Genome-wide maps of PA1-bound sites in mice Sertoli cells
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ABSTRACT: Blood-testis barrier (BTB) is essential to the microenvironment of spermatogenesis, and Sertoli cells provide the cellular basis for BTB construction. Numerous nuclear transcription factors have been identified to be vital for the proper functions of Sertoli cells. PA1 has been reported to play important roles during diverse biological processes, while its potential function in male reproduction is still unknown. Here, we show that PA1 was highly expressed in human and mouse testis and predominantly localized in the nuclei of Sertoli cells. Sertoli cell-specific Pa1 knockout resulted in azoospermia-like phenotype in mice. The knockout of this gene lead to multiple defects in spermatogenesis, such as the disorganization of cytoskeleton at basal and apical ectoplasmic specialization and the disruption of the BTB. Further transcriptomic analysis together with Cut-Tag results of PA1 in Sertoli cells revealed that PA1 could affect the expression of a subset of genes which are essential for the normal functions of Sertoli cells including those genes associated with actin organization and cellular junction such as Connexin43 (Cx43). We further demonstrated that the expression of Cx43 depended on the interaction between JUN, one of the AP-1 complex transcription factors, and PA1. Overall, our findings firstly revealed that PA1 is essential to the maintaining of BTB integrity in Sertoli cells, it regulates BTB construction-related gene expression via interacting a transcription factor, thus providing a potential diagnostic or even therapeutic target for some azoospermia patients.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE188307 | GEO | 2022/04/13
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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