Variants of ADPGK gene and its effect on the male reproductive organ parameters and sperm count in Hu sheep.

ADP-dependent glucokinase (ADPGK) plays an important role instead of hexokinase in regulating energy metabolism via the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas Pathway. And energy provided via glycolysis promotes testis development and spermatogenesis. In this study, 466 Hu sheep were screened for mutations in the ADPGK gene to examine the association of the ADPGK gene polymorphisms with the testis traits and spermatogenesis. The NC_056060.1: g.31295 C > T SNP was found in the 3'-UTR region, resulting in two genotypes CC and TC type with genotypic frequencies of 0.66 and 0.34, respectively. This mutation was significantly associated with testis weight, testis long circumference, testis short girth, epididymis weight, and sperm concentration (p < 0.05). Moreover, TC genotype individuals had an increased tendency in the expression of the ADPGK gene and had significant reproductive performance advantages compared with CC genotype individuals in the study. And compared with the small testes (<50 g), the ADPGK gene expression of big testes (>160 g) increased significantly. This indicates an association between the ADPGK gene and reproductive organ parameters and sperm count in selected Hu sheep breed, and this SNP may serve as an effective DNA molecular marker for marker-assisted selection in Hu sheep breeding programs.

α-Linolenic acid induced TM4 Sertoli cells proliferation and enhanced total antioxidant capacity.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the direct ALA effects on mice TM4 Sertoli cells proliferation in vitro. Our results showed that TM4 cells viability was significantly stimulated by ALA (p < 0.05). The 50 µM ALA increased the concentration of total antioxidant capacity, induced the mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarized, and markedly decreased the number of apoptosis cells (p < 0.05). ALA also up-regulated G2/Mitotic-specific cyclin-B1 gene and apoptosis suppressive gene Bcl2 expression (p < 0.05). In conclusion, those results indicated that ALA could increase TM4 Sertoli cells antioxidant capacity, induced the mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarized, inhibited cells apoptosis and stimulated TM4 Sertoli cells proliferation in vitro.