Danga Ajay Kumar, Rath Pramod C
National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
Biogerontology. 2025 Aug 22;26(5):166. doi: 10.1007/s10522-025-10312-0.
Reproductive aging is an emerging global health concern, projected to become the third most significant health issue in the near future, according to the World Health Organization. This complex process is driven by molecular and cellular changes, including alterations in DNA, RNA, and protein expression. Among non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles in spermatogenesis and their potential contributions to aging and testicular diseases. This review examines the functions of lncRNAs in testicular biology, focusing on their gene-regulatory roles, isoform diversity, subcellular localization, and interactions with key molecular components. While research has historically prioritized protein-coding genes, the extensive ncRNA landscape suggests a broader regulatory network influencing reproductive health. Many testis-specific lncRNAs exhibit conserved sequences, modular structures, and repeat-rich elements, which contribute to their functional significance. Dysregulation of these lncRNAs has been implicated in pathological conditions such as testicular cancer, highlighting their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Understanding the dynamic roles of lncRNAs in testicular function, aging, and disease is essential for advancing reproductive medicine. This study provides insights into the complex interplay between lncRNAs and reproductive aging, emphasizing their significance in testis-specific processes and associated disorders.
根据世界卫生组织的预测，生殖衰老正成为一个新出现的全球健康问题，预计在不久的将来将成为第三大重要的健康问题。这个复杂的过程是由分子和细胞变化驱动的，包括DNA、RNA和蛋白质表达的改变。在非编码RNA（ncRNA）中，长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）因其在精子发生中的调控作用以及对衰老和睾丸疾病的潜在影响而越来越受到认可。这篇综述探讨了lncRNA在睾丸生物学中的功能，重点关注它们的基因调控作用、异构体多样性、亚细胞定位以及与关键分子成分的相互作用。虽然历史上的研究一直优先关注蛋白质编码基因，但广泛的ncRNA领域表明存在一个更广泛的影响生殖健康的调控网络。许多睾丸特异性lncRNA表现出保守的序列、模块化结构和富含重复序列的元件，这有助于它们的功能重要性。这些lncRNA的失调与睾丸癌等病理状况有关，突出了它们作为生物标志物和治疗靶点的潜力。了解lncRNA在睾丸功能、衰老和疾病中的动态作用对于推进生殖医学至关重要。这项研究深入探讨了lncRNA与生殖衰老之间的复杂相互作用，强调了它们在睾丸特异性过程和相关疾病中的重要性。
