TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of StAR2 gene in testicular differentiation and spermatogenesis in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
AU - Li, Lu
AU - Wu, You
AU - Zhao, Chenhua
AU - Miao, Yiyang
AU - Cai, Jing
AU - Song, Lingyun
AU - Wei, Jing
AU - Chakraborty, Tapas
AU - Wu, Limin
AU - Wang, Deshou
AU - Zhou, Linyan
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by Grants for Scientific Research from the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 31772825 , 31572597 , 31702316 and 31630082 ). This work was also supported in part by National key research and development program of China ( 2018YFD0900202 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/11
Y1 - 2021/11
N2 - Sex steroids play critical roles in sex differentiation and gonadal development in teleosts. Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), transporting cholesterol (the substrate for steroidogenesis) from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner membrane, is the first rate-limiting factor of steroidogenesis. Interestingly, two StAR genes (named as StAR1 and StAR2) have been isolated from non-mammalian vertebrates. To characterize the functions of the novel StAR2 gene in the gonadal differentiation and fertility, we generated a StAR2 homozygous mutant line in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). StAR2 gene knockout in male tilapia impeded meiotic initiation, associate with the down-regulation of meiosis related gene expressions of vasa, sycp3 and dazl at 90 days after hatching (dah). Meanwhile, cyp11b2 expression and serum 11-KT production significantly declined in StAR2−/− XY fish at 90 dah. From 120–300 dah, spermatogenesis gradually recovered, and so did the expressions of vasa, sycp3 and dazl in StAR2−/− XY fish testes. However, seminiferous lobules arranged disorderly in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 300 dah. The number of Leydig cells and expressions of downstream steroidogenesis enzymes including cyp11a1, 3β-HSD-I, 3β-HSD-II, cyp17a1 and cyp17a2 decreased in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 300 dah. Serum testosterone and 11-KT levels were significantly lower in StAR2−/− XY fish than that of their control counterparts. Furthermore, significantly elevated ar, fsh and lh expressions in StAR2-deficient XY fish testes and pituitaries were found when compared with the control XY fish. Testes degeneration and spermatogenic cell apoptosis were observed, while no sperm were squeezed out in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 540 dah. Taken together, our results suggest that StAR2 has a role in testicular development, spermatogenesis and spermiation by regulating androgen production in tilapia, but may not be essential and could be compensated.
AB - Sex steroids play critical roles in sex differentiation and gonadal development in teleosts. Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), transporting cholesterol (the substrate for steroidogenesis) from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner membrane, is the first rate-limiting factor of steroidogenesis. Interestingly, two StAR genes (named as StAR1 and StAR2) have been isolated from non-mammalian vertebrates. To characterize the functions of the novel StAR2 gene in the gonadal differentiation and fertility, we generated a StAR2 homozygous mutant line in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). StAR2 gene knockout in male tilapia impeded meiotic initiation, associate with the down-regulation of meiosis related gene expressions of vasa, sycp3 and dazl at 90 days after hatching (dah). Meanwhile, cyp11b2 expression and serum 11-KT production significantly declined in StAR2−/− XY fish at 90 dah. From 120–300 dah, spermatogenesis gradually recovered, and so did the expressions of vasa, sycp3 and dazl in StAR2−/− XY fish testes. However, seminiferous lobules arranged disorderly in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 300 dah. The number of Leydig cells and expressions of downstream steroidogenesis enzymes including cyp11a1, 3β-HSD-I, 3β-HSD-II, cyp17a1 and cyp17a2 decreased in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 300 dah. Serum testosterone and 11-KT levels were significantly lower in StAR2−/− XY fish than that of their control counterparts. Furthermore, significantly elevated ar, fsh and lh expressions in StAR2-deficient XY fish testes and pituitaries were found when compared with the control XY fish. Testes degeneration and spermatogenic cell apoptosis were observed, while no sperm were squeezed out in StAR2−/− XY fish testes at 540 dah. Taken together, our results suggest that StAR2 has a role in testicular development, spermatogenesis and spermiation by regulating androgen production in tilapia, but may not be essential and could be compensated.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105974
DO - 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105974
M3 - Article
C2 - 34425195
AN - SCOPUS:85113387058
VL - 214
JO - Journal of Steroid Biochemistry
JF - Journal of Steroid Biochemistry
SN - 0960-0760
M1 - 105974
ER -
