Sperm are specialized cells that require adenosine triphosphate(ATP) to support their function.Maintaining sperm energy homeostasis in vitro is vitally important to improve the efficacy of boar sperm preservation. Met...Sperm are specialized cells that require adenosine triphosphate(ATP) to support their function.Maintaining sperm energy homeostasis in vitro is vitally important to improve the efficacy of boar sperm preservation. Metformin can activate 5′-AMPactivated protein kinase(AMPK) to improve metabolic flexibility and maintain energy homeostasis. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether metformin can improve boar sperm quality through AMPK mediation of energy metabolism. Sperm motility parameters, membrane integrity,acrosomeintegrity,mitochondrial membrane potential(ΔΨm), ATP content, glucose uptake,and lactate efflux were analyzed.Localization and expression levels of AMPK and phospho-Thr172-AMPK(p-AMPK) were also detected by immunofluorescence and western blotting. We found that metformin treatment significantly increased sperm motility parameters, ΔΨm, and ATP content during storage at 17 ℃. Moreover, results showed that AMPK was localized at the acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece of sperm and p-AMPK was distributed at the post-acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece. When sperm were incubated with metformin for 4 h at 37 ℃, sperm motility parameters, ΔΨm, ATP content,p-AMPK, glucose uptake, and lactate efflux all significantly increased, whereas the addition of Compound C treatment, an inhibitor of AMPK,counteracted these positive effects. Together, our results suggest that metformin promotes AMPK activation, which contributes to the maintenance of energy hemostasis and mitochondrial activity,thereby maintaining boar sperm functionality and improving the efficacy of semen preservation.展开更多
DEAR EDITOR,Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations.After birth,...DEAR EDITOR,Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations.After birth,prospermatogonia(ProSG)give rise to SSCs.While mouse spermatogenesis is relatively well studied,we are only just beginning to unravel this process in larger animals.Here,we analyzed key developmental transitions and differentiation trajectories by profiling neonatal,juvenile,and adult testes through single-cell sequencing(scRNA-seq).We found that SSCs were established at 30 days old,and that CDH1 was a novel cell surface marker for porcine ProSG and undifferentiated spermatogonia.展开更多
基金This study was supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFD0501000)to W.X.Z.
文摘Sperm are specialized cells that require adenosine triphosphate(ATP) to support their function.Maintaining sperm energy homeostasis in vitro is vitally important to improve the efficacy of boar sperm preservation. Metformin can activate 5′-AMPactivated protein kinase(AMPK) to improve metabolic flexibility and maintain energy homeostasis. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether metformin can improve boar sperm quality through AMPK mediation of energy metabolism. Sperm motility parameters, membrane integrity,acrosomeintegrity,mitochondrial membrane potential(ΔΨm), ATP content, glucose uptake,and lactate efflux were analyzed.Localization and expression levels of AMPK and phospho-Thr172-AMPK(p-AMPK) were also detected by immunofluorescence and western blotting. We found that metformin treatment significantly increased sperm motility parameters, ΔΨm, and ATP content during storage at 17 ℃. Moreover, results showed that AMPK was localized at the acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece of sperm and p-AMPK was distributed at the post-acrosomal region, connecting piece, and midpiece. When sperm were incubated with metformin for 4 h at 37 ℃, sperm motility parameters, ΔΨm, ATP content,p-AMPK, glucose uptake, and lactate efflux all significantly increased, whereas the addition of Compound C treatment, an inhibitor of AMPK,counteracted these positive effects. Together, our results suggest that metformin promotes AMPK activation, which contributes to the maintenance of energy hemostasis and mitochondrial activity,thereby maintaining boar sperm functionality and improving the efficacy of semen preservation.
基金supported by the Shaanxi Science and Technology Department (2020NY-003) to T.Z.and City-University Joint Research Project for Qinba State Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Environment。
文摘DEAR EDITOR,Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations.After birth,prospermatogonia(ProSG)give rise to SSCs.While mouse spermatogenesis is relatively well studied,we are only just beginning to unravel this process in larger animals.Here,we analyzed key developmental transitions and differentiation trajectories by profiling neonatal,juvenile,and adult testes through single-cell sequencing(scRNA-seq).We found that SSCs were established at 30 days old,and that CDH1 was a novel cell surface marker for porcine ProSG and undifferentiated spermatogonia.
