Autophagy core protein ATG5 is required for elongating spermatid development, sperm individualization and normal fertility in male mice.

Autophagy core protein ATG5 is required for elongating spermatid development, sperm individualization and normal fertility in male mice. Autophagy. 2020 Jul 17;:1-15 Authors: Huang Q, Liu Y, Zhang S, Yap YT, Li W, Zhang D, Gardner A, Zhang L, Song S, Hess RA, Zhang Z Abstract Spermiogenesis is the longest phase of spermatogenesis, with dramatic morphological changes and a final step of spermiation, which involves protein degradation and the removal of excess cytoplasm; therefore, we hypothesized that macroautophagy/autophagy might be involved in the process. To test this hypothesis, we examined the function of ATG5, a core autophagy protein in male germ cell development. Floxed Atg5 and Stra8- iCre mice were crossed to conditionally inactivate Atg5 in male germ cells. In Atg5flox/flox; Stra8- iCre mutant mice, testicular expression of the autophagosome marker LC3A/B-II was significantly reduced, and expression of autophagy receptor SQSTM1/p62 was significantly increased, indicating a decrease in testicular autophagy activity. The fertility of mutant mice was dramatically reduced with about 70% being infertile. Sperm counts and motility were also significantly reduced compared to controls. Histological examination of the mutant testes revealed numerous, large residual bodies in the lumen of stages after their normal resorption within the seminiferous epithelium. The cauda epididymal lumen was filled with sloughed germ cells, large c...
Source: Autophagy - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Autophagy Source Type: research