Department of Homeostatic Regulation, Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Metabolic Regulation and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan.
Sci Adv. 2024 Jun 14;10(24):eadi1621. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adi1621. Epub 2024 Jun 12.
The function of germ cells in somatic growth and aging has been demonstrated in invertebrate models but remains unclear in vertebrates. We demonstrated sex-dependent somatic regulation by germ cells in the short-lived vertebrate model . In females, germ cell removal shortened life span, decreased estrogen, and increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling. In contrast, germ cell removal in males improved their health with increased vitamin D signaling. Body size increased in both sexes but was caused by different signaling pathways, i.e., IGF-1 and vitamin D in females and males, respectively. Thus, vertebrate germ cells regulate somatic growth and aging through different pathways of the endocrine system, depending on the sex, which may underlie the sexual difference in reproductive strategies.
生殖细胞在体生长和衰老中的功能在无脊椎动物模型中得到了证实，但在脊椎动物中仍不清楚。我们在短寿命的脊椎动物模型中证明了生殖细胞对体的有性别依赖性的调节作用。在雌性中，去除生殖细胞会缩短寿命、降低雌激素并增加胰岛素样生长因子 1（IGF-1）信号。相比之下，在雄性中去除生殖细胞会通过增加维生素 D 信号改善其健康状况。两性的体型都增加了，但引起这种现象的信号途径不同，即雌性中的 IGF-1 和维生素 D，以及雄性中的维生素 D。因此，脊椎动物生殖细胞通过内分泌系统的不同途径调节体生长和衰老，具体取决于性别，这可能是生殖策略性别差异的基础。
