College of Life Sciences and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621000, China.
Key Discipline Laboratory of National Defense for Nuclear Waste and Environmental Security, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621000, China.
Genomics. 2024 Sep;116(5):110890. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110890. Epub 2024 Jun 21.
Previous studies have presented evidence suggesting that altitude exerts detrimental effects on reproductive processes, yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Our study employed two distinct goat breeds inhabiting low and high altitudes, and conducted a comparative analysis of mRNA profiles in testis tissues and the composition of gut microbiota. The results revealed a reduced testis size in high-altitude goats. RNA-seq analysis identified the presence of 214 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the testis. These DEGs resulted in a weakened immunosuppressive effect, ultimately impairing spermatogenesis in high-altitude goats. Additionally, 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing recognized statistically significant variations in the abundance of the genera Treponema, unidentified_Oscillospiraceae, Desulfovibrio, Butyricicoccus, Dorea, Parabacteroides between the two groups. The collective evidence demonstrated the gut and testis played a synergistic role in causing decreased fertility at high altitudes. Our research provides a theoretical basis for future investigations into the reproductive fitness of male goats.
先前的研究已经提供了证据，表明海拔对生殖过程有不利影响，但潜在的机制仍不清楚。我们的研究使用了两种生活在低海拔和高海拔地区的不同山羊品种，对睾丸组织中的 mRNA 谱和肠道微生物群落组成进行了比较分析。结果表明，高海拔山羊的睾丸体积减小。RNA-seq 分析鉴定出睾丸中存在 214 个差异表达基因（DEGs）。这些 DEGs 导致免疫抑制作用减弱，最终损害了高海拔山羊的精子发生。此外，16S rDNA 扩增子测序在两组之间鉴定出属 Treponema、未鉴定的 Oscillospiraceae、Desulfovibrio、Butyricicoccus、Dorea、Parabacteroides 的丰度存在统计学显著差异。综合证据表明，肠道和睾丸在导致高海拔地区生育力下降方面发挥了协同作用。我们的研究为未来研究雄性山羊的生殖适应性提供了理论依据。
