The long noncoding RNA (LINC-RBE) expression in testicular cells is associated with aging of the rat.

ABSTRACT

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulatory biomolecules responsible for many cellular processes. The aging of mammals is manifested by a slow and gradual decline of physiological functions after adulthood, progressively resulting in age-related diseases. Testis comprises different cell-types with defined functions for producing haploid gametes and androgens in males, contributing gene-pool to the next generation with genetic variations to species for evolutionary advantage. The LINC-RBE (long intergenic noncoding-rat brain expressed) RNA showed highest expression in the Leydig cells, responsible for steroidogenesis and production of testosterone; higher expression in primary spermatocytes (pachytene cells), responsible for generation of haploid gametes and high expression in Sertoli cells, the nursing cells of the testes. Testes of immature (4-weeks), adult (16- and 44-weeks), and nearly-old (70-weeks) rats showed low, high, and again low levels of expression, respectively. This along with the nuclear-cytoplasmic localization of LINC-RBE RNA showed age-related expression and function. Thus, expression of LINC-RBE is involved in the molecular physiology of testes, especially Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes, and Sertoli cells. The decline in its expression correlates with diminishing reproductive function of the testes during aging of the rat.