title: Transcription factor ZFP38 is essential for meiosis prophase I in male mice.
abstract: The production of haploid gametes by meiosis is a cornerstone of sexual reproduction and maintenance of genome integrity. Zfp38 mRNA is expressed in spermatocytes, indicating that transcription factor ZFP38 has the potential to regulate transcription during meiosis. In this study, we generated Zfp38 conditional knockout mice (Zfp38(flox/flox), Stra8-Cre, hereafter called Zfp38 cKO) and found that spermatogenesis did not progress beyond meiosis prophase I in Zfp38 cKO mice. Using a chromosomal spread technique, we observed that Zfp38 cKO spermatocytes exhibited a failure in chromosomal synapsis observed by SYCP1/SYCP3 double staining. Progression of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) repair is disrupted in Zfp38 cKO spermatocytes, as revealed by γ-H2AX, RAD51 and MLH1 staining. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of DSB repair enzymes and factors that guide their loading onto sites of DSBs, such as RAD51, DMC1, RAD51, TEX15 and PALB2, were significantly reduced in Zfp38 cKO spermatocytes. Taken together, our data suggest that ZFP38 is critical for the chromosomal synapsis and DSB repairs partially via its regulation of DSB repair-associated protein expression during meiotic progression in mouse.
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Zechen
authors: Z
authors: Yan
authors: Henan Academy of Medical and Pharmaceutical ScienceZhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Dandan
authors: D
authors: Fan
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Qingjun
authors: Q
authors: Meng
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Jinjian
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhao
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Guo
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Dongjian
authors: D
authors: Song
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Ruiming
authors: R
authors: Guo
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Ke
authors: K
authors: Sun
authors: Department of SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China wangjx72@yahoo.com.
authors: Jiaxiang
authors: J
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023902:Chromosome Pairing / Q000235:genetics*; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D004260:DNA Repair; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008297:Male; D049469:Meiotic Prophase I / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015534:Trans-Activators; C080039:Zscan21 protein, mouse