NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos

Abstract Telomere length (TL) is important for maintaining the individual health of a species. Recent studies shows that in vitro fertilization therapy can drastically reduce TL in offspring, however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. Sirt6 is a NAD+-dependent epigenetic regulator...

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Main Authors: Danjun Li, Wenzhi Li, Xiaoyu Liao, Shutian Jiang, Meng Ma, Zhijie Hu, Kaibo Lin, Weina Yu, Xue Sun, Yong Fan, Haibo Wu, Mingru Yin, Li Wang, Lun Suo, Hui Long, Xuefeng Lu, Yanping Kuang, Qifeng Lyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08567-x
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author Danjun Li
Wenzhi Li
Xiaoyu Liao
Shutian Jiang
Meng Ma
Zhijie Hu
Kaibo Lin
Weina Yu
Xue Sun
Yong Fan
Haibo Wu
Mingru Yin
Li Wang
Lun Suo
Hui Long
Xuefeng Lu
Yanping Kuang
Qifeng Lyu
author_facet Danjun Li
Wenzhi Li
Xiaoyu Liao
Shutian Jiang
Meng Ma
Zhijie Hu
Kaibo Lin
Weina Yu
Xue Sun
Yong Fan
Haibo Wu
Mingru Yin
Li Wang
Lun Suo
Hui Long
Xuefeng Lu
Yanping Kuang
Qifeng Lyu
author_sort Danjun Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Telomere length (TL) is important for maintaining the individual health of a species. Recent studies shows that in vitro fertilization therapy can drastically reduce TL in offspring, however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. Sirt6 is a NAD+-dependent epigenetic regulator that has recently been found to play an important role in maintaining telomere stability. Here, we report that NAD+ deficiency in in vitro-cultured blastocysts impairs Sirt6 function, triggering telomere shortening of the inner cell mass and possibly affecting newborns. This phenotype could be effectively mitigated by supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NAD+ precursor) during in vitro culture, while it could not be achieved in Sirt6 conditional knockout embryos. mtROS accumulation and epigenetic modifications may also be involved in this process. Our results reveal the mechanism by which in vitro culture induces telomere shortening in preimplantation embryos, providing a potential target for improving in vitro culture conditions.
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issn 2399-3642
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spelling doaj-art-ce0f5706da244d97b20d41c1721623ed2025-08-24T11:45:46ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-08-018111510.1038/s42003-025-08567-xNAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryosDanjun Li0Wenzhi Li1Xiaoyu Liao2Shutian Jiang3Meng Ma4Zhijie Hu5Kaibo Lin6Weina Yu7Xue Sun8Yong Fan9Haibo Wu10Mingru Yin11Li Wang12Lun Suo13Hui Long14Xuefeng Lu15Yanping Kuang16Qifeng Lyu17Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract Telomere length (TL) is important for maintaining the individual health of a species. Recent studies shows that in vitro fertilization therapy can drastically reduce TL in offspring, however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. Sirt6 is a NAD+-dependent epigenetic regulator that has recently been found to play an important role in maintaining telomere stability. Here, we report that NAD+ deficiency in in vitro-cultured blastocysts impairs Sirt6 function, triggering telomere shortening of the inner cell mass and possibly affecting newborns. This phenotype could be effectively mitigated by supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NAD+ precursor) during in vitro culture, while it could not be achieved in Sirt6 conditional knockout embryos. mtROS accumulation and epigenetic modifications may also be involved in this process. Our results reveal the mechanism by which in vitro culture induces telomere shortening in preimplantation embryos, providing a potential target for improving in vitro culture conditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08567-x
spellingShingle Danjun Li
Wenzhi Li
Xiaoyu Liao
Shutian Jiang
Meng Ma
Zhijie Hu
Kaibo Lin
Weina Yu
Xue Sun
Yong Fan
Haibo Wu
Mingru Yin
Li Wang
Lun Suo
Hui Long
Xuefeng Lu
Yanping Kuang
Qifeng Lyu
NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
Communications Biology
title NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
title_full NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
title_fullStr NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
title_full_unstemmed NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
title_short NAD+-dependent Sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro-cultured preimplantation embryos
title_sort nad dependent sirt6 is a key regulator involved in telomere shortening of in vitro cultured preimplantation embryos
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08567-x
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