Gut microbiota impairs spermatogenesis in Ggt1-deficient mice
This study investigates the relationship between male infertility and gut microbiota dysbiosis, focusing on its impact on spermatogenesis. RNA sequencing and fecal metagenomic analysis were performed on wild-type (WT) mice and gamma-glutamyltransferase 1 knockout (KO) mice. Additional transcriptomic and fecal metagenomic analyses were conducted on mice after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), including those receiving fecal microbiota from WT mice (FMT-WT) and those receiving fecal microbiota from KO mice (FMT-KO). KO mice exhibit features of male infertility, such as reduced numbers of germ cells and Leydig cells in the testes, as well as an increased proportion of abnormal sperm. Metagenomic analysis of fecal microbiota reveals significant differences between KO and WT mice. Transplantation of fecal microbiota from KO mice results in decreased germ cell and sperm counts, and an increased proportion of abnormal sperm in recipient mice. Transcriptomic analysis shows reduced expression levels of kallikrein family members (Klk1b21, Klk1b22, Klk1b24, Klk1b27) in Leydig cells of KO and FMT-KO mice.