CircCamsap1 is Dispensable for Male Fertility in Mice

Overview

Journal PeerJ

Specialties Biology
Environmental Health
General Medicine

Date 2024 May 27

PMID 38799061

Authors

Shu Zhang

Haojie Li

Wei Jiang

Xia Chen

Han Zhou

Chang Wang

Hao Kong

Yichao Shi

Xiaodan Shi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a large class of RNAs present in mammals. Among these, is a well-acknowledged circRNA with significant implications, particularly in the development and progression of diverse tumors. However, the potential consequences of depletion on male reproduction are yet to be thoroughly investigated.

Methods: The presence of in the mouse testes was confirmed, and gene expression analysis was performed using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. knockout mice were generated utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Phenotypic analysis of both the testes and epididymis was conducted using histological and immunofluorescence staining. Additionally, fertility and sperm motility were assessed.

Results: Here, we successfully established a knockout mouse model without affecting the expression of parental gene. Surprisingly, male mice lacking () exhibited normal fertility, with no discernible differences in testicular and epididymal histology, spermatogenesis, sperm counts or sperm motility compared to mice. These findings suggest that may not play an essential role in physiological spermatogenesis. Nonetheless, this result also underscores the complexity of circRNA function in male reproductive biology. Therefore, further research is necessary to elucidate the precise roles of other circRNAs in regulating male fertility.

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