation analysis showed that the differential methylation peaks were most commonly concentrated in the exon region, followed by the 3′UTR and finally the 5′UTR region. KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that homologous recombination, the Notch signaling pathway, growth hormone synthesis, and other signaling pathways may be involved in testicular development and maturation in yaks. Levels of most m6A modifications were positively correlated with mRNA abundance, suggesting that m6A plays a regulatory role in mammalian sexual maturation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an m6A transcriptional map of the yak testes, and our study lays the foundation for elucidating the function of m6A in the development of yak testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingdong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jie Pei
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shaoke Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mengli Cao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lin Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Chu
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chunnian Liang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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23
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Qi X, Geng X, Zhang J, Qu B, Zhang X, Jia Q, Yin W, Bo C, Liu Y, Li H, Sai L, Han M, Peng C. Comprehensive analysis of differences of N 6-methyladenosine of lncRNAs between atrazine-induced and normal Xenopus laevis testis. Genes Environ 2021; 43:49. [PMID: 34742356 PMCID: PMC8572474 DOI: 10.1186/s41021-021-00223-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence suggested N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is crucial for male germline development. However, m6A modification of lncRNAs gains a little attention in amphibians in recent years. Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) was chosen to be an ideal model organism for testing environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) exposure and resultant effects. Atrazine (AZ) as an endocrine disrupt can effect development of testis in amphibians. Our previous study revealed that m6A is a highly conserved modification across the species. Results The results of m6A sequences showed that m6A-methylated lncRNAs enriched in intergenic region in testes of X. laevis. We further examined the differential expression of lncRNAs m6A sites in testes of AZ-exposed and compared with that in animals from control group. The results indicated that up to 198 differentially methylated m6A sites were detected within 188 lncRNAs, in which 89 significantly up-methylated sites and 109 significantly down-methylated sites. Data from KEGG pathway analysis indicated that AZ-affected lncRNAs m6A sites were mainly involved in 10 pathways in which 3 mutual pathways were found in the result of differentially m6A-methylated mRNAs. Conclusions These findings suggested that differentially m6A-methylated lncRNAs and these 3 pathways may act on regulatory roles in abnormal testis development of AZ-exposed X. laevis. This study for the first time provides insights into the profile of lncRNAs m6A modifications in amphibian species. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41021-021-00223-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Qi
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiao Geng
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Binpeng Qu
- Shandong Medical College, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiang Jia
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhui Yin
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Cunxiang Bo
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Hao Li
- School of Laboratory Animal & Shandong Laboratory Animal Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, China
| | - Linlin Sai
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.
| | - Mingming Han
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- Department of Toxicology, Shandong Academy of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Lixia District, Ji'nan, Shandong, China.,Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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