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Guo S, Yang W, Chen D, Ren B, Guo L, Wang X, Xie W, Fan S, Artigas Ramirez MD, Han Y, Yuan Z, Zhang H, Weng Q. The effects of low ambient temperature on steroidogenesis and mitochondrial functions in the testes of wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 290:111585. [PMID: 38228267 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111585] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction is a widely used breeding strategy in wildlife, especially vertebrates inhabiting temperate regions. Generally, ambient temperature is considered a significant factor influencing the reproductive status of animals. In the present study, wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus), typical seasonal breeders, were used as an animal model to investigate the mechanism behind the impact of low ambient temperature on testicular function. To simulate the winter environment of wild ground squirrels, we lowered the temperature gradient in the rearing environment to 4 °C. At sampling, the body surface temperature of the squirrels reared under normal ambient temperature (22 °C, NAT group) and the low ambient temperature (4 °C, LAT group) were 31.5 °C and 22.8 °C, respectively. Subsequently, we conducted immunohistochemical assays, qPCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to examine the variations in testicular functions, as well as the dynamics and functions of mitochondria, in the squirrels of NAT and LAT groups. As a result, the levels of positive immunostaining for PCNA, P21, and P27 were significantly lower in the testes of LAT group, while the levels of immunostaining for Cleaved Caspase-3 and TUNEL were significantly higher. In addition, the low-temperature treatment reduced the expression level of steroidogenesis-related genes, including LHR, FSHR, GATA-4, P450scc, and P450arom, and decreased the testosterone concentration. Moreover, markers of mitochondrial fission and fusion, DRP1 and MFN2, respectively, were increased in the testes of LAT group. Additionally, the mRNA level of SOD1 was notably higher in the testes of LAT group. In conclusion, the low ambient temperature inhibited spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis, as well as mitochondrial dynamics and functions in the testes of wild ground squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiman Guo
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Wenjin Yang
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Di Chen
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Baolong Ren
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Li Guo
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Wenqian Xie
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Sijie Fan
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Maria Daniela Artigas Ramirez
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yingying Han
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Zhengrong Yuan
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Haolin Zhang
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Qiang Weng
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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Chen M, Duan C, Yin X, Li X, Liu X, Zhang L, Yue S, Zhang Y, Liu Y. Prolactin inhibitor changes testosterone production, testicular morphology, and related genes expression in cashmere goats. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1249189. [PMID: 37954671 PMCID: PMC10637432 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1249189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolactin has multifaceted roles in lactation, growth, metabolism, osmoregulation, behavior, and the reproduction of animals. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of prolactin in testicular function in cashmere goats. Twenty cashmere goats were randomly assigned to either the control group (CON) or the bromocriptine treatment group (BCR, bromocriptine, prolactin inhibitor). Blood and testis samples collected for analysis after 30 days of treatment. The results indicated that, compared with the CON group, BCR significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the serum concentrations of prolactin, and significantly increased (p < 0.05) the levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) on day 30. The serum level of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was not affected (p > 0.05) by the treatment. The mean seminiferous tubule diameter and spermatogenic epithelium thickness were increased (p < 0.05) in the BCR group. Subsequently, we performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to identify the key genes and pathways associated with the regulation of spermatogenesis or testosterone secretion function. A total of 142 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (91 were upregulated, 51 were downregulated). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in the extracellular matrix (ECM), hippo, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, which are related to testicular function. The expression of the genes SULT2B1, CYP3A24, and CYP3A74 in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the BCR group, which was validated by qRT-PCR. These results provide a basis for understanding the mechanisms underlying the regulation of testicular function by prolactin in cashmere goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijing Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Chunhui Duan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xuejiao Yin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xianglong Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Xiaona Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Lechao Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Sicong Yue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Yingjie Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Yueqin Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
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La Y, Ma X, Bao P, Chu M, Guo X, Liang C, Yan P. Identification and profiling of microRNAs during yak's testicular development. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:53. [PMID: 36803968 PMCID: PMC9940382 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03602-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Normal testicular development is highly crucial for male reproduction and is a precondition for spermatogenesis that is the production of spermatozoa in the testes. MiRNAs have been implicated in several testicular biological processes, including cell proliferation, spermatogenesis, hormone secretion, metabolism and reproductive regulation. In the present study, we used deep sequencing data to study the functions of miRNAs during testicular development and spermatogenesis, by analyzing the expression patterns of small RNAs in 6-, 18- and 30-month-old yak testis tissues. RESULTS A total of 737 known and 359 novel miRNAs were obtained from 6-, 18- and 30-month-old yak testes. In all, we obtained 12, 142 and 139 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in 30- vs. 18-, 18- vs. 6-, and 30- vs. 6-month-old testes, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of all DE miRNA target genes revealed BMP2, TGFB2, GDF6, SMAD6, TGFBR2 and other target genes as participants in different biological processes, including TGF-β, GnRH, Wnt, PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling pathways and several other reproductive pathways. In addition, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of seven randomly selected miRNAs in 6-, 18- and 30-month-old testes, and the results were consistent with the sequencing data. CONCLUSIONS The differential expression of miRNAs in yak testes at different development stages was characterized and investigated using deep sequencing technology. We believe that the results will contribute to further understanding the functions of miRNAs in regulating the development of yak testes and improving the reproductive performance of male yaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfu La
- grid.464362.1Animal Science Department, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding On Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoming Ma
- grid.464362.1Animal Science Department, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding On Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- grid.464362.1Animal Science Department, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding On Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Chu
- grid.464362.1Animal Science Department, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding On Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xian Guo
- grid.464362.1Animal Science Department, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding On Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China ,grid.410727.70000 0001 0526 1937Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chunnian Liang
- Animal Science Department, 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, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Ping Yan
- Animal Science Department, 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, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory for Yak Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction Engineering of Gansu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
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Preliminary Transcriptome Analysis of Long Noncoding RNA in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Mammary Gland Axis of Dairy Cows under Heat Stress. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020390. [PMID: 36830759 PMCID: PMC9953101 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) is directly correlated to mammary gland dysfunction in dairy cows, especially in summer. The hypothalamic-pituitary-mammary gland axis (HPM axis) plays an important role in the regulation of stress response and lactation physiology in heat-stressed dairy cows. The aim of this study was to explore the lncRNA profile, and the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network in hypothalamus, pituitary, and mammary gland tissues of heat-stressed and normal dairy cows. We performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, and the ceRNA regulatory network was established in HPM-axis-related tissues. Our results showed that a total of 13, 702 and 202 DE lncRNAs were identified in hypothalamus, pituitary, and mammary glands, respectively. Of lncRNAs, 8, 209 and 45 were up-regulated, and 5, 493 and 157 lncRNAs were down-regulated. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses indicated that DE lncRNAs target genes that might play a role in hormone synthesis, secretion and action, apoptosis, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Moreover, the ceRNA regulatory network associated with the MAPK signaling pathway in HPM-axis-related tissues contains 3286 lncRNA-mRNA pairs. Furthermore, the ceRNA regulatory network associated with apoptosis, prolactin, AMPK, and mTOR signaling pathway in the mammary gland contains 772 lncRNA-mRNA pairs. Thus, some lncRNAs may be involved in the regulation of stress response and the physiological process of lactation. The changes in lncRNA expression profiles and ceRNAs (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA) in HPM-axis-related tissues are the key to affect the stress response and lactation physiology of dairy cows under HS, which provide a theoretical basis for the molecular mechanism in the stress response of HPM-axis-related tissues in dairy cows under HS.
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