Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is a complex process that is required for sperm production. Multiple RNA-binding proteins participate in regulating spermatogenesis. Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX1) is involved in transcriptional regulation, mRNA stabilization, and translational repression. However, its specific role...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan HAN, Rui WU, Chaoqun DUAN, Jiemin CHEN, Xing DENG, Wei PENG, Buzhen TAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Society for Reproduction and Development 2025-06-01
Series:The Journal of Reproduction and Development
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/4/71_2024-108/_pdf/-char/en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849249636247666688
author Yan HAN
Rui WU
Chaoqun DUAN
Jiemin CHEN
Xing DENG
Wei PENG
Buzhen TAN
author_facet Yan HAN
Rui WU
Chaoqun DUAN
Jiemin CHEN
Xing DENG
Wei PENG
Buzhen TAN
author_sort Yan HAN
collection DOAJ
description Spermatogenesis is a complex process that is required for sperm production. Multiple RNA-binding proteins participate in regulating spermatogenesis. Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX1) is involved in transcriptional regulation, mRNA stabilization, and translational repression. However, its specific role in spermatogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated the role of YBX1 in spermatogenesis using a Ybx1 conditional knockout (Ybx1 cKO) mouse model. By analyzing the phenotype of Ybx1 cKO mice, we investigated the role of YBX1 in spermatogenesis and male fertility. The morphology and weight of Ybx1 cKO mouse testes were similar to those of wild-type (WT) testes. Sperm count and motility were lower in Ybx1 cKO mice than in WT mice. Histological analysis showed reduced numbers of elongated spermatids in seminiferous tubules and spermatozoa in tubules of the epididymis in Ybx1 cKO mice. Although YBX1 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm of spermatocytes, meiosis progressed normally in Ybx1 cKO spermatocytes. Finally, the fertilization potential of spermatozoa from Ybx1 cKO epididymis was decreased. In conclusion, our results indicate that YBX1 participates in the regulation of spermatid development but is dispensable for meiosis.
format Article
id doaj-art-613bcfe3fb744cc2bfd0d41cd62ed69f
institution Kabale University
issn 0916-8818
1348-4400
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher The Society for Reproduction and Development
record_format Article
series The Journal of Reproduction and Development
spelling doaj-art-613bcfe3fb744cc2bfd0d41cd62ed69f2025-08-20T03:57:31ZengThe Society for Reproduction and DevelopmentThe Journal of Reproduction and Development0916-88181348-44002025-06-0171421021610.1262/jrd.2024-108jrdYbx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesisYan HAN0Rui WU1Chaoqun DUAN2Jiemin CHEN3Xing DENG4Wei PENG5Buzhen TAN6Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, ChinaReproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, ChinaThe Assisted Reproduction Department, Yichun Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yichun, Jiangxi Province, ChinaHubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, ChinaThe Assisted Reproduction Department, Yichun Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yichun, Jiangxi Province, ChinaThe Assisted Reproduction Department, Yichun Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yichun, Jiangxi Province, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, ChinaSpermatogenesis is a complex process that is required for sperm production. Multiple RNA-binding proteins participate in regulating spermatogenesis. Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX1) is involved in transcriptional regulation, mRNA stabilization, and translational repression. However, its specific role in spermatogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated the role of YBX1 in spermatogenesis using a Ybx1 conditional knockout (Ybx1 cKO) mouse model. By analyzing the phenotype of Ybx1 cKO mice, we investigated the role of YBX1 in spermatogenesis and male fertility. The morphology and weight of Ybx1 cKO mouse testes were similar to those of wild-type (WT) testes. Sperm count and motility were lower in Ybx1 cKO mice than in WT mice. Histological analysis showed reduced numbers of elongated spermatids in seminiferous tubules and spermatozoa in tubules of the epididymis in Ybx1 cKO mice. Although YBX1 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm of spermatocytes, meiosis progressed normally in Ybx1 cKO spermatocytes. Finally, the fertilization potential of spermatozoa from Ybx1 cKO epididymis was decreased. In conclusion, our results indicate that YBX1 participates in the regulation of spermatid development but is dispensable for meiosis.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/4/71_2024-108/_pdf/-char/enfertilizationspermatid developmentspermatogenesissubfertilityy-box binding protein 1
spellingShingle Yan HAN
Rui WU
Chaoqun DUAN
Jiemin CHEN
Xing DENG
Wei PENG
Buzhen TAN
Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
The Journal of Reproduction and Development
fertilization
spermatid development
spermatogenesis
subfertility
y-box binding protein 1
title Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
title_full Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
title_fullStr Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
title_full_unstemmed Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
title_short Ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice: insights into spermatogenesis
title_sort ybx1 deficiency impairs spermatid development and male fertility without affecting meiosis in mice insights into spermatogenesis
topic fertilization
spermatid development
spermatogenesis
subfertility
y-box binding protein 1
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/4/71_2024-108/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT yanhan ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT ruiwu ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT chaoqunduan ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT jieminchen ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT xingdeng ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT weipeng ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis
AT buzhentan ybx1deficiencyimpairsspermatiddevelopmentandmalefertilitywithoutaffectingmeiosisinmiceinsightsintospermatogenesis