AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency

Abstract Lactate, a metabolite which is elevated in various developmental and pathological processes, exerts its signal through alanyl tRNA synthetases (AARS)-catalyzed protein lactylation. Herein, we report that elevated lactate and gain-of-function mitochondrial AARS (AARS2) mutations-induced hype...

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Main Authors: Zhi-Ling Zhang, Shu-Ting Ren, Wan-Jie Yang, Xiao-Wen Xu, Shi-Min Zhao, Ke-Fei Fang, Yan Lin, Yi-Yuan Yuan, Xiao-Jin Zhang, Yun-Qin Chen, Wei Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-04-01
Series:Cell Death Discovery
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02501-0
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author Zhi-Ling Zhang
Shu-Ting Ren
Wan-Jie Yang
Xiao-Wen Xu
Shi-Min Zhao
Ke-Fei Fang
Yan Lin
Yi-Yuan Yuan
Xiao-Jin Zhang
Yun-Qin Chen
Wei Xu
author_facet Zhi-Ling Zhang
Shu-Ting Ren
Wan-Jie Yang
Xiao-Wen Xu
Shi-Min Zhao
Ke-Fei Fang
Yan Lin
Yi-Yuan Yuan
Xiao-Jin Zhang
Yun-Qin Chen
Wei Xu
author_sort Zhi-Ling Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Lactate, a metabolite which is elevated in various developmental and pathological processes, exerts its signal through alanyl tRNA synthetases (AARS)-catalyzed protein lactylation. Herein, we report that elevated lactate and gain-of-function mitochondrial AARS (AARS2) mutations-induced hyper-lactylation promotes premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Serum lactate is elevated in POI patients. POI-driving AARS2 mutations gain lactyltransferase activity. AARS2 lactylates and inactivates carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 (CPT2), resulting in FFA accumulation that activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and potentiates follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to initiate follicle development. These, in synergy with the anabolites accumulation effects of AARS2, promoted lactylation-induced PDHA1 inactivation promote granular cell (GC) proliferation and primordial follicle development. GC-specific AARS2 overexpression does not affect primordial follicle number but speed up follicle depletion. AARS2 ablation or lactylation-inhibiting β-alanine treatments can prevent folliculogenesis and POI traits in mouse. These findings reveal that lactate signal drives follicle development, and inhibiting lactate signal could treat/prevent POI.
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spelling doaj-art-64b9ca9bedbd4c53bf4fb029714a17d12025-08-20T02:55:31ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death Discovery2058-77162025-04-0111111610.1038/s41420-025-02501-0AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiencyZhi-Ling Zhang0Shu-Ting Ren1Wan-Jie Yang2Xiao-Wen Xu3Shi-Min Zhao4Ke-Fei Fang5Yan Lin6Yi-Yuan Yuan7Xiao-Jin Zhang8Yun-Qin Chen9Wei Xu10Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityShanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityObstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic and Development of Complex Phenotypes, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan UniversityAbstract Lactate, a metabolite which is elevated in various developmental and pathological processes, exerts its signal through alanyl tRNA synthetases (AARS)-catalyzed protein lactylation. Herein, we report that elevated lactate and gain-of-function mitochondrial AARS (AARS2) mutations-induced hyper-lactylation promotes premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Serum lactate is elevated in POI patients. POI-driving AARS2 mutations gain lactyltransferase activity. AARS2 lactylates and inactivates carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 (CPT2), resulting in FFA accumulation that activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and potentiates follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to initiate follicle development. These, in synergy with the anabolites accumulation effects of AARS2, promoted lactylation-induced PDHA1 inactivation promote granular cell (GC) proliferation and primordial follicle development. GC-specific AARS2 overexpression does not affect primordial follicle number but speed up follicle depletion. AARS2 ablation or lactylation-inhibiting β-alanine treatments can prevent folliculogenesis and POI traits in mouse. These findings reveal that lactate signal drives follicle development, and inhibiting lactate signal could treat/prevent POI.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02501-0
spellingShingle Zhi-Ling Zhang
Shu-Ting Ren
Wan-Jie Yang
Xiao-Wen Xu
Shi-Min Zhao
Ke-Fei Fang
Yan Lin
Yi-Yuan Yuan
Xiao-Jin Zhang
Yun-Qin Chen
Wei Xu
AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
Cell Death Discovery
title AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
title_full AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
title_fullStr AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
title_full_unstemmed AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
title_short AARS2-catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
title_sort aars2 catalyzed lactylation induces follicle development and premature ovarian insufficiency
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02501-0
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