title: Roles of small RNAs in the effects of nutrition on apoptosis and spermatogenesis in the adult testis.
abstract: We tested whether reductions in spermatozoal quality induced by under-nutrition are associated with increased germ cell apoptosis and disrupted spermatogenesis, and whether these effects are mediated by small RNAs. Groups of 8 male sheep were fed for a 10% increase or 10% decrease in body mass over 65 days. Underfeeding increased the number of apoptotic germ cells (P < 0.05) and increased the expression of apoptosis-related genes (P < 0.05) in testicular tissue. We identified 44 miRNAs and 35 putative piRNAs that were differentially expressed in well-fed and underfed males (FDR < 0.05). Some were related to reproductive system development, apoptosis (miRNAs), and sperm production and quality (piRNAs). Novel-miR-144 (miR-98), was found to target three apoptotic genes (TP53, CASP3, FASL). The proportion of miRNAs as a total of small RNAs was greater in well-fed males than in underfed males (P < 0.05) and was correlated (r = 0.8, P < 0.05) with the proportion of piRNAs in well-fed and underfed males. In conclusion, the reductions in spermatozoal quality induced by under-nutrition are caused, at least partly, by disruptions to Sertoli cell function and increased germ cell apoptosis, mediated by changes in the expression of miRNAs and piRNAs.
authors.affiliation: UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009.
authors.forename: Yongjuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada.
authors.forename: Guanxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009.
authors.forename: Penelope A R
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hawken
authors.affiliation: 1] UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009 [2] Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7600, South Africa.
authors.forename: Irek A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Malecki
authors.affiliation: School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozens
authors.affiliation: UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009.
authors.forename: Philip E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Vercoe
authors.affiliation: 1] UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009 [2] Nuffield Department of Obstetrics &Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
authors.forename: Graeme B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada.
authors.forename: Le Luo
authors.initials: le L
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004032:Diet; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering