SPATS1 (spermatogenesis-associated, serine-rich 1) is not essential for spermatogenesis and fertility in mouse.
Carlos A CapoanoLuis Adrián Ortiz-LaquintanaRosana Rodríguez-CasuriagaGeraldine SchlappMaría Noel MeikleAna Paula MuletMartina CrispoRicardo BenaventeAdriana GeisingerPublished in: PloS one (2021)
SPATS1 (spermatogenesis-associated, serine-rich 1) is an evolutionarily conserved, testis-specific protein that is differentially expressed during rat male meiotic prophase. Some reports have suggested a link between SPATS1 underexpression/mutation and human pathologies such as male infertility and testicular cancer. Given the absence of functional studies, we generated a Spats1 loss-of-function mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The phenotypic analysis showed no overt phenotype in Spats1-/- mice, with both males and females being fertile. Flow cytometry and histological analyses did not show differences in the testicular content and histology between WT and knockout mice. Moreover, no significant differences in sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, were observed between WT and KO mice. These results were obtained both for young adults and for aged animals. Besides, although an involvement of SPATS1 in the Wnt signaling pathway has been suggested, we did not detect changes in the expression levels of typical Wnt pathway-target genes in mutant individuals. Thus, albeit Spats1 alteration might be a risk factor for male testicular health, we hereby show that this gene is not individually essential for male fertility and spermatogenesis in mouse.
Keyphrases
- young adults
- flow cytometry
- crispr cas
- germ cell
- signaling pathway
- mouse model
- stem cells
- cell proliferation
- childhood cancer
- poor prognosis
- public health
- genome wide
- healthcare
- endothelial cells
- mental health
- high fat diet induced
- emergency department
- binding protein
- squamous cell carcinoma
- transcription factor
- oxidative stress
- insulin resistance
- protein kinase
- wild type
- gene expression
- health information
- dna methylation
- genome wide identification
- risk assessment
- cystic fibrosis
- pseudomonas aeruginosa
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- skeletal muscle
- protein protein
- long non coding rna
- induced apoptosis
- candida albicans
- adverse drug
- human health
- endoplasmic reticulum stress