Li N, Zhang Q, Dai S, Rao W, Shi H, Ding L, Hong M. Angiotensin-(1-7) plays an important role in regulating spermatogenesis in Trachemys scripta elegans under salinity stress.
J Exp Biol 2024;
227:jeb246742. [PMID:
38149682 DOI:
10.1242/jeb.246742]
[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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Elevation in water salinity can threaten the spermatogenesis and fertility of freshwater animals. The role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in regulating spermatogenesis has attracted considerable attention. Our previous study found that red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), could survive in 10 PSU water for over 1 year. To understand the chronic impact of salinity on testicular spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms, male T. s. elegans were subjected to treatment with water of 5 PSU and 10 PSU for a year, and spermatogenesis and regulation of the RAS signal pathway was assessed. Results showed induced inflammation in the testes of T. s. elegans in the 10 PSU group, as evidenced by a decrease in the number of testicular germ cells from 1586 to 943. Compared with the control group, the levels of proinflammatory genes, including TNF-α, IL-12A and IL-6 were elevated 3.1, 0.3, and 1.4 times, respectively, in animals exposed to 10 PSU water. Testicular antiapoptotic processes of T. s. elegans might involve the vasoactive peptide angiotensin-(1-7) in the RAS, as its level was significantly increased from 220.2 ng ml-1 in controls to 419.2 ng ml-1 in the 10 PSU group. As expected, specific inhibitor (A-779) for the Ang-(1-7) acceptor effectively prevented the salinity-induced upregulation of genes encoding anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic factors (TGF-β1, Bcl-6) in the testis of the 10 PSU animals, whereas it promoted the upregulation of proinflammatory and proapoptotic factors (TNF-α, IL-12A, IL-6, Bax and caspase-3). Our data indicated that Ang-(1-7) attenuates the effect of salinity on inflammation and apoptosis of the testis in T. s. elegans. A new perspective to prevent salinity-induced testis dysfunction is provided.
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