Alpha-tocopherol enhances spermatogonial stem cell proliferation and restores mouse spermatogenesis by up-regulating BMI1

by Selleckchem | Jun 05 2023

Purpose: Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for maintaining reproductive function in males. B-lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 (BMI1) is a vital transcription repressor that regulates cell proliferation and differentiation. However, little is known about the role of BMI1 in mediating the fate of mammalian SSCs and in male reproduction. This study investigated whether BMI1 is essential for male reproduction and the role of alpha-tocopherol (α-tocopherol), a protective agent for male fertility, as a modulator of BMI1 both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EDU) assays were used to assess the effect of BMI1 on the proliferative ability of the mouse SSC line C18-4. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, and immunofluorescence were applied to investigate changes in the mRNA and protein expression levels of BMI1. Male mice were used to investigate the effect of α-tocopherol and a BMI1 inhibitor on reproduction-associated functionality in vivo.

Results: Analysis revealed that BMI1 was expressed at high levels in testicular tissues and spermatogonia in mice. The silencing of BMI1 inhibited the proliferation of SSCs and DNA synthesis and enhanced the levels of γ-H2AX. α-tocopherol enhanced the proliferation and DNA synthesis of C18-4 cells, and increased the levels of BMI1. Notably, α-tocopherol rescued the inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA damage in C18-4 cells caused by the silencing of BMI1. Furthermore, α-tocopherol restored sperm count (Ctrl vs. PTC-209, p = 0.0034; Ctrl vs. PTC-209 + α-tocopherol, p = 0.7293) and normalized sperm malformation such as broken heads, irregular heads, lost and curled tails in vivo, as demonstrated by its antagonism with the BMI1 inhibitor PTC-209.

Conclusion: Analysis demonstrated that α-tocopherol is a potent in vitro and in vivo modulator of BMI1, a transcription factor that plays an important role in in SSC proliferation and spermatogenesis. Our findings identify a new target and strategy for treating male infertility that deserves further pre-clinical investigation.

Comments：

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the transcription factor BMI1 in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) proliferation and male reproduction, as well as the potential modulatory effect of the protective agent alpha-tocopherol on BMI1. The study used the mouse SSC line C18-4 and male mice to assess the effects of BMI1 silencing, alpha-tocopherol treatment, and a BMI1 inhibitor (PTC-209) on SSC proliferation, DNA synthesis, and sperm count and morphology.

The results showed that BMI1 was highly expressed in testicular tissues and spermatogonia in mice. Silencing of BMI1 inhibited SSC proliferation and DNA synthesis, and increased the levels of γ-H2AX, a marker of DNA damage. Alpha-tocopherol treatment enhanced SSC proliferation and DNA synthesis, and increased the levels of BMI1. Importantly, alpha-tocopherol was able to rescue the inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA damage caused by BMI1 silencing. In vivo, alpha-tocopherol restored sperm count and normalized sperm morphology, and antagonized the effects of the BMI1 inhibitor PTC-209.

These findings suggest that BMI1 plays an important role in SSC proliferation and male reproduction, and that alpha-tocopherol may be a promising modulator of BMI1 with potential therapeutic applications for male infertility. However, further pre-clinical investigations are needed to validate these findings and assess the safety and efficacy of alpha-tocopherol as a therapeutic agent for male infertility.